Lior

Hi Alex. Thanks for the input! We are familiar with the teacher-apple connection, however I am not entirely sure the staff will figure out why my cake is or has an apple. Oranges will not go either as they will get that cute substitute(no pun intended). That is why the open book idea came about. I am still open to ideas as carving an open book may not be so easy... and then there is the issue I raised in my last entry.

just wondering- if I carve the rectangular cake into n open book (...) there will be no cake crust to hold the poured ganache glaze. How do I do this? ANy recommendations?

some good info-thanks!

looks so enticing! If recipes or ideas get shared perhaps some are willing to share with us?? Have fun!

all sounds nice and delicious. I am interested in the results of your experiments.

well perhaps I should send a liqueur and little cute plastic cups along with the cake!!! Now seriously, it may be nice. What do you all teach?

now I am getting confused! Such good ideas! Alcohol,tea,citrus...apples... I could easily do a ganache flavored with orange liqueur like grand Marnier, but then what cake would match? Perhaps a plain sponge flavored with orange? Do most folks like this flavor? Sounds nice. I looked at pictures of open book cakes and found that there are trays to make this-but I dont think I can get one here. I guess it is just cutting it into that shape.

Open book... I will look for pics to see how to make it-I like that idea! Do you know of an apple cake recipe? Perhaps white choc ganache with cinnamon as icing? No nuts-very clever-did not think of that! Thanks

While I am not thrilled with all of my youngest (and only one left at home) daughter's 8th grade teachers, I still thought it correct to bring a cake into the teachers' room - as some do desreve it - in mid June to wish them all a good summer holiday. I am quite capable with chocolate, any ideas of how to make a cake with perhaps a glaze/ganache etc? What shape/flavor? Thanks!

what a lovely gift to receive!

PSANTUCC!!! And I thought that no one "got" it!!!

How exciting for all of you!! I wish wish wish I could meet everyone! Enjoy and take pics for us non participants!!!

Thanks Pierogi

not yet, I will pre order probably.

A collection of food memories andstories about food and families, as well as, of course, recipes from Holocaust survivors from aoo over: Poland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Greece.

Thanks Kerry! I hope so too

I have also been away from egullet for a while- for a few reasons... Anyway, I wish you all an amazing weekend. Every year I say "Next year in the candy conference". I hope it won't take 2000 years to realize my desire!

Thanks Steve and Gap. Steve didnt you once make your own fabulous banana bonbon? I wonder because I get stuck on a certain recipe that I invent and then am always on the lookout for ways to perfect it... I guess I will order the book. Here I cannot go to my bookstore to take a look, nor order it through some amazing library system... On a related topic: How do you remember what you liked in a certain book? I get confused and then spend hours going through my books looking for something I remember vaguely in one of these books. Then I go off on tangents of course, which is why it takes hours. Any good system?

Hello Gap! DId you get the book? I am thinking of ordering it and was wondering what you thought.

I think that we all could talk chocolate day and night and never bore each other! And Robert,Your pictures are also gorgeous. When I compare myself to others I do not truly feel I am expert. Some people studied years all day and are well trained. I think it is like a second grader's handwriting compared to an adult's. Practice. But the learning is fun.

I also believe that one should have as much knowledge as one can. When you know and understand something then you can choose what to do and what is best for you. How aqnd why certain things extend shelf life,etc is important to know even if you choose not to use something. It is choice by knowledge and not due to the lack of it. I constantly find I am thirsty to know more and more and then the more I know the more I feel how much more I do not know... So I buy the new book, this book, that book, read, think etc. You may all want to visit me in the asylum for insane AMATEUR chocolatiers. We can discuss sugars...

surprise surprise! Mine arrived as well and just in time! It will go into a suitcase and get to me in less than a week. What luck. The chocolate gods love me perhaps after all!yay!

have you thought of contacting Jo Zander of Holycacao? He makes bean to bar. He is very knowledgeable and nice. He is in Ma- aleh hever. I would ask him for sure. You can send me some to taste!!! Just kidding of course.

any time