gfron1

Just pulled mine out of the oven after being inspired by the pic of these last night. I followed the recipe to the letter, but still had some problems. I had to bake about 7 minutes longer. Taste was great but I think i should have returned the dough to the fridge to firm it up more, they melted out more than the ones in the picture.

Mexican markets will definitely have it. Some good specialty food stores have it. Your herb store will probably have it. Its known to help with gas too

As best as I can remember, tonight was the first time in my life when I was insulted by being called a food. I was telling a local chef (whom I admire) about a dessert I recently made, and my spouse said, "You're such a genoise." At first, I thought he meant that I was a lighty delicate pastry that was a perfect foundation for wonderful things. Then he clarified and said that I was being a sponge, trying to get the chef's praise. He was right, although I was rightly offended. So, what other food insults are out there...

Wow, I'm not quite sure how to report my 30 seconds of research to egullet. A simple google search of "black licorice green" resulted in numerous web pages. The very first was www.poopreport.com...now that's scary enough that such a website exists. But on the site there are all sorts of people reporting green fecal matter following large consumptions of black licorice. BTW, someone earlier reported missing licorice ice cream. The poop report site said that Cold Stone Creamery had it just a few months ago. Cheers!

To add a new twist (pun intended) to this thread. For the first time that I can recall, the other day I bit a kookaburra black in half (v. popping it all in my mouth), and when I looked at it, the inside appeared green. Was it really green? Was it an optical illusion? Was it releasing its poisonous vapors inserted by alien life forms to intoxicate us into complacancy while they ran amuck around our planet whisking our healthiest young children away to their planet? Just curious...why was it green? Or are black licorice not really black at all...These are deep ponderous questions!

Its odd though, the All Sorts of my childhood is not the All Sorts I'm getting from Kookaburra or others today. I haven't been able to put my finger on the difference, but the modern stuff doesn't seem as strong, and the texture is too smooth (as best as my memory can recall).

Thanks Ling. The lines were from a printed transfer sheet. When the chocolate melted (ala Patrick's Dali-esque comment) it held the lines but made them wavy - I liked the effect. And of course you're still eating those truffles I'm sure Balthazar is too, and his friends, and his garbage collector, and his great grandmother's dog sitter... I should have bought stock in cacao futures before that party

I'm a little slow on getting my pics posted, but here was my dessert. This is the only one where I could get the chocolate to stay on the dessert, and as it melted very quickly, I think it turned out pretty.

Kookaburra is pretty soft (I'm eating a peice right now). Obviously the fresher, the softer. It is also a sweet not salty.

At my store Kookaburra has always been one of out top selling items. So, gradually I've added more and more licorice. Yesterday I went to the extreme and added 10 new types because it seems that whatever I put on the shelf flies away in mere days. So, after watching Ling's chocolate night thread, I've wondered if there could be such a thing as a licorice tasting. I know our licorice fans are pretty hardcore, so its possible. Here are some of the licorice that I just added: Potters Linea Lozenges Klene Honey Licorice Klene Authentic Laurier Licorice Dutch Cup Double Salt Dutch Cup Cats Finnska Licorice Bites Old Timers Licorice Blue Salt Salt v Unsalted Hard v. Soft Honey? All Sorts? The options are endless!

I have a digital [not instant read ] and an old candy thermometer. My digital doesn't have a clasp to keep it from hitting the bottom of the pan, and I haven't seen any that do...but maybe they exist. That's why I stick with my old fashioned one even though I can never read the temp well - I can't read my car's dipstick either. You know what I want...I want a high altitude thermometer that shows the adjusted temp, not the real temp. I'm tired of making conversions

The only word of caution I would add is always make sure that if you're going to consume it v. use it for fragrance, then buy organic roses so you know what chemicals are going into your food. I have a friend who lives next to a rose farm, and they talk about the big chemical trucks that pull in at all hours.

The crowd is leaning against rose water, so I feel I should play Sandra Day and tip the balance back. I've had good and bad experiences. The good is when it is used more for aroma than taste. I've been sprinkled with it many times in Morroccan restaurants. I like to drizzle on custard dessert plates (not the dessert itself). My worst experience, however, was when I made a vanilla cream genois concoction that I thought I would flavor with the rose water...bad idea. No one made it past the first bite, and in fact, it was so bad that not even one person was polite enough to just say they were full - they all told me how disgusting it was in their mouth (what are friends for!). A brand that I've used and enjoyed is Dabur from an Indian market. I've also used Cortas which is okay (Middle Eastern market). Cortas also makes a Rose Syrup which I've used to flavor summer drinks, and that's been more successful. There is also the Rose Preserves. On a related note, I wonder why roses...there are much better scented flowers out there.

Speaking on behalf of all chocolate lovers everywhere...wow and thanks! Speaking on behalf of my stomach...I think I'm feeling queezy Thanks Ling for sharing your night with us.

"if the income level is average, i question how much people would be willing to spend on a good quality lunch." I have to agree with the fear of eating seafood comments as much as I'd love to get some at a flea market. My thought is more around who are the customers and what do they want. When I was younger, I used to go to flea markets with family. The food was always the same. Whether you were selling or buying, more than likely you are a regular. So, if your customers are regular then variety (but consistency) would be important. In other words, you can only eat so many corndogs, but if you had a good one you would go back for a curry dog or a panko dog...get what I'm driving at. So, whatever you end up with, I would suggest finding variations within food families. And then consider what you serve it on/with. A napkin and white plastic fork sends one message v. nicer serving utensils/containers. Once you get going...post a pic!

Great picture Ling - and I love the kumquat! Thanks for posting it.

The honey I'm looking at is bold enough that I believe it will be noticed, not lost...Click HERE and go to PRODUCTS then HONEY for a description. And, I've been jazzed about trying this recipe after playing with calimansi cremiuex posted in another thread (I'm always inspired by egulleter creativity). Its already warm down here in NM so I'm shifting into citrus season!

Thanks again, I had briefly looked at the post which is where I found the recipe, but now having read the whole thread I can make the modifications. One thing I'm playing with (because I don't feel knowledgeable about honeys) is different types of honey. We sell a mango blossom honey from Bali that is fantastically succulent. I think I'll use that in my honey cake.

Wow! Now I'm even more inspired! And I agree, the square mold is a nice look.

Thanks Tweety! Cheryl, I'll be posting a pic when mine's done - I'd love to see yours as well. I'm probably going to do indiviudals instead of the 9" that it calls for. Have you seen a pic of the winning cake - I haven't been able to. Rob

I'm going to make the US Pastry Team's winning Orange Exotic cake this weekend. In a few steps it calls for using gelatin, and in the explanation it says to add melted gelatin. They use the term "melted" v. "dissolved." I've heard of but never seen or used gelatin sheets. Does anyone know if they are talking about gelatin sheets, or are they saying take gelatin powder and add hot water? Thanks in advance for the help.

Thanks for the report Ludja. I don't get over that way hardly ever, but if I do, its good to know there will be come decent meals. I'm more happy to hear about good service...rare in these parts. Glad you had a good trip. Rob

When asked where I learned my culinary skills and interests, I flatly reply, "PBS." I was a latch-key kid in the 70s and 80s raised on a hearty diet of Julia Child and Jeff Smith. So while my peers ate twinkies and ding dongs, I was exploring petit fours and creme anglais. My food is indicative of my life - quickly bored, always seeking novelty, refusing to be restrained by the boundaries of life or recipes. I literally have never repeated a recipe after its initial glorious moment. It is rare that I return to the same restaurant (when I lived in bigger cities that had options). That is me. Exotic to the unfamiliar observer, yet in reality comfortable in simply peasant foods and experiences...just like Julia and Jeff. Thanks for asking...and show me the Rorschach blot and I assure that I'll see Tibetan butter tea.

Based on some of these guilty indulgences my opinion of egulleters is dropping by the minute...oh wait, did I mention that I also pig out on soft and chewy chips ahoy

Actual conversation transcript following me eating an entire 9x13 pan of shortbread cookies that was given as a birthday gift to my spouse: Spouse: "Where is my sister's gift?" Me: "What gift?" Spouse: "It was right there on the counter. <Knowing Pause> Did you eat the biscuits?" Me: "Biscuits?...What biscuits?" Spouse: "The biscuits that were on the counter." Me: "I don't remember any biscuits." Spouse: <Frustrated Pause> "Did you eat my cookies?!" Me: <Sheepish and scared glance> "Uh....yeah." The rest of this conversation was deleted to maintain the family-appropriate forum.