Jump to content

Sethro

participating member
  • Posts

    637
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Sethro

  1. I think you'd be surprised at the number of "pastry chefs" who are promoted from within (mostly at small independent restaurants) when someone no-shows or quits...these "pastry chefs" usually don't know much about anything and are stuck making desserts.  In my opinion they can have the title "dessert chef" but certainly don't deserve the title "pastry chef".

    This is very true and describes me pretty well, although the progression of my promotions wasn't as direct or within one company. I would be a bit screwed if I got saddled with running a breakfast buffet.

    However, I might as well be called pastry chef because that is the term that people recognize. The same way I continue to call a lot of the newer technique "molecular gastronomy" because it is the most effective way to get the point across the largest audience with the fewest words. The point of language in most circumstances is effective communication.

    Basically "dessert chef" sounds awkward because there is already an established term that everyone uses and understands.

  2. Oh, I was just imagining that there was a better way to maintain the texture of a curd than by using gelatin or agar. If I use enough gelatin to move it without breaking it, it will be pretty rubbery, right? If I use enough agar it will get grainy. I'm guessing because I haven't tried it yet. If I don't have to order another ingredient for the pantry I'd rather not...

    I never tried Sam Mason's or Alex Stupak's but I guess I imagined it being a more revolutionary process. I'm happy if it's not.

    EDIT: Also, if I'm using agar, what am I boiling it in? Just the lemon juice alone before I start the curd?

  3. Wouldn't using something like Lapsong Souchong tea create the desired result? Certainly sounds interesting.

    Very different flavor than wood smoke of any kind, but totally viable option. So is a dash of chicory extract or liquid smoke in the cream measure. Smoked salt garnish is another way to go.

  4. Rhubarb is my favorite dessert right now, the sumac sable, rhubarb ricotta, pickled rhubarb and cherry leather are an AMAZING combo. I also love the Rhubarb noodles with the hibiscus rose soup, greek yogurt and palm nuts....the texture of the noodles and palm nuts were similar, yet different and complementary and the soup was cut well with the rhubarb and greek yogurt ....

    Are those the same as palm seeds? Just curious.

  5. Thanks for all your input.

    About freezing, is there any dessert that freezing will change the texture ecen after thawing?

    About the roulade,

    i will pre-role the sponge when it is still very warm  and leave to cool so that i can role it easier afterwards. My wonder was that if i need to leave the sponge to cool completely on the silicone sheet...what do you guys do?

    Further, if you are to butter n flour the silicone mould like any toher type of moulds...what benefit do we get from using silicone.

    Pardon my ignorance,

    iii

    I believe that freezing and thawing changes the texture and flavor of everything. I try not to freeze something unless it is to be served frozen.

    The benefits of silicon are:

    1) it can be poured into any shape

    2) It can be super-heated or cooled without any damage

    3) It remains flexible throughout the entire range of practical temperatures (for our purposes), making un-molding cakes and other delicate confections very easy.

  6. Sethro's suggestion is good; I use a hair dryer myself. I hope someone else will be able to help re: sponge sheet. :)

    Missed that bit. Is he asking about sponge on a silpat? I've never had any trouble with that--seems to come right off clean every time. Why would you roll it on the silpat? Like for a roulade wouldn't you need it on parchment to pull it tight anyhow?

    As for cheesecake, the easiest way is to freeze and invert, but with some very delicate style cheesecakes you can't touch the surface even then without marring it. For the ricotta souflee cake at perilla I had to cut it at room temp right on the silpat (using a cake knife on a silpat won't damage it).

  7. Candlelight Inn in Hartsdale for Wings

    Agreed here - I grew up in Westchester, so much has changed there dining-wise, but certainly not that. I will find out what's good for Japanese up there.

    Besides White Plains, I believe Yonkers is a bit of a hot spot too, mostly do to Peter Kelly opening up there last year (FWIW he beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef)

    http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/x2o-x...-on-the-hudson/

    Haiku Asian Bistro in Cross River is great for Nobu-style Japanese and OUTSTANDING for American style Chinese. Probably the best I've had.

    The decor is nice but cliched, the service a little amateurish, and the location is in a strip mall...but man is the food good.

  8. We used to burn the **** out of the rice in the pan, then pack it in a paco beaker with sorbet syrup and voila. You could do the same thing without toasting it. Just remember that with any other highly starchy base you won't need much stabilizer.

×
×
  • Create New...