Whole Wheat Wild Blueberry Muffins

I have moved to the eclectic, diverse city of Montreal. French is spoken wildly and freely on the streets, in the shops, and in the charming little cafes (and though I do not speak a word of it, so far I have managed to get around). Montreal is a hodgepodge of European and American cultures as evidenced in the shops and markets, but also in the essence of the city. It feels simultaneously like both cultures, but belongs in neither location. Montreal is very much its own entity.

Learning of my baking (and eating) habits, my roommate brought me to the Jean-Talon Market. It is a huge farmer's market with an unbelievable amount of fresh and organic fruits and vegetables (I will mention this more and in greater detail as time goes on, I am sure). I picked up peaches, pears, cherry tomatoes, a wonderful variety of bell peppers, and these fantastic wild blueberries. I knew instantly I wanted to eat them in muffins.

These wild blueberry muffins are delicious and healthy. Most muffins I have eaten seem more like white cupcakes than a solid, nutritionally sound muffin. Not these! With whole wheat flour, honey, tons of blueberries, and applesauce instead of oil, these muffins are actually good for you. Which means, of course, that you can eat more than one (or maybe three).

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Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

I made these cookies as a going away present for my sister. She loves coffee, she loves shortbread, and she recently headed off to college as a first time freshman. As she seemed a bit nervous about making new friends (although she would never admit this), I thought cookies would be the perfect gift. She could lure new and exciting people into her life by bribing them in with baked goods. What better conversation starter is there than ”Hey, would you like a delicious cookie?” I thought this was ingenious. I thought I was oh so clever. Of course my plan backfired on me faster than you could say “milk and cookies.”

As my sister later informed me, she was able to bribe off one (only one?) cookie. What self respecting college students turn down free food? Much less free cookies?! Ohh, freshmen. They have got a lot to learn…

So now, as my sister eats them all by herself, she mourned that she is one step closer to gaining that freshman fifteen.

Although seemingly snubbed by college freshman everywhere, these cookies are a fantastic representation of taking a basic shortbread recipe to the next level. These cookies still have that classic sandy texture shortbread is known for, but the espresso flavor is so distinct it redefines the entire cookie. The bittersweet chocolate points these cookies closer to a mocha flavor. I never had the chance to dip one of these in a hot cup of coffee, but I only have reason to believe it would be fantastic.

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Incredibly Moist Chocolate Prune Cake

This cake should actually be named "Oh Lord Almighty, this is the moistest cake in the world." The first bite is pure ecstasy. The cake instantly melts into a moist mass of ooey gooey deliciousness the very second it hits your tongue. This is absolutely a religious experience. For a single moment in time, you will achieve true Enlightenment.
I loved watching the facial expressions of my family when they took their first bites of this cake. In every case, there was a pause for reflection. The chewing stops. My mother's eyes widened with Truth. My sister stood stock still for a solid 10 seconds. My father closed (closed!) his eyes in reverence of this great cake. When I claimed this was a religious experience, it was not an exaggeration.
I want to write sonnets about this cake. I want to compose a piece of classical music to the dining experience. I want to make love to this cake. As I sit here writing and eating, I can assure you that by the eighth bite I'm still seeing stars.

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