tan319

Ok, I take it all back... Pratically the next day. overchurning happened to me. twice, pissed me off. Almost everyday now, blows... How much would a timer ala a Taylor B-104 have added to the cost???

Tan - if you know investors who are willing to put up cash and aren't interested in making money, I have a few projects I'm trying to get off the ground. Please let me know who they are. ← I said "aren't THAT interested in making money" and of course I meant right off the bat. I certainly wish I knew those kinds of investors, I have just ONE project I'd like to lift off! Hey, the main thing I'm concerned about is not seeing a bunch of speculative negative junk about this restaurant or any for that matter, being thrown around loosely. It's too fucking hard these days to get a decent shake and the 'net is like the worst of all mediums sometimes for this kind of stuff. ← There are know ivestors of Gilt. It is owned by the Sultan of Brunei. It is true, they are not trying to make a single profit. With the Union wages and hours worked in a restuarant of this concept it is nearly impossible to make a profit. ← That's a great pice of news!!! The guy can just cook. As F.G. says, sometimes people just need to spend some money , a lot of money.

When I was in Miami, the exec pastry chef I was consulting with made a "faux" mici with tapioca starch, the whole place used it. Where can one obtain matodextrin? Thanks! Sorry, I guess at that above like...

Don't want this to sound like an endorsement but Ludens are non medicinal, the original flavor is a very clear thick and (bright?) licorice, no medicine, no Halls or Fishermans friends effect, Panda and that stuff could possibly have some flour in them? Don't know if it would be a pure melt. Since you're thinking of using an extract maybe use a root or powder ( an herbalist should stock both), get your flavor together , then your color and texture. Let us know what shakes.

No, pastis is clear. When added to the syrup mix, it turns and stays cloudy. ← Michael Laiskonis had a recipe in a 10 best PA&D where his licorice syrup was made of drops, I took them to be like Ludens cough drops? No medicine in them just a soothing drop( great flavor, BTW).. Just melt them down in a bit of water or maybe you could try simple syrup, infuse the syrup or let them slowly dissolve in it. That might be the tic. It will be black. I can try to find the exact method but I think the former was it. If it isn't thick enough or have enough body maybe thicken with some gelitine or likewise product, agar, careengen (sic/) Good luck!

But it's not the same as micra?

I LOVE this idea as I happen to agree with you. When i was working in NYC I ate at my restaurant so much my chef comped me most of the time because he knew I was such a fan of the food I would have been there anyways!

Tan - if you know investors who are willing to put up cash and aren't interested in making money, I have a few projects I'm trying to get off the ground. Please let me know who they are. ← I said "aren't THAT interested in making money" and of course I meant right off the bat. I certainly wish I knew those kinds of investors, I have just ONE project I'd like to lift off! Hey, the main thing I'm concerned about is not seeing a bunch of speculative negative junk about this restaurant or any for that matter, being thrown around loosely. It's too fucking hard these days to get a decent shake and the 'net is like the worst of all mediums sometimes for this kind of stuff.

I'm using the KAPro and am finding it ....ok.... The batch time is usually around 20 minutes, I agree with you about the design flaws, ESPECIALLY not having an extraction gear but overall it's better then the alternative. I miss the Paco JEt I was using last year like a mutha!!! For ease of use, virtually no cleanup and what that saves in labor it's a no brainer. BTW, I'm doing about 8 or more quarts a day of sorbet or ice creams 5 days a week. The only thing I've had seriously overchurn is some cheesecake ice cream we did today and that was just some that was left in the chamber from the batch that was made minutes before. Oh, and the boss got this machine as a refurb for less then 300 bucks.

I think Liebrandt is modeling GILT more after that Ducasse/Euro concept. I've also been under the impression that GILT is being funded by rather deep pocketed private investors who aren't that interested in making money (as strange as that may seem.)rather then the hotel itself.

Holy Heck!!! Great news! Ta!

WOW!!! Doc, you & molto delivered one hell of a tag team posting about one of my fave chefs and his amazing restaurant! Great pix & text. One of the best I've ever read on the 'Gullet, bar none. Thank you, gentlemen!!!

It would seem like the 'Supreme would be pretty good. The regular one produced ok product but those canisters are a drag. Believe it or not, it usually all comes down to the recipe you use re: texture, mouthfeel, etc. Good luck!

That's what I'm talking about. At $145 to $160 + dollars + wine a person, I think GILT is more interested in delivering a quality experience, a hard thing to do these days... Ahh, didn't catch your edit... Prime seating time... You might have a point about that, maybe not. It disturbs me to see "problems ( if they're indeed having any) are of their own creation" being floated out there. It's very F-X news, isn't it? At the least very 'net. People said this kind of stuff about wd-50 not that long ago just because it wasn't packed like a Park Ave. South "scene" joint at 6:30 or 7:00 on a Sunday night.

I have no hard facts, but I would guess thay are struggling. Saturday night should be the money night at this type of restaurant, and while they were doing a decent business, they weren't full. I've just checked on OpenTable, and you can get a reservation any night this week. ← How many times does Per Se turn their tables over on a Saturday nite? Does the tasting menu take around 2 or 3 hours? Not withstanding service problems(when they happen), it's been my impression that Liebrandt is trying to offer a more specialized cuisine & service then many in NYC. Also, from my experience, Friday nite is usually better then Saturdays, in general. Not trying to be contrary, although I think it's a stretch to assume theres a "struggle" involved at 80% capacity? Thanks for the reports, the food looks and sounds great.

Can you guys explain for those of us who may be a bit in the dark?

I have to weigh in here for a second . I have very mixed opinions on school BUT... From what I've seen, C.C.'s are a 50/50 thing, I've had to show people how to properly blanch a green vegetable after they've been in school for over a year. Most importantly, if you know that pastry is going to be your gig, that's your passion, I don't think there's any question that you probably want to bite the bullet and do the 6 month intensive course at the French Pastry School in Chicago like nightscotsman did. With teachers that are French, one of them an MOF, both of them great, GREATLY respected chefs and now they have an American on their team too. Your "return on investment" may not be great but if you're considering working in the food/restaurant business you shouldn't be thinking you're going to make very much money anyways. At least with these guys they seem to have a decent placement program and if I was doing this again the only places I would be going to would be Vegas or somewhere where you could make decent money. ICE also seems to have a decent program and some graduates who've done well ( 11 Madison Pastry chef Nicole Kaplan).

WOW!!!! That's pretty crazed! Impressive.

What's your take on it? Great package?

Sounds exciting, Neil! Did it set you back close to to 2? Re: Tiger nuts... I think these are also called Chupa nuts. Tiger nut milk is how the Spanish ( I believe) prepare horchata I understand he pate de frui recipes are special, and that the pecttin used may be pectin NH? Keep us informed of your impressions as the book unfolds!

You have a quibble with the dessert menus? Curious...

Link to Chocolate Easter Egg Demo, by Oriol Balaguer. A Chocolate "Coral" technique. Enjoy.

That is looking so fine...!

Thanks for that info, confiseur! When you get the Torreblanca book, please post about it for us? Torreblanca That thread you started, in fact! Looking forward to it.

If chefette or Steve Klc is out there, and you have seen the 'Sensations Nutella' book, I'm wondering if you've seen the 'mikanuts' recipe? Their comprised of flour, butter, 10X sugar, almond powder and an egg. Even though the proportion of ingredients is different it reminds me of a crumble or a pate sucree. Conticini rolls "sticks" out of them, about 10 centimeters long, about 3 or 4 mm in diameter and bakes for about 3 minutes. The mikanuts are featured as a garnish for mousses, etc. and are the main-ish component in a Nutella dipping dessert. He uses them kind of like 'Poki' too. Nice stuff.