Rusty Spoons

Earlier this weekend I wrote an article documenting my experience blueberry picking. This article is a follow-up describing my experience baking a batch of blueberry muffins! I followed a  recipe  from New York Times Cooking called "The Ritz-Carleton's Blueberry Muffins". The recipe is inspired by Chef Charles Bonino who was a pastry chef at Boston's Ritz-Carleton in the '70's. He based this recipe off of the popular blueberry muffins sold at Gilchrist's - a popular Boston department store. Although he wasn't able to perfectly replicate the original, this recipe serves as a beautiful replacement. The recipe is simple and takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to bake. It yields about 16 medium sized muffins. The recipe is unique in that it highlights the fresh blueberries through the muted flavor of the batter. The acidity of the blueberries cuts through the subtle sweetness of the muffin. An important addition to the recipe is to c

 Planned vibrations from my watch woke me at 6 am this Saturday morning. I stumbled into some very short shorts, aimlessly searched for a pair of breathable socks to wrap around my feet, and snatched a shirt from a neatly folded pile in my closet. Without delay, I walked downstairs only to be surprised by the appearance of my mother in the hallway. It is my prediction that she was restless at this early hour, and required activity to spend her energy. "Are you going to Rockefeller?" asked my Mother. "Yes, I'm going there right now to meet some teammates for an early morning workout, we planned to beat the deadening heat that is forecasted for today." I replied. "Would you mind dropping me off early so I can walk home?" asked my Mom. "Of course! I will leave in 20 minutes." I answered. After a small bowl of oats covered with milk, raisins, and almonds, we snuck out the door, as we did not hope to wake the rest of my sleeping family. 

This weekend our family decided to go blueberry picking. Blueberry picking is a fun family activity that yields both delicious fruit and an excuse to enjoy the beautiful July weather. Although the orchards strongly advise against it, the best part of blueberry picking is indulging on the blueberries - collecting a portion of the harvest to take home and enjoying a majority of the harvest as you walk along. We decided to 'go on a limb' and try out a new orchard, which is closer to our NYC home: Ochs Orchard. Being only a one hour commute from NYC, Ochs Orchard is the perfect place to visit on a Saturday morning - avoiding both the heat and the weekend bustle of the city. Furthermore, at a price of 4.99 per pound or 3.99 for 5 pounds plus, Ochs' blueberries seemed to be 'ripe for picking'. Ochs also had other seasonal offerings like garlic, zucchini, and peaches available through July. The drive up to Och's was beautiful. We slowly navigated the windy and hill