An urgent reader recipe request for the Test Kitchen’s Tarte Tatin

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The subject line in the e-mail said ‘HELP’ and the message was urgent: Frank, a Los Angeles reader, was vacationing in St. Barts. He was scheduled to visit the home of a French friend who had asked him to make his famous Tarte Tatin. Frank was happy to oblige, and was even bringing over his own cast iron skillet for what was shaping up to be a cooking demo. But he forgot one thing: The L.A. Times Test Kitchen recipe, dog-eared and butter-stained from years of use and reference since it was published in 2002. He e-mailed, hoping we could help him out his jam: The clock was ticking! His friends were waiting! Could we please help?

But of course.

The test kitchen never brags or boasts, but is mighty happy to have produced a recipe that left such an impression on Frank’s French friend.

We emailed the L.A. Times’ Test Kitchen recipe to Frank -- he says he has tried many a Tarte Tatin recipe, and this is the absolute best.

And now you have it, too: Upside-Down Apple Tart (Tarte Tatin)

If you need help locating a recipe, let us know. We’ll do our best to help. You can e-mail us at food@latimes.com, or contact me at rene.lynch@latimes.com.

You can also check out our online collection of recipes at www.latimes.com/recipes -- you’ll want to bookmark this site, we add new recipes all the time.

-- Rene Lynch