Sometimes it seems as if any aspiring restaurant must include crème brulee on its menu. In fact, Mark Linback, executive chef at Upper Lake’s Blue Wing Saloon considers it a mark of skill.
“A lot of us aren’t pastry chefs,” he explained.
In other words, many chefs — Linback includes himself in this group — lack the aptitude necessary to nurture pie crusts or souffle or other finicky items. So they turn instead a dessert that is rich and ethereal, without all the nitpicking.
The basic version involves a simple egg custard sweetened with sugar and vanilla. Coaxing the mixture into delicate cashmere takes little more than culinary knowledge and a watchful eye on the temperature gauge, as egg yolks will happily curdle beyond a certain point. And that caramelized patina of sugar on top? Well, Linback buys torches from Ace Hardware.
“You just wave it around a few feet from the surface,” he said with a shrug. “It’s easy if you have a good torch.”
Ah, but the results bear out the dessert’s popularity. The classic crème brulee at Blue Wing drapes the palate like a pot of thickened cream. The opulent flavor of whisked egg yolk lends even more wealth to the experience. Dancing above, a light vanilla bean flavor taps across the palate.
“After a meal it’s soothing — a little vanilla, the texture,” Linback mused.
But the true beauty of crème brulee comes when the spoon shattered through the veneer of burnt sugar. Its brittle texture accentuates the creaminess of the custard. The bittersweet char contends with its courtly manner, tugging at the darker elements in the vanilla, reminding the serene savor of egg yolk of its earthier nature.
No wonder people return to the dish, even after heeding the call of trendier desserts. It has been served in various guises and under different names by Thomas Jefferson, by English lords before him and by just about everyone but the French chefs of renown. But once they tried it …
As a chef without pastry aptitude, Linback also appreciates the inclusiveness of crème brulee. In the fall he creates a pumpkin flavored version. He tried — and loved — one prepared with coconut milk. Chefs trot out caramelized orange zest, toasted cinnamon, fresh mint or even duskier versions, such as shaved truffle.
“There’s no end,” Linback said.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
