The Ultimate Reuben Sandwich with Bacon Fat Fried Rye Bread, Russian 1,000 Aioli, Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef, Peppered Bacon, Melted Emmentaler Cheese, + Sauerkraut

The Ultimate Reuben Sandwich

I might lose some followers because of this, but I am a self-proclaimed Reuben Sandwich hater. It's true. I never could get on board with the idea of boiled, pickled brisket... the pungent rye bread... that weird cabbage stuff (a.k.a. sauerkraut)... and that kinda bitter, extra sharp swiss cheese. Just not my thang. I do, however, love Russian/Thousand Island Dressing. I mean it's great on just about everything. Although Reubens look delicious (in theory), I just strayed away from them. Well, that was until my Mountain Man + I moved back to Atlanta and started eating lunch at our favorite, little sandwich cafe/gourmet market, Star Provisions. If you ever come to visit ATL, go to Star Provisions. Their sandwiches are TOP-KNOTCH... our favorites are the Shrimp Po'boy, Reuben, & Pork Belly Banh Mi. Anyhoo, my Mountain Man decided to order one of those-sandwiches-that-I-used-to-hate. I was instantly pissed. I mean, how could I eat half of his meal if I didn't like it. Boo hiss. He kept urging me throughout the meal to try it and he wouldn't stop raving about it/moaning throughout the whole process. Okay, I thought, the worst that will happen is that I have to spit it up. Not very classy, but gets the job done nonetheless. I bit into the buttery Reuben and it's like the heavens opened up and welcomed me into the "cool kid club". Since then, I have been hooked. What I especially love about Star Provision's Reuben is its' slight differences than a classic sandwich. Their fresh-baked rye bread had been fried in butter (score) and it featured a cheese other than swiss (double score). I had never heard of this dairy product before, but apparently it's just a higher quality swiss. Luckily for me, they carry blocks of it in their dairy department, so I snatched up a block to recreate them at home. Using their sandwich as inspiration, I concocted the Ultimate Reuben Sandwich (well, in my eyes). I purchased some seriously peppered bacon because even though bacon doesn't go this normally, it probably should. With the cut of brisket, a heavy pepper presence only enhances the taste of the meat, so I really believe it gave it a nice spice and smokiness. After that, I fried my rye bread slices in the peppered bacon fat, ya know, 'cuz you have too. You could also just fry them up in some Irish butter if you haveeeeeeee to. This week, I already posted the recipes to the Homemade Russian 1,000 Aioli and the Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef, so take a gander at those for the rest of the components. All that is left is to add on the Emmentaler cheese and sauerkraut. This Ultimate Reuben is gooey, cheesy, saucy, spicy, vinegary, and everything else wonderful in the world. So go make it, NOW!! Enjoy :)

Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef + Peppered Bacon

Sliced Up + Ready to be Sandwiched

Sliced Emmentaler Cheese

Take a big 'ole bite of this hot mess...

For One Sandwich:

2 Slices of Peppered Bacon, Cooked until Crispy

2 Thick Slices of Rye Bread, Fried until Golden Brown in Bacon Fat

Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef, Thinly Sliced

Thin Slices of Emmentaler Cheese (or Swiss cheese can be substituted)

Homemade Russian 1,000 Aioli, For Spreading

Sauerkraut (drained of excess liquid)

Directions:

1.Cook the slices of peppered bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, but reserve the fat. Fry or toast the slices of rye bread in the bacon fat until they turn golden brown and begin to crisp. Remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler to high on your oven.
3. Assembling the Sandwich: Spread one slice of fried bread with a thick slather of Russian 1,000 Aioli, and then top it with slices of honey mustard glazed corned beef, peppered bacon, and Emmentaler cheese. Toast the sandwich until the cheese just begins to melt and is gooey. Remove the sandwich from the oven and top with a pile of sauerkraut. Smear more aioli on the other slice of toasted bread and mash the sandwich together.
4. Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy its’ messy glory!!

Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef

sliced up honey mustard glazed corned beef

I'M BACKKKKKKKKKKKK and ready to blow this shit place up! I got a new blog up and running... well sorta, I still have to finish my recipe index-- bare with me here it is a shit-ton of work, lemme tell you. I can't tell y'all how many "bless your hearts" I have gotten from family & friends during this process. I was beyond upset that the blog I had put three years into had suddenly vanished to an anonymous buyer that goes by the name of Chevy Chase. I mean really, Chevy Chase did this to me? I know it's not really the famous actor, but notgonnalie, I might hold a tiny grudge against him. But that's all in the past for now. It's time to get back into the swing of things, and that includes posting more delicious recipes for all of y'all to enjoy! Yippee-dee-do-dah... #amirite? As many of my loyal followers know, we have been in Atlanta for almost a year now, but deep down, we will always be true "Savannahians" at heart. Savannah is fabulous. It's almost like if you've been gone for a whole year, the second you return, it just picks right back up from where you left off. And possibly the most depressing thing about leaving was missing out on the over-the-top annual St. Patrick's Day celebration. We have had so much fun celebrating that it is easily creeping into my top three all-time favorite holidays, fo'realziez y'all. What sucks for us is that we couldn't make it down there this year because the celebration fell on a Monday and my Mountain Man just couldn't get off work. So, we had to settle by enjoying the Irish spirit by cooking classic comfort food. This obviously meant.... corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. But DUH. P.S. did you know that I hate corned beef?? Yes I absolutely turn my nose up at the stuff, there is just something about boiled meat that really gets my gag reflex going (TMI??). But, I thought I would give it a shot by using a relatively new method of glazing it with honey mustard, sprinkling it with brown sugar, & broiling it until it has a nice, adhered crust. It turned out fab! Who would've known that everyone would like it so much. I bought a 4lb brined/pickled corned beef brisket thinking that it was enough for us to all eat dinner, but still have some leftover for sandwiches. Boy was I wrong... all four pounds were gone in about 15 minutes flat. I have actually already gotten requests to make it again this weekend.... this time though I will prepare ahead and make extra so I can make some killer grilled Rueben sandwiches to enjoy at lunch the next day!! Enjoy :)



honey mustard glaze + a lot of fresh cracked pepper



perfectly glazed

it doesn't get much better than that, y'all

see the tangy honey mustard drizzle-- perfection.



For the Honey Mustard Glaze:

2T Honey Mustard

2T Extremely Grainy Mustard
1T Dijon Mustard + 1T Mayo
3-4T Light Brown Sugar (depending on how sweet you like, but you will need some on top)
Pinch of Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper (the more… the better)
A Sprinkling of Ground Cloves or Freshly Grated Nutmeg
¼C Reserved Cooking Water (that you used to boil the corned beef)

 For the Corned Beef:

1 4lb Already Prepared Corned Beef
Included Spice Packet + 2T Mulling Spices
Water, For Boiling (enough to cover the beef)

Directions:

1. To Make the Honey Mustard Glaze: Whisk together the honey mustard, grainy mustard, Dijon Mustard, Mayo, and Brown Sugar… along with a pinch of salt & pepper. Set it aside while you boil your corned beef.
2. Prepping the Corned Beef: Bring a big pot of water to a boil and add the included spice packet, as well as the mulling spices. Let it boil for about 2-3 minutes, and then gently place the corned beef into the hot water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45-50 minutes per pound. I cooked mine for roughly three hours before removing it and glazing it (keep in mind that if the meat is fork tender, then it is done and no longer needs to be boiled). Once it is done boiling, remove the corned beef to a paper towel lined plate and dry it off as best as you can, if there is any excess moisture it can cause the glaze to slip off instead of caramelize.
3. Broiling the Beef: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a pan with a Silpat. Place the dried-off corned beef onto the pan and liberally spoon half of the honey mustard mixture all over the top of the cut of meat. You can also use a pastry brush to help you get spaces that the spoon won’t reach. Lightly sprinkle the top with some more brown sugar and ground cloves, and a little bit of salt before covering the entire thing with a decent layer of fresh cracked pepper (we love a lot of pepper, especially when it comes to this cut of meat, so you can do as little or as much as you want). Now that is has been completely glazed, place it into the oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the honey mustard adheres to the beef and becomes somewhat sticky.
4. During that time, pour in about 1 ladle of the corned beef boiling liquid into your remaining honey mustard. This will thin the mixture out quite a bit, but you are going to drizzle it all over the sliced beef once it is done cooking. This means it will be extra flavorful & extremely moist, but not covered in globs of sauce.
5. Serving the Corned Beef: Remove the glazed corned beef from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Now, I know many of you do not have a crème brulee torch, but this is the perfect utensil to brown the outer area of the corned beef, so that the glaze is perfectly browned and not burnt (you can use your broiler, but you will risk burning it if you don’t keep an eye out for it). After resting, thinly slice the glazed corned beef and drizzle with the remaining half of your thinned-out honey mustard, all over every slice. Serve with some cabbage and potatoes!!

Let's talk about cheese plates + a Goat Cheese-Roasted Garlic-Truffle Honey Beehive...

Whipped Fresh Cracked Pepper Goat Cheese, Pureed Rosted Garlic, & Truffle Honey Drizzle Beehive

I'm an entertaining kinda girl... not in the way that I'm the life of the party or I'm just super hilarious and everyone adores me (because most of the time, they don't, ha). But, I love love love to host parties and entertain my friends with a dinner meal, cookout, Sunday Funday, tailgatin', and holiday themed food. I am just the eternal host, and I can't ever stop. Seriously, it's become a problem. I start planning events months + months in advance. For an example of my madness, the process of planning our yearly "Friendsgiving" has already been discussed this week. Yeah, we're lame. But that's not the idea for today's post because we are focusing on cheese plates!! Now, I don't know about those people out there who don't like cheese, but watch your back, that's just plain mean... and that's coming from a person who is lactose intolerant. Before I get to the main recipe for an AMAZING goat cheese beehive + pictures of my cheeseboards, we havta talk about the set up. First of all, you need a big 'ole serving plate, wooden cutting board, or a professionally made cheese board. This is where you get to stack and pile on all your goodies :) Next up, the main ingredient + undefeated champ of the cooking world, CHEESE. A variety of cheese in flavor + texture is key here, people, especially when trying to making/keeping your guests and friends happy. You need some odd flavors, some really stinky strong cheese, some creamy, some tangy, some classics... well, you get my drift. The cheeses I like to include are the following: Gorgonzola Dolce, Comte, Creamy Goat Cheese, Vintage Aged Cheddar with Crystals (my favorite brand is Coastal Rugged, Mature White Cheddar, and I'm obsessed with it), Gouda Cheese, Brie, Black Pepper Parmesan, Manchego, a cheese with fruit in it (I prefer cranberry), and something spicy (I prefer triple pepper colby jack cheese from boars head). Now, don't feel like you have to inlcude all of these, they are all just suggestions; so, I would stick to 3-5 kinds of cheese for a dinner party. I like to take all of my cheese out of the refrigerator out and place it onto the counter, so it can soften and get rid of the chill. The accoutrements are the hype girls to the cheesy ring leader that means you nee some jams (preserves, spreads, etc.), fresh fruit (grapes, apples, etc.), dried fruit, crostini, fancy crackers, crusty fried bread, high quality pickles or marinated veggies, roasted or spiced nuts and a whole lot of yummy charcuterie. These additions are all very important, don't leave 'em out, okay? I also find it helpful to find and/or buy specialty cheese knives because they work with the cheese, as opposed to you being covered in cheese on your new, fancy dress. Each cheese should mostly be broken down in different ways... parmesan & cheddar need to be broken into large chunks, the Comte can be sliced or cubed, and the soft cheeses should just be left alone because it will just clutter your board. Okay, now that I've gotten that out of the way, here are some pictures of my cheese plates that I made in the past...

See? Look how awesome those are. I mean really, who needs dinner when you got this in front of you?  It's easy entertaining at its' best, but still incredibly satisfying and delicious!! The next item we have to tackle is the main recipe of this post... a Goat Cheese-Roasted Garlic-Truffle Honey Beehive that is featured in The Cheesemonger's Kitchen. 

This concoction is ridiculous, in all ways you can think of. Whipped Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Goat Cheese + Pureed Roasted Garlic are layered into a cheesecloth-lined bowl, and then inverted onto a cake stand and drizzled with yummy-yummy-tasty-tasty white truffle honey. I can't described to you the satisfaction I felt when I popped it out of the container and peeled off the cheesecloth to find perfectly crafted layers of fluffy cheese + creamy garlic. The flavors are all so wonderful together that we finished this entire beehive in one bite. Honestly, I can't stop thinking about all of the other amazing combinations of ingredients that I can substitute in... like for Christmas, maybe use sundried tomato paste, basil pesto, and roasted garlic... or for Thanksgiving, use cranberry sauce, pumpkin puree, & sage pesto. The list could go on + on, but I promise I won't. Wait, scratch that, how about making a sweet beehive instead? OMG, doing that with summer berries tomorrow. Back to our 'hive though, it is set onto a cake stand, and we had so much extra room that we decided to garnish with some speck, salumi, pepperoni from our favorite butcher in Atlanta, along with some sweet + tart apples. The beehive is so easy to spread onto bread and crackers, and perfectly perfect for a snack with a big glass of wine!! Enjoy :)

For the Whipped Black Pepper Goat Cheese:

2 16oz Blocks of Creamy Goat Cheese, Room Temperature

¼-½C Heavy Cream (we found our goat cheese was too thick, and this helped a lot) 

Sea Salt & Freshly Cracked Pepper (to your liking, we did about 1-2T of pepper)

For the Pureed Roasted Garlic Layer (the easy way):

1-2C Whole Roasted Garlic Cloves (we bought ours at Whole Foods)

¼-½C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Goat Cheese Beehive:

Prepared Whipped Black Pepper Goat Cheese Layer

Prepared Pureed Roasted Garlic

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Gourmet Truffle Honey (or any other high quality honey will do)

1-2 Cheesecloth

1 Small, Deep Dish Baking Dish or Bowl (look for one that is round, but flat on the bottom) 

Crostini, Crackers, Cured Meats, Fresh Fruit, or Fried Bread, For Serving

Directions:

1. Line a baking dish or bowl with cheesecloth/muslin with plenty of overhang. Set it aside.

2. For the Whipped Black Pepper Goat Cheese: Place the softened goat cheese into the bowl of a standing mixer and beat for about 1-2 minutes until it has started to whip and smooth out. Depending on how thick it is (and how thick you want it to be), add in some heavy cream, fresh cracked black pepper, & salt and continue beating until light + fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Refrigerate or set aside until you are ready to layer, but make sure it is room temperature and easily spreadable in the baking dish.

3. For the Pureed Roasted Garlic Layer: Place the roasted cloves of garlic into a food processor and begin to puree it until smooth and no chunks remain. With the food processor still on, drizzle in the olive oil until it has emulsified and creamy. Season with salt, pepper, & a pinch of sugar. Set it aside until ready to use.

4. Layering the Beehive: Using a rubber spatula, scoop out some of the whipped goat cheese and plop it into the cheesecloth-lined bowl and gently layer it (this first layer can be frustrating, but don’t worry, you can always fix your mistakes when you remove the cheesecloth from it later on). Season the top of this layer with salt & pepper to taste. Using the same method as the whipped goat cheese, dollop the garlic puree on top of the goat cheese layer and smooth it out once more. Repeat this alternating process until all of the ingredients have been used and you have created gorgeous layers (just make sure you end with goat cheese or it will get messy). Cover the beehive with the overhang of the cheesecloth (or an additional cheesecloth) and cover with tinfoil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate this overnight, in order for it to set properly.

5. For Serving: An hour or so before serving, remove the beehive from the refrigerator and peel back the cheesecloth. Place a cake stand upside down on the bowl and then invert the two together. Remove the bowl and peel off the cheesecloth/muslin to reveal the beehive. Any cracks in the goat cheese can be smoothed with a wet finger or spatula. Drizzle the beehive with truffle honey to complete the beehive theme and balance the aromatic garlic. Serve with bread, crackers, or fruit (and a glass of wine).

Gourmet "Southern Tomato Sandwich" Crostini with Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli, Bacon Fat Fried Toast, Rainbow Heirloom Tomatoes, Brown Butter, & Fresh Chives

Gourmet "Southern Tomato Sandwich" Crostini with Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli,
Bacon Fat Fried Toast, Heirloom Tomatoes, & Brown Butter

Almost every story I have ever heard from my mom or dad has either started or ended with a classic tomato sandwich being eaten. To be honest, I never really got it. All you true deep south southerners are probably shakin' y'all's heads in disdain... I know, I know, please shame me. I deserve it. But, what could be so delicious about a piece of white bread, slathered with store-bought mayo, tomatoes, and some pepper? Now, to each their own, certainly, but there is a significant room for growth and I took that challenge on. Some of y'all will hate me for it and the others will love it, just give it a listen. Okay? First, you gotta throw that overly soft bread, that should only be used for a kid's PB&J sandwich, out the window. That is not allowed to be used. I made my favorite, extra-crusty, super-chewy bread... sliced it thick and fried it in bacon fat. I mean, c'mon people, that already sounds so much better. Now don't get me wrong, I tend to reach for Duke's Mayo on occasion, just for pure time-saving matters, but if you really want to make a sandwich taste better, you have to make it from scratch. There's no way around it. The number one rule, as proposed by my family, is the heavy use of fresh cracked pepper. So, I just incorporated it into my super garlicy, homemade aioli (and I mean a whole lot of it, so feel free to reduce it somewhat if you need too). Next is by far the most crucial part in my book... finding the ripest, juiciest, most colorful heirloom tomatoes that you can find. They are the only kind I buy and if you haven't had one, then you are truly missing out. Their texture is overly tender, no slimy starchiness here, and they are as sweet as can be! And just by adding a small pinch of salt + pepper (with a splash of vinegar), it turns into one of my favorite quick, Summer meals. HEIRLOOM TOMATOES MUST NOT & CAN NOT BE OMITTED (glad I got that out there, it is so very important). After you have layered all of the ingredients, drizzle a little bit of brown butter over the top, and garnish with minced chives. Now I get that this sammich ain't normal or classic by any means, but this updated version will be a go-to lunch this summer when the heirloom tomatoes are bountiful. And wouldn't they just be the cutest as mini crostini for a summer dinner party? I think soooooooo!! Enjoy :)

Here is one that is plain, but the brown butter and fresh chives are crucial!

For the Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1 ½t Fresh Lemon Juice

1t White Wine Vinegar

¼t Dijon Mustard

1 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little sea salt)

½t Sea salt (plus a little more to taste, if needed)

¼t Sugar

¾C Canola Oil

1-2t Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

For the “Southern Tomato Sandwich” Crostini:

Thick Slices of Country Bread (I used my favorite recipe for bread)

Rendered Bacon Fat, For Frying

Prepared Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli

Heirloom Tomatoes, Sliced & Seasoned Lightly with Sea Salt

Brown Butter, Melted (for drizzling)

Fresh Minced Chives

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C canola oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with the fresh cracked black pepper and a little sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.  

2. For the Bacon Fat Fried Toast: Heat about 1 inch of rendered bacon fat in a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the slices of bread in the oil until golden brown & crispy, about 2 minutes on each side. Once the bread is done, immediately remove them from the oil and slightly drain them on paper towels to get rid of excess oil. Place them onto a serving plate.

3. For the Crostini: Spread the bacon fat fried toast with a thick layer of the Homemade Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Aioli. Top the aioli with slices of seasoned heirloom tomatoes, and then drizzle tops of the tomatoes with some brown butter. Garnish with some fresh parsley, basil, or chives.

4. Enjoy immediately!

Oh and now for some Heirloom Tomato food porn...

How amazing do those look? My mouth is watering as I type. 

Perfect Gruyere + Black Pepper Popovers with Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Gruyere + Black Pepper Popovers with Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese 

ROLL TIDE ROLL, Y'ALL!! I know many of you might not be rabid college football fans like us, so I get y'all up to speed. Last night, my two favorite teams, the Alabama Crimson Tide & the UGA Bulldogs played in the SEC Championship, and man, what a game!! My boys from Alabama barely pulled it out, but all the matters is that we won. So now, we're headed to the National Championship to South Beach in Miami. Okay, back to the food, since I got a little distracted. Popovers are mah jam. They are one of my favorite dinner breads to serve to guests, friends, or family. I mean, you can make some many different flavor combinations and they always come out looking FABULOUS. Some other flavors I want to try are herbed, cheddar + bacon jam, goat cheese or brie with fig preserve swirls, cherry tomato confit + basil, and a variety of dessert popovers. Speaking of making popovers for dessert, not many people have made recipes that can be enjoyed at the end of a meal (or maybe for breakfast). So, the next recipe I'm going to post will be Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt Popovers with Brown Butter. I'm telling you they were delicious, almost a mix between a chocolate croissant and beignets. Once again, I'm getting off topic. The recipes that I'm introducing to y'all today are my Gruyere + Black Pepper popovers with grated Parmesan. It was a part of my Thanksgiving menu this year, and they were so good that even my one year old niece gobbled one up. Like what baby eats black pepper and gruyere? Not many. What I love about them is their utterly smooth batter that is speckled with freshly cracked pepper. THEN, they are filled with nutty gruyere cheese... perfection I tell ya. When they are done baking up, you get the instant gratification of seeing the gorgeously risen popovers that are perfectly golden brown and crisp on its surface. I included a few tips that are extremely helpful in making the best popovers you could possibly ever taste. So, make sure to use them to your advantage. But, most importantly, eat them right out of the oven with a bunch of grated Parmesan all over the tops of these tasty popovers and enjoy every tasty morsel. We have already made these three times since Thanksgiving because they were such a hit... a new Thanksgiving tradition has been born y'all!! Enjoy :)

golden brown color + freshly grated parmesan

Seriously, they are like two feet tall y'all :)

See that crusty, caramelized cheese on the top... 

For the Popovers:

2C Whole Milk

4 Large Eggs

1 ½t Salt

½-1t Freshly Ground Black Pepper (depending on how spicy or strong you like it)

2C Bread Flour, Sifted (AP Flour can be substituted)

¼t Baking Powder, scant

4oz Gruyere Cheese, Cut into Small Cubes (group the cubes into evenly numbered piles)

12T Unsalted Butter, Cut into Tabs & Brought to Room Temperature (extremely soft)

Freshly Grated Parmesan, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place two popover pans in the oven to warm.

2. For the Popover Batter: In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with the salt and black pepper until smooth. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, while making sure to use the tempering technique, so that there are no cooked egg particles in your smooth batter. Sift together the bread flour (or AP Flour) and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Add in the sifted flour mixture and whisk until the batter is just combined and smooth (it may still have some lumps, so do not over-mix).

3. Preparing the Popovers: Remove the pans from the oven and drop a tab of the extremely soft butter into each popover mold, and then ladle in a scant ½C of black pepper batter into the melted, sizzling butter. Drop the small cubes of Gruyere into the center of each popover batter; I dropped about 4-5 cubes of Gruyere into mine. This batter makes should make roughly 12 large popovers or 16 smaller popovers.

4. Baking the Popovers: Bake the popovers until puffed and deep golden brown, about 30-45 minutes (do not open the oven besides the one period where you prick the popovers). At the 30-35 minute mark, open the oven door and quickly prick the sides and tops of the popovers with a toothpick. This is a very important step because it helps the popovers to release steam that has been trapped inside them. Once you have pricked them, continue baking these for the remaining 10-15 minutes to finish browning. Remove the popovers from their pans, you have to do this carefully because you do not want to cause the popover to collapse or ruin their perfectly baked structure. I did this by using a dull butter knife to loosen up the edges of the popovers; it can sometimes be difficult to get them out when the cheese has oozed out and begun to caramelized and crisp up.

5. For Serving: grate fresh Parmesan all over the hot popovers and enjoy immediately while they are still warm.