If you are a member of the Santa Fe Foodies Facebook page, you may have seen some sumptuous flan photos from its founder, Robert McCormick. A musician, multimedia artist and website designer by trade, McCormick is an all-around creative who happens to be Santa Fe’s own flan expert.

Robert grew up in Miami with a Cuban mother so he has an intimate knowledge of what a good flan should be, and he developed a passion for cooking when he was about 14 years old. After a career in the film industry in Los Angeles and New York, he arrived in Santa Fe and briefly owned a restaurant here called Cuba Fe, a tribute to his Cuban-American roots. There, he developed his perfect – and secret – flan recipe.

“I taught myself and developed the recipe for my Cuba Fe restaurant. I kept tweaking and tweaking until I got the right smiles from people.”

After a year or so, Robert closed the restaurant but kept getting requests for flan so he decided to make them for special occasions. He now also makes them to order for friends, and friends of friends. He adds, “I also like to surprise friends and gift them from time to time.”

After seeing many posts and photos of his flans online, I had to try one for myself. Robert kindly drives the flan over, still in the pan, and turns it onto the customer’s own plate, releasing the sticky, soupy, divine caramel sauce. This flan is unlike ones I’m used to in the sense that it is both light and dense, sweet and custardy, rich and comforting. One bite will send you to Heaven! One flan ($30) serves 8 – 10 people… but let me just warn you that it’s so yummy, you may not want to share!

We know that cooking is its own art form, I think that creative people are drawn to the kitchen. Robert is a perfect example in the way he describes himself:

“I am an artist at heart. I think that music and food are two of the most giving and nurturing of all mediums. I feel like I have accomplished part of my purpose in life if my food or music touches someone in a positive way. It’s a great feeling making people happy.”

While Robert is still on the fence about selling flans regularly as a side business, he will make them for friends and others if you contact him at this email address . Feel free to tell him that The Liquid Muse sent you!

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