Is there a nicer morning of the week than Sunday? On Sunday, there is time to take a leisurely walk with the dog around the lake. The corner cafe is filled with people enjoying an extra cup of coffee with the newspaper spread across the table. It's perfectly acceptable to throw on a hat and go out in sweatpants and a t-shirt. It's the day when there is time to bake a coffee cake, and really enjoy a lovely breakfast with your family. All during the week, people rise early, put on business clothes and rush about to get to work. Saturday has become a day to get things done - errands, grocery shopping, birthday parties, soccer games. But Sunday has managed to avoid most of the busyness and baggage of the other days of the week. In our state, alcohol sales are still banned on Sunday, a nod to a gentler time, when stores were closed and families stayed home or went
out to enjoy a Sunday Drive together.
So, in the interest of preserving the sanctity of quiet Sunday mornings, I'm offering my version of a perfect lazy morning breakfast. Set the table with cloth napkins and some fresh flowers. Mix up Dorie Greenspan's Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, a warm and sunny choice. They come together quickly and while they bake, squeeze some orange juice and scramble some eggs French style, stirring them gently over low heat until large creamy curds form. Eat slowly, really tasting every bite, and think about how the muffins taste like Spring. Spend a few minutes marveling at the burst of fresh flavor in the orange juice. Have another cup of coffee. Work the crossword puzzle. Take your time and savor the moment, after all - tomorrow is Monday and you'll have places to be.
Dorie Greenspan's Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
2/3 cup of Sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 Lemon
2 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Sour Cream
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 tablespoons Butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons Poppyseeds
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or use muffin papers. Rub the sugar and the lemon zest together until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter. Combine the wet and dry ingredients quickly. Stir in the poppyseeds and spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Note: Dorie iced her muffins with 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. I was hungry and didn't want to wait until they cooled to ice them
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