I am speechless.

Because Marcia and Katelin have the same birthday (today), we tend to stretch the celebration to make sure that everybody feels like they got appropriate attention. So I let them open presents yesterday (sample gift: a book for Katelin called How to Be A Villain), then had family dinner at My Linh in Albany (our favorite restaurant), and came home for home-made creme brulee. (Mmmm . . . carmelized sugar, mmmmm). Today Katelin has school birthday stuff and Marcia has work birthday stuff. (She was supposed to get flowers at the office today, but the florist messed up and delivered them last week . . . d’oh!) Then next Saturday night, Katelin has friends over for a sleepover. Then the week after that, Marcia and I are going to Atlantic City for a couple of nights. So we’ll get a solid four weeks of commemoration out of the occasion.

Happy Birthday, Marcia and Katelin, if you’re reading this today! I love you both more than I would have thought possible!

I also love creme brulee . . .

Blend:

2 egg yolks (lightly beaten)

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1/4 cup sugar (we use vanilla infused sugar)

1/8 tablespoon salt

Add:

2 cups of very hot (but not boiled) heavy cream

Pour into custard cups, bake at 300F for about 40 minutes.

Cool.

Right before serving, cover the top of the cooled custard with an even layer of sugar (we use granulated turbinado brown), then broil the dishes until the sugar carmelizes, but doesn’t burn.

Serve.

Say “mmmmmm.”