Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Whole Grain Muffins for a cold snowy day

In October we drove to Ellijay for apples. The tiny village of Talking Rock, just south of Ellijay, is where I bought a small bag of this 10 grain cereal from Nora Mills at one of the shops there. While I didn't enjoy it as a hot cereal, there was a recipe for muffins which I baked this morning, and they are yummy.


The cereal gives them a chewiness, while the muffins themselves are moist, tender and slightly spicy. They're filling, and (I like to think) healthy.

Talking Rockis a short drive up Highway 575, perhaps forty-five minutes to an hour from Atlanta. In the fall, this area in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains is just beautiful with the reds and golds of autumn. The shop owners are friendly, and I thought the prices on most of the antiques were reasonable, if you're in the market for that.

While you're up that way, keep on going to Ellijay and buy some apples. You'll find some varieties that are not in the stores. I fell in love with honey crisp apples which are not grown locally, and have a short growing season to boot. They are the most delicious apples to eat fresh - very sweet and (obviously) crisp. I had never tasted anything like them. I like Pink Lady apples too although I think they are more subtle than Honeycrisp.

It's a nice little road trip for an autumn Sunday. I'm looking forward to fall already - as I always am: it's my favorite time of year.

I'd recommend staying away from Ellijay during their Apple Festival. It's a madhouse and in my opinion, not worth the hassle. Last year I drove up there and traffic was horrendous - the venue is on a two lane highway, so traffic backs up quickly. It was also very hot last year which probably affected my experience. Still, there are more relaxing ways to spend a Sunday in the foothills.

Give Nora Mills a try. These muffins made from their 10 Grain Cereal are great. And as you know, I'm all about muffins.