tino27

Santo_Grace offered to stop by Smoque BBQ and pick up lunch for any of the participants who wanted it. She was then going to arrive at Karen M's by 11:30 so that those who ordered lunch would have a chance to eat it before the class started. That being said, if you were already planning on eating at Smoque BBQ (or anywhere else) on your own (with your +1), continue with your plans and then arrive at the class at noon. Sorry if that was confusing.

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Noon - 5 PM Seems I've had a flurry of PM's today! Updated list of the students I have signed up: edsel karen m Amy Viny Jean Blanchard (*) santo_grace torakris LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 white lotus +1 (*) = probable/maybe 8 definites / 4 maybes Let me know if there are any errors in that list.

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Noon - 5 PM Updated list of the students I have signed up: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard (*) santo_grace torakris LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 white lotus +1 (*) = probable/maybe 8 definites / 5 maybes Let me know if there are any errors in that list.

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Noon - 5 PM Updated list of the students I have signed up: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard santo_grace torakris LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 white lotus +1 (*) = probable/maybe 9 definites / 4 maybes Let me know if there are any errors in that list.

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Noon - 5 PM All -- I've been in contact with both Karen M (who will be hosting our class) and Santo_Grace (who has graciously offered to pick up lunch). Karen mentioned that she does have two cats. While I am sure they can be quarantined during the class, those with allergies should take appropriate steps to make sure you won't be suffering for the duration of the class. Santo_Grace lives very close to Karen and has offered to pick up lunch at Smoque BBQ (link here). Please contact Santo_Grace directly with your order and bring cash to class to pay for your meal. Santo_Grace will arrive at 11:30 am at Karen's house with your order, so you can eat your meal before the class starts at noon. Also, feel free to bring your lunch and eat during the class if Smoque BBQ doesn't appeal to you. While I can't stop the class for people to make a lunch run (we have a LOT to cover), I have no problem if people want to munch away during the class. Other than that, if people have questions or concerns about the class, please feel free to post here or PM me. Questions about Smoque BBQ should be directed toward Santo_Grace. See you all next Friday! Tom (tino27)

For those taking the Heartland Gathering Bread Class next Friday (gosh, is it here already?!?), would it be helpful to PM the recipes to the attendees ahead of time so that you can review them before class? Or would you rather I just wait and distribute them at the beginning of the class?

My guess would be Bob Blumer. Although technically he is the Surreal Gourmet.

Tammylc -- Based on my previous post, here is what will be available for Saturday's event: 3 loaves of honey whole wheat bread 3 loaves of Red and Black bread 3 loaves of olive rosemary bread 2 loaves of sweet potato bread We can use these for appetizers or for dinner, but my guess would be that this much bread wouldn't be enough for both (for 80 people), so we will probably have to supplement that with some locally baked bread. Also, please add me as a sous chef to NancyH/Bob/Edsel's course for Saturday's dinner. Thanks, Tom

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Noon - 5 PM HOORAY! We have a place to hold our bread class. A local Chicago eG'er has graciously volunteered their kitchen for our class. It will be from Noon - 5 PM (which should give us plenty of time to get to Lao Sze Chuan). Once I get address location / public transportation information, I will be PM'ing the individuals who signed up for the class. First, the list of students I have signed up: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard santo_grace torakris LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 NancyH's +1 (*) white lotus +1 (*) = probable/maybe You will not need any equipment, although if you want to work with the doughs, you may want to bring an apron of some kind to keep the flour off of your clothes. There is *no cost* as the kitchen we'll be using is in a private home. I figured we could donate the fruits of our labor to the appetizer/dinner on Saturday. As for the itinerary, I want to get as much in as I can without it feeling too crazy. What I thought I would do is to make two doughs before class and then we'll make two doughs in the class, but we'll shape and bake all four doughs in class. Here is what I was thinking as far as a schedule: 12:00 Introductions and welcome 12:15 Shape Honey Whole Wheat dough 12:30 Make Sweet Potato dough 13:00 Bake Honey Whole Wheat Bread 13:15 Shape Red and Black dough 13:30 Make Olive Rosemary dough 14:00 Bake Red and Black Bread 14:00 Discussion on Ingredients / Techniques 14:45 15 minute break 15:00 Shape Sweet Potato dough 15:30 Shape Olive Rosemary dough 15:45 Bake Sweet Potato Bread 16:15 Bake Olive Rosemary Bread 16:30 Clean-up / Questions 17:00 Class Ends Because the mixing and kneading technique is similar for all of the breads we will be doing, making two of the doughs ahead of time shouldn't pose any issues. I included specific time at the end for questions, but please feel free to ask questions as they occur to you. I like to feel like my classes are interactive and welcome any input. Of course, recipes for all four breads will be provided to the attending students. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to PM me.

For those interested in the Bread Class, I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you and have been following up several leads for a venue. There is a very positive lead that I am in the process of discussing terms with right now, so I should know something very soon. Once I have something concrete, I'll spill all the beans.

My paypal boycott is going just about as well as my microsoft boycott. =R= ← Talk to me at the gathering about successfully boycotting Microsoft. Nary a Windows OS/office product will you find on any of my computers.

Don't forget the light sprinkling of coarse sea salt.

Ronnie_suburban is right. Thanks for the suggestion of the hotel with a full range. I did some preliminary work (about 4 months ago) to try and find something suitable, and while some rooms came with a working stovetop, none that I found have the full oven. As you pointed out, LAZ, obviously someone has such a set up, but perhaps through either bad luck or lack of searching the right channels of information, I couldn't find one when I was researching. However, all of that is moot because after finding no joy in locating what I really wanted, I booked my current hotel about 3 months ago and changing 3 weeks before the eGullet weekend just isn't an option.

Heartland Gathering Bread Class Friday, August 8th Well, folks, we're only about 3 weeks away and we haven't been able to secure a location for a full-day workshop. Perhaps it's the requirement of at least two ovens. Whatever the reason, I'd like to suggest an alternative. Originally the bread workshop was to serve two purposes: * Hands-on bread class to help those who wished to know more about the bread making process * Make all of the breads for the dinner on Saturday What I am now proposing is more of a standard bread class -- 3-4 hours on Friday the 8th starting around noon. Instead of making all the breads, we'll focus on making just one of the breads. We'd still cover technique, ingredients, process, etc. And while it won't be a 100% hands-on class, you'll still have the opportunity to ask questions, feel the dough during the process, shape, slash, and bake the loaves. Another benefit would be that we would only need one oven instead of two. So, this could be done in a home with a kitchen big enough to hold 12-15 people (which is how many are signed up for the workshop). The host wouldn't need to have any bread making equipment, as I can bring it all myself. As for the bread we make during the class, we can either donate it to the dinner on Saturday, or just divvy it up between the students. As for the dinner on Saturday night, clearly if we do a class instead of the workshop, we'll need to purchase the loaves from local bakeries to serve with apps/dinner. Those of you who are already signed up for the workshop, what are your thoughts? Those of you who might have a suitable kitchen space that we could commandeer for an afternoon, what are your thoughts?

Bread does not caramelize. ← So what exactly does a toaster do? clicky clicky

Being a successful chef and being a successful business owner can be a tough line to walk. As a chef, you want no holds barred access to food and equipment so that you can be as creative as you want to be. As a business owner, your primary goal is to make a profit. I've not met many people who have an equal passion for both. As to which school would be a better fit, realize that while school is important in getting a leg up, a lot of the knowledge required for a particular field can be picked up on the job. It usually just takes a longer period of time. If it were me, and my goal was to own my own restaurant, I would pick the culinary training first. Learn as much as you can about both FoH and BoH. Stage or work in restaurants who have chefs you feel can teach you not only about food, but about the business of running a successful restaurant. And then after several years in the business, look at business schools. Does the curriculum offer anything that you can't pick up on the job? I know that when I graduated college with my Bachelor's degree and went into the workforce, it was always my intent to go back for a Master's degree at some point. After a number of years when I decided the time was right, I started reviewing the curriculum and realized that I already had a lot of the knowledge and skills that pursuing a Master's degree would've gotten me. So, I decided not to waste a lot of my time and money pursuing a piece of paper that proves that I mastered what I already knew. At 17, it's great to have such a strong passion. Just realize that as much as you try and rigorously plan for your future now, be prepared for it to change as life unfolds over the next couple of years.

Restaurants probably got tired of people like my mother, the "sub" queen, basically deconstruction a dish on a menu because she dislikes the ingredients and then adds a bunch of extra ingredients to get the dish she wants. It drives me nuts. It's very Sally Albright from When Harry Met Sally. Waitress: What can I get you? Harry: I'll have the Number Three. Sally: I'd like the chef salad, please, with the oil and vinegar on the side. And the apple pie a la mode....But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side. And I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of a can, then nothing. Waitress: Not even the pie? Sally: No, just the pie. But then not heated. edited: Harry orders the Number Three, not Sheldon.

Welcome to the world of catering. This is the norm, not the exception. My first thought was: FOUR proteins? I personally would stick to maybe two proteins and focus on ones that hold well in a hotbox (tenderloin and pulled pork would be good examples). In my experience any type of fish or seafood needs to be served almost immediately after cooking in order to be at it's best (although cooked and chilled shrimp can be done quite well). My second thought was: Wait, they're having whole roasted pig for the rehearsal dinner AND you are doing pork butt for the wedding reception, too? My final thoughts match what TheSwede had suggested: is this a plated dinner or buffet? I could easily handle 120 people with maybe one or two helpers in a buffet. A plated dinner would need plenty of food runners to take out the plates, clear plates, etc. And you would need a couple of people helping you do the plating as well. Good luck with your event!

To my sensibility, THIS recipe looks the closest to what I have had. However, that being said, you should probably ask them where they get this when they go out to eat because the restaurant may do a variation of the more authentic version. Good luck!

tammylc -- my +1 (Chris) would like to volunteer for sous chef duty for Saturday's dinner. He's a pretty skilled home cook (who specializes in Indian cuisine). LAZ -- my +1 (Chris) would like to go on the ethnic shopping tour on Saturday morning.

Probably the most famous place in Toledo would be Tony Packo's. There are several in Toledo, so I'll let you and Google Maps figure out which would be the best one for your route.

Absolutely. An update to the list ... Heartland Gathering Bread Workshop Friday, August 8th So far, I have: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard santo_grace torakris LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 NancyH's +1 (*) white lotus +1 (*) = probable/maybe

Absolutely. An update to the list ... Heartland Gathering Bread Workshop Friday, August 8th So far, I have: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard santo_grace torakris (*) LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 NancyH's +1 (*) (*) = probable/maybe

An update to the list ... Heartland Gathering Bread Workshop Friday, August 8th So far, I have: edsel karen m Amy Viny CaliPoutine (*) Jean Blanchard santo_grace torakris (*) LuckyGirl (*) +2 (*) prasantrin's +1 (*) = probable

For those who have been helped by drinking cherry juice, is there a minimum daily consumption amount?