Patrick S

Here's another bit of data on the natural vanilla extract/artificial vanilla question, presented at the 2002 Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting. Parker and Penfield report results from an "(h)edonic evaluation of natural and artificial vanilla in ice creams," (a standard test where people are given samples and asked to rate) using 72 tasters and 4 ice creams. Their result was that "(f)or overall liking, there was no significant difference between the artificial and natural flavored ice creams." Their sample was much larger than the ones CI had for their tastings in panna cotta, creme anglaise, milk, and cake. Link

Of course there are nonvanillan flavor compounds, but the important question is to what extent they contribute favorably to the flavor. They apparently add little or nothing to overall subjective impression. If they did, then natural extracts would be ranked higher than artificial vanillas in blind comparisons, whereas the in the 3 tests CI has described, tasters could not even tell the difference and did not in any test express an overall preference for natural vanilla.

Fair enough. I think its just you. Your perceptions do seem paradoxical, though, because I dont think there are any flavor compounds in artificial extract that are not also in real vanilla extract.

Oh, I see. Why should anyone want to get rid of their artificial vanilla?

Why would anyone want to do that?

I'd be skeptical too, but let me say that you can get statistically significant results with a small sample IF the effect size is large. ← I know. But, they don't disclose much detail and, as I noted above, they didn't have enought confidence to submit the data to a publication where the data would be peer reviewed. After being active in the scientific / medical industry for over 20 years where peer review of results and analysis is required for credibility, this makes me skeptical. ← I'm not faulting you at all for being skeptical. My point that statistical significance is a function of both effect size and sample size does not reflect a judgement on my part with respect to the efficacy of Celcius as a weight-loss tool.

There is no difference.

Vanilla beans or powder would taste best, but they are pricey. Artificial vanilla would work fine. Usually artificial extracts are substituted volume-for-volume with real vanilla extracts, but the truth is that the artificial extracts are often a bit stronger. FDA requires that real vanilla extracts be at least 35% alcohol, whereas artificial extracts don't have to have alcohol at all and usually contain less than 35%. Cook's actually tested for vanillan content and found that artifical extracts had 3,290 mg/l, compared to 2,110 mg/l in the natural extract. As Shalmanese alluded to, Cook's Illustrated has done 3 blind tests of artificial versus natural vanilla, and found every time that they are indistinguishable. This was even true for the test they did with creme anglaise, where any flavor differences should really stand out.

That link doesn't provide any details on the IOM report's findings or recommendations, but you can read the full report online at IOM's website: Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity? (2006)

Panettone without fruit? I love panettone. I tried last year to make it at home. It was all good, but none of the recipes I tried were as good as the ones I buy at the store. You can read about some of our experiences here. Good luck and let us know how yours comes out!

There is plenty of evidence that caffeine can have a modest but measurable effect on weight loss. I don't know about the other ingredients though.

I'd be skeptical too, but let me say that you can get statistically significant results with a small sample IF the effect size is large.

Thanks, Yetty. After about a week of dark days, I was lucky enough to have just enough warm sunset light yesterday to get some shots.

Pistachio macaro(o)ns, some filled with ganache, and some filled with espresso buttercream.

So you were undercooking by 20? Are you still using the Torres recipe? Are you taking the honey to 250 and the sugar to 330? Thanks for the report! EDIT: We were posting at the same time. So you just bring your honey to a boil? Have you checked what temp that is?

I changed the image links so we can see the full-size images. Good job on everything! Killer tart, Ling!

Patrick, your photos make me weak in the knees. ← That makes me happy. I assure you, the pleasure is all mine.

And here is a vanilla fudge recipe that I have used and like quite a bit.

Sugarella, Egulleteer devinf posted a fantastic peanut butter fudge recipe a while back. I've tried several PB fudge recipes, and none compare to this, IMHO. Its ultra-creamy, and a bit soft. The cooling stage takes a long time, so this is not a quicky recipe. His recipe is as follows: 2 lb. sugar 4 oz. corn syrup 4 oz. milk 12 oz. cream 1 oz. butter 1/2 oz. vanilla extract 3 oz. peanut butter Combine cream and milk, then take out 8 oz. Combine sugar, corn syrup and 8 oz. cream/milk. Cook to 230F Add the butter and slowly add rest of milk/cream. Cook to 236F Pour onto marble and put peanut butter onto fudge, do not stir. let it cool to 120F Mix the fudge and peanut butter (I "table" it) until it thickens, then pour into a frame or container before portioning.

If you are referring to BSE, it doesn't seem to matter where you get your beef, at least in the U.S., since BSE is thought to have been spread by feeding practices that were banned in the U.S in 1997. Of the hundreds of thousands of cattle in the U.S. that have been tested for BSE, only one or two has tested positive for BSE, and at least one was born before 1997. By contrast, in the UK about 180,000 cows have been diagnosed with BSE. If you are referring to microbial pathogens like E. coli 0157, the answer is also no. Beef from organic farms appears contain similar types and quantities of bacteria as conventionally produced beef.

I was so inspired by FoodMan's coffee buttercream dacquoise that I had to make my own! Love it. And after eating the piping scraps last night I realized I need to find ways to use dacquoise more often. Love the chewy texture and nutty flavor.

Hi Scott, Thanks for your additional posts. Your comments have been very helpful to this topic. I wanted to mention the medical use of Teflon/PTFE because in our discussion there has been some concern about ingesting Teflon/PTFE peelings and I see there seems to be no reason to worry about that. I would have to agree with the eGullet comments....there are other things we could heat/burn that might be considerably more dangerous to us. ← Well, certainly its true that many foods break down into toxic substances when subjected to the same temperatures that degrade Teflon. For instance, fat dripping onto coals from steaks or burgers generate loads of carcinogens, including many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are some of the most potent known carcinogens. Frying or roasting starchy vegetables generates acrylamide, a rodent carcinogen. Heating most cooking oils to 500F generates 1,3-Butadiene, benzene, acrolein, formaldehyde, and other carcinogens as well. Let me be clear that I don't consider these facts to constitute an argument for or against the safety of Teflon, just interesting background information.

Something has gone very wrong if your cake turned out dry. No matter how good a recipe you start with, the resulting chocolate cake will be terrible if it turns dry. I made the recipe as written and it was extremely moist, as much as or even more so than the Hershey's recipe I have used many times in the past.

Again, the authors of study merely claim --correctly, as far as I can tell-- to be providing the first in vivo demonstration that the effects of OO on endothelial function are directly related to its phenol content. Nowhere do they claim to have discovered that OO has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, or that phenolic compounds may mediate these effects. Forgive me if I've missed something, but you appear to be faulting the study authors for making a claim that they did not make.

I've stored chocolate for at least a year with no problem.