Lisa Shock

I make my chocolate extract from Felchlin. I add it because the cream itself doesn't add much flavor.

I like to add a small amount of chocolate extract to help boost the chocolate flavor.

Spanakopita -but, if the freezer is fixed, make soup and freeze the soup.

Definitely agree with this statement. I've taken several master level classes in gluten free baking/bakery management and having everything separate including the air system (AC, Heating, etc.), storage, employee changing rooms, restrooms, and dishwashing is critical to the prevention of cross contamination. There's a 100% gluten free bakery near me and I have spoken to the owners. They run a test which costs $30 on every single container of provisions they receive, like: sacks of rice flour, sacks of oats, sacks of sugar, tubs of baking powder, etc. Everything they buy is marked 'gluten free' but in reality, about 20% of the products arrive contaminated and must be returned. It's a constant battle for them, and they are in a major city (Phoenix) buying from major distributors.

The one issue I have encountered relates to the size of the pot and the room temperature. If your room is cold and the pot is large there can be a big temp difference between the top of the water and the water at the bottom. Heavier pots retain heat better, so they help. Stirring may also help a bit, too, but in some cases this is an insurmountable issue -no one wants to stand at a stove and stir for 36 hours straight. I'd recommend looking into one of the circulation devices people use when they make homebrew setups.

BTW, Nyesha's choice of coconut & lime was a huge gamble. Yes, they taste good together, but, a significant percentage of the population doesn't like coconut. And, for those who don't like it, myself included, the aversion is really strong. This aversion is well known enough to cause most pastry chefs in real professional competitions to avoid using much coconut, if any at all. Lime also has it's detractors, but, that group is relatively small. So, from the perspective of a pastry chef, this is a solidly huge win for Nyesha. She managed to use a flavor profile that many of us would avoid, did not play it safe, and had the best tasting dessert.

Once again Nyesha rules! There are 7 chefs left on the regular show, so just a few more episodes to go!

So, for the first time, restaurant wars took place on sequential nights. I think team Half Bushel had an advantage in getting more time to rest and plan. That said, they didn't run a very smooth kitchen....

High hydration dough laid out thin is essentially ciabatta.

You need to remember that it's not always about the counter top, either. It's also about not cooling the food/drink down too quickly. The stone tops can suck the heat out of something really quickly.

Italian style potstickers? Use a teflon pan, add some butter and a little stock and let it reduce around them til it glazes them.

I agree. Nyesha keeps the jacket! I'd love to see her take this.

Sorry, I don't have a recipe, I usually just improvise by making a less solid jam (less pectin) and adding spices, chopped onion, vinegar, grated ginger, and some raisins or other dry fruit. Try a recipe for mango chutney and just be aware that your plums have a little more moisture in them.

How about a chutney?

I'm sorry, but, it does not appear that I can attend. Maybe next year...

Here's a link to an article about eight unusual scientific findings about weight gain and obesity. Air pollution, viral infections, lack of sleep and other seemingly innocuous facts of modern life may have a hand in weight problems.

Some suggested items, if he think they sound ok: Breakfast Oatmeal with fresh fruit (I like apples and walnuts with honey.) I make old-fashioned oats because I prefer the texture. Fresh bread, make the dough the night before. Lunch & Dinner Bean dishes (look to Mexico as well as India) Rice dishes -there's a huge variety of these, from risotto to fried rice to vegetable sushi Noodle dishes -once again check out the whole world: vegetarian pho[/url, chinese curry noodles, primavera, pasta salad In terms of calories, nut butters and avocados are full of fat and nutrition. So, make a Mexican meal featuring guacamole, or make an asian meal featuring 'peanut noodles' made with toasted almond butter, etc. There are some vegetarian threads on this site, BTW.

Is there a brand name imprinted in them? I have some solid-color pink Cuisinart brand mats (and yes, I own Silpats, too) that were part of a promotion at Bed Bath & Beyond about 5 years ago. They were sold to for baking. But, they don't have wire in them. That said, I have seen similar mats sold as pet food mats, etc. as well. They would probably work fine as non-skid devices in the freezer. Since pretty much anything you freeze is wrapped, the quality of the silicone wouldn't matter so much.

I have a few that I got from major manufacturers. They are good to use in place of spray or parchment paper for things like cookies, scones, biscuits, etc. I also use them for working pulled sugar. Just be aware that they have insulating properties, so, unless you have a convection oven, they will slow the transfer of heat from the pan to the food making it take longer to cook.

I just mix some light vegetable oil with half as much soy lecithin granules in the blender and use that as 'grease' for pans. The lecithin is a release agent. I have some spray in the house and use it for a few thing. But, I am very aware that it contributes to the dirty film of dust that accumulates in a kitchen. In terms of cleaning, I like Bon Ami.

Twining's Earl Grey tea, loose leaf tea. No other Earl Grey, and, absolutely no tea in teabags ever. (I hate the taste of the teabag, plus the tea itself is generally of low quality.)

I just never tried it. I do use lecithin mixed with oil to grease pans.

I like Joy, but wasn't so fond of that recent overhaul. I'd look for an older, used copy.

I think that the issue is related to the fact that we call different breads brioche even though they may contain vastly different amounts of butter. -Generally anywhere from 20% - 70% butter, in baker's percentages.

Just thought I'd start this thread for discussion of Last Chance Kitchen, so that spoilers don't appear in the main TC9 thread. Bravo has viewing blocked outside of the US. Anyway, I like seeing the eliminated contestants on the sidelines. They are helping a lot and giving more insight into what the dishes taste like. I also like the fact that the competitors have no idea that this event is occurring, so they get a surprise as they 'leave' the regular show. Too bad that this is the only season where this will be the case.