Wendy DeBord

Welcome PattyC, nice to see new people posting! Are you currently studing with Canonne? or a student at The french Pastry School? I've always used sugar, water from the tap and corn syrup, I've never had any issues of impurities. But I can see the value of using bottled h20 if your living in an area with questionable tap water. Although I agree that metal molds retain a high shine to the sugar (shiney mold=shiney product, dull mold=dull product)I have to disagree with his thoughts on silpats for suckers. The bottom will pick up the pattern of the mat slightly....thats true so that surface doesn't not have a high shine like when molded in metal, but it doesn't change the chemical properties of my sugar to make it cloudy. Ideally I'd love metal molds, but given the limited equipment most of us have, I don't think silpats create an inferior product that we should avoid. I've also experimented with 'when' I added the flavoring and color and I can't see or taste any difference between. I think these loranne oils just don't cut it, because using another suppliers orange oil and lemon oil work normally. Next time I make suckers I'm going to try Nicholes brand reccomendation..... PattyC I hope I haven't made you shy away from future posts, since I disagreed with a couple of Canonnes points?! Please join us!! You'll see someone else will come along and disagree with my points.....but it's in these exchanges that we all learn from each other. Again, WELCOME!

Great work Neil! Nice site too!

Just for the record, if your looking for words you can trust, McDuff is VERY knowledgable on breads......I've followed his posts for years (at another web site).

Great, thanks for the brand lead Nicole! I've been guessing at my acid (for fruit flavors) it's usually fine, but one time I over shot it and they were horrible-wound up throwing out the batch. Do you have any guidelines you follow? It's not like you can work "to taste" with these.

No fair Hannnah- we've never gotten white choc. with macadmia offered in my area. I'm jealous! seriously, I love that cookie combo....What part of the country do you live in? In Canada (similar group but they have a different name) the girls are already standing in front of the grocery stores. We just about got tackled by 4 of the cutiest young ladies going out of the store.........we didn't have any Canadian money in hand, only a couple hundred dollar bills (vacation)...I looked at my hubby and could see he was thinking the same thing as I: Just how many boxes would that equal given the exchange rate?....

Cherrypi whats a coffee crisp?

Glad to find out I'm not alone with this problem. Unforunately, I only make these a couple times a year so I haven't done anything yet to work on the issue. If I figure this out I will post the answers, hope you will do the same.....

Just thought I'd stop back and update. Thank-you Jerry_A.......we did go to Chef Bernards and enjoyed it alot. I followed your recomendation and ordered the chicken hash-it was VERY good! The place was hopping (more then other similar businesses) and they were noticably understaffed-but so long as the food is worth suffering the service.... we'll be back. Everything was pretty quite while we were there in Whistler...the weather wasn't great (raining in the mountains). Although it seemed that the rain brought all of Vancouver out to Grandville Island-cause they were jammin. We had fish and chips (still novel to us Americans) from one of the stores in the dining area and loved it! Although we don't understand the use of vinager as a condiment we tried it. Terra breads had a long line all day-good for them. Oh...I just love this market and wish we had something similar! I'm not a world traveler (although I wish I was) but I find Vancouver very charming and eye opening. We don't have all the privately owned stores like your country. It's refreshing to see small businesses everywhere!!! I sincerely hope your country NEVER becomes as comercialized with super stores like the States. Our main streets in Chicago (Michigan Ave., State Street, etc...) have nothing but big chain stores including our food options, even the far out lying suburbs are similar. When I write about my opinions about the future of bakeries I see little hope in my area, but you show me that people can think independently and put there money there too. Thanks!

I had 4 chocolates from an 32 count assorted box purchased at Sen5es in Vancouver, BC. They are small, so I actually thought I used some will power eating only 4. 2 of them I couldn't distingish their flavor (semi-sweet ganche/semi sweet coating), the 3rd was not to my liking-it had a savory Indian taste, but lucky enough the last one was my favorite out of the box, to date. It was a white chocolate ganche, thin layer of lemon coated in semi-sweet choc..

I have to admit "icebox cakes" as a catagory threw me, at first I could only think of icebox cookies.....until I read other peoples answers. My Mom also made that traditional chocolate and whipped cream version, we loved it. I think you have to make that one in bulk for one of your selections. Then I went and looked thru a couple of my baking books for similar recipes. There weren't very many! But heres' what I did find. (I hope copyright won't be an issue?) From Richard Sax's book "Classic Home Desserts" he writes on page 130: "Charlotte russe or icebox cake are both names used for desserts that consist of a mold neatly lined with peices of spongecake or ladyfingers and filled with whipped cream. When chilled, the cream sets and the dessert is unmolded and served cut into wedges. Credit of the invention of charlotte russe is generally given to French pastry che Antonin Careme, who cooked at the court of the Russian Czar Alexander. To judge from cookbook authors like Mrs. Rorer and the tireless Mrs. Ida Bailey Allen, American housewives were whipping themselves into an icebox-cake frenzy sometime in the 1920s. My version of icebox cake is simple and tasty. The filling sets just enough to be unmolded but is still soft, reminiscent of the ice cream cakes served at childhood pasties. (If you like, before lining the mold with cake, brush one side of each piece with a little sherry or other spirits, and place the pieces in the old as dirrected, soaked side in.) You can also fold some sliced strawberries or other fruit into the cream before filling the mold." His recipe consists of a vanilla sponge cake lining a bowl. His filling is basicly milk and gelatin, spirits folded into sweetened whip cream with lemon zest. This reminds me of a Italian cake I made several times, Zuccotto. It's a lady finger lined torte with toasted almonds, hazelnuts and chocolate bits (liquour is optional). In the center of the bombe you fold melted chocolate into the cream mixture so it looks like chocolate mousse. The exterior lady fingers are sprinkled with stripes of cocoa then xxxsugar before serving. The book "The Good Cook Cakes" published by Time/Life Books has a Deluxe Chocolate Icebox Cake on page 97 credited to The Junior Charity League Of Monroe The Cotton Country Collection. It consists of layers of sponge cake cut in half VERTICALLY, then cut into layers. Filled with chocolate buttercream and sweetened whipped cream. Treat both halfs similarly and ice with whipped cream. The last info. I found was in "Maida Heatter's Book Of Great American Desserts" by Maida Heatter. She has a East Hampton Chocolate Icebox Cake. This is a qoute from page 230. "Everything was magical, but even so, I could not believe the dessert. They called it Chocolate Mousse Cake; it is traditional icebox cake. I thought I had made or at least tasted every variation of chocolate mousse as well as chocolate icebox cake, but this one was different and wonderful. (The difference is a larger proportion of chocolate, and the chocolate is a combination of both semisweet and milk chocolate, which makes a rich, creamy, dense but not heavy, extrodinarily delicious mousse.) I was invited into the kitchen, where I met the pastry chef, Linda Nesselm a darling young lady who had just graduated from a cooking school in Rhode Island." Her recipe consists of purchased lady fingers lining the mold and a chocolate mousse made with gelatin, grand marnier and eggs filling it. Then it's decorated/finished with whipped cream and slices of navel orange. I hope this helps? I think there are many published recipes that fit into the descriptions/definitions of "icebox cake". So basicly I think any cake that doesn't require baking fits your needs....even though the recipes I found did make their own sponge fingers.

For the best appearance I'd bake them in individual molds rather them cut out of sheet pan. Although if you don't have suitable molds, you should cut out your cakes before soaking them because the soaked cakes will be too hard to handle. Myspanish friends have taught me to use whip cream to garnish and a splash of rum in the 3 milks. This is a pretty versatile cake and you could definately dress it up with garnishes, any of your ideas should work well!.........but chiles-....not for me please. Also- other tips, I find it best to really dry out this cake so it acts like a sponge to the milks. I over bake my sponge cake for this (you don't want a moist cake here) and leave it uncovered overnight on the counter (NOT in a cooler, where it can pick up moisture). A dry cake is best..........breaking all the rules because the 3 milks will flavor and moisten this. If I was guessing, I think thats why they invented this cake, to use up a old dry cake.

Well to be honest, I haven't expereinced what you describe Katherine. Short cookies are about the lack of egg or moisture creating a sandy texture with the fat and flour. So a cookie with-out much moisture will crumble easier then one that is well bound with eggs. I strongly believe that density in biscotti comes from other factors then the fat used: how long they were baked, drying them out and how stale they are (unforunately- that's all too common) and what liquids were used- such as eggs. I know this might raise a few eye brows because it goes against what we learn as bakers.....but I've baked many varieties of biscotti and in my experience I don't think that it's ultimate texture is set because of it's ingredients.......I think ultimately it's about how dry or stale they are. In addition to Malawry's recipe you might find some interesting recipes at Italian web sites. I have this book marked (but haven't baked from them yet) http://www.ciaoitalia.com , www.foodtv.com has a couple well known Italian Chef shows that "should" have some good recipes too.

As a suburban "farmer" I'd agree that sweet corn from your own garden is amazing. But the deer and racoons always beat us to it.......we're lucky to get their left-overs, the only way to beat them is to eat it underripe. But no matter how fresh the veggies are, I think the best tastes, come from the best varieties. I've tried different breeds, but I always come back to the big name varieties.........and honestly some items are just as good at the grocery store.

What do you mean by short ones? I've never heard about these....? Probably as you wrote they are hard to find-so I've never seen these (I live in the states), can you post a photo or a link to these please? There's no logical reason why you can't use whole almonds in any biscotti recipe, other then the ease of slicing them (but then, a few broken pieces happen while your slicing biscotti, I snack on those myself). Pre-toasting your almonds before adding to your batter will enhance your almond flavor. Raw almonds won't bake to their full flavor in your batter with-out toasting them ahead. All biscotti are twice baked to the best of my knowledge. I have several recipes for biscotti, but I hesitate to post them for copy right reasons. BUT these recipes (biscotti) are usually very versitle cookies. You can take a recipe using pistachios and sub in almonds in their place, plus add a tsp. of tbsp. (to your liking) in their batter with-out anything going wrong. So you don't knead a specific recipe for these. I'm certain you can find several recipes on line if you look at reputable sources/web sites. I've heard that "true biscotti was made with-out butter" from someone on foodtv, but I've never found a written source to back that up. But if anyone knows more I'd be very interested? I can't really tell a biscotti made with all butter over one with-out........I've had ones with-out any that were just as good. Oh, also I learned on food tv (I forget who mentioned this or I'd give them credit)rolling your biscotti batter when you shape it into a log for it's first bake in sugar NOT flour. I do that now and think it's a good tip. As for the chocolate covering. All you need is melted couveture or if price is a problem nestles chocolate chips melted down aren't that bad and are couveture. Real chocolate (vs. coating chocolate) is what melts nicely on your tongue the coatings don't melt in your mouth. But for couveture to be held with-out refridgeration requires it to be tempered before you use it to dip your cookies. BUT if you store your NON-tempered couveture biscotti in your refrigerator, taking out what you want a couple hours prior to eating that will store your non tempered cookies fine.

Movie theater popcorn is the only thing I stand my ground on. I just can eat any made at home. And on the weirder side......I don't like any salads made at my home. I love them at restaurants, like them at friends houses, but they never taste as good from my kitchen.

Thank-you Edm! Just as I was hoping to find... a couple of places seem to stand out: Oyama's for sausages and terra for breads (should make for great sandwiches while skiing)....soup from the stock market for dinner back in the room-yummy, maybe a night of fruit, cheese & bread in place of dinner. We will definately try the splitz grill and Chef Bernards! Thanks for the coffee reccomendation, with a good cup in hand, Hubby will shop much longer.

I'm sorry this is such a repeat topic. I am reading thru similar threads...so far I haven't found one specificly on Whistler (but then I haven't used the search function yet....cause I'm having fun reading thru everything similar). Thanks for the tip Jerry, do you have a favorite item there? Also is there any place that serves weaker (but good) coffee in the area? My hubby is a big coffee drinker but prefers it much weaker then the average place in the northwest coast on both sides of the border. It's funny how different simple things can be from area to area.

Hi, We (spouse and I) visited this area last year and loved it so much we are going back this year for our skiing vacation. Unforunately my spouse isn't an adventerous eater... but I'm looking for recomendations for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Blackcomb area (we will have a car)....not fine dinning (were only bringing casual ski clothing). Where do we find good simple seafood there? Who's got a good breakfast? We like to go where the locals go and don't really like the more over priced tourist trap spots. We will take off one day from skiing to shop at the food market under the bridge (I can't recall the correct name this moment) in Vancouver. I would have loved to buy one of everything I saw there....but being more realistic does anyone have a particular vendor they would reccomend? What shouldn't I miss? We will have a room with a full kitchen but were still looking for simple to prepare meals. Also I'm definately going back to Sen5es. Can someone remind me what street it's on...which hotel? Which items would you choose from them? Any other pastry related stops would be exciting for me....? Thanks for your help! I really hope some of you will respond!...I'm getting so excited...we LOVED, LOVED THIS AREA!!

I like the traditional deep fried fruit dumplings with sesame seeds (served table side). It wows some people. Also you can make sweet wontons. Fill them with bananas and ganche, ginger flavored ganche with lychees, etc.... and create a sweet dipping sauce to match. Another idea- petite sushi cake rolls filled with sweet creamy rice and fruits (you can roll them in a thin layer of marzipan or chocolate. Roll your cake flat to compress it or use somthing like a joconde as your wrapper)....again an interesting sauce to compliment. Anything from a caramel sesame ginger sauce to a almond creme or a lychee and mandarin sauce.

I've used the loranne oils and bottles of orange or lemon oils and can't get the flavor intensity I want. The orange and lemon flavors (a different brand) work just fine with a little tartic acid. BUT I can't get the intensity I want with those loranne oils like peppermint, cinnamon, cherry, etc...regardless of the quantity I add to the pot. I add the flavoring after the syrup has cooled down abit. The oil flavors smell sooooo strong you can hardly stand and work with them. Yet when the candy hardens, the flavor is very mild. I was hoping someone might be able to teach me more about this. Perhaps I'm using the wrong amount of flavoring or an inferior product?

Well does this count...I made a new snickerdoodle recipe (acouple years ago) and discovered that with-out the cinnamon sugar exterior this recipe was as close to an authentic almond cookie as I've ever found?

An update. I made the recipe from J.Torres book using egg whites. They were not a perfect true white color as the photos show. I let them set in the full sheet pan and then cut them to shape two days later. The top portion which was exposed to air and the xxxsugar/cornstarch was too crisp (I thought) and then the freshly coated other sides should have been left to air dry before stacking them for serving. I added vanilla beans in addition to extract to flavor... and these were pretty good tasting. But I suppose to get a true white you can't use egg whites and natural colored vanilla (Liquid)? Next time I will definately try the strawberry ones from you Nightscotsman!!

Very sweet Kevin, I bet they LOVVVVVVED those! P.S. Your version was a nice improvement.

I also adore a good cannoli!! Theres a little Italian bakery in the Chicago burbs that make the BEST....knee weakening cannoli- it's called Visovios (spelled wrong I'm sure). I've done my best to study theirs and ask questions of them....they are secretive. I really think its the riccotta that they buy that makes a difference from mine. They use a very fresh dry riccotta that you'd only find in a gourmet Italian store or at least that's what they told me. Then they whip it with xxxsugar until it's very light in texture. I can't get their texture even though I've tried. I tried adding whipped cream-that's not right. I drain mine overnight then whip....thats about as close as I can get with reg. store bought. Of course they make their own shells which taste so mild and light which is different then store bought shells. I add the smallest pinch of cinnamon to the filling, orange zest and chocolate bits. Sometimes a drop of vanilla too. Also for some reason their green dyed pistachios taste different then my freshly ground p. nuts I have......and I like the dyed green ones better on this, their blander. If your ever in Chi town you must find this bakery, you'll think you died and went to heaven!

I'm not an expert on this but I'll pass on what little I've seen on this topic. Yes, you need the right sugar and the right machine. I don't know how they flavor it, but my guess is it's done to the sugar before spinning it. They sell a small machine for this to kids. Look in the toy departments-that might give you some ideas. I don't know how sugar could be savory, you'll still have the sugar base.