Food historians have been arguing about the origin of tarte Tatins almost since its origination. To The Yankee Chef, it is quite clear. At the Hotel Tatin in France, two sisters by the names of Stephanie and Caroline Tatin were both cooks and were in charge of the desserts on a daily basis. One day Stephanie was making an apple dessert and had forgotten about the apples she had been cooking in butter on the stovetop. Thinking she shouldn't waste them, she quickly added a rolled-out pastry dough on top of the apples and stuck the skillet in the oven, hoping to be able to at least create a caramelized apple pastry. When she removed the skillet from the oven and turned it out onto a plate, she was surprised that it wasn't burnt at all and that everything came out perfectly. Ever since that day, this upside-down tarte has been a best seller at the hotel, and with global appeal.