As a frequent muffin maker, I was eager to read the recipe for raspberry crumb muffins in the Source section of the Maine Sunday Telegram (“Green Plate Special: Tweaking recipes to conserve food, water and human resources,” Aug. 23).

Christine Burns Rudalevige, the food writer who supplied the recipe, is concerned about keeping “human time and effort requirements to a minimum” when testing a new recipe.

One way to do this, she writes, is to substitute oil for butter to avoid the “energy-sucking step of creaming butter and sugar.”

I laughed out loud. If the butter is soft, there is no energy required to mix it with the sugar.

I’m always looking to simplify when it comes to baking, but I’ll give it up if/when I can no longer mix the softened butter and sugar together with ease.

Barbara Doughty

Portland

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