gfron1

HERE'S a topic on mandatory gratuities for those who like to relive the fun!

pics from the shopping and prep are certainly encouraged

HERE'S a topic on freezing curd.

Its margherita time (is any time NOT margherita time?) around here so I pulled out my juicer which gets lots of use. I had forgotten how last season we beat it into submission and the handles no longer align. To juice with this, which I did last night, I have to stack two or three limes in it to compensate for the gap. Maybe its time for a new one....naaah.

Thanks Ruth. I now understand why the pros don't post their creations too often - once you start selling, you make essentially the same things day after day, and you never had time to do your own thing anymore. I've been making CCCs, Ong's PB cookies, tiramisu and a few other things daily. Yesterday Patrick A made some lemon macaron's and I added a dark chocolate/caramel ganache. Another good seller!

I hope you'll not only take pics, but show them too And for some of the techniques, step-by-step pics would be great. I would also like to hear about your timing related to prep and serve related to the MG courses.

Wow - this all very helpful (not just the correction that I shouldn't use my tongue to stir fry). I'll be sure to let you all know what happens on the next one.

While the Gfron sleeps, all of the stir fryers come out apparently! On last night's recipe I used buckwheat soba. I've used a wide range of rice noodles (I own an international grocery so I have a good variety to play with, but its unfortunate that of the many cuisines we carry, the entire slew of Asian foods is our one culinary knowledge gap). I do think these basics - overcooked noodles (I've never done dry noodles in stir fry), not high enough heat may be our culprits. I also just recently started soaking instead of boiling my noodles, and in conjunction with tips I picked up in the pad thai cook-off, I have had a few kinda successes.

I'm a terrible, horrible, worthless cook. Every time I try to add noodles to a stir fry I create a big wok of glop. Can't someone give me the secret tip that apparently no one has shared with me so far? I'm sick of wok glop crap.

HERE'S a discussion about orange curd in wedding cake that might be helpful. And, HERE'S one on quenellable curd - essentially the same question.

Everything that Annie said - I'm just in awe of what I saw in that site. I am just an ant on a log at this moment wishing I could be 1% as great as the chefs who created those works of art. And, yes, what is a turndown?

HERE'S some good stuff from the Pastry & Baking index. And a bit specific to NOTTER

How can there already be 8 in the "used" section! I hadn't read this topic til today and was totally out of the loop, but now I'm jazzed! I've never had the time or patience to work on my knife skills, but now it seems doable - looking forward to not lopping off my finger tips with my Globals

Not to split hairs, but do we care if its bakers v. pastry chefs? Maybe its a difference only in my mind, but if there truly is a distinction, my experience suggests there are more women bakers, but more male pastry. (I'm hoping I'm not about to get butter bricks thrown at me...no offense is intended)

As always I wonder how much of this is about better reporting and communications. Maybe many of these problems have always been there and we just didn't know about it. All I've got to say to the present problem is - it better fix itself before Caprese Salad season gets here or I'll be very grumpy. That's my only delight during hot summers in the desert.

For kicks I thought I would add some of my tasting notes: Loose (6 yr) Puerh: "Very mild and with a slightly sweet taste, embracing an aroma indicative of the sea." Blue Tea: "Sweet and tangy including hints of grass, tobacco and guava." Dragon Well: "Refreshingly smooth, sweet and delicate." Thousand Miles: "Pleasant chinoto overtone with underlying apple highlights." Ginseng Oolong: "Ginseng accents with slight sweetness surrounded by mild smoky undertones." Ginseng Flower: "Pungent Earthy flavor. Mushroom overtones softened by a cucumber sweetness. Refreshing and grounding, like a soba salad."

HERE are previous topics on those books.

I've been thinking about the smells from morning drinks... Most coffees - love the smell Most teas - could care less about the smell (unless its a lapsong then I hate the smell) Hot chocolate - do I even need to say what I think Mate de Coca - incredibly grounding for me, takes me to the streets of Peru Cider - immediately sends my mind to the apple farms of Indiana Chickory - Many a memorable (or forgotten) night in New Orleans Its funny how I don't remember any hot drink smells from my childhood. I'll have to ask my mom and brother and see if there was any. Thanks for your comments and thoughts!

And again I say that its easy for us to be sideline coaches. It sure would feel good to stick it to the man by calling the media. And it sure would feel good to say 'take this job and shove it.' And none of us will disagree that something needs to be done to make sure this stops. But HOW IT IS DONE is important. Make sure you are taken care of. Make sure you are taking into consideration all of the honest employees who have families that depend on their livelihood. And be clear on your goal. Mine would not be to put the restaurant out of business, but to get it to stop the deception. The black and white response to the situation is IMO not good, nor wise. Is there no one else in the business that you can talk to about your concerns? Are there any allies among the employees that could garner a coalition of support?

Obviously leave sooner rather than later, but I think people would be surprised how common these things are. eG member, Verjuice has written quite a bit about her similar experience at her blogspot -ArabianBites. Even in my small town where everyone knows everyone and so you're serving your friends I've seen "organic" thrown on dishes that aren't, "slow food" put on dishes that come out of the Sysco truck, "homemade" on baked goods that came out of a box. I have no idea how rampant this problem is but there is no control mechanism in place - just the integrity of staff. What bothers me more than the basic lying is the true harm that could come as a result. That vegetarian who ate the chicken broth may not have been vegetarian for moral reasons. They may have had a true allergy. Allergies are simply not something to be messed with. Gregory, its easy for all of us to be sideline coaches, so I really empathize with what you situation is. I hope you can find the easiest transition and hopefully leave your parting restaurant a better place without damaging your future. Please let us know how it works out.

I few ice creams that I made in a class today: Zaafraani Kulfi (in RecipeGullet): saffron, cardamom, raisins, almonds, pistachios OUTSTANDING - make this! Olive Chip Ice Cream (in the ice cream topic, from Ideas in Food): Olive oil, Lyle's Golden Syrup, mascarapone and dried olives: Here are the chips. These were dried for about three hours at 180F. They would make a great condiment since you can pulverise them. And, some friends had a going away party so I made them cakes. Their oldest is fixated on balloons, so I made balloon cakes: The colors are the flavors: bluerry, red raspberry and lemon. Each has basic genois on the bottom split and filled with the flavor. The tops were mousse (a bit of gelatin added for heat security) poured into bowls then frozen with the genoise pressed into them. Then they were glazed with pastry glazed heavily tinted for color. The balloon nipples were fruit rollups. They were lot's of fun to make.

Beautiful. Perfect.

Start with 10 Speed Press - they have the most diverse selection for wholesale. If you can't meet their minimums, try Harold's Imports - not as good of prices, but okay selection.

Verjuice, that may have been easy, but great for hot summer days! Here are two that I did today. Another riff on a chocolate apricot tart. Normally I would have worked toward ultra smooth top, but I purposefully dragged in the waves as it was setting and I'm glad I did. Then here's a leftover ingredient dessert - Iranian lime, ginger tartlet.

"My name is: Pasta Salad" Great job!