Popovers
Photo: Amina Malik / Contributor
The first time I ate a popover was almost four decades ago. A friend invited me to lunch at the café inside Houston's Neiman Marcus. Freshly arrived from Canada, I was dazzled by the tall, handsome, golden popover with its wobbly, eggy, hollow interior. Equally memorable was the complimentary cup of chicken broth served alongside it.
I can't help but smile when I remember quickening my pace as I neared the café on many return visits, already anticipating that warm, buttery popover melting in my mouth.
The beauty of a popover is its short, glorious life. It's best enjoyed within 30 minutes of coming out of the oven. If you have popover pans, by all means use them. But I've made them in ramekins, muffin tins and just about any oven-safe vessel. The key is to fill each cup no more than one-third full, giving the batter plenty of room to puff up.