Charlotte Royale - Prologue

We've planed to have a humble New Years' Eve party. But one thing let to the other and now we are a party of eleven that will have to be entertained and treated. We will celebrate at the residence of Toño's boss Alicia. She is a graduate of the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, the most renowned school of hospitality in the world. Hence expectations are higher than the sky.

Nevertheless, Alicia let me choose the main course. With little hesitation, I went for Chateaubriand, the most precious cut of beef, then not yet knowing the size of party. A truly ruinous decision. Naturally, bold decisions have not only financial consequences - I have been appointed pâtisier.

Now I have to deal with this poser. I started with a desk research - that is, I took my recipe books and searched for an item that could serve as crowning moment of the evening. Of course, only a Charlotte Royale qualifies.

Since I've never done nor eaten a Charlotte Royale, I've read everything I could obtain. The lists of risks seems endless. But now I have to act... the eggs are already separated. Please, keep your fingers crossed.