Do you realize what dish is represented in the picture? Probably you will think it is a flan but if you think so you will be wrong. It´s as Spanish people say “Crema catalana” and probably you have tasted it hundreds of times. But have you ever wondered why this name? There is an entertaining story behind it. I´m only going to add that maybe it was not created in Catalonia! Let´s discover it!
In spite of its name, the belief is that this cream was not created in Catalonia, but in France. This dish has 3 different names depending on the country you are. If you are in England, probably you will not be understood if you ask for "Crema Catalana" so you will have to ask for "Trinity Cream" or "Burnt Cream" but, on the other hand, if you are in France and you want to taste one of them,you have to ask for which is supposed to be the dish from the other dishes has emerged.
The exact origins are uncertain but the earliest known reference of "Crème Brûlée" appears in François Massialot's 1691 cookbook, and the French name was used in the English translation of this book, but the 1731 edition of Massialot's Cuisinier roial et bourgeois changed the name of the same recipe from "Crème Brûlée" to "Crème Anglaise" or “Burnt Cream”. In Britain, a version of "Crème Brûlée" was introduced at Trinity College, in Cambridge in 1879. The story explains that the recipe was from an Aberdeenshire country house and was offered by an undergraduate to the college cook who later improves it and creates the dish we know now.
However, the Catalan people claim about it because it is one of his most famous dishes and affirm that the dish was created by the Jews who lived in Catalonia because they used to cook lots of different desserts.
In order to show you how similar they are, just watch the photos. The first one is "Crème Brûlée", the second one is "Crema Catalana" and the last one is "Trinity Cream".
There are only two insignificant differences between them. The first is that “Crème Brûlée” is made of cream while the “Crema catalana” is made of milk. The second one is that to make the “Crème Brûlée”, you have to use the bain marie or, as Spanish people say, baño maria.
What do you think? It was created by French, English or Catalan people? I think it will probably surprises you but remember, life is life and we must render unto Caesar what belongs to the Caesar.
7 Comments:
So interesting!! they have little differences but, at the same time they're not significant! I don't guess which country created it but, since they're slightly different I think it's possible that each people copied from another source...or, maybe, among themselves! ;)
There is one thing that is very important here. The dishes are very important for their countries because they are representations of their own country. If this dish is not important, Why these countries fight for it?
Good job Pablo! This entry is very useful for the ones who like this dessert and also travel a lot. I cannot imagine which country invented it, but taking into account the dates you have given us, I would say that it's France. Let me know if I'm wrong! Thank you!
I never said that this dish wasn't important!!! but that the differences they have are not noticeable!! They are not too much distinct!! =)Short post but so clear... I like it!
=0 I am very surprised with this post !! really interesting !! and I am agree with Maria jose, I think that the differences are very little between them
Anyway, here we have another instance of how Catalonia's recipes, words or whatever are mixed with French ones!! Great job, Pablo!
I have NEVER heard the term Trinity Cream; here in the UK every calls it "crème brûlée" - I am a regular visitor to both France and Catalonia and this is one of my favourite desserts in both countries; I would, however, be hard put to distinguish between crema catalana and crème brûlée, despite both my Catalan and my French friends' insistence that they are totally different.
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