highchef

That's it, except the picture I saw was at least 4, possible 6 layers, and the filling wasn't as thick in between. Easy enough to do if the client insisted on more layers, don't you think?? ← Just looking at it from a traditional wedding cake perspective, I think it would be a nightmare. I mean unless it's a very small reception or if it's completely untraditional and they just want dessert. But I didn't see this in the magazine. Maybe it's the next trend. Or maybe I need to get out more. ← I agree, it'd have to be served pretty fast. The layers would need to be much thinner if it were more than the 2 shown in the picture, and I'd see how it'd hold up frozen first. I'd go with dobage', it's traditional for the groom's cake around here. My husband had 2..one chocolate, and one lemon. yummmy.

Joe wrote: "Speaking as a graduate in economics (whoop-dee-do), if you're in a good restaurant and you're not familiar with their menu or the cuisine, order the steak. Lowest markup (usually) of any item on the menu." as a graduate in economics as well, it would not have crossed my mind to try to value a steak without some firsthand knowledge of what sort of steak I was getting. I've had 'like buttah' steaks that were (imo) terribly undervalued, and shoe leather that whatever the cost, was too much. Value is so much more than the listed ingredient, it's preparation, quality, skill...and that's just for the meal. start factoring in the other variables (another graph please!!) overhead (high end locale?) local employment factors...geeze. It becomes an instinctinal (sp?) thing after a while. It either works together to create a sustainable business, or it does not. With all the variables, it doesn't take much to throw the whole mess off, does it? However, I do like the premise of trying the less popular dishes. But it wouldn't take much for me to resort to the tried and true. I'd really have to know and trust the chef! Hey, they don't call economics the dismal science for nothing!

That's it, except the picture I saw was at least 4, possible 6 layers, and the filling wasn't as thick in between. Easy enough to do if the client insisted on more layers, don't you think??

The wsj had an interesting article regarding purchase of organic foods on Tues. front page of the Personal Journal. Given it's origins from a business oriented paper, the article gives weight to 'worth' balanced with benefit...or perceived benefit. Basically, it tries to break down what is overpriced, and what makes sense to pay more for in the value you get from it being labeled 'organic'. Beginning with sales figures etc. showing the ever increasing market for organics, and naming the major players, the article goes on to breakdown what foods make sense to buy (and pay the organic price for) as organic, and which ones do not. Some make sense not to fork over the extra $, like fruits you'll peel before eating, ie oranges (obviously not if you're going to use the peel) and banannas. They also give the ok to broccolli, frozen sweet peas, frozen corn, asparagus, avocados and onions, stating that levels of pesticides are low even in conventional versions. Also safe without the organic brand would be foods you eat only occasionally. To buy organically grown? apples, peaches, bell peppers, strawberries, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, potatoes (!!) carrots. Milk and dairy products (free of the growth hormones that are given to conventionally raised cows) Milk does not have to be organic however, to be hormone free. Meat and poultry. Free of growth hormones and antibiotics and last but not least: baby food. seafood is a large question mark, as even wild caught can still have alarming levels of mercuy and other things that people would rather not consume. being from Louisiana I can relate to this problem in an intimate way. The future for organic seafood seems to lie in farm raised fish fed organic meal. A compromise to be sure. The entire article shares points and counterpoints to both conventional farming and organic, raises grey areas (exactly how much grass allows a cow to be labeled grass fed? not much!) and gives a balanced account of the industry and what benefits you can get from it if you are fairly knowledgable and not a sucker for labels and hype. I found it very helpful, especially in the areas of meat and dairy. I was getting a bit pissed off with the prices I was paying, especially for the meat. It is a very large differential in prices between reg. and hormone free..even ground meat. Milk and other dairy is almost as bad. I don't think I'm going for the organic rice krispies though....the wheat products were mostly ignored, and at least for now, ignorance is bliss.

I have seen this 'cake' somewhere. I have a ton of cakebooks, but I'm thinking it was on the cover of a mag recently (w/in the last yr.). I can see it in my head. Give me a day or 2 to try to find it. It may have been a variation of a dobage'...I know that dobage is unique, but I'm refering to the technique and the filling rather than the 'cake' layers. Southern living maybe?? I can't search their site because you have to be a current subscriber, but maybe someone here can. In the meantime, I'll check my mag. backlog. Good luck.

The life span is limited by the peanuts, if you start with a peanut that tastes nice and fresh, these babies would likely taste fine for months. There is enough sugar in there to prevent mold or bacterial growth. Drying and stale peanuts are your only issues. ← Believe me, unless you hoard them, storage will not be a problem. I've not been able to keep them longer than a single day, unless I hide them. When I made them last week, I gave the crew each a single bar (and friends) and had enough to throw one into lunches for school. I had to hide them (where they never go, the laundry room) and sneak 2 out each morning. That has been the longest (5 days) I've ever been able to keep them. I've made 4 batches since Christmas and the others were gone in 24. I hate to see what happens when I get the hang of the chocolate dipping..if they turn out looking as good as they taste I'll have to hang out a shingle. (I'll send you royalties Kerry!)

you know, if you left out the flour, this would be a neat dip. I was expecting eggs...does this rise much?

When I asked, I was told Julia Child's "The French Cook" was the way to go. And it is a classic. Autoeat serves out a classic:! An old cookbook that is fabulous for vegetables is The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash from Asparagus to Zucchini it does it all. And then you have the Time Life series...Good Cooks. That is something to buy.

Joni, we made these last weekend. The college girls decided to cheat so we only made the nougat from scratch. I cannot do math anymore, and neither can they (after a bottle of wine) so if someone wants to bring this down to a lowest common denomenator...be my guest. Nougat: with common measures 1/2 plus 1/8 cup of water 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/2 cup peanut butter You have the directions http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=92495 The caramel came from brach's. The store bought caramel did fine, for a shortcut. We used roasted unsalted peanuts (planters) ( instead of raw, then roasting then getting the paper off). Another short cut. All in all, the nougat only takes minutes to make, and with the shortcuts you're looking at just minutes in actual 'work'. The chocolate coating is a pain, and as soon as I figure out how to dip milk chocolate successfully I will share. In the meantime, they're fairly ugly. However they taste wonderful, and everyone loves them. I may make another batch today, and if I do, I'll make the caramel. I'm also wanting to make them with lightly salted roasted peanuts. I think that might put them over the edge a bit. Kerry is correct about the rice paper. In this nougat recipe they are not necessary, and mine tend to pull off anyway. since the nougat is crumbly, press it well into a greased pan, Use a very sharp knife to cut the bars too. I wonder if I added mycryo to the chocolate it would thin it out for a more even coat???

I bought some, but remembered this from the panattone I bought in Boston last year. Like a cupcake, the batter...what ever it is, really sticks to the paper. Now it could be that a stiffer dough, like a bread dough, wouldn't stick? I doubt it though. Can they be sprayed or does that compromise them?? I'd like to make some breads for Easter, or even mini king cakes in them as desserts @ Mardi Gras.

There have been policies in place for years to eradicate nutria in Louisiana (Miss. too, i guess). There's a 5$ bounty/tail for one, which should bring in some pretty good money here and there for coastal hunters, and then there was the nutria fur fashion show a few years back down in Cameron. I don't think that caught on as much as croc did.. see the bounty thing at http://www.nutria.com/site6.php I don't really get the 'rat' thing. Are they rats? To me they look like a beaver with a ratty tail. Do people eat beavers? arn't they pest in many areas? Wonder about a side by side taste test. I've never eaten them, but have shot (at) plenty. They're pretty fair game for shooting practice, and the gators eat the carcass'. I say put a bunch of 12 yearolds with high powered air guns on em, and they'll be gone in a heartbeat! I wouldn't mind a coat though. a friend who tried one on said they smelled a little bit, but I don't think febreeze was on the market then!

Paula Dean makes one with chessman cookies..I think that might be a fairly good trade off especially if I sprinkle w/rum. I might need a slightly heftier cookie to take on the liquid. Otherwise, I don't remember the rest of her take on them...doesn't matter. i don't mind stealing ideas here and there if it's for the greater good.

After reading this post, and Chris's about the competition I checked the link out to see what the deal was. Brown tree snakes in Guam, kudzu in Georgia...yes, yes, and yes especially to the nutria here....but I have brothers and neighbors who pay to shoot white tailed deer, and wild pigs, and cabrito (sp) is a GOOD thing. dandelion wine is not uncommon still...I know at least one person who makes it on a regular basis. I've thrown dandelion leaves in a salad mix quite a few time (early spring) with none the wiser. But.... CRAWFISH???????? my God, do you know how much we'll be paying for a sack of mudbugs with Mardi Gras so early this year???...geez. One man's trash.

ah, 12th night. Thank God Mardi Gras is early, other wise it seems it goes on forever. I make king cakes too, I actually like solo's almond filling for mine. Very 'almondy', 1 can is perfect/1 cake. I'm not big on gimmicky cakes, i.e. bananna, strawberry, creamcheese, etc. I like a nice nutty center, not gooky..more along the lines of a coffee cake. what recipe do you use? I modify a potica recipe. pretty much the same deal.

I'd add turnips for the breast, and pearl onions, a half bottle or so of a decent red. thicken at the end. How big are the breast? Are you planning to leave them whole?

Yes, please! I'd be curious as to what the WSJ thinks are the important elements. To me, it's "think like a chef" and combine complimentary flavors and balance of sweet and sour. I wonder what their criteria is. edited to add: Never mind. I just had a friend e-mail it to me via her Lexis/Nexis account. Great article! I particularly enjoyed the recipes and stories behind them. ← Katie, I'm sorry! I didn't note to follow this topic, and I'm just reading your reply. I'm glad you got a copy though, is interesting, isn't it? Patty

Well, of course they do. The church exist on the premise that we consume Christ at every Mass. Catholic Theology is based on a meal. A Kosher kitchen...all about eating. And then some, I admit. but the ritual of it...of just the preparation.. is a heck of a lot of work and effort for a meal. Now, food and religion both being a panacea for what ails you..the nexus might be the comfort they bring. You would not have religion w/out death. the faith that something more is there is comforting. You're hungry. you eat. the food comforts you. death and hunger are great fears. Faith and food and great healers.

If you do go with the fondant/mints this recipe is super easy. i forgot about it, but when I was putting cookbooks and recipes away this morning I came across it and realized it was the way to go. I made mints @ Thanksgiving using this recipe and it was incredibly easy.

salmon crouquettes? spam..seriously! I think 50's food is funny, and fun, like fondue. the salad w/ the canned pineapple and sweetened mayo w/grated cheese on top. all things hawaiiian (sp?) or doing with a coconut like drinks. swedish meatballs. 7-up cake that cake w/ the yellow liquor...I always forget the name of that stuff. you make harvey wallbangers with it. I can see my mom now, bringing home the newest recipe that was flying around the office to try!

And somewhere I had a recipe for Jordan almonds too. Homemade would be a kick! Why in the world would anyone bitch about a wedding favor being cheap??? they only have to buy one gift. The bride's family has to buy for everyone! check the cost of gift boxes lately? I love Jordan almonds. they remind me of my dad.

Got a recipe? ← There are 2 ways to go. A classic cream cheese butter mint each recipe will make about 8 dozen 1" wafer mints, less if using a mold (make it a cornstarch dusted rubber one) 1 (3) oz. pkg cream cheese, room temp 2 teaspoons butter flavoring 1/8 teaspoon oil of peppermint (or wintergreen etc.) 1 pkg (16 oz) powdered sugar paste food coloring as you like. combine all except color @ low speed until blended. add small amounts of food coloring at a time until happy. beat @ med. until blended. (with gloves on) knead to soften and press into molds. let sit overnight, turn out onto lightly dusted (cornstarch) surface and let air dry in a cool place 24 hrs. keep dry. My choice would be a classic simple fondant. no cheese. no butter flavor. This is the stuff that coats petit fours, or liquifies in the center of choc.covered cherries.. this is adapted from candy from the good cook series (time life). Fondant: 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup water 2 tbs light corn syrup in heavy pan stir over med. heat until sugar dissolves, putting a lid on the pan for a few minutes to allow the steam wash down the sides of the pan (or you can brush w/ a pastry brush..the former is easier). when sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and put a candy therm. into pan and bring syrup to a boil over high heat and cook to 240 degrees F. (116 C). dip base in cold water to stop cooking. pour fondant out onto marble slab, or a cool surface lightly sprinkled w/water. w/metal scraper turn sides toward the middle to allow the syrup to cool evenly. when the syrup becomes viscous, work it with a wooden spoon in a figure 8 motion. it'll become opaque and crumbly. W/wet hands gatherethe mix into a ball and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and white and malleable. cover w/damp cloth and let cure overnight. then use or store in fridge for months. I've used fondant a year after making it and it was fine. Just wrap it well, make sure to ziploc, and reseal again in the container to keep out unwanted odors. When ready to use, in double boiler stir until melted. add color and flavor. add a bit of water or sugar syrup, just a tablespoon or so. I've used orange water with lemon extract for flavor and a little orange food color. for a wedding, I'd use a teaspoon (maybe 2) of a clear mint extract and what ever color(s) you want. I put 2 teaspoons extract in my last batch (made choc. mints, like andes, only in cups) and it was perfect. the beauty of fondant is that you can start playing with it now, and it'll keep until your ready to pour into your molds. I'd stay w/plastic for these, they should not be difficult to pop out at all. The difference between the 2 recipes is going to be mouth feel more than anything, and the cream cheese will be richer and smoother. I like the fondant better though, easier to mold, taste great, doable waaay in advance. have fun! Patty

Joni, I'm going to make some this weekend and I'll jot down the measurements for you when I'm done. I need to do that for the college kid's girlfriend anyway, she does not have a scale and I'm not inclined to lend out mine. I'm going to go w/the lightly salted/roasted peanuts to see if how it changes things up so I can get the best result or a good result with the easiest route. I'll let you know. Patty

heart shaped butter mints. Kills 2 birds w/1 stone. Won't have to worry about bad breath!!plus, easy to make and can match her colors. non perishable unless left out in the moisture. And a box small enough to be a place card holder wouldn't hold much of a larger treat i.e. truffles, but smaller mints/chocolates would be enough to be a real gift. edit: spelling, as usual

I see you have other responses, but I would steep the bananas in a bit in the rum. Banana pudding is intended for overripe bananas, so I wouldn't worry TOO much about the browning on the bananas. You know, some cream of coconut subbed in just might make the whole thing go over the top with bananas and rum, with some grated coconut on top, and maybe some chocolate microplaned on the hot meringue while it is cooling... Edit to add: Thanks highchef. I think I will be blowing my family away here pretty soon. I have pictures of this dessert in my head now. I like the wafers crisp. Telltale sign of a fresh pudding. ← coconut milk for the milk in the pudding? can you reconstitute dried bananna chips with rum? I think we're reinventing the dish here, but it sure sounds good! I like the wafers crisp too, so unless I was going to make it a trifle bananna pudding I need another way to incorporate the rum, I do think soaking the banannas (either fresh, or chips) would be the way for that little change. Thanks!

I don't know why, but I keep wondering as I read this thread, how I could incorporate a wee bit o rum in there?? I only hesitate because I'd be afraid it would screw up the pudding cohesion. Any thoughts? I know, I know, you could put rum flavor but that's not really my point. Think of a great bread pudding, like from Antoines', with a buttery, bourboney, sweet sauce. Now imagine a bananna pudding with that rum flavor. I don't think I'd do a sauce, it'd screw up the meringue-wouldn't it?