Kitchen Korner


Oh, hello! I didn't see you there.

Well, it's another freezing day here in Brookline village--or at least the internet says as much. Yeah, right, like I'd go outside. What am I, a Boy Scout? (I'm not, I'm a girl! Girls can't be Boy Scouts! But Gender is a Construct! But Girl Scouts sell cookies!!)

To stay warm and fulfilled on this chilly day, I woke up early to do some baking and coffee drinking. My Aunt Marty made popovers for us to eat while watching Obama's inauguration this week. Can you believe I'd never had a popover before? "They're so light and perfect," I told her. "Am I in Heaven?" (I was not. I was in Boston.) I made some for myself this morning, and they're great! Would you like to see the super simple recipe? (Makes about 10-12.)

1) Put Karen Dalton on your Spotify, or some Joni or something. You'll want some sensitive singer songwriter tunes, preferably by a lady, preferably with some poignant observations.
2) Put on your slippers (or, house shoes, if my dad is reading this). 3) Preheat oven to 450.
4) Beat 2 eggs in a bowl.
5) Add 1 cup milk, mix.
6) Add 1 cup flour, mix.
7) Add 1/2 tsp salt, mix it on up! The idea is to get the batter so that it's not completely smooth. A few lumps and bumps are okay. Flaws make us human or...something?
8) Pour batter into muffin tins. It's best to make each cup 1/2 to 3/4 full, if you're working with a standard size muffin tin. (The recipe I was originally working off of called for 6" custard cups but I'm broke imaginative, so I use muffin tins. Full disclosure: this lessens the popover part of popovers, but you still get a totally tasty little breakfast roll!)
9) Put those babes in your oven for 20 minutes.
10) Brush your teeth. Maybe put on a bra.
11) Play with your hair in front of the mirror until the 20 minutes have passed.
12) Reduce oven temp to 350, and continue to cook for another 20 minutes.
13) RECOMMENCE HAIR PLAYING.
14) Google "best way defrost chicken cold water method?"; halfheartedly make your bed; pee; fix yourself a cuppa; sigh; blow your nose.
15) After 20 minutes, take your tins out of the oven, and help yourself to some popovers!

*Best eaten at your kitchen table while scrolling through Longform. Serve with some jam, a small bowl of yogurt, and a cup of coffee.*