FLAN

Ever since I was a little girl - Mexican food has been a part of my life.

My dad loves Mexican food - so we had it pretty regularly.

I remember going to a local restaurant every couple of weeks with my family.

When I was little - with a limited palette-

I ate a taco.

I remember trying refried beans for the first time.

I liked them - alot.

Enchiladas - tamales -Mole - etc - etc - etc

The older and braver - the more my palette expanded.

There is very little in that cuisine that I dislike.

Except for maybe - tripe.

Sorry - just can't get my brain to accept that one.

But with all of the culinary explorations - can you believe I was an adult before I tried flan?

And what's more - I never tried making it.

Until this last weekend.

Flan -

I am in love. For many years - flan has not been a part of my life. So very sad.

I tried making my first flan this last weekend.

It was not difficult to make - in fact, it was really quite easy.

The carmel gave me a little bit of an issue -

and it wasn't the making of the carmel that was hard.

It was the fact that the dish I was going to initially use didn't like it.

I poured the hot, amber liquid in the bottom of the stoneware dish and heard a low resonating pop.

I swirled the carmel around.

Hmmm -  another pop.

Then another one.

I lifted the bowl and looked around - and there it was.

A long crack.

Dang! I loved that bowl. To the garbage it went.

Oh well - another batch of the caramel.

I poured into a different bowl and swirled it around.

It's a fascinating process.

The caramel cools quickly to a hard candy - golden in color - and almost as clear as glass.

But really, really hard.

Must trust the process . . .

Then we whipped smooth the other ingredients -

eggs, evaporated milk, sweeted condensed milk, vanilla, a little sugar. . .

seriously - how could this not be good.

I poured the custard mixture into the bowl with the caramel and put it in the over in a water bath.

And wait. Almost an hour.

Then after it is cooked - we wait.

I'm feeling anxious.

It has to cool.

Then the unveiling - turn it upside down on a plate.

I'm nervous - will it release? Will it fall out in pieces? Will it land on the plate and then collapse into a gooey mess?

My daugther helps me - we flip and . . .

we are rewarded with a satisyfying sound as it releases and drops on the plate.

It is beautiful.

We stand and just admire it for a few minutes.

We slice it and take the first taste.

Oh my.

Smooth - velvety - sweet, but not overly sweet.

The texture was perfection.

A new favorite to be sure . . .

Oh and - believe it or not -

I have been painting and creating art.

I've been filling a lot of orders.

This last week has been spent on stacks of lazy susans, mirrors and smaller plaques.

A few chairs have been thrown in there for good measure.

I'll get some pictures up soon - I promise.

In the meantime - go make a flan!