jackal10

Jules Verne Restaruant at the Eiffel Tower? Atelier Robochon?

Melt after dinner mint chocolates? and drop one into the ramekin whole as as surprise

Escoffier Its all in there, and I keep returning to it for the authorative version, and the voice of experience, even if you have to interpet it a bit.

I guess Double cooked souffles or Tortilla de Patata are in, but What about chocolate mousse/molten/roulade/etc? Indeed, roulades in general..Does the classification run to flourless cakes, or even genoise or Victoria Sponge? Svoury custard? Creme Anglais? Petit pot de creme? Creme Brulle?

You mean you don't take an instant read themometer with you when you go to dine? Your conventionally cooked 300F beef, is still likely to be pink in the centre, and so probably around 135F, Similarly a rare or blue steak, Even with half an hours standing it will often not meet the FDA criterion in the centre of the meat. However you are unlikely to die from food poisoning from it, since most of any possible bugs are likely to be fried on the hot outside, not in the middle of a solid piece of meat. Hamburger or meatloaf, however is something different.

You can brown the outside before or afer the long slow cook or not at all. I slightly prefer after. My over was about 450F. It really is justa quick grill of the surface. You can even use a blowtorch or turn it in a hot pan. Wasn't held at all. That is the beauty of the log slow cook method. Since the whole meat is at near enough the saame temperature, holding is pointless.

Even better is a 2 channel one: Its a Maverick 2 channel Wireless Smoker thermometer. Once probe of the food, and aother for the smoker temperature http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DIU4...glance&n=286168

The meat is actually cooked, easy to slice and the possible pathogens killed The FDA (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc01-3.html#3-4) stipulates (including holding time): Temperature °C (°F) Time1 in Minutes 54.4 (130) 112 55.0 (131) 89 56.1 (133) 56 57.2 (135) 36 57.8 (136) 28 58.9 (138) 18 60.0 (140) 12 61.1 (142) 8 62.2 (144) 5 62.8 (145) 4 Temperature °C (°F) Time in Seconds 63.9 (147) 134 65.0 (149) 85 66.1 (151) 54 67.2 (153) 34 68.3 (155) 22 69.4 (157) 14 70.0 (158) 0

I'm tiring of the kitsch that are most Valentine cakes and pastries, so invite suggestions for anti-valentine cakes, for those falling out of love, or contemplating divorce: Bleeding heart, pierced by a poisoned arrow Faded Rose with thorns ("Screw the rose, give me the thorns") entwined with Poison Ivy I'm sure there must be lots more possibilities...

6 hours later, and 10 mins in a hot oven to brown the outside. Note the lack of juice before cutting. Rare, even to the edges and tender because of the long cooking: Yorkshires, sliced and plated

As promised upthread it is beef for lunch this Sunday: First visit the excellent local butcher and obtain a piece of rib. They have local specialist breeds from time to time. This is a 3 bone roast, about 5lbs, since there are only four of us for lunch (and some for leftover). Goes on about 7am for a 1pm lunch. Add a thermometer, and put it in the lowest oven of the mighty AGA. The oven was originally intended as a plate warming oven, but it sits about 140F/60C. For those who don't know, the AGA is a stored heat range. It has a small fire (this one is converted to burn oil), and a lot of mass and insulation. It is on constantly, with 4 ovens that are at different temperatures, roughly 450F, 300F, 200F and 140F. However the temperature will vary a little as food cools the oven which then slowly recovers. Its a dry heat. The thermometer is a Maverick Redicheck Smoker themometer witha remote reading wireless display. I find it very good, except the distance over which the wireless works is rather limited. 3 hours later, about half way:

Err, actually you can make a very good pain de campagne with cake flour, you just need to use a slightly different technique and less water. French bread flour is quite soft (low protein, typically around 9.5%). Flour is complicated stuff, and the protein content doesn't give the whole story. For example in wholewheat flours the apparent protein content is higher, since there is protein in the wheat germ and bran. The type of protein can change from flour to flour, with different ratios of the various gluten components. In France and Germany protein content is not used, but flour is characterised by ash content (the amount of ash left when the flour is heated to 500C). In Germany the numbers are ten times that of France. Ash content only loosely relates to protein, thus a french type 55 is a German 550 and is roughly an 11% protein All Purpose flour. If you are not yet confused, then other factors to consider are the extraction, the amount of the whole grain that ends up in the flour, and the fineness of grind, as well of course as the type of wheat and the growing conditions. For example there is a type of french wholemeal flour that is so finely ground that it can be used like a white flour. That also reminds me that although "wholemeal" is a regulated term (meaning 100% extraction), terms such as "granary" or "wholewheat" are not, and can mean anything you like. Flour also often has additives, some required by law others, such as Vitamin C or diastic malt added to give better baking characteristics. Some prefer to use organic flours; others think the temperature and speed with which they have been milled is important. Flour characteristics also change with age. In general, find a flour you like, and as you work with it you will get to know its characteristics.

You used a 12 year old single Islay for a cocktail??? Shudder....

6 ltr is about 75 glasses, more if small glasses for a desert wine. Thats $25/glass - about right for a Yquem, even from a poor year I could easily see it as the centrepiece of a special dinner. It would be ideal for an eGullet gathering. Heck, I'd buy it if I lived in a place they would ship to.

Bottom oven of the Aga

No need to rest if its slow cooked, for example sous-vide

That sounds like a challenge! I was planning on Beef for Sunday, anyway. Probably not 17lbs, as there will be only 4 of us.. However the time doesn't go up that much, since its coverned by the thickness, not the length...

a) Get a meat thermometer, preferably digital b) Cook at 145F until the inside is at 140F for med-rare, or even better 132F for rare-med. About 6 hours. c) Be amazed

Flour pickup from the bench? Try using spray oil instead of flour during the folding steps

Snowangle: You might find it easier to handle the wet dough by using some spray oil on the workbench and your hands instead of flour. Also cut the bulk fermentation time before you divide and shape

I use wholemeal flour on the bench - quite a lot of it. 90% hydration is, I think too much. I find the bread comes out pudding like, with thick webs. I've not tried it, but Dan Lepard mentioned a technique where wheat berries were boiled, then soaked, and the swelled like grapes.

I've not noticed that much difference. Do you have some rye in there? Adding rye can make the dough very sticky. I'm still not happy with my wholemeal, and will take pictures next time. Its good bread, nicely textured, crisp crust, tasting of the grain and the sour, good salt balance but somehow...dull and boring. Can I ask what are peoples expectations? What makes a great wholemeal loaf? What is your ideal wholemeal boule? Fine texture or big holes, like white? Should it have whole grains in it?

Nope. Salting the water you boil potatoes in makes very little difference to taste.

Penetration of brine into a potato is very small

Effectively. Low oven (76C) in a Le Crueset silicone loaf tin to 65C internal temperature, then cooled in an ice bath. I did not use a bain marie as such, since technology has advanced and we can do low temperature cooking other ways...