Black History Month: Rice Muffins

Written By Natalie Hester

Adult Services Librarian

I was especially excited to make this recipe from Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking after reading Tipton-Martin’s introduction. With this cookbook she aims to lift up Black cooks, who “have earned the freedom to cook with creativity and joy” and to “honor yesterday’s enslaved and free cooks”. She writes about the diversity in African American cooking – the cultural influences and deep flavors which go so far beyond the culturally familiar “soul food”. The introduction shows how much history, community, and research was involved for this cookbook to exist today. Do yourself a favor and don’t skip this introduction!

Now, onto the rice muffins. Originally published in Lessie Bowers’ Plantation Recipes, the recipe comes from Bowers’ grandmother, who was born into slavery in South Carolina. Unfortunately we don’t get much of her story, but we can celebrate her life and legacy by making her recipe. The muffins aren’t too complicated, but the addition of cooked rice is what makes them unique. It’s a great use of fresh or leftover rice and adds a little substance and texture to the traditional muffin.

The ingredients come together easily and don’t require any special tools or skills. The worst part of this process was without a doubt whisking the egg whites. Because I’m a glutton for punishment, and two eggs felt way too small an amount to use the mixer for, I whisked them by hand. I couldn’t tell you how long I did this, but it felt like 10 years and took some serious willpower. This does make the final product more airy, and I guess it’s worth it (I’ll have to take the culinary masters’ word for it). But you can bet next time I’ll be pulling out the mixer.

I heated the pan, as the recipe specified, then did the same with the muffin cups coated in butter. Definitely don’t skip this step and don’t go light on the butter! It gives the outside of the muffins a buttery crisp texture and makes the muffin liners easier to peel off, too. I was afraid to fill up the muffin cups too high and left a tiny bit of batter to spare. Learn from my hesitancy! Though these do get a bit of rise in the middle, it’s not so much that you need to worry about them spilling over.

The final product tastes about what you would expect it to. Not really savory or sweet, just comparative to a corn muffin or a biscuit. I ate mine warm with butter and was perfectly satisfied, but tried a second one with honey and butter, a divine combination.

Let me know if you try these out for yourself and how you like them! For more books by Black authors, check out this month’s edition of Mel’s Shelf. Happy reading and baking!