A Losing Streak

Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flans (pg 146) sound like they'd be right in my comfort zone. Pumpkin: gooood. Gorgonzola: goooood. Toasted nuts: goooood. Honey drizzle: goooood. I've read a couple of rave reviews of this recipe on other blogs, and I fully expected to love it. I figured it was a fool-proof pick-me-up after a week's worth of mediocre recipes. Much to my surprise, these flans fell flat.

The best I can figure, gorgonzola and the local honey I used are such strong flavors that complement each other so well that the pumpkin couldn't compete. Between the cream, three whole eggs, and two egg yolks, the pumpkin itself tasted too diluted. To see if Charlie would eat any, I cooked one ramekin with just the flan, omitting the cheese, nuts, and honey. Charlie didn't eat much of it, so I tried some. The pumpkin flavor was very weak, even without the accoutrement. It all but disappeared when paired with the cheese and honey. I don't know if all those eggs and cream are necessary to achieve the proper texture (which was nice), but I think I'd like this more if the pumpkin flavor were amped up a bit.

Conclusion: I hate to say it, but Dislike. Tonight's menu is Chicken B'stilla: marinated, shredded chicken cooked in a buttery, flaky filo crust. Can't go wrong...right?