Suvir Saran

This recipe is also in the 2002 collection of writing from Gourmet Magazine - Laurie Colwin on Home Cooking. I made them - very easy, very good. Don't cut them until they are cool as they will fall apart. Recipe calls for two squares of baking chocolate, one cube of butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt (?), and an optional 1 cup chopped walnuts (I used hazelnuts). Bakes at 325 for 40 minutes. I use an old (at least 40 years?) metal 8"x8" pan. Results in a remarkably rich brownie, soft inside with a crispy top. Sounds yummy! Will have to bake these and report back.

and others see a positive in it. I think we need to add as little to the plate as we can for Nina, SuzanneF and Yvonne. I agree some of this is good to plan... But lets be clear we are not adding it to their plate. I think no one has implied that yet... But I want to clear it for them to know. And Tommy... you can take as much on your plate as you can... I would be happy to see you busy with some planning.. Maybe then you can post a little less each day between now and next Wednesday.. and give some other members a chance to say something... But yes Nina, SuzanneF and Yvonne, we would not want you to get bogged down with these details... Just help us by keeping your chores in good shape.. The rest of us will take care of the rest.... We will still get the better deal... You are each helping out greatly. Do I need to repeat myself?

Nina... relax... get as involved as you want to at this point. Ignore those parts that do not interest you. You are helping enough with the list.... I am so grateful. That is more than enough for your plate..... Do not worry of these little details... The rest of us can take care of them... Suzanne, Yvonne and you are helping with stuff already. No biggie.... We need to keep Tommy busy.. and adding to his posts.. What would he do otherwise? He needs to feel involved.... I will see if they can give us tubs.... And will make sure there is enough ice.

How very uncouth of me to not know. Sorry!

Is this a serious question? If it is, I am sure they can mull wine for you if you want... You would have to pay for them to get a device made that could hold the wine in the tandoor and mull it for you. Anything can be done in a tandoor... It will only take special devices that can be placed in it.

?? Help! Explain please.

I agree with all 3 of your observations.. On Steve, on Jean-Paul Hevin and about Paris.

I can.. and find it a treat.

Thanks Steve for this most amazing and detailed post. I think Mr. Torres is making different chocolates in his store than what was made at Le Cirque and to service the NY Palace Hotel. I had the good fortune to have been served both at different times. And they were good both times. He certainly is a smart businessman... Maybe now that he is ultimately responsible for his own success, he has altered some of his recipes to meet the demands of the mass market. Sad. Or maybe I have bought pounds of his chocolates at wrong days. I am mostly a fan of French style chocolates for the same reason as you. Buttery, rich fillings that are over the top do little for my palate. Not that I do not like those things... It is just that with chocolates of a certain caliber, I want nothing but what I want. I used to be a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman and Maison du Chocolat had their first NYC retail space on our 7th floor. The floor that I worked with. I would often come home with samples that had been flown in for that week. Superb. And while they too were not as good as some of the smaller names in Paris, they were better than what my other options in NYC were. Richart to me is more about form than substance. I have not understood it well, just yet. I would eat Torres before Richart. I do find Richart less sweet than Torres, but again, after looking at their chocolate, something makes me expect more finesse and it does not get delivered. Fauchon in NYC has had very mixed standards. It has gone from being nothing but a name to being really good. I had heard some of the things you have mentioned... But now I know clearly why this has been the case. This last weekend I was lucky to have had some macarons from Fauchon, and those were superb. In texture and sweetness. I wish more people would now take pastry more seriously. Too many restaurants and operations are running without really having someone professionally trained and with an inspired and caring mind overseeing the production of these delicacies. I think Americans have been served so much bad pastry for so long that some think they can still pull wool over our eyes. At the H/M/R Show and Javits this week, I was amazed at how seriously the pastry chefs were taking their cuisine and how very well you moderated the Demos. While it was no surprise for you were involved, it was certainly a very good experience, much better than what I was expecting, even knowing that someone as passionate as you was responsible. It says a lot. Now only if we can have restaurant owners and merchants understand the trends you discuss and realize we now have consumers that care and know better... and with only a little effort and some tastings, they can educate those masses they are worried about. I was once with the larger masses that have largely missed the magic of chocolate. In fact I am still not fully de-addicted to my addiction of Heath Bars, Toblerone, Cadbury Fruit and Nut and some other chocolates, which I crave every so often. And how right you are to observe that we chocolate fans are like members of a religious cult.

That is high praise, especially from a woman who loathes chocolate. I hope to be making a pilgrimage to Jacques' shop this weekend, with a pastry chef friend. I'll report if I do. Like Suvir, I prefer dark chocolate with very little sugar, but I have great respect for Torres' creativity, passion and technique. And he's so cute. Like Nina says, Teuscher rules. Teuscher champagne truffles are addictive. I worked on Madison Avenue and was between Mitchell London and Teuscher. It was bad Bad BAD for me... For I ate ML's food daily.. And Teuscher champagne truffles several times a week.... They are the best champagne truffles I have had at least in NYC.... I too find Torres very cute , also very professional and very passionate... But his chocolates have not moved me as some others have.... But maybe I too can make a pilgrimage to Brooklyn for yet another visit.. And maybe this time, his chocolates will impress me. I have been impressed by the store, the cleanliness and the service, but the chocolates were nowhere near some of the chocolates that I crave. I have to agree with Nina that even Payard is doing far better stuff. And I am also with Nina on the Teuscher champagne truffles... They are most amazing. I love chocolate to taste like chocolate when I am paying more than a couple of dollars for it... Or else, the Heath bar I have finally found around my home can sate me. No excuse for sweet sugary stuff from chefs that have great repute. It is actually shocking to me. I think of India, England and America when I think of sugary chocolate... And while I have enjoyed those chocolates, they form a very different part of my palate. I do crave those terrible chocolates very often, but I assign them little if any credence in being real or even close to real in their chocolate taste. But this is only my humble opinion... I will give Torres yet another chance.... And I am ready to be converted.... Will report back after I make this pilgrimage. I am somewhat nervous I must be honest. I am not one to give something so many chances... But I shall.. I am very fond of the chef.. And as I said above.. like many others... I find him someone to stop and hear, look at and listen to.

I promise not to embarrass any of the 3 fine women that have worked to make this dinner happen.... We still have to wait till next Wednesday... But never too early or late to acknowledge.... I shall thank each of you now... Yvonne for thinking of this dinner idea... Nina and Suzanne for each taking stuff in their own hand to help make our dinner next week seamless. I shall not trouble you by thanking you in public. Lest you turn RED... But I thank you all.(cherchez la femme) What would I do without the feminine gender in this world? Thanks! PS: As people come in, they can come and hand me the $50.00. Exact change would b appreciated. I shall give this to the manager as we sit down. Would be the most dignified and also easy way to handle this. Thanks for the suggestion Rachel and thanks for the reinforcement Yvonne.

This will be a great dinner for all of us... If we are all at our natural best, we can also make it an historical evening in NYC... so many online friends meeting at one restaurant together.... Lets keep this in mind... It could be a great way for each of us to participate in something that could forever be a great small step in the history of eGullet. Thanks all for your generosity of spirit and patience with my own slow pace in revealing details in the beginning. Thanks for being patient with each other.. And thanks in advance for maintaining the civility with which we have always handled ourselves for the most part. I am here to help in any way I can to make this a pleasant experience for all attending and also for those that will attend through our posts both now and after the dinner. If anyone has any concern or worry, please do not hesitate to bring it to me... I shall do all I can to quickly share with you my outlook on it.. And if I can help in alleviating your concerns, I shall do so quickly. It amazes me that we have kept this thread alive so long and so graciously. I could not control my emotions... I had to come and thank each of you for your generous ways. Now that I have been all sappy... I shall continue with my browsing of this thread and others...

I have to agree with you about everything. I loved each of the Tartes Tatins... I could have simply eaten those and been a happy man for the rest of my life.... I am greedy for such heavenly desserts..... What can I say.....And I also loved the Hull Cheddar... Thanks Wilfrid. I was also mighty impressed by Shermars brilliant efforts in preparing the greens. What a great way of doing a vertical tasting. Thanks Shermar! And many many many thanks to Cathy for opening her home to us all. She was the perfect of all hosts.... Ms. Stewart should call upon Cathy if they need a replacement. Cathy would be Martha 1.

Light, fruity whites Jean Rosen Pinot Blanc 2001 (Alsace, France) Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (Marlborough, New Zealand) Rex Hill Pinot Gris 2001 (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Daniel Gehrs Chenin Blanc 2001 (Monterey County, California) Chateau de Sancerre 2001 (Loire Valley, France) Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett 2001(Mosel, Germany) Medium to full bodied whites "J" Russian River Pinot Gris 2001 (Sonoma County, California) Domaine Schlumberger Gewurztraminer 2000 (Alsace, France) Basserman-Jordan Riesling Trocken 2001 (Pfalz, Germany) Pipers Brook Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2001 (Tasmania, Australia) Cakebread Chardonnay 1999 (Napa Valley, California) Light, fruity reds Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare Rose 2001 (Santa Cruz, California) King's Ridge Pinot Noir 2001 (Willamette Valley, Oregon) Sottimano Dolcetto d'Alba 2001 (Piedmont, Italy) Domaine Hautes Roches Cotes du Ventoux 2001 (Rhone Valley, France) Medium-to-full bodied reds Simon Hackett Shiraz 2001 (McLaren Vale, Australia) EXP Syrah 2000 (Dunnigan Hills, California) Chateau Ribebon 1998 (Bordeaux, France) Capezzana Barco Reale 2000 (Tuscany, Italy) Montes Malbec 2001 (Colchagua Valley, Chile) Peachy Canyon Incredible Zinfandel 2000 (Paso Robles, California) Beer and Cider Anchor Steam Wheat Beer (California) Red Stripe (Jamaica) Bitburger Oktoberfest (Germany) Lion Stout (Sri Lanka) Chimay Blue (Belgium) Full Sail Ale (Oregon) I have Joshua Wesson of Best Cellars for these reccomendations. www.bestcellars.com

Are you implying we are such a miserable lot that we cannot plan for ourselves?

Do I see a latent interest in being with us that night? Are you in town? Would you want to join? Let us know... I can see if we can get a seat added.

I see no problems at all. Lets all breathe deeply and slowly... It will all be just swell. This dinner will go smoothly... Lets not worry about too much.... Please!

I often find myself doing just that.

All we need next is people making out.. and pictures of that as documentation.

Only if you were as fast as you are sweet. Life would be a dream. You are the best Cathy. Thanks for everything. You were very generous.

Is that what we call it these days?

Clearly you are a trouble maker. I have left a voice mail for the owner already. Will let you know what they say.

I shall contribue 2 bottles of Red Wine for you all to enjoy. Would that be OK Nina? Thanks for doing this Nina. Much appreciated.

On a serious note, Steve, if it helps you to know, I have received email from several people, over a dozen already asking me about spices and my cooking classes. They were at the Demo and enjoyed what you all organized. I thank you and the Societe for the opportunity you present all of us food related professionals. It was a great event you helped organize. Thanks for having included me. Maybe one time I can do a curried steak demo.

I had nothing to do with that. I swear. I just met her. You are something else....