vogelap

I never knew it was called an Alinea! I've always heard pilcrow.

Some of the concepts (especially the 'superimposed on a plate' round) of the icon look like the PARAGRAPH symbol, so I suppose that supports the "new thought begins here" idea. Personally, I don't care for the motion in the icon. It makes it difficult to tell what the icon is... Is it the first (pre-motion) icon? Is it the motion itself? Is it the second (post-motion) icon? Doesn't the 'motion' sorta look like a smudge? And, showing the motion/transition from one unidentifiable icon to another unidentifiable icon doesn't do much for me.

I've got reservations for MAISON BLANC for Wednesday August 18. We'll let you know how we like it! Thanks again to everyone for their input. It is appreciated.

What a great idea! I suspect that I will do that this evening. Thanks for the tip.

Oh gosh... I'm not sure what to sub for rum... Is there a non-alcoholic rum flavoring that's decent? Next time I make it, I'll snap a picture! Thanks for the suggestion.

Dang. All these people on here. All these views. And not one single comment?

THE DIPLOMAT CAKE The Diplomat Cake is a tempting concoction made up of three layers of puff pastry and two layers of sponge cake soaked in rum then layered with a rum buttercream icing. EDIT: My friend brought me back a slice of this delicious cake from his trip to Canada. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to create my own version of it, which I have done, below. This is a very sweet cake so cut the slices small! Because of the puff pastry layers, use a sawing motion when cutting the slices. I am posting this recipe for your review & comment. PROCEDURE: 1. Prepare 3 rounds of docked puff pastry. 2. Make standard genoise. 3. Make rum simple syrup. 4. Make rum buttercream. 5. Cut 2 layers out of genoise. 6. Assemble cake. PUFF PASTRY: 1 pk. Puff Pastry dough, thawed if frozen (Pepperidge Farm is fine) 1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry dough to a thin sheet (no more than 1/8 inch thick). 3. Cut three 9-inch rounds out of the puff pastry. 4. Dock the puff pastry rounds with a fork to prevent blistering. 5. Place the puff pastry on a baking sheet. 6. Put the puff pastry into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling it helps to prevent shrinkage during baking. 7. Bake at 400 until brown and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. 8. Cool completely on a wire rack. GENOISE: 1 lb. 2 oz. Eggs 12 oz. Sugar 0.25 oz. Vanilla Extract 12 oz. Cake Flour 4 oz. (optional) Unsalted Butter, melted NOTE: This makes two 9-inch cakes. Freeze one cake for another use. 1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. Grease the bottom (but not the sides) of a 9-inch round baking pan. 3. Combine the eggs and sugar and warm to about 110 degrees by stirring over a hot water bath. A warmed foam gains greater volume. 4. With the whip attachment of a mixer, beat the warmed eggs at high speed until they are very light and thick. This may take as long as 10 to 15 minutes if the quantity is large. 5. Fold in the sifted flour in three or four stages, being careful not to deflate the foam. Many bakers do this by hand, even for large batches. Fold gently until all the flour is blended in. 6. Immediately pan and bake the batter. Delays will cause loss of volume. Bake until done, about 20 minutes. Do not open the oven or disturb the cakes until they have finished rising and are partially browned. 7. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. While the cake is still slightly warm, turn out onto rack to cool completely. RUM SIMPLE SYRUP: 1 cup rum (light or dark) 1 cup granulated sugar NOTE: You will not use all of this mixture in the preparation of the Diplomat Cake. This makes enough for two complete Diplomat Cakes, at least. 1. Combine rum and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool. RUM BUTTERCREAM FROSTING: 1 lb. Unsalted Butter, softened 1/2 lb. Emulsified Shortening (Crisco) (or 2 parts butter to 1 part high-ratio shortening) 2 lb. Confectioners' Sugar, sifted 2 oz. Egg whites 2 TB. Rum (light or dark) (more to taste) 1 oz. (optional) Water 1. Using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until well blended and soft. 2. Add the egg whites, lemon juice, and rum. Blend at medium speed until well blended. 3. Mix at high speed until light and fluffy. 4. For a softer buttercream, blend in the water (optional). ASSEMBLY ORDER: Top to bottom: Rum Buttercream -- decorative icing Puff Pastry Rum Buttercream Genoise Rum Buttercream Puff Pastry Rum Buttercream Genoise Rum Buttercream Puff Pastry ASSEMBLY: 1. Add bottom round of prepared puff pastry. 2. Frost with thin layer of rum buttercream. 3. Add bottom layer of genoise. 4. Brush rum simple syrup over genoise to moisten. 5. Add thin layer of orange marmalade, if using. 6. Frost with thin layer of rum buttercream. 7. Add middle round of prepared puff pastry. 8. Frost with thin layer of rum buttercream. 9. Add middle layer of genoise. 10. Brush rum simple syrup over genoise to moisten. 11. Frost with thin layer of rum buttercream. 12. Add top round of prepared puff pastry. 13. Frost entire cake with rum buttercream. 14. Decorate and serve.

Is there some way to prevent puff pastry from shrinking during baking? I'm using Pepperidge Farms frozen, thawing it, and rolling it out on a lightly floured marble worksurface. I docked it because I didn't want it to rise (and that worked fine), but I didn't count on it shrinking (a 9-inch diameter circle came out of the oven around 7.5-inch diameter). Would it help to prevent shrinkage if I put another baking sheet on top while baking? If I cover it with another baking sheet, do I still need to dock it? All help is appreciated!

My colleague (and fellow chef) just brought in a slice of Diplomat Cake from Notte's (fresh off the plane, since we're in Cincinnati). I love the texture, but am having trouble identifying the flavors. I'm told there is Rum in the mix, but what else is it that makes it impossible to stop eating this cake?

I wondered why Chef Pepin asked the audience if anyone had seen his chef's knife... Now I know. Now we all know.

Jacques Pepin discussed THE APPRENTICE: MY LIFE IN THE KITCHEN at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati on May 27, 2004. I arrived about 30 minutes early and was able to get a seat in the front row. I spent the time before the event talking with a charming 73-years-young lady and her adult daughter about cooking, fresh produce, cookbooks, and Alton Brown (she'd never heard of him, but after looking at my just-purchased copy of GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN, she was headed back to get I'M JUST HERE FOR THE FOOD). Promptly at 7:00, Jean-Robert de Cavel, chef at an excellent local restaurant stepped to the podium. Jean-Robert ("JR") recounted an experience from "when [he] was a shy younger chef" when Jacques Pepin came into the restaurant where JR was working, and JR was too nervous to go out to meet him. JR introduced Chef Pepin (in the course of the discussion, Chef Pepin revealed that he would dine this evening at JR's restaurant). After the introduction, Chef Pepin took the podium. For about 45 minutes, he discussed his history, the new book, and his current activities. Then he accepted questions from the audience, some of which I recall and will recount here. * He was asked if he still cooks, and he replied that he cooks "all the time" and that they rely on having a kitchen whenever they go on vacation. * He said that he's building a "really big kitchen" (with room for cameras) in their guest house because, his wife will divorce him if he lets another camera in the house, he said jokingly! * He's got another book/show coming soon. * I asked him about the "culinary scene" in America, and he indicated that he was very pleased with how it has progressed and was grateful because the growth allowed him to make a living. He observed that America's culinary scene had grown more than the 'scene' in France (but quickly added, to no one's surprise, that America still had a "lot of growing to do" before it was close to France!) * He was asked about the emergence of 'celebrity chefs' and replied that he thought it was interesting that chefs have become famous. He said that parents never wanted their children to be chefs ("be a doctor or a lawyer instead"), but now things have changed a bit. He cautioned that anyone seeking to become a chef to get famous still has to work 12-14 hour days, "sweat a lot", and work very, very hard. * Folks asked about Julia, and Chef Pepin said that he speaks with her about once a week. They wanted to include some time with Julia in one of Chef's upcoming shows, but her health did not permit it. When Chef spoke with her a week ago, she was again feeling fine. He indicated that her health is "rebounding" between healthy and not-so-healthy. She's celebrating 92 years soon... * He answered a question about the use of snooty ingredients (foie gras, truffles, etc), and said that in his shows/books, he uses ingredients that can be obtained at the supermarket, because what's the point of teaching using ingredients that no one can get? There were more questions, but those are the ones I remember. Chef Pepin was really open and accessible. When I stepped up to get my book signed, he asked me if I was "in the business", (which made me feel great -- as if my time in Culinary School has somehow put the mark on me (and not just my scars!) that other chefs recognize as a kindred spirit (I admit to, perhaps, reading too much into his question!)). When I told him that I am a Culinary student, he wished me luck, signed both my books with wishes for my career, and shook my hand. Chef Pepin with Jean-Robert de Cavel (click here for a larger view) (click here for a larger view)

I'm actually seeing Jacques tonight at a book signing in Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm quite excited to meet him. I'm going to ask him to sign my copies of THE APPRENTICE and THE COMPLETE TECHNIQUES.

An excellent idea, DLS! I'll give that number a call and see if there's anything going on during my trip down. That would be fun! I sincerely appreciate your continued input!

That sounds familiar. I think maybe I've eaten there... Or is it Old Salty Dog that also serves the same way? Whichever it is, I'm remembering a place that is really close to MOAT MARINE LABS... Is that New Pass or is it OSD?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I appreciate your thoroughness in the list! I'm printing it out and will go over it and investigate the restaurants. Is it okay with you if I bounce our ideas off you? I am sorry to hear about the decline of quality at Columbia Restaurant. As you might have guessed, it has been several years since I've been to LBK (and Columbia). I've got fond memories of bottles of beer on their outdoor patio and their "1905" salad. The last time I was on LBK, I stopped at a little market in Whitney Beach (can't recall the name of the shop) for ingredients for a family dinner. I got into a conversation with a gentleman wearing a chef's jacket behind the counter that I assume is the owner. We talked food for about 45 minutes, and he loaded me down with a ton of great fresh herbs from his garden -- they added a wonderful freshness to that evening's meal! I hope that place is still there. Another place that I really like is Harry's Continental Cuisine. When I was a kid, it was a big deal to carry-out a Beef Wellington from Harry's and (this was the cool part) cook it at the condo! We also carried-out there very good (and rich) chocolate mousse. Have you eaten there? If not, you should check it out -- it's on LBK proper. I've dined at Pattigeorge's several times over the years. It was spotty for a while. I hope it's solidified by now. I haven't heard of Mattisons or Cafe on the Bay; I'll investigate. New Pass sounds like just the place for a nice lunch. You've been extremely helpful, and I appreciate it very much!

As a bonus (and a longshot)... Can anyone recommend any good scuba diving shops and/or diving destinations near Longboat Key? Wendy & I are advanced certified scuba divers, and want to get into the water while we're there.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my request. Also, thanks for the endorsement of Euphemia Haye and Beach Bistro. They're both now on 'my list'! I'm aware that August is a 'down' month for a lot of places, too... If you can mention which restaurants you think are likely to be closed, I'd appreciate it. A bit of explaination as for what we're looking for... I'm a dyed-in-the-wool 'foodie' and a near-graduation Culinary student (chef-wannabe!, though I cannot afford a career change!). My family (mom & dad and my brother & his wife) are joining my wife (the darling Wendy) & me in Longboat Key Aug 14-21. Longboat has been our family vacation spot for almost 20 years, though I've only been there one time since my big-time 'culinary awakening'. We're looking for places of three distinct types: * A foodie destination -- amazing food, great wines, truly passionate chef, outstanding service. (Foie gras is a plus. :D ) A chef-owned restaurant is preferred over a chain (of course!). Price is no consideration. My wife and I will dine there on our 'date' night out. We'd probably drive 45-60 minutes one-way to get there. * A nice place for a good family dinner. Variety is good -- my family will eat most things that they recognize. Within 30-45 minutes of Longboat Key... Are there any places on St. Armand's Circle that you recommend? My mother simply adores Columbia Restaurant. * A good 'general grub' restaurant where we can grab lunch or a light dinner... The pizza place Beachfan mentioned in another thread (Il Panificio) sounds great... There's a breakfast place just north of Longboat that we like, too... I think it's called Gulf Drive Cafe.

AH! Euphemia Haye does, indeed, fit the bill! That's quite close to where we're staying, as well.

In mid-August (14-21), we'll be in Longboat Key, Florida (near Sarasota). We'd like to dine at an exceptional restaurant while we're down there -- something equivilent to a 4- or 5-star -- or as close as we can get. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I checked with the chef, and 2 pounds of sugar is what he uses. He admits that the cream is sweet by itself, but that it is a 'perfect balance' when put into the Bouchees.

Thanks for the tip... I'll double-check with the chef just to make sure that's the correct amount (again, we made it with 2 pounds of sugar and it worked, but I want to make sure that's the amount he intended). I'll report back.

Thanks for the reminder... I'll do that in a moment! 2 pounds of sugar is what we used when we made it in class this week, and the result was just fine. For torching the tops... Actually, you fill the bouchees very full -- right up to the rim -- and then spread the filling to coat the top edges of the pastry. That protects it during the torching.

Creme Brulee Bouchees This is an elegant presentation of creme brulee in a pastry cup, perfect for a buffet or if you don't own a bunch of ramekins. Bouchees 1 box Puff Pastry Dough, thawed if frozen (or make your own) 1 ea Egg, beaten 1 T Water Creme Brulee Filling (Pastry Cream Style) 24 ea Egg yolks, blended 2 lb Granulated sugar 2 oz Cornstarch 2 qt Heavy Cream 1 ea Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped Bouchees 1. Mix egg and water to make egg wash. 2. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/8 inch thick. 3. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/4 inch thick. 4. Cut the same number of circles from each piece of dough with a round 3-inch cutter. 5. With a round 2-inch cutter, cut out the centers of the thick circles. 6. Optionally, dock the thin circles. 7. Wash the thin circles with egg wash and place one of the thick rings on top of each. Wash the top of the rings carefully -- do not drip wash down the sides -- and let rest 30 minutes. 8. Place a sheet of greased parchment paper over the tops of the shells to prevent them from toppling over while baking. 9. Bake in preheated 400 oven until brown & crisp. 10. Cool completely. Check the shells to make sure there is a sufficient indentation in the center. If not, carefully cut out the center taking care not to pierce the bottom of the shell. Creme Brulee Filling (Pastry Cream Style) 1. Scald cream with bean. Mix starch & sugar together in a mixing bowl. 2. Add yolks to sugar mixture and mix until smooth. 3. Temper yolk mixture with a bit of the hot cream. 4. Put back on stove & stir constantly until mixture starts to boil. Immediately, and working quickly, remove from heat and strain out bean. 5. Add sugar/starch mixture all at once and whisk constantly until thick and smooth. 6. Pour into hotel pans (or other shallow pans) and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface (to prevent skin from forming). Cool completely. 7. Using a pastry bag (or a large plastic bag with one corner snipped off), fill cooled pastry shells. Fill the bouchees very full -- right up to the rim -- and then spread the filling to coat the top edges of the pastry. That protects it during the torching. 8. Caramelize as for Creme Brulee. Keywords: Dessert, Intermediate, Plated Dessert ( RG1012 )

Creme Brulee Bouchees This is an elegant presentation of creme brulee in a pastry cup, perfect for a buffet or if you don't own a bunch of ramekins. Bouchees 1 box Puff Pastry Dough, thawed if frozen (or make your own) 1 ea Egg, beaten 1 T Water Creme Brulee Filling (Pastry Cream Style) 24 ea Egg yolks, blended 2 lb Granulated sugar 2 oz Cornstarch 2 qt Heavy Cream 1 ea Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped Bouchees 1. Mix egg and water to make egg wash. 2. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/8 inch thick. 3. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/4 inch thick. 4. Cut the same number of circles from each piece of dough with a round 3-inch cutter. 5. With a round 2-inch cutter, cut out the centers of the thick circles. 6. Optionally, dock the thin circles. 7. Wash the thin circles with egg wash and place one of the thick rings on top of each. Wash the top of the rings carefully -- do not drip wash down the sides -- and let rest 30 minutes. 8. Place a sheet of greased parchment paper over the tops of the shells to prevent them from toppling over while baking. 9. Bake in preheated 400 oven until brown & crisp. 10. Cool completely. Check the shells to make sure there is a sufficient indentation in the center. If not, carefully cut out the center taking care not to pierce the bottom of the shell. Creme Brulee Filling (Pastry Cream Style) 1. Scald cream with bean. Mix starch & sugar together in a mixing bowl. 2. Add yolks to sugar mixture and mix until smooth. 3. Temper yolk mixture with a bit of the hot cream. 4. Put back on stove & stir constantly until mixture starts to boil. Immediately, and working quickly, remove from heat and strain out bean. 5. Add sugar/starch mixture all at once and whisk constantly until thick and smooth. 6. Pour into hotel pans (or other shallow pans) and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface (to prevent skin from forming). Cool completely. 7. Using a pastry bag (or a large plastic bag with one corner snipped off), fill cooled pastry shells. Fill the bouchees very full -- right up to the rim -- and then spread the filling to coat the top edges of the pastry. That protects it during the torching. 8. Caramelize as for Creme Brulee. Keywords: Dessert, Intermediate, Plated Dessert ( RG1012 )

Creme Brulee Bouchees This is an elegant presentation of creme brulee in a pastry cup, perfect for a buffet or if you don't own a bunch of ramekins. Bouchees 1 box Puff Pastry Dough, thawed if frozen (or make your own) 1 ea Egg, beaten 1 Tablespoon Water 1. Mix egg and water to make egg wash. 2. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/8 inch thick. 3. On a floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry dough 1/4 inch thick. 4. Cut the same number of circles from each piece of dough with a round 3-inch cutter. 5. With a round 2-inch cutter, cut out the centers of the thick circles. 6. Optionally, dock the thin circles. 7. Wash the thin circles with egg wash and place one of the thick rings on top of each. Wash the top of the rings carefully -- do not drip wash down the sides -- and let rest 30 minutes. 8. Place a sheet of greased parchment paper over the tops of the shells to prevent them from toppling over while baking. 9. Bake in preheated 400 oven until brown & crisp. 10. Cool completely. Check the shells to make sure there is a sufficient indentation in the center. If not, carefully cut out the center taking care not to pierce the bottom of the shell. Creme Brulee Filling (Pastry Cream Style) 24 ea Egg yolks, blended 2 pounds Granulated sugar 2 ounces Cornstarch 2 quarts Heavy Cream 1 ea Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped 1. Scald cream with bean. Mix starch & sugar together in a mixing bowl. 2. Add yolks to sugar mixture and mix until smooth. 3. Temper yolk mixture with a bit of the hot cream. 4. Put back on stove & stir constantly until mixture starts to boil. Immediately, and working quickly, remove from heat and strain out bean. 5. Add sugar/starch mixture all at once and whisk constantly until thick and smooth. 6. Pour into hotel pans (or other shallow pans) and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface (to prevent skin from forming). Cool completely. 7. Using a pastry bag (or a large plastic bag with one corner snipped off), fill cooled pastry shells. Fill the bouchees very full -- right up to the rim -- and then spread the filling to coat the top edges of the pastry. That protects it during the torching. 8. Caramelize as for Creme Brulee.