Once you chose a career in a given field (food, for example), it is interesting to think back to your childhood, to the moments which potentially shaped your future self. For instance, I remember when my mother used to make lemon bars, methodically following my great-grandmother’s recipe, in attempts to replicate a version worthy of Nana herself.
I loved watching her sift the powdery confectioner’s sugar like falling snow over the sunny, yellow custard. Biting into that tart, sweet filling sent a chill up my spine, reminiscent of the first sip of lemonade on a sweltering summer day. But for all the love I held for her lemon bars, from a very young age, I remember wanting more from the crust. I had no idea what ‘more’ might entail, but I felt such a perfect filling required an equally substantial crust.
Today, this question that once seemed so complex would be solved with a rather simple answer - bake the crust longer in order to brown the butter, yielding a delicious, flaky, flavorful base. Nonetheless, the fact that such a thought once drifted through my mind, between playing dress-up and Barbies, seems somewhat impressive.
