Tea and Popovers Anyone?

Willowbrook

With this cold winter weather I thought you might be up for this. After years of perfecting the recipe, we first tried this in "Willowbrook" our old house in Maine. We have tried various combinations of ingredients, cooking methods, and everything from outdoor ovens to convection ovens. We thought we had finally found the secret from a server at the Jordan Pond House. She let us know that they baked them in convection ovens. We tried it, but it didn't work. I think this recipe works because of the jumbo eggs and the special instructions. Enjoy!!

Popovers

1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 jumbo eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Generously grease popover cups--1/2 pat of butter per cup.

Pour milk into medium size mixing bowl. I have also heard that ingredients should be at room temperature.

Add flour and salt

With rotary beater or wire whisk beat until well blended ( I have to say that I blend as little as I possibly can and think that if you blend too much the popovers are tough. So do it gently!!!)

Add the eggs one at a time. Beating in each until blended

Pour batter into popover cups, filling three fourths full. Do not scrape the bowl.(Tough Batter?)

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

Reduce oven to 325 and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Check how your oven works because it may only take 20 minutes. I sometimes cook at 425 for 10 minutes then reduce to 325 and check it after 10 minutes.

Winter Bliss on Mt. Desert Island

How I missed all of you on my recent trip to Maine!!! It was incredible! We drove through a blinding snow and woke the next day to a clear, crisp, frozen world. Hope you recognize this panorama from Trenton as we approached the island.



Somesville had so many wonderful views. The mill pond had such incredible colors, I had to take a picture every time we passed it. We spent most of the morning there. I was hoping to paint the view from inside the old house, but it was colder inside than out! I think next time I will paint like Hopper in the car!!As you may have heard we had a mix-up on closing the house so all the pipes had been drained and the house was all closed up. I was fortunate that one of my friends let me stay in one of her rentals in Southwest Harbor.

More views of Somesville!!! We then went out to the camp. The road had been plowed, but was still all snow. We walked from the end of the driveway into the camp. I was so taken by the stillness and beauty of the woods. The lake was just freezing over down the sides of the lake. In front of the house the water was still flowing and looked much the same as September except for bits of snow on Beach and Bernard. Anyone for a swim?

The days just flew by as the island is in darkness at four o'clock in the afternoon. You really have to get up early to enjoy the day. Next year we need to do a December trip!!! I wanted to go to Monhegan, but the boat only runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It makes one trip and then turns around. I was trying to go Monday and return on Wednesday, but we woke up to snow on Monday. The ferry is weather permitting so if you get there it could be a while before you are able to get off!! We had to leave a few days early as a huge storm was due.

Nancy Bea thanks for sending me notes on posting!! I'll leave you with these two views of the head of Somes Sound and then another view of the Sound from Sargent drive.