Back when the group did Irish Soda Bread, my nieces and I watched a clip of the episode of Baking with Julia that featured Marion Cunningham baking soda bread and popovers. The girls immediately said that they wanted to try the popovers next, but we ran out of time that round and moved on to other projects.
So, I’m not surprised to see these popovers come up in the rotation so soon. I think a lot of us watched that video clip and wanted to try our own favourite spreads on those pillowy-looking popovers.
J was set to write this week’s post, but she didn’t have the opportunity before she went off on a family vacation. I want to share what she said about the recipe, though:
“I have wanted to make these since I started Baking with Julia. it was probably the easiest recipe so far, because all you have to do is put the ingredients in a blender. Amazing and fluffy when they came out of the oven, I quickly put some raspberry jam on mine and ate it.”
It happened that quickly for all of us. As soon as the popovers came out of the oven, we started pulling out butter, jams, and marmalades. Everyone chose their favourite spread and tore into a popover. Just like that, almost the entire batch was gone. (There were several of us there. Really.) The two that were set aside for the photo were eaten later in the day – a few seconds in the microwave brought back all of their goodness. Thanks, TwD – it was an excellent idea to choose an easy and delicious project to motivate bakers in the heat of summer.
There is, however, another reason that this recipe was chosen relatively soon after the Irish Soda Bread. Marion Cunningham passed away last month and the Baking with Julia group wanted to pay her tribute.
The popover may be a simple recipe, but it’s significant in relation to Cunningham because it’s so emblematic of what she tried to promote throughout her cooking career – learning the skills to cook and enjoy food at home doesn’t have to be difficult. She’s famous, of course, for revising the Fanny Farmer Cookbook in the early seventies and her work helped lay the groundwork for a renaissance of scratch cooking and baking.
This quotation cited in the Washington Post’s obituary for Cunningham sums up her motivation:
“We are living motel lives,” she once told the Chronicle. “The idea of sitting down to dinner is being lost in the rush. No one is cooking at home anymore, so we are losing all the wonderful lessons we learn at the dinner table. And the memories of the past tell us who we are and where we’re from. It carries us into the future.”
It’s also a good expression of why we joined this baking group. Cooking and eating together, sharing skills and learning new ones, is the antithesis of motel living. Our culture may have finally caught up with Cunningham, but should never forget the debt it owes her, and Julia Child, too.
This week’s hosts are: Paula and Amy. You can find everyone’s links here: Popovers
baker in disguise said:
poof!!! your popovers have puffed up so beautifully!!!
Teresa said:
Thanks! These were so much fun to make.
I'm At Home Baking (@imathomebaking) said:
They look delicious!!
http://www.imathomebaking.com
Teresa said:
Thanks!
Cher said:
Lovely post, Teresa.
Popovers are such a fun little thing – there is something about that magical oven transformation that is kind of captivating…
This batch looks absolutely perfect.
Teresa said:
Thanks, Cher. They turned out really well and they do seem a little magical.
Ckay said:
I had a great time watching them puff… so many different funny shapes!
I love the dome on yours – popover cupcakes!
I’ve made some sweet and some cheesy (Grana cheese) adding rosemary and spices…
This recipe is a winner!
PS: it that a berry galette I see in the background: yummy!
Teresa said:
I like your additions. We made them plain this time, but I can see myself changing it up in future. We made these the same day as the galettes, so we had a lot of delicious things to eat that day!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes said:
I, too, thought this was a great tribute to MC. They turned out great, no wonder you all enjoyed them!
Teresa said:
Thanks, Paula. They really did turn out well.
smarkies said:
Those are some cute puffs! Your batch looks positively uniform (unlike mine which just expanded in random directions!) 🙂
Teresa said:
I kind of like it when they get wild shapes, too.
bakeawaywithme.com said:
Teresa, A very lovely post and a great tribute to Ms. Cunningham. Your popovers look perfectly delicious!
Teresa said:
Thanks, Kathy!
cookingjulia said:
Your popovers look perfect!
Teresa said:
Thanks very much.
Cathleen said:
Nicely done! We (the two us) polished off all but two in one sitting ~ these were good. I love the quote ~ so true.
Teresa said:
It was hard not to eat the last two, but we were saving them for someone! I was happy to find that quote, it seemed so perfect.
breaddivas said:
Really enjoyed your post and the nice tribute to Marion. Gorgeous photo of the muffin tins!
Teresa said:
Thanks so much!
Cindy Harris said:
Thanks for your sweet quote from Ms Cunningham. I’m a strong believer of dinner each night together as a family. I’ve been doing dinner for 37 years. It’s a good thing and so are these yummy popovers. We will make them often!
Thanks for your post.
Teresa said:
Thanks, Cindy!
isthisakeeper said:
What a nice post and tribute!! Your popovers look great and all so uniform in shape!
Teresa said:
Thanks! I think they turned out well.
janeofmanytrades said:
your popovers look picture perfect! i bet they made julia and marion smile a little.
Teresa said:
I’d like to think so. 🙂
thekitchenlioness said:
Teresa, picture perfect popovers! I am sure that they were delicious with jams and butter! What a great quote too, I really enjoy reading all your post, you write beautifully!
Teresa said:
Thanks very much, Andrea – that’s so sweet of you to say.
redheadcuisine said:
I love your thoughts on Marion! Also, yours look like they turned out really well 🙂
Teresa said:
Thanks! We were really pleased with how the popovers turned out.
Liz said:
Perfectly done! And I love that quote from Marion Cunningham…well said.
Teresa said:
Thanks, Liz – she hit the nail on the head.
Patty said:
Your popovers look wonderful. I have always used a popover pan but I can see that using a muffin tin works beautifully. Thanks for a great post.
Teresa said:
Thanks, Patty – popover pans are on my “buy at some point” list.
Cathy B. said:
I completely agree with you—about the popovers and about the importance of eating together. Food ties families together. I used my Mom’s blender to mix these up. She’s still around, but she didn’t want it anymore. (she hasn’t mixed up a milkshake in years, plus she’s got a food processor now.) it makes me happy every time I see her blender.
Teresa said:
It’s great to have something like that – it makes the feeling of continuity between the generations concrete.
gfcelebration said:
Your popovers turned out just fabulous and what a wonderful tribute to both Julia Child and Marion Cunningham. Like you, we also enjoy being a part of TWD, hoping to bring the simplicity and joy of sharing food, life lessons and stories back into the lives of more families. Especially, having to live gluten free, so many, unfortunately succumb to the ease of just purchasing something ready made to take home, often losing out on the opportunity of gathering as a family and learning a new skill together.
Great job, love your post.
Teresa said:
Thanks so much! I don’t bake gluten-free with my nieces, but my partner has celiac disease, so I sometimes do so for him. Your blog is an inspiration for me.
Cynthia L. said:
You gave us such wonderful history. Thank you so much for that!
Teresa said:
Thanks, Cynthia!
Katrina said:
I totally missed the part that these are a Marion Cunningham recipe. Sweet! And I love how easy these were–and delicious!
Teresa said:
They really were lovely. Dangerously easy!
sanya said:
I loved reading about you guys making these together! It makes things so much more meaningful and fun. I think you would have made Cunningham proud.
Teresa said:
Thanks, Sanya. I’d like to think so. It makes me happy that my nieces enjoy it so much, too.
Cakelaw said:
These popovers are gorgeous – like little mushrooms. Mine were slightly crazier in shape, but tasted heavenly.
Teresa said:
I love it when they take on wild shapes!
pamkaren said:
Teresa – what a thoughtful and lovely post! Yes, we hovered around the oven and waited to pounce on the popovers with butter and jam too! Yummy….
Teresa said:
Thanks so much! Pounce is exactly the right word.
Lisa (@thegonzogourmet) said:
Yours puffed up so nicely and I am happy to see the pictures of how you prepared them in the muffin tin. Frankly I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to manage that even if my one tin wasn’t stuffed full of Legos at the moment. Wasn’t it fun how fast and easy they were in the blender?
Teresa said:
Thanks, Lisa – my nieces loved how easy they were.
teaandscones said:
Well said!!
And great looking popovers.
Teresa said:
Thanks very much!
Marilyn said:
Here’s to Marion and family meals!
Teresa said:
Hear, hear!
jora said:
Really nice post. I think it is so important to honor Marion Cunningham, Julia Child, and others liked them, who’ve helped make it easier to fit cooking and eating at home into our busy lives….These popovers are a delicious way to do that, and yours came out beautifully!
Teresa said:
Thanks, Jora. I think that’s exactly right.
steph (whisk/spoon) said:
what a great write-up. i think cunningham sounded like a really cool lady.
Teresa said:
She did seem like a cool person – I love that her life took off in a whole new direction in middle age.
Lora @cakeduchess said:
A lovely tribute to Marion. That quote of hers is spot on and just wonderful. The memories of the past do tell us who we are. She inspires so many bakers. Your popovers are perfect!!
Teresa said:
Thanks so much, Lora.
mireia said:
What a beautiful post 🙂 I wasn’t a fan of the popovers but you’re making me want to try to bake them again!
Teresa said:
Thanks! 🙂
Sunshinex2 said:
Thanks for the post; a pleasant read.
Teresa said:
Thank you.
Margaret said:
This is why I love this group! As a total beginner, I have to admit that I didn’t even know who Marion Cunningham was (other than Richie’s mom on Happy Days, LOL). And thank you for that link! I am SO very grateful to have the opportunity to read about the recipes from people who know what they’re doing.
bevwinchester said:
Teresa- not only are those some very handsome turnovers, but I really appreciated your info & quote from Marian Cunningham- a very talented cook with great wisdom also.
jen said:
Your popovers look wonderful! I enjoyed reading about Marion Cunningham. I don’t really know much about her, but she sounds like she was a smart lady. I have to agree, sitting down for dinner is good for the heart.
joyinthearts said:
Where exactly is the recipe? Don’t see it anywehre here, nor do I see any link to it. Thanks
Teresa said:
You can find the recipe on one of the hosts’ posts (at the bottom of our post). Better yet – grab a copy of Baking with Julia for your own cookbook shelf!