Overlordofpastry

Jaymes, I have never actually made caramel popcorn before and your recipe looks very good. I just have a question before I try making it. When you are boiling the sugar and butter mixture for 5 minutes, does it need to reach a certain temperature or sugar stage such as softball? Or are you simply cooking it to a caramel stage?

"God, that terrible creme brulee trio was there when last reviewed the place. Urg! BTY fireweed, where did you get that Banana Bread recipe? I don't think that's the original. " It is the original recipe, the sugar and flour have been modified.

I am from Toronto but I worked in Montreal for about 5 years before I came here to Fredericton. I worked in several places, alot of restaurants and I was the opening pastry chef for the W hotel in Montreal. I was at the More than Martinis event, I think I had just started a month earlier. I was the one making cotton candy and the raspberry s'mores. It was alot of work, I think I had made over 1000 mini pastries for that day and they all were gone in a few hours.

Has anyone tried the desserts at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton? I am the pastry chef and I have been there for about 6 months now. Everyone tells me I am the only pastry chef in Fredericton and I have been getting alot of great response to my desserts so far.

From the details you have given, I think it's just a matter of not stirring the mix properly. I am assuming you are making a large recipe, 4-5 L, so if it sits for a short period of time the sugar and eggs can sink to the bottom. So if you pour the mix into the molds, it's possible the top portion of your mix would essentially be cream and just not set. It's happened to me in the past, so now I always whisk the mix every few minutes as I pour it into the molds. That could explain why 1 out of 3 trays you make doesn't set. Either that or you are somehow getting water into the molds when they are in the oven, and once that happens it won't set no matter how long you bake it.

The Crowne Plaza Fredericton (Lord Beaverbrook) does have lobster on the menu, one dish I believe is a lobster risotto. I should know more but I'm just the pastry chef, I'm off in a corner away from everyone else. On Friday nights, the hotel has a really good seafood buffet, and it's very affordable and really popular with the locals. The only place to get cheap lobster regularily that I can think of is the Fredericton Inn, which has a lobster buffet or dinner for $25/$30 but I don't know anyone that has ever gone there. Generally, I find the food here in Fredericton very affordable, I don't think I have ever seen a main course over $25 in any restaurant, and buffets are really popular here as well. Not to be biased, but from what I have tried the food at the Crowne Plaza is the best in Fredericton. I also heard the desserts are amazing! El Burrito Loco has excellent mexican food with amazing margaritas, the Blue Door is pretty good but the food can be quite heavy at times, and there is also Chez Riz, an indian restaurant that has 2 tandoori ovens. I haven't gone yet but I really want to check out Carribean Flavas, I heard they have really good food as well.

I must say that Chill Winston is the most classic name for a restaurant I have heard in a really long time, I never would have thought of taking a line like that from a movie and using it for a restaurant name.

I went to Ottawa a few weeks ago just to eat pizza at Colonnade, everytime I go to Ottawa I have to eat there. The only thing I have found close to Colonnade is Pizza Gigi on Lakeshore in Pointe Claire, the pizzas have an amazing thick crust. It's my favorite pizza place in Montreal.

Thanks alot for all the replies, it helped us out alot. Most likely we will end up going to Andrew Edmonds, and jump in at Leon when we are in the area. We probably will also go to the Belvedere for Sunday brunch. Thanks again for everyone's suggestions. Cheers. mike.

My girlfriend and I are going to spend a week in London next February at the end of the month. We plan on going to lots of pubs and trying fish and chips, curries and sunday brunch of roast beef with yorkshire pudding. But one night we would like to go to a nice restaurant that serves british/modern eurpean food that is not too expensive. Being from Canada, the exchange is terrible so we are looking at 30 to 35 pounds per person, not including wine for the meal. Does anybody have any recommendations? So far the one restaurant that sticks out for us is The Chancery. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks alot. Cheers. mike.

Compared to some of the top restaurants in Montreal, the Beaver Club is not that expensive. A 4 course meal is $70, anything can be chosen on the menu including foie gras. If I want trendy new style fusion cuisine, I will not go to the Beaver Club, I will go to somewhere like Bronte but I will pay much more than $70. The food is very good, the waiters actually know what they are talking about and have knowledge of food and wine as compared to other restaurants who hire waitstaff for how they look. Also keep in mind, the sommelier at Bronte used to work at the Beaver Club. As for the desserts, I worked there over 5 years ago and I know the quality of all the cakes and pastries is extremely high. I am not going to the Beaver Club expecting groundbreaking desserts and unusual flavour combinations, I am just expecting really good cakes and pastries which is what they consistently deliver. So if others disagree with me, why is the Beaver Club second rate? And why are the desserts so terrible?

I have eaten at the Beaver Club a few times, the last time was with a group of 10. Each time I have been there, both the food and service were amazing. With the group, the service was abit slower but expected. The menu changes seasonally but they keep some standards such as seared foie gras (the best I have ever tried), prime rib and caesar salad (incredible as well). The desserts are very good as well, the trio of creme brulees is quite good or anything from the dessert cart. They say jackets are recommended but they are not necessary, as long as you are dressed nice and no jeans. You should go to the Voyageur for drinks before, it's right beside the beaver club and they serve amazing martinis.

The pastry chef, Cedric, is very good. He's a crazy frenchman, he worked for me a little while ago and he told me about his menu before he started there. I haven't tried them yet but I have no doubt they are good.

Thanks alot for all the suggestions, I will most definitely check out Union and Cascadia. And I will take a chance and go to Lark, it sounds way too good to pass up. Just out of curiousity, not too many people mentioned much about Brasa, is there a particular reason? I thought it was one of the top restaurants in the city.