tan319

It will be interesting to see what people post about unions... Employers hate them ( I think).

Thank you, nerdgirl, for your most interesting "review". Really nice to read something from what seems to be a really innocent, completely open perspective. Thanks again for sharing.

That's a nice gig, Neil!

That lack of social life was the hardest thing for me to get used to when I changed up. The hours were completely different to everyone else's. When I was getting off work, everyone was more then halfway thru their night out, etc. The sense of satisfaction is what made it worthwhile. BTW, if I was going to do an exclusively pastry course, I would only consider FPS, I don't think one could go wrong there!

I posted a link to a pic awhile ago on an ancho chile thread when some Texans were calling me a 'SSB'(Smug Scientific Bastard?) I had to show proof that I kind of fit the bill This is on a google page. http://images.google.com/images?q=ted+nice...G=Google+Search

I've got to agree with Neil and Wendy, since you're in NYC, there's so many places you might be able to get your feet wet in and you can see if it might agree with you. It's hard work, low pay and you really have to eat sleep and drink food to be into this lifestyle,IMHO. Good luck!

Wendy, Your stuff looks great!!! Really swell. And if that's you standing behind the spread in the 1st pic, you look so much like I pictured you! To do what you did, all by yourself, all I can say is Bravo! You have a lot of love for what you do. That has always been evident in your post's but really, really comes thru in these pix of your work. Thanks for blasting them over the wire for us PS: to Neil: was feeling for you with news of the blackout! Glad you didn't lose any product or hours! Can I have an employer like that??? BTW, is it a union shop?

can you buy a single unit? Like a box, assuming it comes in a box like pistole chocolate? Just play around with it, seems to me?

Oh Yeah!!!

Thanks for the clarification, steve. I've got to get it I don't know if it was the Thuríes mag, reading Louisa's FFN blog at around the same time or Sinclairs French rant, but last week at work I was roasting pistachios and melting a chocolate/butter mixture and coming back downstairs to my 'dungeon', I was overwhelmed by these smells and it brought back all of these memories of working at Lion D'or with this really good French pastry chef, of being in France going into pastry shops and it brought back to me how much all of that means to me. You know how it smells of dairy and sugar and vanilla when you're doing a creme anglaise? I used to make a gallon of it and pastry cream every other day when I was apprenticing with that chef and it never ceases to amaze me with these deja vu memories. An awesome feeling. This Conticini stuff is doing that to me. I made the tuile de pisatche recipe today, letting it rest overnight. I'll let you guys know how it turned out. I made my own pistachio paste this morning too. PS: Not letting the Spanish stuff go by the wayside. I'm devouring my copy of the 'Bulli '98/02 book, waiting for my working cdrom from them...

The whisk factor is some damn fine detective work!

I don't know if 'Nevuline', or whatever it's called, is aimed for a specific use, ie; baking, etc., but trimoline is used in many ice cream/sorbet recipes from the likes of Balaguer, Adria, Bau, the aforementioneded chefs from PA&D, like Michael Laiskonis, Nicole Kaplan (I believe) , other industry pros like Steve Klc, etc.. That said, the cake recipes I've made using trimoline have kind of put me off, in that it seems to give product a weird smell. Has anyone else ever noticed that?

Nice review, nice mention for the pastry chef (yay!)

Thanks for posting about your meal! Eagarly awaiting more reports as the season unfolds...

It's used in all kinds of ice cream recipes that regularly make PA&D, as well as many others.

I've noticed this too, but mainly with freshly squeezed juice only. I use the 'fresh' stuff in the jugs, and there's no difference to me except the lack of metallic undertones. I agree wuth Jason though, using the right pot seems to make a diff. I always do my curd over direct heat, rarely use a bain except for melting chocolate. If I had a decent microwave, I would use that to melt choc., except maybe for white.

Understood. Steve, do you read French well?

I'm afraid I don't own it and haven't had a chance to look through it. My next book purchases will probably be replacements for the ones that the Post Office LOST when I shipped them to Las Vegas. Now, That SUCKS!!! What books did you lose? sorry to hear about this...

lost me

BTW, seriously dig this MDC link, it's been a long time since I've been to that site. Thanks for refreshing the memory!

For the 'Tuiles Pistache': "Chablonner sur un silpat et cuire dans un four à 150c jusqu'à coloration." Spread a thin layer on a silpat and cook in the oven at 150 c just until colored? I've seen that term chablonner or chablon from Steve Klc before and I thought it might mean template, in fact I think it's on the El Rey website for his nibs tuile recipe. Thanks for those links, louisa. If you want to get more of a look at the recipes, feel free to pm, don't want to get anyone upset over copyright junk. Thanks again!

Chablon= template? Or spread as in 'chablonner? Used in making tuiles... My translator didn't translate Thank you

Awesome stuff!!! Love your guts! Fuck 'em all! Can't wait to read more! Thanks for letting us in.

Thanks for the info, Neil, acheveres. The lexicon was pretty standard but a good thing to have around, thank you. Neil, do you own the Conticini book? How would you (or anyone else) rate it? Thanks!

Steve, do you know if 'Desserts en Liberte' is available from anywhere? I did a search the 1st time it was mentioned and came up blank. My ice creams are much happeier using atomised glucose,etc., and I definately don't have a paco jet, and my "batch freezer" is prehistoric styleee. Steve, if you get a chance, could you elaborate on your Peltier experience? Louisa, I know this is something that has been brought up here before but, can you, having lived in France for quite awhile, compare the T-55/T-45 flours to an American product? Much appreciated and thanks to everyone!