etalanian

I've used a foley to remove seeds from blackberries. Works well, if you have the kind of foley that has several differently-sized strainers. I use the one with the smallest holes, and it works fine. I've found that the foleys that are all one piece don't work as well, because the holes are too large and the seeds get through. Doesn't remove most of the seeds from red or black raspberries, however. I always end up using a drum strainer for that. Eileen

You should never be leaving uncovered chocolates in the fridge long enough to collect odors. The chocolates should be tightly wrapped so condensation problems don't arise. A fridge is not the best place for chocolates, IMHO. Too damp. Eileen

Keep up the good work! Eileen

I like the Nielsen-Massey products, also, but for desserts for children, and for basic cookies, such as chocolate chunk, oatmeal, and the like, I use the Kirkland private label brand from Costco. It has a good flavor and is amazingly inexpensive. It is madagascar vanilla, according to the label. I've also tried the private label vanilla that BJ's Wholesale sells, but I returned it because the flavor was poor. It is also more expensive than the Costco private label. For more delicately-flavored desserts, such as creme brulee, I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon. Williams-Sonoma carries all three of the Nielsen-Massey flavors: Tahitian (flowery and exotic, for when you want something unusual and interesting, also more expensive); Madagascar (sweet, smooth flavor - good for most desserts); and Mexican (which is compatible with chocolate and cinnamon flavors). N-M is also now making a blended vanilla that is a good all-purpose flavoring for most desserts, and it is less expensive than the others. Eileen

Are you referring to shaping something along the lines of a breadstick? Is so, pay close attention as you roll, and adjust the pressure of your hands as you go. And try to use long, broad movements, with the palms of your hands, not your fingers. (Does that make sense?) Eileen

What is that black thing under the sauce? Eileen

They're out of season now, but blood oranges make a beautiful and delicious curd. Eileen

Mike and I eat at restaurants frequently and I don't recall this ever happening to us. That being said, we either pay with a credit card or leave cash with the check, including the tip, so we don't need change. But all of our friends also frequent restaurants and none of them have ever mentioned this type of situation. I think I would be personally taken aback if this were done to me. I agree that it's akin to stealing. Why not just round the bill down to the nearest quarter? Seems it would solve this problem completely. Eileen

Looks like a great event. Thanks for the photos. Eileen

Those are lovely jars, mukki. You can get French canning jars here: http://www.fantes.com/jars.htm Eileen

I hadn't heard of them before your post, but I will try them now that I know about them. Thanks for the heads up. Eileen

I think you can use a marmalade recipe but perhaps add some pectin. Quince paste can be cut with a knife and will keep its shape, so if you want the orange paste to be of that same consistency, soft but able to keep its shape, you might need to add pectin. Probably would not work to just cook the orange marmalade for a longer period of time to thicken it, because it would affect the flavor. You might consider using a type of orange, like the seville, that has a lot of natural pectin. Good luck! Eileen

Great news. I took my son, who had just turned 21 days earlier, to the Pennsauken store this month, and he was blown away by the expertise and service of the staff. (Thought I'd start him off properly now that he's old enough to buy wine himself.) When we came home he searched on Craig's List and found a 14-bottle wine cooler for sale, left immediately to pick it up, and when he returned we went through my husband's and my cooler to pick out some wines he could try for himself. Moore Brothers is easily the best place to buy wine. Who out there has gotten ANY informative response from a state store employee when inquiring about the characteristics of a specific wine they are selling? Thanks for the heads up. Eileen

Thanks for such an interesting post! How many times can you use the same transfer sheet? Eileen

i think it's made in many variations, depending on its end use. (potato starch, wheat flour, rice flour, etc.) Eileen

I would go with gfron1 and put in the instant espresso powder. Some really good dark chocolate bars, cut up, would be excellent with that, also. And don't forget toasted walnuts. Eileen

I had some amazing strawberries from Maple Acre Farms. I think they are in (or near) Plymouth Meeting. Intensely flavored and sweet, wonderfully fragrant. I had them like that twice, but then the rest were rather insipid. I was really disappointed with the local raspberries and cherries.

That's an EXCELLENT solution, K8! If you send them a memo kindly explaining that it costs your organization much more when things have to be repacked, and apologize for having to raise prices on late orders, then they have no excuse. Another way to do this same thing might be to put a price increase into effect, but offer "discounts" on orders placed by a certain time of day (no exceptions) which effectively discount down to your current prices. That way you will only be penalizing the late orderers and not raising prices on the clients who order on time. It's always the same clients who do this. When I had my bakery I had to learn to say "We've already finished making that product today, but we can get you into the next delivery in your area." It worked. You have to be firm, but respectful. Good luck!

I'm wondering if there are two camps for the date square/bar bakers. The bars you describe are layered, whereas the bars I make are a simple, not too sweet cake-like batter loaded with cut dates and walnuts. The dates add the sweetness, there is just enough batter to hold everything together. I cut them and dust them with powdered sugar. Very chewy and satisfying, if you love dates and walnuts. Eileen

What about a deep, dark pots de creme? Something not too sweet that has very few other ingredients. Or ganache; chocolate and cream, adding just a very small amount of sugar? Or maybe hot chocolate made with the Cluizel, hot water, and a little sugar? Eileen

You can also just sandwich the cookies just before you serve them. Eileen

I couldn't agree more! I love the precision, the consistency, the order, the zen of baking. I always set up a mise en place and measure dry ingredients level and in measuring instruments designed for dry ingredients. I measure liquids in instruments designed for liquids. I like everything I bake to turn out perfectly every time. I find the entire process to be incredibly calming. I can get lost in an afternoon of baking. I think most people who have bad luck baking just do really stupid things. When I teach classes it amazes me that people disregard the instructions I give about measuring, then are disappointed when their baked goods don't turn out like mine. They are very cavalier about the entire process, yet expect success. It doesn't make sense to me, but, whatever. Eileen

My son came home from college last week and won't eat some things I bought at Whole Foods, like a bottle of ginger marinade to use in a pinch. He tells me there are ingredient names that hide the existence of MSG in foods that say "all natural" on the label, like "hydrolized yeast," "spice extract" and things like that. Do any of you know what the names of the hidden MSG ingredients are? Thanks in advance for your help. Eileen

My personal fave is cornbread made with some in-season freshly grated Jersey corn taken from the cob with the luscious milky juices. Mmmmm. Can't wait for corn season.

God, Kerry, that photo made my mouth water just looking at it. I looooove nuts with my chocolate. Eileen