Darcie B

I have baked many cheesecake recipes in a 9" x 2" cake pan lined with parchment and without crust. I do this because I want to use a water bath and cannot find a springform pan that will not leak. I chill the cheesecake and torch the bottom for a few seconds and the cake plops out. I pre-bake a crust and re-invert the cheesecake onto the crust. If you are going to use a melon baller to make rounds you may not even have to take the cheesecake out of the pan. Sounds like a neat idea. I've seen the chocolate covered cheesecake "bites" at Sam's but never on a stick.

I am sitting at work eating my pudding cup, fantasizing that I am eating your creation. It looks divine. I have no guesses as to the next challengee...

But remember, in America, waitresses and other tipped employees make less than the minimum wage, so their tip is actually most of their wage. It's a stupid system but it's the one we've got. Where I live, the minimum wage is $5.15, but tipped employees are only required to be paid $2.13 an hour. I try to keep this in mind when tipping, and usually tip 20-30% unless the service has been horrible, where I will go down to 10% in extreme cases. I used to be in the industry, and I appreciate how hard the work is. Also, I'm fussy and make frequent special requests. I also go out to eat at very few places, and the waitstaff remembers me and my husband because we tip well, so we usually get superior service and sometimes get freebies as well.

I think "informing" you about the payment is utterly crass and totally inappropriate. However, tackiness abounds. My parents pretty much paid for the whole shebang first time around, except the rehearsal dinner and flowers, which my sister-in-law provided since she had a floral business. They even paid for the whole bar at the reception. My inlaws and their friends then went around town and ran up tabs in my parents' name at several bars and a restaurant. My parents ended up having to sell a travel camper in order to pay the bills that my inlaws rang up. I only found out about it this year (17 years later). Hard feelings toward my ex's family are still apparent nearly 20 years later. My parents had a budget that I adhered to, and we cut costs where we could (made our own food for the reception, etc.) My parents put forth a lot of time and effort into making my day special, and I will always cherish the love they put into it, even though my ex turned out to be just like the rest of his family. (My family knew he was a dud. I think one of the happiest days of my mom's life was when I told her I was getting a divorce). For the second (last!) marriage my husband and I had a few very close friends over to our apartment, and a co-worker, who was an ordained minister, performed the ceremony. Including dress (clearance) and food (which I made), I think that wedding was about $150. And it turned out much, much better.

Patrick, I know that when I had this problem, I used only stainless steel bowls, pans and whisks. No aluminum came near the lemon (I had this problem with a lemon meringue pie filling). I used a different recipe than my regular one, and suspect that it was the proportion of ingredients that caused the problem. However, I think it is also possible that lemons pick up a metallic taste while in storage and perhaps it comes out when the juice is heated. Or maybe it is in the zest. I still haven't figured it out, but I haven't had it happen recently (knock on wood).

Everyone is jumping on the "hormone" wagon with this one, but I would hesitate to lump BGH with estrogen and progesterone hormones. They could very well be quite different types. Also, If it is the hormones, wouldn't the correlation also apply to cheese and dairy eaters? This will not change my eating habits one whit. I must die of something, and I am not going to spend the rest of my life worrying about what might kill me. I love red meat (my grandfather was a cattleman), and we had free (and wonderful) beef all year long, but even I didn't eat that much red meat growing up, nor do I now. That's a lot of meat. To respond to Mallet, who said: Hormones are not allowed to be administered to chickens per FDA regulations.

First, thank you so much for participating in this eG spotlight. I have really enjoyed your thoughtful and informative posts. I just wanted to know how you measure dry ingredients when you bake. It has become more common to use weights (and is my personal preference), but I don't see many baking and pastry cookbooks published with weight measurements. When you are testing recipes, do you weigh dry ingredients, use the dip-and-sweep method, or use the fluff-and-spoon method? I find it difficult to get consistent results unless I weigh things. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks.

I'm a little late to this party, but WOW! I love the tea caviar and will patiently (ok, impatiently) await the details. It all looks great.

I have a couple of those too, and I find that an enriched dough works better than a lean dough, so I second Andiesenji's recommendations for a brioche or challah type dough. The outsides of those breads have a little more 'grease' on them so they release better, and their structure is better suited for rising in an enclosed environment. I need to get mine out and use them! They also work well for making ice cream sandwiches. Use them as a cookie cutter on the cookie part, then fill with partially softened ice cream, refreeze, and use a can of slightly smaller diameter to push out the ice cream.

I love that line! Just make sure you announce it on eG when you open; I'm sure you get some customers. I have always wanted to work my way across the ocean to get to Europe (cooking on some sort of commercial vessel). My fear is that I will be someone who gets and stays seasick for the entire journey!

I am also a HOME baker, and my KA will NOT handle heavy bread doughs. If you want to bake bread, I would strongly recommend the Hamilton Beach/DeLonghi/Kenwood. As an aside, I don't consider brioche to be the toughest job for the HOME BAKER. Bagel dough is quite a bit stiffer and I won't even attempt it with the KA - it's a workout even for the Kenwood/DeLonghi.

I think that Peak HP (which, oddly is often touted by the vacuum cleaner mfgs but not by mixer mfgs) rating would be nice. Interesting thing about those HP ratings - my husband's HVAC firm replaced an 82-year-old 5 HP electric motor (so labeled on the fine brass plate attached to the motor frame), with a brand-spankin'-new 5HP model, because it was "inefficient." The new lasted about 15 minutes before overheating and seizing. So they replaced it with a 10 HP model. That one lasted about 2 weeks. They finally had to replace it with a 20 HP model. I guess that the ratings have all gone to "peak" HP and that most of these items can't stand running even a few minutes at their peak level. The now 91-year-old motor is still running fine, powering my husband's air compressor at home. The motor weighs in at nearly 400 pounds and takes up nearly 2 sq. feet of space, which is why it was labeled "inefficient." It didn't affect our electric bill once installed (as compared to the previous compressor motor), so I find it quite efficient, since it was free!

Makes you wonder, why do manufacturers list only power input and not power output? Obviously it is the power that the motor produces that is important, not the power it consumes. Well, I guess the input rating is important if you want to calculate how much energy you're going to use. ← I think they do it because the numbers look better and because the output measurement varies upon how hard the mixer is being used. It's kind of like the power ratings for cars. All you ever hear, "this car has 350 Horsepower." Torque is much more important to the actual performance of the vehicle but is hardly ever mentioned because it is more complex to explain. Same with the torque (output) of the mixer.

I'm not so wild about Kitchen Aid, especially if you are going to do stiff doughs. A lot of it depends on what you plan to use it for. I am fond of the DeLonghi (made by Kenwood) mixers. I have both a KitchenAid and a DeLonghi. The DeLonghi does a much better job at kneading stiff bread doughs and large batches of cookie dough. The KitchenAid does a better job whipping egg whites and loose cake batters because it incorporates the ingredients from the sides of the bowl better. If I had to choose just one, I would pick the DeLonghi because of its power and durability. The Kitchen Aid actually stopped when I put bagel dough in it and I was afraid I had killed it, but luckily it has an overload feature. Watt ratings can be misleading. The ratings refer to the number of watts going into the appliance. Gear reduction and other factors can influence the actual amount of power coming out. It's fine to use the watt rating as a guide but it is by no means the only thing to consider. Edit to add: I have an older KitchenAid, and I have heard from many that the newer models are not the same quality. If you lean toward KA, I would try to get a pre-1986 model on eBay. (1986 is when Hobart sold KA to Whirlpool).

We ran into a similar problem trying to ship some chocolate port last Christmas. It's funny that, according to the list above, Maryland will allow you to ship liquor filled chocolates but it is illegal to ship wine or liquor into the state. We decided to do it anyway, and shipped it FedEx. As far as I know, no one was arrested. At the same time we shipped the port we shipped some locally made chocolates, many of which contained liqueurs (grand marnier, triple sec, even champagne). I didn't think to ask about it, and we shipped it to many states on the "verboten" list quoted above. We have done this for about 6 Christmases now, and there has never been so much as an eyebrow raised, and we shipped most through the Post Office. I'm certainly not going to change my practice now - I think it's ludicrous not to allow that. They can bring suit against me if they want - maybe it is something I could fight to the Supreme Court and get these stupid laws changed. I'll bet I can find someone to finance my case.

The only time I ever visited Birmingham was during that storm. My boyfriend and I were driving two separate cars to B'ham when the storm hit (two a race-prepped cars - lowered & with slick tires). Needless to say we didn't have much fun driving, thank goodness I had driven on snow and ice plenty (I'm from North Dakota), so we made it to within 5 miles of Birmingham on the "closed" interstate and had his brother-in-law pick us up in his 4WD. I was stuck down there nearly a week in BF's aunt's place in Vestavia Hills (a good neighborhood if I recall), and luckily they had a gas fireplace. No hot water, though, so several cold showers. We cooked on the gas grill outside. That week convinced me that BF wasn't the guy for me. What a whiner. Back on topic - we have a charcoal grill and wood fireplace, plus a pilot-light stove that isn't currently hooked up but hopefully will be soon. That makes cooking much easier when the power is out. In addition to several gallons of water, oil lamps and candles, I have lots of pasta and canned tomatoes for sauce (useful only if water is OK), canned chicken broth and other ingredients to make quick soups, canned meats (corned beef, canned salmon to make salmon cakes, canned beef stew and lots of canned chicken breast). We keep instant potato flakes (and canned gravy), oatmeal, other hot and cold cereal items, ramen noodles, crackers, powdered milk, some canned veggies and plenty of dried and canned fruits to round things out. To keep up our spirits, we have plenty of spirits, plus pudding cups and lots of chocolate. Basically comfort food. If we are just going to hole up and water/electricity's not a problem (bird flu or something like that), we have additional dried, canned and frozen foodstuffs to last up to 3 months, but they require a lot more preparation.

We used butterscotch chips in addition to the chocolate chips which would make another layer. I wonder how they would be if you took the scm and made it into dulce le leche...

Although I agree with most points in your posts, I disagree with this one for at least part of the northern Midwest. The population of North Dakota has remained relatively stable since about 1910. Up until the 50s or so, most of what people ate was produced on the farm, with the exception of coffee, sugar and the like (although lots of sugar is now produced in ND). It easily fed the entire population and they ate pretty well, from what I have learned from my grandmother and great-aunts. They canned a lot of produce from their gardens (no freezers in the 30s), dug out root cellars to store potatoes, carrots and other long lasting produce, had their grain milled at a nearby mill, and of course had plenty of livestock to munch on. In the relatively sparsely-populated upper Midwest, supporting the local population on locally-grown foods would not be difficult, especially with modern freezing and canning methods. There wouldn't be any coffee and citrus if it were strictly locally grown foods, but that would be true of most of the U.S. Of course I am not advocating that people give up citrus, coffee or anything just to eat locally, but more could be done in this area across the U.S. that could benefit small farmers and perhaps cut down on transportation and processing costs in the bargain. I sense that more is being done, but that the steps are very small.

Wishek was founded by German immigrants in 1898 and remains a traditional, albeit shrinking, German community. There is only one restaurant left in Wishek and frankly, it is very bad. The restaurant used to serve Knephla Soup (German dumpling soup in a chicken/cream base) on Fridays and may still do so; that would be the only reason to eat there. I can recommend Kroll's Kitchen in Bismarck for traditional German dishes. Here's a little blurb about them (they have two locations, the one shown below and another just off I-94 on State Street, on the north side of Bismarck): Kroll's Diner On Main 1915 E Main Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501 · 701-255-3850 Dress: CC: Casual Outdoor Dining: None BISMARCK. Perhaps better known as "Kroll's Kitchen," this casual restaurant is a true local legend if there ever was one. Cozy and inviting, the downtown location stays busy daily, especially at lunch, when business folks clamor in for a bit of camaraderie and a bite or three of Russian and German-influenced comfort food. Indeed, word has it that their knoephla (a delicious soup of dumplings, potatoes, chicken broth, and cream) and fleischkuechle (spiced ground beef served on deep-fried dough) are nothing short of perfect, and it's not uncommon for the owners to field shipping requests for either to points all over the map.

For the past 81 years, on the second Wednesday in October, the tiny town of Wishek, North Dakota has hosted Sauerkraut Day. This event, sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce, is a thank you from the Chamber to the patrons of the local businesses. Each year nearly 3,000 people line up for a free lunch in the city's Civic Center. What is significant about the number of people is that the town's population hovers at about 1,000, so over 2,000 people travel from as far away as California to dine on sauerkraut, wieners, speck (bacon ends), mashed potatoes, rolls and cheese. The (relative) size of the event gave previous town elders the idea that they could call Wishek the "Sauerkraut Capital of the World," an epithet that was proudly displayed on the entrance signs as you drive into town on lonely ND Highway 13. Sadly, these welcome signs aged about as well as the rest of rural North Dakota and are now but a memory. A view of the line up early on: Volunteers cook and serve the food and drinks, and the local Lions Club assists. The wieners are traditionally made by Cloverdale meats, a North Dakota company that must own stock in FD&C Red No. 3. They are tasty despite their bizarre redness, and I am told that Cloverdale supplies the links for at least two major baseball teams - the Arizona Diamondbacks are one but I can't recall the other. You may have eaten Cloverdale meats and not even known it, because 40% of their production is co-packaged for other pork producers. You can read about their product and history at the Cloverdale website. Here is a shot of one tub of kraut and wieners: The tubs are being constantly refilled from huge stockpots. I don't know why, but I remember the pots being bigger when I was a kid. Sadly, the home-cooked mashed potatoes have been replaced by instant potatoes. The sauerkraut and wieners, though, have been the same for at least 40 years, possibly longer. The "speck" that is cooked with the sauerkraut was changed from salt pork to bacon ends, but I find that change to be for the better, since I didn't like the globs of salt pork rind that used to be found in the mix. Of course, no small town event is complete without ancillary events like a flea market or auction. The Sauerkraut Day festivities included the feed at the Civic Center, and across town, a flea market and raffle. To assist folks in traveling the great distance from one event to the other (OK, it's about 8 blocks), the Kraut Mobile was born: An enterprising farmer decided that bringing an unwanted cat to Sauerkraut Day would ensure that it was picked up by some sucker. Apparently, he was right. This little fella was trotting around the parking lot while hundreds of cars, manuevered by people who got their driver's licenses through the mail, were circling like vultures for a spot near the door (it was a balmy 30 degrees with a 25 mph wind on this fine October day). The cat sauntered up to us and greeted us with a leg rub. I patted him on the head and we left. I just couldn't take the pressure, though, and we returned to claim him as our own. My mother, the Crazy Cat Lady, informed us that we had to take him home with us, as she had enough cats of her own (last count: 14 cats). I am working on taking over the title from my mom, as this makes cat #6 for me (luckily both of our husbands like cats even more than we do). We returned to West Virginia with the cat nestled in between us. Aside from an early bout of anxiety that culminated with a present on the floor and on my husband's boots, he was calm and sweet for the entire 1,300 mile trip. We named him Tater Tot, since he was too sweet to call Kraut Kitty and because he jumped up onto my mom's counter and started eating the leftover Tots from the previous meal. Dedicated sauerkraut fans, mark your calendars for October 12, 2007, the 82nd Annual Sauerkraut Day. edited for clarity and to apologize for the screwed up title

I think fondant is much stiffer than caulk, and I think the amount of pressure needed to push it through a caulking gun would be formidable. I was thinking maybe an electric pasta extruding machine? Although I don't know how thick a rope it would make.

Thanks for the ideas! I will look for those #233 and #234 tips. I used the mini-ball pan for the small balls (just made 1/2 balls so it would be one serving per). I used the larger ball pan (2 halves) for the large ball, but wish they made one in between, because I am NOT at the level of sculpting any cakes! Thanks all for your replies. I feel better about the cake now (the bride didn't seem that impressed when I brought it, even though it's nearly exactly what we agreed upon). The bride's sister said the cake was very well received by the guests, though, and the chocolate went especially quickly. (I used the CI sour cream chocolate bundt cake recipe.)

Ling the whole thing is so beautiful. If you hadn't said anything we'd never know it wasn't on purpose. In fact, I like it off center. ← I agree - I thought you placed it off center on purpose. It's a wonderful execution and I would love to taste it.

The golf balls are just regular cake with a butter/confectioner's sugar icing. The larger one was a bit unwieldy, but held together fine.

I've finally caught up on this blog and it was fantastic! You had me at the teaser, but really got me with the bergamot prunes