Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins | History & Recipe
The Boston-based department store may be long gone, but the recipe for sweet and sugary Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins remains a New England favorite.
By Aimee Tucker|Apr 21 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanWhile most New Englanders have memories of shopping at Jordan Marsh, the Boston-based department store that peppered the local landscape from the 1860s to the late 1990s, it is Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins you hear about the most.
Muffins from a department store? Actually, that’s not so unusual. Like nearly all grand department stores of the era, the Jordan Marsh flagship store in Boston’s Downtown Crossing housed an on-site cafe, or bakery, that served refreshments to shoppers. No doubt it offered up a variety of tempting, sugary treats, but a certain recipe for blueberry muffins caught on, making the bakery (and the store) famous.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Back in 2012, Yankee ran an essay by Ann Hood titled “Confessions of a Marsha Jordan Girl,” which recalled how New England’s iconic department stores (both Jordan Marsh and Filene’s) offered a taste of elegance and sophistication to 1970s New England teens. She remembered the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins like this:
“They came all the way from Boston, from the Jordan Marsh bakery. I’d never been to Boston, never been to Jordan Marsh. It loomed large and sparkling in my imagination. I thought it must look like a palace, its floors filled with dazzling mirrors and fancy women spritzing perfume at customers as they passed. We had department stores in Rhode Island, sure—but none that produced muffins the size of those, none the size of Jordan Marsh’s, none that dwelled in a city like Boston.”
In the mid-1990s, after more than 100 years of operation, Jordan Marsh (which also included stores in Florida beginning in the late 1950s) was eventually folded into the Macy’s chain, and the glory days of the enormous Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins ended. Thankfully, the recipe lives on (thanks in large part to reprints from The Boston Globe).
Photo Credit : Public Domain
Feeling both inspired and slightly resentful that I’d never had one, despite growing up in Massachusetts, I made a batch this week using Hood’s recipe. Some bakers (like Hood) mash up a portion of the blueberries before adding them to the batter to help give it a purple hue, but I was using frozen berries, and they tend to weep color into the batter no matter what you do, so I skipped that step.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Out of the oven, the muffins were a lovely golden brown and smelled amazing. I patiently waited the hour specified in the recipe before gently loosening one from the tin, and quickly realized why the wait was so critical. These muffins are so loaded that there’s an awful lot of squishy blueberry goodness happening inside, and that doesn’t do the best job of holding the muffin together — especially when it’s hot. I normally dislike using paper wrappers when baking muffins or cupcakes, but for this recipe, they’re worth it.
After all, if you’re going to pay tribute to a famous department store muffin, you might as well go all in, right? You’ve already picked out the dress and the shoes. Why not toss in the hat, gloves, and decorative rhinestone brooch?
Warm and sweet with plump berries and a sugary, slightly-crisp top, these muffins have more than earned their reputation, and I’ll be glad to add them to my muffin repertoire.
Do you remember shopping at Jordan Marsh and enjoying their famous Blueberry Muffins? Ready to bake your own batch?
GET THE RECIPE:
Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins Recipe
But wait! There’s more!
“What, no mention of the Jordan Marsh Enchanted Village?” some of you may be thinking.
Along with the muffins, Jordan Marsh was also known for its popular annual Enchanted Village holiday extravaganza. From the 1940s until 1972 (and for a brief period in the 1990s) the Boston flagship store in Downtown Crossing put on a huge Christmas display, sometimes taking up an entire floor of the store, including historic scenes with moving dolls, toy trains, and a visit with Santa. After Jordan Marsh became Macy’s, the village spent a few years at odd locations like City Hall Plaza and the Hynes Convention Center, but the cost to put on the display became too great and all props and figures were auctioned off in 2009. They were sold to the equally locally famous Jordan’s Furniture (no relation), where they remain part of the seasonal display at the store’s Avon, Massachusetts location.
This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated.
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Aimee, this is such a fun article. I’ve never heard of the muffins before at the department store. I’m enjoying getting to know New Hampshire and New England through your magazine. If you’d like, you can take a peek at what I am writing about NH on my blog “Thyme” http://www.rileymadel.blogspot.com . I’d love to offer some food photography to the magazine if you are ever interested.
Loved the muffins, they were famous
I operated a number of bakieres in downtown crossing in the 1980’s called Warburtons
We sold thousands of muffins every week
Jordan Marsh was across the street and had by that time started to cut back on the bakery
Would you happen to have the recipe for the almond macaroons they used to carry as well? They were the best. Thank you.
I remember the delicious Jordan muffins and also Warburtons – in the 1980s I bought a lot of their squash muffins! Wish they were both still around!
Jordan’s also had macaroon cookies, they were large crispy on the outside gooey on the inside pieces of heaven, if you can get that recipe……ok I’m drooling!
The person who was the baker and initiated the original Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins was a friend and neighbor of mine in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. These muffins were the BEST!!!
Carol, Was his name, Leon Glick ? I believe he ran the Bakery operation when I was in Peabody, Thanks & there is no real substitute for the original Jordan’s Muffin ! Dick Piecewicz
Please forgive this shameless opportunism, but it’s not everyday you find (even as a Bostonian who still lives in Boston) a whole group of people who knew and loved Jordan’s. I remember my Mother & I getting a little bit dressed up for our special shopping trips to “downtown” Boston, which ended with a trip upstairs to the cafe!
Anyway, I have a souvenir from Jordan’s that looks old. It’s a small, soft jewelry bag/sack that you could polish your jewelry with…I’m putting it on eBay Sunday 11/8. Non-edible nostalgia, anyone?
A lady named Rose Gildea managed the Boston Jordan Marsh restaurant/café in the 50’s and ’60s. When the Burlington Mall JM opened in June of ’68, Rose opened and managed the kitchen there. She passed away in 1983. I will remember her a tough, but fair minded restauranteer who grew up in a time when hard work and discipline was an expected norm. The muffins at Burlington were huge and covered w/ large sugar granules, and for sure, they were scrumptious. I believe they cost 75 cents.
I remember Rose Gildea. I worked for her as a waitress in the basement cafe from about 1956 to 1958 while still in high school. Also worked in the bakery. It was a wonderful experience and I always brought muffins and other baked goods home.
Not only does Jordans Furniture in Avon run Jordan Marsh Christmas display, they sell their famous muffins too, only during the holidays. I know who bakes them but am sworn to secrecy on that one. Can’t wait!
Love the muffins. Know the muffins for over 50 years. Still good and available at Jordans Furniture in Avon Ma. during Enchanted Village Display. Thank you for your article. THE MUFFIN MAN!!!
My dad worked in the silver department. (was Smith Paterson before being bought by Jordan Marsh) and after department was close moved to the piano and organ department. Loved the blueberry muffins almost ever time I went to the store. Brings back memories…..
The muffins from Jordan Marsh were really good, but we can’t forget the fruit and nut cookies they also sold. They were delicious. I would love to get my hands on that recipe!!!
My mother and I would meet my grandmother in the café at the South Portland Jordan Marsh at least once month for shopping and giggling. Sometimes we would meet other mother/daughter/friends, as well. I still tear up thinking of those days gone by and the loved ones who have left us. Thank you for reminding me of yet another cherished memory of my life in Maine.
I worked for Jordan marsh for several years as an electrician. The Annex building where the bakery was on the third floor, was my favorite place to visit to make any electrical repairs. The crew there, sometimes as many as 30 or more, we’re happy people. They always wore smiles and greeted me as I passed by. They loved their work and it showed in the product they made. Thanks for the memory. If you contact me, I’ll tell you about the time the bakery exploded and blew all the windows out onto Washington street early one Sunday morning.
Never Knew they made muffins but My grandfather, Tom Wildon ,was the Executive director of the Jordan Marsh Aviation League (JAL) during the
40’s up to the war II. Jordan Marsh sponsored model airplane meets around the Boston area with young boys competing for trophys etc. He originally worked at Guillows model airplane co in Wakefield and designed
many of the early models. Many of the boys competing went on to serve as pilots in the war.
I loved the recipe for blueberry muffins, but was fascinated by the beautiful muffin tin in the photo’s. Where could I get one like it? Thanks!
We used to get the muffins at the Jordan Marsh at the North Shore mall in Peabody, and they were amazing especially since they were so big, especially for the time. Next time you make yours, use cupcake liners and you won’t need to wait or have any trouble removing them from the pan.
Hi Pam! The muffin tin I used here is (sadly) a vintage tin, so if you want to nab your own, you’ll have to hunt around online or in an antique or secondhand shop. It’s an Ovenex pan, and the pattern is often described as “starburst.” My mom had the tube cake pan in this style when I was growing up, so I can never pass up any I come across in good condition. Happy hunting!
Lovely article, New England memories. Reminds me of slipping on muffins dropped on the floor by fiancees bulling their way through Filene’s to grab discount wedding dresses during the annual Running of the Brides. Thanks for a great write-up, Ms. Seavey. Filene’s is New England; I don’t say “was” because, to us Yankees, it lives on, if only in the attics of our minds.
I grew up in the Boston area and went shopping with my Mom to Jordan Marsh and Filene’s in the 50’s; this article has brought back wonderful memories and yes those muffins are THE BEST! Thankyou for printing this; I am thrilled!
Hi….I. loved the almond macaroons. If you. get the recipe would you please share it with me? Thank you for the stroll down memory lane? Thanks!
Would love to have the Macaroon’s recipe.
The recipe does not state the total amount of blueberries required.
Please advise.
Hi Russ. If you click where it says “Click to view and print the recipe for Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins” within the post it will take you to the full recipe with all ingredient amounts and instructions. Thanks!
Loved the JM brownies too! If you ever find that recipe, please share. Still miss Jordan Marsh and Warburton’s!
I did not see the Blueberry cupcake recipe, after reading everything. I used to go to Boston a lot and at Christmas time enjoyed the Christmas display upstairs. One thing I did get out of reading everything is that I had heard that Jordan’s in Avon had taken the mantel of the Christmas display and will certainly go to see it in December. Thank you for that.
The Jordan’s store in Avon also sells the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins but only when the Christmas display is there. They definitely use the original recipe.
Alas, the muffins shown in the above photos are not like the original, they are too small, too dark and look like most home made muffins, too dense and dry. To NOT mash the berries is part of the problem, and the THICK batter is another. The original was made available about ten years ago and I have it, from a respected Jordan Marsh family member and the results when made are pretty close to the ones found at the various JM stores.
There were other varieties of the muffin, cranberry was one of my favorites as well as the blueberry. The cran-orange was also quite good.
One must not forget the restaurant atop Filenes in the Boston store, best hot turkey sandwich in the city. If you get to Neimans and Nordstroms, these store restaurants are pretty good, not as grand as the Filenes flagship store. The JM restaurant in Peabody was also pretty nice.
As for the muffin tins, way too heavy, too heat concentrated, this could result in dry muffins.
I worked on Federal St and on many a Friday night after work I’d stop at the JM bakery and bring home the blueberry muffins for the weekend. (I agree – those don’t look like the huge muffins at JM.). I’d then head downstairs to the Red Line and home to the South Shore.
Great memories! I would also love to get the recipe for the JM cupcakes and frosting if anyone knows it. My mother and I would always call it “a party ” when she brought those home from a shopping trip “downtown”.
We lived in Westborough. Mass. for over 25 years and Jordan Marsh was our go-to dept. store for clothing. My three children were always waiting for me when I came back from shopping, knowing that I was bringing them at least a dozen of the Blueberry Muffins that Jordan Marsh was famous for. We always had them for a snack that evening and for Breakfast the next morning. Those definitely were “The Good Days”!
Not only did I grow up shopping at Jordan Marsh (and Filene’s, not pronounced with a long I, but a short on) but I also worked at the Shopper’s World Store in Framingham for 4 years in high school and college. There is no way that is the original recipe for reasons stated… size, sugar coating on top, muffins were almost blue from the blueberries in them… etc. I also grew up going to the Enchanted Village in the late 1950’s and 1960’s until it closed shop. The restaurant in Filene’s downtown (and if you are a real Bostonian you say “downtown or town” and everyone knows where you mean immediately. My mother and grandmother’s favorite stores were Crawford Hollidge and R.H. Stearns, then Filene’s and at its heydey, Jordan Marsh was nice, but the JC Penney’s of its day. Yankee Magazine had an article a few years ago about “milkshakes in New England” and I wrote and suggested they hire writers who knew what they were talking about… millkshakes do not have ice cream in them… only frappes do. You should get your info straight too.
You are so right! I also got taken to see Santa at Jordan Marsh downtown, in the 40’s and early 50’s, and the windows were fabulous too. At age 16 i worked there for about 2 weeks until I got a part in my high school play. I still remember handwriting the sales slips with 5 carbon copies! It got complicated when a customer wanted to take some merchandise and send another part of her order.
Loved blueberry muffins from JM… however I remember them much larger with sugar crumble tops …. My Mom and I would have one for breakfast go shop and then have a lobster roll for lunch…. great memories…. Bedford NH and Peabody Ma stores were our favorites.
You’re right Nancy, the originals are much larger. You need to fill the muffin tins to the top then liberally sprinkle with sugar. This is according to the original clipping from the Boston Globe. I have made them many times and the are the “real deal!”
I am glad someone finally pointed this out. The bakery at the Framingham store at Shoppers World had them… 1st in the main store and then in the outlet when it opened at the other end of the iconic mall and had a luncheon counter. The muffins were HUGE… not like the ones shown at all. I spent my childhood years at both Jordan March in Boston and Framingham and my teen years working in Framingham. Jordan’s was the “more reasonable” store, Filenes the more upscale… along with R.H. Stearns, Crawford Hollidge, and some other top Boston stores.
One of my fondest memories is being with my grandmother and her sister at the Jordan Marsh in Peabody, MA. It was a big outing for the three of us. We would get dressed up, travel to Peabody from Winthrop to have lunch at the Jordan Marsh restaurant. It was always very busy with a room full of diners, so we had to wait. The waiting line passed right in front of the bakery case that was filled with those big, beautiful blueberry muffins. Since I was just a little girl, those beauties were right at my eye level. Every time we would go I would ask for one, and every time my grandmother would say, “That’s too big for you and you will never eat it”. Finally, one day, she said yes. Of course, it was too big and I didn’t eat it all. However, I do remember how delicious that top was. After having lunch, we would walk around the store, then go outside and take pictures in front of the store. Great memories. I also remember going into Boston to see the Christmas displays in the windows with crowds of other children; then,waiting in a very long line to see Santa. Was that Jordon Marsh or another store? Fond memories of the early 1960s
I lived in Boston after marrying into a wonderful family and enjoyed the city so much. Yes Jordon Marsh was a place to remember especially during Christmas. The Christmas display would be hard to describe, try to close your eyes and imagine it and never would you do it justice. The blueberry muffins have been described here and more words would not them justice. I would like the recipe and will try to go through the newspaper’s history. A cook book would be a treasure to have. Thank you.
I grew up in Boston and lived there until I moved to Ireland in 1977. I loved Jordan Marsh and the Enchanted Village and the blueberry muffins. Use to get them at the bakery in the subway on the way home. I have the recipe for them and I have yet to meet someone here in Ireland who doesn’t love them and look for the recipe. I never mash any of the blueberries because I perfer the muffin with less color and I don’t sprinkel the sugar on top as I find them tasty enough without the added sugar. When I first came to Ireland it was terrible because I couldn’t get blueberries anywhere. I don’t think anyone had ever heard of them. I found some blueberry bushes in a gardening catalog and bought a few. It took years for the berries to appear. Now I can blueberries in any store and off my bushes.
I loved JM blueberry muffins, but do not remember their almond macaroons. My mother always bought the most delicious macaroons at Gilchrist’s. They were large, light, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside.
Oh my ! The memories this article conjured up. Everyone loved the JM Blueberry Muffins. My mom and I went to Boston every week for my singing lessons and every week we stopped for the muffins! I have tried to make them but they never came quite close enough. But here I am retired and living in Florida and want to try one more time to perfect the recipe. Thanks for the memories.
I used to travel to Boston to get those delicious Blueberry muffins. At one time the muffins came to Bedford NH store by truck and we were so glad. But they must not have been as popular up here as they were not available for very long…
After reading this article, I would love to have recipe for the blueberry muffins. My family spent a number of years vacationing in Casco Bay. Wonderful memories. Great blueberry muffins. Please, please forward muffin recipe.
Hi Lynda. At the bottom of the post you’ll see the prompt “GET THE RECIPE:” followed by the link for the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins Recipe. I’ll also leave it here: https://newengland.com/today/food/breakfast-brunch/muffins/jordan-marsh-blueberry-muffins/ Happy baking!
Unless I’m doing something complete wrong, the link to the recipe just loops back to this same article with not recipe. Is there an updated URL?
Hi there! The link to the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins recipe is working on our end. This direct link should take you right to the recipe page: https://newengland.com/today/food/breakfast-brunch/muffins/jordan-marsh-blueberry-muffins/
I make these all of the time but I substitute Olivio for the butter and thus a lower fat content and a healthier muffin. It works fine and no one ever notices the difference. My Mom’s friend worked at Jordan Marsh and helped to develop this recipe.
My nana and I would take the “subway” from Forest Hills into Jordan Marsh on many occasions. Santa’s Village was a real treat as were the blueberry muffins and oh, I did love that chicken pot pie at the Jordan Marsh restaurant. Wonderful memories.
Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins are the best, I’ve been making them for years
If I’m not mistaken, Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH also has displays from Jordan Marsh. Located in the Chapel of the park are huge stand up pictures of various churches from around the world. They may have been used in window displays.
I worked in the office at Jordan Marsh Company in, In Boston, in 1963. At least once a week I would bring home a dozen of those delicious blueberry muffins.
I manage the Jordan Marsh Bakery and Restaurant at the Maine Mall in South Portland, Maine when they opened in 1969. The pictured Blueberry muffins shown are far from what they How the Huge ! Plump Lucious muffins appeared! Those pictures are an insult to the original. I have pictures and original recipe!!!
Judie, if you have the original recipe for Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins, can you post it please? My mom and I would go to the store in Boston and the highlight of the visit would be purchasing a few of those delicious muffins to take home. I would love to recreate them at home for my family. Please post the recipe you have. Thank you!
WELL ! Here’s my story – I was a Dept Manager in the Peabody Jordan Marsh for 9 years until 1969. We had many part time girls covering Candy, Greeting Cards, Gormet Foods and THE BAKERY during this time. We had annual visitors coming from all over New England as well as Canada to pick up their supply of Jordan’s Blueberry Muffins, we looked forward to their visits, sharing their “muffin” stories. Anyway, one day , Jane came to work wearing an engagement ring, well the whole Dept. went into a frenzy asking who was the lucky Guy. It turns out that it was ” Mr. “P” , their Department Manager. I ended up marrying a Jordan Marsh “Muffin Girl” 51 years ago. We have two very successful adult children and two very precious, vibrant Grandchildren ; Allyson & Charlie. And it all started in the Bakery at Jordan Marsh Peabody selling Blueberry Muffins.
About 15 years ago,a shop opened on Pearl St on Brockton’s West side,and it was called “Jordan Marsh Muffins”,or something like that…it was run by someone who had worked for the company and had aquired the rights to the hallowed brand….we got some blueberry and others,and recall them as ,sadly,nothing special…just big. This place was gone in a couple years,doesn’t anyone else remember it?
I thought the JM muffins in Brockton on the south side were great. Same family/recipe. There was a special on Chronicle or some local show about them.
Ok,Holly…I guess I didn’t really remember what the originals were like..so I am glad you enjoyed them !! The Address was 1050 Pearl St, now the site of “Jo’s Best Diner”, across the street from the White’s Bakery.
When I was about 14 years old, I had a friend whose father was the Manager of JORDAY MARSH in Boston. Even then, the blueberry muffins were popular. His wife gave me the recipe a few years later and I have used this recipe for years and have also used it in recipe books that I have typed up for quite a few OTHER folks. I am now 87 years old and still baking and still have the original recipe from back when. NOTHING like it and sometimes I top with with a mixture of butter,wee bit of sugar, cinnamon and small amount of flour and top each muffin before baking. My GREAT grandchildren LOVE them and at this point I have 16 of them.
My first job at age 16 was in the Boston Jordan Marsh. The opportunity to work on Monday and Wed evenings and all day Saturday in Boston ( for a girl from Quincy) was a gift from my friends Dad who worked in HR. His daughter and I took the bus from Quincy and the train from Fields Corner to Washington station to our respective jobs in JM. The experience was incredible… working in numerous departments. One day selling womens coats, the next wrapping gifts or wearing teens clothing in the second floor miss dept on Saturdays. I actually once worked in Jordans Basement as well selling muffins at a a quick pick up spot placed stratigically next to the exit to the MBTA spot at Christmas time!
JM understood the spirit of Christmas with the store window displays, (Enchanted village came later), the Annex building where the toy department hired people to showcase special small toys for children to try ( and buy) and the decorations were there to compete with Filenes across the street. The Duncan YoYo guy was always a hit and the small wind up toys were set up high enough for childrens hands to reach, but safely fenced in so they never walked off the edge. Great memories of wonderful times in the 60’s at JM. Marian J
The “original recipe” for the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins is not the recipe — something was left out of it because the man who owned the recipe didn’t want people making them at home — he wanted people to buy them at JM. I know this because my mother worked for the man for more than 20 years at Jordan Marsh, and he told her!
My first job was working at Jordan Marsh in downtown Worcester. Found memories.
I worked at Jordan Marsh in Worcester too! 1989-1991. When attending college.
I worked in that same mall in Worcester from 1984 until 1994 (first in one of the stores and then in one of the Towers attached to the Galleria). I would stop by the bakery almost every day to pick up one of these blueberry muffins or small chocolate eclairs. Happy memories of when I could eat whatever I wanted, ha ha
ONLY PRINT THE FIRST 7 PAGES. All of the comments for some reason printed along with the recipe when I clicked on the print recipe button. Could be user error but I thought I’d throw it out there. These look FAB; can’t wait to try it out!
Does anyone remember the chocolate cake with marshmallows and chocolate frosting on top? Such decadance!
My first job was as a banger in the Jordan Marsh Bakery in Downtown Boston on Summer Street. I would bang the muffins out of the baking pans. If i was lucky, some of the sugary overhang from the muffins would be left on the pan for me to pickoff and enjoy. By far, the best part of the muffin! I have yet to find anyone that can duplicate this perfect muffin experience.
So good! SO Good!! SO GOOD!!!
what was the name of the bakery, at Jordans in Warwick Mall.
It was my moms great great grandfather that started this store on her dads side. This is some great reading mom has told me things and my aunts have as well great reading
Stories in my childhood while growing up in Newton, MA told of my great grandmother from Ireland that submitted her blueberry muffin recipe to Jordan Marsh and it is her claim that hers is the original recipe that won the honor. I have and to this day use this incredible recipe. I have passed it on to many over the years. The batter is thick and the paper cups should be piled high. The trick to removing the muffins is to spray the muffin pan well with Pam before placing the paper cups in the pan and filling with the batter. Also, crush 1/2c of fresh blueberries, stir into the batter and then hand stir in the remaining two cups of fresh berries. Enjoy!
As a young girl in the 1950’s growing up in a Boston subburb, I was told that my great grandmother from Ireland submitted her blueberry muffin recipe to Jordan Marsh and it was accepted! Over the years this recipe has been passed down and not changed from the original. Tips are to first spray the muffin pan generously with Pam and then place the paper cups in. Top the thick batter high in the cups.
Always mash 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries and hand stir in then add the additional two cups of fresh blueberries. Bake at 375F for 25-30 min. Enjoy!
ya sure ya betcha
Back in 72 I worked in junior miss dept 915 girlfriend worked in bakery when we got on the redline you could smell the muffins off her uniform everyone noticed.
I am from upstate New York and love baking. When I saw this recipe for blueberry muffins, of course, I used to pick tubs of wild blueberries back East and had a freezer full. I saw this recipe and make them frequently. I brought them to work and gave the muffins out along with the recipe and everyone loved the muffins. Thank you for sharing. Joan G.
I noticed all these comments were dated back in 2015. I lived in Arlington and also remembering taking the trolley to Harvard Square and catching the train into Boston for years. I too worked at Jordan’s fir a while and treated myself to their wonderful blueberry muffins when I could afford to. They were a very special treat. It was a great treat going down memory lane reading all these comments. Wonderful days gone by!
According to the history of the original Ritz-Carlton, Arlington Street, the muffin recipe was created by its chef! The chef made it regularly and one of his cooks was hired by Jordan’s as its chef and brought the recipe with him.
The original recipe was created by the old Ritz-Carlton’s chef and when his sous chef was hired by J. Marsh, he took the recipe with him.
My great aunt Julia, born in the 1870’s, was the first female buyer for Jordan Marsh. Female clothing, of course. We got the recipe from her. My sister has Julia’s hand written recipe. My family has been baking these muffins for decades.
It was wonderful to peruse the difference and comments of many people who loved shopping and sharing their experiences. I too went w my mother to Boston to shop at Jordan Marsh. Thanks for all the comments. I will be 78 in February and can relate to many of your stories. Thanks again. You made my day.
Yes, they were a Ritz-Carlton recipe. Mrs. Mitten was given the recipe by Charles Banino the general manager and Chef. I learned the entire story from Eleanor O’Neil his secretary and from longtime elevator operator Eddie…I was the Chef too working there 1976-1987, lots of history in my brain about the Ritz!
Ah the Ritz in the ’50’s growing up in Boston. Not only was the Ritz ” restricted”
( i.e. certain non WASP people not permitted ) but it was common knowledge that one just did not enter. Well later, the policy changed due to finances and cultural changes. Locke Obers was the same. Some history for Yankee.
Those of us in those select groups BTW, never complained. JMNSHO.
Jordan Marsh also had a delicious fruit and nut muffin. I remember that they were my brother’s favorite. I have searched for the recipe without luck. I would be so grateful if someone could share the recipe.
I remember you could enter the bakery from the dimly lit train station at one time. My sister and I would take the train, run into the bakery to buy a dozen and run through the tunnel to the opposite side of the tracks to take the train home w/out ever shopping upstairs. By the time we reached our destination a full dozen was not to be found in the box.
Also, I saw an “original” recipe using Crisco; tried that recipe and it was quite good, but who uses that product anymore.
I used butter flavored crisco for my tollhouse cookies, DELISH! Also use it in my molasses cookies. DELISH! Keeps the cookies from spreading too thin yet leaves them flaky!