etalanian

Hi, chocoChris, You don't need to make buttercream to make the decorations for the cake. You can do it with stabilized whipped cream. Here is a link to a thread for a demo on stabilizing whipped cream. You need to work quickly when using stabilized whipped cream, because it will set up and then will be difficult to use. I would recommend making it in two batches; one that you frost the cake with and one that you decorate the cake with very soon after frosting. You can make roses with it. It looks lovely in pastels. Once the cake is decorated with the cream you can add some fondant figures, but I wouldn't make them too heavy, or they may settle into the cream. Don't worry, the cake will be lovely and your friend will love it! Eileen edited by et for clarification

My kids are both teens now, but when they were small we took them to restaurants often. Our son was so self-entertained that he was a delight, and never fussed or made any noises. Our daughter, on the other hand, being the baby from hell (although she turned out to be a delightful child once she reached two), would inevitably start fussing and when she did, we knew that next would come the screaming. One or the other of us would whisk her out of the restaurant at the first start of a fuss. It is our joke that we never ate a meal together as a couple once Em was born. But we were very serious about NEVER inflicting any inconvenience or discomfort on any other diners. If the residents of the hotel don't have the decency or courtesy to remove their crying children from the restaurant, then the management of Lacroix should either find a way to tell them the child must be removed, or install a soundproof door so that this doesn't happen even one more time to another guest. At the prices Lacroix charges, no one should ever feel discomfort while dining there. Not even for a moment. Eileen

Prasantrin, Thanks for the tips. We are flying intoCasablanca, but now I think we willtake a train onto Fez or Marakesh. I'll do some research on Essouira, and see which city it's closest to. Can you recommend any good restaurants in any of those places? Do you know of a reputable place where I can buy a rug and have it shipped home? Thanks again! Eileen

We have 10 actual in-Morocco days. We are thinking about going to Marakesh and Casablanca and Fez. Is this a good thing? Should we be considering another area? We are thinking about renting a car and driving from place to place. Is this recommended? Thanks for any help! Eileen

My husband and I were there a week or so ago after seeing Cache at the Ritz East on Friday night. (Love the whole parking thing, we always park in the 2nd street garage when we go to Ritz 5 or Ritz East. On weekends it's only $4.50 for the time it takes to see a movie and eat a leisurely dinner, as long as you arrive after 5 pm.) Everything was delicious, but the most outstanding item was the mac & cheese with lobster and truffle appetizer. Big chunks of tender lobster, and a smooth, creamy, tasty mac & cheese. Quite wonderful. Hubby is still talking about it. I had pork with "wild mushroom bread pudding." It was extremely tasty, but the "bread pudding," which I enjoyed, was really a very moist stuffing baked in a large casserole. I had been intrigued, being a pastry person, and ordered it to see how he would make a savory custard dish. The salmon and chicken entrees were also excellent. Sorry, I just saw this thread, and I can't remember everything we ate a couple of weeks back, since for some reason I have been eating out quite a bit more than usual over the past few weeks. My one complaint is that our table wasn't ready yet and there is no place to stand inside on a cold winter's night. We gave the hostess a cell number and waited at the Phila Fish & Co bar til our table was ready, which worked out okay. We will definitely go again, and when we do I will report immediately, before I forget everything. Eileen

You made me venture into the cellar to pull out volume 4 of the WD Encyc of Ckry, which I haven't looked at in many years. Sweetside is correct - if the pastry cream itself doesn't reach 212 degrees, you won't destroy the enzymes in the eggs that break down the cornstarch, and you will have runny pastry cream. Try using a thermometer. Water boils at 212, but I think a custard will start boiling before it reaches that temp, and so needs to cook for a while after it starts boiling. My thinking is that you need more egg yolk in this recipe. Maybe 2 or three more. You should perhaps try the recipe from McDuff, or look through this thread for a recipe and instructions about Pichet Ong's pate a choux: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=74731 And you don't need to temper chocolate for the tops of eclairs. You want a rich, dark, fairly thick icing. Tempering isn't at all necessary. Good luck! Eileen edited for a correction

I think that's a great name, K8! When you decide on the name and have most of the kinks worked out of the menu, don't forget to send out a press release to all of your local papers and magazines, both big and small. Here are some things I'd like to have if there were a tea room near my home: Light and tender scones with good jam and whipped cream and lemon curd Small wedges of great fruit pies, or small fruit tarts in buttery crusts Mini eclairs and cream puffs Delicious finger sandwiches made with whole grain breads Mini savory tarts: chicken or beef, flavored with interesting herbs, served with a small salad Excellent cookies - lots of wonderful small cookies! Lemon wafers, shortbread, financiers, cherry oatmeal, coconut, madeleines, walnut macaroons, ginger, etc., etc., etc. Good luck! And be sure to get some sleep every now and then. Eileen

I have 4 shelves in the basement, 2 in the family room, 6 at the end of my kitchen island, 4 in my office, 32 lining my dining room walls, and stacked piles of spillover that I can't fit anywhere. I have a very tolerant husband. Of course, the reason he married me is because I can bake and cook well. I've been collecting for many more years than I want to admit. Last time I counted (which was several years ago) I had around 3,600. I have over 4000 now, but only count me in as 3,600. I will report back in a while after I make a new count. This doesn't include the promotional brochures from the early 20th century. The oldest cookbook and my favorite is from the late 1700's. It has a fold-out monthly menu page. But the majority of my books are from the past 25 years. I am surprised at the sophistication of cooking in the 19th and early 20th centuries and even earlier. And it is interesting to note the changes in recipes in the 1920's and 30's when ovens with working thermostats were introduced. Every time I start to catalog them I don't have the time to finish. Eileen

If you want something that your customers won't see everywhere else, try using the crumbs to make Bakewell Tarts. They are from Bakewell, Derby England. There are many variations, both with and without cake crumbs. Here are some links to recipes on the internet, which use crumbs. I have served Bakewells as part of a dessert table at several dinner parties and they are always a big hit. http://www.cookitsimply.com/dessert/puddin...0010-050m4.html http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/h-pages/britain/bakewell.html http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/13130/...ll-pudding.html It is a pastry layer spread with jam with a frangipane-type top layer. Really quite delicious. Be sure to use butter for the best flavor. Eileen

Thanks so much for all of the info. I will be sure to check it all out. I am really looking forward to this trip. Eileen

I'm going to Morocco in May with my college age son, and I'm looking for suggestions for towns to visit, restaurants not to miss, and the food stall and street food stuff that is representative of the country. Any suggestions/recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Eileen

I have to add my vote for Pagoda. We've been going there ever since itopened in Old City. It's a perfect place to go before a movie at one of the Ritz theaters. My fave - the house special with pork, chicken and shrimp. So succulent and satisfying. Eileen edited because I can't type worth a darn.

Oh, K8! I am really happy for you! I was wondering why you had disappeared, also. Now I know. What is the nameof your tea shop? I wish you every kind of good luck - lots of customers, trustworthy employees with a great work ethic, and lots of great press. Please email me if I can be of any help. Eileen ps- Gordon says HI! I'll tell him about your tea shop.

I've also had this happen to me, and I've ruthlessly used it in desserts for my family and friends, after tasting it and deciding it was not poisonous. I prefer the "Maillard rection" explanation. I like to think of it as Dulce de Leche sous vide! Eileen

I'm fairly anal about where everything goes in the kitchen and dining room cupboards, although absolutely NOTHING gets organized in our house if it doesn't have to do with cooking or serving food. The heatproof silicone spatulas go in the container on the counter next to the stove. The rubber spatulas go in the container on the island, next to the container with the large whisks. The small whisks go in a container on the large kitchen windowsill, along with the odd-shaped whisks. The serving utensils go in the antique pitcher on the same sill. The tongs go in the drawer with the oven mitts. All of the pastry utensils go into the top drawer next to the large fridge, except the dough scoops, which are kept in a drawer under the marble slab; the pastry bags and tubes, which live in the drawer under the scoops; and the pastry cutters, which are kept in the drawer next to the scoops. Now, why is it so hard for my husband to put things where they belong???? Eileen

Haven't seen much about lunch...so, today I indulged when a good friend came from Lancaster. The food is just as exquisite as it is at dinner, but the place is not crowded, so we felt comfortable taking our time and savoring every bite. (And I do mean EVERY bite.) We ordered a few things and shared everything. Started with that wonderful chopped green salad. Just thinking about it makes me want more. Cheese trio. So succulent with the paired condiments - love that lavender honey. Grilled lobster, grilled fois gras. Did I say we ate every bite? We almost licked the plates. Spicy potatoes. So addictive. Washed it down with a Portuguese Cabernet. (I think - correct me if I'm wrong, Katie.) Two desserts were offered, and we didn't want to play favorites, so we ordered both. The almond foam is a pleasant contrast to the richness of the carmelized bananas and brownie. But the best was the house version of Creme Brulee. Just the most fleeting and perfect touch of lavender. Absolutely exquisite. And of course, the LaColombe coffee. A great afternoon treat, Katie! Enjoyed meeting you, too! Go for lunch. Be good to yourself. Eileen edited because I'm not a great typist

Wow. This is a really difficult one. In our house the kids ask what's for dessert before they ask what's for dinner. I love most desserts and cookies. These are some of the things I make most often when we have dinner guests, so I guess they must be my most favorites, in no particular order: Rich, dense, but smooth and creamy dark chocolate pots de creme with creme fraiche & berries Bread pudding - many varieties - with chocolate and/or caramel sauce Orange almond cookies dipped in Belg. choc. Cream cheese brownies with latte Caramelized apple pie Mascarpone cheesecake Goat Cheese and fruit tarts Upside down cake - nectarine, cherry, peach (my daughter's favorite) Soft and chewy ginger cookies Chocolate almond lace cookies Fresh strawberry shortcake (biscuit style, of course) Fresh fruit crisps Creme Brulee Geez, I could go on and on. It would probably be easier for me to write what baked desserts I don't like! Eileen edited by et to add creme brulee (what was I thinking?)

Thanks for the dessert update for Fork II, philadining! We often hit Fork II before the Ritz for a quick bite. The soups, sandwiches and light entrees are delicious and perfect for pre-theater. I hadn't tried the desserts there, because of several dessert disappointments at Fork, but now that I know how good they are, we may try one next time. Eileen

I have had their cheeses and they are sublime. Perfectly ripe, exquisite choices. Eileen

So good to hear it is still a great brunch. He Who Must Obey has made Mother's Day reservations for our family of four for brunch at Lacroix. We have had very memorable dinners there, but have never gone for brunch. I am looking forward to this and will report after I roll my overstuffed body back home on Mother's Day. Eileen

Another plus for non-ultra-pasteurized cream is that you can make homemade creme fraiche with it, and you cannot make it with ultra-pasteurized cream. I make my own creme fraiche and always have a crock of it in the fridge. It's great for making sauces - won't separate. And it's a nice ingredient for many desserts. It's also good as a dollop with many desserts. I sometimes get my non-ultra from Trader Joe's when I need it right away and the local farmers' market isn't open. I get cream from Merrymeade Farms (a local, small dairy) at the farmers' market. Eileen

If you torch the marshmallow and then move it onto the ganache after the ganache has set, that might help. Perhaps. Eileen

I find that Rogelach and Pecan Tassies last for several days. Eileen

I have some olderLC and I think the letters have something to do with the size of the pan or the model or something, not whether they are seconds. Eileen

I concur that Brasserie Perrier has the most remarkable fries. I've always had them with a steak (steak frites on their menu) but I will try the burger next time I get a chance. Eileen