Literary Lunch

At Cafe Drake we're passionate about more than just food and entertaining. Luckily these paramount interests are incorporated once a month within another favorite pastime in these parts - reading. The Fierce Bookworms, founded in September 2005, meet every fourth Sunday at a member's house to discuss a chosen book (host's choice, natch). Above are photos from a few of these gatherings, and in the spirit of things literary, below you will find a recipe for Proust's beloved popovers (madeleines would have been too obvious, oui?). For authenticity they should be served with vervain tea, although we prefer them with a full-bodied grenache or as hot passed appetizers. So rich and satisfying however, they could be paired with soup or salad for a light luncheon. Pass the fruit and nut bowls after at the table for a no-effort meal.

POPOVERS A LA PROUST

2 cups all-purpose (unbleached) flour / ½ teaspoon fleur de sel / ½ teaspoon baking powder / ¼ teaspoon freshly ground red peppercorns / Generous pinch finely chopped fresh herbs / 2 cups milk, at room temperature / 3 eggs, at room temperature / 1 tablespoon butter, melted, plus additional for greasing popover pan (or use vegetable oil) / 1 heaping tablespoon cheese chunks, cut into 1/8” dice (Gruyere or Manchego strongly recommended)

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Brush a nonstick popover or large muffin pan with melted butter. Place the pan in the oven while preheating.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, pepper, baking powder, and herbs. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. In a larger bowl, whisk together the milk and melted butter to combine. Combine the eggs with the milk and butter.
3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently whisk until combined. Your batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Take care not to over-whisk when combining ingredients. Allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour. Can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. Allow to come to room temperature before proceeding.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared and heated pan to within about 1/4 inch of the rim. Drop the chopped cheese in the center of each filled cup.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 425° F. Make sure you do not open the oven door during this time or the steam will escape and you will lose the “pop” effect. Reduce the temperature to 350° F and continue to bake until the popovers are brown, crusty and puffed, about 20 minutes more.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, or let cool on wire racks and hold at room temperature for up to 4 hours. When ready to serve, reheat in a 350° F oven for about 10 minutes.