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goji berry treesMuffins Just Another Name for Yummy

Muffins are often served straight out of a muffin tin or in a paper baking cup. They can be served warm or cold and are usually accompanied by butter, Cheshire cream or jam. Muffins are usually soft and originated in France with the derivation for the word muffin coming from the French word moufflet meaning soft bread.

Muffins can also take the form of English muffins which are a flat yeast dough that is raised slightly and contain many nooks and crannies. English style muffins are usually dryer in texture and cooked on a hot griddle rather than baked in an oven. English muffins can be traced all the way back to the 10th century when hooplike muffin rings were placed on the bottom of a skillet or directly on the stove and filled with dough. The dough was then cooked in the muffin rings and sliced when cool.

American style muffins differ from English style in that they are a batter rather than dough. Most American style muffins do not contain yeast as a leavening agent. American style muffins originally leavened with the use of potash until around 1857 when baking powder came on the market. Baking powder was cheaper and easier to come by than potash.

The first muffin recipe appeared in print some time during the mid 18th century. Muffins quickly gained in popularity and could be bought through mobile muffin men who walked the streets of England selling their fresh baked muffins.

In the United States muffins are so popular that three states have adopted an official muffin. In Minnesota blueberry muffins are the official state muffin. The state muffin of Massachusetts is the corn muffin adopted in 1986. In 1987 New York adopted the apple muffin for its official muffin of choice.

So whether it is English muffins or American style muffins sit back, eat and enjoy.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating easy gourmet recipes for the everyday cook. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful meals that are easy to make and easy to eat. She is also the publisher of numerous cookbooks and runs Gourmayeats a foodie website dedicated to the everyday gourmet. To learn more about Shauna and see her latest cookbook visit her website at http://www.gourmayeats.com

The United States' Love Affair With the Pizza

Pizza arrived in the USA, not surprisingly, with the Italian immigrants who came to the country in the late 19th Century. From that day pizza was sold throughout the Italian areas of the major cities from stands in the street. The original way pizza was sold in the street in Naples would have been in large cylindrical drums with false bottoms containing hot coals to keep it warm.

Officially The First Pizzeria?... Gennaro Lombardi was an immigrant who arrived in New York and settled in Little Italy in Manhattan. A grocer by trade, he opened a grocery store in 1897 and it is believed he opened the first pizzeria in 1905 having been granted a license. This came about when his assistant Antonio Totonnio Pero started making the pizzas for sale in the store. Being a poor area people would come in and ask how much they could have for whatever money they had, and would duly receive a slice relative to their funds. Totonnio later went his own way and set up his own pizzeria down in Coney Island.

Yet Another Claim To Being The First One Frank Pepe claims he opened up his Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven Connecticut before Lombardi started to sell his wares. Many of Frank�s staff were Italian immigrants with the knowledge of years of making pizzas back home in Italy. This led to him opening his pizzeria in 1925 and he was soon competing against his own nephew, Sal Consiglio, who opened a rival pizzeria right across the street from his uncle. Remarkably both shops are still operating in 2007!

No Longer Just An Italian Dish Whilst the origins already described show that the pizza was prevalent in the Italian neighbourhoods, it became a big hit with American soldiers who were serving in Italy during World War II. It made a tasty change to their rations and when they returned in 1945 the pizzeria became a place for all, not just Italians.

The Growth Of The Pizzeria America now had a new and exciting type of food to try, and new pizza companies were set up in the 1940�s and 1950�s that are now very much household names. Domino�s Pizza and Pizza Hut were two such firms founded in the 1950�s and still going strong. Today the market has changed and leans much more towards home delivery. Just about every home in the USA must at some time tried pizza, probably delivered to the door too.

Discover the pizza recipe secrets to making restaurant quality pizzas every time.. Pizza Recipe Secrets Uncovered

It's All About The Crust - Why We Love Pizza

Pizza is one of the most popular foods in America today with 93% of Americans eating at least 1 pizza a month. What's the secret behind this Italian specialty and why are Americans so in love with it? According to the experts, a perfect pizza begins with the perfect crust. The best pizza is only as good as its crust and a large number of Americans agree with this. In a recent poll, over 1/3 of Americans believe that the crust is the most important part of the pizza. Whether the pizza is thick or thin, cheese-stuffed or hand-tossed, deep-dish or gourmet, a good crust is the key.

A well-made pizza crust has the perfect combination of flavor and texture. It should never be bland or difficult to chew. Most pizza crusts contain only basic ingredients: water, flour, yeast, shortening, salt and sugar. What magic makes this simple combination so mouthwatering? Starting with the right kind of flour (usually an all-purpose unbleached flour) will help ensure the perfect pizza crust. Yeast that is still active is critical to making the dough rise. Water is the simplest and yet most important ingredient, because it blends the others together into perfect union.

The best pizza dough is smooth and elastic but never too sticky, resulting in an irresistible crust. Some people believe that refrigerating pizza dough gives it a more desirable flavor. Sometimes corn meal is added, especially to deep-dish pizza crust, giving it a yellowish hue. Adding whole wheat or rye flour contributes both flavor and nutrition to the pizza crust. Whole-wheat pizza crusts are becoming more common among health-conscious Americans.

Many people swear by a thin crust, but 40% prefer it crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The secret to a deliciously thin crust is fresh ingredients; dough rolled no more than 1/4 inch thick and no chance to rise before baking. Traditional New York style pizza (thin crust) is currently the most popular and has a crust so pliable it can fold without splitting. Thin crusts are mixed until smooth and are often hand-tossed. On the other hand, some people prefer thick chewy crusts and this can be achieved with either fresh or chilled dough by simply letting it rise.

Deep-dish pizza or Chicago-style pizza is another popular kind and is made with under-mixed dough that has a cake-like texture. The crust turns out biscuit-like because it is pre-baked before the toppings are added. Cracker-crust pizza is gaining acceptance and is made by under-mixing the dough, allowing it to ferment for a few hours, then sheeting it. Pan-style pizza utilizes thick dough and is cooked in oil, resulting in a light crunchy crust. Cheese-stuffed pizza crusts have unbeatable flavor and texture, while California style (gourmet pizza) relies on a typical thin crust and a variety of specialty toppings.

So what pizza crusts do people like best? The verdict is in and statistics show that thin crusts are by far the most popular. Approximately 61% of Americans prefer a thin crust pizza. Coming in second and tied at 14% are deep-dish crusts and thick crusts. Cheese-stuffed crusts are preferred by 4% of Americans and especially pleasing to children. Whatever the style, the crust is undeniably a major factor in good pizza. Good pizza crusts are essential to tasty pizza and have come a long way from the days when the crust was peeled off and discarded.

William Lockhart is Founder of HomePizzaChef.com. He is also a self proclaimed homemade pizza lover. HomePizzaChef.com delivers pizza recipes to subscribers email box. The slogan on the web site reads, "They'll Get Down On Their Knees And Beg You To Make Another". Visit William at http://www.homepizzachef.com

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