Do you know the muffin man? We’d be surprised if you didn’t. This nursery rhyme is still passed down in kindergarten classrooms and children’s books in many languages. The origin of this and other popular nursery rhymes is nebulous. While “Ring Around the Rosie” was a time-keeping method for doctors during the Black Death, “The Muffin Man” is allegedly about the British serial killer Frederick Thomas Linwood. Linwood, or the Drury Lane Dicer, is said to have murdered up to 15 children in the late 1500s. Urban legend says he would employ “Looney Tunes” style tactics, tying a muffin to a string and pulling it along the street to lure his victims. Some especially morbid accounts say he also murdered seven rival bakers during his spree. Having that many victims would make him the first serial killer in history. Often, truth is stranger than fiction, but in this case, no actual facts support this creepy origin story. The book “The Singing Game” by Opie and Opie states that the first recorded mention of this nursery rhyme exists in a manuscript from 1820. It is originally a poem with music added later. One version of the song changed Drury Lane to Dusset Lane, home to the first confirmed serial killer, Mary Ann Cotton, but that’s where the similarities stop. This urban legend isn’t sweet enough for our taste, but don’t worry. You can keep singing about the muffin man without fear. The (Supposed) Dark History of This Popular Nursery Rhyme DO YOU KNOW THE MUFFIN MAN? YES, FROM DRURY LANE
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St. Paddy’s Irish Soda Bread
Inspired by Epicurious.com
Ingredients
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray • 2 cups all-purpose flour, extra for dusting • 5 tbsp sugar, divided • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt • 3/4 tsp baking soda • 3 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cubed • 1 cup buttermilk • 2/3 cup raisins
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. 2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, 4 tbsp sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into the mixture with your fingers or a pastry knife until crumbly. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Gradually mix until dough comes together. Mix in raisins. 3. Using floured hands, form dough into a ball and transfer to pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp sugar. 4. Bake bread for about 40–45 minutes or until golden brown and a tester stick comes out clean. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then enjoy!
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