MarkIsCooking

You guys rock (even if you don't all agree)! Update on my Pate Brisee saga and a few answers to questions posed. They do, by the way, teach us to Frisage ("massage") the dough with our palm pushing out (not down) as you would with a massage stroke. Just once or twice before forming the disk and refrigerating. After some of the posts, I did another crust yesterday. [by the way, I've started doing my test batches as half-recipes to avoid having all these crusts piling up around me!. My family thinks I'm nuts on this whole crust thing.] I used the fork method rather than my fingers. It did seem to be both flakier and not nearly as tough. I don't think I'm there yet, but clearly on a better path. I'm curious about the knife someone mentioned. I was wondering if pushing on the butter/flour with forks was 'working' the dough, though I did have better results as I mentioned. How does using a knife work? Are you literally 'cutting' the butter into the dough (as the expression goes)? Thanks for all the help!!!

KB - Thanks for your lengthy response! Yes, Pate Brisee is the classic pie crust dough. I will definitely give it another go. At this point, the school requires us to do everything by hand (no Robo Coup or anything like that). I'll let you know how I make out. Mark

Pastry experts, please come to my rescue! I'm a new culinary student and I just can't figure out where I'm going wrong with my Pate Brisee. I'll do my best to describe what's happening and any guidance you have would be SO appreciated. PROBLEM: Crust when baked is very hard (i.e. need lots of elbow action to get a fork to cut through it). I'm making sure that my butter is cold, cold surface, cold hands and ice water (but not using any ice). I'm wondering if my problem is when I'm combining the butter with the flour. I'm using my thumb and fingers to combine the 2. Any tips on this process? I'm creating a trough and adding the water only 1T at a time. I'm doing my fluff very gently and using a pastry scraper to be sure I'm getting the water fully incorporated. I'm taking the dough to a point where it's not too moist (my instructor warned against too much water), but the doug does hold together. I form it into a disc and chill thoroughly before rolling out. I am NOT over rolling and using relatively few rolls to get it prepped for the pan. I'm blind baking for 10 minutes and then baking until light golden brown. Anything clear on where I'm going wrong? Any tips that could help me? Thanks!!!! -Mark-

Dave & Lonnie - Thanks SO MUCH for the replies! Dave - you sound like a very proud Dad and I can totally relate, though my oldest is about to turn 15 and doesn't yet have great accomplishments under her belt yet, unless you want to count 1000 minutes a month on her cell phone! She's doing well in school and she's a great kid, so I'm very happy with that for now. If your son has any interest in connecting, I'd love to hear more about his experiences at school and where he wants to go, etc. One of the things I have loved most in recent months since I decided to take this plunge is the wonderful time I'm having meeting new folks and chatting it up about food and the industry and such. Lonnie - You've asked the very same questions that all my friends (and my wife to some degree) are asking. What next? [They're all assuming I'll do well in school - they're a bit more confident than I am after 6 of my 110 classes.] No, I don't see myself starting on a line. The nightlife of hard core restaurant work just won't jibe with my role as Dad and husband as I approach the half-century mark. I've been in business for something like 30 years and so my wheels have been turning about how I might apply this passion. Though I love the high end that the elite restaurants are able to play to, they're not very leveragable in terms of being able to build a brand and a sell-able business. There are exceptions like Jean George and Wolfgang Puck who have done what I'm describing, I think I'm too far down the path to pull that off. So, I tend to think it might be something in the mid-range, with more mass appeal, but with quality and attention to detail that is lacking in that part of the market. We'll see. In the meantime, I've having more fun than I can say figuring out how to really nail a great Pate Brisee (short dough). It was demo'ed in class last week, but my first few attempts did not turn out too well. I literally just took one out of the oven and I have high hopes for this try as I type. Thanks again to you both for replying and I hope you'll check in on my blog to see how I'm doing! -Mark-

Hi gang! Another week under my belt and new blog entries are there. I hope you'll check them out! My Webpage - click on 'Mark's Blog" to read the news. -Mark-

How about adding some batter to a ice cream base and making cheesecake ice cream????

Anybody want to re-energize this Cheesecake thread? I have a great sour cream cheesecake recipe on my site: MarkCooks.com I'd LOVE to see some great additional cheesecake recipes and tips. -Mark-

Do you have a particularly great recipe for Hummus? If so, can you share??????

Reesk - Thanks SO MUCH for the reply and inspiration! I'm only 1 week in, but so far (as they say at McDonald's) I'm Lovin' It! I hope you'll check out my blog once in a while and let me know how the program I'm doing compares with yours AND I really hope you'll PM once in a while to let me know what you're up to. All the best, -Mark-

I'd take the Summer Shack at Alewife hands down over the scaled down version downtown.

Hi everybody! Week 1 of classes are done and I've posted stuff to my blog. Check it out if you can. MarkCooks.com click on the BLOG page

For top quality mail-order fish, go to Browne Trading They service several high end restaurants and do mail-order to consumers as well. I did Nobu's Miso Cod with black cod I got from Browne's and I have friends that still talk about it. -Mark-

eGulletiers - I've never seen a topic that someone here didn't have advice on. What are your suggestions for quick remedies for when you burn your tongue on food that was too hot?? -Mark-

Thanks for the encouragement! Not sure I'll make this a career, but it sure is fun so far learning. Here's a volleyback on your story. In last night's knife skill seminar, the instructor was 45. I'm 47. I don't think my last time around in school I was ever older than my instructors. The good news is that this school is very diverse and there are others who remember the disco era! All the best, -Mark-

First official class (knife skills) is in the history books! My blog has been updated. Check it out. MarkCooks.com click on the BLOG page

I've used Stoddards in CHM, too. I thought they were OK, but on a few items I wasn't impressed. -Mark-

Kevin - That is pricey at about $15 an issue. Can you explain what you love about it? Great recipes? Great photography? Ideas for new approaches? New techniques???? -Mark-

I have not used them, but I've heard these guys are a great place to go. Siraco in Somerville If you use them, please let me know what you think. -Mark-

Fanny - You're going to do great. If you're with someone who is a challenging and smart manager, s/he will keep stretching your talents. You'll learn something everyday. You'll make plenty of mistakes and you'll come out the other side having loved the experience. The hardest thing will be to keep from gaining 10 or 20 pounds! Be sure to post and let us know how you're doing. I'm a mid-lifer starting culinary school. Check out my blog if you get a chance at: MarkCooks.com CLICK on the BLOG page I wish you all the best, -Mark-

Scottie - So here's quick funnie from last night's school orientation. One guy stands up (he looks early 30's) and says something like, "I feel as I'm getting into middle age, I need to make a career change . . . " I'm sitting there thinking, if he's middle aged, I better start studying how that new MediCare program works! To answer your question, I have no clue what I might do with this, which I'm hoping will actually free me to really enjoy going through it. I don't see myself starting on the line in a kitchen. The hours are totally upside down for my life (still kids at home and a wife who goes to bed early). If I got onto restaurant time, I'd never see them. We'll see where it leads. I hope check out my blog now and then to follow my progress and cheer me on: MarkCooks.com CLICK on the BLOG link How I'm going to remember all these French terms and micro-organisms, I have no clue. -Mark-

What's your vote for the best magazines for culinary professionals, culinary students and people very serious about cooking?

I totally agree with Howard. Avenue Q is awesome, laugh-out loud.

Maybe slightly down the road from a traditional salad, I just love Ina Garten's Montauk Seafood Salad (no mayo as you sometimes think when you hear seafood salad). All the seafood is poached. I have never had a person who didn't ask me for the recipe. The recipe is posted on the recipe page of my website if anyone wants it. www.MarkCooks.com - click on the RECIPE page

New blog entries for anyone interested: My website: MarkCooks.com

Matthew - Yes, Mosimann's is members only. It depends on where they stay in the city. I approached the concierge at The Berkeley Hotel and he was able to get us a table. -Mark-