On a recent vacation to Bar Harbor Maine we enjoyed all the glory of Arcadia Nation Park, the beautiful coastline along with the harbor and the great food! I got my share of all three, for sure!
We made the best of a dreary rainy day by turning it into a girl's shopping day and lunch! What fun!! It was at the PARKSIDE On The Green restaurant that I had a bowl of the best lobster bisque I have ever eaten! Rich and just a little bit spicy and full of big buttery chunks of lobster.
On a hiking trip around Jordan Pond we stopped for a well deserved rest at the al fresco restaurant on the lawn at the Jordan Pond House. The scenery was stunning and serene. We were treated to delicious blueberry tea and their world famous popovers!
I want to bring a little of Bar Harbor to StoneGable's dinner table. So I am recreating two wonderful dishes... Lobster Bisque and Jordan Pond House Popovers. Tonight Bobby and I will savor the flavors of Maine while looking at our hundreds of pictures together! Hope you liked the little peek at some of them too!
Lobster Bisque
My goal was to find a recipe that sorta SOUNDED like the bisque I ate TASTED without... spending all day fussing in the kitchen or spending a king's ransom on live lobsters. Yet it should have a thick, rich noticeably lobster taste with just a hint of a bite.
I found a great recipe at Food.Com. I doubled the lobster meat (tails on sale) and reserved some of the meat to use as garnish and added finely chopped parsley and Zesty Ranch Crackers (recipe below).
Jordan Pond House Popovers
These popovers should come with a warning label! Seriously! They are that good! The kind people at the Jordan Pond House give out the recipe. Our server told us that they make over 3,000 popovers a day!
Eat them as soon as them come out of the oven slathered with butter and jam... or open them up and fill the cavity with your favorite great quality ice cream and chocolate syrup.
Eat them as soon as them come out of the oven slathered with butter and jam... or open them up and fill the cavity with your favorite great quality ice cream and chocolate syrup.
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup bread flour
pinch of salt
pinch of baking soda
SG Tip: a pinch is about 1/16th of a tsp. It is the amount that you can pinch between your thumb and index finger.
SG Tip: a pinch is about 1/16th of a tsp. It is the amount that you can pinch between your thumb and index finger.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease a regular muffin tin pan very well all over.
Beat eggs at high speed in an electric mixer until thickened and lemon colored, about 3 minutes. On the slowest speed add very slowly 1/2 cup of milk. Beat until well mixed.
SG Tip: Use a timer~ 3 minutes is longer than you think!
SG Tip: Use a timer~ 3 minutes is longer than you think!
Sift and measure flour, salt and soda. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the egg mixture. When mixed, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Turn the mixer on medium speed and slowly add the milk; beat 2 minutes. Turn the mixer on the highest speed and beat for 5-7 minutes. Batter should be smooth and the consistency of heavy cream.
Strain batter through a sieve and fill EVERY OTHER muffin tin cup to the top. I put my muffin tin on a large baking sheet in case of spills.
Bake the popovers in the middle of the oven on the middle rack for the first 15 minutes.
WITHOUT OPENING THE DOOR reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15- 20 minutes longer.
Almost ready- a peek through the oven door!
Thur the oven door~ after 10 minutes in the oven!!!!
WITHOUT OPENING THE DOOR reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15- 20 minutes longer.
Serve immediately with butter and strawberry jam~ or blueberry jam!
Printable Recipe
Zesty Ranch Crackers
These are addictive!
2 bags of small oyster type crackers
1 1/2 cup Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn Oil
2 packets Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Empty 2 bags of zesty oyster crackers in a large bowl.
Measure 1 1/2 cup oil in a large measuring cup and stir in 2 packets of Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix. Stir to incorporate.
Pour oil over crackers and mix well.
Put crackers on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes. Toss using a spatula, turn crackers every 10 minutes and rotate trays in the oven.
After 30 minutes, remove from oven and let the crackers cool.
Keep in an airtight container.
Printable Recipe
I am participating in FOODIE FRIDAY at Designs By Gollum
Printable Recipe
Zesty Ranch Crackers
These are addictive!
2 bags of small oyster type crackers
1 1/2 cup Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn Oil
2 packets Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Empty 2 bags of zesty oyster crackers in a large bowl.
Measure 1 1/2 cup oil in a large measuring cup and stir in 2 packets of Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix. Stir to incorporate.
Pour oil over crackers and mix well.
Put crackers on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes. Toss using a spatula, turn crackers every 10 minutes and rotate trays in the oven.
After 30 minutes, remove from oven and let the crackers cool.
Keep in an airtight container.
Printable Recipe
I am participating in FOODIE FRIDAY at Designs By Gollum
The lobster bisque looks fabulous! I will have to make it as it is a favorite that I only get when we go to San Diego. The popovers look heavenly, too!
ReplyDeleteOMGoodness, woman, this looks SOOOOO good!!!! I have only had popovers once in my life but sure wish I had one of these!!! Joe made us DELICIOUS meatballs and sauce tonight and we had meatball parm sandwiches. SOOOO good too! Thanks for the recipes!!!!! Glad you were up to cooking! Oh, and Chris's GF is ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The pics you shared are great! I want to see more:):) XO, Pinky
ReplyDeleteDear Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing set of recipes!
I know I would love every single one of them and will try the soup and crackers for sure!
I am also thrilled to have found your son's blog. I have two teens, one almost 16 and one 18....any help and Christian guidance is always appreciated.
You must be a proud mother!
Your blog is always on my sidebar, and now I have his blog saved for
parenting emergencies, and for good reading too!!!
xx
Alison
I SWEAR you have the BEST recipes, Lady!! Those Ranch crackers are calling my name all by themselves but to float them in that awesome looking soup...DIVINE!
ReplyDeleteI have never made popovers in my whole life but I think I will have to try now. That shot with the blueberry jam just made me swoon!
My sister sent me home with BAGS of fresh blueberries from her bushes. YUM!
Hugs my friend & thanks again for all that you share with us,
Rett
OMG, everything on this page is mouth-watering! And I love the little recipe with the oyster crackers - how inventive! ~ Courtney
ReplyDeleteThe soup, oyster crackers and popovers all look scrumptious, I wish I had some of each right now! xo
ReplyDeleteThat looks so good Yvonne! The hubby and I took a trip to Bar Harbor years ago. They have the best crab cakes too! Martina
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI want to go on vacation with your family. Thanks for the printable recipe instructions. The instructions were fabulous. Thanks again. I'm using the printable recipe today for My West Coast Gazpacho Soup.
xo
Betty
Hi
ReplyDeleteI want to go on vacation with your family. Thanks for the printable recipe instructions. The instructions were fabulous. Thanks again. I'm using the printable recipe today for My West Coast Gazpacho Soup.
xo
Betty
Yvonne, these recipes look delicious. We are thinking about teaming up and doing some cooking this weekend. The popovers look so yummy. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAngela and Renee
Oh my goodness...pure joy I found waiting for me here today! I just want to pull up a seat and order everything on the menu. xoxoo Happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh my, this meal looks beautiful and I'm sure everything tastes as good as it looks! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteShannon
Well, you knew when I stopped in there would be this awesome array of food...now that I'm finally on a no-carb diet (which actually works). I'm hungry ALL the time though. Love you...
ReplyDeleteGood-golly-lolly, do those popovers look good! I am so going to try and make these. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend Yvonne! :)
ReplyDeleteYvonne - your posts never fail to please. I've had those zesty crackers and they really are addictive. The popovers you made look phenomenal... can't wait to give them a try.
ReplyDelete:)
Patricia
these recipes all look so good, I would love to try the popovers but can you give me an English equivilant in ounces or something similar please
ReplyDeleteTilly
All the recipes look so good. I have made popovers for years but called Yorkshire Pudding made with beef drippings in pan and served with roast beef and gravy ..... Like the idea of popovers with jam or with ice cream.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Am bookmarking it, Bar Harbor is incredible isnt' it? My sister spends 3 weeks every summer in Maine at her inlaws place, lucky her! I love the recipes here, they were beckoning me over!! Will be back to this post in a month or so when the weather starts getting a little cooler and you better believe I am going to try both of these, heavenly sounding!
ReplyDeleteGreat collage..Looks happy and fun..
ReplyDeleteI too often want to recreate what we eat during a trip:)
Seems like you found perfection.
I love the look of popovers..
Thanks for both recipes.
Now that's one fancy dinner Yvonne! Love the shots of the popovers through the oven door, I'll have to give them a try:@)
ReplyDeleteNever thought I'd say this but lobster is so affordable these days! You really can pick them up for a tiny treat not a big fancy dinner. Soup looks grand as do the popovers. Why don't we make them more often!!!
ReplyDeleteI really don't think I've ever had a popover. This is a recipe I will definitely try!! As a child, I developed a shellfish allergy after eating it for years. I miss it alot. Your bisque looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteYvonne -- I LOVE serving popovers with soups and that bisque looks like a bowl of heaven. Beautiful post :)
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend sweet friend!
Blessings!
Gail
This completely takes me back to 35 years ago when I worked on Capitol Hill. The elderly lady with whom I was living made popovers one night for dinner. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I haven't had one since, but this sure makes me crave them. Don't know that I'd have the patience to make them myself, but I'm going to scout out the best ones in Kansas City! Thanks for bringing back a very fond memory!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne, for sharing these special recipes!! I've never been to Maine, but now I can taste some of it...yum!! I was happy to see that a regular muffin pan is used for the popovers...woo-hoo!!!
ReplyDeleteOnce again Stone Gable is THE place to be!!!! Can't wait to try these recipes.....Have a blessed day!!
ReplyDeleteMary
It sounds like you have a wonderful and flavorful vacation, Yvonne! I would love to try recreating all of these recipes - they sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely meal. The bisque looks and sounds delicious and the recipe for the popovers and crackers are really appreciated. I would have loved to share this meal with you. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteYvonne, we recently returned from a week in Maine, so this post took me right back to that wonderful spot. We had lunch at Jordan Pond House, and of course had the popovers. ;-) They are the best. We ate ours with butter and jam, but I wish I'd splurged and had the ice cream and chocolate sauce too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the recipes. Lobster bisque sounds like a good choice for dinner.
Beautiful pics, Yvonne. I love the way you vary and highlight text. Great style, like everything you do! ~ Sarah
I haven't made popovers in years ... your post makes me yearn to ... and our last vacation with our boys before flying the coop was to exactly where you went. I did love the cooler weather, I remember especially! Hope you are feeling much better!
ReplyDeleteSet an extra plate/bowl I'll be right over. Looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLeann
Yvonne, If that soup tastes half as good as it looks you are one lucky woman...and a great chef...just look at those popovers...so impressed!
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favorites and these recipes look divine. This is making me really hungry. On my way to the lake where we normally eat all weekend but nothing as yummy as this. Have a great weekend,Yvonne.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh this all looks incredible...but especially the popovers. I've never made them but would love to try. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Have a beautiful weekend!
ReplyDeleteI love popovers yet I haven't made any in ages, Yvonne, and you have encouraged me to make a batch very soon. I also love lobster bisque! Your vacation looked wonderful!
ReplyDeletePS You'll enjoy shopping at Fante's ..it has a hodge podge shop full of every imaginable kitchen ware.
Oh I love your collage~ what fun!
ReplyDeleteMy taste buds are all set for a trip to Maine...I'm drooling over those popovers warm from the oven and my own little shell-serving of butter to slather on!
Let us wipe the drool from our faces!!!! This looks so yummy. I wonder if you could use crawfish vs. lobster due to the cost. We'll try it and pass it on!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
XO,
Renee and Angela
We so enjoyed our trip to Maine last year ~ and our lunch at the Jordan Pond House complete with popovers. Thanks for reminding me and for the recipes. I always enjoy my visits to your lovely blog Yvonne.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good! I am bookmarking this for Autumn! I am so happy you had such a wonderful vacation. I love seeing pictures of your family. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. Have a great week! Love to YOU!
ReplyDeleteLisa
thepearsonfamilee.blogspot.com
This looks so good! I am bookmarking this for Autumn! I am so happy you had such a wonderful vacation. I love seeing pictures of your family. Thank you for sharing them with all of us. Have a great week! Love to YOU!
ReplyDeleteLisa
thepearsonfamilee.blogspot.com
The lobster bisque looks so tasty and delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this!
Cassy from Acoustic Guitar Lessons
Oh this brings me back to childhood dinners at Patricia Murphy's restaurant on Long Island -- Popovers, brought hot and fresh to your table by women holding baskets LOADED with them. heaven.
ReplyDeleteAnd the oyster crackers? My brother in law is addicted to oyster crackers, and I'm going to fix these and give them to him for his 60th birthday. Thanks!
Cass
*sigh* I want some. I think these may be the popovers that they have just started serving at our local "fancy place"! The couple that own the "getting more famous all the time and can't believe it is in our town" restaurant, spent summers in Maine growing up and they talked about the restaurant that had the famous popovers. They decided to start serving them a few weeks ago and they are delish!
ReplyDeleteYvonne, back to visit this one again. I'm in the mood for popovers! ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteYvonne: We just got back from a cruise to Portland, Maine, Bar Harbor, Maine, Nova Scotia, Canada and Quebec, Canada.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking over the list of trips that you could take I saw one that stopped at the Jordon Pond Restaurant.
We chose that trip and boy we were not disapponted. Lunch was included. We had the choice of two different soups an tpmato
basil soup and a New England Clam Chowder plus the popovers.Everything was so delicious. I just love popovers and now I have
the rcipe to try.
Denise Lamb
These recipes look wonderful, but for the love of the national park system, you did NOT go to "Arcadia" National Park. You went to ACADIA National Park. Sorry, but that error is a serious pet peeve of mine...
ReplyDelete