gfron1

Thanks for that info. Maybe I can use chocolate extract where I can move the chocolate flavor into something else that would be easier to work with.

I am going to start practicing making a chocolate caviar using SA. Has anyone else tried this? My thought is to make the small chocolate balls, and serve them on a tuile.

This was my first macaroon - I used the gingerbread macaroon recipe from the recent LA Times feature on best holiday cookies. This was Spago's recipe. In the end, the marmalade filling, and an icing I made with organic Spanish Mandarin juice never held the cookies together strong enough for me to set on their side, so we just ate them out of a bowl. I am interested in feedback since I've never eaten one before these and now I'm not as sure that I understand the details of feet, gloss, interior consistency, etc. Most of these were dry like a meringue cookie, but some were soft. Which should it be? Can the feet bulge out like they did, or do they need to remain verticle?

I made gingerbread macaroons today and I want to fill them with a mandarin filling that is strong enough for me to set the macaroons on a tree - sideways. Any ideas/recipes? Thanks.

And mine... I nice comtè Taleggio Carravagio Cabrales A classic stilton And a beautiful Pecorino Foglie Noce... This last one is the only one that might call for tasting notes, which I'll do when I get a piece in my mouth.

This whole project is on hold until I finish my croquemboche (SP?) for Sunday, but I am going to do my best to stay away from boiling down rootbeer - I want something that tastes fresher. But I think I will try both techniques (whatever they are) once I am ready just so I can add to the "You know you're an EGulleter when..." Thread.

What I wondered is if there is a cultural difference in Portugal versus the US. I've seen such businesses here, but our sweet-toothed glutonous society likes to go the extremes. I'm curious if there is a difference in how our two societies treat sweets.

Today I'm receiving the Rogue Creamery Chocolate Stout cheese, which made me think of a unique personal cheese cake.

Great info guys...I feel like we're on to something here! Having just done a quick search, I found this message repeatedly: The original true flavor of root beer comes from sassafras root. Because sassafras root contains safrole, it cannot be sold in the US for human consumption. Sassafras root bark may be sold, although it too contains safrole, but it is not very good at providing flavor to the beverage. Hmmm...so can I not go to the origin. Am I going to have to use an extract or pre-made syrup. I'll survive, but its just not as much fun for me.

I'm looking at the Nov/Dec issue which is the latest I have, and I can't find that recipe. Did you have a more recent copy? Or might it be called something else?

I don't know much about rootbeer, but this is what their flavoring contains: Caramel Color, Water, Alcohol (1%-10%), Modified Food Starch, Natural and Artificial Flavors approved by the FDA. Is this was rootbeer is? I imagined boiling down some roots.

Legourmet - that is absolutely beautiful - great job!

I'm totally just playing with ideas right now so I can't answer the questions, but I wanted to make sure I didn't use extract, and I wanted to not just heat (and reduce) existing rootbeer. My thought is still a thick rootbeer sauce made from scratch, on top of some cake (I like the modified stout cake idea) and again the ice cream. Also, I wonder why CDH thinks it would be a hard sell. I like the idea of a hot, thick sauced dessert this time of year.

I've been thinking about this for a while...I want to make a hot rootbeer float. I've been thinking about making a thick rootbeer sauce, foaming it, adding the ice cream, and it feels like it should be on a cakey type thing. I haven't gone too far with the idea so I thought I'd throw it out to you all.

The new digs look great, gfron1! Is it a bigger place than your previous spot? Can't wait to check it out when I get to southern New Mexico again. ← Thanks Ludja. Its about the same size but we own it instead of renting, and more importantly I can now really expand our cheeses, and I've been wanting to try selling some of my pastries (on a very limited basis - I still have my job running a meth treatment program). We're also adding a tea tasting room. The tea is coming in from Vital Tea Leaf in SF Chinatown - my favorite tea shop.

Thanks Patrick - and I was thinking of your drip photo/food porn when I took the picture of the cracked side. You show drip - I show crack.

Tonight was our monthly cheese party. We featured Bleu del Moncenisio with has a classic blue taste without the bite. and also Toma Trifulera w/Black Truffles - huge hit!

I've been very absent from EG lately since we moved our store into a new building, then, the holidays hit and we've been slammed. But in the madness, I found time to make a few treats for a local fundraiser bake sale: Brioche filled with almond cream and topped with strawberries reduced with 6 year balsamic: and a New York style cheese cake topped with pomegranate geleé, with a Hungarian shortbread crust (ala Child/Greenspan):

What a perfect cake to follow Marie Antoinette! I'd love to see the cut piece photo.

Just to whet your cheese whistles...I have an order coming in on 12/5 that will include: Fiscalini 30 month cheddar Rogue Creamery Choc Stout Cheddar Belgian Chimay Grand Cru Belgian Wynendale Danish Esrom A bunch of flavored stiltons Blue D'Auvergne Empereur Fourme D'Ambert Coulommiers Rouzaire Explorateur Mini Banon Chalais Gaperon Tomme Crayeuse 3 Year Gouda from Holland Putzulu Pecorino in Walnut Taleggio Quinta da Boavista Cabrales Mahon Appenzeller Extra Aged Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Firefly Buche Noir How's that sound I'll post pics as I eat them!

I've been tied up for a couple of weeks, so I've been missing the weekly challenge banter, but wow, this one is absolutely stunning! Great job and thanks for sharing your skills with all of us - very inspiring.

With all of this unjustified/inaccurate fame, let's hope the AP picks it up and we'll be world famous!

Anthony, your fame stretches from the Mexican border to the Arizona border to the small towns of Gila, Cliff, Glenwood, and Deming...dude, that makes you about as important as our local firetower watchers!

The press picked up on the story today - there is more in the print version with a pic of the dessert. Here it is.

Cool - thanks Stephen, and I hope you didn't take offense at the comment, just providing feedback for the good of the cause