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Popover History

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Yorkshire pudding is similar to the popover.   Here is a recipe for Yorkshire pudding.   Looks familiar, doesn't it?   The big difference between this recipe and the popover recipe is the drippings from the roasting pan.   (I've also seen Yorkshire pudding recipes that cook the batter in the roasting pan, rather than in individual cups.)

  1 1/4 cup flour
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 cup milk
  1 teaspoon melted butter
  2 eggs
  4 to 8 tablespoons drippings 
         from the roasting pan
 
  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
  
  Whisk together the flour, salt, milk, butter 
  and eggs.  Using a baster, drop a teaspoon or 
  two of drippings into each cup of a muffin tin.  
  Put the muffin tin in the preheated oven.  When 
  the drippings are sizzling hot, remove the tin 
  and fill each cup 1/2 to 2/3 full with batter.
  
  Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature
  to 350°F, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or 
  until the puddings are puffed and brown. Serve hot.  

  Yields 12.

Try this page for several Yorkshire Pudding recipes. However, James Beard has said that the resemblance between Yorkshire pudding and popovers is coincidental, because the popover has gone through several changes before becoming the recipe that it is now.   He further stated that popovers are purely American.   Popovers have also been called Laplanders and puff pops.

When and where did popovers originate?   I am researching that question right now.   The first cookbook to print a popover recipe was Practical Cooking by M. N. Henderson published in 1876.   The first book other than a cookbook to mention popovers was Jesuit's Ring by A. A. Hayes published in 1892.

If you have any information on the subject, please e-mail me at .   I would especially appreciate knowing any sources that you have.

Thank you for taking the time to visit this web page on popovers.   Please e-mail me at and give me your comments about this web site or your popover baking experiences.   Thanks especially to the folks who have e-mailed me with comments and questions!

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