creme de la creme a la linda

Undoubtedly my fave mother's day pressie this year was my brulee torch {yep, I know you can do other things with it - but let's be honest, there's gonna be a lot of brulee torching in my kitchen}. Creme brulee is my fave dessert - and my hubby and gal's too. Whenever it's on a menu, we order it. But, that said, I'm a bit of a purist. I like my creme speckled with vanilla beans - and little else. Don't be throwing any white chocolate and passionfruit in there... but I'll forgive a few lavender flowers...

So on the menu for this weekened will be the brulee. Vanilla brulee. Hence, I needed to find me some vanilla beans. I haven't been happy with those on offer at the supermarket - wizened, lacking in any real flavour, difficult to split and scrape out the black gold in the centre - so I've had my eye out.

On Monday I had to head to the country {long story, had to collect tax stuff from an agent in Cessnock - a gazzilion miles from home - which is why I STILL haven't done my tax...} Anywho, I thought that as I had to drive for an hour, at least I'd get to check out country op-shops - normally shopping nirvana. Except for this week when they were shopping nada. Saddened, I called in at a patisserie called The Queen of Tarts for a spot of lunch and saw, on the counter, a glass vial with three plump vanilla beans. At $17 it was pricey - but you normally shell out around $5 per bean, so I thought it was value and snapped 'em up. {Don't worry, I'll be getting my money's worth out of them - sugar, vodka, there will be nothing left un-vanilla'd}.

So, there I was, happy with my purchase and then yesterday I called in at the organic fruit and veg a few doors from my home. I picked up a couple of carrots, parsnips and beetroot to roast and serve with my pork cutlets last night {yummy!} and spied, behind the counter, a big glass jar filled with vanilla beans. Plump, lush vanilla beans. With a sign advising: Vanilla Beans $2 each.

Damn.

Often the best bargains are on your doorstep.

Guess we'll be eating a lot of creme brulee, panacotta, vanilla cakes and vanilla custards this winter...