devinf

I'm not a fan of the Taylor but I'm stuck with it. Dunno the model number, but it has a 3 qt. capacity and you pour your base in from the top. Blech. It works just fine and dandy, but cleaning it and doing large runs can be a hassle. I've used the Capigiani (or Coldelite?) that has everything right in the front. Love it. It gets my vote and i wish i had one at work. I think it is the LB-100B model, but I'd have to check next time I run across it. Devin

Ravenous for sure. A great little spot.

I'll second the Rick Bayless recipe. Long prep time but worth the effort. Awesome over carnitas.

How about a bavarian cake? Layer it with a citrus flavored chiffon cake and serve it up with some of that sorbet.

There is also a great book called "The Bread Builders" by Daniel Wing and Alan Scott that has a lot of great information on brick ovens and their construction. Devin

A healthy dose of spray vegalene (aka Pam) always does the trick. Devin

When making ganache with alcohol I usually substitute 20-25% of the weight of the cream. You may have to play with the numbers a bit, but that might be a good start for you. Devin

We've got a bucket of baking jam in dry storage that I have yet to see opened. I have no idea what the difference is, but the idea of it having added thickeners sounds about right (think apricoture-like texture). I've always used plain ol' jamjam when baking and when seedless is needed just run it through a tamis. Devin

The green parts are tasty. Simmer them in cream, puree, pass through a tamis and add to mashed potatoes or used as some sort of a base for other things. Devin

I got shuffled around today on swing shift. On the line a couple fo us would make an extra chunk of pork belly now and again and we'd split that. The official staff meal was pork ribs and mashed potatoes. Then I got rotated over to pastry for the first time and had a grand time sampling the entire menu :) Sugar overload never felt better. A big cup o' coffee topped it all off. Yum. Sign me up anytime, chef! Devin

50/50 brought to a boil for a couple of minutes will do the trick. It should last a week or two, maybe longer - dunno for sure, mine never maks it that long. Or if you want to get really technical, get a Baume meter which registers the density of sugar. The 1:1 ratio should get you 25 Baume. If you want a long-term syrup solution that will last for awhile in your fridge, do a 1:1.25 water/sugar mix and shoot for 29 Baume. At 29 the solution is considered "saturated" and it will keep for a long time without crystalization or going sour. Devin

Equal parts rye flour and water does the trick. Just feed it once a day - take out a portion of the existing starter (say 1 pound) and add equal parts rye flour and water. Rinse, repeat... Here's a killer recipe I made just last week, sorry for the large numbers, but make big batches. Also made using a large 40 quart mixer, so not sure how this would translate into a home environment. You could divide it up or use baker's percentage I suppose... Caraway Rye Sourdough 2#2oz. high gluten flour 2#2oz. organic whole wheat flour 1#2oz. coarse rye flour 3#10oz. rye starter 3#10oz. water 1 oz. fresh yeast 2 1/2 oz. salt 2 oz. caraway seeds 1- Straight mixing method (5 minutes at 1st gear on Hobart). 2- Bulk fermentation for 1 1/2 hours, perform a fold/turn at 45 minutes. 3- Scale out 1 1/2 pound loaves. Bench rest before shaping. I make rounds and proof in baskets dusted with rye flour, but suppose you could make batards or some other shape. 4- Final proof 1-2 hours 5- Bake at 425F with steam. I use a docker on the top of the round before loading it in the oven rather than scoring it. It is a wonderful and fragrant bread. Taste good right out of the oven and even better the next day. Devin

Mostly I see it being used in sandwiches, burgers and diner-style side salads. What kind of comeback are you planning? I like the crunch but it has no taste. If I do use it in salads, at the least I'll mix it with romaine, baby spinach or some other green. And the whole salad wedge thing is just plain wrong... Devin

Before lunch hit I whipped up a bit of our penne we keep for kids, threw in some sauted maitake and chantrelle mushrooms and mixed it with some butter and parm. Family dinner was huge hotel pans of blah mac and cheese (same penne and some sorta creamy cheese sauce thing), green salad and garlic bread (we make our own breads - yum!) Devin

For meringues I was taught: French was done "cold", Swiss was "warm" using a water bath to heat the whites, and Italian or "hot" where you heat the sugar and add it into the whites.