Lemon Blueberry Mini Muffins

When you work at a fashion magazine, like I used to, you get a lot of presents. As the beauty director, I was gifted with many designer goodies. “Oh, thanks for coming to the launch of our new Chanel summer fragrance, here’s your goody bag.” Then, inside the bag, a bottle of perfume and sunglasses. Flown to New York for a skin care launch? Don’t leave with out your Lambertson Truex bag jammed with the products. Happy holidays! Here’s your YSL purse. Then there was the food. After all, everyone knows editors love two things: designer swag their editorial wages couldn’t possibly afford and adorable food. And by adorable I mean chocolate from the most talked about Chocolatier, cupcakes from the trendiest baker or macaroons flown in from France. God, I miss the chocolate.

Photo by Maya Visnyei

I’ll never forget how it always felt so great to come back to my desk, after being hammered for an afternoon with pie charts by an advertiser (Advertiser: “Why do you cover indy brands so much? Me: “Oh sorry, did you miss the memo? They’re doing great stuff.”), to find a treat waiting for me–Nothing lifts a day better than a sweet dressed with a great, big bow. Honestly, just writing this, I realize how ridiculously spoiled we could be at the magazine, but companies want to stand out amongst the gobs of information editor’s receive and nothing says look-at-me more than a tower of chocolate. (And, yes, I once got a pillar of chocolate that came to my eye level. It was a Christmas present. And, for the record, I didn’t eat it. At least not all of it.)

Understanding the giddy factor that results from finding a treat waiting for you, I sometimes try to make something special for my daughter to have waiting for her after school. On one of those occasions, I made these mini muffins. I love their citrus tang as well as the unexpected spice from the all spice but, for Scarlett, it’s the oozy burst of baked blueberries that sells her. Yes, yes, yes. I saw your eye roll. I fully realize mini blueberry muffins do not equal macaroons (or even chocolate chip cookies) but when you get home from school–and you’re as ravenous as my daughter–anything outside of the norm of cheese or carrots looks like Disneyland. Putting a bow around it doesn’t hurt either.

I sprinkled the tops of these with a light crumble of brown sugar and oats but it’s not necessary.