chefette

I just found an interesting site with several rose petal recipes that might be of interest http://www.amityheritageroses.com/Edible.html Amity Heritage Roses

Spices on Connecticut Ave was very stylish and excellent asian/sushi at a reasonable price. We ate there about two weeks ago. 3333-A Connecticut Ave., NW, near cleveland Park Metro Station, Washington, D.C. (202) 686-3833 http://eg.washingtonpost.com/profile/79212...ext=restaurants

Fat Guy, Phyllo is a paper thin dough. You purchase it frozen, folded or rolled in a box. To use it you normally set it out flat one sheet at a time, brush a layer with butter, lay on another leaf, repeat butter, etc. (For one of our Crisco recipes we sprayed each sheet.) Puff is a laminated dough created by folding butter between layers of dough. The butter bloc is first encased in an envelope of dough, rolled out, folded, rolled, folded, several times with rest periods in between to allow the gluten in the dough to relax. Finally, you roll the dough out fairly thin, cut the desired pieces, bake in a hot oven. In baking the water in the butter explodes into steam separating the layers of dough into a high light pastry crust. (as in the traditional Napoleon). A real pain to make, takes a long time. It is a real shame to see someone mess it up after you make a batch.

In the Clarendon/Bailey's Crossroads area: Indian Spice Store off Wilson near the Ballston Shopping Mall Duangrats (?) Thai/Oriental Market on Rt 7 near Carlin Springs Road near Duangrats Restaurant El Chaparal Latin market across Wilson Blvd from Fresh Fields Amazing Oriental market out Lee Highway after Galaxy restaurant and before the Rt 50 intersection (Bux - this is the source of the Green Machine--the Anytop blender-- they also have the cutest tiny pink Hello Kitty Coffee Maker which I covet merely for its design and ridiculous color ) A-1 Indian Market on Lee Highway in Arlington just after the Safeway Middle Eastern Market off Rt 50 just after N. Courthouse Road in the plaza across from Ft Meyers with the Armands Pizza Place I think there are lots of interesting markets around tucked away

Qoute Fat Guy: "Chefette: But surely you discriminate against your guests on the basis of knowledge. You don't really pull out all the stops for a completely self-selected ignoramus the way you would if you had Alain Ducasse coming over for dinner, do you? Surely part of that reason is you assessment of the guests' respective abilities to appreciate your effort. " Surely any of my guests expect alot from me and surely Alain Ducasse would probably rather die by his own hand than have dinner at my house. This reminds me of a thought I have every time I see one of these programs where people are telling any normal person how to have a dinner party or something...and an array of champagne glasses look brilliant surrounding a silver candelabra on the grand piano...I just think it would be so cool if they got dropped into any real normal place and had to throw a party. The little kitten dixie cups, plastic glasses, and assorted mismatched wine glasses look brilliant crammed on the desk top around the computer monitor where your guests can enjoy pouring themselves a refreshing cocktail... Please!

Quote Polly: " I have found that if you use good quality dark chocolate you don't have to temper it if you are in a rush " ??????? Cocoa butter is cocoa butter if you melt it above 92 degrees F regardless of the price or source you will need to temper it or it will not end well. Quote Foodie 52: " Is there anybody else out there who would rather not eat them? I don't like the taste of chocolate against the acidic quality of the berries. Slather them with cream for me, please." Me! P.S. I have made hundred and hundreds of chocolate dipped strawberries at various locations and have ALWAYS washed the berries, set them out on towel lined perf pans to dry.

By the way, back to 'cheating' For home use, I really like the Pepperidge Farm Frozen puff pastry. I tried a much more expensive 'high quality' puff pastry one time and felt they really let the ball drop. 1- price: $9 for a very small amount (thought - for this price it should be good stuff) 2- packaging: small box (thought - how odd, this doesn't seem to be a great size or shape) 3- Raw product: folded into quarters, cracked, much of it unusable (thought - jipped!) 4- working: too small a piece to be really useful, especially with the damage, very uneven rise (thought - jipped! Pepperidge Farm forever after when not making my own) As a 'cheat' for projects requiring a small amount of puff as a base or garnish, do not see any real compromise in flavor, texture, or appearance. Gives me the opportunity to put my time and money into more exciting fillings. Where do I draw the line? When puff is a significant part of the dish, say in a pithiviers. I think it's different at restaurants where you have access to professional level pre-made products. I worked at restaurants where we purchased huge sheets of frozen puff that we used for everything puff related, and I worked at places where they insisted on doing it in-house. I cannot say that the in-house was superior primarily because different people made it - sometimes different people turned it after it got set up. There ended up being a lot of variation in its quality.

Quote Fat Guy: "I think anybody has the ability to develop more appreciation but most people are so unlikely to do it that they move into the category of "can't" as far as I'm concerned." I think it is just a question of exposure. Where is Wilfrid to shed some philosophical light on this? Just think of the first wine or beer you ever drank, what was it? I had some sort of red Riuniti (it was sort of like a fizzy punch) but I liked it. Moved on, tried other things - first thing you know I am working at a wine show as a volunteer pourer and talking the guy at the French Table into letting me take home the AMAZING bottle of Bordeaux ($300 a bottle or something to that effect) he was pouring out for tasters. If it hadn't been for that I would have thought all bordeaux was the nasty stuff they sell at the grocery store. Sometimes people just don't know there is another level, or they know it, but can't find the stair case. Is the real cheat that you assume they don't care or are somehow incapable and don't even give them the chance? I know that it can be very disappointing to give someone something really nice (like Valhrona chocolate or Cluizel) and have them say they really prefer Hersheys, but next time they go for their favorite old Hersheys bar, maybe it just won't taste quite as good as they used to think now that I gave them an opportunity to try something else. Maybe they will be wracking their brain trying to recall what the heck type of chocolate I served them.

Quote Fat Guy: "(though if your audience can't appreciate a particular distinction and doesn't give a crap I don't mind if you offer them cost savings through a shortcut)" How do you determine your audience's ability to appreciate?

I think the heart of this topic - and the controversy on this thread - is 1- the difference (the fine line) between shortcuts and cheats. 2- each individual's tolerance/philosophy of shortcuts As a professional or as a home cook, when do you feel you are 'cheating' versus making choices for the sake of time or economy. I think that Gordon Cook's initial point was really more specifically about taking short cuts. Steve Klc's point was also good about the use of prepared purees, flours, pastes, etc. I am aware of people who feel we are all hopeless imposter cheats because we buy almond paste and marzipane. However, if we all had to make our own, how many people could afford our products? It would be a different world. The shortcuts or cheats are also dictated by skill levels and accessibility of products.

The cake for this is a jaconde - a very thin cake. It isn't hard, but it isn't easy either since you foam the whites and yolks seperately and need to get it in the oven very quickly. At home it is hard to get the oven hot enough, and there is not enough space to bake off a batch all at once. You also need to be attentive so that you do not overbake the cake so it is too dry. There are certainly other approaches and adaptations that might make the cake portion easier at home. Otherwise the only tricky part is to get everything layered really evenly so you don't end up with thin spots and huge munga blobs of cream. It is very rich so a small piece is satisfying. I was hesitant at first to serve this cake to many people since I was concerned they would find it too strange. In its very first airing - an AIWF event, I had it out in all its full glory (WITH the mini roses that I spent HOURS making for the 200 pieces) and it seemed no one was eating any. Generated interest and all, but not many takers. THEN, at the end of the event almost everyone swept by with a plate or cup or some container to 'take a couple home for the kids'. I felt very flattered in the end. Generally, I think people are attracted to it because of its interesting colors and so far it has had nothing but rave reviews. I just served it together with a traditional opera at a party over the weekend as a petit four and it left the poor time honored hazelnut and coffee version in the dust.

This was one of the items I developed working with Steve on plans for Restaurant Ada. Due to circumstances, this dessert was never introduced there. I may demo it or serve it this year at the Salon Culinaire in NYC in November. (The International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show.)

There were a couple of questions about my Rose Opera Cake. I was so psyched up about the rose idea that I wanted to use it for something, and I wanted to use it in a completely different way than I was seeing it used. I also had an idea that rose would be great with dark chocolate. The project I had at the time was to create French-style pastries using Indian flavors and spices. My Rose opera is a traditional French-style opera cake except that I make a pistachio jaconde, use rose buttercream, and infuse the dark chocolate ganache with cardamom. I like the colors (green, pink, dark brown). When sufficiently motivated I serve it with a tiny decorative rosebud (made of chocolate) on top. I think it would be a tasty and beautiful plated dessert served with a plain creme anglaise, a rose syrup, a small dome of pistachio cream with an Adria-style thin caramel tuile with bits of candied rose petals suspended in it.

I just saw Bubble Tea a couple of weeks ago - unfortunately it WAS at one of those food court Chinese places. But it looked REALLY COOL and I HAD to try it - I went for Honey Dew yuck yuck yuck yuck yucky I Did think the 'bubbles' were cool though. A bit scary though since they were black. Why are they black? Are they soaked in tea? is this what makes the drink 'TEA'? I will have to try the recipee and see if it is more palatable. Thanks for posting it.

Quote : Suvir "They simply take several tons of rose petals and dry them in unending yardage of white muslin that is draped over the grass in the palace in Jaipur." Sigh. It sounds soooo exotic and soooo beutiful. I have always been attracted to the rose thing - Like Water for Chocolate, Candied Rose Petals, Rose ice cream... I recently purchased a bottle of Rose Petal Jam at a Market in Massachusets. I am far away from my fridge right now so don't know brand but have a sense that it might have been imported from England. At the price I paid it should have been imported straight from The 'Palace in Jaipu' (flutey music and wafting white curtains when you read that phrase please). Anyway, its really pretty, tastes yummy, and - best of all - has rose petals suspended in it. Interesting point earlier about the different colored rose petals. Thinking about my own experience the petals used have invariably been pink ones. Never thought about it before. Hmmmmm. The possibilities... I developed a Rose Opera Cake as a special dessert for an Indian Restaurant I was working with. My original idea was to serve it as a petit four on a candied rose petal. I did serve the cake - sans petal at the NY Chocolate Show last fall during my demo on sculpting and it was very enthusiastically received.

I don't know, but I think you just cannot beat a really good Blueberry Pie. Its simple, its tasty and blueberryie. Other than rice crispies and pancakes, I just can't think of a better use of the beautiful blue. Yummmmmmmmm Old fashioned All American Blueberry Pie!

I think Adam's point is a good one. You have to think these people inherently must not actually like beef, or that they are overwhelmed by fear and loathing of the possibility of disease from their food to the point that like a racoon they will destroy it so that it cannot possibly be enjoyed. I recently was at a Grill where they offered two different steaks and when I queried the waiter about the difference between the two he indicated that if you preferred your meat medium rare or less the one steak was more flavorful and appropriate (a thinner steak served au poive) but that if you preferred your meat medium or well the sirloin (a hefty thick piece) was the right choice. I thought this was interesting since I have never heard a waiter profer such advice. So, what did I choose? I went with the sirloin medium rare in spite of the advice because another diner nearby just devoured one and it looked sooooo tasty. Plus, I had tasted the other one on our last visit. Anyway, the long and short of it was that waiter was correct. The thinner steak WAS much tastier than the thick sirloin in this case and I think the basis of his guidance was that diners who (for whatever ludicrous reason) want their meat well done - the thicker steak would retain more juicy meatiness and be less disgusting. I think the diner is wrong in failing to recognize that he does not actually enjoy a certain dish. But perhaps these people are incapable of appreciating or understanding food and their own tastes and are thus limited in their ability to learn and change their habits so that their taste buds and tummies would be more rewarded.

Holly, your description reminds me of the in-flight meal described by M.F.K. Fisher when she flew to Mexico following the death?/divorce? from her husband.

Quote - Wilfrid: "Example: a wonderful established repertoire of dishes gets consigned to history along with stuffy maitre d's and evening dress." Soooooo sad. It is sad to see that such a transition really has ocurred in the world. Glamour and art and taste and high society just images in books and movies. I think this is a factor of business rearing its ugly head and forcing true love and art to live within the confines of budgets and rules. 1- I think the value of efficiency and business have risen 2- Regulations, insurance, benefits, etc take their toll forcing owners to consider risk and protect themselves against it 3- The costs of ownership have risen as well as potential rewards leading to a new class of owner - the investor 4- The goals of investors are profit - not art 5- Art and craft have been compromised, packaged and commodified 6- Attempts to open this world to a wider audience entail compromises in atmosphere and attire of patrons (cocktail dresses and dinner jackets not required, ties not required, jackets not required, casual attire is perfectly acceptable - but this is a style issue that impacts every aspect of life) I think we should all be thinking that yes, we actually DO like the idea of having a chance to spend time in this type of venue, so how does one (as a consumer) encourage and support the industry to let us have it. And, if it is provided, how many of us could actually afford it? It seems to me that Ducasse offers a truly incredible dining experience that lets the diner enjoy a slice of life so to speak. Of course this is provided at quite an astronomical price.

Unfortunately I have never flown on Singapore Air and haven't done the whole First Class thing forever. My Dad used to be an airline pilot on TWA back in the 'Good Old Days' flying out of NY to points overseas. This was great because we always sat in 1st class and all the stewardesses were incredibly nice to us (I'm guessing some of them had ulterior motives) and we always had chateaubriand and hot fudge sundaes (way way too young to even think of champagne). But I have a small set of TWA tiny silverware and good memories of what I thought (at that time) was phenomenal food. I have never flown Midway so cannot comment on their entrees. Everyone else's 'coach' fare is pretty unremarkable by my tasting.

1- Many diners might not like what they get, but it seems that most people hesitate to ever complain or be too demanding when it comes to re-working their meal. This is especially true if others at the table are satisfied or even more timid. It leaves the complainer alone with nothing to eat and then you are all out of sequence. There is also the significant '...FEAR FACTOR...' in sending anything BACK TO THE KITCHEN. Argh! WHAT will happen to my food. 2- There is a built-in audience selection in this concept. Reinforced to some extent by the price point. This will primarily bring in those who the concept appeals to. This does leave the restaurant open to creating disappointment though since it isn't exactly offering what one might think of with a name like "A Chef of your Own" This conjurs up images of specifying to an attentive chef exactly what you visualize as a perfect meal (Side note - try verbalizing this some time. One of the opportunities to get $1000 off your tuition for New England Culinary Institute when I applied was to write a succinct essay on "The Ultimate Meal" Harder to settle on a precise menu - I ended up with Watermelon, seaside table in Tahiti by moonlight, mystery companion in a white dinner jacket...but I digress) My POINT here is that, at least at Elysium, the chef isn't really looking to find out specifically what you want. He is looking roughly to determine the base building blocks around which to compose your meal. You get whatever HE decides to give you. I also noticed that the chef might not be as attentive as some diners might desire...on one occaision, I witnessed someone send their plate back - turns out she received something she had specified she was allergic to. 3- Given the above, this is a concept that will fly best in the long run with true foodies who actually will eat - or at least TRY - anything. In this case, why even bother chatting with them? You just sit down implying your consent and they send you food. If there is something you want - or something you do NOT want you are better off with the modicum of control offered through a menu.

In today's Washington Post Travel Section there is an interesting article on airline meals. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2002Jun28.html Carol Sottili has created a handy matrix of carriers, their meal policies, typical entrees for 1st class and coach, per passenger cost, and helpful advice. What intrigues me is that she indicates that Midwest Express is THE Foodie's favorite airline. Would you agree? Any others?

This causes me to recall a question I had at dinner the other night with Steve Klc, Malawry, and Wilfrid. Is it really possible that so much of what we eat was developed by accident? I simply CANNOT believe that so many things can be attributed to the cosmic equivalent of "Hey, he got peanut butter on my chocolate..." I think Culinary anthropology would be rather interesting, especially if it explained whatever possessed us to start genetically altering and consuming things that were reputedly poisonous to humans in their natural states.

I guess I should contribute some thoughts on dinner at Elysium as well. This was my 3rd visit, and most successful to date I think. Reading about the 'Chef of Your Own' concept initially sounded pretty cool and I was very enthusiastic. Once involved in the evening I started having second thoughts about it. I realized that there are things I really LIKE about having a menu. I realized that many times I order items specifically because of something on the ingredient list like pine nuts, sun dried tomatos, cherries, whatever. It just captures my imagination and I order it. At Elysium, you basically hear about the meat, poultry, fish, etc the Chef has on hand and chat about likes, dislikes, and allergies. My first visit I had to confess to my rather significant (and for a food person fairly embarassing) list of dislikes (anything that relies on mucus for transportation, anything that derives its oxygen from water, mushrooms, most vegetables despised by children...I know, that basically leaves Chicken, pork, beef, tomatos, corn, pasta, lettuce... :-) But I AM adventurous in my own way. Oddly, this seemed to inspire the chef to send out exactly the things I did NOT want. I missed the control over my meal available through the menu. I found that getting what I DID want was not so easy. I wanted the duck breast and corn ravioli that Steve got - not the raw fish with whatever that showed up in front of me (dismay). On my second visit I tried a new approach. I asked about sauces and sides available. This worked a little better, but still did not get me the desired results. This last time I just sort of let go on it all and just asked for a couple of meats. It worked better I guess . I know that reading over a tasting menu doesn't eactly tell you what you are going to get, but it DOES give you something on which to base your expectations and prep those ole taste buds. All, in all I like Elysium but you definitely have to be in the right mind set. Sort of like paying to go to a dinner party.

At one restaurant where I worked we sliced the lotus roots very thin with a mandoline, soaked them in greandine syrup overnight, then dried them at low heat in the oven on silpats. Result, lovely lacy bight red lotus chips.