Kerry Beal

Only hint

There were a couple of tools that we all decided we needed (wanted) after our time with Luis. The first was a Westcott aluminum ruler with a silicone grip. Another was some silicone mascara brushes. Michael's proved the source for the rulers - I found mine en route, @Gwbyls and @YetiChocolates found theirs in South Bend I believe. The mascara brushes required a bit more work - a couple of different beauty supply places before I found a source.

Just before crossing the border I stopped at the A&W and tried their cheese curds - hmmm

So this morning before we all left - we had to reduce the leftovers a bit so we had some iberico ham, the cheeses from Zingerman's and toast made from the Forkish bread. @jbates had some spag bol with meatballs to finish off.

It would be fair to say he is a convert!

I think I meant to say contract rather than retract. I kind of think of it as over-tempered chocolate is already full of crystals so there is less work to do pulling them all together as it cools. The crystals don't have to move as far to come together so the chocolate doesn't shrink as much.

I’m not sure if that is the case. I do know that over tempered chocolate does not retract as well

Had it shown itself to be completely separated from the mold when you took it out? My fridge is 4º C - it can stay in a 16º fridge indefinitely

I suppose it would depend if folks are attending the master's classes on Friday.

If it's a good polycarbonate mold - without a huge smooth space (nothing prevents de molding marks on a huge smooth space) - make sure after pouring the molds you wait until it starts to crystallize around the edges and place it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes - until you see that the bonbons have separated completely from the mold.

Yes - divided up - some pieces remain back with Luis who has plans for some of them!

Dinner tonight at the Silver Harbour Pretty respectable Old Fashioned. Cheese curds Waffle fry nachos - didn't make much of a dent, Fish and waffle chips for @Gwbyls

May I just say that we all became so attached to this man and his family in the past 3 days that we were all pretty much in tears when we left.

Ana's lunch today! Chicken or pork (or both).

De molding marks?

MA Chinese Cuisine. Bring your passports as you'll have to cross the border of course to have dinner there. Looking forward to finally meeting you after knowing you virtually all this time.

I believe that someone organized that tour one year when we were in Niagara and went across and spent the day in Buffalo. I'm sure someone could organize.

Dinner tonight at Rye Belles. Negroni with something lacking The sweet vermouth that was lacking \ Old Fashioned for @YetiChocolates wine for @Gwbyls Cider for @jbates

Few more pictures of the workspace with more in the spray closet. Room on the level up with items for sale. Dishpit, supplies and work in progress in proofer. Room with fridge and compressor behind. heater for colored cocoa butter Everyone needs a gilt drawer! more work in progress.

Lunch today was beef done with Ginger and some thing else that I have forgotten. Serve with cilantro and onions as well as a poblano salsa. Homemade corn tortillas.

We are making a whole variety of different designs - most on that plate plus several others. Luis, Ana and the boys have lived in this house for just 4 months. It's a nice split level ranch and the bottom basement is the classroom. It's a nice sized space. Luis prefers 3 students only - but since this particular eG gang has worked together before sharing space we are fitting the four of us in here with no significant problems. I haven't really taken pictures from all angles - shall endeavor to do that today. But shall put a few here so you can get a feel for the layout. The 'main' space has this large granite table - behind Luis there is another smaller cabinet against the wall - on which sits the heater for the cocoa butters, a microwave - beside that a counter height rolling rack with a granite top. There is another granite topped table behind me, and you can see the other granite topped table holding all the molds in front of the cupboards. There are 3 cupboards on the end full of supplies of various sorts. To the left of the cupboards there is this cabinet of drawers that contains a huge variety of supplies for various techniques. Luis is a big fan of surgical supply stores! The paint booth is built into a cupboard - the compressor is in another room with the water trap and connection for the airbrush on the right wall of the cupboard. There is a downdraft venting system just behind where he is working and a overhead venting system as well. There is a heat gun hanging from the left wall. He is using badger airbrushes and has his compressor set at 40 PSI and is getting great coverage. On the left side of the first picture - there is an area with a triple sink, a counter top for the tempering machine, a hot plate (a bigger version of the thing I use to clean molds) on top of which he has placed a granite tile. He uses this to clean molds, to heat things to join two sides etc. Behind his back in this picture is a rack with bowls, offsets etc. Beside that a proofer box he uses to store various things in progress and just behind that wall - is another room with fridge, freezer, some racks - and the noisy compressor.

Really nice round things work best as you've noticed with the hazelnuts - as soon as you throw in some curves it becomes more complicated. So cashews are a major challenge given their shape, coffee beans have one flat side - so they want to stick together. Marshmallows have a bunch of flat sides so they want to stick together. Nice round cereal pans well, more uniformly shaped nuts - search the grocery store for round things! A few things we've played with before - here.

Dinner tonight at Tosi's. Recommended by a number of people. You can have butter or cheese and oil for your bread. Arancini Salad Veal scaloppine for me Spinach and brussel sprout salad for @Gwbyls Spag bol with meat balls for @jbates

Luis’s wife Ana served us a fabulous lunch. Coconut shrimp, roast chicken, salad, rice, beans, quac, salsa and slaw.

Breakfast provided by hotel This is not European charcuterie!