KarenS

Going without fruit for 11 months is terrible for your body- no matter what weight you lost. You need 3-5 portions per day. I keep wondering if all the Atkins people care about their heart, cholesterol, fat, the third world (since it is an American expensive indulgent "diet", meant for people with money that can't say no and aren't interested in exercising.)Most of our food, once we put it into our mouths is converted to sugar. Eat whole grains (don't eat white rice). Eat fruit, eat vegetables. The simpilest trick is don't eat processed food.

I have been cooking professionally for over 20 years. I wash my hands with soap and water about every 15 minutes. How often do you wash yours? I sanitize my work station, scrub down my counters often. I am more concerned that the customers are going to infect ME.

I make my dough and then put it in the walk-in over night, weighted with a plate and a #10 can. I pull the dough out and let it proof/ shape it, proof, bake.

Spray your dough hook with pan spray to help stop climbing.

I disagree with Steve- I think that the 6 Qt is great. The bowl is wider and the attachments are not working a deep narrow mixture. The 5 qt never made me happy because it is too narrow- you always ended up with weird mixing (I always finish everything by hand). The dough hook just did not cut it in the five qt. The design was poor (and they did redo it). The six qt is great- for bread, you can keep it at speed two for a long time and it will not overheat, and work a larger amount.

Very beautiful cake. Were you also given a theme? (like the four seasons on the show). Congratulations on your win! ($10,000 is a nice prize)

My current favorite is Maple Garden (no, not nearly as old as Wo Fats). I used to eat there in the 70's/80's.

I'd like to add that they are all very nice people. Before DK opened his restaurant(s), he was doing sushi two nights a week in the back of Haliimaile General Store (I was working there then). Beautiful sushi, and fun and friendly guys.

Tunneling is usually a result of overmixing.

I sift all the dry ingredients together. I also alternate the dry and wet (about six additions- and only pulse the hobart on and off. I never leave the machine running. At the end of mixing with the machine (with the whip attachment- never the paddle), I take a whisk and do a few folds by hand to make sure that everything is incorporated.

Can you get glucose?

I collect rolling pins- I have about 60. What I use every day is a "french stick". I don't care for ball bearing rolling pins at all. Most of them are too short and will create unnecessary lines in things you roll. I roll al lot of sucre; I want to roll quickly. I move the dough constantly. A stick will let you fix cracks and keep going (they are very long).

I buy the oj with pulp; I prefer it and it seems more real to me. My first choice though is grapefruit juice. What I don't get is fried chicken. I don't like the skin, coating, or the fat/oil. It seems like a way to ruin a healthy protein. I love roast chicken though.

Wendy, the added lime zest at the end makes a big difference in taste. If I make meyer lemon curd-it is essential (meaning the zest of the meyer lemon), the zest carries so much of the floral, fresh lemon flavor.

A non paying customer is not paying my salary. We give away desserts on bithdays. People lie everyday. Our average is 25 for lunch and 20 for dinner. Perhaps we would make more money if people were honest. Businesses do not give me anything; maybe that is because I would never think to ask.

Grilled fresh porcini steaks with soft polenta.

I use tapioca starch, tapioca in a powdered form. It does not thicken as tightly as cornstarch- or as gluey as flour. Use twice the amount of tapioca starch that you would of flour. It can be found in almost any Asian market. Tapioca expands in moisture(and absorbs it), I always stir the filling (sometimes adding a dash of water), until moistened.

You can cut the recipe down without any problem (I do to if I bake it at home). Mixing is the key thing- don't leave the mixer running when you add the dry and the wet; add a small amount, pulse on and off to mix.

I believe most young cooks are being"bamboolzed". They have watched a lot of TV. They have seen their favorite Chef on TV making something. Would I do it again? I still do love what I do-the climb was very hard. Give up a social life, give up dating, work hours round the clock. Who do I respect?, the toilers -Wolfgang Puck has been cooking now for about 40 years. He deserves his success and has helped and inspired sooo many. To all of the young cooks I would say that it is probably the most difficult profession that you could ever choose. It won't come overnight, and in a few years you will know how little you know, but if you still have to do it-then it is for you.

Do other businesses give out things everyday? Why should people get free food? Do you give me free clothes or gas or paper or plants etc... Why is it that the restaurant industry is the one expected to give away their money? I sure don't give away desserts. I am a Pastry Chef- that is how we make our money, people go out to eat on special occasions. My doctor has never said to me "it will be free because your birthday is this month". Everyone wants a free dessert. Hmmm, do you pay my salary? my bills? What exactly do you, or your boss give me for "free"? WHY SHOULD I COMP YOU???????

Fiddleheads are great; they do taste like asparagus when you steam them. Don't eat them raw, they must be cooked (same to be said of stinging nettle). They just won't digest very well.

Sinclair, I have been so busy (business is booming)- our espresso bar sells out of everything everyday. I figured out that we are doing 450 portions per day (and there are three people one day a week).Other days it is two. Many days we are selling 600 desserts (we do have three restaurants) gave me a big smile to see that you baked our cake! I am sure that it is similar to Mary Bergin's cake- I know her (we both came from the "Wolfgang Puck school") We do that four layer with a valhrona equitoriale ganache and serve it with a glass of milk and candied pistachios and cashews, with whipped cream.

I am happy to help; three of my grandparents were attorneys- the same was "expected" of me. I got my degree in poli sci- then worked in a law firm and said "no thanks". When you got thrown in to the court room (in front of Judges)- you had passed the bar, right? Most cooking school graduates have one year of school, most are not required to have even worked in a restaurant. There are a few exceptions, being CIA with a 6 month externship. The Culinary Academy in SF also has an externship. Many students have never worked in a professional kitchen. This is not meant to be insulting in any way. (you are a Pastry Chef now-right?) A law firm is no way to pattern a kitchen after. If you have never worked in one, then maybe you should. Pick a great place, and then go and volunteer. Even for a few hours a week would help you. This is a different world, and you need to know what the business and personal relationships are like.

Hawaii has not had the "healthiest" for a long time. The growth of adult onset diabetes is the highest in the country. There are also more fast food places in proportion to the population then anywhere in the US. I love Hawaii; Hawaii needs to shake free of the fatty diet introduced in the 50's. Most Asian cuisines are very healthy. The problem is that it has become teriyaki, katsu, macaroni salad (as a veg), potato salad, and white rice. A serving of rice is supposed to be half a cup. The guys that I work with will have 6c of rice, fried chicken wings, buttered corn, iceberg lettuce with thousand island dressing. That equals, fat, sugar, carbs, and no vegetable. I hear all the time "diabetes runs in my family". Adult onset diabetes has to do with diet, weight, and exercise.

What I meant was; I am a teacher, but the production is my responsibility. I must be certain that my student understands, is comfortable, and that they produce good results. I will allow for a learning curve. I will not abandon them or "dump" production on them until they are fully trained and ready to do the job. I will not do the work for them either.