How to Eat Muffins:

Heuristic Considerations

Ali Rahimi (ali AT mit.edu) (last modified Jan 5, 2000)

1.0 Introduction

Too often people ask me, "Ali, why do they call you Studmuffin?" and I invariably am forced to point out that my name is the Muffin stud, not the Studmuffin.

Now, obligated to defend my name to once and for all secure my studliness, I am going to share my muffin handling technique.

2.0 The Problem

Everyone likes to eat the head of the muffin first. But then taking the wrapper off makes the base crumble, and you end up with a totalled muffin.

After a great deal of thinking about the problem, I have come up with a simple 4 step technique for eating muffins. Figure I illustrates the process.

Figure I:1. The anatomy of a typical muffin (I use blueberry muffins here as an example only. The technique demonstrated is applicable to a large variety of muffins) 2. Turn the muffin over 3. Begin removing the wrapper. 4. Once the wrapper is removed, dispose of it. Finally, eat the muffin (not shown).