*These Popovers are amazingly light and airy. The classic muffins are a perfect addition to breakfast, brunch, or dinner!*

Wow, popovers!! How cool are these? A couple of months ago Adam and I went out to dinner at Wayfare Tavern for restaurant week. Do you guys have restaurant week in your city or town? If not, it’s a really cool event where a whole bunch of restaurants in an area get together and each offer a reduced-price prix fixe menu every evening (and sometimes at lunch, too) for a week! The options on each menu are usually pretty limited, but restaurants will often include one or two of their signature items. So, it’s a great way to hit up a spot you’ve been wanting to try that might normally be above your budget, and to get a taste of some of the most famous dishes in the city!

But back to Wayfare Tavern. This restaurant in downtown San Francisco is owned by chef Tyler Florence, one of my most favorite Food Network stars. So, of course, you know I’ve been wanting to go there for a while. We made a reservation for Friday evening and met up at the restaurant after work. I have to say, probably my favorite part of the whole experience was the atmosphere. The super classic, old-school dining room features dark wood, lots of rich fabric, and a long, open bar area. A big fireplace and plenty of hunting motifs finish everything off. It felt so decadent and cozy, especially on a chilly evening! The most noteworthy dish on the menu, and really why we were there, was Florence’s famous fried chicken. However, I think most memorable was the snack offered right when we sat down, before our salads or even cocktails arrived: an enormous, warm popover, fresh from the oven! The light, air-filled muffin featured a rich, custardy base; slathered with decadent salted butter, it was the perfect little palate teaser. And I loved watching Adam enjoy the treat, since he’d never tasted a popover before!

But popovers and I happen to go way back. Growing up, my mom used to occasionally make a batch to go with dinner. This was a rare occurrence – maybe once or twice a year? – but we loved it! And boy, that popover at Wayfare Tavern really reminded me how delicious popovers could be! So, of course, I set out to make some myself. There are lots of varying opinions online regarding the perfect recipe, many warning of how difficult it can be to precisely bake the popovers so that they’re light and sky-high. However, I simply followed my mom’s tried and true recipe – which happens to be super simple and easy – and we were beyond pleased with the results! The key is to start the batter off in a cold oven. Yep, that’s right, no preheating here. And thirty minutes later, you’ll have a tray of the most delicious custardy, light muffins. Make them for breakfast, brunch, or dinner (maybe all three if you’d like?) and wait for the rave reviews to start pouring in!