alanamoana

I would say that the trend in pairing chocolate with 'savory' flavors has been going on for about ten years or so (of course, that's ignoring things like mole). If we're talking about higher end chocolatiers making ganaches and other fillings, then just take a look at some of the web sites like: Richart or Christopher Elbow or Vosges Haute Chocolate. I think that some people do it for effect without really understanding how the flavors work together and you can end up with some really awful pairings. And then there are the standouts who do it well and with subtlety and can really wow you with combinations you would have never thought of. I don't think it is something that is too avant-garde though. More like an evolution in using what is available and turning to things not previously considered classic. edited to add: the examples I have chosen aren't necessarily because I like their chocolates, but to show you what flavor combinations some popular chocolatiers are making.

gfron1, just curious, how thin was the shell? i can't imagine one thin enough that i would want to eat it if it was made only of cocoa butter. unless of course the other flavors were enough to overpower the cocoa butter. sounds interesting though. neat that you got a chance to go to alinea and dine.

FG, thanks for the write-up and photos! Everything looked interesting. What surprises me is that most of the dishes looked tasty/appetizing as well. Sometimes, I think that the hyper-modern concept has been taken a bit too far and that the idea of food being appetizing (and as something that sustains us) has been forgotten. While interesting and modern, the platings seemed to still maintain the appearance of flavorful food. I'll check out the Alinea thread to see what your meal was like there. Does it warrant a separate thread that compares and contrasts the meals? I'd like to hear your take on it from that perspective. Maybe throwing in a bit of info on WD-50 or something that we can use as a baseline. Thanks again!

Patrick, it has been very long since you've been around. I forgot how much I love your desserts and photos. Welcome back and we hope to see more of you (and the fruits of your labor) now. Domestic Goddess, after reading your food blog and realizing what you have to bake with...it is simply amazing what you are able to produce on a regular basis! I know I wouldn't even bother baking without a decent oven (and I do it for a living!). Your sons and DH must be so happy that you have the energy that you do. Please pat yourself on the back for your wonderful peanut butter cupcakes (with chunks please). Kim Shook, white trash trifle...what can I say...just beautiful! Everyone...KEEP ON BAKING! So good to see such luscious baked goods being made every day. Pudding cakes, lavender and lemon, textures, colors, flavor combinations. What inspiration

hey Pallee, thanks for posting your results. I tend to buy these types of books for the pictures more than anything else

why don't you consider doing admin of some sort at a culinary school? if you live in a big city, there is probably at least one school or trade school that has a culinary option. that way, you'd still be involved somewhat in the industry and you'd be doing work a little less stressful but still different than regular office work.

Hey Ted, the recipes are in both grams and ounces with the occasional volume measurement thrown in. sort of like other european books, the ingredients are listed off on a side column and the directions are given in the body of the text. ciao, alana

also, with too much agitation comes friction which might equate to heat...which is why it might have taken too long to come down in temp.

i think the baker (which was roger) is in charge of all the pastries that bouchon produces...as well as the breads. i'm speaking of the viennoiserie-type pastries and excluding tarts and bouchons and such. don't know how much control over their menu the pastry chef (if they have one at the bakery) has, or whether the pastry chef at french laundry has any responsibility at bouchon. it's different at per se in new york. the pastry chef has some production control over what is produced for the take-away bakery while the baker is only in charge of the bread program. edited to add: i could, of course, be wrong

I guess I assumed it would be glucose powder because the measurement was given in pounds rather than a volume measurement, but what do I know? Thanks! ← since it is a professional source, i would assume all measurements are by weight rather than volume. good luck testing the recipe! also, when cooking caramel type candies, use a pot larger than you think you'll need because it will boil up to a point and then come back down, but better to save your stovetop if you can!

what a great experiment sazji! thanks for posting the photo of your garden "before" you ravaged it for the jelly have you had hibiscus? is it anything like that? hibiscus is very tart and often found (dried) around here at mexican/latin american markets.

ummm...i'm taking a look at it right now as i just received my copy. i don't think i'd buy it as a practiced amateur. it might just be a little bit too technical (equipment needs, ingredients, etc.). i consider it a sort of encyclopedia of desserts, pastries, breads, candies, cakes, etc. i'll post more information after i take a closer look at it. p.s. i'm actually a professional cook, so i bought it because it suits what i do for a living, if that helps you at all.

I know what you mean about bad translations. But, the pictures and diagrams are still the same. So, if you're a professional, you should be okay with just the list of ingredients and a diagram. It is more of a reference type book for me anyway. There are similar issues with Jean-Pierre Wybauw's "Fine Chocolate: Great Experience". At any rate, the Amazon offer is for the English version. edited to add: FG, I wouldn't hold my breath

no problem nick! i've also been coveting this book for a loooong time (FatGuy, do you remember lending it to us over at CG?) and was so happy to be able to order it yesterday.

tammy, everyone's already said what i would! what a great collection and how beautiful your chocolates are. you should take a look back at the small truffle collection you did last year and compare! there's just no comparison. congratulations on your progress and starting your business!

this looks like a type of caramel based candy. i have a feeling that they don't mean powdered glucose but rather glucose syrup. if that is the case, you can use corn syrup as a substitute. other than that, you're on your own

Hey enthusiasts...the Desserts and Pastry volume of Alain Ducasse's beautiful "Grand Livre de Cuisine" is on sale on Amazon for only $58.50... this is a book that is normally $195!!! buy it...now! edited to fix link

if there was already yeast added, i wouldn't add more. just add more water and flour and as chromedome recommended, allow it to sit at room temp to see if there is any activity. if there is, you're set. then you can refrigerate it and you can refresh it about once or twice a week (if maintained at fridge temp).

Hiroyuki! This blog has been amazing. I can't believe how much you cook, considering you don't consider yourself a cook. Very few American husbands with two children would be able to do as much as you do (excepting of course, eGulleteers ). I'm so sorry your wife is in the hospital, I hope she gets better soon. I just wanted to thank you for the explanation of the dried wheat gluten...once, when I was very young, my brother and I had to fly to Korea via Tokyo. We had an overnight stay at Narita and the voucher for dinner included a soup with a piece of the dried wheat gluten in it. My brother and I thought it was just a small piece of bread that kept expanding and expanding! Ultimately, I ended up living in Japan for three years while I was in high school (Yokota Air Force Base). I just love Japan and all the food...especially snack food. What you (or men) would probably eat with beer or sake, I love to snack on all the time. Thanks for a great week

chufi, beautiful and delicious sounding cupcakes! happy birthday...i know it is probably late, but i also know you celebrate your birthday for at least a week

hey samgiovese! from what i understand, the head baker at bouchon left earlier this year. maybe a few months ago? that could definitely be a reason.

hey luis, there is a thread here somewhere that discusses pate de fruit and pectin (maybe the thread on andrew shotts' book?)...at any rate, sometimes it depends on what kind of fruit and what kind of pectin you're using. some pectins require a higher amount of sugar to work, some are activated by acid and some are activated with other things... i think kerry knows more about this. in the mean time, i'll try to find the other thread.

make sure that they are the right sized tips to fit into your particular bag and coupler. tips shouldn't cost more than $1-$5 each (US dollars, not Canadian), depending on what kind of tip and what size tip. some specialty tips cost more, it just depends. i think the web site that your boyfriend is looking at might be Kerekes. taking a look, most tips are only $1.50 USD also note that you don't need to have a bag to use a coupler, you can use disposable bags the same way.

I have to second what chefpeon stated above ^^. It isn't our intention to discourage the original poster's desire to attend culinary school. It is just that she made it a point to discuss the financial aspects of attending Le Cordon Bleu. If this is a major concern, going into debt or having difficulties receiving financial aid, then original poster should consider every option out there before diving in head first. Get her feet wet, so to speak. I went to culinary school. But, I had gotten a job in a restaurant (for at least two years) before I decided that I wanted to focus on baking and pastry and attend school. It was also cheaper ten years ago. Culinary school has definitely become a business...I know, I teach at one now.

this thread was started quite a while ago...has anyone's views changed with regard to grass vs. grain fed beef after reading Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma"?