sugarseattle

glerup revere in seattle has candy papers and stuff like that. I think michaels art supplies also might have some of that stuff. you could try wilton too....

I meant to also add this cocoa called saco cocoa which is really cheesy is actually quite nice and very very affordable. they also have it at QFC. http://www.sacofoods.com/premiumcocoa.html

i'm thinking about downloading this, but they don't have a trial. it's only99 bucks, but still i want to be sure before i get it. has anybody used iPro inventory and recipe costing software? I'm primarily going to use it for recipe costing, but want to make sure it will print my recipes the way i like them.

i'm definitely starting to understand that making bread is very labor intensive, and since it involves a lot of waiting around, there has to be a certain volume to break even at it. yes, we will have a sheeter. my back thanks me for that addition to the bakery. I definitely think breadmaking is an advanced skill, worthy of a few extra bucks, but I have also been seriously toying with purchasing the bread from another bakery because it might save me the hassle of worrying about the bread every day. However, after thinking about potentially adding pre-ordered box lunches to our menus, the ordering turnaround time might be tricky vs. being able to bake a few extra baguettes in the morning if we get a bunch of extra orders. Hmmm...

i think you have shown that you have read as much as you can the techniques and tips from other bakers but what you really need to do is keep in baking. I would recommend setting up a dedicated bread making area in your kitchen with all your tools stored in that area. Just to simplify, I would choose your favorite type of loaf and try to master JUST that type of loaf. ONe of the beautiful things about bread is there are so many subtleties in both ingredient and technique that isolating one bread type will limit your variables, but still leave you with enough variation to make it interesting. I would also trongly recommend starting a notebook and keeping it in your breadmaking area. As Hamelman writes in his book, there are like 9 steps in breadmaking. It's really important to write down your observations with EACH of those steps. For example, when mixing, how long did you mix. what did the dough look like after you mixed it. You might find the bread needs more salt, more water, more turns, longer rising time, etc. Also, dedicate at least one day/week to bake bread. I like starting on THursday so I have a fresh loaf for the weekend (I happen to LOVE french toast), but regularity is going to really help. You have to think that you're performing a scientific experiment. PS. I think having the "muse" of never mastering a loaf of bread will probably be one of the things that keeps you alive and trying so don't ever let your age stop you from pursuing your dreams!

you could make a sheet of chocolate brownies,cut into bite sized pieces and pipe some mousse and perhaps a chocolate decoration on top. chocolate is always necessary. perhaps take either the lemon or lime curd and add some fruit, like lemon blueberry tartlets.

I'm looking for a supplier of one of those open top REFRIGERATED pastry cases like they have in paris and having no luck. If anyone can tell me the name of the company who makes these, or where I might be able to get them in the states that would be fabulous. Here's an example from Laduree. Pierre Herme has 'em. So does Sadahuru Aoki.

try either qualita paper or novacart, both in california for wholesale suppliers, about $75 minimum. the sizes listed on their catalogs are a little tricky to guage so I would ask for a sample just to be sure you get the right size. also try glerup revere in seattle

I find the Droste cocoa to be a really good value for the money, but I really also like Pernigotti, and of course Callebaut is fantabulous. Since you're in Portland, we get Droste in Seattle at QFC, so maybe Fred Meyer might have it?

Well I happen to be going through this right now. I've just completed the plans for my space, which is about 900sf, but I was able to squeeze in a kitchen/retail area, seating for 12, and a bathroom. Plus, I couldn't have the bathroom open up into the kitchen so I had to build a very obtrusive wall and long hallway which ate up tons of space. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the laws/regulations with your health department. How many sinks, how big each of them has to be. Also, do you need an exhaust hood and if so, there might be limitations to where that needs to be. Then start thinking about the different functions you will have in the bakery; for example, prep (like near the mixer and the ingredients), baking/cooling, finishing, packaging. And then look at the pieces of equipment you'll want; for example how much freezer space will you need. Try at first to fit in more freezer/refrigeration space than you think you will need. There are a few different techniques to laying out the space. You can cut out little shapes and arrange them physically, but be sure they are in scale...1/2" = 1' is a pretty good scale because you can easily convert your real life dimensions to your drawing. (You could also get an architectural scale which is just a fancy type of ruler). Another thing I was told was helpful is to make full size cardboard (or paper) cutouts of the footprint of your equipment and push THOSE around in the ACTUAL space. You'll be able to quickly see what works and what doesn't probably faster than the scale model. What I did was make up all the shapes in Adobe Illustrator, and use an easy to convert scale (for example 1 pixel=1inch) which was really quick to setup. When I was happy with my drawing, I just figured out the conversion and scaled it to a more appropriate dimension. Sketchup is a free program from Google, but I couldn't figure out how to work it. All in all, I was very thankful that I had a few interior design classes almost 20 years ago so I knew a little bit about what a site plan is supposed to look like (I have to go to the Dept of Planning and Development with a lot of red tape!) When you're all done with your layout, you can add all the plumbing and electrical info to your drawing and hand it to your plumber and electrician for a bid. Be prepared to pay a lot of money for those two things! Get several bids. And don't put down a deposit until you are sure you are going to be with your contractors until the job is complete. Phew! I'd be happy to send you a pdf of my finished layout, just PM me.

is the recipe like blitz puff pastry, where you basically take pie dough (or pate brise), mix it until it just comes together, then give it a couple of folds just like you would a traditional laminated dough. I am sure you could substitute cake flour for the Wondra; otherwise, your dough will potentially be too expensive. I can't remember if Wondra is GMO?

i went to a class at Ecole Lenotre (the one IN paris on Champs d'elysee) and it was pretty good. I really wanted to learn croissants, but i couldn't find any classes for the time I was there. I ended up taking les bases de patisserie which was actually part of a series on the different components of fancy cakes & desserts. The class was all French, despite what they told me when I tried to enroll. That seems to be true of most classes in Paris, but it's not that hard to understand with a little basic french. I think Pierrre Herme might also have some courses dedicated to home cooks. Their are tons of different schools.

my trick is always to hybridize...like make a ganache and then a cocoa frosting and mix them together...you'll have less cream so it will be more shelf stable, but you'll get a little bit of the flavor. also, you could make a water ganache which gives very nice clean intense chocolate flavor.

i don't know how big you want them to be but we made a bowl of cherries dessert using silicon molds from demarle. However it was very labor intensive because we had to paint 3 coats to keep them from breaking when we popped them out of the molds. I think you would be better off with a polycarbonate mold, but i'm not a chocolatier. also, you might try Peterson Company here in Seattle. Even though they are primarily a food supplier, they seem to have access to resources along those lines.

I don't necessarily believe that cancer of the mouth is an occupational hazard, but I strongly believe that cancer is a disease that is caused by your bodies inability to protect itself from the cancer cells (aka abnormal cells) that spring forth from unhealthy bodies daily. Stress and poor diet can often reduce your bodies ability to stay healthy; that, and some of the weird chemicals and genetic engineering that may be going on with the food supply. But that is not to say that if you eat organically and exercise every day you'll be cancer-free, but if you look at what has changed in our fast paced culture, you can't help but argue that it's our modern lifestyles that are making us sick. My husband suffered with testicular cancer last fall and is in his first year of remission. For us, there was a very direct correlation between our lifestyle and his cancer. My bakery was in full swing and we were just going going going and not listening to his doctor when he was diagnosed with an infection. Almost a year later with no improvement to his condition, he was rushed into surgery and then chemotherapy. It sucked. He was tired and sick for 3 months straight. I am so sorry to hear this is happening to a young chef when he has truly found his voice, and I hope he knows he's got a lot of people backing him up.

When I sit down, here's when I know I'm in a GOOD place: - water that's cool but not cold is served in a clear glass. I hate all that ice that numbs my taste buds and hide all the salt that the chef has used as a cheap way to flavor a dish. - there's a separate drink menu that stays on the table. i hate trying to get the menu again or try to remember what's on it to order another drink. - my server waits just the right amount of time to head over and ask us if we would like to start with some beverages. they wait until they have actually looked at the DRINK menu. - my server returns with the drinks and gives us the option of ordering some starters at that time or giving us more time. - our order is taken, and if we don't order starters, we don't get that "glance of disappointment" and make us feel bad that we're not ordering enough food. if we want to share a plate we're also not looked down upon. - before our food arrives we're given the option of more drinks. our water glasses are full when our food arrives. - when our food arrives, we're asked if we need anything else right at that moment(ketchup, mustard, etc.) - we get the check-back AFTER we've sampled the food. - our water glasses are checked partly through the meal. nothing worse than having a spicy dish and running out of water mid-way. - dishes are cleared when everybody has stopped eating. But i hate it when the dish-clearing process is overly involved because if we're just going to leave, we don't want to sit and watch the server clear the table...they can do that on their own time. but this is just a personal pet peeve and I know my opinion is outside the norm. - we're asked if we left room for dessert. that way if we say no there's no hard feelings. - i really like it when ANYBODY from the staff goes out of their way to say Thank You as we leave.

Wow! This topic has the potential to become very volatile very quickly. I can't say that I haven't felt my share of needing to prove myself in a new job, and for as much sexism that seems to be prevalent in the kitchen, I must say I've been treated with disrespect or lack of trust by women and men alike. I think despite the temptations the best way to avoid something becoming a problem is not to acknowledge it. If it's not your style to tell dirty jokes, don't tell them just to fit in with the "boys" (or girls for that matter). Remember, never let them see you sweat! In time, the work will speak for itself. Good Luck

I'm getting ready to open a retail bakery and I've realized I can't quite make the baguette of my dreams. My bakery will specialize in desserts and breakfast pastries, but we will also offer pre-made sandwiches and salads. Breads are not going to be our mainstay, but we'd like to at least produce them ourselves. I can probably get the hang of it sooner or later, I'd just feel more comfortable with somebody with a little more experience. Ideally, I would like to hire someone proficient in making artisan breads, croissants, and brioche. My question is how much would they expect to earn? Also, since we will be very small at first, this person will also likely help with various prep items and such, just to flesh out their hours. I'm located in Seattle, WA. If you'd like to be confidential about your answer, please feel free to PM me and I will keep your answer in strict confidence for my reference only. Thanks.

i personally would prefer an appointment be made...i'm not going to be terribly receptive to a new product if the sales rep drops in and my buttercream is at the perfect spreading consistency...it's a matter of priorities. I think rooftop1000's times do sound good for an initial cold-call. Follow ups are best about a week later, and I appreciate the sales rep leaving behind a sample of their products, literature, and PRICING!

thank you so much for sharing your experience with PH. I'm so excited to read more. His Desire was one of my favorites and I love all of his Emotions! Such a great opportunity for you. Congratulations.

I'm totally going to make this since I have a whole lot of walnuts about ready to go bad. I think I'm going to make a maple buttercream to frost.

try a dough that requires a little sugar which will tenderize your dough. potato rolls are a good starting point too.

i've used a thin brush of mayo which works pretty well.

Having just come back from Paris, which I just love to brag about since I was very lucky to go, it was my impression that the baguettes, and the croissants for that matter, were made with a slightly softer flour than APF here in the states. I'm almost tempted to say it reminded me of cake flour because I detected an almost pasty quality. So that leads me to concur that the T55 is a lower protein flour. I've been working on perfecting my baguette technique with fairly inconsistent results. Although I did notice the flavor was better with regular old Western Family APF than with organic. I really want to use organic, though, so I'm a bit stuck. I'm going to try the baguette method outlined in Baking Illlustrated, which has pretty detailed instructions. I'm pretty sure since baguette making is all about technique, I just need practice to get the flavor & texture I want.

I absolutely LOVE walnut levain, and I find that I love walnut halves vs walnut pieces, because I like the way the nut is all wavy and you can really feel the nice waxy texture. I also LOVE the combination of walnut, pears and maple, again with walnut halves. I have ground up surplus walnuts to make a walnut cake (based on an almond cake) which was fabulous with milk chocolate ganache. I always make my banana bread with walnuts. One place I worked made banana bread with pecans and I was like "that's the wrong nut!". But I'm just a little nutty;) I agree that pecans go better with sweeter softer flavors, and definitely orange fruits like oranges, peaches, etc. Pecan pie, however, can be worked with walnuts, but I think it would need a chocolate or contrasting element. I think walnuts are like bold flavored and bitter (in a good way) and pecans are like soft and sweet. Both taste loads better toasted.