mjc

topfen is the austrian name for quark, its a cows milk pot cheese

“Topfenpalatschinken” Basically these words are just german (I think) words that mean what the english is saying. Palatschinken is a a pancakes with filling. So these crepes are filled with I believe (If I remember correctly) topfen and huckleberry. This is one of the "signature" desserts that is always on the menu. "Bohemian Liwanzen" Again Liwanzen is referring to a pancake. In this case its a yeast pancake. The recipe for this dessert is in the east of paris book (bouley' book). I think all of the desserts over at danube and bouley are pretty impressive. I spent a couple of days in the kitchen over there last month and everyone there is very talented.

Here's a link to Mario Batalis Pastiera Napoletana. This is a traditional easter cake made with faro and riccota. I made it a few weeks ago and it tasted great and had an intersting texture. It was, however, incrediblly ugly--I think thats how it was supposed to look though.

jeunefilleparis have you tried Jacques yet? There're in brooklyn, but I've got to give them the nod. (Mason)

Here's my thoughts. Some of them are the same as what's above, some are different. Start of at Jacques Torres’ place in Brooklyn. You could walk over the Brooklyn bridge to get there, but it will be must faster to take a car. Once there be sure to have the chocolate croissant. When you are back in downtown Manhattan, take the J over to the lower east side and checkout the Donut Plant and Laboratorio de Gelato. Then walk over to SOHO. In SOHO go to Balthazar (try a canelle so you can compare it to the one at Payard), go to Mariebelle and have a small dark and small spicy hot chocolate. Across the street from mariebelle is the Broadway panhandler. You can also check out Rice to Riches which is down the block from Balthazar. Also stop by Sullivan St Bakery and have one of their "pizzas". From SOHO walk up to the village. Check out Bruno’s on La Guardia between Houston and Bleaker (or the one on bleaker between 6th and 7th) (try the Pear Royal). While you are in the Neighborhood, try one of Claude’s croissants. Now take the 9 up to 18th street, walk east and stop at City Bakery. Here you can grab another hot chocolate and a tart. You might also want to have something savory. From here you can walk or take a subway towards JB prince. If you walk, pass wichcraft (on 19th street) on your way. JB prince is pastry chef heaven—a million times better than new york cake. I’d skip the places at Chelsea market. From there you can head over to (from south to north) petrossian, fauchon, mondrion, payard, la maison du chocolat, and café sabarsky. If you make it to the west side try beard papas and Levain for a cookie. I recommend you don’t try to do it all in one day, because after the first few places you will stop enjoying it. Have fun.

Hey Wendy, that looks really GREAT. Thanks for sharing.

I believe cream powder is just dried cream. See here: http://www.myspicer.com/chef.php?stext=cre

You could call a weak flavor a subtle flavor. I think you are right that there are probably cultural differences of opinion in how strong a flavor should be. I think subtle flavors have their place as do bold flavors. I personally don't want a flavor to hit me over the head, but I want to know its there. I think that when an item in a dessert is supposed to taste like something, you should be able to taste it. Sometimes you might taste it, and not be able to figure out what it is, but you should hopefully be able to find it. I'd say the pastry cream in these puffs is definetly not overly sweet and the vanilla flavor is very sublte. I don't like things too sweet and I don't think that adding more sugar would make the cream any better or more flavorful, it would make it worse. I agree with suzanne that vanilla is one of the pastry chef's tools for enhancing flavors (like salt), but it also has of course its own great flavor. I think when you have a pastry cream with a lot of vanilla beans it just makes the flavor great--but that I suppose is very American of me. I also think that a big part of the reason this cream only has a few vanilla beans in it, is that vanilla is incrediblly expensive.

I've been to wichcraft a few times and always enjoyed my sandwhiches. I think most of the sandwhiches on the menu sound pretty interesting. I've never noticed it to be to warm or the staff to not be friendly. I think the problem with the place is that they do not create a perception of value. For example, if you order a hot sandwhich, its pressed, so it looks small, even though it may have originally been larger and then the sandwhich is all you get on your stark plate. I think it would be better to give some greens or chips or something along with the sandwich.

I was here yesterday. There was a line out the door and it was kind of cold out. I too was very impressed by the crispyness of the shell, but rather diassapointed in the cream. It was very smooth, but didn't have enough flavor for me.

Ted, its between 5th and broadway. Here a little map from their site.

I too enjoy cooking asparagus in my cast iron grill pan. I even do it with out any oil or anything and I always think its pretty good.

I've got to disagree with this. I think there are plenty of place that push the envelope, I would even say Keller. What places like El Bulli do is more akin to pushing the whole post office.

How about Fleur de Sel. I haven't actually been yet, but they are supposed to have excellent desserts. Same thing goes for Toqueville. There's Mesa Grill or Bolo. A further walk (probably too far in the rain) gets you to Wallse, where Pierre Reboul is currently working.

I don't think so. I think some of his recipes are good. Some are weird. He's definetly not on the cutting edge, but neither is most of the world.

thanks ted, i'll check it out.

I don't tend to like friberg's books all that much for recipes per se, but I think that they are excellent references for general recipe contents and history

what do you do with Pectin NH? And whats the difference between it, apple pectin, and the regular old pectin they sell in the supermarket? thanks

It in the orgres are like onions part. As for the Guindja parfait, I would have described it as a chocolate mousse. Its an interesting question you ask, I would look in the latest friberg books if you have them, he's pretty good and defining things. I'd look, but I've lent mine to a friend. In the bellouet cake book they translate pate bombe into parfait base. I suppose parfait base plus cream=parfait, which also equals semifredo, or even mousse. When I hear the word parfait, I think of what I guess is the american meaning. I think of an ogre--I mean something with layers.

"You know what else everybody loves ? Parfait. You ever met someone and you say, "hey. Wanna get some parfait ?" And they like, "No, I don't like no parfait." Everybody loves parfait. You know, parfait might be the best thing on the whole damn planet." --Donkey in Shrek Yeah not quite on topic, but thats one of my favorite parts of the movie, so I couldn't resist.

I went to the Palm this summer and had a five pound lobster--they were running some kind of special on it. It was broiled. It was ok--but definetly over cooked.

Again, I don't think Per Se owes the public anything! It's just good business sense to show the public you care. Per Se is a destination place and some people made intricate plans based on their reservation. While the fire is no one's fault, these "customers" were inconvenienced. A copy of the book costs nothing (relatively) and is a token of appreciation - just is good business 101. Per Se's (not Keller's) image has suffered because of the "two weeks" that was quoted in several publications. Better to have not given a time frame then an incorrect one - especially one that was off by so much. On this board alone, there were posts hoping their "date" would occur. Then the disappointment when the cancellation call came. Once again - the restaurant and/or Keller owes the public nothing. But some small "something" goes a long way perception wise. And we all know perception is infinitely more important then reality. I don't think Per Se's image has suffered at all. I think its still the restaurant that everyone wants to go to. I think people are dissapointed that its not open right now, but that they are patiently waiting for it to reopen. I haven't heard anyone say that their opinion of the place has changed.

I had it at a place in Chapel Hill, and it was excellent. I believe there is another thread on it here somewhere. Try a search.

this is allegedly the original ceasar recipe in the La times here. (It will probably be gone by next week)

In Boulud's Cafe Boulud book, he has a dish with Cod and Rosemary infused grits. I've made it and the grits definetly have a great flavor. Basically what he does is to add a sprig of rosemary to the milk and grits while they cook.