Last June, we tried to recreate the delicious bread that we had at The Bubble Room on Captiva Island. Chica came up with this delicious recipe and we have been enjoying it ever since. However, her post generated a lot of comments on what exactly those “secret” ingredients are. In particular, there was much discussion as to whether or not the recipe contained blue cheese. So, since we happen to be in Sanibel on vacation this week anyway, and in the interest of all things scientific, we forced ourselves to return to the Bubble Room yesterday and order some Bubble Bread to go. We rushed back to our condo with our three original slices to start the taste testing.
Guess what? There is blue cheese in the mix. The taste is very faint. So faint, we didn’t even remember it being there the last time. Usually, blue cheese stands up and says a loud hello when included in a recipe, but this particular ratio just leaves a pleasant tang on your tongue afterward. Humbled but undaunted, we set to work mixing, baking, testing and mixing, baking, testing again and again until we arrived at this recipe. Which, according to our large table of testers last night at dinner, tastes exactly like the original Bubble Bread.
The “Original” Bubble Bread
- Italian bread
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (not margarine)
- 1 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- pinch of pepper
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- paprika
- chopped parsley for garnish
Split loaf of Italian bread lengthwise. Mix butter, blue cheese, mayo, pepper, Swiss cheese, and ½ cup of the Parmesan together in a bowl. Spread liberally on split loaf of Italian bread. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese on top.
Sprinkle with a bit of paprika and parsley for color. Broil until golden brown.
We all tasted it and we think we nailed it. Readers, let us know what you think. Did we get it this time?
19 comments so far:
Do you happen to have the receipe for their 3 stooges pasta and chicken dinner? We just got back from Sanibel on Saturday.
Sorry Sheila, but we’ve never had that dish. We just got the bread this time
Mmm, Sanibel is great, isn’t it?
This recipe is “OFF the CHARTS” Yummy!!!!!!!
I bought everything I needed and it was just wonderful! I let my daughter try it and now she wants the recipe. She could not believe how great it was. I have never been to the Bubble Room but you have a great recipe. Thank you so much!
Pattyjo
Thanks so much, Pattyjo!
the the bubble room i went there when i was 10 now i am 31 cant wait to make the bubble bread thank you
I have eaten at the Bubble Room for years, and this is the recipe I have always wanted. I finallly got the waitress to give me 2 of the ingredients and you are correct: blue cheese and of course Parmesan chesse (wich everyone had already figured out). Got home last night from Sanibel, and can’t wait to try your recipe.
Thanks!
Hi Darlene. Let us know what you think of it!
Thanks for the recipe! Tomorrow is my husband’s birthday and bubble bread is his FAVORITE! He raves about it all year long. I look forward to trying your recipe and I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Jennifer, please do. We would love to have more input on if we got the recipe just right. We think we do but always appreciate additional taste testers.
Read your Bubble Bread recipe, all wrong, made it for 2 years..here it is
Sourdough (they made it fresh)
garlic butter
blue cheese dressing thick (Blue cheese,mayo,cream,pepper)
Parm Cheese
chopped Parsley
paprika
Brush bread with garlic butter, toast, let cool
Coat with blue cheese dressing, and parm cheese, sprinkle parsley and paprika, bake till it bubbles.
Darin,
Do you have the ingred. for the Eddie Fisherman? love that dish!
Awesome recipe! I have been going to the Bubble Room for over 20 years and have always wondered how to make this. We tried your recipe last night and my son and I vote it is right on! Thank you!!!!
Lynda, so glad you loved it! I have been craving some lately myself. Perhaps tonight with dinner
Loved the bubble room ever since I stepped foot in it. I live in Jacksonville and there was a Bubble Room in st augustine. It’s closed now, but I’m particularly happy I found this recipe. I combined both yours and Darin’s recipes. It came out alright but not exactly like the Bubble Room’s. I also burned it a little. I’m making it again tomorrow and this time I’m following your recipe exactly!
Perfect! Just made it and it tastes just like our long time Bubble Room favorite! Thanks so much! We’ve been wanting this recipe for years!!!
Ginna, thanks for the update. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thanks, Ginna (and Darin). My sister will also be thrilled with this recipe! For many years during the ’80’s and ’90’s, we visited the famous Bubble Room Restaurant. It was at its best when Jamie and Katie Farquharson (the original owners) were there. They sold the BR (with many of their recipes) in the late ’90’s. Sadly, it has never measured up to the high standards and quality of its founders. Katie was (and is) famous for her cake creations (the red velvet and others are her/grandmother’s recipes). I read a local news article several years ago that she was working on a cook book, but I never heard whether it was completed. Katie split from her husband, left the restaurant business and is now a popular and gifted artist in the area of Sanibel-Captiva-Pine Island. She now goes by Katie Gardenia. My most favorite items at the Bubble Room were: Bubble Bread (of course), the entree “Eddie Fisherman” (black grouper filet covered with Ritz cracker & pecan topping and baked in parchment bag), the “3 Coins in the Fountain” appetizer (baked concoction of shrimp, langostinos, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and spinach in a cream-sherry sauce) and the most incredible cake of all: “Katie cake” (a delicate angel-food type cake with the most delicious and delicate white frosting with glazed, toasted almond slices sticking out all over like a porcupine). DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THESE DISHES? RECIPES, PLEASE?!
Patty,
My husband and I have been going to Captiva since 1978. We know of all the recipes you are telling everyone. The bubble bread has changed over the years, but I am going to make the above recipe tonight. I have been craving it. I will be their next week.
Mary Anna Marshall
Mary Anna, wish we could tag along! Let us know what you think of our version.