valentine’s day – The Finch and Pea

Eskimo Kisses

Happy Valentine’s Day (one day in advance)!

Cooking for Valentine’s Day

Earlier this week, our own Ben Witten helped you make the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day. Today, we bring you good friend of The Finch & Pea, Joel Gamoran, on his cooking web series, Kitchen Wasteland, teaching you how to make Scallops & Grapefruit for dinner and Chocolate Truffles for, well, any time*. The beauty is that his recipes can be executed even in a tiny NY or San Francisco apartment with just a hot plate.

*It is Valentine’s Day. You are allowed to have both chocolate truffles and crème brûlée. Better than “allowed” – you are strongly encouraged.

Creme Brulee: The Science of Sexy [Repost]

Editor’s Note: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we are reposting a slightly updated version of Ben’s crème brûlée recipe that was originally posted 31 August 2012. Not only is it delicious, but we have found the eggucation contained within will make all your attempts to cook an egg more successful. The recipe is the same, but we have updated the recipe PDF.

I have promised you sexy food, and the science behind it. Therefore, crème brûlée. Look at all those accent marks! Sexy, right? And, why not start with eggs – queen of ingredients, bringers of life, denizens of diner griddles, the heart of fluffy meringues, and the soul of silky custards. Crème brûlée is sexy because it is simple. Smooth, creamy custard1 contrasts with a thin, crisp layer of smoky caramel. Every flavor and texture is a balance – creamy and crisp, sweet and bitter, light and deep – harmonizing to enhance and elevate the dish.

If you want to know the steps to making crème brûlée, use the recipe above (PDF – 74kb). If you want to know how crème brûlée becomes sexy keep reading. The science of sexy can be unlocked by understanding the properties of its simple ingredients. Continue reading “Creme Brulee: The Science of Sexy [Repost]”