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Hahaha, this proves that people will never accept Asian Americans anywhere. You can be beautiful, or intelligent, or talented and be the most amazing person in the world but if you're Asian.... You get an instant REJECTION stamped on your forehead by insecure, narrow minded, shallow, over assuming, bigoted, people. But nah, if you're white, and blonde and have fake boobs people will accept you EVERYWHERE even IF you're an absolute airhead and possess the IQ of a fruit fly. MAN! You've gotta love how racist the entertainment is huh?! We have made SO much progress in the equality and equal treatment section!!

My biggest pet peeve is that Kelly Choi always seems to have a slightly disgusted look on her face when she eats or even talks about the foods. Her mouth turns down and she wrinkles her upper lip and nose. It's hard to describe, but make a disgusted face, look in the mirror, and think of Kelly Choi.

I just did a homemade batch using my old 1978 Presto electric griddle. I used the recipe out of Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice book. It's pretty basic, much like one bread recipe that I do. Outstanding. No more store bought for us.

The question "what is the difference between a nook and a cranny" also makes me wonder what "grape nuts" really are. What the hell are THEY? They don't seem related to grapes or nuts, just like there is no English or muffin in the English muffin. Melinda, you go girl vis-a -vis your living situation. 1st amendment rights and all that...say whatever and whenever you want! No need for that negative comment, jerseywarren.
Besides, aren't we talking about English muffins? and now, maybe how grape nuts fit into the picture? ;-)

I believe Melinda when she touts her own homemade English muffins, but for those of us not so ambitious, there is only one English muffin, Thomas' They are the standard by which all others pale in comparison. However, I have noticed a slight, barely discernible, yet still evident, decline in the texture of Thomas' since George Weston bakeries took them over. I hope this trend does not continue, or else I may be forced to bake my own, as Melinda does. (By the way, I hate to be judgmental, Melinda, and your lifestyle choices are your own, but advertising the fact that you live with your boyfriend outside of marriage in a public column is setting a very bad example for your younger readers. This used to be called "living in sin" for a reason. So live the way you want, but please keep it to yourself. Your living arrangements have no impact on the quality of your English muffins, one way or the other.)

I love home-baked bread, so after reading this post hopefully I’ll wake up an hour earlier to craft fresh breakfast bread too. Since the above references HFCS’s questionable role in obesity, I thought I’d chime in. HFCS has been the subject of a lot of attention and misinformation in the past few years. Even former critics of HFCS dispel long-held myths and distance themselves from earlier speculation about the sweetener’s link to obesity.

Both HFCS and table sugar contain the same simple sugars (glucose and fructose), they both have the same number of calories, and your body metabolizes them the same way.

It also keeps foods fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors and retains moisture breads.

There has been significant confusion about just how much HFCS is contained in everyday foods. It is true that its versatility makes it useful in many food preparations, but it does so in most cases using very small amounts. How small? For bread (like an English Muffin), you would need to eat 39 slices in a single day to reach the recommended daily allowance of added sugars from HFCS.

I’ve gone on long enough, so to sum up, no single food or ingredient is the sole cause of obesity – rather, the primary cause is too many calories and too little exercise.

Thank you for your consideration.

Mark on behalf of the Corn Refiner’s Association

I remember Julia Child making English muffins from scratch using tuna cans to mold them. My mom always made us English Muffin Pizzas for just about every birthday party we ever had from when we were 5 to when we were about 17. (To be honest, I still love them today!)

I have a feeling the English Muffin is going to experience a much deserved renaissance...

I have to admit that I really just don't have the patience to be a baker... though the pictures of your muffin looked sooo yummy, I might have to reconsider. Do you have any suggestions on what to use if you don't keep (and don't want to keep!) a sourdough starter around? If you want to live like it's 1994 again, we pick up the Thomas whole grain english muffins at costco for pretty cheap (compared to the grocery store anyway).

Melinda, this was a great article - thanks! However, I have a problem with part of your premise: you "took some homemade English muffins from that Sunday batch and put them in the freezer until I thought they were at least as old as four kinds from the supermarket shelf." Why? Part of the point of baking things is that they are fresher than the supermarket brands. I'm glad yours won anyway, but they should have even more of an advantage!

Thanks for the recipe. They look great.

I completely agree about Bays English muffins. I tried the Thomas brand once and was totally disappointed. Bays is the only kind I'll buy. I love them so much I wouldn't even consider trying to make homemade english muffins.

Ha! I graduated high school and joined the Army in 1994... talk about misspent youth!

At any rate, I loved the article. Comparison testing always makes for interesting reading, and it's nice to see something that most take for granted - like English muffins - made from scratch.

Why is it that I have a love of English muffins and I bake, yet I never thought to make my own? Thanks for the article. It has inspired me to think outside of the bread box.

This was a welcome article, Thomas muffins take me back to my childhood, that's how long I've been eating them, on and off, and they seem to have remained consistent, unlike other beloved foods of my youth.

I'm not sure how you felt about the overall taste of the Wolferman's, (costly treat that they are), other than that they equalled the Thomas' muffins for sourness (I would take this as a good thing).

But you didn't say how they paired with the egg/egg yolk.

Thanks for baking, thanks for the article. Eng. Muff Pizzas! Yeah! I remember how much burnt tomato sauce and cheese I left on the bottom of my 'rents toaster oven.