REPORT: Chili Fest Plus! Silver City/Hatch

[Tri2Cook]

I don't think you needed to consult with anyone. It looks like you had a vision and made it reality. The green chile nori is going straight to my blatant-rip-off file. That sage-agave ice cream sounds interesting too. What was the flavor balance for the pixie stix? Did it lean towards the apple with a chile/wasabi kick or was it more chile with some apple sweetness and a wasabi kick? And tuna tempura with the fruit instead of the fish! Brilliant. I followed the link about your dessert from the Iron Baker Challenge which led me to search up and read all of the rounds from that challenge. Makes me wish I'd been around the forums when that was going on so I could've followed along as the ideas were being developed. Still a fun read after the fact though. Anyway, very cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.

Edit: That macaron looks great to me. I rarely (very rarely) make macarons and I'm far from being good at it but I'm actually working on an idea right now for them. It's a bit odd and I have no idea if it will work but if it does I'll post about it.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Tri2Cook (log)

[gfron1]

What was the flavor balance for the pixie stix? Did it lean towards the apple with a chile/wasabi kick or was it more chile with some apple sweetness and a wasabi kick?

Chris and Andrea can answer better since they tasted it, but I wanted sour apple with a hint of chile and subtle bite of wasabi. I heard from my spouse that he didn't taste the chile, just felt it on his lips...that's fine with me too.

I followed the link about your dessert from the Iron Baker Challenge which led me to search up and read all of the rounds from that challenge. Makes me wish I'd been around the forums when that was going on so I could've followed along as the ideas were being developed.

Yeah, those were a blast! Our outdoing of each other did wear us down however

Edited September 2, 2008 by gfron1 (log)

[TheSwede]

Do you have a recipe (or just general guidelines/percentages) for the paté de fruit margarita?

[gfron1]

Kerry Beal gave me the recipe, so with her permission I'll share it. I'll ask...

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry Beal gave me the recipe, so with her permission I'll share it.  I'll ask...

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Of course you can. When I get home later I'll try to remember to put up the version I made at home as a tester.

[Chris Hennes]

What was the flavor balance for the pixie stix? Did it lean towards the apple with a chile/wasabi kick or was it more chile with some apple sweetness and a wasabi kick?

Chris and Andrea can answer better since they tasted it, but I wanted sour apple with a hint of chile and subtle bite of wasabi. I heard from my spouse that he didn't taste the chile, just felt it on his lips...that's fine with me too.

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It was definitely primarily the apple: I could not taste the chile at all, but maybe that was because I OD'ed on them at the festival earlier that day and burned my taste buds off . There was also another lingering flavor that I associated with malt powder, but I guess was actually cocoa butter (right, Rob?).

[gfron1]

That's right. The cocoa butter was purely functional. The original concept was to place a 10" glass straw into the glass vase and extract the liquids. In my trial run the straw chipped inside the vase, so I added cocoa butter to the bottom to create a bumper. But, after we added the bumper the safety risk was still too chancy, so we left the straw out.

[Kerry Beal]

Marguerita Pates de Fruit Test edition

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

225 grams apricot puree

90 grams sugar

18 grams apple pectin

480 grams sugar

90 grams glucose

75 grams tequila

75 grams grand marnier

75 grams orange juice concentrate

75 grams grand Marnier

112 grams lime puree

12 grams tequila

8 grams grand Marnier (or triple sec)

10 grams tartaric solution (50/50 mix of water and -- tartaric acid)

Prepare caramel bars to about 9 by 9 inches on a silpat or parchment paper.

Combine the 90 grams of sugar with the apple pectin.

Weigh out the 480 grams sugar, make a well in the center and weigh in the 90 grams of glucose.

Mix tequila, grand marnier/triple sec, orange juice concentrate and lime puree.

Weigh out the 12 grams tequila, grand marnier or triple sec and tartaric solution.

Put apricot puree in a 4 quart heavy pot, sprinkle on the sugar/pectin mixture, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Add sugar and glucose in three additions and cook to 112ºC. Stir frequently so it doesn't burn. Add the the tequila, triple sec, orange juice concentrate and lime puree and cook to 107ºC. When reaches 107º C add the remaining liquids to stop the boiling and pour into the prepared frame.

Let sit for 24 to 48 hours, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, then roll in coarse sugar with a bit of lime zest mixed in.

So this particular edition tasted fabulous - but wasn't as appropriate a colour as the final edition that gfron produced using pear puree.

Corrected to add more booze.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Kerry Beal (log)

[TheSwede]

Thank you so much! And in metric weights too...

[prasantrin]

My version of the "energy bar" in bite-size portions.

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Is the recipe floating around eG somewhere? And what's the first picture? It looks like it's rolled in a bit of coconut. Both the first picture and what I assume are the pistachio balls remind me of one of my favourite (but a little difficult to find) Japanese snacks. The Japanese snacks are made from roasted soybean flour, so I think I'd like yours even more!

[andiesenji]

My version of the "energy bar" in bite-size portions.

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Is the recipe floating around eG somewhere? And what's the first picture? It looks like it's rolled in a bit of coconut. Both the first picture and what I assume are the pistachio balls remind me of one of my favourite (but a little difficult to find) Japanese snacks. The Japanese snacks are made from roasted soybean flour, so I think I'd like yours even more!

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I don't use a specific recipe.

They are very simple to make - as long as you have a meat grinder, either hand-cranked or electric.

The first one is dried apricots, raw almonds and coconut (unsweetened shredded) put through the grinder then kneaded, shaped into balls and rolled in macaroon coconut (also unsweetened).

The ones with the pistachios contain dried apples, apricots - I think I also threw in a few peaches, the candied ginger and raw pistachios. It also is kneaded and shaped into balls and rolled in finely crushed pistachios with a little sugar.

I also make them with dried figs with walnuts and coconut.

Any combination of dried fruits and nuts works. I can't give you exact amounts because it varies, depending on how much moisture is retained in the fruits - how sticky the mix - add more nuts if it is too sticky. It doesn't take long to develop a "feel" for the correct ratio.

When I use dates, raisins or really sticky figs, I roll the balls in a mix of toasted sunflower and sesame seeds as these are much tackier.

The combinations are endless and you can sandwich smaller portions between walnut or pecan halves and dip them (or any of the others) in chocolate.

[prasantrin]

Thanks andiesenji! I don't have a grinder, but perhaps I can pick up a hand-cranked one soon. I think these fruit and nut balls would make a perfect snack to stave off hunger pains.

If there's another Silver City/Chile Fest get-together in two years time, I want to be there, too! If I'm invited, that is!

[gfron1]

If there's another Silver City/Chile Fest get-together in two years time, I want to be there, too!  If I'm invited, that is!

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I'm definitely open to keep these going as long as there's interest. And like all events planned through eG, everyone is invited, so we would love to have you.

Edited September 4, 2008 by gfron1 (log)

[Chris Hennes]

I'll keep coming as long as Rob's cooking us 12-course dinners! The Chile Fest itself was not that thrilling (typical small-town festival thing) and I have good access to chiles here in Oklahoma, but dinner was the obvious highlight of the event, and well worth the dozen-hour drive.

[andiesenji]

I'll keep coming as long as Rob's cooking us 12-course dinners! The Chile Fest itself was not that thrilling (typical small-town festival thing) and I have good access to chiles here in Oklahoma, but dinner was the obvious highlight of the event, and well worth the dozen-hour drive.

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I have been to the Chile Fest several times in the past and some years I recall being better than others, however one day at the festival was always enough for me.

There never seemed to be as many variables to it, as compared with the Gilroy Garlic Festival, another "small town event" which I used to attend every year (It would take months to remove the aroma of garlic from my motorhome), and always for the entire weekend. My friends and I could always manage to find something or some place new to try each year. The only years I missed it was when it was in conflict with the annual basenji specialty dog show. I haven't attended for the past three years because the friends with whom I used to travel have retired and moved to Hawaii and there is a limit to how much garlic most people can handle. (as with chiles)!

[andiesenji]

Thanks andiesenji!  I don't have a grinder, but perhaps I can pick up a hand-cranked one soon.  I think these fruit and nut balls would make a perfect snack to stave off hunger pains.

If there's another Silver City/Chile Fest get-together in two years time, I want to be there, too!  If I'm invited, that is!

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I think I will do a photo "essay" on the subject and post it in a new topic.

[Tri2Cook]

Marguerita Pates de Fruit Test edition

  Amount  Measure      Ingredient -- Preparation Method

--------  ------------  --------------------------------

225      grams        apricot puree

  90      grams        sugar

  18      grams        apple pectin

480      grams        sugar

  90      grams        glucose

  75      grams        tequila

  75      grams        grand marnier

  75      grams        orange juice concentrate

  75      grams        grand Marnier

112      grams        lime puree

  12      grams        tequila

  8      grams        grand Marnier (or triple sec)

  10      grams        tartaric solution (50/50 mix of water and  -- tartaric acid)

Prepare caramel bars to about 9 by 9 inches on a silpat or parchment paper.

Combine the 90 grams of sugar with the apple pectin.

Weigh out the 480 grams sugar, make a well in the center and weigh in the 90 grams of glucose. 

Mix tequila, grand marnier/triple sec, orange juice concentrate and lime puree. 

Weigh out the 12 grams tequila, grand marnier or triple sec and tartaric solution. 

Put apricot puree in a 4 quart heavy pot, sprinkle on the sugar/pectin mixture, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add sugar and glucose in three additions and cook to 112ºC.  Stir frequently so it doesn't burn.  Add the the tequila, triple sec, orange juice concentrate and lime puree and cook to 107ºC.  When reaches 107º C add the remaining liquids to stop the boiling and pour into the prepared frame. 

Let sit for 24 to 48 hours, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, then roll in coarse sugar with a bit of lime zest mixed in. 

So this particular edition tasted fabulous - but wasn't as appropriate a colour as the final edition that gfron produced using pear puree.

Corrected to add more booze.

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Thanks Kerry. I'm going to check this out as soon as I get my next l'epicerie order sent off. I don't have apple pectin right now, just G-pectin. Was the pear version just a direct replacement of pear puree for apricot?

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks Kerry. I'm going to check this out as soon as I get my next l'epicerie order sent off. I don't have apple pectin right now, just G-pectin. Was the pear version just a direct replacement of pear puree for apricot?

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Nope, it was a little different. Let me see if I can find the measurements I gave to Rob to make it.

Here is the recipe I sent to Rob -

So I'd start with 320 grams of pear puree, 33 grams of sugar, mixed with 9 grams of apple pectin. Cook a couple of minutes then add in 3 aliquots 357 grams of sugar and 33 grams of glucose. Cook to 112ºC. Add in 333 grams of marguerita (I'd make it with limade or something really pulpy if you have it. Cook to 107ºC add about 5 grams of a mixture of half water and half tartaric acid and maybe about 5 grams each of triple sec and tequila. Pour quickly into frame. Let sit a day or two before rolling in salted sugar.

[20:50] kbeal9: Lime zest and salt would be nice in the coating.

[prasantrin]

Thanks andiesenji!  I don't have a grinder, but perhaps I can pick up a hand-cranked one soon.  I think these fruit and nut balls would make a perfect snack to stave off hunger pains.

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I think I will do a photo "essay" on the subject and post it in a new topic.

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Please do! I have more questions, but don't want to go too off-topic here...

[misstenacity]

I think my response to the Chile Festival was this - sure you're never going to get away from the crappy turkey leg and deep fried twinkie vendors, et cetera - after all, it is a "fair".

However, given how much our state loves chile, I was suprised to see it shown and sold strictly in its most simple state. Makes me believe that most eaters, even those that love a certain ingredient, really are unadventurous.

In addition to roasted chiles and the occasional green chile cheeseburger and just ONE place that had some red chile brownies, I expected chile EVERYTHING and a booth for it:

- chile ice cream

- deep fried chiles

- roasted chile on toast

- chile smoothies

- green chile stew(!)

- chile puree for sampling in red and green and multiple kinds of each

- chocolate dipped chiles

- apple chile pie

And on, and on....

Maybe I need a booth next year.

[Shelby]

Wow, just WOW! Great job, Rob!!!!

I love the sushi no sushi concept!

[gfron1]

Thanks Shelby. I must be rested because I set a date for another multi-course meal. I won't post about it in this topic since its not directly related to this event, but it seems as if I've created a monster (kind of liked the canned monster from the Bugs Bunny cartoon). 10/25.