Desiderio

Wha is the quality of this machine, if anyone knows,please let me know , I mean its out of my range at this momen but I am looking around , just let me know what do you think and if you any experience. Thank you http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/chocolade-tempeer-...oQQcmdZViewItem

ummm, don't give them (the men) any ideas! the only really big name in "cake sculpture" is ron ben-israel...possibly some hotel pastry chefs as well, since they have the time/budget/staffing to focus on that type of stuff. but i think it might be correct to say that gender-wise most independent cake decorating businesses are run by women. i'm sure i'll step on someone's toes when i say this, but i think it is an area dominated by women because often, they can be independent with their schedule and frequently are raising a family at the same time. the only example i can find here on eGullet is Trishiad who does her chocolate business at home (and soon maybe Vanessa "Desiderio") both of whom are raising young boys while simultaneously running a business from their homes. they wouldn't be able to have the privilege (no sarcasm intended as i believe this is the best thing you can be doing for yourselves and your bambini) of staying at home with their children if they had to work "competitively" in a restaurant kitchen, or for somebody else. ← This is most interesting,I have been wondering this for years. When I was in Italy, and decided I wanted to be in the bakery world, I was probably already too old for an apprenticeship ( I was in my early 20 , more 19 I would say ).In Italy many places offers jobs of that kind ,to teenagers ( we dont really have a law for juvenile work ).I did try several bakeries ,whenver I found an add on the paper etc.Well I still remeber this like if it was yesterday , I call this one and asked about the position ,and the guy asked me "are you a woman?"well last time I checked yes , I should have said .Anyway while in Italy I had a good chance to get into the field after I got hooked up with the bakers association, and I did courses with them , wich I still tresure,but I guess it was partially my fault the reason why I didnt succed, why I didnt get the job I wanted ,and instead I had to get whatever job just to pay my bills.I always felt in Italy and in general the food business is dominated by men, I mean everytime you see a famous chef /pastry chef/chocolatier its always a man.I have been asking my self many time what is the difference , what makes men been more succesfull at this than women , even women are originally the ones that always deal with food.I dont know if it makes sense but I cant explain better than this. Anyway one day I was talking with my dad ( he owned a restaurant and he is the chef in my house),about my chocolates and how finally ,after long time ,I am doing what I always desired ,and talking about my son he said something about him growing up with me making chocolates and eventually become a chocolatier himself, at wich I said that I wouldnt be surprise if he also become famous and I will still remain and anonimous one.He told me that he thinks that usually men are more selfish ( please dont get upset I know alots of women that are selfish more than men)and just go for what they want without worries, and usually have a family ( woman ) that care for them and they are free to achieve what they are dreaming for ,while women often time are kinda of stuck into doing everything else ( talking about multitasking , wow ),I do still feel that when we are at home and my husband has something to do , I am the one that have to take care of our son and give my husband the time he needs , but I am sorry to say I never get that kinda of luxure ( my fault ).I also think that men may have , in general and not always true,a better sense of the business, I mean in the techincal way, and are not afraid to go out in the world to marketing themself.Women may still have inheritated fears and tabu about their limits and whats is possible and whats not.I have to say I come from a family that ,thankgod , think out of the box, but I do have my own self limit and they are hard to fight.I think here in the USA things may not be esier but , there is room for everybody if you are willing to work for it and if you shows what are you made of.Yes go out there and just market yourself , no matter what sex you are, if we let that stop us then we didnt change anything.It is little bit more intimidating in a country were usually sex ,age and phisical aspect count very much.

Thank you Ptrick, that helps a lot

I definatly live in a "good food challenged" place ( please if anyone of you live in the same area dont feel offended ).The one of the big chocolate company around here just closed a while ago and I dont think they will open again.Not much around ,I have tryed few of the places around here and definatly not my type of chocolates, ganache too heavy and cover to thick , and probably not the best chocolate. I wish I could get around and visint some of the name you guys mentioned,I want to order some of Christopher Elbows chocolates , but I think I am goin to wait for the fall. I have to say that one place around here that deserve to be mentioned is Patrick and Stephany Sikes,I had the pleasure to be with them on morning to see their production, great people.Probably the only real fine chocolates around here. http://www.psiloveyouchocolates.com/default.aspx

Umm , well now you guys got me all interested in this scones thingy , I never paid to much attention to everything had scone in the sentence.But I love maple , and you said moist and crumbly and ohhh mamma , I gotta to try them . Thank you for the recepies by the way

Okay...perhaps you can help me with this one; so far as I know Piedmont is the english name for the region, and Piemonte is the Italian town smack in the middle of it. That's my version...please correct me if they are different; I am thinking of the region, on the south end of the border with France. ← Piemonte is the name of the region ,the main town in Piemonte is Torino. Yes close to the french border .

Yes Good Luck , even though here there is nothing to do with luck , your products are gourgeus and you deserve to get your own business.Thats what they call the american dream right? ,its still there I can taste it myself .

We talking about Piemonte right no Piedmont?Just to avoid confusion.

Absolutely stunning!The boxes I know , because I fell in love with those while I was browsing their web site.The chocolate just gourgeus and a great flavor combo. Thank you for posting even with all the work you had to do.

Thank you Choux.

Ok ok I dont have words for my dorkiness ,I was looking all over the place for the cups and I didnt think of looking into my favorite site , the one I use often for my chocolate order . http://www.icaviar.com/store/scripts/prodL...Field=sortorder

Thank you for the feed back , I think I am going for the dental one for a decent price ,since I am handy but I dont think I can find the time and the patiente to built my own . Thank you And by the way your logs are awesome.

I did some mint ganache and I tryed the invertase, and while at the beginning the ganache seemed grany ( i had some trouble doing that batch needed to change location was colder , trying to baby sit my almost 2 years old , so you can immagine argggg ).Anyway at this moment , and i think its almost 3 weeks I made the chocolates , the mint ganache ( dark ) its nice and creamy smooth and still moist.I think I am going to use it for the other as well, probably not the white ganache ,but I am wondering about the amount , Wybauw says how much for kilo and stuff , but I find it hard to mesure that liquid , any tip? Thank you

Ok what about this type free shipping , and you can attach that tray on top? here Grr why the link doesnt work? oh well is under dental virator , they are the small type and cost around 65$.

Hehe yes I have seen those , the price is quite ridiculus though, dont you think?

Umm thats intresting , so 2 box for one , not bad . I thought I wanted to order some of their boxes, are the shipping expensive and the order its easy to place by phone?

Great ideaass , thank you I think I will experimet around with container and try to find the one that is faster and esier , meaning i need to find one that i can reproduce fast and at the same time , dowel and pvc sounds like it . Thank you

Thank you Alana , yes it helps and you are probably right it will be easier to make some ( 100 pc isnt that much ).I have found a shape I might use I will try and post it if works. Thank you

Ok since the demo are very cool but I cant find something that it gives me the real snobinette shape ( hand made I mean ) , I was looking online for already made snobinette cups .I found several that sell them , but none has pricing on them or a order form to order online . Any of you guys purchase them somewhere and if yes , how much is usually , I saw they sell them in box of 270ct, and it is worth it or its still convinient to make your own ? I am looking for a wedding in september and I would like to make those for the little favor boxes , but if it end up to be too pricy I might just follow rlevine demo and do it my self . Any suggestion appreaciate as usuall Thank you

I did my cream with the almonds ( reduced in butter in a small powerfull food processor ) and I used a great flavourfull milk chocolate ( the El Rey Caoba ).The flavor is outsdtanding ,I want to try the hazelnut though they are more wxpensive and harder to find here.

Bello!!! Bravo I agree , first public cake its a success!! I admire your perseverance on all the process on making something you didnt have any experience with ,Grande! For the chocolates bowl made with ballons , check the demo here on the forum , made by Mette on making containers out of chocolates , it is very very interesting with beautifull pics. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=73008 Bravo bravo Glenn

Just my "two cents." ← Hahaha thank you LOL

Just thinking of all that , airport racing back ahhh it makes my heart bumpig all over the place , with the clock ticking on me ahhh .I am very very glad everything went as it was supposted to .

Yes thank you for keeping us posted on the all adventure. I am glad everything went ok even with some hearthbeat. Any chance of a pic before you deliver the boxes to the bride?

If you substitute the butter with the oil you will have a different thing, actually the oil will give you a more moit cake than the butter version you are thinking , butter tend to solidify after cools down ,the oil one will leave it moist. I dont see the use of baking a rectangular cake and cut it out , just have 2 circular pans and either divide the batter if its enough to fill them both at least half the way , or make double batter.Another thing try to turn upside down the cake , meaning use the bottom of the cake as the top to decorate , it will be flat and bumpless .It sounds you have some trouble with your oven because the cake turns brown and the batter is still uncooked ( right?) ,maybe lower your oven , again you arent cooking a sourdough this time Glenn ,another thing usually they suggest to put a little container of water on the bottom of your oven for chocolate cakes ( dont know if would help you ).Try to stick with a recepie that is good ( expecially if someone here gave you the recepie , probably is a good one )and work on that ,with only few days to try you should get comfortable with at least one process. Just my , how do you guys say, 2 pennys ?Hehe, good luck.