The last step, to add the Italian meringue, was a task unto itself to seal the tart.
It was time to finish the Italian meringue, using a butane burner I picked up from the hardware store a while back.
You see, it's been a while between tarts, and the butane burner isn't a kitchen tool pulled out of the cupboard often.
To light the burner, you strike a match, turn on the gas and hold the match to the open nozzle until it catches.
Instead, the match burnt down to the tips of my fingers.
It didn’t catch.
There is a technical shake of the can to see if there is any gas, with a look on my face like I know how to fill a sealed butane bottle, and like the shaking might make a difference.
Then the match-striking process is repeated again with no luck.
And repeated again and again.
For some reason, it just doesn’t light.
It could be that it’s been a while, maybe a year or so, since I last made Italian meringue for the top of a tart and the burner may not have lasted the distance.
Because this was supposed to be a quick process: light a match, light the burner, finish the tart; everything is close together.
So close together that as the match burns down, charcoaly soot is tempting to fall on the top of the tart and that is not an extra flavour profile that anyone wants.
The lemon meringue tart must move out of the way and maybe changing the butane bottle might make a difference.
A new bottle doesn’t make a difference.
It is time to give up on this burner, because it has not been used in so long that it’s decided, for some reason, to give up.
Somewhere under the sink, or maybe in the other kitchen, there must be a backup burner.
The only thing is, the backup burner is half the size, with only a tiny flame, which makes sealing the Italian meringue a little harder, with more wrist movement and a less smooth finish.
But voila!
One lemon meringue tart finally finished.
More lemon meringue tarts are going to be baked on upcoming weekends, and they'll need the larger butane burner.
So, it will be a trip to the hardware shop and, like many things, it’s a half-hour drive there and a half-hour back, and there isn't spare time in the day for that.
Sadly, this has been the last column about my cooking adventures.
It is time to give someone else a chance to share their adventures a little bit closer to town.
If you are ever passing by my kitchen, pop in and say ‘hi’, as that’s where you will find me. The kettle’s always on and there is likely to be a bit of tart to share.
– Jaci
