Gluten Free Popovers

When my daughter went on a trial gluten-free diet for three months, I baked more during that time than I had in all the years prior since she was born. The gluten-free diet was a hassle when we traveled, but at home, she thought she had a good deal. I boiled and baked bagels, whipped up muffins to send to school, and spent a lot of time experimenting with various sweet and savory concoctions.

I perused a number of cookbooks, but ended up cooking and baking almost exclusively from a cookbook I found called Gluten Free On a Shoestring, by Nicole Hunn. (The link goes to the blog.) The first recipe I made was for popovers. Contrary to my expectations, they were light, they were puffy… in other words, the recipe worked. Bolstered by that confidence, I went on to work my way through the cookbook, and started visiting Nicole’s blog on a regular basis.

My daughter is no longer gluten-free, but I have a number of friends and family members who are both gluten and dairy free. I want them to enjoy coming to my house, so I continue to cook for them. Disclaimer: These friends and family don’t have celiac disease, and have assured me that I may use my regular utensils. If you wish to cook for gluten-free friends, check with them first to find out the extent of their gluten sensitivities.

Nicole Hunn’s popovers are always a success when I make them (recipe is included with the link). I’ve made them  successfully with diary ingredients as well as dairy alternatives. I bake at sea-level, so those who cook at high altitudes may have to make adjustments. I include this link about  “high altitude popovers” the event it’s of use.

Farida Dowler lives in Seattle, Washington, and sews wool felt dolls for the Etsy shop Alkelda Dolls. While her dinners are typically one-pot meals to accommodate the crafting/writing life, she makes exceptions for sushi rolls and spankopita.