Darienne

And she is SO proud of her marble table which you helped her to get!!!

Each chocolatier would be different, of course, but I don't think it would be out of line to prepare a polite list of techniques and issues that one might want to learn about. You might give a copy to the teacher...or not. Depends upon the personality of said teacher I guess. In the case of our own Hamilton ON chocolatier, she asked us what we would like to learn and I (spokesperson of sorts ) sent her a prepared list. And then we covered a certain number of the issues listed there in July 07. And then in year two, July 08, I asked her if we could learn about some of the issues on the original list not covered in 07, plus a couple more we had decided we wanted to learn, and again we covered some, but not all, of the revised list. We reviewed the stuff from the first year and built on that. We were lucky of course. Not only was she a professional, she was also a dear. There was much laughter. I have dozens of photos capturing our experiences at her place. The joys of a little digital camera. ...I think I mentioned before that Kerry Beal is her mentor ...

Hamilton.

If you have a Michael's, they stock it in the Wilton aisle. Perhaps they carry it in Hobby Lobby or other such stores too. It's a LorAnn product.

Merci...practicing for the return...

I accidentally found this website of a young chocolatier who lives about 3 hours away from my home and asked her if she would teach some classes. Then my confectionary partner, Barbara, asked her sister and the three of us went July of 07 and July of 08. We had a wonderful time learning and doing and laughing and eating, of course. We started right at the very beginning and worked from there. There was more doing than talking which was good for us. Not to mention the incredible Italian hot chocolate maker... Interestingly enough, this young woman is Kerry Beal's protege. She learned at Kerry's feet some years ago. We'll no doubt go again next summer and add some new lessons to those already learned. None of us intends to become a professional chocolatier so it was somewhat informal in intent. Good luck to you.

Thanks Kerry. Would buying two bottles at the duty free constitute the allotment you can bring back...or can you buy it over the allowed amount. I have never bought at the duty free and we usually bring back some stuff from one of the states along the way. Still I might convince Ed not to buy vodka along the way, but to restrict our buying to the duty free...if I understand it correctly.

And so I did. Thanks. And was astounded at the number of alcoholic beverages which contain orange, raspberry and black raspberry. Alas, I live near a smallish city which does not carry a lot of them. Still, I soldier on and make do with Chambord and Grand Marnier. Oh, the price....

Thanks for all the interesting information on orange and raspberry liqueurs. I am going to look it all up when I get back to Canada. And then I am going to return to my intention to make some liqueuers of my own. Yes, I am on an orange and raspberry kick. Mixed with chocolate. Of course.

Thanks for your detailed information. It's all unfamiliar stuff to me and I doubt that Ontario liquor stores carry Orangecello, Everclear, K'au oranges, etc. But I am going to chase it up when I get back home....

Thanks, Anna N. We went to the local liquor outlet and found the Grand Gala and it was $14.00 cheaper than the Grand Marnier. Did not buy any...have Grand Marnier already. Found another called Grand Monarch, $6 dollars less than the Grand Gala. Anyone know anything about it? Then looked at the raspberry list. Chambord, which we have, and another called Chateau Monet. The Chambord is $19.99 for 375 ml and the Monet is $5.99 for 750 ml. Anyone know the Monet? or any other raspberry liqueur? Thanks. What an extremely delicious topic.

Wow! So much interesting information...and so little chance of testing it out . We are currently in a small Utah town with FEW choices in liqueurs...and then we live in Ontario near a small city with not many more. I have never seen either Gran Gala or Luxardo Triplum. Perhaps they are available in a large center like Toronto. But I will soldier on and try.... Not to mention that the cost of alcoholic libations can be up to 4X more in Canada than in the USA...again...

Which liqueur is the purest orangest flavor? I have long thought to trying to make liqueurs...

Grand Marnier in caramel? Yummm. You didn't say you were using it in caramel. Must try that. I know nothing of AW values and actually don't know what confit is either...back to Google. Learn, learn, learn.... Post Google: gotcha

I too would be interested in knowing this.

Definitely Grand Marnier plus orange zest for me...or at least the Grand Marnier. Once you have used it, you'll never us either Cointreau or Triple Sec again. IMHO! And the zest should be in miniscule bits.

Thanks, DDG, I'll read the article after a cup of coffee.... ← I read the article. It was terrific and I thank you for mentioning it. My DH heard a fascinating radio talk about six months ago about a new book on the history and sugar itself, written by a Canadian female and in 2008. That's the sum total of his report. I am going to Google to see what I can find. Thanks again. Added after a Google search: Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott. Penguin Canada. It may have been a fascinating radio interview, but the book sounds like primarily the dreadful history of sugar with little or nothing about the pastry and confection part of sugar itself. Perhaps someone has read it.

So I went and I saw and I was BLOWN AWAY! Amazing! Stupendous! Thanks.

I will make a test batch in a day or so and then post my great success (or screw-up ) Thanks for the information about the lemon juice...I am opting for lemon juice. Do you have any photos you could post of something with its Royal decor?

Thanks, and no doubt I will.

Thanks, DDG, I'll read the article after a cup of coffee....

Hello Theresa, There is no AC Moore, no Hobby Lobby, no Michaels, no Wal-Marts, no Wilton aisles in Moab. No party stores. And no farmer's market after November 1st. The largest store is an Alco. This is a VERY small town without the tourists and tourists don't buy powdered meringue. That's why I wanted to know particularly about using lemon juice...which I could guarantee...instead of cream of tartar...which I could not. Thanks for trying.

Thanks Eileen for that interesting article. I'll have to read it at leisure.

Thanks for the orange bitters idea... but I doubt if little children would like it much. As for having a sweet tooth, I have almost none and find almost incomprehensible the preference for milk chocolate which so many Americans have .

There is no meringue powder in Moab. As for 'just whites', I'll check tomorrow. And as for the taste of the stuff, that really doesn't matter. It's just to write the child's name on the lollipop or some small decorations...nothing major.