October 3rd is National Caramel Custard Day.

Caramel custard is one of the numerous different types of custard. Crème caramel, also called flan, is another.

Because there is no official National Flan Day (Walmart declared one in 2012 as a product promotion), and because it’s pumpkin season, we’re sharing a Pumpkin Flan recipe from Seviche restaurant in Kentucky.

But first, let’s end the confusion between caramel custard and crème caramel/flan.

It’s easy to confuse the two by name (but not by sight—details follow). In fact, when we looked at caramel custard recipes and images online, almost all of them were crème caramel/flan.

Both use caramelized sugar (white sugar heated until it becomes a light brown liquid), but in different ways. Here’s how to distinguish them:

 
> With a sweet flan, the tart is filled with pastry cream (crème pâtissière, a type of custard) and topped with fruit.

> Quiche is the best known of the savory tarts. Another term for spinach quiche is spinach flan; leek and bacon quiche is leek and bacon flan, etc.
 
 
RECIPE: PUMPKIN FLAN

This recipe uses a particular brand of pumpkin-infused syrup. If you can’t find it locally and don’t want to order it online, you should be able to find others, such as Monin and Torani. It’s the same syrup used to make pumpkin spice lattes.

If you don’t know the details, here’s the difference between evaporated milk and condensed milk.

Ingredients For 10 Four-Once Servings

 
Preparation

1. MIX the sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelizes.

2. POUR the caramelized sugar into aluminum molds; you can use any shape: oval, round or square. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the molds. Set aside at room temperature until hardened.

3. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks, pumpkin and vanilla by hand or blender. Pour through a fine mesh sieve. Gently pour the mixture on top of the caramel in the aluminum molds.

[2] Classic flan at Fogo de Chão.

[3] Caramel custard has a smooth, dry top: no runny caramelized sugar. That sugar is in the mix—it’s what gives the custard its brown color, instead of conventional, pale yellow, baked custard. Here’s the recipe from Bon Appetit.

[4] A multiportion caramel custard made in a removable-bottom pan. Here’s the recipe from Hummingbird High.

5. TO SERVE: Run a thin knife around the edges of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a plate on top of the mold and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.
 
 
DON’T GO AWAY WITHOUT CHECKING OUT

THE HISTORY OF CUSTARD

[2] If you want the smaller size for gifts or party favors, visit your retailer sooner rather than later. They may have to be ordered from the distributor.

[3] Toast to Halloween (photo courtesy BLT Prime | NYC).

Are you planning a Halloween party?

Will you be a guest at one?

Are you staying home to greet the trick-or-treaters (or hide from them)?

In any case, you deserve your own treat: Mionetto prosecco.

Its black-and-orange colors are holiday-themed, and the sparkling wine inside is delicious for drinking straight or turning into cocktails:

 
Here are 20 champagne cocktail recipes, including a Caramel Apple Mimosa.

How about some Prosecco Ice Pops?
 
 
WHAT IS PROSECCO?

Prosecco is a very affordable bubbly that often takes the place of Champagne at the table—or the party.

Prosecco (pro-SEK-o) is the name of a village in northeast Italy’s Veneto region. It is located in the hills of the province of Treviso, between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.

It’s the of home Prosecco sparkling wines. In Europe, wines are named after the place where the grapes are grown and the wine is made. The wine is often labeled Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene, after its appellation*.

The Prosecco grape—now known as the Glera grape—originated there. While most of the wines are largely Glera, by law other local white grape varieties, such as Bianchetta Trevigiana, can be included in the blend.

 
Prosecco is made by the Tank Method, also known as the Charmat process (named for its inventor), the bulk method, cuve close (French for sealed tank), granvas (Spanish) or autoclave (Italian).

The second fermentation† takes place in a stainless steel tank and the resulting wine is bottled under pressure. This is a much less expensive way to do the job, and wines made by this method are less expensive than traditional method bubblies that follow the Champagne style.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF PROSECCO

The history of Prosecco is not well documented. Until recently, there were different theories about its origin.

Now, it is believed that the first Prosecco was created in 1868 by Antonio Carpene, who subjected still white wine of the area to a second fermentation, which produced the bubbles.

In general, the wine of Prosecco has been linked to a wine made at the time of Roman Empire, in a town called Pucino.

It, like Prosecco, was located in the hills that surround the Gulf of Trieste [source]. (The town no longer exists, but the surname Pucino, indicating a person from Pucino, is still going strong.)

Using grape DNA and archaeological evidence, it was more recently established that the grape called Prosecco was very similar to the older grape from the Pucino area, Glera. The grape called Prosecco is now called Glera.

*An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication, used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. Restrictions other than geographical boundaries, such as what grapes may be grown, maximum grape yields, alcohol level, and other quality factors, may also apply before an appellation name may legally appear on a wine bottle label.

The rules that govern appellations are dependent on the country in which the wine was produced, and a legal designation appears on the label. A.O.C., Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (the appellation of origin is controlled by law) is one of these.

The tradition of wine appellation is ancient: References are found in the Bible, where the wines of Carmel, Samaria, Helbon and Jezreel are mentioned. The tradition of appellation continued throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages, though without any of the legally sanctioned rules as exist in modern times (see paragraph above).

Historically, the world’s first exclusive (protected) vineyard zone was introduced in Chianti, Italy in 1716; and the first wine classification system in Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary, in 1730 [source].

Other types of food often have appellations as well. Products from certain highly-regarded apples to cheeses to figs to walnuts are A.O.C. designations (here’s more). A.O.C. guarantees quality and authenticity to the consumer.

†Sparkling wines undergo two fermentations. The second fermentation creates the bubbles.
  

Sashimi lovers: This one’s for you.

Low in calories, high in protein, nice to look at: Why not make sashimi bites.

We spotted these on the Facebook page of Chef Eric Ripert. While known worldwide for Le Bernardin in New York City, these are at his restaurant Blue, at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman.

Chef Ripert’s caption says that he marinated local wahoo in a sour orange juice marinade. The result is full of protein with just a few calories.
 
 
OUR COPYCAT RECIPE: SASHIMI BITES

We’ve never been to Grand Cayman, but re-created a version of the recipe with a yuzu marinade (we always have a bottle of yuzu juice on hand). The biggest problem was finding a substitute for the wahoo fish, also known as ono.

Wahoo is a mild white fish with a firm texture (“muscular”, and the fillets are thick enough to slice bites of 1″ high or more. We settled on Alaskan Halibut, which is also white and mild. Your fishmonger may have other ideas.

Customize your marinade like a tiradito sauce: olive oil and citrus juice (lemon, lime, yuzu), salt and pepper, and whatever other seasonings you like: grated ginger or garlic, a bit of cayenne or other dried chile.

You can also use a favorite fish marinade recipe, or a Dijon vinaigrette.

Note that photo #1 shows the bites with fingerling potato chips. While homemade at the restaurant, you may be able to find them at specialty stores—or make your own potato chips.

Also, we don’t know what the menu calls these morsels, but we call them “sashimi bites”
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. RINSE and pat dry the fish. Cut into 1″ cubes (larger if you like) and marinate, turning occasionally.

2. STEAM the carrots until they are tender but not falling apart. Set aside to cool, then slice into 1/4-inch pieces.

3. REMOVE the cubes from the marinade and shake off the excess. Assemble on a plate: cube, carrot, herb. If you want to serve as a tiradito, make extra marinade to spoon onto the bottom of the plate.
 
 
We don’t know about you, but we could eat an entire tray.

[2] Wahoo’s flesh is thick and meaty (photo courtesy Giovanni’s Fish Market).

[3] Wahoo, which can grow to 8 feet, are a favorite for sports fishing (photo courtesy Sport Fishing Magazine).

Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is originally from Hawaii, where it is caught wild. It is also known as ono, a Hawaiian word that means “good to eat”.

It is also fished in the Gulf Of Mexico. It favors tropical and subtropical waters.

Wahoo is a member of the same fish family (Scombridae) as bonito, mackerel and tuna. It is closely related to king mackerel.

Its colors are radiant: The back of the fish is iridescent blue, while the sides are silvery with a pattern of blue and silver stripes (photo #3).

The fish can grow quite large, up to eight feet in length and weighing up to 183 pounds. They are some of the fastest fish in the sea, clocked at 60 mph [source]. It is a favorite for sports fishing.

Most important for eating, wahoo is a delicious fish: It has a firm texture like swordfish (photo #2) and a mild, sweet, rich taste.

The firm flesh is can be grilled easily.

[2] Used boiled cider to make these cranberry-raisin oatmeal cookies taste even better. Here’s the recipe.

[3] These apple dumpling slices are a cross between dumplings and sticky buns, pie and cobbler. Here’s the recipe.

[4] See how your apple pie can taste even better with boiled cider. Here’s the recipe.

[5] It’s time to order a pint of boiled cider.

If you’ve ever had cider donuts, you’ve had boiled cider.

Boiled cider (photo #5) is a syrupy, dark-amber liquid that’s as thick as molasses. It’s made by boiling down apple cider.

This cook’s-and-baker’s ingredient adds just-picked apple flavor to your favorite recipes: not just donuts but cakes, muffins, pies, scones and quick breads. Its natural acidity combined with baking soda provides extra lift in baked goods.

It’s also a cook’s trick for amplifying the apple flavor in apple pies, apple cakes and applesauce.

And, it’s great even if you don’t cook and bake: to make “instant” apple cider, yogurt and ice cream toppings and more (see the many uses below).

Says Charlotte Rutledge, a recipe developer at King Arthur Flour:

“Boiled cider is one of those ingredients I didn’t know I needed until I tried it. I first used it in an apple pie and was amazed by the way it sharpened the apple flavor in my filling.

“I quickly became hooked! Now I use it in everything from cake batters and quick breads to salad dressings and pancake syrup.

“It’s a permanent resident in my pantry and one liquid sweetener I refuse to live without.”
 
 
BOILED CIDER FROM KING ARTHUR SYRUP

King Arthur Flour’s boiled cider is a top-of-the-line product, made from the best apples, using artisan techniques.

It’s made by Willis and Tina Wood of Wood’s Cider Mill in Springfield, Vermont. Family-made since 1882, the cider is pressed from local apples in an antique screw press that dates back to the original cider mill.

One gallon of cider is then reduced down to one pint of boiled cider in a wood-fired stainless steel evaporator. The result: pure, concentrated cide with absolutely nothing added, ready for action.

If you find yourself with a surfeit of apple cider, you can boil it down yourself. Here’s a recipe from The Baker Chick.

But for a guaranteed excellent experience, get a bottle from King Arthur Flour.
 
 
BEYOND BAKING: MORE USES FOR BOILED CIDER

Use the sweet apple concentrate as a substitute for other sweeteners: honey, sugar or maple syrup.

The flavor is intense, so add a bit at a time and taste to check the sweetness level.

Beverages

 
Breakfast

 
Lunch & Dinner

 
Dessert

 
 
RECIPES WITH BOILED CIDER

These recipes are from King Arthur Flour, an excellent source of recipes that have been tested to perfection.

October 1st is World Vegetarian Day, founded in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society. While October 1st is the annual kick-off day, the whole of October is Vegetarian Awareness Month.

For a comfort food celebration, we propose a vegetarian version of Shepherd’s Pie (recipe below).
 
 
WHAT IS SHEPHERD’S PIE

Shepherd’s pie, made with minced mutton/lamb—called cottage pie when made with beef—is a dinner dish that originated among agricultural households in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Meat and vegetables—onions, carrots, celery, peas—are enveloped in a sauce like pot pie. But a layer of mashed potatoes serves as the top crust, and turns golden brown in the oven.

The mashed potatoes are sometimes topped with grated cheese, which creates a garnish of melted cheese.

You can try the shepherd’s pie mashed potato crust with chicken pot pie or other favorite pot pie recipe.

Trivia: Pies were originally savory dishes. Here’s the history of pie.

Shepherd’s Pie History

Meat pies stretched leftover meat scraps by baking them in a pie plate with vegetables.

In early cookbooks, shepherd’s pie was a created to use leftover roasted meat of any kind, and both the top and bottom crusts were made from mashed potatoes: The pie pan was lined with mashed potatoes on the bottom and sides as well as the top.
 
Cottage Pie Came First

The term cottage pie was in use by 1791, as the potato was being introduced as a food crop affordable by the poor (the history of potatoes). “Cottage” referred to the modest dwellings of rural workers.

The term shepherd’s pie does not appear until 1854, and was used synonymously with cottage pie. At some point, convention evolved; shepherd’s pie denoted mutton, and cottage pie referred to beef source]

In recent times, a vegetarian or vegan version has been called a shepherdess pie.

Enjoy it on not only during Vegetarian Awareness Month, but on all the Meatless Mondays that follow.
 
 
SIMILAR RECIPES

Every culture that makes pastry creates some form pastry with meat. One of our favorites is Chinese barbecued pork buns (char siu bao).

Here are some variations that are closer to England:

 
 
RECIPE: RATATOUILLE SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH A POLENTA TOP

This combination of eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini is creatively topped by a thick layer of polenta instead of mashed potatoes (photo #1). It’s given some kick with the addition of diced jalapeño.

Polenta is gluten free, and is whole grain if it is labeled “whole corn” or “whole grain corn.” If the label says “degermed corn,” then the germ layer has been removed.

You can used mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes instead of polenta if you prefer. You can also add bell peppers to the vegetable mix.

The recipe is adapted from Good Eggs in San Francisco.

[2] A convention top of mashed potatoes (photo courtesy Fosters Market Cookbook)

[3] You can pipe the mashed potatoes into rosettes, or swirl it into waves (here’s the recipe from Food Fanatic).

[4] Mashed sweet potatoes substitute for white potatoes in this version of Shepherd’s Pie (photo courtesy eMeals).

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F.

2. ADD some olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat; when hot add and the onion and cook until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the eggplant and zucchini. Swirl the saucepan, and pour into an 8½ by 11-inch baking dish.

3. ADD the tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, thyme, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to taste. Season with a big pinch of salt and mix together with your hands. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While the vegetables cook…

4. MAKE the polenta according to package instructions. When the polenta is done, remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, either season with salt or add the butter and sprinkle with the parmesan. Set aside for a few minutes. When the vegetables are done…

5. POUR the polenta over the vegetables, using a silicone spatula to spread the the polenta into an even layer. If you wish, top with the gruyère/mozzarella and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately so the polenta is at peak consistency.
________________

*“Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen”…and likely saw a St. Stephen’s Pie. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. His feast day falls on December 26th, and is widely celebrated in Ireland, as well as other countries where St. Stephen’s Day is an official holiday (Croatia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Ukraine and the Philippines, for example). It happens to coincide with British Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, for which it is also served [source]. The dish is a way to use up leftover Christmas ham and turkey or goose. Since turkey was a latecomer to England (an import from America), earlier versions used goose.