tikidoc

A while back, I started a thread asking if anyone had ever taken bread backing classes with Ciril HItz. The workshop on "Fundamentals of Artisan Bread baking" just happened to be today, when we were already planning to be in the area for vacation. For those who don't know, Ciril Hitz teaches at the International Baking and Pastry Institute at Johnson & Wales University in Providence RI. He also has a side business giving half and one day classes to small groups at his family's farm near Providence, as well as teaching classes through other businesses such as King Arthur Flour. So, after some positive reviews here on eGullet, I decided to sign up and take a one day workshop. It was well worth it. I will post some pictures once I have a chance to get them on my computer and uploaded on the net (may take a while since I will have pretty limited internet service for vacation) but I wanted to put up a quick post recommending the class. If you like to bake bread and have an opportunity to take a class with Ciril, either at his house or through King Arthur, I highly recommend you take it. He is a gifted and entertaining teacher, and is a master at his craft. I learned a lot and had a fun time doing it, and left with a big bag of bread to take on vacation with us (French country loaves, honey whole wheat, focaccia, and pretzels). And the setting, out in the country in Rehoboth, MA, is lovely. The information on the available courses and dates is at http://breadhitz.com/workshopinfo.html. Pics to follow... Jess

Again, this is not going to make much of a dent in your supply, but it is something you can do with it later if you find it freezes well. I add 2Tb of finely chopped rosemary to a batch of shortbread, then sprinkle with sea salt before baking. The lightly sweet cookie is great with the addition of that salty, herbal flavor.

Cool! So glad you enjoyed them, they are super easy! Make sure to post your pictures when you make them again!

Yea, but it was not a big deal. Got it done in a weekend (not a weekend's worth of work, but a weekend of putting on a coat, letting it dry and then another coat when I had a few minutes to spare). The cart is a great thing to have - it provides a bunch of work space and is very easy to move. Other accessories that are essential, in my opinion - the place setter (the one for the BGE fits in perfectly) and an electric starter, which you can pick up for under $20 at Home Depot. It works great and you will never need to buy lighter fluid again. There is a quick learning curve with these things, especially in regards to perfecting "low and slow". Once you get it, it is easy to keep the temperature very constant with a minimum of effort. I am still working on ways to get and keep the temp up in the really high range for pizza.

This is our Grill Dome in it's "house": And this is our first pork shoulder - 18 hours, 2.5# of lump charcoal, and one big Boston butt: You might want to check out the Grill Dome as well as the BGE. http://www.grilldome.com/InfinityS.html

I have a GrillDome and love it. They are very similar to the BGE, and the large BGE accessories all fit in the Grill Dome. It is a bit cheaper, very well made, and comes in several colors (I got copper, not a fan of green).

Thanks, Shalmanese. I had been debating forever about which one to get, but at 50% off, that made the decision for me. I got the FoodSaver 3880. I may decide to upgrade in a couple of years, but for under $100, I couldn't pass it up.

Yup, agree with Chris. Reduced juice may not be enough. My apple caramel has pretty good apple flavor, and the apple comes from an apple jelly that is very, very reduced cider (http://woodscidermil...CiderJelly.html, they use juice from 30-50 apples per pound of jelly). Amoretti makes some good fruit concentrates that would probably do well too. I was planning to try some of them this weekend, I'll let you know how they go. I was playing with texture to make a bon bon filling. But I can tell you that my original caramel is based on Ina Garten's fleur de sel caramel recipe - I reduced the cream from 1 cup to 3/4 and added 1/2 cup of the cider jelly. This resulted in a softer caramel than the original recipe, but still firm enough to cut. The Amoretti extracts are more concentrated than the cider jelly, so keeping the total liquid volume the same will likely be easier to do with their products.

Nope, Judson went home. Ippy did pretty well. My money is on Justin. At least, that's who I am rooting for.

I lived in Central America for a year, and had to deal with this constantly. I was the only one who wasn't running on Panama time, and for the first several months, it drove me absolutely nuts. I used a combination of strategies - telling people to arrive half an hour earlier and cooking things that were less in a "sit down dinner" style, and more family style, with things that held well. And when we were getting together to go out to dinner, leaving from my place, I got out of the shower about the time I told people to be at my apartment. I think now, I would probably talk to the person if it was a friend I valued, and just stop inviting them if it wasn't. Jess

I agree with those that say don't go back but do send a concise, polite note saying that you are a former regular customer who will not be coming back, and why.

I just read your post to my husband. I think I just ruined his evening.

Nobody has mentioned The Bite, in Menemsha (Martha's Vineyard)? It's been there forever, and has the best clams ever. Just a short walk to The Galley for a chocolate frappe for dessert.

Cool, that looks really good! I need to try that, I have everything on hand except the apple liqueur.

And, of course, I am interested in the caramel apple. How did you make that?

Beautiful, Steve!

Hellman's here, when I don't make my own. I also find Duke's too sweet. I consider Miracle Whip to be inedible, for the same reason, x10. I live in the south, and have since 1994, but I'm not from the south. Jess

Love my Super Peel. http://www.superpeel.com/

Thanks Kerry and Anna! Great job!

So, Darienne, did you call about the kijiji listing?

What are the brown bits? Raisins? Chocolate?

My favorite scone recipe. Don't know why anyone would ever buy a mix, these are so simple. Glad to help!!!

2 c AP flour 1 T baking powder 1/2 t salt 1/4 c sugar 1 1/4 c cream 3/4 c dried fruit (in small pieces) or chocolate chips or whatever add-in you want. Glaze: 3 T melter butter 2 T sugar Preheat to 475F. Mix dry ingredients (including add-ins). Add cream and mix until combined. Pat into two 6" circles and cut each circle into 8 wedges. Put on ungreased baking sheet, glaze with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake about 11 minutes until golden. Easy peasy.

Cream scones?

So, as to the question "Can this mixer whip one egg white?", the answer is yes, no problem. One egg white in the Compact: Compact with bowl, mixer up: Compact with bowl, mixer down: Compact ready for storage, bowl removed and mixer all the way down. As for hot syrup, this is my marshmallow making machine (the DLX is too big) and it does fine, even with the plastic bowl. They do sell a stainless bowl separately but it ain't cheap (I am stalking eBay for one but no luck yet), and the plastic bowl has, so far, been fine for everything.