Kerry Beal

I think Benefibre is inulin rather than wheat dextrin. It's a sugar that's not absorbed in the gut - hence passes through taking water with it. Cause of major gut grief on occasion in the form of jerusalem artichokes for me!

Because I can!

Belcolade is peanut and tree nut free and processed in a facility free of them.

There was nothing inexpensive in the Gallerie!

Dinner this evening at Creperie Breitz. Cider in jug Cider in bowls Sarazin crepe with salmon, creme fraiche, dill, lemon and capers for Jess Sarazin crepe with apples, cheeses, hazelnut dust and rosemary for me. There was also a dessert crepe with apples, caramel, ice cream and whipped cream which I neglected to photograph - must have been the bowls of cider!

May 1st La Fete du Travais is coming up - it is traditional to give loved ones Muguet. And apparently ladybugs - there were lots of ladybugs. Gallerie Lafayette Gourmand supplied the following pictures - 5 floors of everything food related! Pate de fruit molded on transfer sheets. Sugar cubes in wonderful shapes. Real flowers and clover baked in to the macaron. But is it art? Hugo Victor - they pair an alcoholic beverage with a flavour - then make a bonbon, a cake, a dessert and preserves using those ingredients. Their bonbons are packaged inside a 'book'. I was quite taken by these little cakes called Visitandine - which seem like financiers and madelines had a baby that was baked in a boat. We stopped at this award winning Boulangerie on the way back and picked up a few assorted escargot. Line up outside the door! PIstachio and chocolate - eaten on the subway on our way to our next destination.

Breakfast this morning at Angelina - we were amazingly late getting out of bed - I don't think I've slept in until after 10 in years. My fitbit did mention that we had walked 19,990 steps yesterday - perhaps that had something to do with it. Today we have walked a mere 18,278. Coffee - now that my jet lag restrictions are over. We shared foie terrine with brioche and fig jam. Croque madame for me. Quiche lorraine for Jess We visited a new and very exciting new chocolate shop 'Edwart' (a name you get when Edwin and Arthur start a shop together). Their chocolates are some of the best I have tried in nearly forever. They are very thin and very flavourful. The lemon ganache was perfect - the vanilla was the most pleasant in your face experience. Edwin makes the figures. This one from the window has marzipan appendages.

I'm not totally sure that I know myself - but I think it is one of the skinny ones with the big hips sitting in the back.

Indeed she did! If she truly didn't have any money as she stated - then the waiter was going to be pissed when she dined and dashed.

DInner tonight at Tante Marguerite - a restaurant next door to the hotel An amuse - foie gras mousse with grape gel and gougere. Breads. Cold cucumber soup with a shrimp floater and a nice violet. Duck carpaccio with pineapple and fried chickpea mush (panisse) Squid ink pasta tagiatelli with clams and butterfish. Rhubarb and strawberry dessert with biscuits in Dulcey chocolate. Mignardises

These are all items that Patrick Roger originally carved in chocolate and have now been done in metal - some bronze. One of them is still chocolate.

I'm afraid these are going to be random - too lazy to reorder them. Another quiche was had - considerably nicer than the one on the plane. Fishes in Patrick Roger's shop Can't recall the name of the shop - but they had these lovely rectangles with nuts and inclusions on the top that made such a nice pattern. Easter is apparently not over until you've sold all the bunnies you've made. Late afternoon snack at Fauchon. Random chocolates from somewhere. Eclair de genie - loved the caramel sauces in the tubes. For lunch - can't recall the name of the restaurant - but my salad was the Super Papa - pays to know the language - you might not end up with a huge bowl of chicken livers - not that there is anything wrong with that. The lady at the next table was eating a large salad - and when Jess went inside to use the facilities - this lady suggested that I might pay for her lunch as well. We politely declined when the time came to settle the bill! They wanted 4.50€ for one marshmallow with 4 little pieces of graham wafer attached to it and enrobed - I'm undercharging I tell you! More random chocolates from the place that get's so much money for air. Eggs and easter island eggs from Jacques Genin. Lenotre.

Here's what they fed me on the plane Mixed nuts and a nice little glass of Dow Port A shrimp, a chunk of lobster and a scallop with some mango relish Mushroom ravioli Cheese For breakfast quiche and yogurt

Had a little brain fart - was supposed to have had 3 cups of black coffee around 6 pm for my jet lag program. Forgot - while I sipped on my caffeine free tea. Apparently I have to wait until we are in the air before they can make me some.

So I'm sitting in the Maple Leaf lounge at Pearson International Airport waiting to head out for Paris. I will be escorting a group of Ecole Chocolat grads to a course at Valrhona. I herd them onto a train on Sunday morning - 3 days of classes - then back to Paris where I am to show them the chocolate shops. It's a tough job - but somebody has to do it! The airport lounge has a pho bar! How cool is that. Now if they just had the right kind of noodles and my jet lag diet would allow it - I'd be all set. They also have big chunks of fresh coconut - I've been enjoying munching on a couple of them. I'm not sure the sort of time I'll have for posting but I hope to put up a little something every day about what I'm up to so you can follow along. It may take a bit to get my wifi up after arrival.

The belt coater was made by Schebler - the fellow said he was working on a 12 inch coater as well. But given the minimal price difference, the fact that they were both 110 V and the fact that you could do 35 lbs of product at a time - I think the 18 inch would make sense for the artisan level chocolatier. Seed generator is about the size of a small deep fryer - I was ready to put it down by the end of the day!

There were 3 speakers this morning on the Back to Basics series - the topic this year was Fats in Confectionery. Of course each speaker entertains questions that the audience writes on pieces of paper. The questions that kept coming up were about GMO, organic and how do I label if my fat has been altered in some way! Funny pomegranate is still in - but sensory is the new thing. Foods that cool, tingle, etc. And colours made from natural stuff - nary an azo dye to be seen. Makes for rather muted colours I find. And of course the shelf life on them is 6 months to a year. Great for those selling - not so great for those buying! I will be getting a number of samples of various panning polishes and shellacs from a few different vendors. Interested in seeing if there are significant differences in them. I seriously coveted an 18 inch belt coater! It is 110V. I stopped and had a little chat with the fellow you got the melter from - reminded him of that - he recalls the fun we had getting it into the car. I had my own little project that I took the opportunity to show everyone who would listen - it's a cocoa butter seed generator that makes tempering a breeze for artisan chocolatiers, bean to bar manufacturers, R&D departments and wealthy hobbyists! People seemed very interested in that shiny thing in my bag. I collected as many pens as I could for Anna - some even have a laser pointer which should exercise the over weight foster kitty upon our return.

Heading back Tuesday unfortunately - and not gettting any closer to Philly. Would have enjoyed dropping by and having a visit! I suspect their beers are quite nice ABSOLUTELY - we didn't get around to trying any though.

Last couple of times we ate at the Wegman's cafe we were disappointed - thought I have good food in the Amherst store before.

Finger lakes area I seem to recall?

Anna says we didn't find anything food related in our thrift store shopping - however I think the Cuisinart Little Pro that I picked up for $4.99 counts! They are such good little food processors!

It's a decagon paWkit - bought it refurbished from the company for $500. They go for a more new. Contact the company to see when they might have one again.

Tried the Lekue bags with the clamps that come with them - didn't work, clamps warped and leaked. But perhaps if you could come up with a different method of closing them that could handle the thickness I think they'd be great.

I should bring the Fuji too - contacted them today - they are going to provide a gift certificate for a door prize again!

I like to pick up some of these after easter at various stores - make great bread pudding!