Creme Catalana is a dessert that is similar to brulee but using a stove-cooked custard (thicker than a brulee custard), poured and served with a burnt sugar top melted with a hot iron or torch. Perhaps that's what Rivver is talking about.
As for the torch you can certainly get a more powerful model from any hardware store (though they certainly wouldn't be advertised as a brulee torch) for cheap (less than 20 dollars for the whole kit and kaboodle).
I'm in Ottawa now, where it's high tourist season here too. Great weather, lots of festivals, and late spring produce is coming. Local strawberries!
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"If it's chicken, chicken a la king. If it's fish, fish a la king. If it's turkey, fish a la king." -Bender |