I go on food quests. Sometimes they last days, sometimes years. My years-long search for affordable, unsweetened yogurt in Shanghai only ended with the purchase of a yogurt maker. My craving for croissants and baguettes was satisfied by the many good new bakeries in town. But I had been stymied for over a decade in my search for a delicious American-style muffin. That quest has ended contentedly at the cheerful counter of the recently-opened Good Morning Muffins.

Who knew muffin-making to be such an art form? It seemed so easy to whip up a batch with my mom when I was little. Yet the pasty, oily, doughy masses foisted upon us in most Shanghai cafés are barely edible. Even my favorite chain, Jamaica Blue, which makes terrific pastas and chocolate cheesecake, sells a sadly cloying muffin.

Good Morning Muffins’ plant-filled front yard, big windows, bright green walls and cool jazz soundtrack invoke a charming neighborhood vibe. Launched by a Taiwanese-Canadian, this single-minded café is wholly devoted to muffins. Around 10 types (all ¥9-10) are baked daily, each with the ideal “muffin top” crown and a light and fluffy crumb–the hallmark of a genuine muffin. The cranberry orange and lemon cream cheese varieties are infused with bright citrus flavors. The chocolate muffin, made with Valrhona, has a bittersweet richness; it pairs ideally with coffee. So why haven’t you heard of Good Morning Muffins yet? It is located precisely in the far-flung middle of Minhang: a remote oasis of coziness, coffee and muffins. But don’t worry–they deliver to Changning, Xuhui and Minhang.

I have also discovered a muffin that will satisfy cravings at the rightly-popular Bauernstube deli (Tel: 6275-8888) in the Renaissance Sheraton Hotel. Bauernstube offers a cornucopia of hard-to-find items like imported meats and cheeses which will make your mouth water, even as your wallet empties. Happily, Bauernstube’s bakery items are remarkably affordable. The banana muffin (¥6) is so moist and fragrant, it suggests the grainy texture of a fresh banana. The blueberry muffin is studded throughout with blueberries, unlike cheap versions in which berries merely garnish the top. With two marvelous muffin bakers in town, I can now move on to my next food quest. Any suggestions?

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So, the muffins are solved! Have you tried to make your own yogurt yet? Check out my previous recipes using all local, inexpensive ingredients.

--Camellia Oil Salad Dressing

--Homemade Yogurt

--Almost-No-Knead Bread

View all my latest articles at my dining blog - The Dish