Wendy DeBord

Can you post a photo of your marzipan peaches....I'd love to see them?

Thanks for sharing your experiences and so conviently posting right here where none of us would miss it. Your photos worked really well, it makes such a difference. That's the first time I've seen inside the magical CIA.

I received my issue a week or two ago and noticed the changes also. I'm undecided whether it's an improvement or not. I did notice there wasn't a batter up column writen by M.S.., not sure why he didn't write it or previously introduce the new changes....but oh well. I wasn't crazy about the bread article just because it was so hugely basic. It was bizarre that one of the articles was written by the owner of a huge wholesale pastry business........because the day I got my issue someone on thread here had mentioned this guys company (in a neg. way). It was weird and timely because I'd never heard of them before, yet alone twice in one day. The person here who mentioned it did affect how I read that article. I'm not sure how a huge wholesale company owner fits into giving pc's ideas or help.......should we turn to his stuff when we don't have enough time, and put ourselfs out of a job? Na, I don't want any frozen stuff being sold to my clients-they might think I made it and I don't want a bad rap. Instead I'd rather learn how to handle an over booked shedule or get advice on how to get an assistant out of your employeer. I did like the new look, and appreciate that they are stirring things up and whether they hit a home run each time or not, they're trying.

Darn, it figures. But if you look at that page you posted Neil, it shows Chocartist-Elaine Gonzales doing her thing! Another reason, I shouldn't have missed this!

Ronnie, you might want to pass this on to your freind: I clicked on the tv this morning and while I was still half asleep I believe I saw a promo for the Long Grove Chocolate Festival (this is in the chicago suburbs), can anyone confirm? I missed it last year and I don't want to miss it again. Jacque P. demoed there last year and on the trailers I noticed some really well done paintings done in chocolate..... From my knowledge of your work and Eva's your rather traditional in flavorings and pairings. Just wondering if you enjoy all the contemporary flavor explorations thats driving the boutique chocolate industry now? Have you been to Vosages, in town? Who's work do you like or does anyone in particular excite you? Does any of this disapoint you?

They also could be refered to as cake collars, but those are usually cut to length verse a whole 1000' roll. By the way welcome to egullet Nicholas. Were you able to find them at JB Prince? Or are you still looking for other suppliers?

I'm sad to hear you won't be writing any more books! Where are you teaching, is this private classes or group? We've had many people come here (egullet) looking for advice to enter the chocolate profession....seeking advice on where and with whom to learn, do you have any suggestions or opinions? If you were starting over where would you begin (knowing now, what you didn't know then)? Thank-you for sharing your list of picks!!

I follow the method Suzanne posted for blind baking pie crusts, works great. But nothing can make me spend the time doing this with a mini tart shell.

Are we confusing blind baking mini tarts with baking full sized tarts........or I just got lost...?sorry..... For mini tarts I'm not willing to figure out how to weigh down these tiny shells. Instead I change doughs and use a pate' sucre that doesn't puff. No problems then.

Sorry for the confusion, the tempering thing, was just a side note about eggs and sugar. Well I'm sorry to hear no one liked these. I do like c., I love custardie desserts of all types. Although I'm sure you followed the directions I suspect you'd have gotten a better result with a slightly cooler oven. The description of mealy and oily leads me to believe that.

Here's the recipe from Herme', it's from Dorie Greenspans book "Chocolate Desserts By Pierre Herme'". 1/2 c. h2o 1/2 c. milk (whole) 8 tbsp. butter 1/4 tsp. sugar & salt 1 c. ap. flour 5 eggs Dirrections are typical. Other notes: he dirrects you to pipe this while warm and either bake it now or freeze it raw. They can be frozen for 1 month. Bake frozen puffs straight from the freezer, don't defrost. His temp. isn't written with the recipe it's under Mint Profiteroles with Hot Chocolate Sauce.....lets see.... Ah he uses a 375f oven and does the prop open the oven door trick you mentioned. He bakes for 7 minutes, then props door open and continues to bake for another aprox. 13 min. (I've never followed that and they work fine with the door closed, but I'd love to hear your review if you follow his exact instructions) This recipe is what I was taught from my Mother, it's got a shinier finish then Herme's. 1 stick butter or margerine 1 c. h20 1 c. ap flour 4 eggs 350f oven.

Ah, I'm delighted you came and cleared up those points for me/us. AND I'm SO sorry to hear of Eva's passing, she was a neat person. Last I was there, Marianne (her niece I grew up with) was working for her, will she and the family continue the business, do you know? I have lost track of them. I had no idea she was buying in from you, I'm sorry for spreading mis-information! But I'm glad to have the facts straightened out from the source. She never let on to buying in anything in her line. I'm thrilled to have a source to dirrect people to so they can still buy an issue of your book, I've mentioned it several times online! I treasure mine!!! It covers aspects I've never seen covered in another book. And for anyone who wants to have their own chocolate shop I think it's a must see. I also own your second book, (of course).......you do wonderful work. I greatly admire you! I've imitated your work several times, to raves. Have you ever been retail yourself? I'm curious whom else you sell to.... was one the long grove confectionary since they had once upon a time some similar items? Can I ask.....what you've been up to, since your last book? Do you have another one on the horizon? Welcome to egullet, it's an honor to have you visit. I hope you enjoy our site enough to visit us regularly. Thanks for straightening out the facts too.

Just double checking, you're not looking for something that ever goes in the oven are you? Acetate is clear plastic and it melts.

OH yeah, you feel the guilt, no way out of that. In my case no one else does the work when I'm gone so I just face a fuller day when I return........I won't call in sick unless I can't move. But on the bright side, it makes you never procrastinate, always work hard and fast so you never get swamped. I had days when I relaxed cause I had everything under control, feeling good so I can sit back alittle....then the manager walks in with a funeral for 500 for the next am day. Get burned enough like that and it does turn you into a good worker. Anyway, I hope your feeling better now. I will admit I'm a disaster clothing wise in the kitchen. Yes, I work neat and clean. BUT soooo often I use my whole body to pick something up, hold something in place (I do that alot with my stomach) etc... so I just can't be bothered with a splash of this or that on my jacket.

Well, it will puff up if baked long enough. It's really just personal preference. If you over cook an egg you squeeze all the moisture out of it and make it tough/rubbery, so I pull it before it begins to puff, once it's clearly set. Typically its golden too and in the end I think I've got the same results once cold/room temp.. I didn't mention a Ditto, because Neil completely nailed what was wrong, didn't seem anyone needed to go further.....so heres my Ditto on Neil. He's totally right, you did a chemical fry on your eggs, burned the heck out of them. I didn't see any other obvious place where anything additional might have gone wrong. This is place I almost always vary on traditional method. In similar recipes I never add the sugar to my raw eggs and then, add cream. I alway dissolve my sugar in my cream, then temper into my eggs. It always works for me, I've found no exceptions over the years. I've never whipped my eggs with sugar just to completely drown them in a liquid, the emulsion goes flat........I never saw the reasoning for the extra work. Ah, you gotta give Marthas recipes a chance. Don't touch any that are really old, from her first 3 books. The magazine has jems with-in it's pages. I can't comment on the fact the recipe says it makes a thick batter. I can only guess that they meant comparitive to other c. recipes- it's thick. In some things you want to hold tightly to exact words and in other places like method, your loose. Gotta take more of a middle ground in baking, I think.

I went through a phase of trying different recipes. My favorite recipe is from Herme', he uses a milk/h2o combo. It hollows out beautifully, has good flavor but the exterior is dull not shiney....that doesn't thrill me, but I like it enough to have abandoned my family recipe that does also hollow perfectly and has a nice shine. Do you have this recipe or do you need me to post it so you can see it? One thing I noticed in your method is you cool it, before adding eggs. I don't, never do......and really don't believe there is any reason to do so. My reading on the topic even accepts dumping all the eggs at once (provided were talking about a normal sized batch-like 2 doz. eggs or less). I've also read that some big time pro.'s say you can freeze the dough piped out and raw, then bake. Instead of baking and then freezing-but I've yet to do that. Another thing different in your method is your oven temp.. I agree 375 the whole time is perfect. But since I only have one oven available typically I go with 350 so I can bake other items at the same time. I don't prop the doors open like you do either. I also flavor my paste often. You can add with-in reason a fair amount of zest, flavored oils, emulsions, extracts, chocolate bits, finely chopped nuts etc... and it will work just the same.

When I bake c., mine doesn't puff up. In fact I'd worry that I over baked it by that point. Its a custard,.... or think of it like a quiche-that has no flour. I use a recipe from Michel Roux, it's so thin and truely hard to believe it will firm up, but they always do. You do have to make sure your fruit is well drained, canned cherries can retain alot of moisture if you don't squeeze out the juice. As far as Martha, I can't remotely agree with you guys there. I think the facts are, when she first published BOOKs (Not magazine) her recipes weren't well tested and I too experiences problems. But those days are LONG GONE (like 12 plus years ago)....and if your not trying her work out-your missing alot! I make tons of recipes from her and have huge success with them. MANY if not most of 'her' recipes are from other famous chefs who contribute on her show (or did at least). I'll defend her to the end as far as good high quality baking recipes, I have a very long list of hits with her. I hope you'll give her recipes a try, regardless of your personal opinion of her etc....

Welcome thecmg, I hope you follow thru with testing I'm curious how the one in the French Laundry compares with a Martha recipe.

I have read this, but can't think of the source...that one should add a percentage (how much I don't recall I think it was like 5%) more of yeast to compensate because a certain amount of yeast won't survive freezing.

Cbarre, I loved the end of your last post. Makes me realize that's what I'm looking for too, thank-you for writing that. Tan, if I had the same opportunity as you, I'd have taken the job too, no DOUBT! The best way to learn pastry is to dive into it day in and day out. .... I've had a hard time accepting that the style that always gets the media attention is the wildest or newest trend. I wish reviewers would only address quality as their hook, whether they found it in something daring or something traditional and guide the reader to why they need to try this is because it's damn good, not damn different.

I don't have any candy books that I'd say were 'pro' books on the topic. There are easier and hard to work recipes in all the books. On the inexpensive side I've worked out of 'Candymaking' by Ruth A. Kendrick & Pauline H. Atkinson with alot of success. I picked up 'The Good Cook Candy' at a tent sale, I highly reccomend this one for it's photographs, it really walks you through the processes step by step with colored detailed photos. Oh shoot, I now see it's published by Time-Life 1981.......oops so thats a ditto of what Neil posted. I haven't made anything from it yet. Don't laugh, but I also own 'Better Homes and Gardens Candy" published in 1984 by Meredith. The fudge recipe is darn good. Other places to look that aren't only candy books but contain recipes worth owning.....'Spago Chocolate' and 'Fredrick Bau's book. I also own, 'Chocolate Artistry' by Elaine Gonza'lez, published by Contemporary Books, inc. 1983. It's not a recipe book but an artistry book on chocolate...although it's not contemporary I think it still contains great info. and is a nice source book. This one will probably be quite hard to find. Since your from Chi town (like me) you might be familar with Eva Meyers of Cora Lee Candies in Glenview....well, Elaine learned ALOT from Eve!! My families bakery used to carry Eva's line, she's exceptionally popular on the north shore, it's a must have at every Bat Mitzah and wedding!! In fact this book is exactly Eva's line of chocolates. NOW if the person you know wants to learn about dipping, etc... I'd run and beg at Cora Lee to work there. P.S. I went to school with her niece and nefew, their b-day parties were HUGE hits with Aunties candies.

Melmck probably does live for crazy hard work. But I really do agree with jackal about taking care of yourself. It's pretty typical for bakery owners to work so hard they ignore their physical and mental health. I do understand the push and the why she pushes herself so hard...........but I think it's a mistake not to take some personal time to breath. Life starts to get very unbalanced and it becomes not worth it eventually. Loosing 10 pounds is not good unless it's through diet and expercise, not starving yourself. You can get your body rather screwed up and before you know it it holds onto every calorie you take in, cause it thinks it's in starvation mode. You also might be driving your hubby crazy, I've seen it happen (and been pretty guilty of it myself when I'm in overdrive)! It puts distance between the two of you and thats not good for both of your mental health, yet alone marriage. Fighting between you happens more frequently under this strain and it's just the cherry on top of a shit sundae. I know you won't take my or others advice melmck, but I really do hope you'll supprise us and take 1 day off to rebalance. Sometimes we get in the "it's got to get done" mode and beleive we can't slow down until everything is done. But it's never completely done.

My menu changes every week-I do four new desserts. In addition every month I have two dessert specials. I rarely make the same thing twice, usually just a component and then change the arrangement. In addition to: banquet desserts, novelty cakes, wedding cakes, sweet tables, mini pastries, take out orders, etc... I have to choose items that I can roll over into another slot. For instance I make a cheesecake for ala cart then I bake a full sheet pan of it too and cut it into petite fours. I need to make items that can be put into any shape or configuration so I save every second possible. Theres alot of items I can't make in this situation, because I also have to deal with freezing-everything has to be able to be frozen and defrosted and served as is, no last touches. I go out on a limp almost every single day. Today I made milk chocolate passion fruit tarts (I'd never made before), key lime cheesecake (I'd never made before), 2 pineapple cakes with pineapple filling (I'd never made before).......in addition to reg. stuff. Tommarrow I'm making a new chocolate bourbon pecan pie (a recipe I've never used before), an exotic mousse torte (I haven't even desided upon how I was going to combine this, just got the puree-haven't tasted yet). Granted this is all really boring stuff, but thats what they want here, safe stuff that pays for my wages. But everytime I made these less then dangerous items, I always add my own twist and my own presentation. I always learn something that I didn't know before. It's really not boring, it really can be very challenging to do this well. I've worked in more goumet situations. I've done just about everything you can think of along the way. I work from the best books I can buy and from the best book authors I know of. I push the envelop everyday, but it's got to be with-in reason- it's got to sell or I can it. I do indeed dumb down names and descriptions, I think you have to with the clients I have. The more you look for a job, interview for jobs, learn whats happening and what people think, the more you care about this industry and take things personally when they are going down hill at a fast rate. I don't want to have to find another career again because this field is drying up. My whole point isn't a personal attack aimed at anyone in particular.........I do think our industry is sick and we need to breath fresh air into it. I choose to do so trying to give people what they want more then what I feel like making, with-in reason. Thats where I work, thats what my job demands. Again, I totally feel there is a place for daring desserts- just not in every kitchen and everyone hands.

Thanks for the tip, but I'm just a spend thrift on those pouches...they drive me too crazy to fight to get 3 more oz. out of the thing. I don't grease/spray my pans when I have a graham cracker crust. It's not needed. I do prebake my crusts and that does make a little difference. Yeah, that is a hard thing to get used to in bakeries, not have a bunch of sinks handy. I typically feel like I'm working much slower in a bakery setting-but then maybe it's because it's someone elses lay-out and when I work alone as a pc I move everything around so it works for me. The covered in chocolate issue, I wear a black jacket because of it. Sure all the flour shows on it, but I can wash that out easier then getting chocolate out or a white jacket.

Some people do have the skills and the chops, quite a few pc's do! Can Chefette and Steve pull that dessert off, hell yes! Can all of us pull it off, HELL NO! (well with their recipe we can, but not of our own creation) You know, your right Tan. I do have some narrow views or prejudices with food. I don't know, it's got to be about my experiences. Sometimes it seems like I meet alot of cooks and pc's that just rave about their own work (and I do feel like I've met alot of them over the years).........and then I'm given a sample of their work and it's just horrible. Sometimes I want to laugh when I read what the item was in PA & D pc's least appreciated desserts column. Sometimes I truely believe that you have to look at your work as a common person that likes loves food would. Sometimes I want to ask back to the chefs in the magazine, "did you read your own dessert?" "would you really shell out good hard earned money on something THAT questionable?", "what's your goal here?". Over all- certainly where I live, good pastries are really really hard to find. Why? It's not about cost, people will pay for excellent work. I really do believe that the majority of bakeries stink! I really do believe a majority of less experienced pc's are attempting to do work far beyond their knowledge and skills. I have always believed that it's wise to learn how to walk before you run. I see people's bio's and their running, but they have no real training/experience. And everyone wants to believe their the exception, they're the next Payard or Herme'. BUT we all aren't. How often do we have others tell us how bad the average dessert is or that they just don't buy dessert? I think it's fairly often, I certainly recall Fat Guy complaining about desserts he's gotten. I thought he came with a message to share to enlighten us. I take it to heart that people are turned off by so much of what they've gotten served for dessert, it makes my job harder to convience people to give me a try (both for a job and in tasting my work).