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We have a candy place in town that has a couple rows of flavors on their shelves. We always have some on the coffee table. Buttered popcorn is the one we always need to get a ton of because everyone loves them. Peanut butter is my other fave. Cotton candy, watermelon, tangerine, cherry and caremel corn are some of the more common choices. We do blackberry (one of my faves) and licorice (Mom's fave) seperate because they are the two that are difficult to see which you're picking up. Love 'em.

Those are definately my basic four food groups!

I have a friend doing research for something and she's trying to get as many people as possible to answer one question. What are the three foods you can't live without? Mine? peanut butter chocolate crab

We always turn our aebleskivers with a little cocktail shrimp fork. That works great too. When I was a kid, we were taught that it was traditional to fill them with applesauce and sprinkle with powder sugar. I like mine with peanut butter and Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. Messy but wonderful!

There will be a few of us in Scottsdale in few weeks at the world pastry forum and since there is limited time some evenings between classes and seminars, I'm wondering if anyone has any input on the restaurants at or near the JW Desert Ridge Marriot. Any faves? Anything to avoid?

I'm thinking about it but the World Pastry Forum is in two weeks and I'm trying to save my pennies to have cash in pocket when I go. I'm swaying back and forth. I'm curious how the class would compare to the class I did in Vegas last year. We do have some great classes here in town.

Wednesday June 22nd 6:30-8:30 pm $85 with a discount for culinary students or pastry professionals It's pretty rare to see a class on sugar showpiece done here in Portland. I thought it was noteworthy. Many different techniques being taught. Info here

I signed up and it arrived very quickly. Within days. It's not as much an alternative in my mind as a taste of many. It has one article from six or seven different magazines that are out there. I should have brought it to work with me so I could put in the list of magazines. I'm wondering if all the other magazines it lists are in english or not. It's nice though. I like it.

I've thought about what I would do if I ever did my own and right now I'm leaning towards a tower of petit fours. (No, I'm not getting married, Guys. ) My favorites have always been plain basic white cakes without a whole bunch of frills and with fresh flowers. Don't forget that simple and clean can be very elegant.

Notter is teaching in New Orleans and LA. demo in New Orleans class in New Orleans class in Los Angeles

That's what lead me to the Carymax forum in the first place. I was looking at schools but can't take that $20,000 hit right now. $1500, I could figure out how to live with. And it was a wide range of classes. In past years they have had an amazing lineup with people like Ewold Notter, Albert Adria, and there's always one interesting class that tweaks my interest like mold making or asian desserts. And it's a one week commitment. That's the other thing that made it so feasible for me. I didn't have to move away to another city for months. It gave me something that I didn't think was within my reach. It's not the same as going to the FPS which I would still love to do someday, but this was something I could do right now while I'm trying to figure out how to do more.It's been a huge issue for me wondering if the investment of all that money really does come back to you. I've had a local pastry chef discourage me from spending money on a local school. She said she'd rather train me up right herself. And would I have to move to someplace like Vegas for a return on my investment? I'm not seeing the work or stability in the industry where I'm at.

In the frozen section, the Chocolate Millenium denali dark chocolate sauce. And the LaBrea bread, amazing cheeses and Fran's Gold Macadamia Bars. Fresh crab, salmon jerky. Very cool and unique produce. I've never seen a buddha's hand anywhere else. And the boy that bags my groceries turned me on to sapotes. Love them.

I was hoping you'd post! Thanks for the report Skwerl!

I do it all the time. In a pinch for something quick, I take a Jiffy brownie mix and substitute equal amounts of kalua for the water asked for on the box. They are not boozey and they are fabulous. There aren't even crumbs left when I take them to work.

Quiche? Sorry, but I lean to the savory bread pudding! It rocks. But even that is only when there are no more focaccia with pancetta. Giving me the shivers just thinking about it. Best dinner in the world.

It's funny that I was wondering just the other day how much you would have to add and wouldn't that make it taste bad? I guess I got my answer. I think I'll just try to avoid black.

I don't know that I've ever seen dogs downtown, peppyre. At the farmer's market but not much of anywhere else downtown. I know off in some of the neighborhoods, places are very dogs friendly. Alameda brew pub even has a water bowl out on a regular basis. Veritable Quandry has outside tables that might be a possibility but their food is inconsistant. Jake's Crawfish might be a possibility. They have outside tables although no "patio".

That would be Vengroff's pics which I'm very thankful for btw. They are some great pics! (drool)

Mmmmm. Green apple scone...the breakfast of champions! I love the way these scones are always nice and soft. Not wedges hard as hockey pucks like other places. I've never seen the coconut scones again though. I guess I'm there on the wrong days or something. Those have been my fave scone so far. And the rhubarb financiers. If there are any left at the end of a thursday evening, I promise I'll buy them all. (nudge, nudge, ) Seriously.

I was there that day and she said she was totally wiped out of everything by 10am and was baking like crazy to fill the cases again. Stopped in because we were out of bread. We've become accustomed to having her multigrain for toast every morning. It's the lightest, most wonderful multigrain I've ever had. I'm not usually a big fan of "muffler" bread (as we call it in our house) but hers is really good.

Okay so I made the brioche recipe in Gordon Ramsey's Just Desserts book and was reminded once again that I can't bake bread at home. My oven is just way too uneven. I checked it half way through and it was already burnt on top. (Yes, we've had a repair man out and I have an oven thermometer.) Anyway... before I even got the dough made, I questioned the recipe. It seemed like very little flour. I was right and should have listened to my common sense. The recipe only calls for 2 cups of flour where other recipes like Sherry Yard's calls for 3 and a 1/2 cups of flour for six eggs I believe it was (i'm at work, no recipe handy) and a cup of butter. At the point where I should have been shaping into balls or loaves, I was pouring it into the pans. I tasted the middle and it was a little closer to a heavy souffle than bread. So be forwarned. Gordon's recipe appartently has a typo or something.

Beautiful, Fred! The other thing besides the exoctic orange cake that has been on my mind since the forum last year is that red moon. (and the strawberry bread)I'm sooo wishing I lived in Seattle right now. And the chocolates have looked great too. Wow!

I'm aspiring. I have a pastry book I've been working on for way to long but I have a publisher that has shown interest. Maybe that will push me past my procrastination. I'm the queen of procratination.

I had borrowed this book from Extramsg who ordered it by mistake and was going to give it back but now I'm considering keeping it and paying him for it. I've been meaning to try her baumkuchen (sp?). Sounds like you guys are having pretty good luck with it over all.

I'm really surprised that you want to improve it, Mel. I thought the little sugared one with creme fraiche I had at your place was amazing. It was very tender and airy but not overly so. Sweet but not overly sweet. Perfectly balanced. I love the texture of it. Honestly. I was very, very happy with it. I was considering working on mine and asking people here for their best recipes after eating yours. No bullshit.