How ya gonna keep her out in the kitchen after she’s been on Air Force One?
Air Force One Tail Number 27000 flew seven U.S. presidents – Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush, around the world on countless missions from 1972-1990. This beautifully restored and reassembled big bird now lives in the Air Force One Pavilion at the Reagan Presidential Library.
That might have been a legitimate question for me this week if our First Fridays with Dorie recipe choice had not been Cheesy Crème Brûlée. It still might have been an issue had I not read some early Dorista comments. Both Teresa and Amanda made six individual servings, enjoying one each evening. Translated: this recipe refrigerates well. Then, Diane called it decadent. It’s settled, I’m all over it.
Dorie suggests using 3 ounces of tiny cubed cheese bits for the custard mixture and 2 ounces of grated cheese for the topping. To do it correctly, I weighed my portions. It seems that I am find using my scale more often these days. In fact, I now keep it on the counter.
Realizing that I could make this one recipe, which is decadent, and savor the six servings myself during the coming week, I unfastened my seatbelt, scurried home from my week’s work in California and got out my blowtorch.
“What could be better than combining two of life’s great culinary pleasures, crème brûlée and cheese?” Dorie asks. “It’s a double serving of voluptuousness.”
After buttering shallow ramekins, cut 3 ounces of cheese into tiny cubes. Since I’m two weeks away from needing an empty refrigerator, I combined what I always have on hand, Parmesan and cheddar. Dorie suggests a Parmesan/Comté combo.
Even better, it’s darn easy. You simply exchange cheese for sugar. That it can be made up to two days ahead is even better. (Don’t tell Dorie but I still found it tasty on Day 4 and 5.)
Bring heavy cream and whole milk to a boil in a small sauce pan before pouring it slowly into a bowl of 3 vigorously whisked egg yolks seasoned with nutmeg, salt and pepper. After blending and de-bubbling the mixture (I had to spoon off the layer of bubbles), divide among the ramekins.
Dorie suggested cooking the custard in a 200 degree oven for 50 minutes until firm. It took an extra 20 minutes at my house. Then cool the custard to room temperature, sprinkle grated cheese on top and brown the cheese evenly with a mini propane torch or under the broiler.
I wanted more over less of a crust and this seemd perfect to me. In retrospect, I would grate all my cheese rather than cut it into tiny cubes. Although the cheese melted, it was a tad “lumpy” and I wouldn’t like that for entertaining purposes. However, it made no difference to the taste.
Last week I went to California to begin a long-anticipated writing project on the Presidential Libraries, focusing, at first, on the thirteen facilities overseen by the Office of Presidential Libraries in the National Archives and Records Administration. Although all our Presidents have museums dedicated to their memories, the concept of an official presidential library was the brainchild of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the first was for his predecessor, the 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover.
There are some bonuses to living alone. After taking the initial picture of the Crème Brûlée, I ate the strawberry, tossed the spoon in the sink, found some almond biscuits and dug in. My Mother would NOT have been proud.
Since this project has been sitting on a back-burner the past ten years, I was anxious to get started and with two libraries in California, where better to begin? Knowing my schedule, I e-mailed Susan Lester, a FFWD colleague who blogs at Create Amazing Meals, and asked if she and her husband, John, lived anywhere near Simi Valley (Reagan) and Yorba Linda (Nixon), my stomping grounds for a few days. Dinner, perhaps?
I considered it a perfect launch party and good omen for my upcoming writing project. The Lesters not only met me for dinner but generously treated me to dinner. I looking forward to seeing them again next September at the International Food Bloggers Conference in Seattle. This time, the dinner will be on me!
My inquiry and her quick reply – Napa Tavern, 6:30p.m. – made our introductory dinner together last Friday a reality. If you’ve ever questioned that food translates into friendship and fellowship, the proof was in the pudding Friday evening. With two-and-a-half years of blogging among us, we danced easily from topic to topic. And, since you asked? Yes, John held his own.
If you want to see how well my colleagues liked this week’s recipe, check it out here. Since this recipe is not on the blogosphere, you will have to e-mail me privately and I will be happy to send the recipe.
I’d totally grate the cheese next time too. This was interesting – surprised me because I was prepared to NOT like it.
Looking forward to making these tonight, will grate away. Touring the presidential libraries sounds fascinating.
These were a pleasant treat, weren’t they?
How fun to meet John & Susan!
I really think you need to need to go to the FDR library in Hyde Park… Hint, hint.
I am seriously considering attending IFBC -it falls right around my 40th, so I am thinking birthday present to self.
Yes, I will be going to Hyde Park in the next year or so and I sorta, sorta thought you were near. This is a wonderful and engaging project I finally have the time to embark on and thank you for acknowledging it. Great. Cher, I so hope you can make the Seattle Conference – I know it’s a stretch in all ways. (Hey, Lady, I was smart enough to have my kids 4 years apart so I had one out of college before the other went in!!!) But……wouldn’t it be wonderful to celebrate your 40th with your Dorista brothers and sisters. I know Susan and I would want to take the birthday celebration responsibility out of Social Director Alice’s hands and into ours. KEEP US ALL POSTED.
Registered. See you in September 🙂
This was such a treat!! I did cut my cheese into very tiny pieces and it did melt just fine (no lumps). I am sure grating the cheese would work too! How fun that you got to meet Susan and her husband!
It was super decadent and delicious! And the library stuff you’re doing sounds so fun!
I saw the grating tips and did that, and I loved the smoothness that gave the dish. Oh, this was so good. Decadent’s a good word for it. It’s so nice to see Doristas meeting! Sounds like a good time was had – awesome!
Mary, I love the picture of you in front of Air Force One! What a fabulous picture! I just showed it to the girls and they were amazed too! And how wonderful that you got to meet Susan and her husband…hope one of the Doristas will decide to travel to EU one of these days…
You have quite a collection of oven proof dishes/ramekins there – it looks wonderful the way you lined them up, ready to be filled with delicious creamy custard. And the final Cheesy Crème Brulée looks fabulous – it has a great color and I am glad that all who made this actually liked it too!
Have a wonderful weekend filled with great adventures! And many great big hugs from all the girls on this “International Women`s Day”!
Love your Air Force One. I grated my cheese because I was afraid I would not cut it into tiny enough pieces. This was one of my favorite Dorie recipes. How fun to meet Susan and John.
Mary, we had so much fun meeting you and it has fueled our excitement over meeting up with so many more Doristas in Seattle!
Yes, we will absolutely figure out a way to celebrate Cher’s birthday! I’m so excited she’s thinking of coming!
We missed this recipe because time just got away from us this week, but will follow your advice on shredding the cheese whe we do make it!
What a fun writing project! I’ve only been to two presidential libraries but plan to visit more if them. Your brûlée looks delicious. If you ever make it to Oklahoma I would buy or cook your dinner:)
I completely forgot about these. They all look so good I know I will make them. I mean – cheese !!
Voluptuous is right! This one was delicious. I have two left, which we will enjoy for breakfast. So versatile, we had it as appetizer for dinner, along with soup for lunch, and one more pair left…. Love your photos, with Air Force One AND with Susan and John. Your project sounds interesting. Is the Kennedy library on your schedule, Mary???
I was impressed at how well these custards kept (though they certainly didn’t last long in the fridge).
What a wonderful writing project – and a great reason to travel around the country, too. You and Susan are ahead of the curve on Dorista get-together. I think this bodes well for September.
Mary, Such an enjoyable post!! What fun it must have been to meet Susan and John. I’m certainly looking forward to September, and meeting you and the other Doristas!
Your cheesy creme brulee looks yummy! I enjoyed it, but the classic is still my favorite! Have a great weekend Mary!
This looks so yummy Mary! And I’m like you, I love my kitchen scale these days. I’m not sure how I lived so long without one :). So fun that you got to meet Susan and John. Meeting “virtual” friends is a wonderful bonus to blogging.
I’m still stuck on the almond biscuits – they look excellent! I’m glad you enjoyed this one.
I enjoyed this one too! Luckily for me, I was able to read the P&Q before I made mine and grated all of my cheese.
First, I didn’t know each President had museums dedicated to them. Great factoid! Now on to your cheesy creme brulee; I think it’s a good idea to add all shredded cheese, both for in the custard and on top. I will try that suggestion as I messed up and made the spinach on the 8th. So I will probably made the brulee when you are making the lemon spinach. Good luck on the writing project, it sounds intriguing. Do you have a thesis?
Your cheesy creme brulee looks wonderful and I will remember your tip about grating the cheese when I make this. I’m not sure how it will be received in my house, but I love cheese and think I will enjoy it at least.
What a great photo of you on Air Force One! How very cool. Your writing project sounds marvelous and I wish you well with it and hope you will keep us posted about it. How terrific that you got to meet Susan and John! What a great photo of the three of you.