maxmillan

Bumpity bump! Jaymes' recipe on page 1 is so worthy of remaking every Christmas.

I want to be able to make gelato and have the option to make ice cream. I've been coveting the Breville Smartscoop. It's fairly new so aside from info I've read online I don't know much about it. The only negatives I've read is that cleaning the bottom bit of ice cream is difficult, the volume is too small and I'm not sure what the material the blade is made of. I'm set on a compressor model. Do you suggest a better brand? I don't want to use corn syrup, glucose, xantham gum, guar gum or carrageenan in my recipe. Would I be wasting my money?

I've moved away from the Cambie corridor area and now find my late night snacking restaurant limited. There are lots of noodle houses in the West End, South Vancouver, and everywhere else but in the Hastings-Sunrise area. Please don't suggest Penny's or On-Lok. Can someone suggest a good wonton noodle or ramen noodle restaurant near the Hastings-Sunrise area, especially one that opens later than 9pm?

Thanks for the Amazon link but I much prefer to buy this in person in a store.

Where in the Lower Mainland can I find one of these wonderful machines? I missed out buying it at a great deal from William Sonoma for under $200. I don't care for the "bowl in the freezer" type as I don't have much freezer space and I've been there and done that and I was not impressed with the results. The Cuisinart self-refrigeration unit which I was eyeing awhile back did not have an overwhelming review so nix that.

So many choices and so much more to think about. I'm afraid I will buy a table and will later regret it when I find one more suitable. I think I will take everyone's consideration and have someone build one for me. I like the idea of the wood table with a s/s sheet on top, even moreso if it's removeable. I also have to consider that if I move, I would want to take this with me and moving it around a staircase would require me to be able to dissasemble it (more to think about.)

Very good points from everyone. I'll start with looking for a used work table and whittle through to a quality stainless steel and the last option will be the Ikea table (although the Ikea is sooooo tempting, heavy wood with lots of storage.) Thanks to everyone for giving me lots to think about.

I was hoping that the s/s table would be similarly durable as the one I used at the bakery I use to work at. They used a Kitchen Aid on that table and it seemed fine even on an island-type table. Esthetically I would like a wooden table but for ease of cleaning and durability I will probably get a s/s table. Now it's just a matter of finding one that I can afford with the features I want. I see Russell's has a 30' X 60" s/s 18-gauge work table for $207. I guess I can fill it in with removeable storage bins and drawers. However, I understand that there are different quality of s/s 18-gauges. Does anyone know if Russell's tables are any good? If not, where else can I get a better quality work table?

I'm looking for a kitchen counter to do prep work on and to eat my occassional meal. Can someone suggest where I can buy this? I saw a wooden counter with shelf and drawer storage on one side and a "stick out" ledge on the other side to sit by with bar stools. This was at Ikea. I also need one strong enough to operate my heavy duty blenders and mixer. Which restaurant supply stores carry stainless steel counters? I'm undecided as to whether to get a more esthetic pleasing counter or a simple restaurant work counter.

I tried the recipe from DocDougherty. It was more effort than I preferred but they turned out great. I used all-purpose flour and still had to knead the dough in the first step. I bought all the pearl sugar from my local gourmet store and will make them as gifts. Thanks for the recipe and tips from everyone.

Thanks for the lead. I'll check these sources out.

Looking for pearl/perle sugar for making Liege Gaufres. Meinhardt no longer has them. Anywhere else in Vancouver or nearby you can suggest? Or even better, can I substitute large grain sugar to get the same crunchy result?

Hmmmmmmm, dipped in chocolate and wrapped in a pretty package for Christmas gifts. Will this stay crunchy after a couple of days?

Thanks for the replies. I will check the higher end market for better vanilla powder creamer. And the links were helpful, too.

I want to make my own cocao mix for Christmas gifts. The recipe calls for French Vanilla dairy creamer/milk. I know you can buy that dried stuff in many grocers but I want to make my own to avoid as much chemical as possible. Is it as simple as getting vanilla and adding it to powdered milk? Is there such thing as dried vanilla powder? Is there a better quality milk powder than Carnation? I'm using Valhrona cocoa powder and hate to cheapen the mix. Any suggestions would be appreciated.