Recently, Halfdan was out in the garden picking herbs for our stew when a pair of French tourists happened upon our secluded spot. We don't usually get visitors around these parts, so their appearance was quite the surprise.

They were on an adventure to find a woodland lake nearby and stopped to ask if they could park in our area. Always happy to share his knowledge, Halfdan started to chat about local sights, hidden springs, and the local flora and fauna.

Before they left, he packed up a small gift for them – a couple of our freshly baked blueberry muffins, a handful of foraged berries, and a tiny flask of our homemade Witch’s Mead. It was a simple gesture, one we hoped would add a touch of warmth to their adventure. Who knows, maybe if we were ever to find ourselves lost in a French forest, we’d be lucky enough to encounter a similar kindness.

So, inspired by these unexpected visitors, we thought it would be a perfect time to share our beloved recipe for blueberry muffins. These muffins, much like our approach to life at Veranda Vikings, are not bound by strict rules. Instead, they're an open canvas for creativity and instinct, allowing us to add in a handful of this and a dash of that until it feels just right.

Here's our general idea for Blueberry Muffins:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft - Or oil

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (from our recent blueberry-picking venture perhaps?!)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) and line your muffin tins with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together until well combined.

4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.

5. Stir in the blueberries. If you feel adventurous, you might add in some chopped nuts or a swirl of caramel sauce.

6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

A word to the wise, though. Our blueberry muffins have a habit of sticking to the pan. It can be a bit messy, but that's part of the charm. Each muffin ends up with its own unique shape and character - much like every day here at Veranda Vikings. Enjoy!