July 27th is National Crème Brûlée Day, celebrating a French dessert that has remained on menus across the U.S. long after Coupe aux Marrons, Île Flottante, Mont Blanc, and other classic French desserts have disappeared from menus in the U.S.

Crème brûlée first came to America with Thomas Jefferson’s return from France in 1789 [source]. But it didn’t take hold (more about that below).

Crème brûlée is a type of custard made of all heavy cream (no milk), egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. It’s topped with a brittle layer of caramelized sugar (brûlée is French for burnt, crème brûlée means “burnt custard”).

In addition to the delicious flavor, some fun is to be had by cracking the hard sugar with one’s fork.

Who created such a delectable dessert?
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Crème brûlée recipes seem to have emerged in the 16th century, in the English countryside (some sources say the 15th century). During the spring calving season, the milk was especially rich, and farm women would prepare a very thick custard to use up the milk and take advantage of its richness.

Some say the burnt sugar was added later, at Trinity College, Cambridge University, in 1879. A student is credited with the idea of branding the school crest into a topping of sugar, burnt with a hot iron rod fashioned with the crest.

The recipe was called Cambridge Cream or Trinity Cream and has been a popular item on the school’s menu ever since [ibid].

But let’s step across the Channel to France, 200 years earlier.

The earliest known printed recipe anywhere for crème brûlée appeared in the 1691 French cookbook, Le cuisinier royal et bourgeois by Chef François Massialot (1660-1733—click on the first link to read the book for free).

In Massialot’s recipe, the sugar topping was melted and burnt with a red-hot fire shovel*, then placed on top of the custard [source].

By the 18th century, kitchen tools included a salamander. A round, flat, thick plate attached to a long handle, it was heated over the fire and then used to brown foods (photo #7).

(The first blowtorch, from which the kitchen torch is adapted, wasn’t invented until 1882. Here’s an early adapted version used by Julia Child around 1963.)

Massialot’s crème brûlée recipe added a disc of caramelized sugar onto the custard, instead of burning the sugar directly on the dessert as was done later.

A bit more about this great chef:

An innovation in Massialot’s cookbook was the alphabetization of recipes, a step toward the first culinary dictionary.

The recipe for meringues also made its first appearance published by Massialot [source].
 
 
CRÈME BRÛLÉE COMES TO AMERICA

As mentioned earlier, Thomas Jefferson brought the recipe back from France in 1789, and had his cook make it. But it didn’t become part of the American dessert repertoire.

Over the centuries, as crème brûlée became better known internationally, recipes began to appear in American magazines and cookbooks in the 1950s and 1960s.

But its breakout came in the 1980s, thanks to Le Cirque restaurant, one of the top French restaurants in New York City. It got lots of press and became one of the “it” desserts [source].

Home cooks as well as restaurants could burn the sugar under the broiler. There was also the salamander, although few home cooks would want to use one (a very hot metal rod!).

Then came the butane torch, or kitchen torch (photo #5). Suddenly, crème brûlée was relatively easy. Today, you can find one for less than $20 (although we’d go for a brand name, at possibly twice that).

And they’re not just for crème brûlée. Here are 15 more uses for a kitchen torch.

As crème brûlée evolved, it became flavored: butterscotch, chocolate, cocktail-flavored (Irish Coffee, Margarita, Piña Colada, White Russian, etc.), coffee, Earl Grey, eggnog, fresh and dried fruit of every description, green tea/matcha, lavender, mocha, Nutella, pie-flavored (Key lime, pumpkin), salted caramel, s’mores, snickderdoodle…need we go on?

And then, of course, the crème brûlée flavor was ported to everything else: brownies, cakes/cheesecakes, chocolates, coffee, coffee creamer, cookies and cupcakes, doughnuts, French toast, fudge, ice cream, even McCormick Flavor Inspirations Crème Brûlée Seasoning to sprinkle on coffee drinks and “your favorite breakfasts, desserts, and dips.” It’s a limited edition: Get it while you can.
 
 
WHAT ABOUT CREMA CATALANA?

Crema catalana (“Catalan cream”) is the name used for the dish in most of Spain (photo #7), but strangely, it is called crema cremada (“burnt cream”) in its home province of Catalonia.

The dish is similar to crème brûlée. Similar, but not identical.

While both are custards made from egg yolks and sugar, crème brûlée is made with cream, while crema catalana is made with milk.

The basic crème brûlée recipe is flavored with vanilla, while crema catalana is often flavored with lemon zest or cinnamon, as well as vanilla.

Both have a burnt sugar topping.

In the annals of time, crema catalana is older.

The first known recipe appears in the medieval Catalan cookbook Llibre de Sent Soví, in the mid-14th century.

That’s three centuries before Massialot’s crème brûlée recipe.

As with crème brûlée, the sugar was sprinkled over the cooked custard and subsequently burnt with a hot iron rod.
 
 
MORE TO KNOW

> The different types of French crèmes.

> The different types of custard.

> Types of custard: creme brûlée, creme caramel, pot de crème.

> The history of custard.

> The difference between custard and pudding.
 
 
CRÈME BRÛLÉE & OTHER BRÛLÉE RECIPES

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*The definition of a fire shovel from the 1770’s is, “an instrument to throw coals on a fire with.” They were initially made of iron [source].

[1] Classic creme brulee (photo © Mad Max Chef | Unsplash).

[2] You can get creative with creme brulee. Here, poached peaches and cherries are embedded into the top before the sugar is added and torched (photo © Parmigiano Reggiano | Facebook).

[3] Raspberry chili crème brûlée. The recipe is in (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

[4] Beaucoup des garnitures (that means lots of garnishes): blackberries, grapes, mint leaf, strawberries, and sesame crunch candy (photo © shameel Mukkath | Pexels).

[5] Torching crème brûlée with a home-size butane torch (photo © Bonjour).

[6] Torching a number of ramekins in a restaurant kitchen. Note that the butane torch is much larger (photo © Tania Mousinho | Unsplash).

[7] Old school: before there was a broiler or a butane kitchen torch, there was a low-tech salamander, shown here with crema catalana (photo © Grey Salt Restaurant | Tampa).

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[1] A salt rimming tray and three flavored salts (photos #1, #3, and #4 © Osmo Salt).

[2] Rimming trays without the salts are also available (photo © Ton Jim | Amazon).

[3] How about this grapefruit-lime rimming salt instead of plain salt on a Paloma cocktail?

[4] Beyond cocktails, try this Mango Chili salt on a glass of orange juice or tomato juice.

In every Margarita recipe we’ve printed (more than 33 of them), we’ve advised applying the salt rim with a saucer of salt. Now there’s a fun gadget for glass rimming salts, a boon for those who make a lot of rimmed drinks—or need a gift for someone who does.

It’s the Rimming Accessory from Osmo Salt, making it easy to rim Margaritas and other cocktails. Three trays give you the option of using three different salts—and you can store the salts inside the tray for the next time you need them.
 
 
EASY RIM GARNISHES FOR YOUR COCKTAILS

Durable and dishwasher safe, the three-tier glass rimmer tray is made of high-quality, food-safe ABS plastic. It closes for compact storage. There’s no need to throw out the salt left in a bowl or saucer.

Osmo Salt’s rimming set includes three rimming salts:

 
There are numerous other choices to add to your collection, from Black Flakey Sea Salt to Smokey Sea Salt to Flakey Sriracha Sea Salt.

If you want only the rimming tray, you can find versions online.

Ready to add some pizzazz to your drinks? Head to OsmoSalt.com.
 
 
TYPES OF COCKTAIL RIMS

Rimming salts get the most attention, either plain coarse salt (“Margarita salt”) or flavored salts. Beyond salts, you can pair your cocktails with:

 
Popular cocktails that use a salt rim include the Bloody Mary, Caballito, Margarita, Michelada, Michelada, Salty Dog, and almost any mezcal drink.

Sweet rims are traditional on the Brandy Crusta, Lemon Drop, and Sidecar, and you can add them to anything from a Cosmopolitan to a Mojito, a Mai Tai and all the Tiki and tropical drinks.

Beyond cocktails, you can add fun and flavorful rims to:

 
BONUS: If you add salt to an apple or other fruit (it amplifies the fruit’s natural sweetness*), try fruity finishing salts instead of table salt. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!

*When you sprinkle a bit of salt on a slice of apple that isn’t sweet enough or flavorful enough for you, or if it’s too tart, the apple tastes much sweeter. Of course, the apple has the same amount of sugar as it had before. But the salt diminishes your perception of the acidity in the fruit, allowing you to taste the sugar compounds better. This works with other fruits, too, including melons and overly-tart grapefruit. It’s a way to “salvage” taste-challenged fruit.

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Happy Anniversary, Smashburger! The popular fast-casual better burger chain is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

Join the celebration with a Cheesy Caramelized Onion Smash, an LTO (limited time offer) burger available through August 30, 2022 (photo #1).

We love a good cheeseburger, and this one is made with two kinds of cheese, Cheddar and Swiss. The Certified Angus Beef patty is also topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo, on a toasted onion bun.

Instead of a beef burger, you can substitute Smashburger’s grilled chicken, crispy chicken, turkey burger patty, or black bean patty.
 
 
WHAT IS A “SMASH” BURGER?

Smashburger was founded in 2007 by two restaurant industry veterans who focused on “smashed” burgers” that use a specialized process of cooking.

The burger patties are pressed down (“smashed”) on a flattop* grill at high heat. The method sears the burger for flavor.

The technique originated in the Great Lakes region at pressed-chuck burger restaurants, and has been a staple there for decades [source].

Check out the video to see Smashburger co-founder Tom Ryan shows the “smashing” technique.

The company customizes its burgers to local preferences. For example:

 
Rolls vary, too: telera rolls† are used in California restaurants, pretzel rolls are served in Chicago restaurants, onion rolls in Minnesota, and brioche rolls in New York (the difference between rolls and buns).

> Find a Smashburger near you.

> Discover more at Smashburger.com.
 
 
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[1] The limited-time Cheesy Caramelized Onion Smash (all photos © Smashburger).

[2] Add some tots or fries.

[3] How about sweet potato fries?

†Telera rolls are staples for Mexican sandwiches. They’re a smaller version of French bread, with a crispy crust on the outside, and a softer texture inside.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] You can get very creative with the fillings (all photos © Banana Loca | NA Market Direct).

[2] Here’s the gadget. It’s easy to use.

[3] A banana filled with chocolate spread.

[4] This banana is stuffed with raspberry preserves.

Banana Loca is an innovative kitchen gadget that lets you fill bananas with different fillings and variations on the basic fillings:

 
You can layer these flavors with mix-ins:

 
How do you do it?

Banana Loca (photo #2) straightens a banana, cores it while still in the peel, and allows you to fill it with whatever filling you like.

That includes the basics plus your own custom creations (see ours in the next section).
 
 
NOT JUST FOR KIDS

Banana Loca creates a treat that is definitely not just for kids. We adults loved it. We created these fillings:

 
If we’d had chocolate chip cookie dough, we’d have tried that, too.

BONUS: You can freeze the filled bananas, for a new-style fruit pop. Remove the peel and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

If you’re really gung-ho, you can add a stick and dip the bananas in chocolate before freezing. Here’s a recipe.

BONUS #2: You can also use the device to fill donuts.

Here are how-to videos.
 
 
ARE YOU READY TO GO BANANA LOCA?

Head to BananaLoca.com.

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July 25th is National Culinarians Day, celebrating the culinarians for whom we are grateful.

What’s a culinarian?

Culinarians are culinary experts: masters of the art and science of cooking and serving food.

They can be restaurant and commercial kitchen chefs, pastry chefs and bakers, caterers: anyone who is involved in the preparation of and serving of good food.

The chef, cook, or prep assistant makes not just tasty food, but food attractive to serve.

They also pass on their culinary skills and knowledge of food to the next generation of chefs.

Don’t forget the good cooks and bakers in our own homes. Those acclaimed family members and friends are culinarians.

In addition to National Culinarians Day:

> National Personal Chef Day is July 16th. If you are fortunate enough to have a personal chef, give them something extra special.

> International Chef’s Day is October 20th.

So take a moment to celebrate the profession and the great home cooks, even if it’s just to say, “Compliments to the chef!”
 
 
CHEFS IN THE U.S.

According to the 2019 U.S. Census, cooking professionals in the U.S. include:

 
So, thanks to all the culinarians who have enhanced our experiences for decades. Including you, Mom.

And to all of the servers who are essential to a good dining experience but are not considered culinarians: Many thanks to you as well.

[1] A team of chefs in a fine restaurant (photo © Louis Hansel | Unsplash).

[2] A good home cook is also a culinarian (photo © Kevin McCutcheon | Unsplash).

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