Creme Brulee

So last night I had a little dinner party. It was so lovely to have some friends around to drink wine, eat, and talk into the wee hours of the morning. Having some amazing friends has really made Melbourne feel like home to me. I feel so inspired because of having these beautiful, intelligent, talented ladies in my life. Its so beautiful to have people around you who want to encourage and lift each other up.

I decided to make creme brulee for desert...which seemed like a simple enough idea. This year I have been discovering that most food is quite simple to make as long as you understand the underpinning theory of each ingredient. A lot of recipes have 'critical control points' that MUST be followed or the whole thing will be a disaster. At school we made one creme brulee during the first term. It was however a 'cheats' recipe that did not involve baking, water baths, or other such nonsense. So I really didn't know what I was doing. I'd like to say that it just came naturally to me. That I just followed the recipe, popped them in the oven and baked them to perfection., but this would be a lie. I'm going to come clean with you...I baked creme brulee's three times until I was finally happy with the recipe and understood all its little quirks (Just some handy hints if you ever bake them: They need to be baked at a very low temperature. The water in the water bath must be boiling or they wont cook through. You must not over whip your egg, or aerate them too much. You must not scramble your eggs with over heated cream. The mix must be strained, and last but not least.............you must scoop off any bubbles from the top otherwise it forms a weird skin. Apart from this the process is very simple.)

I would love to give my recipe to you, but the thing is, I put so much work into it I almost don't want to give it away. I'll hold onto it for a few days, and then when I stop being so selfish I'll post it up on my blog. I finally understand why some chefs don't share recipes. I always thought it was so rude! But now I'm starting to get it. When you have spent hours working out all the right quantities and tricks of a recipe, the last thing you want is some little hussy coming along and making it, without having to go through the whole process you have been struggling with.

I am feeling very at peace with the world today. I took the day off school to have a rest. Its the first time that I've slept in, in weeks. I'm just having a doona day. Its perfect. One of my all time favourite friends from back home called me today, and because I had the day off I had the time to talk to her. We giggled like little girls, and talked about life. We have such different realities. I am here in Melbourne studying at pastry school while she lives out the back of Noosa in a tent with her boyfriend. But we are both so content with our lives, and still relate in the same way we did back in the days of bonfires on the beach and red wine under the stars. I love my friends so dearly, and I have been so blessed with such amazing ones. That is what I am thankful for today!