JeanneCake

I wasn't much of a bean person before the bean club..... I still remember years ago when @rotuts posted that the Bean Club was opening up, and immediately I went to the site to join - and I also signed my neighbors up so they wouldn't miss out. I've never regretted it and while I've considered cutting back, the next box usually contains something I was missing (domingo roja in this last one!) and then I realize how much I rely on the bean box just showing up and I don't have to think about it. If I start to get too many unused bags, or have something I'm not likely to use, I give them to friends who love to cook or are on the waiting list. I've told my neighbors we're never leaving the bean club

and that distrust is absolutely warranted. I remember thinking, the next chapter is where some health inspector shuts down their event because of all the sternos! I did a taste of the town event about 12? years ago; the health inspector went round to each table before the doors opened, to certify the vendor to participate (this, after making all the vendors go to a mandatory 1 hour presentation, if you didn't go, you couldn't participate at this charity event! All of us were required to have sneeze guards at the tables 🙄). One local grocery/gourmet was doing a turkey "dinner" (they were trying to promote their Thanksgiving menu) and the health inspector told them their turkey had to be some ridiculous temp or they couldn't serve it. The ended up boiling the gravy, pouring it over the turkey and the inspector did a temp check and only then, allowed them to participate. Regulatory mindset indeed. I stopped doing those events after that; not worth the aggravation. (I did chocolate-dipped marshmallows, and I had to have covers on my display plates because I wasn't willing to rent a sneeze guard for a 2 hour event).

For what it's worth, the high-end caterers that I had relationships with were able to stay afloat doing weekly meals, picked up curbside or delivered. That carried many of them through the end of the first pandemic year; even some of the distributors (meat, fish) got into the game and started selling to consumers. Whoever thought of curbside delivery/pick up should be awarded a medal! At least in Boston, the restaurants have continued outdoor seating during the warmer months, although the mayor has severely restricted outdoor restaurant seating in a few neighborhoods and has a different pricing structure because OF COURSE now you have to get a separate permit in order to serve food outside 🤨 One thing I realized is that people who run a restaurant think differently than people who do off-site catering. It's the nature of the business. One chef I know says he doesn't want to be in the logistics/transportation business and that's definitely a consideration. In a restaurant, you worry about your cooler going down, late deliveries or equipment malfunctioning; with off-premise catering, you have to worry about SO MUCH MORE! You learn to anticipate what could possibly go wrong and have a plan for solving it. It's not only the food, it's the logistics. And for caterers and guests, it's about out-doing the last event with some new interactive station (you can't just EAT, you have to be entertained as well 😄) or finding the next new hot menu item. The book touched on that with a few stories, and I absolutely could relate!

I can't get behind the paywall to read the article; I do remember getting a recommendation to read the book a few years ago. I thought it was interesting - and a lot of what they mention was common practice in the two catering kitchens I shared space with. So for me, I thought, yeah this is the way it is, it's not a huge leap of innovation or anything. It was my oncologist who recommended the book, and she was fascinated by it and everything that goes on behind the scenes. I remember thinking if I'd read a book written by a doctor in a similar vein, I'd probably be fascinated to know what happens behind the scenes too!

I made the usual Havana Moon Chili (more olives, golden raisins, no almonds), 7 layer dip, bought some Street Corn dip, and at the last minute I decided I wanted chicken wings so I braved a grocery store (thinking curbside would surely be out of stock) and sure enough, there was a sign saying 'no fresh chicken wings available'. None of the pre-made ones either! The ones at the fresh-food-to-go counter looked too dried up so I went without. I had the TV to myself for part of the game and I, sadly, do not understand football in the least. I did enjoy the commercials, though; and the Dunkin Donuts one was my favorite (I missed the Sarah Mclachlin one, did not understand the Charlie the human lie detector one, and thought the Pepsi acting/not acting was cute and the Breaking Bad one was done well). I had no opinion about who could/should/would win and thought the halftime show was a snooze fest (are they Oompa Loompahs? StayPuft Marshmallow men? HazMat suits? Is WeatherTec making rain gear for people? 😉) I never manage to keep the Rotel/Velveeta dip fluid enough after the initial melt so there's that

they probably are, and then you'd have to clean/shake them to get the skin out of the gloves. Or maybe not; I'm thinking these look like chainmail and there are spaces where the skins would get caught up in? Usually I boil the nuts with a little bit of baking soda and then toss them on a towel and rub the skins off. I admit I have less and less patience with this method the older I get and then I see the price of blanched hazelnuts and think, eh, it's not so bad! Actually the price of any nuts these days! Edited to add: this method was suggested in one of RLB's books and has always worked for me. I toast the nuts after skinning them....

I love the sweet potato salad from Thrill of the Grill (Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby). You make a dressing from dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, a little ketchup, olive oil, cider vinegar, lime juice, minced garlic and chunk up some peeled sweet potatoes and boil or steam until just tender, chop up some red and yellow bell peppers, some red onion and mix it together and pour the dressing over it while it's still a little warm. I make a huge amount of the dressing so I can keep it in the fridge and make this whenever I want

If you make individuals, use an ice cream scoop (disher) to form them and hollow the centers with a spoon; they should take about 30ish minutes depending on the size. I always leave them in the oven overnight anyway so hopefully your MX oven will cooperate!

When you pipe the chocolate (if you don't want to temper it, you could use coating chocolate or melting wafers meant to coat things. People talk about almond bark but I have no clue what that is, I've never used it) as it sets up (firms up) it will begin to contract, and if the acetate/transparency sheet/parchment isn't taped down to the cardboard or other firm flat surface, it will begin to curl. If you use non-melting sugar, it won't move during transit. You might want to put a parchment round on top of it then wrap the cake in plastic wrap. (the sugar would cling to the plastic if you don't use parchment). there's no harm in freezing it, put the decoration on just before you pack it. Meaning, don't freeze it with the decoration You might want to consider putting the cake in a very close fitting box and then putting that into a larger box with packing materials to cushion it. are you anywhere near Boston? I have boxes I could give you.... The chocolate mayonnaise cake will be great, it was a popular recipe in the 50s/60s and is moist and delicious!

coconut macaroons and to add to the earlier recommendation on meringue - pavlova. You can make the shells and store airtight for at least a month. there are marshmallow recipes that use egg whites, but I haven't made that type yet

If the transparency sheet is somewhat thick, you will be fine. You want it to lay as flat as possible when you are putting the sugar (you could use cocoa, too) on so the powder doesn't get underneath and "smudge" (why I asked about the surface of the cake). Another (more complicated, admittedly) option would be to use some melted chocolate and trace the spiderman/cobweb design on the transparency sheet and let it set up (tape it to a cardboard so it doesnt curl as it sets up). Then when the cake is cooling you can flip it over onto the top of the cake and if the cake is a little bit warm, it will melt ever so slightly and flatten itself on/into the cake. Or if you are a better artist than I am, you could just pipe a web freehand with melted chocolate. are you sending the cake in the tin you are baking it in or putting it on a cake board?

Thanks, Jo. I did consider the Ankarsrum - what was hard for me is that we have about a dozen KA mixer bowls (all of which will fit an 8 qt) and buying multiple Ankarsrum bowls isn't something I want to do right now. But, I will buy one for home! The misbehaving KA was originally at my house so I am without a mixer at home (to be honest, by the time I get home cooking is the last thing I want to do LOL). When I need a mixer for home, that's the one I'm buying

I got a delivery today - extra large eggs from a local (MA-based) distributor were $3.98/dz and the large eggs were $3.89/dz. Heavy cream, on the other hand is $65/case of 12 quarts (Hood brand for any of the locals who want to know). another distributor wants $110 for the same case! On a local Bakery Owners FB page, someone was asking if EggBeaters could be used in baking recipes and I don't know what EggBeaters are to know why they'd be any cheaper than shell eggs?

I had a client order 100 stollen for early December and I bought a lot of candied lemon and orange peel in preparation and then they halved the order. I got it from nuts.com and I'm never going to use what's left. Want it? ETA: I bought it in November and have probably 3 or 4# of each that are still in the unopened bags....

You can buy non-melting sugar from Albert Uster Imports (auiff.com) Are you sending a cake to a friend or are you doing this as a business/side gig? (Because I have a bakery and I think of transporting cakes differently from the average person....) how smooth is the surface of this cake, and how intricate is the stencil? How are you shipping this (insulated with cooler packs?)

Last week, one of my distributors told me their price on 30 dz extra large eggs is $181.00 So it's $6/dz at the wholesale level. I am sure the buying power of grocery chains makes it possible for them to get better pricing so they are selling eggs at $6/dz retail. Even my staff is buying eggs from me now LOL.

Sometimes I feel as if I collect table top mixers. I've had at least 6 different Kitchen Aids over the last 20 years; my original 5 qt is still going strong (I gifted it to a friend when KA started selling 6 qt mixers) after 35 years and sometimes I wish I never let it go. But anyway, I've had more 6 qt and 7 qt mixers than any sane person or bakery owner should have and now AGAIN the latest 7 qt is starting to complain and not turn on when asked nicely. So, time for the commercial 8qt. I searched online and this place I've never heard of, Plant Based Pros, has a competitive price, plus a holiday deal of 3% off, free shipping and no sales tax (January promotion). I don't really like buying from Webstaurantstore (they seem to nickle and dime) and I would absolutely be paying quite a bit more if I bought from a local restaurant supply house. What could go wrong? Has anyone ever bought from this place? What was your experience?

When there's a power failure, sometimes it's a blip - the lights flash off then on and then it's the sudden stop of all the motors (cooler, freezer, ovens, display case, mixer) when the power goes out that makes my heart fall to the floor. I hate that sound.

Passion fruit. I was learning the ropes in a bakery in San Diego and there was passion fruit buttercream in one of the cakes being made. I'd never had it before. The plain juice was nothing special but made into passion curd? Swoon! Passion butterecream! And then I couldn't get enough of the stuff - passion mousse, passion bavarian, a ricotta pound cake with passion syrup..... when I returned and opened my own place, passion fruit was one of the first flavors listed on my cake menu. At the time I was the only place who offered it; no one in this area had much experience with it. I had to buy whole cases of the frozen puree (they wouldn't break cases back then) and I offered it to every couple who came in for tastings. Converted a lot of people that way! And then one of the juice companies started making a passion juice blend and now people are much more familiar with it. Twenty years later, it's still my favorite and I'm not tired of it.

This year, I did a boneless rib roast; and it came out perfectly, I am so thrilled especially given the outrageous cost of it. My father ultimately decided to stay home (we usually go pick him up and bring him home) so I will go to see him tomorrow and bring him meals for the week. Given his age, I worry that each holiday will be the last we are able to share with him so this has been an emotional day for me. It ended up just being three of us, which is fine for me - I am pretty tired and wrung out from this year's wedding season. Thinking of all of you and hoping your happy memories and moments bring a smile to you today.

I'm wishing this "bible" was organized that way - similar to her other books, where there are categories of recipes as opposed to just random collections in a chapter. Yes, there are recipes for roll/chill/slice but they aren't all together in a single chapter. Maida Heatter's cookie books are organized that way and there's a chapter devoted to refrigerator cookies in her first cookie book.....

OMG I'm not the owner, I'm the dogsbody 😄😆🤣

Wow, this has been a fantastic trip; thank you for taking us along. I loved every minute, and I am not someone who enjoys any form of camping/glamping/whatever you want to call it. I loved the photos of the area, I had a real sense of the (cold) weather, rain for days! and the beautiful blue sky when it finally cleared. I've never been to Scotland but now I feel as though I have. Thanks!

yes, you can adapt that method to your recipe. and yes, that blueberry filling is wonderful! I like RLB's cream cheese crust myself. If you use disposable pie tins, you can also bake the shell upside down. Make a sort of crust "sandwich" - line one tin with the dough, chill and when you want to bake it, then put a second tin on top of the dough. Bake the shell upside for the first part of the baking, then (carefully) flip it over and remove the tin on top of the dough to finish baking. You might want to spray the (outside of the) top tin so the dough doesn't stick. We do this with the 3" pie shells we make.

Excellent news!