pastrygirl

In this instance, how does 'hand ground' add value? Is your friend doing hard labor with a mortar and pestle? $20-30 is too rich for my blood, but then ramps have never wowed me.

I hope your assistant is being overly cautious, because I warm and re-emulsify ganaches and buttercream icings all the time. Usually it's leftovers kept in the freezer, but it might sit in the fridge a few days. I guess any time you touch something there is potential to introduce contamination, but if it's high sugar and low AW and not that hospitable to mold or microbes in the first place I don't see where the danger is.

The health dept doesn't care if there are upholstered booths and carpet in the dining room as long as the kitchen is easily cleanable.

That's interesting, I don't have the option of German for subtitles, or at least not for Street Food. If anyone can't find their language/subtitles options, it's a box at the lower right of the screen.

Ha, it's still faster than my one at a time 😆

You can turn on closed captioning for all subtitles all the time.

I try to do that, but if I wait too long and the chocolate is too firm it can crack or cave in, as @SweetandSnappyJen experienced. Yet another of those things that you have to time juuuuuuuust right. I haven't tried it but maybe warming the edge of the scraper would help? Or giving the mold a quick warm-up with the heat gun just to soften those edges.

I disagree with the salt theory. I make a bar with flakes of Maldon inside and it’s not a problem. Lots of people put salt in or on chocolate.

How much olive oil are we talking about? Maybe it's getting squeezed out of the crumbs as the chocolate contracts around them.

Regarding cantaloupe, I find it most palatable when wrapped in prosciutto ... the Italian classic prosciutto e melone. So that's a 'yay' for salted melon!

Even the cello made from plants isn't necessarily compost-able. Do you have commercial composting on the island? Might be wise to check with them on what materials they can actually compost. I don't have any recs for you, other than to look for something that specifies compost-able. Good luck!

I admit, sometimes I glue-stick it.

That sounds like a challenge! Do you know anyone with an anti-griddle? Do you specifically want to make mo(u)lded chocolates, or just do something fun with chocolate for your friend? Is it meant to be only a demonstration, or will guests take part? Definitely find a shady spot with good air circulation and away from brick or concrete walls or patios that will be heating up in the sun all day. You could get a few blocks of ice and blow fans over them to generate cold air, that might help. If you're open to things other than mo(u)lding, what about something involving ice cream, since it's going to be so warm out. Thin milk and dark chocolate down with coconut oil then dip ice cream sandwiches or fruit popsicles in it. Have a variety of nuts and sprinkles that people can add on. Or use ice to make the chocolate set and make chocolate bowls to fill with berries and whipped cream (etc)

pneumatic mnemonic?

I take July & August off from production and disable shipping on my website. Last summer my kitchen never got below 75F, even overnight, all summer. It should be better this year because some heat-producing equipment is gone, but I'm not getting my hopes up. One larger chocolate company here handles summer shipping by putting the chocolate in an insulated bag then packing that plus an ice pack into a larger insulated bag. But ice is heavy and if you want to expedite shipping that gets expensive quickly. There's one little outdoor neighborhood festival that I do in mid-June but it's $30 for a booth and a block from home so no big deal if I close early or cancel. Instead, I'll work for wedding caterers or other another chocolatier who has AC in her kitchen, work on packaging updates, do yard work, enjoy all the days off I won't have in Q4, and dream of being able to actually afford summer travel.

@Tri2Cook you’ve been totally civil and made some good points. Not 100% sure what you meant about human nature, but if you mean that nobody likes to be told what to do and people get overwhelmed by bring expected to care about every last unique group, I think you’re right and that does explain the backlash.

But we know that people were actually offended. Tosi got plenty of complaints over the years. Crack cocaine addiction isn't a hypothetical situation, people died or were jailed, families were torn apart, babies were born addicted and face lifelong struggles ...

Sure, it's just that one never knows who they're talking to. In retail, better safe than sorry.

Except it was totally intentional, intended to be edgy and allude to addiction. It's all fun and games when you're young and joking around and pushing boundaries but some people grow up and learn about compassion. Or make deals with Target. If 'crack pie - one taste and you're addicted' is still funny, what else can we come up with? I'm not living in a $3+ million dollar apartment so I need something marketable ... Alzheimer's pie - one bite and you'll forget everything you ever knew! Cerebral palsy pie - so good, you'll lose all control! Colon cancer or HIV juices - enjoy sudden rapid weight loss without exercise! Dyslexia vodka - one shot and you can't see straight! I could go on, but I already feel too much like an asshole just for writing those. Look, I'm not 100% innocent, I don't call my products 'crack' but I have joked about addiction (the first one's free, then you're hooked). I should be more careful about that because I do aspire to be a better person and use my powers for good. YMMV.

Ha! It was Target! ... https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/dining/christina-tosi-milk-bar.html

OK, mission accomplished - I spent some quality time with my food processor and now have a tub of cilantro chutney with ginger, jalapeno, and lime in the freezer for future South Asian inspiration and a bowl of cilantro hummus in the fridge for lunch & snacks. Yum! I tend towards terribly lazy when it comes to cooking for myself but a little effort usually is worth it

I agree with @minas6907, the plastic one looks like it would have limited use. A funnel should work for your caramels and things that are too hot or fluid to pipe. It won't work as well for a thicker ganache because you're relying on gravity and flow rate instead of squeezing it through the piping bag.

I don't know what's for dinner, but dessert will be chocolate cake with sour & amarena cherry filling and milk chocolate buttercream, with hazelnut gelato.

I have this one but I don't use it a whole lot. What do you want to know? https://www.dr.ca/confectionery-and-kitchen-depositing-funnel.html