Mascarpone and a Little Heaven

One of my favorite things to do is to try to duplicate a dish I've had at a restaurant. Yesterday I met a friend at a glorious new restaurant that replaced a dud of an Italian diner that we went to twice, and the second time was only because of where and when we were there (timing is everything...that's a blog someday). After all, there is always pizza. The first time we went, I ordered pesto and it was crunchy, and not because it had too many pignolias. It was because they left the stems on the basil. Not good.
So, now it's a place called Brulee and the tablecloths are white, the walls are yellow, the waiters are friendly, the bread was delicious. Can't wait to go back. The waiter was smart. He brought us a little taste treat that he said they only serve in the evening. They were, to the best of my cooking knowledge, a little cream puff without the filling, but the dough was laced with mascarpone. (So he revealed) It was a light, bready, truffle sized, cheese aroma'd morsel. We dove right in.
I can see it now, I will take out my 40 year old McCall's Cookbook and find cream puffs. I have made them in the past and though they seem a mystery, they are pretty simple. I will go to Trader Joe's, pick up a container of mascarpone, and begin my adventure. Hubby's watching calories, so I will freeze some of them if I don't eat all of them myself. This is all conjecture until I really make them. I have tremendous beginner's luck. What happens after that? My first bread pudding duplication? Perfection. My second time, not so good. Where does the knack go?
Years ago I had coconut shrimp for the first time and woke up dreaming about it the next morning. Now the first time I tried, it just didn't cut it. Then cruising the bargain table at the bookstore, I came across Bubba Shrimps Cook Book. Voila. It's pancake batter and beer that makes the difference. Don't forget to add horseradish to the orange marmalade for the dip.
On a lovely little trip to Santa Cruz we happened upon Santa Cruz Week at participating restaurants. For $25 a piece we had soup to nuts, and for the first time, I had cioppino. It was a topping over a perfectly cooked piece of sea bass. That is a definite must.