Ling

I'm sorry. I can't choose just one. There are some of the best I've had in the past few months (bakeries excepted). Port-poached pear with Roquefort ice-cream, candied pecans I apologize for the picture...I dug my spoon into it. Very eager to try the ice-cream, and it didn't disappoint. I was hoping for strong blue cheese flavour, and it delivered! Concord grape and pinenut filling tart, with browned butter ice-cream The filling was delicious--thick and jammy, with a beautifully browned crust that was thick enough to stand up to the filling. Valrhona chocolate tart Thin, buttery, crisp crust and how can you go wrong with a simple ganache made from one of my favourite brands of chocolate?

That's Ajisai. The sashimi is very fresh there, and I love what they do with mountain potato. I also second the recommendations for Yuji's (I like the things on the fresh sheet much more than the regular menu, though), and Octopus Garden. I haven't been to Wabi Sabi in two years, but it was great when I went. (As a bonus, I think Wabi Sabi has one of the nicest rooms in the city.)

OMG! Thanks for the pictures! I am tasting all of your coworker's creations in my mind, and they are fabulous. I like the idea of playing up the raspberry flavour inherent in the Manjari, and adding tawny port. I haven't thought of combining the Valrhona milk and the Caraibe chocolate together...I wonder how that would turn out? The pear/chai/honey combination sounds so good, and perfect for this dreary autumn weather. I think the combination that I would most enjoy, though, is the cashew (my favourite nut) and the caramel/dark chocolate/fleur de sel (my favourite flavour combination). A pressing question--will her bonbons be available at Chocolate Arts? *crosses fingers*

Niiiice. Please post a pic after it's done, and I'm interested to know what you think of it!

I just thought I'd update this thread... ...so I have 2 cakes in the oven right now--one made with the Bensdorp cocoa, and the other made with the Bernard Callebaut. I reserved a bit of each to taste (just the batter) and I was surprised that there was such a difference--I guess you can't really tell these things until you've had them side-by-side! When the cakes are done baking, they're going into the freezer b/c I have to work and don't have time to do all 4 layers today (I plan on splitting each cake in half, and then making two 4 layer cakes, filling them with Italian caramel buttercream and covering them in caramel chocolate ganache.) So each layer in the cake will be made with a different cocoa, and my tasters can tell me which layer they like best. I still need to get to Gourmet Warehouse this week. I've decided to forgo ordering online, and just use cocoas that I can get readily in the Vancouver. If there's anyone out there wanting to try a slice of the cake and wouldn't mind giving me their opinion, please PM me. I now only have perhaps 6 slices to give away, and you can pick them up outside Feenie's around 7:30-8pm this Friday.

Thanks for all your responses! I'm going to check out Sugar Art today, and if I can't find it there, I'll go to Grand & Toy. I'm definitely going to check out Ravensburgen too and splurge on a bunch of new toys.

Make sure to dissolve the corn starch in water BEFORE you add it (and I add it off the heat) to prevent ugly clumping. ← You can also dissolve the cornstarch in your lemon juice, before adding it to the sugar.

^It was ksaw doing the jesting. I would NEVER desecrate zabaglione by doing it in the microwave!

^I've never seen it done in a microwave! Always a double boiler...is it not?

The prawn/leek tortellini sounds soooo good. fud: What is Rustichella? A type of pasta?

Then why not just "fried chicken"? ← I don't know...I don't make the rules!

^Yum! What sort of filling? I had my favourite Dagoba bar...the spicy one.

!!!!!!!!! I second the recommendation to make your own. It's not difficult to do; it just takes a while because the pastry has to rest between folds.

The recipe I use is: 2 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup sugar 8 yolks 1 tsp vanilla 325 degrees F with a waterbath for 35 minutes. No bubbles, no browning. ETA: sorry...I didn't realize that I had adapted the recipe a few months ago. The proportions I posted above are correct now.

I was surprised by that too! But at least the Food and Wine recipe doesn't call for fruit cocktail!!

Does the lemon curd recipe contain whole eggs, or only yolks? Here's my favourite lemon curd recipe...you can see how it compares to the one used in class, if you like. Also, you can use some cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd when you're cooking it. This recipe is not too thin to be used in cookies...I smear it between thin shortbread cookies (also use cornstarch in my shortbread, just like for pastry). lemon curd

^If the tart dough is tough, the pastry may have been overworked (thus over-developing the gluten.) Are you using all purpose flour or pastry flour in class? Canadian AP flour has less gluten than American AP flour, but you can still reduce the gluten content by adding some cornstarch to your AP flour. ETA: Also, I never cut in the fat with my hands...the heat from your hands will melt the fat a bit, and it is easier to overwork the dough that way. I use a pastry cutter, while some people like using the food processor.

(I use croissants in my bread pudding, with pretty good results.)

How were the lemon tarts? They look good.

The recipe sounds incredibly sweet, especially that rum butter sauce. What's with the two cans of fruit cocktail though?

I was in a rush today, so I just grabbed 2 of those croissant donuts (fried croissants covered in icing) OMG...they were so sweet and oily. But I ain't complain'.

...sounds like breakfast to me!

^I went to Parkside with some friends back in August, and I got to try most of their menu most of us ordered different dishes. I remember the Cornish game hen as being my favourite main of the evening as well! The Valrhona chocolate tart was really good, but unfortunately it seems to be off the menu now.

I add 3 tbsp to a 9" pie.

Yes, the Plaisir Sucre in Pierre Herme's Chocolate Desserts book. (It's the plated version of his famous "The Cherry on the Cake" dessert.) Also plan on using the acetate for collars and such for mousse cakes.