Custard

In 1975 I was living on a commune outside of Seattle, Washington. It was a most unusual commune because everybody worked. A couple of guys were in construction, my friend Tom worked at the big Sears warehouse in Seattle, a couple of girls were teachers, one a psychologist and one a bartender and I was working out of the Seafarers union as a relief cook. We had a big modern ranch home, 10 acres, a milk cow and a house full of laying hens. The fence line of the property was densely planted with pot.

Weekends were fun because most everyone was at home, the construction guys built tree houses, Tom tended the plants and the girls wandered around in the nude doing hippie things. I did most of the cooking because that was my thing. Somehow milking and tending the hens fell under my domain. We had an egg and milk For Sale sign at the end of the drive and a few regular customers but a healthy cow and twenty hens produce a lot eggs and milk and I was want to dispose of excess product. I took to making big batches of custard. It was simple and good, using raw milk, fresh eggs, vanilla bean, cane sugar and the slightest grating of nutmeg. I sold it to local grocers, restaurants in Seattle and out the back door. I made enough money to contribute more to the house coffers and be more selective about the jobs I took in the city.

I made the mistake of starting an affair with Tom's girlfriend and endured the painful ritual of ostracism, took my share of the harvest and jumped a train to Chicago. There I found my old girlfriend and transferred south to Kansas City. My life kind of unravel after that, I sent her packing and hit the road to wander around Mexico. The local flan was never as good as my custard, too sweet and spicy with canela sugar and all that caramel.

Baked custard:
One dozen fresh eggs
6 fresh egg yolks
1 cup cane sugar
1 gallon raw milk
2 t freshly grated nutmeg
2 t. good vanilla

mix the eggs and yolks with the sugar and nutmeg until creamy, add the milk slowly while whisking.

bake in buttered cups or casserole in a water bath for 50 minutes @ 325 or until set. This custard will be extra rich and should not weep.