tan319

maybe use an induction burner for the bain?

PH does use a touch of a high end bitter almond extract to his pistachio. It brings the pistachio out a bit more. I do this with with strawberry bases ( using cherry syrup, Monin) or or or passion fruit ( apricot).

If you'll pardon me for saying, it seems these days most of the people in here make everything so friggin hard. Dig what scott 123 has to say. Read your Migoya book I mean, with most gins being somewhere between 86 &90 proof you're fighting a bit of an uphill battle but...

Try some fruit in the mix, like a fairly neutral apple, golden delicious. Immersion blend the whole thing but don't strain. I've made the basically liquid based sorbets using A Ducasse/Robert recipe as a guideline. Good luck!

I'll second Lisa's opinion. I just received both of the available issues and am VERY impressed!!! # 1 with the Albert Adria interview ( one that I've never seen) right when "Natura" was published and must have been done fairly close to when he resigned from el Bulli. #2 has an interesting interview with Alex Stupak of wd-50 along with his recipe for caramelised brioche that is is prepared with transglutaminase (Activa, also referred to as "Meat Glue" 'round here). Dominique Ansel of Restaurant Daniel, too many to name. Thicker then an issue of Art Culinaire ( x2), great photos and a GREAT info/recipe to advert ratio, 19 bucks an issue + shipping was well worth it.

Is Pastry Chef Sebastian Rouxel still there?

Hate to jump back in here but I remember Jen being pretty confident of most of her dishes that got bombed. She wasn't so much when she was talking to the "Confessional" The judges don't see that stuff ( or at least I thought) hence Toms "shaky/all over the place" comment seemed especially phony. I don't think she liked being interupted anyways.

Gael Greene does

we aren't talking a wrong envelope, correct? That would really suck!

Did anyone see this? http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2009/12/10/q-and-a-with-kevin-gillespie-of-top-chef/ I thought he seemed off, just done with it...

The "production " decisions behind the the show are becoming very "Truman Show-esqe It was very obvious the two brothers who are good looking and try to be "cutting edge" battling Kevin the slow cooker ( who I hope wins) was thought to be better TV to some producer then a woman running a restaurant for one of the most respected chefs in the country. Tattoo boy with the underdone 140c egg should have been booted, don't you think? Christ, that was just on TCM two months ago? 140 c for an hour? The Alinea/Stupak ganache was pushing it too, IMO. Sorry to be all cynical about it but when someone like Tyler Florence is chewing on some ones butt, Tom C. and the Napa guy, ugh, I just start thinking " make some of these guys do this for 13 weeks" and see who's left standing. Jen, I thought you and Kevin are the best cooks on the damned show! Jen, you wuz robbed and Kevin, kick some butt! Good luck to the two brothers too ...

I didn't think I had a "problem". I get as sick as anyone does of reading about certain people. Keller. Know he's a God, too bad Williams and Sonoma is his Shrine now. But that's me. Mason was in a blog that probably contracted for a certain amount of time. If people didn't like it/hated it/ they should have turned the page. I don't think listening to the media either as a darling or a joke gets one too much. Perhaps he had some crummy advice, either from partners, publicists or both. Bad break. These people bust their balls to do something most of us can't do. Let's just get on with it.

How was the "oft-mentioned mistake' of doing "the launch" blog a mistake???? It was interesting to people who weren't aware of what goes into opening a place, I mean, he showed too much tatoo? It took a super long time to open, something I'm sure all were overjoyed about... It took over a year and and half for Mendes to get his place opened and I seriously doubt any chef in those pre Tailor times would have told New York Magazine " hmmmm, blog the launch of my new restaurant? I don't know, might piss everyone off..." C'mon... I think people talking shit hurt the opening more then the so called over publicizing ...

Sadly, Soho is pretty ludicrous, too, these days. There hasn't been an important new dining destination in that 'hood, other than Boqueria. That may very well be no more than coincidence. Tailor's bad reviews weren't because it was in Soho; they were because of Mason's mistakes. Given that the bar was consistently busy, there was clearly no inherent obstacle to attracting patronage to that area. What were Masons mistakes??? Have you ever opened a restaurant , with partners? It's fucking hard, they promise you everything and then you're lucky to get a crumb. I'm talking about the concept as originally conceived. If he hadn't served too small a portion and served a big one he would have been screwed. Wasn't the idea to be more like tapas? All of this criticism, etc.. Wish him better luck next time or hire out as a consultant ( maybe you are?).

I found my brulee's got much better when I went the half cream (hot) half milk ( cold/rm temp.) I also cover the dishes or rather the the pan holding the dishes /water. If you have a dependable oven @ 350 they'll be ready in 45 min. Maybe add a sheet of gelatin as I think you have a point about acidity. I was looking at a French recipe and the amount of sugar that was used weighed as much as the passion fruit used. The yolks weighed about 20 grams more Good luck to you.

Sorry to be a bit off top-ic but RE: Tapioca Maltodextrin, 2 parts Tap to 1 part fat is a good place to start...

I've not made this recipe. I buy Trimoline or such. It's a doubled recipe so you won't have to make it all of the time. It's also weighed. dariennes sounds very Trimolinish in it's mentioning viscousity. Good luck!

900 grams water 450 grams sugar 20 grams lemon juice/1/2 tsp citric acid Bring up to slow boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Cool/refrigerate before usung. Cake recipes I see using invert sugar are usually using it for shelf life or moisture retention. Personally can't see using it as a soak. Good luck.

The recession had nothing to do with it...?

Nice article about "Dinner with the Band" and "Tailor". http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/arts/television/22cooking.html?_r=1

that makes sense...

I looked at some of those blogs that came up with pics as well as the NYT recipe. I would cream the sugars with the butter till incorporated then add p-nut butter/flour mix ( not sifted) etc. The NYT recipe says to rest the dough, rest it overnight, can't hurt. It wouldn't hurt to make sure your oven is calibrated too. If you have a probe type thermometer test for that temp. I'm kind of wary of that stuff as I just finished a stint at a shop that only had radiant ovens and the temps were off. After enough bitching a tech came in and it was off by close to 60 degrees under 350. The other oven was off by close to 100 over 350. I had to double pan chocolate chip cookie's ( high fat) as well as adjust the temp. I noticed the NYT recipe advised a good resting time as well before moving. It looks like a normal p nut butter cooking Last thought. Not many eggs in there? Best of luck!

Reducing the butter/adding more flour. I bake cookies right out of the fridge/maybe 5 min in rm temp frequently, no biggie. I'll have to look at the Ad Hoc (?) book and see what the recipe is about, From your earlierposts, it sounded like a "Sable" type of cookie. Rest the dough overnight in the fridge. It will benefit.

I tried to find some info but nothings turning up. Didn't you call PH HQ one time to find out some info?

Seems like there's too much butter in there. Maybe over creamed? Also I would try resting the dough for a good 30 minutes? BTW, I was amazed to see how much Bouchon & Ad Hoc product/mixes/etc. there was in Williams Sonoma yesterday....