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filipe

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Everything posted by filipe

  1. I haven't been baking for a while because I'm moving from one house to another, and I guess that in about 3 weeks things will be ok enough to invite some friends to my new place. Since I'm also making 30 by those days I thought on doing a buffet dinner to celebrate both ocasions : my new place and my 30th birthday (not that I think getting older deserves a party, but...) I don't like buffet dinners : neither attending one nor cooking one (and cooking one is even worst) Anyway I don't have a 20-something places dinner table neither budget to hire some staff to serve dinner, so there's no other option than the buffet one. I don't like them mainly because I thing that one can't trully apreciate food while standing on their feet, chatting, allways wondering where our glass of wine was left by the last time we've dropped it somewhere... A true dinner is ment to be served at a dinner table, with guests sitted on some confortable chairs that allow them to enjoy the food, the wine and the company. But as I've told you, in this case it can't be an option. I won't hide you guys that I'm still having troubles about the savoury menu, but that's another thread... Even if about deserts things seem to be a little bit easy - at least one can eat them with only a spoon or a fork - I still don't know what to bake. Any ideas? Don't forget it's Summer... and it's damn hot in here (like 32-37 ºC)
  2. Yeah, you're right. I thought on some agar flocks for that purpose, since they gelify at higher temperatures than ordinary gelatin, I wouldn't need freezing it for it to shape.
  3. filipe

    Buffet dinner for 30

    I was thinking on some fusion-style menu. It's my 30th birthday so I would like to do something that could be in any way related with these last 30 years of my life. For example, since I've been studying one year in Italy, I would like to do some italian cooking...a risotto for example, or maybe some pasta. But doing a risotto makes me spent 20 minutes away from them in the middle of the meal just to cook it properly... It's the sort of "problems" that are annoying me when I try to create a menu... I would also like to use some fish or seafood, since I've allways lived near the sea and spent a lot of time at the beach with my friends. And since cooking is my last passion, and many of them have heard about it but never tasted anything I had cooked, i need them to remember this dinner for the rest of their lives eheh Cold Entrées/ Tapas Hot entrées or Pasta 2 main courses (one fish and one meat) About the desserts that won't be a problem (my specialty), i have a lot of options that i would just need to combine with the rest of the menu when it's drafted.
  4. Needing some advice... Tell me if you think this is stupid : Mixing champagne with cocoa (powder), a good quality one, blend the mixture into a iSi whipper, and then foam it over some half-filled champagne flutes, really iced ones
  5. Any ideas on some nice buffet menus, to be cooked at home, for 30? Thanks for the help
  6. Thanks for the tips I was thinking more on something to drink... which combined both flavours and textures. Tell me if you think this is stupid : Mixing champagne with cocoa (powder), a good quality one, blend the mixture into a iSi whipper, and then foam it over some half-filled champagne flutes, really iced ones
  7. Does anyone know any recipe where chocolate and champagne are used together?
  8. They're not cheap indeed. But we're not talking about Hershey's chocolate bars bought at some supermarket... I don't know which chocolate/cocoa they use at Melt (but, for my taste is a lot worst than Paul A. Young) but one can't have other price range when Valrhona and Amedei are the only ones used.
  9. No glass, no partitions. Everything is there before you eyes..and hands. This is how it works at Melt : you pick a wooden plate (like if it was a shopping trolley, resized for this specific produt), you choose what you want and pick it up (not with your hand of course), take it to the counter where they weight it, and they pack your chocolates ready for you to take them home.
  10. It was like 4-5 pounds for each 100g. Not cheap, but we're talking about hand&daily made chocolates... a little less for the chocolate bars, like £3,50 or so.
  11. I was introduced to Paul A. Young recently openned shop by some egullet-friends. It caught my attention, because it's not usual to know about these kind of opennings in London. Since I was visiting the city, I've decided to give it a try. I was DELIGHTED with my visit to his shop. First of all the place is quite cosy. And second, because Paul himself is there, "giving his face" for his own creations, having a nice chat with his clients. His products have an awesome presentation and are really fresh, daily made at his basement kitchen, only using Valrhona and Amedei chocolate. The only thing I think that he could improve is about pastries... I think he should give it a go, as he's a very talented young man. This is is best-seller Sea Salted Caramel, which is AMAZING But although its success Paul it's not that kind of "own-belly-button-focused" type of guy. And he told me about his friend's shop, at Nothing Hill, called Melt. And I went there too, on a saturday morning. The place is very nice, on Ledbuy Road. It's a very "minimalist" shop, with an open kitchen and tasting room at the back, filled with natural light. At the end I bought some truffles...the cinnamon ganache ones were VERY NICE, those were my favourite. I like the look of the chocolates, very chunky and hand-made After all, there's chocolate going on in London...
  12. After looking at so many fantastic examples I've decided to do some experiences. This was the first time I've ever tried something similar,and i wasn't that unhappy with my results. I've used a brush for the white and a spatulla for the dark. What do you think? For home baked cookies, I mean....
  13. You may not believe me, but I had never opened this thread before! Here's what I had for dessert tonight : I've made two cakes using the same base - a lemon sponge and a cocoa genoise. Assembling (1st one) Lemon sponge Pierre Herme's Dark Chocolate Mousse Cocoa genoise Chocolate Mousse Lemon flavoured italian meringue Yuzu-Chocolate ganache Assembling (2nd one) Cocoa Genoise Pierre Herme's Chocolate Whiped Cream Lemon Sponge Chocolate Whiped Cream Yuzu-Chocolate ganache the 2nd one hasn't been sliced yet....
  14. Here's the results : I've made two cakes using almost the same base - a lemon sponge and a cocoa genoise. Assembling (1st one) Lemon sponge Pierre Herme's Dark Chocolate Mousse Cocao genoise Chocolate Mousse Lemon flavoured italian meringue Yuzu-Chocolate ganache Assembling (2nd one) Cocoa Genoise Pierre Herme's Chocolate Whiped Cream Lemon Sponge Chocolate Whiped Cream Yuzu-Chocolate ganache
  15. Just did it I've started with 200ml cream, boiling with some lemon zest. Took the zest out and add to 200g chocolate. Then more 200ml cream. Took your advice and add the yuzu juice only when the cream was already boiling - 2 tablespoons. Mixed the previously made ganache with the 2nd pan of cream+yuzu and got a lighter ganache. It's still half-cold, but the flavour is VERY NICE. It brought out the best of the yuzu and you can't find any lemon flavour in it. Let's see how it tastes after cooling
  16. That must be the difference between a gourmand and an architect. I always thought more was more ← Tell that to the guy who created the "nouvelle cuisine" eheh
  17. Thanks I'll give it a try tonight... will use a not that good chocolate in case it won't work.
  18. Not quantity...but quality And chalk striped aprons have an unbeatable design! As Mies van der Rohe used to say... "Less is more"
  19. I'm not very familiar about fruit-flavoured ganaches, I guess I've seen some recipes but I've never made any on my own. My question is : I am thinking on doing a yuzu-aromatized ganache. I thought on mixing some yuzu juice (as I dont have any yuzu zest, only bottled juice) with the cream and then take the mixture to a boil. Do you think that the fact I will be using an acid (from the yuzu) together with the cream will let it work with the chocolate? Or will it have any effect on the cream's fat and will ruin everything?´ Other alternative could be using a similar process to Pierre Herme's chocolate-caramel ganache, only by adding the yuzu juice to the sugar while making the caramel...
  20. Thanks a lot I've allways dreamed on having one eheh
  21. Can anyone tell me where I can buy one Chalk Stripe bib apron in London?
  22. Paris boxes (should this mean France has learned anything from its Revolution?): Pierre Hermé - white boxes with one coloured side (red/yellow/etc) Sadaharu Aoki - white boxes with the name in silver, almost unperceptible Fauchon - black & white, as their logo Ladurée - the non-gift boxes are light green with violet decors, gift boxes have several colours and designs Gerard Mullot - the only pink boxes I've found in Paris
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