tan319

The stick blender is the way to go. I use mine for my 70% chocolate ice cream all the time, no problems. I hardly ever temper things anymore, although I use large quanities of egg yolks, so I have less of a chance of scrambling things. Re: Scharfenberger choc: It sounds like it's a slightly tempermental chocolate, like those El Rey high percentage ones. I've had ganaches go weird on me using El Rey, even simply melting it was a problem. Hence, it was banished from my workplace. Good luck on the next batch, and I wouldn't hestitate getting 'The Stick". 25/35 bucks well spent and you'll never stop using it!

My point was having experience, chops, to do anything in the traditional sense but choosing to use those techniques (and newer) with less typical combinations. I don't want to clog up akwas internship thread with this stuff, maybe start a new thread or search out the old ones. There's a few of them.

Guess we're back to the same old story here... I don't know who's doing the trout dish ( does it really exist?) but, if you read some of the info on people like Ferran Adria, for example, I think Anthony Bourdain did a piece that's somewhere here on eGullet, most of these chefs want to eat a burger or some finger foods, bar snacks, etc., when they're not in the kitchen. The pastry chefs want a Snickers or a Mars bar or a brownie. I'm sure all would enjoy a nice grilled cheese sandwich ( that's what I had tonight, as a matter of fact, after I got home from working on a 'Tequila Sunrise' special for tomorrow nights service. Herradurra Silver ice cream, orange sorbet, pomegranate foam, served parfait style, in a glass) RE: Picasso: I think most of the regarded people know the basics. There's a great article in the new Food Arts mag about food science and cooking and the standard skeptical(eg. "Picasso") line is addressed by Jose Andreas who likens the feelings this stirs up to "when Galileo announced that the Earth was not the center of the universe or when anyone who knew about medicine was considered a witch". That may seem as pretentious as people might see the food to be but I think he has a point. People are influenced by so much around them and for some, going to say, the World Pastry Forum and taking a class with Olivier Bajard and making a big fancy cake like him is where they're at . Other's, who maybe trained under, say, Pierre Hermes, want to tear that whole thing apart, reconstruct those kinds of flavors using different 'delivery systems', while keeping flavors true, maybe even truer. For some reason, that latter path seems to really gall people. Which, in turn, bugs the hell out of me.

I've had a few of their flavors and found them interesting. I'd REALLY like to try the Australian one! RE: Steves opinion: I would concur with him that maybe the chocolate part of the Vosges equation is a bit lacking. Solely my opinion, to each their own. It hasn't stopped me from trying them out and when I'm feeling 'Haute', I will go for it! The green collection has my interest piqued too. La Maison du Chocolat... ahhhh. I miss them

Ms. Lauren, Since akwa is in the process of opening a restaurant, you might get better results if you contact him? Go get 'em! (just friendly advice )

Yeah, that kind of bugged me too. She's usually very good about pastry chef props.

Very, VERY excited about this. Thanks to all for letting us be part of this process, and much good luck and best wishes to Grant, Nick, and the Alinea team!

Did you order express? My chef ordered it after seeing mine (over a month ago) and he's still waiting for it But it's really worth the wait. Awesome addition to anyone's collection. Hope you'll enjoy it.

Amen!

I'm looking everywhere for those tagada strawberrys. For the ice cream. If any of you New York peeps, anyone else for that matter, have a source for these candies made by haribo that isn't in Europe, I would much appreciate it. I want to make this ice cream !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not sure about the use of butter in it but...

You know, that's bullshit!!! How can a place that started out so well spiral down into a morass of bad service and not so swell food? You would think SOMEONE from the JGV org would be following this. If I was JGV, I would be kicking some major ass. C'mon, get it together...

Hi, Mel. Sorry to see that some idiot felt compelled to WRITE you a letter about how your croissant should be a cheap as across the way. I can't believe how weird people can be. I know you're giving your clients the best quality and product for their money. Screw 'em!

Ok, any of you scientists out there, or just informed individuals, maybe you can help me out on this. I want to get this sorbet right, but the components are really just water (using mineral) and simple syrup, balanced out. And root beer extract, of course. It;s turning out pretty good, but two things are bothering me. I AM getting little pockets here and there of syrup, which tell me that perhaps there's too much sugar in the mix. I thinking of making my next batch with some atomized glucose replacing some of the sugar, and some stabilizer too. I usually don't use either in my sorbets but this might call for a change in plan. I've been trying find some like minded recipes for a non fruit puree based sorbet and am coming up pretty blank. The closest I've come is a tea sorbet, but that has 200 grams of lemon juice in it. I'll probably play around with some percentages of dry matter based on that but if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks!

Got my ISI soda siphon today, dessert came together, it's on the menu tonight. Kicks some serious ass!!! Made an anglaise with milk and half and half to keep it light. Co2 charged it, it's a charm. Garnished with a sugared dried vanilla bean. Tried to use pulverized root beer barrels for a garnish but it's so humid, it clumped right together. That will work in about a month from now. One of the servers said it was the best thing I've ever made, which is kind of worrisome, but.... edited to add: So, I sold my 1st one of the night, and this couple were kind of pushing it back and forth( I was watching for their reaction) and we kind of made eye contact, so i went over to ask them how they liked it. They loved it, really dug it, and we spoke for awhile. They were New York transplants too ( 22 years ) and as we analyzed it, I discovered something interesting. Feeling all 'avant and stuff, when I was thinking of the concept, and after talking to this couple, realized I had went in a circle. I think I made an egg cream. Pretty neat.

I know what you mean, Wendy. I never do a fruit tart for my menu and probably never will, just because I would hate to throw anything away. I was thinking about this and remembered that Conticini cover story in PA&D and how when he was at Petrossian in NYC he sold fruit tarts and either put them together ala minute when ordered for dining there. For take away he gave the customer the components for assembly at home. I think that's a great idea.

GREAT opening page for the 'site!!! Can't wait for the rest. Also, I have to tell you, Chef, I was rereading the F.L. chapter of 'Soul of a Chef' last week ( the chef I work with had dinner at F.L. last week, his mind is blown, his next two destinations are going to be your new place and El Bulli) and I was blown away again at the impression you made on M.R. at a time that must seem like long ago. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can't wait to see the next evolution in what you're achieving with your cuisine.

Glaze does preserve the fruit to an extent but it also "tarts" up the appearance. I don't think the powdered stuff is going to give you the same results as a pro quality nappage that's properly balanced(good ratio of water to product used when prepped). However, you could really carefully balance it out, maybe, by making it according to the directions then dab a bit on a plate and wait for it to set up. If it's too thick, carefully reheat and thin it out with water or juice . the apricot preserves method is probably better. Also, just for yucks, maybe use a spray bottle to glaze your tart, that's what a lot of pros use. I'm pretty sure Neil does that at the Bellagio in 'Vegas. In any case, moderation and care is a key factor in getting a good result, no? cheers and good luck!

Thanks, Wendy. Truth be told, the last thing I want to do is get into Danish production! I would want a sheeter and if I did, it would be a strictly inhouse thing. Cookie story is hilarious

Re: Margarine: Yep, that's the stuff. it doesn't turn me on either, I would never use it but plenty do. It will melt though. fruit tarts: nappage is classic. Goop isn't. It makes the tart attractive also. I have a hard time selling fruit based desserts too. Not sure why. I use fruit as a component. Seems to work better that way. I think Wendy is right on about pricing. Everything still seems to sell for what it's always sold for, meanwhile, what HASN'T gone up in costs as far as ingredients, energy, etc.? Oh, that's right, labor... As far as educating the public goes, re" my post, I simply mean I've found that people will eat a lot of things most would think they wouldn't. Given certain perimeters, of course. If I had my own place and I was going to sell "pastry" pastries, the only thing I would probably buy in is Danish/Croissiants. For Danish I would probably try the Uster IcEscapes (?), for croissiants, believe it or not, Pillsbury make an excellent, all butter ready to proof one that is one of the best I've ever tasted, taste and texture wise.

mel, Shop and food looks fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope everything is rocking for you and it's cooled down a bit. Congratulations

Yessir...

Wendy, I'm not sure what you meant by the fake margarine stuff. They use that bakers roll out margarine stuff. Gives me the jeebies no matter how you cut it. Re: Glaze.: I think there's a diff in the glop you see in a supermarket bakery case tart and a decent French style "nappage' glazed tart. Re: price vs. quality. How much more do you have to charge for a product using butter or a decent but cheap coverture? Not those fake American "chocolates" like Ambrosia, etc? I agree with the above concerning artisian products, if we really have to call them that. If Bri or Melmck or whoever is trying to compete with a grocery store or supermarket chain, on the stores terms, I don't know if that battle will be won. I still think the public will embrace quality if educated and given the chance. Assuming they're a bunch of dolts will insure that's what we attract, IMO.

Well, I'm not quite sure where I was going. except that Karen and Andrew think American chefs are the new 'avant garde', courtesy of F.Adria believing that. I think all of the "free" people have just made it easier for us to less self conciously develop an idea around a flavour or combination of flavours, be it Adria, Keller, or Goldfarb or Mason. The sorbet turned out great. One of my guys said it tasted like a root beer barrel candy. Now, if I can just work out this carbonated Anglaise idea...

Exactly, Wendy! At the bakery I work at, these more then qualified French guys use the dawn cream cake stuff, that '50/50 whipping cream stuff, pastry cream mix, and I know why. To cut down on labor costs, food costs, etc. If you want to have a halfway decent shelf life, that's what you do. But boy, the difference the real stuff makes. I ask my entremet guy all the time. "you would never use margarine in the brioche dough in France, right?", and he'll say, no, of course not. I snack on the stuff we make there, and it's good, but when I eat something of mine at my restaurant, it's like , WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slightly off topic but close to home, it's amusing to see what one has to do at retail, at least here. For the last 2 weeks, on Saturdays, the entremet guy has asked me to do the fruit tarts. The 1st week, I started out with this Hermes like slightly minimal look, apple slices standing up, etc., you could still see a bit of pastry cream, and he said I had to fill it up, which meant overloading it, just piling it on. This last week, I covered every bit of surface while still retaining a bit of a tasteful look, and he said it still wasn't enough! So I laughed and told him to finish it, I couldn't fuck with it any further. He wasn't being crappy, they all say that if you don't pile it up, it won't sell! Made me feel bad to be American.

I have some zatarains root beer extract and am going to make a sorbet with it. Hopefully it will be part of a new menu item that I'm working on. Kind of ties in with chefettes thread. But, what I'm thinking is to simply flavor my S/S base and add water and adjust for baume that I want to hit. Good idea? BTW, I tried some of those sorbet syrup recipes that are on the back of the 'cremodan' sorbet stabilizer can and I'm not real impressed. The one for acidic fruit I used to make lemon sorbet and feel it is not as creamy as the one I usually make. The reason I experimented was that my usual lemon recipe crystallized on me recently, maybe due to people not putting away right, it was a drag, nonetheless. Back to the drawing board, I guess. Anyways, what do you think of the approach to the RB sorbet idea? I'm all ears. Thanks!