Rick Mogstad

Not sure if all Costcos are getting them, but I just noticed that they have Meyer Lemons at my local Costco (Vancouver, WA) for $6.50/4 lbs. I hadn't found anywhere to buy them locally before this, and had never actually tasted one. Now I need to figure out how to save them somehow -Rick

I find the Callebaut thin 60% callets to be pretty good quality, and fairly inexpensive. The formula is: Belgian 60-40-38NV, and it is a "3 drop" thickness. It runs about $6/lb in bulk locally. I think depending on how thin of a shell you wanted, you may have to add some cocoa butter, but I think for the price that it is pretty decent tasting chocolate. Is that more than you were looking to spend? Also, you are looking for actual chocolate, and not "coating", correct?

In what way would that qualify as a "scathing review"? It was actually pretty mild, and well worded. If one wants to clear their name, they would probably want to contact you in a rational manner, at which point most people would update their original criticism to include additional information. Completely out of line to call you personally with such an attitude, in my opinion. If you want people to love your restaurant every single time, then make sure they have a superior experience, every single time.

Sorry to dredge up this insanely old thread, but in the Chefette recipe, do you really not let the solution cool at all before stirring? Seems like it would be super gritty without letting it cool.

I have to wonder what kind of fresh pineapple requires quotes Whether it would be a problem or not was definitely a guess, rather than experienced info, but chianti cleared it up with much more solid info -Rick

I think fresh juice would be a problem, but as Chocolot said, using canned juice should not be a problem.

I have never had the problem that you describe, though they usually don't last too long. The only difference in process is that I egg wash them prior to salting, but I can't see that making a huge difference. I use Alton Brown's recipe, and they have turned out perfectly, and still been good a day later, without any noticeable difference. Granted, I have never been looking, specifically. -Rick

Might want to be careful with overheating. Sealing it all up like that it's going to have a hard time venting...

I have found that an apple corer (like this) works really well to get a nice consistent space in the middle for filling. I usually don't re-top them, just pipe on frosting or make the filling level and glaze, like others have said. If your cake is pretty light, you can fill without removing any cake, but if you have a denser cake, it can be rough to get enough filling without ruining the cupcake.

Put me down as maybe. I am not sure, but I would like to come. Also, put me along with the other novices .

I haven't made cinnamon rolls in forever, but my wife wants some for her baby shower next week, so I figured I had better practice. They came out pretty well, though they aren't quite "cinnamoney" enough. -Rick

We definitely have food shows of some sort on regularly. I rarely write down a recipe or anything, but often make little mental notes of something to research and try. I am much more of a baker, but I'm learning to cook adequately too, and picking up little techniques and tricks never hurts .

I have found that with marinades with a lot of sugar, its best to rinse it off a bit after marinating, and brush the breast with olive oil before grilling, then baste with (fresh) marinade at the end. Also, if I let the chicken sit out a bit before grilling I get a ton less sticking. I grill them around 350°F until they are cooked through, and they come out juicy and flavorful (and with nice grill marks, though I use porcelain-enameled cast iron grates, which don't cool down too much when the chicken is dropped on). Lately I have been doing nothing but brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and letting rest for 15 mins or so before throwing them on, and they come out great. I am no expert, by any means, so take it with a grain of salt -Rick

I have had a pretty difficult time finding a good strawberry ice cream recipe. Tons of them for a vanilla with strawberries. I actually started with the recipe for that, and ended up adding some pureed strawberries/sugar type mixture, and came up with a pretty good result, though it was on the verge of being icy (lots of water in strawberries), but it got eaten within a day or so, and it tasted pretty good. Wasn't bad for my 2nd batch of ice cream at least. One tip, for sure, is if you are going to have pieces of strawberry in it, chill them well before you put them in, or they will magically suck all of the cold out of your base, and you will have strawberry soup with frozen strawberries in it... I'm rambling at this point, but if you find a good strawberry ice cream recipe, please share here.

Finally picked up this book last week (based on this thread) after buying the Kitchenaid attachment a month or so ago. I just made the Gianduja Gelato last night... superb. My wife barely even complained about the mess, after tasting it . -Rick