November remembers…..ahhhh….. June in the garden:

….and the months flew by…. right into the last elderberries of the season.

I first created this recipe last year, and wanted to pull it out again. If you don’t have access to elderberries, try dried currants, or chopped dried cranberries. Actually, these muffins would be great with a mix of finely chopped dried fruit – apricots, cranberries, currants, dates….

Buckwheat Elderberry Muffins with Lemon and Ginger

Tender and moist, inspired by huge elderberry bushes dripping with first frost ripe fruit, and Edward Espe Brown’s Tassajara Bread Book. Buckwheat flour is blessedly gluten free.

• 2 c. buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/16 tsp.(yes, 1/16th!) xanthun gum
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• chopped zest (rind) of one lemon
• 2 tbsp. fresh minced ginger

Whisk these ingredients together.
Add, blending well, coating fruit with flour:

• 1 c. fresh, washed and cleaned elderberries (or equivalent dried currants)

Add to flour mixture, blending all at once until just evenly mixed:

• 1 large, organic farm egg
• 1/4 c. light, quality vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. local honey
• 1 1/2 c. liquid –juice of the lemon, then for remainder use milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Spoon into a nicely buttered muffin pan, fill nearly to the rims for nicely rounded muffins. Bake at 400 degrees approximately 16 -18 minutes, until lightly browned on sides, and springy to touch. Wait a moment, then turn out of the pan. Excellent with honey butter. Keeps well in airtight sealed container or bag.

They smelled so good, it was time for an impromptu tea.

With the heirloom family Haviland china – why not? It’s Paonia….

Here’s a link to the Tea Spot website, based out of Boulder, Colorado. I first had this incredibly smooth and lilting Earl Grey at the Hotel Boulderado at brunch with my friend Mary a few years ago.

And finally, the  Big Close Up of these fine buckwheat elderberry muffins, with sparks of lemon and ginger — truly delicious!