PEACH + RASPBERRY MUFFINS

It’s been just over a year since I posted my last recipe featuring peaches - the peach and blackberry pie bars and if you haven’t made these yet, do so, especially if you find baking pies stressful - so I figured it was about time to give the popular stone fruit some spotlight. After glancing over my blog and seeing what I already had available in the stone fruit department (the pies bars and a perfect peach and nectarine crisp), I thought I’d make something that would be great for breakfast or brunch. With that, I settled on making peach and raspberry (and pistachio!) muffins and they came out amazing.

This is my 4th consecutive post highlighting summer fruit and I feel like I have Maine and weirdly, the pandemic, to thank for that. Since moving here, I’ve found myself going to the local farmers market just about every week whereas back at home I went to the one in Laguna Beach like, twice a year. I think this is because not only do I go on walks right by the farmers market on Wednesdays, but also because I find myself wanting to support the small, local farms that are definitely taking a hit financially due to the pandemic. Everything that I’ve bought from the farmers market so far has been worth every dollar, from the wild blueberries to the fresh corn to the maple syrup, and I know it’s made my recipes taste even better. Additionally, being able to meet the people in charge of making such great produce/products makes my day and makes me feel like I’m more a part of the community even though it’s so easy to feel alone at this time.

For today’s muffin recipe, I turned to an old standby of mine that I also used for my blueberry lemon muffin post. It’s quite possibly the simplest recipe for a multitude of reasons: 1) The whole thing comes together in about 40 minutes, including the time it takes to peel the peaches and bake the muffins, 2) Besides the small bowl for the fruit and flour, you’ll only need one large bowl to mix the batter together, so clean-up time is a piece of cake and 3) No ingredients need to be brought to room temperature so you can essentially wake up early one morning and immediately get started on breakfast. As for the taste of the muffins itself, each one is filled to the brim with fruit so much so that I guarantee every bite will have a piece of peach and/or raspberry, which I kind of think is a big deal since I’ve had my fair share of muffins with about two blueberries hidden inside. Because the peaches and raspberries are the stars of the recipe, I definitely recommend springing for local or organic fruit, but like I always say, do whatever feels right for you (and your wallet).

Unlike my previous muffin recipes (apple crumb, blueberry lemon and sweet potato chocolate chip ) this was the first time I added nuts, in this case pistachios, to the recipe. It’s no secret that my nut of choice when it comes to baking is pistachios, but if you want to use pecans or walnuts, those would definitely work in this recipe as well. Or, if you’re not a muffin with nuts person, feel free to leave the nuts out completely.

One last note: the easiest way to peel peaches is to submerge them in boiling water (in a Dutch oven or soup pot) for about 30 seconds and then immediately transfer them to ice cold water. After this, you should be able to peel off the skin using your fingers (the more ripe the peach, the easier it’ll come off).

Peach and Raspberry Muffins

Yields 12 standard muffins

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt (plain or Greek)

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided

• 1 cup peeled and chopped fresh ripe peaches

• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped

• Turbinado sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-cavity muffin tin with cooking spray or butter, or line with cupcake wrappers.

2. In a small bowl, gently combine the peaches and raspberries with the 1 1/2 tbsp. of flour. This is to prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of each muffin. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and melted butter together until incorporated. Add the sour cream/yogurt and egg, and whisk again. Stir in the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the flour, the peaches and raspberries (mixed with the 1 1/2 tbsp. of flour) and pistachios until you can no longer see any dry ingredients. If you want, you can add half of the pistachios to the muffin base and sprinkle on the other half on the top of each muffin. Up to you!

5. Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cavity 3/4 full with batter. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over each muffin top (measure with your heart).

6. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, and then turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for another 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The blast of initial heat helps the muffins get their height.

7. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before taking them out. Muffins are best eaten on the day they are baked, but can be enjoyed for 1-2 days after if covered and left at room temperature.

BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE

A summer experience that I’d been looking forward to while living in Maine was eating fresh wild blueberries, and I’m ecstatic to report that I was finally able to this week. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I absolutely love blueberries and literally eat them every single day for breakfast, whether it’s peak blueberry season or in the dead of winter. Before moving to Maine, I had always heard how the state boasted the best wild blueberries in America, and apparently is responsible for 99% of the country’s supply. Whether that statistic is accurate or not, the bottom line is that as a lover of blueberries, I’m in good company here in Maine.

Although grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods sell frozen wild blueberries year round, which I’ve tried before in smoothies and such, I knew nothing would compare to the real deal straight from local farms here in Maine. So when I saw on social media that Portland’s farmers market was going to be selling the first wild blueberries of the season, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a quart of the precious berries. On Wednesday (aka farmers market day), I woke up early like a kid on Christmas morning, got to the market right when it opened, and beelined for the Lost and Found Farm stall, a flower and wild blueberry farm located only 20 miles away from Portland. After paying far more than I ever would for fruit (it was well worth it though), I took my quart of wild blueberries home, gave them a good rinse and ate them like candy. Compared to regular blueberries, the wild ones are smaller and therefore have more flavor and antioxidants packed in each one… they’re amazing. I can now say that I’ve consumed the country’s best wild blueberries.

Of course, before picking up the berries from the farmers market on Wednesday, I already had a recipe picked out that would not only be something new to the blog, but one that would highlight the berries. I ultimately settled on doing a blueberry coffee cake and I'm so, so happy with the results.

Coffee cake is meant to be eaten for breakfast and is best enjoyed with your morning cup of coffee or tea (hence the name). The cake itself isn’t too sweet, which is why it’s acceptable to eat first thing in the morning, but the addition of the crumb/streusel topping not only gives you that addicting crunchiness, but also a healthy dose of sugar and spice. In my crumb topping, I added ground cinnamon as well as ground cardamom, the latter being optional mostly because not everyone has it in their pantry and I don’t want to send anyone out to buy it just for this recipe - cardamom is actually pretty expensive compared to nutmeg or cinnamon. I added it because I’ve been on a cardamom kick ever since I got a cardamom bun at Belleville, one of my favorite bakeries here in Portland. I personally think it makes the coffee cake better, but by all means, you don’t need to add it.

In addition to the streusel topping, coffee cakes also tend to have a layer of streusel found in the middle of the cake. I chose to skip this and focus on making the cake component more blueberry and lemon focused, by adding 2 whole cups of wild blueberries and the zest of 1 lemon. In my opinion, the streusel on top is more than enough needed for the cake overall, and it still will give you the perfect bite each time.

As for the blueberries, I’m going to assume that not everyone will be able to find fresh wild blueberries in their hometown, which is fine! If this is the case for you, the next best thing would be plain old blueberries, which are always great in my opinion, or you could use frozen wild blueberries (do not defrost them, and know that you run the risk of “staining” the batter blue). Personally, I would settle on regular blueberries before buying frozen just since it’s easier and always available at any grocery store. I’m aware that there will come a time when I make this again without wild blueberries, but I know that this recipe will still be delicious.

P.S. I want to dedicate this post to my mom, Tania, since her birthday is on Sunday AND because her love for coffee cake knows no bounds. She was supposed to be visiting me in Maine this weekend, but due to Covid-19, we decided it was best to push the trip back. I miss her like crazy and I’m so bummed that I can’t be with her on her birthday, but we’ll have to celebrate with cake and (many) margaritas in a few months.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Yields (1) 9-inch springform cake

Recipe adapted from Barbara Bakes

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar (any kind will work)

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (optional, but recommended)

• Pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup (2 oz. or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes (cold or softened works)

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp. lemon zest

• 1/2 cup (4 oz., 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or 1%)

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (for notes on frozen, read above)

Directions

1. Make the crumb topping: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, sugars, cinnamon, cardamom (if using) and salt together. Add the cubes of butter and, using your fingers or a fork, work the butter into the mixture until there’s a crumbly texture. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 9-inch springform pan with either butter or cooking spray.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) whisk the sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant (this helps release the oils in the zest). Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer base fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the butter, and cream together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract and mix until somewhat incorporated (the batter will be very liquid-y, which is fine). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. All at once, add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix until no more pockets of flour remains. Using a spatula, gently stir in the blueberries. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the crumb topping mixture all over the top of the cake batter.

6. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove the springform pan attachment. Let the cake cool a bit more before cutting into it, since it’s easier to cut at room temperature. Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY BASIL MOJITOS

If you couldn’t tell, I’ve been on a strawberry kick lately and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. From the frozen strawberry margaritas recipe from April to my last post containing the most beautiful (and delicious) strawberry buttermilk sheet cake, I have yet to grow tired of the popular berry. Although my last cocktail recipe also highlighted strawberries, I just had to do another strawberry cocktail purely for the reason that I tried today’s recipe while I was in Vermont last weekend. The cocktail is a strawberry basil mojito and it’s by far my favorite way to enjoy a summery drink at the moment.

If you’re wondering why I was in Vermont last weekend, it’s because I went to visit my aunt, Katia. Katia very recently moved to the state to stay with one of her oldest friends, and once we realized that she was only a short drive away (about three hours), we planned a weekend getaway as soon as we could. Vermont isn’t Katia’s permanent home since her ultimate plan is to get to our family in the Czech Republic, but because European borders are closed to Americans indefinitely due to Covid-19, she’ll be calling Vermont home for the foreseeable future. The town she’s staying in is North Pomfret, near Woodstock, and it is honestly one of the most beautiful places that I’ve visited in the US, and I feel like this statement has some clout considering I just road tripped across the entire country. The gorgeous house she is staying in is a converted farmhouse complete with a towering silo and cow feeding stalls located in the basement. The house sits on acres of farmland surrounded by rolling hills and dense woods, and is just as picturesque as it can get. Needless to say, the trip was very memorable and we had the best time hanging out with my aunt and her friend. The picture below is of her garden, just to give you a taste of the beauty of her property.

One of the days we were visiting, Alex and I took a trip into Woodstock and decided to get cocktails while sitting in the patio at the very cool restaurant, Dr. Coburn’s Tonic. While Alex settled for a Mai Tai, the Strawberry Basil Mojito caught my eye because I had never thought to use basil in place of mint in a mojito before. Obviously, the drink was perfect and refreshing enough to make me forget about the heat and humidity we were experiencing that day. After finishing my drink in record time, I told Alex that I needed to share the recipe for it on my blog. Fortunately for me, I was able to produce a recipe that tasted exactly what I had at Coburn’s.

Unlike my previous mojito recipe (a watermelon version that is also extremely delicious!) where I used granulated sugar in the drink, I decided to make a simple syrup but kick it up a notch by infusing it with fresh basil. The simple syrup takes no skill whatsoever (hence the name) and the addition of basil really accentuates the bright, herby flavor. To further the basil flavor, you’ll also muddle some basil leaves along with chopped strawberries - so there’s definitely no shortage of fresh and vibrant flavors. After the muddling, it’s just a matter of measuring out the rum and lime juice, adding some ice and topping off the cocktail with a good pour of soda water. I personally think it’s easier to make one mojito at a time, especially since the traditional method calls for you to make the drink in the actual glass in which you’ll be drinking from; but if needed, you can of course do a bigger batch. In this case, I would recommend doing the muddling in a large mason jar and then evenly divide between the glasses, and then add the rum, lime juice and soda water. But do whatever you think is best!

Strawberry Basil Mojitos

Yields 1 cocktail

Ingredients

• 3 fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 4-5 basil leaves

• 1 oz. basil simple syrup, recipe below

• 2 oz. silver rum

• 1 oz. fresh lime juice

• 2-3 oz. soda water (depends on the size of your glass)

Directions

1. In the bottom of your desired drinking glass, preferably a highball, muddle the strawberries, basil leaves and simple syrup together. You don’t need to completely muddle every strawberry - a couple can be left more chunky.

2. Pour in the rum and lime juice, then add ice and top off the drink with soda water. Depending on how watered down you want your cocktail and/or the size of your glass, the amount of soda water will vary.

3. Garnish with a strawberry and drink immediately. Enjoy!

Basil Simple Syrup

Yields 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup basil leaves

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once it hits a boil, turn the heat down and allow the mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the stove and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, so the basil flavor can properly steep into the syrup.

3. Pour the syrup through a strainer and discard the basil. Transfer to an airtight container like a mason jar or a bottle with a swing top and store in the fridge for up to a week.