Blueberries are easily one of the most revered foods in my house (along with tomatoes, avocados and chocolate chips). Thanks to my "connections" in the Michigan blueberry industry, it's not unusual to find a 10 lb. box of blueberries in our refrigerator... and it lasts a week, TOPS. The only thing that bad about blueberry season is that it's a fleeting bliss. Though they are great candidates for freezing, nothing starts or ends my day better than a big handful of fresh blueberries in a bowl of cereal or ice cream (either of them any time of day in my world).
This recipe originates from Cooks Illustrated magazine. Not only are their recipes usually spot on, they offer tons of tips, great and small, to lock up in your brain for future cooking. The key in this recipe is the flavor of both fresh and cooked blueberries. The crunchy lemon-sugar topping sure doesn't hurt either. You can't argue with these results--the muffins are tender, flavorful and, well, they end up looking pretty awesome, too. As usual, I modified this one just a bit to include some whole-wheat flour. One of those Cooks Illustrated tips is to add 2 tablespoons of liquid for every 1 cup of whole-wheat flour substituted.
With all that in mind... enjoy Cooks Illustrated's "Best Blueberry Muffins."
