highchef

Was it served cold?

highchef~ which wine country? which restaurant? Sounds like the kind of landscaping that I am looking for (in OUR wine country!) I should post my plant list...............very Meditterranean. ← Sorry, so late getting back. Napa...about 8 yrs. ago. neither dh or I can remember the name of the resturant..sorry. I can't say enough about how high I got off that landscaping though..I thought I was going to trip when I saw how they used edible plants for everything from hedges to ornamentals to grasses. You get the pic. Only in Calif. can you plant like that. Wow. I'd love to be able to do that. Gets too hot here for most of that sort of thing. Let us know how this turns out, ok?

This reminds me of a resturant we stopped in, several years ago in wine country. EVERYthing, from the borders (rosemary), mass plantings (artichokes) and ornamentals (lemon grass) was for use in that resturant and it was awsome. I know that in the 'back' somewhere they hid the tomatoe and squash plants, but the landscaping effect was perfect and practical as well as beautiful. I thought they were pretty ballsey because the rosemary flowers really attracted the bees, but the waitress said they have some arrangement w/a bee keep and they utilized that honey in many dishes. If I were blessed enough to live in that area I'd definately put edibles out there as my landscaping. Instead of wisteria on a trellis, I'd do grapes. Olive and almond trees for backdrop. I envy you this opportunity.

Thanks everyone. No I was not going to decorate before hand, just bake the cakes. There was a thread that suggested wrapping them while still warm and freezing, I'll have to find it. I am just afraid that freezing the cakes before hand will leave me a 'dry' cake. I need the time the day of rehersal to do other things. Question: Do you think I should use what I know is a good recipe (I want to try the above mix as well, and compare fresh and frozen) sprinkle syrup, crumb coat then freeze, or just slice and freeze the layers...or even not slice but freeze the layers for easier cutting when putting together, and then add the syrup crumb coat and finally decorate? My sister is helping with the decorating so I'm really not over my head if the baking part is done. She's very, very good at decorating and my cakes are well received , so I thought that we could combine our talents to make a really outstanding cake. I just don't want to use my regular butter recipe if freezing it is going to make it suck. Thanks for the help and support.

Being the mother of the groom, I wantend a personal part of my sons wedding. I decided to make his grooms cake, with everyone's permission. Since there are going to be (at least 250) a lot of people there, and the wedding cake is all that, I thought I'd be a little smaller. I'm going to make 3 cakes to resemble a drum set. My son is a musician, and he and fiance' met while he was drummer in (of course) a rock n roll band. I am going to do two cakes @ 14" and 4 @ 12" for a total of 3 cakes with 4 layers each. I'm going to crumb coat the exteriors, and buttercream the sides before adding the fondant to the top and edges. The cakes will be split, with 4 layers each. The largest will be chocolate, and the other 2 vanilla, with one lemon curd and the other possibly a nut paste..undecided. I have a 3 tiered server that will hold from 14", and will spread out to make the drum set. Question is..I'd really like to make the cake before hand and freeze it. I've read the other threads about this and it seems like if you do the cake in advance, you screw the cake. Please, please, pleaseeleesssss tell me a way to do this. PLease?? If I sound desperate, it's because I've been reading so many threads and books and I AM totally confused. Is the cake messed up because it's butter based? So is there a recipe that can be frozen and come out fresh? It's very important to me that the cake taste GREAT. That's what is important to me, and I think the crumb layer will allow those who wish to take off the fondant to still have some frosting. I'm not worried about the decorations, but am worried about the perfect tasting cakes. advice? wedding is in July, in Louisiana, but very controlled environment for reception. Thanks for listening.

Tim, as an Irishwoman I can relate too well to this. It's flippin brilliant. I've read it twice, and I had to comment on it's perfection. What regular drinker of spirits could not relate to this commentary on what many consider a true profession? Or at least a part time job. It's the one's who survive, and drink happy and satisfy themselves and family; the ones who can work, love, and live happily and many times blissfully, those are the truly misunderstood. We adjust and act grown-up, but when the opportunity presents itself, well! let the spirit go friend, just let it go! Loved this. Sending the link to friends and family, including the 2 that should be in rehab, the 3 who are in AA and the rest of us who are cracking up on the edge of it all. Remember: "Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess." Oscar Wilde Slainte'

Forgive me, but there is a way to use 2 pans. For a regular 9" pie you can put an aluminum (sp?) pie pan in and put a cookie sheet on top of that. The cookie sheet pushes on the edges of the aluminum pie pan, keeping the pastry pressed down and radiating heat to the bottom of the pie. I've done this with tarts and it's the only way to go. I just discovered this and used it successfully playing with a couple of frozen 8" ready made pie doughs. Just take the dough out of one shell (I used it for the top crust) and use it's pan to press onto the other pie. I am trying to devise something along those lines for a 9" fluted edged tart pan, but am going to just try an extra base put on the bottom of the pastry and let the sides puff out. I'm checking out my theory(ies) this week...I have to try and manipulate one of those pie tins to fit my dressy 9" plates as well. But the 8" business did great. an aside, there is a recipe for apple pie on the almond paste box that calls for you to roll out the paste to fit the bottom of your pie dough. It makes a nice, cuttable pie bottom and really helps control sogginess. Besides it adds a nice almond flavor. I read somewhere that cooling pie dough after fitting in pan keeps the dough from shrinking. I imagine freezing would have the same effect. Happy Holidays!

I have a Cooks' recipe from April this year that is a brown sugar/brown butter cookie and bakes up beautifully. the dough is not shaped, or rolled and cut, but divided into balls, dipped in sugar and the cookies cook up like store bought gingersnaps with the cracked centers. very good made up as icecream sandwiches. if you want it, let me know.

don't forget pacman.

I cook wild duck a lot. tonight it's teal. I'll brown and braise in a bottle of merlot and some trinity. I've never fried them, but we sometimes breast them and grill. I LOVE ducks and geese and would love to know how everyone else cooks them. There's always gumbo, of course. I pot roast well stuffed geese and cook with turnips. Hot rice and it smells like hunting season. I had a thought to brine some geese along with the turkey and see how they cook up. Anyone tried that? I hate to be the first, but I'll give it ago. Can't hurt. edit: the usual spelling problems

question? Could this crust be used for any savory pie? Like a beef pot pie (stew, basically) or chicken pot pie? I know they'd have to be pretty dry, and what gravy there was would have to be very thick, but I find regular pie crust just don't hold up well when I want to make a pot pie. Just a thought. And if the answer is that they won't hold up, I wonder if anyone has thought of, or tried something not so ornamental as a malange' of game birds, but of just pressed duck breast, or even barely wet pulled pork. I may be talking sacrilage here....don't want to piss off the traditionalist.

opposite of GourSmug...or one who doesn't!

I think I'm going to put some cookbooks together via epicurious.com I've used so many recipes from that site for parties and weddings etc. that close friends would really appreciate the recipes all in on place and bound. Plus you can add your own. only problem is I'll have to make at least 5 just to get my filed into a book (for me). Then I have to edit and remember what recipes were used when so there's a theme (for gifts). I love this idea, but will probably only do for my sister and my fellow foodie friends.

Please let me know too!! I really would like to get some. btw, what happened to all those south eastern truffle farms that were happening?

I've never had that problem. I dip ginger shortbread cookies in white choclate for Christmas and they stay put. The starch angle may make sense, my shortbreads use rice flour and it creates a certain crumb that probably (imho) just takes on any butterfat trying to leach out. I'm thinking this is a cookie that is perhaps 'too fat'??? edit: thinking too fat in the way of heavy..rice flour is a different critter than reg. flour and gives a certain type of crumb. lite and crunchy and they keep very, very well.

That's all cool, but Bella..how long do they have to wait for the bird? I mean, at my mom's holiday dinners didn't happen until 5 or so, so, if there's drinking etc, you must have more substantial nibbles and a nap perhaps before the big dinner. This is a must for guest from out of town. I kind of treat the day as one big party with a ton of little things, nuts to fruits to baked brie and small tarts. Take it away a couple of hours before the bird is due out and within a few hours everyone is hungry again. Here, I limit the drinking to vino/champ. only. then coffee. Most everyone wanders into dessert later into the night..sleepy and wanting sweets and milk. If everyone in your crowd is just there right before you serve the meal, then by all means keep it to crackers and cheese. Just don't do that for too long. mho.

Here I was wondering what pie 'pate' was...couldn't resist taking a peek. Shoot, thought we had another great recipe coming. To the pie plate. If you have a Marshalls's or Tues. Morning, check and see if they have any Emile Henry pie plates. They're a heavy ceramic with a beautiful edge (which hides the fact that I can't flute for the life of me). They bake up a nice brown bottom too. That's what I use for home use..i.e. thats going on my Thanksgiving table. That said, go for the pyrex for bringing along and just leave the things. I don't put my name on them or anything. The host/hostess gets a pie and an extra plate. I swear one of my old ones has moved about 5 times since I dropped it off at a friends when her mom died. I am 99 percent sure I saw it again this weekend soaking wood chips at a barbeque. They are cheap and durable and bake up nicely. I like the ones with the built in handles best, they're a little deeper and easier to handle when hot or bubbly. I think they're about 3 or 4 bucks each in the grocery store. the plain ones you can get for a couple of bucks each during the holidays just about anywhere. They're actually cheaper than the disposable plastic bake and serve trays and look a lot better. edit: before you think I'm nuts, I swear the title of this thread once read 'pie pate suggestions' But I got the notification a few days ago and am just now getting around to my mail.

Did you warm the lemons? If you put them whole into the microwave for about 25 seconds, one at a time, you will find you get a lot more juice. I almost always need less lemons than the recipe calls for to get the juice. ← yes, damn near burned my hands doing so. Ever get a lemon with about a 1/2 inch of pith??

It's amazing that the word 'gelatin' did not appear until page 11 on this thread!! So, for all of you who are making the curd for a cake, I refer you to the 'Ultimate Lemon Layer Cake" from April 07 of Cooks Illustrated mag. The recipe is nicely tart, and sets up perfectly. I made the cake as written and the layers were light enough (4) that there was no oozing. I will be using the curd in tartlet shells for an engagement party this weekend. I'm going to blind bake (and add the beaten eggwhite as described upthread..thanks) and then fill. this curd is designed to set firm, so it should be perfect after a flick of the offset spatula. 1 c juice from about 6 lemons..(ha..took 9 for me, bad lemons??) 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 6 yolks (if making the cake, you need the whites...if you want that recipe, let me know) 1 stick us butter cut into cubes and frozen (I do not know why. since I keep cut up sticks of butter in ziplocs in the freezer for crusts I just used some of that...have no idea what would happen if you used just cold butter. Must have something to do with bringing the temp down without using a water bath). sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in small bowl. heat juice sugar and salt in nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and it's hot..not boiling.pour hot lemon mix over the eggs (whisked in a lorge nonreactive bowl) SLOWLY, WHILE WHISKING ALL THE WHILE...it helps to have help with this part. Then return mix to the suacepan and heat while stirring to 170 or thick enough to 'leave a trail'. remove from heat and stir in gelatin mix and stir until dissolved. stir in butter chunks until mixed, strain into nonreactive bowl and cover directly on surface with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours. I did it night before for cake and just had to fold it a few times to bring back to spreading form. It's not a lot of gelatin and it gives the curd just the tightness it needs not to creep. I've also made 3 trays of marshmallows this week so I'm a little up to my eyeballs in the gelatin recipes. Actually that's why I tried this recipe, I already had 8 little orange boxes. Sometimes things just go in your favor, or flavor in this case!

see post below...

Try the yoshida sauce as a marinade for cornish game hens! I put them on the grill after letting them soak in the sauce for a bit and they come out beautifully browned, and crispy..moist and tender. lovely things.

Here's a link to a site I found while googling curry. http://www.naughtycurry.com/home/2006/07/t...aughtiest_.html the recipe calls for mango powder which is not available here, however, after the recipe someone writes that she subbed sour salt...I don't have that either. If the things are that good I may pick some mango powder @ whole foods since I'll be in Houston, but has anyone here used mango powder? What does it bring to the recipe? Is there something else I might have that would sub for it? Thanks

This is where I'd wonder if the bit's will still be crunchy in the morning. This candy turning soft thing has happened to me before, but then it was a good thing, so I just noted the softening effect of icing on hard candy for future reference. Let us know???

strawberry/chocolate preserves (chocolate liquour). I couldn't do peaches, cause I couldn't get any decent one's. No figs either, though I usually put up a ton of them in August. I sincerely want to make some mint jelly before the holidays and pair them with a beautiful cinnammon one I make for the red/green effect. I should get on that, soon...later...when it's cooler.

A friend once took my old spices and made pomade(sp?) balls to hang on her Christmas tree. She made a diamond design with glue on craft foam balls and pressed the spices into the glue. She let each part dry, then filled another diamond with glue, and another spice until she had the whole thing covered. she ground whole spices, but used cloves to outline the design. Very Martha...