Reasonably authentic English Muffins here???

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, longball53098 said:

This is the required label in Thailand I guess but it defines the distributor. If you can read Thai it may reveal who really makes them

 

Thanks Longball. That was one of the mysteries to me, when I originally bought a package of Londoner muffins from Central in BKK: who the heck makes them, and were they a domestic or imported product.

 

From the name, not knowing better, you might think they were from the UK or similar. And while I don't read Thai, I searched the package for any sign of an imported product or non-Thailand place of manufacture, and couldn't find any. So that led me to pretty much conclude that those muffins were being made somewhere locally here, as you've now confirmed they in fact are.

 

But as I mentioned above, while I don't especially care where they are being made, I do care about the texture of the muffin and how it toasts up. And at least to my taste, the Londoner muffins are nothing remotely resembling the Thomas brand ones.  So if I had to choose between the Londoner brand and the McD Thai English muffins, despite the added cost, I'd take the McD Thai ones every time.

[CharlieH]

They are not that difficult to make......

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-english-muffins-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchen-106360

 

Just a suggestion

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

They are not that difficult to make......

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-english-muffins-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchen-106360

 

Just a suggestion

 

Thanks Charlie. I'm already up to regularly making homemade peanut butter, hummus and frijoles in my kitchen at home.

 

Even have an electric breadmaker that I rarely use these days. But I'm really not looking to take on any more cooking assignments. Otherwise, they're going to have to revoke my "retirement" designation!!!

[CharlieH]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Thanks Charlie. I'm already up to regularly making homemade peanut butter, hummus and frijoles in my kitchen at home.

 

Even have an electric breadmaker that I rarely use these days. But I'm really not looking to take on any more cooking assignments. Otherwise, they're going to have to revoke my "retirement" designation!!!

You could always do a "batch" one afternoon and freeze them for later consumption. Just a suggestion.

[longball53098]

Londoner serve my need. I will have to try the McDonald's muffin at home

[longball53098]

my phone freaked out

[Notadoctor]

is this about English Muffins the American dish or English crumpets? either way the word "authentic" seems to be oxymoronic.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I would say, it's about the bakery item long called an English muffin, that was by the accounts I've read invented in the U.S. by an English immigrant -- the guy who originally invented the brand known as Thomas' English muffins.

 

It's NOT about English crumpets. Hence my use of the term, English muffin. Crumpets and English muffins are similar but different creatures.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_muffin

 

 

Quote

 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the origin of the term "English Muffin" as 1902.^[3] In a trademark filing in 1926, it was stated that the Thomas' name of the product was first used in 1894.^[3]

The recipe and technique used by Thomas' brand (now owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA) that provides its unusual texture is kept secret,^[5] although competitors now have similar products.^[3]

 

 

 

And on the issue of crumpets vs English muffins:

 

Quote

You may see crumpets at specialty food stores or at fancy brunches and teas and think that they’re English muffins, but the giveaway is that they’re unsplit. Then, what’s the difference between an English muffin and a crumpet? They are cousins, maybe even half brothers, depending on how you like your culinary analogies.

Both have milk and yeast (plus flour, shortening and salt), but crumpet batter is moister to begin with and cooks up to more of a muffin-like moistness than the English muffin, which is similar in moisture to other toasted breads. Whereas English muffins are known for having small holes inside, crumpets develop the holes on their top side.

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/breadstuffs/english-muffin-history.asp

 

That last point is the distinction missing from the so-called "English muffins" generally sold in Thailand. They don't have any real holes inside, or to use the term popularized by Mr. Thomas' company, "nooks and crannies."  Every "English muffin" I've found at the markets in Thailand, has the interior texture similar to plain dense bread.