chiantiglace

You know you can use gelatin or pectin to thicken it up. With that you can pretty much do any flavor you ratio you want.

Any baked custards, or custard period for that matter you should make a day or two ahead of time. When it refrigerates it allows the flavors to mature and intesify over time.

I wish where I live we had the option of turning people down for a job. I've seen more emplyee toleration here than I probably ever will. This island describes itself as "loser friendly" and people don't care. Most owners and employers don't seem to care/know better either. You guys have stories of people being hired, I have stories of people being fired or quiting. I've seen two guys go to jail straight from work. One to prison for statatory rape of a 12 year old. Sadest part is he was bragging about it when he came in to work. He was 20 and I was 17 + I was his boss, so you can tell he was a loser. Seriously it was kind of funny, the feds or detectives (I cant remember) came in including his probation officer, sealed off the office for like 30 minutes and took him out in hand cuffs Another guy got a phone call from his buddy at work (lunch) telling him he had a warrant of for his arrest due to like 2 years of backed up child funds. So he immediatley left work letting all the orders keep comming in and turned himself in. The chef was called in to take care of the lunch shift, ha. Another guy was the most worthless guy I ever worked with. He complained about everything as if the world was bringing him down. Cursed bush, the U.S. government, religion, work, everything. I laid into him hardcore one day and may have gave him an a personal revolution because from that day on he didn't complain. Anyways he kept takeing a smoke break every 10 minutes (literally) leaving work unattended so finally the chef told him if it does it again hes fired. He got all huffy and puffy and ran out acting like he was misjudged or some shit. The next day he broke up with his g/f and drove to california with one of our waitresses (worthless also and huge complainer, perfect fit). The funniest part was she had friends to stay with and he didnt, so he used up all his money to drive back because he couldn't find a job and begged, I mean hands and knees (thought he was joking), begged for his job back. Which he didn't get. Another guy, his predecessor, turned out to be a crack head and a theif. Stole steaks almost everynight from the resturaunt and on his last night stole a co-workers debit card and pin in which withdrew like 220 dollars and was never seen again. I've got plenty more but am tired of typing.

Everyone, I cannot appologize enough for the picture. This is the only picture that came out well enough to see. For some reason everything that could foul up on my camera did right before shooting this one and its never happened to me before. The camera is 18 years old so I guess I should give it some credit. This is a Banana Bread Pudding with a milk chocolate-hazelnut ice cream and hazelnut florentine. The ice cream and florentine stand ontop of a sugar cone which is surprisingly sturdy. It is plated with coffee chocolate sauce, caramel sauce and a praline anglaise (which is difficult to see, in the corners). I will post recipes later. I need to compose them so they come close to portions with each other.

This is probably why I put together a plated dessert thread, ah but whos paying attention?

Man, whats wrong with you guys. Who cares? honestly it's a joke lets not try to make wisdom out of a goof. This situation is an example of a stupid question. She wouldn't ask how to crack an egg if she thought there was a better way because it's something so simple she should automatically take the initiative. I would rather have an emplyee start something wrong straight out then waste 20 minutes trying to get help. Thats the point of mentoring, you notice there not doing something the best way so you go show them a better way. I've had many chefs walk up to me and show me knew tricks to do things, but I started them the best way I new how first and then they bettered me. It's not like tempering chocolate, if you don't know you ask. This is cracking an egg, if you have not cracked an egg why are you in a bakery at all. This post does not need to be analyized. People say stupid things all the time, I just don't answer them. 30 seconds later they figure it out and expand there mind at the same time. There really are stupid questions and you can't call someone stupid just because they asked a stupid question. People ask me all the time where something is or "have I seen the..." and it will be right in front of there face. You get a lot going on and your mind isn't focusing. And yes I think people can ask too many questions. I use to be so. I've had a few shefs tell me to shut up just from exhaustion of answering. I mean you can abuse it. You really have to break your questions down and train yourself sometimes, it's better for everyone that way. If I get a guy who asks me how to start something and guidelines and goes and does it decently whatever it may be, thats who I want working with me. But if I get a guy that needs play by play action well then his logistics aren't the most supportive and he needs to focus more. I like people who are enthusiastic and will jump into anything trained or not. If they are clueless they'll ask me to help and if I notice there struggling it's my job to step in and support them. A bird that jumps out of the nest is better than a bird thats needs to be pushed.

use your forehead

The way Neil said is proper, but I must say I make my own praline pastes(hazelnut, pecan and macadamia) weekly and I found the easiest way to pour the nuts redhot from the oven being toasted into a just finished caramel and toss with a wooden spoon until coated evenly then spread out onto a foil or silicon lined sheet pan. This way the product doesn't cool as fast and you don't get undesired string by overworking the sugar. Also when doing thins I usually have more nuts than sugar, like 60- 40 and when processing it is necessary to have simple syrup at hand and gradually add in to the paste as it processing (at a trickle rate) to gain a a smoother product. But you only need a little. For a supreme smooth finish you can heat the paste up so it's nice and soft and press it through a seive to get any undesired chunks that you may have missed.

Actually, I was just being nice and giving hope or upsight to difficulties in life. Quite honestly I would never do what Mel has done. I do not have the capability to stay in one place very long. What you all don't know is though I may be young I have been extremely priveleged and could not ask for a greater kickstart into the food inustry. To tell you the truth to take on another field would somewhat ridiculous because my entire life has been surrounded by it, though I still and always will love it. And when I say this I don't mean I baked brownies with my grandma since I was 5. I have been fortunate enough to have chosen this path at a very young age, maybe 10 and have been pursueing it ever since. I've had the luxury of meeting thousands, yes I mean thousands, of chefs and food industry people in my life and have great relations with well over 100. I've actually had to turn down some recommendations to school because 2 is enough and I had to scale it down to 8. No I am not a master or even top professional but life has dealt me a straight flush from the beginning and I am going all in. I have been warned 10 fold the amount the average person here has of the industry's difficulties and have experienced quite a few. This is only because I have been willing to throw myself into any fire there is. And I don't think it is stupid like a lot of you. You have to live your life and when I say that I don't mean doing crazy stupid things like a college student. I mean and obstacle comes at you don't go around, blast right through it. Oh wow you live and learn because you did something stupid that screwed your life up and you tell young people not to do it. Well I'm not talking about jumping your bike off a 40 foot ramp or dooing 140mph in a car over a bridge with the lights out. This is life, knowledge, and don't forget a job. But its our job and we shouldn't turn bitter over it in any aspect; and we shouldn't be so hasty to contradict people. There have been a lot of replies from things I have said that present a point, sometimes a better point, but sometimes they are presented so forcefully it's hard to take someone serious without thinking there just a bitter old person whos been, or beleives to have been through too much. I am not going to be one of those stupid kids who needs to be heard and is critizing the matured because they don't feel anyone is listening. Quite honestly I don't really care; and I don't care if anyone judges me because you know why... I have yet to walk away from a goal. If I don't get there I ask why, when I find out why I regroup myself, learn or acheive what is necessary for the greater and a run after it again. And if it takes my whole life, then fine, because I know I never stopped learning the whole way there. I don't see my life slowing down a bit, and from what I have already taught myself it just makes me want more and more. You know, listening to mels and teds threads lately I want nothing but to help them out. That the kind of drive I have. I have realized that no matter where I am I can learn, whether its in school, at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, or just helping a friend out here and there. I think we dwell on life too much as it being "short". Maybe its short because we don't get fullfillment out of our memories. I can't really elaborate too much on this because I don't have the sources to go by. You'll just have to give me 30 years. All I know is when I able to work no more not only will it be a sad day but I want to make sure that not my goals have been reached, but that the path I took fullfilled me. And everyone is on a different path young or old so we shouldn't critize or place judgement for that, because when we do we are looking back on our own path instead of looking forward through THEIR path. You guys can butcher this any way you want but I'm not here to impress(even if I could) anyone but just to bring another chair to the conference circle.

your not working yourself to death as I see it. You are making a name, an investment. One day you might get all the excitement you want out of your bakery and sell it to a neive rich guy for 10 times what you put into it and spend your remaining life in subtle haramony moving in and out of realestate making what you need. Or maybe everything will work it self out and you'll pass your bakery on to your most prized heirs. Whatever the plan for future, the steps there should remain constant and everyday I pray you wake up with an inner appreciation for your hard work. That is by far my number 1 goal in life.

you know it's funny, the bare minimum people usually seem to be the people who complain the most. Its quite frustrating.

Schreiber We have a cool line of stuff. I get it free so I use them all the time

Find an enthusiastic young person and it might prove suitable for you. If they enjoy it they might be willing to devote good amount of time plus it will be a long term investment for yourself. I love graveyard shift.

the only pink boxes I've ever seen were from ice cream cakes, baskin robbins and caravel.

Sounds awesome mel, great advertisement and now the people will keep comming back

you molds probably aren't 100% clean. You'd be surprised at how just a little residue that you may not be able to see can screw up your molds. Try soaking them in bleach water and then finish washing them out.

Hey annie, next time try salmon in an orange sauce with dill mandarin oranges and almonds. If you want a recipe for orange sauce just let me know. By the way, looks very pleasant and appetizing.

very simple indeed. replace the water with milk and add 2 eggs, bam you got funnel batter.

I've done a similar dessert but instead of rosemary ice cream I made ginger grape sorbet. I often thought of how fried cellophane noodles would do in replace of phyllo dough.

just dance around on your heel for a few days.

Truffle is hard(ened) ganache. I think you mean fillings for bon bons in which there are thousands. Just look up bon bon or "chocolates" recipes and should get you on your way. By the way, welcome to EGULLET Gary K

looks to me like a gold colored chocolate ciggarette. I need to start some combinations like that, various plates and additions. I also just picked up a bunch of single plates to play with in pictures. Should bring another element to the scene.

Interesting idea but sounds dangerous as you warned. Couldn't you more easily fill and harden silicon in the tart shells using the same procedure with metal hooks. Atleast this way they could be used continuously over and over and cleaned aswell as allowing for a better finish. Still a very intrigueing approach. Thanks, it made me think a little bit.

Very nice recognition. Also, off topic. I've noticed we have a lot of people here from the west coast. Especially Northwest Corridor. You guys are lucky to have so much here thats close to home.

hahaha. Scratch all of that. Use balloons. Blow the balloons up to the size of the cups you want. Dip them into a tempered chocolate filled jar, invert the baloon once it stops dripping and place ontop of a glass. Allow to harden and let the air out of the balloons.