simdelish

I can't post the recipe now, but can get to it tomorrow am. Unfortunately, it's one of those recipes that has 6 components, each with a different page reference...! But it is so good, I was making it weekly as a special for about 6 months at my last job, it was SOOOOO popular. The kitchen staff had fights over who got the end trimmings. (Don't you just love being the most popular person in the kitchen? ) If you are like me, every penny I have (and even those pennies that I don't have) goes towards books (and food, and wine). If you don't have Healy and Bugat's Art of Cake, you should get it. (my copy says $35 retail, Jessica's biscuit probably has it for close to half that) It is such a great reference if you do classic things in your work. I orginally bought it for selfish reasons...just so I could perfectly reproduce all those yummy pastries I bought EVERY SINGLE DAY when I lived in Paris. -- I swear that was my entire diet-- pastries, ... and wine, of course. Well... actually cheese too. Yea, pastries, cheese and wine. That's what I subsisted on.

Indeed, it should be, as The Art of the Cake was co-written by Paul Bugat!

To most people, yes. Louis Clichy premiered his now famous gâteau at the Exposition Culinaire of 1903 in Paris. The cake, with Clichy's signature across the top, won a silver medal and became the signature cake of his shop on the boulevard Beaumarchais. Over the years, the Clichy inspired many imitations, most notably the one from Dalloyau, who sold a very similar dessert under the name L'Opéra (in honor of the Paris Opera). Clichy was also responsible for creating other cakes, most notably the Paris. When Marcel Bugat went to work at Pâtisserie Clichy in 1955, he learned/made the gâteau, and his son Paul Bugat, who took over Clichy in 1970, still to this day makes the signature cake from the original recipe, in the same location where Louis Clichy established his pâtisserie in 1892. So, I guess the answer is anyone can make an opera cake, but it's only a Clichy if it's from Clichy... (kind of like champagne) Interestingly, I actually learned L'Opéra (from a French pastry book) as being made with praline buttercream, and a rum soaking syrup, --- with the coffee flavor only as a variation, and learned the Clichy made outright with the coffee. (Btw, for both I learned to make the joconde with TPT, and only a few teaspoons of flour)

Ditto. When you are "doing" a party for more than say, 8, you are catering, and no longer in the realm of personal chef. The rules (as far as your client is concerned) must change. I have several friends, with both "personal" and "private chefs" (and yes, there is a difference!). From what I understand from them, the deal changes when they are having a party.

Keith, you beat me to it! I have always cooled/cut my cakes that way, and definitely, let the turntable do the work on torting. Comes out perfect every time, and you can even do triple or more torting cuts, depending on the original height of the cake layer. Also, I too have a couple of those cheapo, paper-thin metal cookie sheets for sliding under/in tight spaces. Much cleaner and stronger than cardboard.

I am not familiar with "Eaton Mess"- what is it? (I hate to say it, but sounds like a bad play on words... ) Maremosso, would you care to share your recipe for homemade Dulce de Leche? I am familiar only with the method of cooking sweet/cond milk in the can for hours, altho I have never actually tried it. thanks!

When I first read your post, I didn't have time to reply, but now want to at least add a few extras that haven't been mentioned, and some things in particular that i like to do. First of all, my reaction was the same as Annie's, if I were having 50 people for a party, I sure as hell wouldn't do it all at the last minute... no one would. So in that case, you must take advantage of what most desserts actually require: advance preparation. Do the rest of the meal a la minute if you want, but get dessert done ahead, or at least some components, and bring with you. Even something frozen can thaw while you are working. Part of what makes this hard to answer is not knowing exactly what your parameters are. Are you in your client's kitchen all day, half day, show up at 4pm, or what? Do you do a different person each day, or do you cook one day a week for them, or do you have 3 clients you go to 2 nites a week, etc? Also, the answers to your question are different, depending on if it's just 4 for dinner, or 50. You definitely DON'T want to do a la minute for 50! Serving is the bear in that case. With my job at a restuarant, I have the reverse problem, I must prepare everything in advance, as someone else is plating for dinner. So I am limited to NOT doing a la minute desserts. (Occasionally we will have specials or parties I am there for.) BUT, I still am an expert... because instead i must pull a rabbit out of a hat everynite for dinner for my own family and guests that love to drop by. The following are the things I do at home for them, many of them my kids learned to do by age 11/12 and so now, they do them to give me a break, believe it or not. (Their friends, as well as our dinner guests, are always amazed how well my kids do in the kitchen!) thinking out loud, things we've eaten at home this summer... - one or two cheeses, with perfectly ripe fresh fruit (I grew up w/ that, as my mother lived in Europe for a while) - crepes, mousse, sabayon with fruit, pots de creme, custards, etc - fruit cobblers and crisps (they need to be made last min, warm out of the oven), w/ i.c. - rustic tarts, make the dough right there, chill a bit, roll out roughly, throw on sheet pan, doesn't matter what the shape, pile fruit, sugar, spice in middle, curl up edges around, sprinkle with sugar and bake. serve warm w/ i.c. - budini, an Italian sort of choc pudding cake, made in individual bowls, served warm with coffee ic on top in the same bowl and toasted almonds, YUM -the always popular choc molten cake/lava cake, whatever you want to call... needs only 9 min in oven - mascarpone, spread on the plate, roasted (or grilled) fruit on top, drizzle w/ honey (this is great in summer for outdoor entertaining). serve with spoon, can do indiv plates, or one communal plate, often fun if people have been drinking wine! ) - poached or lightly stewed stone fruits, strawbs macerated in balsamic, etc - I do a yummy thing en bric...slice of mango, quarter banana (lengthwise half of a half) thrown in saute pan immed with finished dry caramel, roll up in half circle of bric, brush on melted butter, very hot oven or broiler for 3 min, serve with coconut or other tropical sorbet. I originally saw something like this somewhere...can't remember, but it's a big hit, and very elegant - any ol' cake cut into pieces, booze, choc sauce, whip cream... lots of variations - toasted pound cake served with i.c. or lemon sherbert - parfaits of all kinds (very loose interpretation) using ice cream, and or cake, layered in tall glass or wine balloon glass. If you can make ahead, use cookies, soak with booze, layers w/wh cream, needs to sit a bit to soak up tho! - ice cream ball, dipped in choc, rolled in coconut, serve w/ tuile or cookie - make fancy ice cream sandwiches with homemade large cookies. The possibilities for flavor combos is endless (think mint, fruit, snickerdoodles, nuts etc) - trifle, the way I learned as a child from my grandmother's cook, in a deep clear bowl, using lady fingers (grocery store bought work fine) spread with good rasp jam, doused with booze, layer of vanilla pudding (instant is fine, I hate to say), do second layer of the same, spread whip cream on top.... delicious, people think you slaved all day - cold soup... very fast! puree cold fruit in blender, stir in other cold juices with vanilla and verbena, very pretty if you swirl in touch of cream and pull with toothpick, add small scoop of sorbet in middle of bowl (obviously great on hot night or outside entertaining), & stick a pirouette in scoop - nutella with anything (my preference is just with a spoon! ) Mix it with cornflakes for a crunchy base or use for layer in some of the above ideas) tastes like royaltine, or those Ferraro-Rocher candies - beignets are also fun and special, particularly for a group. They'll be standing by you at the stove ready with the 10x to sprinkle on them as you pull them out of the fryer! Of course if you can do anything ahead... the sky opens up... but still simple things like summer puddings, charlottes, meringue shells, cheesecake(you could make ahead, freeze, and bring whole or slices to thaw on site). And as said above, bringing components with you, like sauces, cookies etc. will be so helpful. My kids can make a simple layer cake in no time, granted they use a box mix most times, but they can start it at 4 or 5pm, it cools while I do dinner, and they make quick frosting and frost it either before we sit down, or just after we're thru, while i'm putting dishes in dishwasher. Box mixes can be very good, if served very fresh like that. The whole cake will disappear magically by the time i come down in the morning! This was a stream-of thinking answer, but hope it helps!

been following this thread, and would love to join in! I am coming from Annapolis... so must meet you there in CC, or along the way. I would be more than happy to bring coleslaw (I have been told the best for years), or maybe a lemon cake, .... drinks, whatever. BTW, Skins are away in Cleveland on the 3rd, but 1 o'clock game... i guess I have to miss.

Oops. Fine LIVING Channel. Sorry. Living... Dining.... same thing to me http://fineliving.com/

My last restaurant job, I did it all: - daily bread and foccacia for dinner service; - bread sticks; - savory tart shells and parmesan baskets that were filled with things like scallops for dinner entree special; - various types cheese or pepper crackers for weekly private wine tastings; - gorgonzola wafers that were served as the bottom layer of a filet of beef item (a regular menu item); - sage cake rounds for a foie gras appetizer (ooooh, that was my favorite: pan-seared foie gras with spiced and candied pineapple sage upsidedowncake, with diced crispy bits of pancetta and maple cider reduction....to die for!) - cornbread for another regular entree item - all desserts (7 or 8); - at least 6 ice creams/gelatos and 3 sorbets for intermezzo; - cookies, Mignardies; - special order cakes for private dinners/parties; - muffins, scones, danish for private power breakfasts; - pithiviers, braids, tartlets, sausage bread and at least 4 sweet quikbreads for every Sunday brunch - variety of quiches for holiday (Easter and Mo's Day) brunches; - and..... another whole separate menu of desserts for our catering branch whew! it makes me tired just thinking of all I had to do... we were a very busy place; my Exec chef always said I ran circles around everyone, and that I did the work of 3 others! no wonder I worked so much overtime!

I've got LOTS of those... Now we're having fun.... Wendy, is a thread like that allowed? (we could change the names to protect the stup... I mean innocent...)

We had a guy come in last year, Dead Fred, we called him, out of a 2 yr program followed by a job at a steakhouse for a year. He was clearly not working out, so Exec sent him my way (gee thanks, Chef) as he knows I am much more patient. I asked him to break 32 eggs for me into a bowl. Thirty minutes later, he asks me for a "strainer" -- I point him to the pot room and said, "lots of chinois' in there." Blank look. "China caps, in THERE" Still a blank look on his face. Then I had to drag him in and pick one up and say slowly, "strain-er". The thought suddenly occurred to me, so I asked why does he need this....??? He showed me the bowl. There had to have been more than 100 bits of broken shell in there. Needless to say, Dead Fred was asked not to come back the next day.

so true, so true, so true.... Anne, I love your laugh! "More PC's can cook than savory guys can bake. " Yes, I too believe that. Every chef I know always has a story about the time they tried to make choc mousse when the pc was away, and they ended up with choc chip mousse. The amazing thing about this woman on tv was her general ineptitude... her messy ways ... not paying attention to which layer goes when on an Opera torte ... pouring cake batter from a big hobart bowl into a pitcher on the counter, and missing the pitcher letting the batter run all over the place ... scraping stencil paste right off the table onto the floor, and then stepping in it... I am sure the editing made her look bad, and maybe she did have her good moments, but I was flabbergasted at someone who actually WANTED to learn this stuff, and still she was so inept! It's not like they pulled her off the street. Yes, it made me feel pretty damn good... You have to catch it on Wed nite. I might even watch it again!

I checked, it will re-air on this Wed Sept 15 at both 8pm and 11pm EST Here's a link to Fine Dining's listing of it ...(sorry can't figure out how to lmake it words not all the slash stuff ) http://www.fineliving.com/fine/your_realit...7_34901,00.html

I thought you were gonna watch from the bar...?

Did anyone happen to see this last night? It was funny and tragic at the same time. The show is apparently called "Your Reality Check" and features granting wishes to people who want to try a different job. A gal who apparently is "a successful chef" says she has always wanted to do pastry. They send her to a very large bakery called Porto's (location unknown), and give her 3 or 4 afternoons, training her, and seeing if she has the right stuff. (It's not as easy as she thinks it is, of course!) I spent much of the 30 minute show shaking my head in amazement. She is horribly unsuccessful, and I mean that in a surprising way, considering she is supposedly already skilled in the kitchen as a regular chef. As we all know, baking and pastry is science, chemistry, patience, a sure and steady hand, being a perfectionist, and speed (the last with practice). It was tragic to watch her ruin cake after cake by her piping, spraying too much glaze, slopping mousse over the rim of rings, and never bothering to clean up her mess! Her final "assignment" on the last day was to make an opera cake...something she had already practiced. She fouled it up in numerous ways, but the worst was how she never even bothered to trim the cake layer edges (from the sheet pan), and couldn't figure out why in the world the layers wouldn't fit into the pan extender. She just crammed the layers in anyway, leaving the edges all curling up and crumbling around the whole perimeter. Of course they couldn't sell the finished cakes as individuals, so she cut out the middle two patches and they supposedly were sold as whole large cakes. I certainly know speed comes with practice, but she was inordinately slow, not even appearing to try to be faster. I could not picture her behind the stove with orders, work stacking up. Most chefs I know would at least try to be faster, and would recognize how sloppy you can't be, and would at least try to clean up the goop running over the edges of the pan, etc. What I wondered in the end... was if Porto's was compensated for all she screwed up? Or if they just wrote it off for good publicity and laughs. If you have the chance to catch a repeat of this show... watch it!

The one time I dined at Charleston, I had the same comparison in mind. Your mentioning it brought back delicious memories of the Frog and the Redneck! and yes, Joe, I agree with everything else you said in your post. Your observations are right on.

Thank you for your comments so far. I appreciate any and all sides to the story, which is precisely why I posed the question. I do want to know what people think of Charleston. I have done plenty of googling and research (pages and pages!), and am well aware of the excellent reviews of the restaurant, as well as Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman's talents. I also, of course, am interested in the "inside scoop," as I may be employed there... which often gives an altogether different view. I believe John's comments were directed more at my choice of potential work. I wholeheartedly agree that B'more is way behind D.C. In fact, I think 20 years is being generous. There was (IMHO) MUCH better food in DC 20 years ago than there is now in B'more. (I'm thinking Jean-Louis, Roberto, Yannick at Le Pavillion, etc). And yes, I know DC is a better (and broader) place for my talents -- I came from there! My situation is that I am now based in Annapolis (a whole 'nother thread!), with nothing locally to challenge me. Going to B'more is easier for me physically than DC Steve, as usual, you are insightful in your way of presenting/looking at a subject. Yes, we do need to look at what a restaurant is doing in light of it's location, and its competition. That is what makes eG so great a resource. I believe Cindy Wolf to be doing some of the best food certainly in Baltimore, and respectfully, good food nationally as well. I know I am not alone in this opinion. She and Tony Foreman are well acquainted/experienced with the business, DC's in particular, as they came from Georgia Brown's, The Occidental, 701, and don't forget Jean-Louis' and Guenter Seeger's collaboration in Atlanta. The location is changing. Being on the harbor/water is a good thing, it is in any town really, but yes, you get the tourists (just as you have in DC don't forget!). The Charleston Group is making a difference in that area. With Pazo just up the way, and Bin 604 Wine Sellers, they are personally helping to change the face of that side of town, in a good way. Cindy and Tony went to B'more and made their own niche/reputation outside of DC. They have suceeded not just in their own right, but in raising the "level of food" in B'more overall. By putting themselves "on the map", they have helped put Baltimore on the map too. (no, it's not DC, or NY, but it's trying) It is my intention (if I work for them) to help do that even more, raising the bar again. At Charleston, they are trying to provide a very special dining experience, in the food, the service, the wine. There are areas, though, that they want to improve, hence their interest in hiring me. That is what excites me professionally. I can hopefully "put them on the map" for another reason, desserts. Working for any nationally recognized chef is a good career move for me. Anyway, enough about me... I do appreciate any other comments or experiences with Charleston that eG'ers could share.

(Bold mine) As usual, Wendy has hit the nail on the head.

What brand of white choc were you using then? As we have all said before, some are very difficult/unpredictable, and I am curious as to what worked so well for you. Thanks!

Thanks, Rocks, for the impetus to start separate threads... I have only been once to Charleston, and had an incredible dinner. (I don't venture much up to Bawlmer, as I am a Washingtonian). But I have heard many others say it is the best in Balt and Chef Wolf is top notch. Her other Petit Louis bistro is popular too, and many are anticipating her latest project, Pazo, a Mediterranean-inspired place (two blocks up from Ch) due to open this fall. Although I not thrilled with the idea of the commute, I am considering a job there...so I am MOST interested in what people's thoughts/experiences are on the food, service, wine, desserts? thanks in advance for any input

Also tangential to subject, but your post, Red, reminded me of the time a few years back (1995) when I too rolled out, cut and baked star and moon sugar cookies, and then hand brushed edible dust on -- gold (for the stars) and silver (for the crescent moons) , for the 150th anniversary of the US Naval Academy celebration for the Pres, VP, Congress, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Astronauts, etc. Yep, 10,000 of them in a record 2 1/2 days. (I had 3 inexperienced helpers provided to me!)

Which is exactly why I added the recipe (that I posted above) to my restaurant menu!

Here's a bit of a different spin... can't remember whence it came, I think maybe a Jr. League book years ago... Anyway, I have served it at work to great acclaim, either on it's own, or paired/trio-ed with other elements. Pots de Crème Leopold FIRST LAYER 2 Lb Ricotta Cheese 1/2 C Sugar 6 Tbsp Orange Liqueur 4 Tbsp Heavy Cream 4 Oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped SECOND LAYER 12 Oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped 2 1/2 C Light Cream 4 Egg Yolks Dash Of Salt Toasted Almonds/orange segments for garnish FOR THE FIRST LAYER: In a bowl combine well ricotta cheese, sugar, liqueur, heavy cream, and chocolate. Fill 24 small ramekins half full. FOR THE SECOND LAYER: In a very saucepan combine chocolate pieces and light cream. Stir over low heat until blended satin smooth. Mixture should be fairly thick, but keep it from boiling. Beat egg yolks and a dash of salt until thick. Gradually stir the chocolate mixture into the eggs. Spoon on top of the ricotta mixture. Chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with oranges or toasted almonds. Note: sometimes I add Gran Marnier to the choc in the 2nd layer as well, sometimes I omit the choc from the ricotta layer and just make it orange flavored (and the effect is black/white layers). Also I have done this with Amaretto instead of orange, for a more subtle taste, along with other almond based elements on the plate. Both orange and almond complement the ricotta. Serves 24

Sometimes it's also the very IMPORTANT customers. There is a very big chef in town... one of the best, and considered by some, THE best in town. He is late for everyone. He has had so many accounts in arrears, it is scary. But know why he gets away with it? Because he is the best. Not only is he a large account (as he has several restaurants, with various partners), but everyone wants to say they provide their stuff to the best guy in town. It's an ego thing as well. No one wants to stomp on the famous chef. I used to work for this guy 6 yrs ago (he was famous then as well) and I always overheard bad stuff (accounts going unpaid). Nowadays, every once in a while, a vendor wanting to sell us some new incredible olive oil, wine, or cheese will be talking with us about some of the other places he supplies for, and I will ask, "Do you know John Doe?" Then the guy will sit back, screw his face up a bit, and then very carefully say "He is fantastic chef, and he VERY nice man, but he is no businessman!" When I raise my eyebrows as if to say, Why? --- the reply comes "He no pay his bills!!!" This guy is an incredible chef, and very personable. His food is out of this world. I go to his flagship restaurant about 3 or 4 times a year. I keep saying to myself it might be my last. Last week the paper announced he was filing Ch 11 bankruptcy. He is trying to reorganize, but the bottom line, many of those accounts will go unpaid, as Uncle Sam will get his money first.