Jump to content

curls

society donor
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,850

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by curls

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    3 hours ago, patris said:

    To that end, we were wondering who would be wanting lunch on Sunday before you head out - if there is interest I could arrange box lunches that could be eaten at Tomric or taken with you for your travels - let me know what you think.

    Lunch would be nice but if there isn't much interest I'm also fine taking care of my own lunch Sunday.

    • Like 1
    • Confused 1

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    2 hours ago, patris said:


    I don’t use Facebook Messenger, Signal or WhatsApp, but will use whatever the group decides. Wondering though - would an old fashioned text/SMS group work?

    Yes, an old fashioned text/SMS group should work. Only disadvantages that I can think of are SMS charges (if you don't have unlimited messaging) and a messier interface (the messaging apps generally do a better job of displaying and organizing group chats).

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted · Edited by curls (log)

    53 minutes ago, lironp said:

    I can create a WhatsApp group if that works? Ill add whoever dms me their phone number

    Sorry, not a WhatsApp user. I am willing to set up a Signal group. Same deal... need to have mobile phone numbers from all who would like to participate.  @lironp are you ok with Signal?

     

    Or we could create a new Facebook group and limit it to this year's workshop participants. 

    Melanger experimentation

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted · Edited by curls (log)

    The only reason that I mention macadamia nuts is that I purchased a few pounds when I visited Hawaii (sometime pre-Covid). Some were eaten and some went in the freezer. I need to check what is in the freezer and if there are enough to play with.

    • Like 2

    Melanger experimentation

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    @Jim D. I appreciate your comments and welcome any additional melanger knowledge that you share. And yes, we are very lucky to have Rodney at the workshop.

     

    When I have made dry caramel for nut praline I have made it with straight sugar. Willing to try the glucose + sugar method.

    Melanger experimentation

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    9 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

    I've used both - I like using the nut flour to speed things up and because I have a crap load of it in the freezer.  I'm bringing some to the workshop - hazelnut and pistachio.

    Woo hoo! I was hoping to work with hazelnuts and pistachios. Will see how much room I have in the car but I may bring almond flour, walnuts, and peanuts for some micro batch experiments.  Have you tried macadamia nuts?

    Melanger experimentation

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    I'm thinking about doing some experiments at the upcoming eGullet Chocolate & Confections Workshop and have a few questions for those who have been using melangers.

     

    For making nut pastes and praline paste, do you always start with whole nuts, blitz them in the food processor, and then put them in the melanger? Wondering if starting with purchased nut flours has any advantages / disadvantages? Mainly thinking about this approach for almonds since it is easy to find almond flour / almond meal.

     

    What nuts have you tried in the melanger and how happy were you with the results?

     

    Any other confectionery uses for the melanger other than making chocolate, making fruit chocolate, nut pastes, praline pastes?

    • Like 1

    Anova "Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer"

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    50 minutes ago, dtremit said:

    @curls — this may be a silly question, but as I've never had a chamber vac before — can you give an example of the largest food item you can fit in the Anova, vs something that didn't fit? Have you tried anything in a jar?

    I should be able to take some photos this weekend with canning jars and various items. Any particular stuff that you would like me to test?

    • Like 2

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    51 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

    Let me get an idea of how many people might want to take home the following so he brings enough stuff with him - 

     

    1. 8 pound melanger (check website to see preferred version)

     

    2. 10 pound tilting melanger (same) 

     

    3. new version of the small bowl for either of the above (still in beta but I have one and it's the cat's meow) - it's not on the website but if you look at the large bowls with the stainless stone holders - it's essentially a small version of that 

     

    4. new version of the big bowl with the metal bushings and stainless holder which is a set that includes the new metal rod and locking nut - version for the 8 lb and the 10 lb tilting 

     

     

    I am very interested in the new 10 lb. tilting melager with stainless steel holder along with the micro-batch set accessory but I'm not sure that I am ready to buy them. So, I'm a maybe. Thought I was the only one attending this workshop that doesn't already own a melanger.

    Anova "Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer"

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

    Assuming you can use bags for any chamber vac - there's nothing special about their proprietary bags except the size?

     

    Correct. All chamber vac bags will work, no need to buy the Anova bags.

    You can get the 11" x 10" bags from Anova or Avid Armor (they have a similarly sized vacuum sealer) and purchase other sizes from @rotuts's preferred vendor - Vacuum Sealers Unlimited.

     

    Anova "Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer"

    in Kitchen Consumer

    Posted

    I have one. Purchased it June 2022 during their Father's Day sale when the price was $280. I like it but I still have a FoodSaver that I can use for larger items. I like that it is lightweight and small; it is stored in the basement when I am not using it. It is great for stocks and items with lots of liquid -- the stuff that is difficult (or impossible) to do with a FoodSaver. Also had some fun with compressing fruits and quick pickles and infusions.  I purchased 250 each of two sizex of bags 6" x 10" and 11" x 10" bags. 11" x 10" is the largest bag that will fit in the chamber. I wanted to see how much I used it and what I used it for before I bought a case of 1000.

     

    Happy to answer any questions.

    • Like 3

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

    Bhavani is not going to be able to join us this time - but wonders if anyone wants to play with a melanger for the weekend?

     

     

    There you go, tempting me again! I resisted the siren call of the melanger last time. Yes, I was hoping that there would be at least one there to play with. Are you planning to include hazelnuts and/or almonds in the workshop ingredients? If not, I’ll be sure to bring  some.

    • Like 1

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

    Haven't got my stuff with me here at home - but we are down more than $1300 US compared to budget. Now with less people - our budget for breakfast and lunch will be less for sure - we were originally thinking catered sandwich type stuff for lunch - but can swap over to DIY. It's really hard to predict when I try to compare the costs for previous workshops and now with the increase in the cost of everything I'm hard pressed to get a handle on it. 

    With 19 attendees, that is about another $70 per person.  Yes, given the way that costs have gone up, I'm not surprised that the costs for this workshop will be higher. Hopefully others will reply. Perhaps cutting back on the included meals and some additional funds from  each participant will put this back on track. Please let me know if I can help.

     

    • Like 1

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

    So we've had a large number of last minute drop outs - which will be nice for the workshop end of things - but not so great for the finances as they were based on at least 6 more people.

     

    Two workshops ago I was out a chunk of money when it was all done because I hadn't asked people to pay ahead and there were no shows that didn't let me know they weren't coming. So last workshop I determined that payment had to be ahead and that worked out well when there were an abundance of participants and if they wanted to drop out - they were responsible for selling their spot.

     

    So looking at ways to reduce overall cost.  We had intended to provide breakfast at Tomric - but maybe folks could eat at their hotel before they come and we could just stick to beverages for the morning. 

     

    Welcome any other suggestions. 

     

    So, if we take care of our own breakfasts, are the costs covered or do we need to cut some other items as well? Definitely don't want you to be stuck funding the event!

     

    I'm fine with omitting breakfast but it was nice to plan the day's events over breakfast. I would also be ok with paying a bit more if that will allow us to have breakfast at Tomric.

    PLANNING: eGullet Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2023

    in Pastry & Baking

    Posted

    41 minutes ago, Haley said:

    I use the felchlin mascarponosa that I see a little tub of in one of the samples pictures! I usually like to make as many fillings from scratch as I can, but I make an exception for a 3 layer cheesecake bonbon (pate de fruit, mascarponosa, cookie crust layer)

    That sounds like a great approach that would have good shelf life! If you have any that you can bring to the workshop show & tell, I would love to try your version of a cheesecake bonbon. 

    • Like 1
×
×
  • Create New...