ThenameofoneFrenchdessertthatpeoplefindconfusingiscrèmecaramel.Caramel-toppedcustardslikethisarecalledflaninSpanish,whichconfoundspeoplewhocometoFranceandseeasliceofflaninabakery,thatlookslike(andis)atartbakedwithaflour-stiffenedcustard,ratherthanthewobblyhongkongtopphdprograms,caramel-toppedcustardthatsomeofusareusedto.Toconfusepeoplefurther,theBretontermfarisusedforflaninFrench,suchasinthecaseofFarBreton.Sowhilethenomenclatureoftheotherdesserts,fromhere,thereandeverywhere,mightbeconfusinginFrance–andinFrench,acrèmecaramel–alsocalledcrèmerenversée,isusuallywhattheyarecalledinFrench,notflan.(Peopleaskwhylearningalanguageissohard.Thatlittlelessonrighttherewasjustforonesinglemoundofcustardonaplateserviceapartmenthongkong.)Thiswasmyfirsttimebakingacrèmecaramel,orcrèmerenversée,inaloafpan,whichintriguedme,sinceIhadneverbakedflan,Imean…crèmecaramel,inarectangularpanbeforeoffshorecompanyformation.Anotherthingthatintriguedmewasthebookthatinspiredtherecipe,LesRoutiers:Lesmeilleuresrecettes.AFrenchfriendenthusiasticallyrecommendedthebooktome,soIpickedupacopy.Accordingtothebook,thereareoveronethousandroutiers(truckstops),inFrance,whereonegetsa“bonaccueil,qualitéirréprochableetprixenrapport”–“anicewelcome,irreproachablequalityandgoodvaluefortheprice.”Theopeningofthebookalsolaudstherestaurantsasofferingcuisinemaison,afairlynewsignifierusedinFrancetodescribearestaurantthatmakesthefoodonthepremisesfromfreshingredients.Flippingthroughthepages,Iimmediatelysawwhysherecommendedthisbooktome:ItshowedasideofFrancethat’sseldomseen,orgivenmuchattention,unlessyou’redrivingaroundthecountryandstopatatruckstopforameal.ButifyoumentionlesroutierstoaFrenchperson,manywillsmilewithabitofnostalgiaastheyprobablystoppedinoneasaroadtripasachild.ThetruckdriversinFranceareknownforlikinggood,heartyfood,andthere’severythingonthepageshere.IwasgoingtoshareJambonpersillé(below),long-cookedporkthat’sjelledinamold,butitcalledforoneliter(~1qt)ofwineand2litersofbeeforchickenstock,andmadetwoterrines,which,unlessyouwererunningatruckstop,mighthaveahardtimefinishingoff.Forthosewholikestorageinformation,notethere’snoinformationonhowlongsomethingwillkeeporcanitbefrozen;thiskindoffoodismeanttobeservedassoonasit’sready,andingenerousportions.TherewerealsoRognonsdeveau(vealkidneys),whichIdidn’tknowifyou’dlike,toaStrawberryBavarianmadewithboudoirs,whichIhadtoasksomeonewhatthosewere,sinceIalwaysthoughtaboudoirwasawoman’ssalonorbedroom.They’reladyfingers–anotherreasonlearningalanguageissohard.AndsinceI’vemadeafewembarrassingblunderrelatingtorestroomsandgenitaliabeforearoundhere,Idecidedtoskipthataswell.SoIlandedontheFlanaucaramel,whichIwassurprisedtoseecalledthatsinceI’dneverseenthecaramel-toppedcustardreferredtothatwayinParis.IwasworriedIwasgoingtohavetodeleteeverythingIcarefullyexplainedearlierinthepost,untilIsawthattherecipewasfromatruckstopintheSouthwestofFrance,closetoSpain.Whew,thatwasclose…I’vemadealotofcrèmecaramelsinmylifeandusuallyusemilkasabase,whichtherecipeinthebookusedaswell.Italsohad200g(1cup)ofsugar,whichseemedlikealotforadessertthatgetsitssweetnessfromtheliquidcaramelwhichisbakedonthebottom,andbecomesthetoponceyouturnitover.Therecipealsocalledforcaramelliquid,whichissomethingyoucanbuyinFrance.AndthenIlookedatsomeoftherecipesonthatcompany’swebsite,andsawarecipeforFlanaucaramel,too,anddecidedthatmaybeitwastimetoleaveexplainingFrenchdessertstosomeoneelse;)Inadditiontomyconcernaboutthenameofthisdessert,Iwasconcernedthatitwouldn’tbecookedafter1hourat100ºC(212ºF),whichwasrecommendedbytherecipe,whichseemedlowforsuchadensecustard,bakedinawaterbath.SoImadeitafewtimes,includingoneversionusingsweetenedcondensedmilk(below),sincelaitcondenséissuchafavoriteinFrancethatit’ssoldintoothpaste-liketubes,oftenenjoyedbysqueezingitdirectlyintoyourmouth.It’ssuchatreatthattheyevensell“pocket”versionsflavoredwithstrawberryandvanilla,whichyoucancarryaroundlikeAmericanstotearoundchapstick.Theversionmadewithcondensedmilkwashardtocutandquitesweet,eventhoughIreducedthesugar,soIstucktomymaisonversion,usingwholemilk,fresh,free-rangeeggs,andavanillabean.Whenallwassaidanddone,togivemybrainarest,IwentatacaféandsawFlanaucaramelonthemenu.SoperhapsI’mthinking,ormorelikeoverthinkingthename,andfromnowon,willjustfocusonthedessertitself–whateveryouwanttocallit.
