For 35 years, at their farm in the quiet countryside around Suttons Bay, Shirley and Jim Alpers have been growing some of the best raspberries you’ll ever savor. Not surprisingly, Shirley has a trove of berry recipes that she whips up for events like bake sales and her church’s annual chicken dinner. Greeting a summer morning with a tin of her fresh-baked raspberry muffins is equal parts soul- and tummy-filling, indeed.

Pick your own raspberries for this recipe at the Alpers Berry Farm (1785 Setterbo Road, Suttons Bay), purchase them from the stand that sits up their driveway near their house, or find Alpers raspberries for sale at the Leland Mercantile and Hansen Foods in Suttons Bay. Shirley doesn’t mind a call to find out when the berries are ripe (231.271.6656).

Whole Wheat Raspberry Muffins

Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs well beaten
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 1 cup mashed fresh raspberries (or 14 ounces frozen)

Directions:
Combine flours, sugar and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, butter and lemon peel. Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just moistened. Stir in raspberries. Spoon into lightly greased muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.


More Summer Berry Recipes:

Photo(s) by Dave Weidner