THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996                 TAG: 9606200054
SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: F6   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: By BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR 
                                            LENGTH:   36 lines

EKNGLISH MUFFINS DON'T HAVE TO BE DULL ANYMORE

SOME CONVENIENCE foods are so common, we hardly consider making them from scratch anymore. Such is the case with English muffins. However, you can give new life to this bland breakfast favorite by making your own and adding herbs, dried fruits or mashed vegetables to the dough.

The traditional English muffin is baked on a griddle and split before serving with butter or jam. English muffins also make wonderful sandwich breads and great ``pads'' for specialties, such as eggs Benedict or McDonalds' Egg McMuffins. John Maxwell, of Chef Maxwell's Catering Co. in Richmond, uses miniature sweet potato English muffins as a base for an African-style appetizer.

Samuel B. Thomas is credited with coining the phrase ``English muffin,'' claims S.B. Thomas and Co. After immigrating from England in the late 1800s, he opened a bakery in New York. He used his mother's recipe for crumpets and called them ``English muffins.''

The following recipe from ``Judith Olney on Bread'' (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1985) is much like Thomas' muffins, but a bit tricky to prepare. If you have the patience, they are well worth the effort. The other recipes are easier, but more bread-like.

Whether you let them cool or are anxious to eat them warm, they should be split in half with a fork or your fingers, never a knife. MEMO: See microfilm for recipes. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Beth Bergman, The Virginian-Pilot

FILE PHOTO

Make your own English muffins for a real treat. by CNB