Fancy A Muffin? So Does Everyone Else
For office workers and many others, lunchtime means heading to the local supermarket, coffee shop or cafe for something to eat. Savoury products like sandwiches, cold and hot drinks, and sweets can all be purchased for a low cost. A bad day at the office can set off a mass purchase of all things chocolaty. The muffin has become a very popular snack for people to buy with a coffee or as a pudding. They can be eaten with little mess and come in a variety of flavours so everyone can find one they like.
Development of muffins has led to it being reclassified as a gourmet snack when produced with good quality ingredients. In part this is down to the growth of gourmet coffee chains like Starbucks. Luxury ingredients like Belgian chocolate chips and the freshest fruits are used so that even discerning eaters are tempted to nibble on the top of a muffin.
Sweet treats are no longer just for those who aren’t on a diet, now people watching their weight can indulge in a ‘skinny muffin’ of lemon, blueberry and many other flavours. Coffee houses are not losing money by driving away those on a diet whilst the customers feel like they are eating something tasty yet healthy.
the shape and size of muffins has also changed how we look at them. muffins began quite small and evenly shaped. Then muffins got a whole lot bigger and they ended up being large at the top with a slimmer base. The ‘muffin top’ has even made its way into every-day speech as we refer to stomachs that creep over tight trousers as a muffin top.
In the past year or so however there is a new shape known as tulip or flower-pot. This has been partly triggered by the reluctance of consumers to eat such a big portion all in one sitting, as this new design is a little smaller and more even between top and bottom. It is wrapped in a piece of luxury paper which is where the name flower-pot comes from.
There can be major profits made by selling muffins in coffee houses and shops, and now pubs are getting in on the action by offering their customers muffins as a sweet alternative to the more traditional savoury snacks usually found in pubs.
