lemon curd – all with the flip of a coin

They’d won the war…

After spending three years working in his dad’s Nottingham butcher shop, he decided he wanted an adventure.

Sitting in his favourite neighbourhood pub, he tossed a coin. Heads: Canada, tails: Australia. The queen stared up from the palm of his hand – off to Canada.

He met her at the breakfast counter of the Five and Dime. If her section was full, he waited…

She gave him seven children.

They gave him seventeen grandchildren.

They gave him twenty great-grandchildren.

He gave them everything.

My father-in-law passed away peacefully Friday. There are so many stories that I could share with you to explain his spirit. This is my most cherished.

After their wedding, they moved to Halifax. He’d found a sparsely furnished flat for her to set up house-keeping. He gave her two hundred dollars before he left for work the first morning of their new life together.

“Why don’t you drop by the office after you’re done getting things for the apartment.”

She agreed.

She set off to find dishes, towels, bedding – all of the things a newly married couple would need. It was the first time in her life that she had money to spend on things other than food and clothes for her younger brothers.

It was winter. As she walked down Spring Garden Road, she passed a ladies clothing boutique. The manniquin in the display window was wearing “the most beautiful persian lamb coat” she’d ever seen. It cost two hundred dollars.

He saw her enter his building. He saw the coat. Pay day was a week away.

She watched him come towards her. How would she explain?

“How about I take the most beautiful girl in the world out for a drink?”

He spent his life loving her like that…

Reg loved my lemon curd. As I stood at my stove, I gave thanks that he flipped that coin.

LEMON CURD
Makes 2 cups

½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
½ cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup butter, cut into 8 equal pieces

THE STEPS:

• Whisk together juice, lemon zest, sugar, and eggs in a medium heavy bottomed pot.
• Stir in butter and cook over medium low heat
• Whisk frequently, until curd is thick and has started to bubble, about 6 minutes. [ 170*F ]
• Pour curd into jars and chill.
• Spread it on bisciuts or toast. Awesome as a tart filling.

THE LOVE: Stir constantly to avoid scorching.

print recipe

Thanks for reading.