At Last!

Finally I have cooking news to report! Tonight it's family night of sorts. Ken and Dayle. Ken's mom and my dad are "girlfriend/boyfriend". That makes us step siblings of sorts. We think this is funny. Our parents have  been together for 13 years, after Ken's dad and my mom died. Ken's mom is Finnish. There is a certain karma about this as my dad is half Swedish but isn't really in tune with that part of his heritage. Ken's mom brings Scandinavian flair to our family. We are now fans of Fazer Mints and FinnCrisp crackers. Ken's mom is a kind and loving woman. She believes strongly in the importance of family. She encourages my dad to express his loving feelings to me and my sister. She raised Ken well who we determined has 2 out of 3 of the characteristics that are in my definition of the Perfect Man.

Dayle, Ken, and the Hubby

For Ken and Dayle I try a new dessert: Meyer Lemon Custard Cakes http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/cookingclub/2009/02/meyer_lemon_custard_cakes

This is the first time that I've used Meyer lemons. They are a bit smaller and rounder than regular lemons. The flesh is a little darker. The taste is lemon-orange. It's one of these desserts that have very little flour in it and when it bakes it separates into 2 layers: a soft cake and a lemony sauce. You bake each serving individually in a ramekin cup. To serve you invert one onto a plate so that the the sauce is on top.

The recipe suggests that the cakes be served with creme fraiche. If you've never had creme fraiche you should try it. It goes well with the Meyer Lemon Custard Cake. To make creme fraiche you mix 2 cups of whipping cream with 1 cup of sour cream and you leave it at room temperature for about 24 hours until the mixture thickens. Then you chill it in the fridge before serving. And I made fun of the Adolescent for eating the bad ketchup (see Best Grilled Cheese Ever)!

Meyer Lemon Custard Cake with Creme Fraiche

Here are two of my tips for successful entertaining:

1. Have a good kitchen bitch. I have the Hubby. He is one of the best. He knows when is the time to think for himself, share his tricks for doing things better, point out the errors in my ways. When you are in the role of Kitchen Bitch, the time is never. 

2. Lots of candlelight. It makes everything, including Kitchen Bitches and Near Perfect Men, look good.

Every good Kitchen Bitch needs a Sidekick: the Hubby and the Beamer making sure there is lots of candlelight