JeanneCake

We have four (about 10-15 years old maybe?) Blodgett convections; two fan speeds. When I was looking to buy an oven (I didn't); I was looking into Doyon brand in Canada. One of the things to consider is whether he is renting his current space; what would happen if he moved; gas is cheaper than electric to run, but electric doesn't require an overhead hood system I'm told. Your (his) mileage may vary. I would suggest that he call around to repair places and ask what NOT to buy; I did that years ago and the tech said his opinion was to stay away from Baker's Aid because he was always getting calls to fix that brand.

I love the midget pecans from Sunnyland Farms - they're perfect! I've also bought other nuts from them and have been pleased with the quality. In fact, come to think of it, everything I've gotten from them has been excellent and my mother in law now uses them for holiday presents (love their nut brittles!). Shipping is included in the price. They have a website - www.sunnylandfarms.com -

I agree that if she were not getting something out of the experience she would not return each week - but on the other hand she might be hoping that this is the week she does something a little more involved. Does she ask you questions or do you tell her about what you're doing and why as you are working? She may be able to absorb a lot just in conversation (I'm guessing she doesn't have time to take notes while she's polishing molds and whatnot). Have you asked her directly whether she is getting out of this what she wanted? She may not know what to do next or how to do it and perhaps doesn't know enough to ask so if she is not particularly helpful, it may be because she is unable to approach you in a way that doesn't interrupt you or interfere with the work flow. It's hard to fit in when you're only there one day a week and being left handed in a right handed set up probably makes it just as hard for her as for you. I would not expect an unpaid intern to do more than watch and learn and some grunt work; but if she was expecting to apprentice (learn more actively), it doesn't sound like that's what she is doing by cleaning molds and putting away chocolates. I think it would be a really nice gesture to acknowledge the help; a gift card would be a thoughtful thing to do.

I have all of her books, except for Romantic and Classic Cakes (her first). The Cake Bible is an excellent reference; the Christmas Cookie book contains the best recipe for Gingerbread cookies that I've ever used and lots of others that are different enough from what's out there to make a great cookie basket gift; the Pie and Pastry Bible is also equally as good for the fruit/sugar chart and the savoury recipes (I second that chicken pot pie!) I don't use the Bread Bible as much, and agree that the topic is covered by others more informatively. I have Heavenly Cakes, but haven't made anything from it yet. This seems to be a more personal collection of recipes not an update of the Cake Bible. There are people on her blog/forums that are actively baking their way through the book and having good success. ETA correct typos

Jeanne - is it this place? Thank you Kim and Baroness! It's not the original place I was thinking of (still haven't found it), but now I can use the Skor bits and not the Heath bar crumbles - it makes a big difference in cheesecake, for what it's worth

I can usually find Skor bars at CVS; the Heath bars at a supermarket - but while you can buy Heath bar crumbles (smashed up candy bars) in the bakery aisle (so you can add them to cheesecake batter, or cookie dough, or buttercream) you cannot buy Skor bits. And the Skor bits are much, much better! Who remembers the name of the online store that sells "old time" candy - the stuff we grew up on and can't really find easily - if at all? I checked it once and I think they had a 3# bag of Skor bits that I kept meaning to buy and then forgot until this thread!

I have four books that are always on the nightstand. My Enemy the Queen by Victoria Holt A Woman of Independant Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey and both Laurie Colwin Home Cooking/More Home Cooking books. I vividly remember the day I received the Gourmet issue that told of her death, and that she had submitted all her essays for the coming year in advance. It was always the first thing I turned to in the magazine and when the columns stopped, the magazine lost a little luster for me. I may not touch the novels for months, years even; but I am always able to pick up and read a few essays before turning off the light and feeling like I have had a conversation with an old, dear friend. I've used so many of her recipes/ideas.... Funny thing that I've never read her other works, though. Maybe I should ...

For what it's worth, the Perfect Puree is a concentrate not a juice; and any time I've used a concentrate in place of juice (pomegranate comes immediately to mind, as well as the blood orange) I have trouble with things not setting up. My personal favorite for passion juice is Albert Uster's; they are now using Caraman brand which isn't as great as their old label but still really good. If you decide to ditch the whole baking thing, you can do a stove top version from Roland Mesnier's Dessert University book. It's basically a variation of pastry cream (cornstarch and sugar, which is not typical for creme brulee) and you would add the concentrate at the end with the butter; I think this method is fine for making a creme brulee tart (where you put the filling in a tart shell not a ramekin) but it is not the same as a baked custard. It's good, nonetheless.

I tried making a pomegranate curd earlier this year, using the concentrate from Perfect Puree. Disaster. It wouldn't set up. I got some Pom juice from the supermarket and tried it again; using RLB's passion curd recipe as the base (all yolks, sugar, butter, trace of salt and juice), took it off the heat at 186 and it worked fine. I have a thinner curd when I use pasteurized yolks; thick enough to stand a spoon in when I use shelled yolks. The juice gave me a better color at the end as well, nice dark red; and it worked great to pour over a vanilla cheesecake and panna cotta and....

can you soften it over barely simmering water until it's loosened up a bit and then put it into the cases? You could pipe the firmed ganache (how firm is it?) into the cases, but the chopped walnuts may make it hard to use a star or other decorative tip unless it is a wide one. It will set up again and may lose some shine (it shouldn't if reheated gently and slowly, but usually this is not the case for me as I am hurrying it along) and you could always dust the tops with cocoa if needed.

You may like the descriptions in The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum; it's not a comprehensive cross reference regarding how which fats perform in cake recipes because virtually all of them rely on butter as the main fat; there are a few with oil, and one with mayonnaise but for the most part it's a good reference to have.

I want to suggest Ambassador Foods in NJ as a distributor for Hero/Felchlin, and I know that if you were to ask at Sweet Karma pastry shop, their pastry chef-owner, Brian has a local Swiss Chalet rep who might be able to help.

I was sad to learn of the death of Sheila Lukins, co-owner and chef at the now-defunct Silver Palate store, whose cookbooks have sold more than 7 million copies (as reported by the NY Times). I have a copy of the first Silver Palate cookbook, with lots of notes in the margins and stains all over it. My brother gave me the anniversary copy for Christmas a few years back but I still have my old, well-used and well loved book. Here's a link to the obit notice in the NY Times:Sheila Lukins Obituary Notice

Oh, please do continue to post the apparent pleasures from this shop! Thank you for sharing the photos, they are much appreciated. eta: correct typos

The Albert Uster Imports catalog has all-butter shells sprayed with white or dark chocolate; I've never tried them so I have no idea if they are thin, thick or what the coating is like. I keep their small 2" plain and chocolate shells on hand for those 7 am calls for same day orders. They're pretty good for commercial shells.

I just ordered some Crystal Colors from Avalon (www.avalondeco.com); Dave there is really nice and was very helpful. I can't wait to try this stuff! Because I'm painting on fondant covered cakes, we spoke mainly about mixing them with lemon extract; my guess would be that it could be used in an airbrush as well.

Cost wise, how does it compare with shell eggs or even frozen whites? I'm considering jumping to the dark side and switching from Italian to Swiss for my meringue buttercream. I know my costs will be different, me being in Boston and you being in NYC, but I am going through 30-45 dz eggs a week and half of that is just for buttercream and there is only so many yolks I can use for curd, custard, etc. I can't use the frozen whites with the hot syrup, they deflate. So now I'm intrigued and will look into it.....

Are you asking about a bow that is going to go on the flat side just below the edge or so on the side of the cake? Like a shoelace bow (not a multi-looped bow)? If so, you would make them the same way as you do when a bow would sit flat on top of the cake, just sized appropriately. I have a hard time gauging sizes so I usually make lots of them just in case.

I watched the most recent episode via DVR - I've missed a lot of the inbetween episodes but have vivid memories of Debbie's many stretches of truth - I particularly thought she threw one of the guys under the bus with the dessert thing so I am glad that Debbie is finally off and surprized she lasted that long. What got to me was Melissa's introduction during her dinner presentation. She spoke well, from the heart and to my mind, sincerely. I would probably watch a show she was in. The other guy, not so much. He's nice and likeable enough; just not as compelling. Maybe because the last time I watched I heard him say the same thing about his daughter and cooking on Saturdays - for all I know he's told other stories on all the episodes I haven't watched! It's like when you watch a TV show that you are never around to see when the originals air, but you catch the same stupid re-run any time you DO get to watch it!

Having some leftover chocolate cheesecake batter, I decided to try cheesecake lollipops. I baked off a half sheet, using a pan extender and foil instead of a crust; I refrigerated the baked cake for a little while (probably not nearly enough), then cut them up thinking I would dip squares and decided that round would be better. So I mashed them, shaping them into rounds and stuck the lollipop sticks in and they're in the walkin freezer overnight. What are the chances that when I dip these in the morning the sticks will come out or off?

A plane shaped sugar cookie would be too cute .... and a jar of hot fudge sauce to dip them in.... decadent

thank you for sharing the photos!

Lisa, thanks for the photo of the pietra dura technique - I couldn't tell what the ivory was in the first photo - and it certainly didn't look like an inlaid design but you never know! Jossa, I would love to see a recipe for mud cake; I hear it is the choice for Australian wedding cakes but have never made it, or seen a recipe for it. I know there are a lot of flavor variations on it, as well. I have a very humid walk in cooler; I can hold a fondant covered cake overnight but that's it. It has to be well wrapped - either with a bun bag or in a box and that in a bun bag but it still develops condensation. Were I to leave it uncovered, I'm sure all the fondant would melt away! Home refrigerators may be far less humid, but you can't go far wrong with putting the fondant covered cake into a box, and then wrapping that with plastic wrap. You might even check out Squires Kitchen (www.squires-shop.com) to see if they do ready made fruitcake - maybe even Jane Asher might have something ready made available as well.

Is the white rectangle with the raised white and darker coloring in the lower part of the photo the example of the pietra dura effect? That sounds intriguing....