cbarre02

Grated carrots that have started to ferment... you know how they get the foam. That makes the most flavorfal carrot cake i've ever had. It actually tastes like... carrots

Brian what you are doing at work is a beutiful thing, offer quality products to people who are interested in quality products. But what if an executive chef knows how to make his own desserts, then it's not so bad right.

Come come now, i don't think that many moves are made on big headed haste. Many moves take months to plan, especially for executive positions. I am not saying that a spot on the list doesn't help get there foot in the door, but given the turnover rate in this business why is this such a shock. Sure executive chefs don't see the moves that pastry chefs do, but there food makes a restaurant what it is... 80%+ of the food that is served in a fine dining establishment is savory. There for what the executive chef choosed to do, would be in the best intrest of the pastry chef to take note, and play along. A pastry chef gets tired of it, get offered more money... you do the math.

Braised sous vide with spices, butter, and apricot puree.

Currently on our tasting menut i'm running a dessert with sweet corn finanacier, blackberry-thyme sorbet, apricot reduction, and "Smoked" Caramel. The Blackberry goes very nicely with the thyme, and all of the other elements... especialy the smoke and sweet corn.

Warm knife under running water and slice the paste into a small dice, do the same to some salt queso fresco, and drop bothe of them into your mexican hot chocolate... Good stuff. Great with salty "dulce de leche", and not so sweet tres leches cake. In some instances i prefer this product to the spanish membrillo, though it is often to sweet.

Chef Grant, I hope that all of the effort that you place into to this venture, is returned to you ten fold. Best of luck, and I am looking forward to this. Cory

three baked potatoes, with equadorian sour cream... Imagin butter sour cream, heavy cream, and salt mixed. That's kind of the flavor of the sour cream

No apples at all in this one.

Cookbooks are never to be trusted 100%, try the recipe first and find out for your self. Never use an untried recipe, when it is an important situation. New recipes are good for big occasions, new recipes that don't work are not.

Okay i am sick of waiting (said with humor). I am trying this recipe on monday night, i don't have all of the ingredients... but will deal with what i have. I will post a picture of the results. Thanks All!

I never understood the whole fried herb thing. They all seem to get bitter, and fatty. But then i guess that i have not eaten that many varieties. I like to turn the mint to a syrup and get it on the plate that way. I don't have a problem with herbs on a plate, but like wendy said... they have to at least go with the dish. Don't you just love how we get away from the subject. I will agree that it depends on the quality of the mint that is on hand. Though i have had quite a bit of sucess with leaving the mint on the stalk, and leaving it submerged in water in the cooler. I have held it for up to four days this way. But i thing that the worst thing that you can do to the herb is expose it to frequent temperature changes. Just think of herbs that are growing outside, when it gets cold they get crappy. But then again I don't have much of a green thumb.

If you dampen the paper towel a bit, it will prevent the mint from drying out.

Well here they are. I did individual sized tarte tatins, only six 1/8 slices of black plantain. about 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Melted some whole butter, put two teaspoons in a self constructed aluminum foil pan. Topped that off with two teaspoons of sugar, and a touch of salt (i love salted caramel). Pin wheeled the six slice of black plantain in the foil. Bake in the aluminum foil (on a pizza stone) for 15 min @ 400F. I remove it from the oven and used a sable base to invert the plantains onto, the base is about the same size (or a bit smaller) than the pin wheel. Sorry about the quality of the photos, I took them whith my phone. I guess i realize phones should be ment for callin people.

black plaintians taste like tangy banana to me

Amazing. Imagine Salty caramel, Brown butter, and tangy banana. better than i had hoped for, picture to come

I have the first tarte tatin in the oven right now? I'll post a pic when it's out

I'm going to give it a shot this weekend. I will post a picture of the final outcome. Any other ideas as to what can be done, as far as more modern aproaches go?

I was wondering if any here has ventured beyond the simple fried sweet plaintians, and tried to do something more with them. I know that plantians usually end up on the savory table in most south american countries, but i find the black ones so sweet that they would lend themselves nicely to dessert preparations. I am thinkig a Black Plaintian "Tarte Titan" toped with ice cream of choice, these little guys caramalize so nice and with out burning.

How about a yougurt panna cotta with berry soup and honey?

I always would chew the erasers off of pencils... till one day my grandfather told me that if i kept doing it my "ass would explode like a dog who ate razorblades". How is that mental picture for an eight year old.

I like the idea of doing it live... What about on tuesday?

I am sure the thong could worked better than the handshake.

Steve great post, it really got me thinking. You know I am still of the generation of the new culinary school grads, well at least close enough. And you are right, 90 percent (or more... honest) cannot execute desserts that wow. Especially classic desserts, and the more modern ones can be just as difficult. You are right in saying that most people specialize in some area, and therefore fall short in others... Brain surgeons my have the most innovative jobs in medicine, but I don't want one fixing my ingrown toenail (sorry about the mental picture). I have to say that I was wrong in statement that "they can all make great apple tortes", though some of them may. Your post made me reflect on my own self, and what I am great at... and not so great at. Can make an apple tart? Yes, but will it be the mind blowing experience that it could be... maybe not. I think that your right that those who excel in traditional type desserts should see congratulations for them. This is life commitment that they have dedicated them selves to, and strive for perfection, just as the do the "crazy desserts chefs". I suppose ultimately it does come down to the chef, and what they are striving for. As chefs we want ultimate satisfaction for our customers (or at least I hope we do), so we find the best way that we know how to do this and stick to our guns. The longer we spend in one style the better we get (in most circumstances), but also the more we neglect other styles. There are few who have the kinesthetic ability to just "get" every thing. Chefette made a profound statement in her break down of pastry, there are so many types of styles so too are there so many type of pastry chefs. The ones who excel in there categories, or style should all get the credit they deserve. Some where along the way they have made a decision that they want thier food to be great, and so they put there time, blood, sweat, tears, relationships, and all the other things that this career can take, on the line. There is one thing that we all can agree on; this business is a jealous one. If we don't give to it what we want in return... it will bite us, HARD! So Cheers to the pastry chefs making those oh so wonderful warm apple tarts, to the pastry chefs making the "Crazy desserts", and all the others who are doing there best to make great endings for your meals. You have a position; what ever your styles maybe, do it to the best of you ability. More importantly is the respect for each other and each other’s style, which we have to have.

I don't see why yo could not use this type of mold for a short cake. The hole in th middle provide a nice nook to put all of you goodies, and would allow the cake to soak up the strawberry juices quite nicely.