Crème de la Crème

For my 18th birthday, my mom and I went on a road trip to St. Louis to see my cool Aunt Pam. Now the reason she’s cool is our birthdays are two days apart, and she’s just amazing because of it. That year we basically shared our birthdays together and I got the experience of a lifetime. This was still during my culinary dreams phase in life, and I was debating on whether I should go to college or just go to culinary school.

Being the genius that my Mom is, she brought me up to the Lou to experience my Uncle Vincent’s cooking. Now just so you know, Uncle Vincent adds a whole nother level of cool to my Aunt Pam. So it was dinner time, and we were going to be prepared a meal by a world-class five-star chef. The menu was set and my mouth was already watering.

It was my first time ever trying tilapia. I had no clue what to expect. What happened next was pure perfection. My taste buds exploded in euphoria. Delicate, flakey, and full of flavor I was in savory heaven. The sides were non-existent in the face of this exquisite entree. That was until dessert hit the table.

For a long time in my life, I was a pretty plain jane eater. Nuggets, pepperoni pizza, or a cheeseburger- only ketchup- kinda guy. So my pallet wasn’t as seasoned as it is today. A small ramekin was now sitting in front of me and a small torch was placed above it. I heard a light sizzle as the flame hit the top of this masterpiece and the room fell silent. I took my spoon as I was told and cracked the surface.

What lay beneath was creamy and soft. With a spoon raised to parted lips, I took my first taste of creme brulee. The universe opened and began to speak to me. It told me God was in fact real, and He existed in this delectable treat. It hastened memories of ice cream on a cool summer day to the forefront of my mind. All in all, it was something I could never forget. I haven’t even told you the best part. They gave me the recipe to take home as a gift.

I’m going to speed time up now and basically tell you that I am really great at cooking tilapia and most fish now. It all started with that birthday. I was so inspired by this that a lot of my life decisions were made with that meal in mind. I wanted to surpass it and become an even better version of myself. It’s phenomenal what experience can do for our growth. God opens doors we didn’t think existed as we gain more wisdom and understanding. I know through that moment He’d planned to inspire me to do the things beyond what I’d imagined possible. I am so grateful to my cool Aunt Pam for letting me share my time with her. Thank you for giving me a chance at something great. #wepreach #giverosesmonth