Cinnamon Popovers - with Peach Butter from Louisburg Cider Mill, a Kansas Treasure

Be honest, when you read these posts, doesn't a little bit of you wish you lived in Kansas too?


I have to apologize.  Jackie and I visited the Louisburg Cider Mill.  It was an impromptu trip, and I did not take my camera.  So, you will have to follow this link (click HERE) to get a visual image of the place.


But, if you will trust me to direct your mind's eye, as you pull in, you see the big red barn that is the heart of the business.  In the background, you can see the apple trees, and the country specialties that make this a must visit for families, foodies and people who just want to see a little bit more of the beloved Kansas that was missed so much while living in the tropics.  The mill offers tractor rides through the orchard, a corn maze (will be spectacular in October for the pumpkin buying trip) and much more.  It's just a fun country way to spend your morning.  


But the highlight for me is the country store...


The good folks who run the farm started as an Apple Cider joint.  It is still their best seller.  They have been featured on the Food Network, several national "we love this stuff" type articles as well as being on the list of the top ten cider mills in America.


In their last 35 years, they have expanded their store from just apples and cider to most things organic and "real foods".  Wholesome, fresh and just a little better than you expect.  All good stuff.


When planning your next vacation, forget Hawaii and Paris.  Come to Kansas in the early fall.  Kansas in general and the Louisburg Cider Mill in specific are worth the visit.


Jackie and I came away with a gallon of cider, a new cooking tool and a little jar of this amazing Peach Butter!  Think the apple butter I remember from my childhood (half a century ago), but with that extra little sweet hint of peach.


A great peach butter like this deserves something special to be put on.


Like this recipe for a cinnamon popover.  Just this week, I saw an episode of "Good Eats" with Alton Brown extolling the beauty of the popover.  I was reminded that I had this recipe that I wanted to try.  It comes from a cookbook on polenta.  Yes, a whole book featuring not just flavored cornmeal squares, but also desserts, appetizers, salads... every course of a meal using that multi-talented corn meal!


And BTW, It's a Yorkshire pudding, but without the meat drippings.  Next time, I use meat drippings for a little extra flavor.  But I digress...


Here's what I did...

Makes 4 popovers, double the recipe if you want breakfast tomorrow.


2 large Eggs
1/2 cup and 1 TBS Flour
2 TBS Polenta or coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
a pinch of Sea Salt
pinch of ground Pepper
1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 cup and 1 TBS Buttermilk
1 TBS Butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put your popover pan (muffin tin) in the oven to get HOT.
2. Melt your butter
3. In a blender, combine everything else except the buttermilk.  Blend briefly to mix
4. While the blades are running, slowly add the buttermilk and blend until smooth.
5. When the oven is hot, and the pan is HOT, pull the pan out, add 1/4 cup butter to each of the 4 pans.
6. Put it back in the oven to get the butter HOT.  You want the butter to bubble and just slightly brown before adding the batter... only takes 2 minutes.
7. divide the batter into the 4 tins and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Serve hot, with a dollop of Louisburg Cider Mill fresh made Peach Butter (or the jam of your choice).

Here's a couple photos to give you an idea of what it looks like in process...

Batter in the hot brown butter...

Same shot, after the cook.


Popovers are beautiful things.  they grow and expand, with a big hollow hole in the middle.  These took about the same time of prep work as pancakes, but are so much more fun.  Perfect to load up with say really chunky apple or cherry pie mix...

Or some Jack Daniels (really, bourbon), Orange Butter... but that's a post for another day.


For today, I'll enjoy one with Louisburg Cider Mill Peach Butter...

 I will be submitting this to Two for Tuesday.  Join the fun, all the ask is that you submit a recipe using "Real Food", I've been dreaming of REAL FOOD.  Makes me cry just a little bit (Click HERE for 2 for Tuesday details)...
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