tan319

I was thinking of that today, Bux. Remembered that it was a Baked Alaska. Can't wait to find out what it's called.

It sounds more like a "rustically" prepared 'Norwegian'(sic?) omelette, which is kind of a sweet omelette, if I remember correctly. I think you usually kind of let it souffle in the oven a bit sometimes. Very old school dessert.

Hi Cory. I'm wondering how one can take a peek What's missing with it for you? Oh, ok... The list is all of the components? If so, is there too many sort of creamy AND acidic/salty things in there? Maybe something dead on sweet, like something snappy with white chocolate, possibly infused with something, contrast well with the rest? Or an icey yet sweet? I've always wanted to get around to making this white chocolate granite/granizado out of Albert Adrias 'Los Postres...' book. You could infuse this, perhaps? If you are interested in the recipe (if you don't have it) PM me. Hope this was helpful yet unintrusive :biggrin A humourous, perhaps kind of relevant aside... A couple of weeks ago I was running a type of an ice cream soda/float, with a Milk chocolate light anglaise that I dispensed out of an ISI soda siphon, carbonating it. I served it with a white chocolate malted milk ice cream that I "hid" a melange of citrus pop rocks in. So, at the tasting, the servers were going gaga over it, which is nice and everything, but this one guy just kept on coming at me with all kinds of pop rocks ideas, even a week later when he proposed a sushi type thing that was rolled in tabagai(sic?) type colored(orange/) pop rocks. It was all nice, well intentioned, even some good ideas but, sometimes you just want to say "Dude! Do you want to be a pastry chef???

Balaguers book is tremendous, right alongside P.H and Frederic Bau. Money well spent. Here's a site for him, in case you missed the thread with it from some months ago. http://oriolbalaguer.com/ I wish PH had a site!

Those caramels look great, lemoncurd! RE:La Patisserie de Pierre Hermes": You guys should start saving the money (if you need to, that is) for THE BOOK , you know you want it! No, really, everyone's work looks so good out of the "Chocolate Desserts" book that the pro book would probably really prove inspirational.

The Valrhona Guanaja is going to be darker, for sure. Also, if you're not taking your sugar far enough, you might get a lighter color. Great idea/suggestion on Patricks part to add the lemon zest last, to get more of the flavor. If you have a microplaner, and feel ballsy enough, zest your lemon right over the mix next time. The oils that come off that lemon right at the moment of zesting will really get in there. Maybe a small drop of lemon oil (Williams Sonoma, Linens & Things, those types of places) would be interesting. Oh, I've also been wondering about where all of these goodies end up, almost as much as I'm curious about where everyone gets the time to make all of this fine food. Great stuff!....

I've seen many a sheetpan get warped by throwing them under cold water as soon as they come out of the oven.

So they designed a place for people to be trained more or less in the Hermes style? Also so no one messes up the actual production lab or rather the products being made in it? Seems pretty swell. BTW, does PH have a website? And, your French must be pretty fluent also! Thanks again.

Pumpkin doesn't seem to have much legs this year, not like last. Coincidentally, I was thinking about running an eggnog brulee

Thanks for posting that, artisanbaker! I downloaded the pdf and although my French is pretty lousy, it appeared to be talking about stages at Pierre Hermes lab. Am I right about this? About 35 hours for 1.800 euros. Schweet! BTW, I really like the way he does his fruit tarts, with what appears to be a meringue or maybe even a white chocolate disc.

I won't let the hot side use my oven when I'm in there. Period! I've told them that they have a window to do anything they might need and once that's done, they're SOL. They pretty much leave me alone, don't fuck with me because they know I'll unload in a big way. I recently had one of them, a prep person put some UNCOVERED cut onions for a sofrito on the bottom shelf of my rack. I told them in a nice way, if they see anyone do something like that to have them cater wrap it, because if I walk into the walkin where my stuff is and find them like that again, I'll just throw them out.I agree with simdelish that a warranted rant might get you some respect. But in general, the hot side does consider us gifted yet tightassed whiners. It's just the nature of the kitchen.

I've tried catering to diabetics and Atkins customers in a portion of my menu, and in the end, just found them not very hungry for dessert One thing I'm getting into is variations on ice cream sodas. I already ran a reversed root beer float( root beer sorbet, vanilla anglaise carbonated thru an ISI soda siphon) but this weekend I ran a kind of a 'Malteasa'/Whopper soda on Friday, featuring a soda siphoned Milk Chocolate anglaise with a White Chocolate Malt ice cream that I loaded with a melange of citrus flavored pop rocks(orange, lemon and strawberry). I loaded the ice cream ala minute when I scooped it by laying down my rocks and enclosing it with the scooper. People were really surprised and happy with that. Saturday night I changed it slightly by putting the emphasis on peanut butter by doing 2 scoops of my peanut butter ice cream that I enclosed a reeses piece in and a scoop of the loaded white chocolate malt ice cream. It was a success. My customers seem to be craving chocolate right now, over things like pumpkin creme brulee even. That being said, I'll probably find out that all I sold on my day off is brulee.

Ok, now I'm totally freaked... Here's why I'm down in my shop tonight, talking to one of the cooks,( coincidentally, about the concept of being dead but not really knowing it, more 'Vanilla Sky' then '6th Sense') when we hear a noise coming from the bathroom off the side of the bakery ( which I can see right into as well as anybody who would be going in or coming out) like a pipe running or whatever and as I look in I see that the water faucet has turned on, right to 12 'o'clock! From not being on in the slightest. The person in the room with me lost her shit, went running out of the room!!! The restaurant is in a really old firehouse, almost a century old, I believe. Couldn't believe I come here and start reading about ghosts!

I really like that Lepicerie.com site, nice selection of stuff there. I made 'Suzys cake' last Sunday. Very VERY good!!! Solid recipe, can't wait to get the book. Oh, BTW, good idea to stock up on the Valrhona, prices are bound to go up even more with the turmoil in the Ivory Coast region.

Ronnie, I was wondering if you could give me a direct link to the article in Chicago mag with Brian Shoenback? I went to the site and couldn't tell if it was available or not. Much thanks in any event. BTW, I downloaded the PDF's for the menu and it sure is exciting. The dessert menus are very ambitious and interesting. Pretty heavy emphasis on cheese in it, that's different! I hope everything has evened out there and I wish both chefs much success!

Inventolux, That's about as cool as it gets (A.A. coming over for a demo)! Congrats and keep us posted about that NYTimes article, please.

Sounds like a really nice dessert, Kevin!

I use weight to measure for it. Usually results in 24 baume.

Todd36, Your report makes the case for going even more compelling. Excellent report.

Chef, i'm not sure what kind of caramels you're talking about. Can you elaborate? Thanks.

Hi, Ellen! Great photos, all looks wonderful. If you're taking requests, I would love to see some of the dessert plates. P.S. Do you ever go to MIX? I would love to see some of those plates. Thanks again for posting these pix.

Congratulations on the event! Looks like it went off great. Love the delivery system for the C.S.F.G.L.R. , sounds like a great flavor combo.

Awesome report ! Great stuff, thanks so much again.

There you go, it's been awhile since I made a bernaise sauce I mainly remember doing the reduction for the guy who acually made the sauce, when I was an apprentice. Thanks for the correction. BTW, I always do my sauces (anglaise, etc.) "cowboy" style. over direct heat. You just have to 'feel' it. As A.B. said, it will feel your fear.

I haven't been to Bourdeaux for awhile but I've eaten very well there just walking around.There was a very nice Morrocan place by a church downtown. A swell place called Jour et Nuit by the train station. I had a wonderful Steak tartare with frites there, outstanding. Just about anyplace in the main circles, kind of by the Virgin Megastore had good food, little brasseries, etc. Toulouse I only drove thru, kind of a weird place. Have a great time. Bordeaux has always been very good to me, can't help but think you'll feel the same.