RobertM

We had our annual Valentines Chocolate party last night. The white chocolate course was white chocolate ganache, raspberry pate de fruit, Callebaut crispearls and raspberries with a clear glaze. second course was a milk milk chocolate tropical cake, with a passion fruit & orange filling and a passion fruit mascarpone icing (we weren’t quick enough for a photo without a piece missing.....sorry) Third course I called Midnight Passion. A Paul Young brownie, with salted caramel, caramel-peanut mousse, caramelized peanuts and a dash of whipped cream

My niece was named after Skye. Her father (my nephew) was named after Arran.

I’m thinking.....red wine cake? Life just got so much better.....

Tonight’s dessert - Carrot Cake with a piped cream cheese frosting. I put the toasted pecans in the Thermomix for about 15 seconds and mixed the resulting paste in with the frosting. Same great flavor, just a slight smoother non-crunchy texture

No, they didn’t take it, but there was a great deal of concentrated attention directed towards me....including the head of the bomb squad .....and a close (but not quite) strip search......

Just don’t try and take them through TSA ......

I’m all booked! Looking forward to this!

I made a Basque Cheesecake for a party......I should have taken a picture of the empty plate ..... not a crumb left.

Rob - I’m in for anything and everything

Sounds like another fun time!!

Rob - call A Specialty Box Company, https://www.aspecialtybox.com/ They sell flat, foldable boxes, but, I'm unsure if they could be put through a printer (see above discussion)

I did....I thought they were quite good

Margherita Pizza

Caeser Salad (not very exciting)

Caprese Salad

We went to an Italian place (I have friends with me) while the rest of the crew went off.... a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio

Lunch was amazing...... Fresh baked bread, charcuterie, pickled vegetables, turkey neck Terrine, fresh salad and soup. Our host, Donald, prepares an amazing lunch, served outside under the beautiful sunny Southern California sunshine. We even had a guest, Keegan Gerard, join us...(sorry, no pictures).

Beef fat caramel? Chicken fat caramel with crispy chicken skin? Yes......we discussed such things today......

Today was a fun day, filled with lots of information, laughter and......oh yeah, chocolate. Water Ganache; Caramel, chocolate tasting.....

Behind the Green Door, lies a wonderland

we Got to sit at the oldest table in the place - around 80 years old (so we were told)

We drove into L.A. from Las Vegas, and stopped at Philippe’s for a Double Dip prior to heading to the hotel.

Dang.....and to think I gave mine away.....

I’ve used Burke Ingredients before and they were good to work with https://burkecandy.com/ also, Albert Uster has some containers of those ingredients that are smaller in size (like the invert sugar). also, contact your state office of small business. When I was in Virginia they gladly provided me with names of businesses that were happy to do business with Small Business Owners.

Here some photos of Mark Heim demoing using one during one of our workshops. He was making croquant (if I remember correctly)