sanrensho

I would also recommend a standard aluminum pan with a removeable bottom (center) and "feet." I used a non-stick AF pan until recently and will never buy one again. Since you're not greasing the sides, it's far too easy nick the non-stick coating. With the cheap pan I was using, it caused the coating to begin flaking off. For the removeable bottom, I would suggest finding one that doesn't flare, like an older AF pan I saw recently. This would make it hard to run a knife down the center to remove the cake.

Bentos are for everyone. It simply refers to a portable lunch/meal, and can range from basic to elaborate.

I noticed that and I think it's a brilliant piece of marketing. Also are you sure about the "kasutera" part? The emphasis seems to be on roll cakes, but not kasutera roll cakes specifically.

Do you also fold by hand at home, when working with small volumes? ← Thanks for the reply. I guess my question was whether you used your hands due to large volumes in a production environment. My kids will think I'm nuts, but I'll try your method next time. I can certainly see how hands would be better. I've never been completely satisfied with folding in egg whites using standard methods.

Wow, great link! Wipes drool off keyboard...

You left out the best part! Denny's calls it the "mazemaze bibimburg" (bibimbap + hamburg).

Do you also fold by hand at home, when working with small volumes?

Here's some information I found on Google, confirming that there are two types of Vietnamese banh trang. http://www.geocities.com/emaildaneng/vietricewrapper.html As Dejah mentioned, there are plenty of references that refer to Vietnamese salad rolls as "spring rolls," hence the confusion.

Try Chinatown? They might have more affordable versions there.

I've noticed the same thing here in Vancouver, Canada. In fact, one of our best roasters, JJ Bean, recently opened a shop directly adjacent to a Starbucks (Park & Tilford, North Vancouver). I had my doubts about the wisdom of doing so, but I'm told that they're doing good business.

I got my copy of Pastry's Best today! Can't wait to try the matcha joconde and matcha syrup. I'll probably pair it with an an (red bean paste) whipped cream.

They also featured the live octopus on that reality show where teams travel around the world. (Sorry, I don't watch much TV.) So I take it that the octopus was chewy enough that you still couldn't bite through the bigger tentacles? I'd still be game to try it one day.

Hardly, what? I'm saying I have no qualms about eating octopus. You're entitled to your own opinion, I'm entitled to mine. I also have no qualms about eating cow, sheep and horse. If you'd like to argue animal/seafood politics, feel free to create a thread in the General Topics forum. The topic has been debated ad nauseum in other threads. Until then, this is a thread about the availability of live raw baby octopus and whether it is served in Vancouver.

What were your impressions of the flavor, and more importantly the chewiness of the baby octopus? Are they tender or chewy? I would have zero problems with eating live baby octopus. Not much different than live shrimp.

You're right. That's what I get for posting before my morning koohii (coffee).

The Cake Chef recipe that I linked to does not use soaking syrup, and I don't recall soaking syrup in the versions I've had. However, there are many variations out there and I'm sure some use syrup. http://www.cakechef.info/special/chef_waka...tte3/index.html

Your stuff looks so professional that I don't think anyone could distinguish your chocolates from factory-produced stuff. If it were my kids, I'd be sending them straight to your door to ask for the "good stuff." Halloween is a real dilemna. I just hate giving out crap that I wouldn't feed to my kids, and chips are no better. Maybe I'll have to spring for that case of Pocky...

Chocolates goes over well with kids? You don't say. All joking aside, I think it's great that the kids are getting good quality chocolate, rather than the junk that usually gets stuffed into treat bags. May I ask what you usually give out to during Halloween?

I forgot to mention this the first time. Our all-time favorite, in terms of pure usage, is the set of flower-shaped (multicolored) plastic dishes from the kids section. I know that these were discontinued and replaced with a different version a few years ago, but we still use ours daily.

Sorry, I should have been more clear about this. I meant to say "earthenware (dinnerware) bowls." I don't have any experience with their ceramic bakewear. I actually have the Ikea pie plate but haven't gotten around to using it yet. Too busy...baking cakes.

Same here, I usually buy the set that comes with a small and medium-sized pan. Then again, cheap teflon pans should be widely available in Japan. Stuff I recommend: -Juicer (wood) has held up nicely. -Plastic kitchen shears, will eventually break but still a bargain. -Magnetized kitchen timer, cheap and simple, I have a bunch of these. -Shaker set, I'm no bartender (I use them to make iced coffee shakeratos), but seems like a good bargain. -Select glassware (not stemware), cheap and cheerful. -Plastic storage container set (the one with three sizes that fit into one large rectangular container) -End grain butcher block, ours has held up nicely but is likely too massive for a typical Japanese kitchen. Duds/not recommended: -Pots and pans (poor quality) -Earthenware (dinnerware) bowls (crack/chip easily) *EDITED for CLARITY* -Thin stemware (too fragile) The paring knife is okay, but I would stay away from the larger knives. Standard Japanese household kitchen knives will probably serve you better.

Absolutely not true. I've been served Japanese yogurt on domestic flights as well as international flights and there were no explosions going on.

Some fruit compotes (blueberry, raspberry) would be nice, in addition to the fresh fruit. Caramelized/sauteed bananas and apples would also be good.

If you can read Japanese, you might try the strawberry shortcake recipe on the CakeChef site: http://www.cakechef.info/special/chef_waka...cake/index.html I haven't tried that particular cake recipe myself, but I've never had any problems with the recipes on the CakeChef site. Bonus is that the ingredients list is very short and simple: 10 eggs 255g sugar 255g flour (I'd use cake flour) 18g butter For Japanese cheesecake, do a Google search using keywords "Japanese" "souffle" "cheesecake" and you will come up with lots of recipes. I've used this one before and was pleased with the results, although I haven't experimented with many other recipes: http://www.kyokoskitchen.com/recipes/recip...esecake〈=en I will say that (good) Japanese strawberries are consistently sweeter than almost anything I have had here in Canada. The sugar content is much higher. I actually think these two cakes are quintessential Japanese cakes, along with the mont blanc.

Geez, don't these restaurant realize that the LAST course is the most important? Waiting for Ling to weigh in with her recommendations...