Lee's English muffins

My friend, Lee Cumba, says these are the best breakfast treat ever, and you will never want to eat store bought English muffins again. Well worth the little extra effort!!!! Thanks, Lee, will enjoy these, I'm sure.

Combine in a small bowl and let sit for 3-5 minutes:

2 TBLS. Hot water (105-115) degrees) and 1 pkg. active dry yeast

Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the 2 above mixtures and add 2 cups of unbleached flour (sift before measuring). Gradually beat in the 2 cups flour to the milk/yeast mixture. Cover bowl and let the sponge(milk/yeast/flour mixture) rise in a warm place(85 degrees) for about 1 1/2 hours - or until it collapses back into the bowl. Add 2 TBLS. of softened butter to sponge.
Sift and measure an additional 2 cups flour, and beat into the sponge mixture. Roll out dough on a pastry cloth or board sprinkled with a combination of flour and cornmeal. Roll about 1/2 to 1 inch thick and cut into 3 inch rounds or so. Carefully pick up rounds and place them on a cookie sheet to rise again. When double in bulk, VERY CAREFULLY, so they don't deflate, and using a spatula, transfer onto a hot buttered griddle and cook on both sides like a pancake until golden brown. They taste fabulous right off of the griddle with butter and your favorite jam!!!