Report: eG Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2013

[Kerry Beal]

It's in the works - we'll let you know when some more details have been worked out.

[Mjx]

Brilliant

[Mette]

Ditto!

[FrogPrincesse]

Going through photos of the weekend.

Here are a few quick snapshots I took of the chocolate showpiece demo by chef Ruth.

Making a chocolate flower

Paparazzi

The tree before the final touches

The finished piece with glitter

[FrogPrincesse]

For those who asked, here are the cocktails that I served during Saturday's dinner. I went through the whole list (plus a few Manhattans) with the exception of the last one (Bermuda Sour). I think that everyone was running out of steam at that point. Besides, it's always good to keep something for next time...

In order of appearance:

Old Cuban

Winter Daiquiri (the biggest hit of the night)

Brooklynite

Rattlesnake

Chet Baker

If you can't decipher my handwriting just let me know - it's not sloppy it's just French!

I used Appleton Estate Extra 12-year old Jamaican rum, Rittenhouse rye 100 proof bottled-in-bond, Martini and Rossi sweet vermouth, St Elizabeth allspice dram, vanilla syrup from B.G. Reynolds, Pernod pastis. I forgot to write down the name of the Cremant that I used in the Old Cuban but it was very nice even on its own.

Thanks to Kerry and those who helped source the ingredients. And thanks to Matt for his assistance with juicing the limes (we went through a lot of them).

Edited May 3, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

I look forward to seeing more photos from everybody. In the meantime, here are the ones that my husband took during Saturday's dinner extravaganza. I will post in in multiple sets since there are quite a few.

[FrogPrincesse]

[FrogPrincesse]

[FrogPrincesse]

[Tri2Cook]

Great pictures. I don't really do all that much chocolates/confectionery stuff in my day-to-day work but I was looking forward to meeting people and seeing what they're doing. Looks like I missed a nice cocktail menu too.

[FrogPrincesse]

[FrogPrincesse]

[Darienne]

You actually ate beaver?

[Kerry Beal]

You actually ate beaver?

And it was pretty darn yummy too! Almost enough to make one want to change teams.

[Tri2Cook]

You actually ate beaver?

And it was pretty darn yummy too! Almost enough to make one want to change teams.

[prasantrin]

You actually ate beaver?

And it was pretty darn yummy too! Almost enough to make one want to change teams.

It's the people who eat raw beaver that you have to worry about!

[FrogPrincesse]

You actually ate beaver?

Jokes aside, it was so good I went back for seconds... I think it was braised in red wine. It reminded me of slow-cooked short ribs.

Edited May 6, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Kerry Beal]

You actually ate beaver?

And it was pretty darn yummy too! Almost enough to make one want to change teams.

It's the people who eat raw beaver that you have to worry about!

Indeed - I understand trichinosis is a real problem!

[Tri2Cook]

You actually ate beaver?

Jokes aside, it was so good I went back for seconds... I think it was braised in red wine. It reminded me of slow-cooked short ribs.

Where I live, beaver isn't particularly unusual to see on someone's plate. So I wasn't really caught by the surprise/excitement of it. The jokes, however, are always still fun. Seriously though, a lot of critters I would never have considered as food sources have turned out to be surprisingly not bad or even good. I keep telling myself that one of these days, I'm going to make the effort to really dig in and learn more about the traditional foods of this area. Knowledge of it seems to be disappearing rapidly.

[Darienne]

No jokes from me. I am never eating beaver. Never. I'll have salad, please.

[lebowits]

Kerry - Thanks for organizing another fantastic weekend! I always have fun with this group and it I'm never surprised that there are so many things to learn from each other. I do however want to register a complaint that nobody used the "thin" filter on their cameras. I'm going to have to change my name to "Fat Bastard".

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry - Thanks for organizing another fantastic weekend! I always have fun with this group and it I'm never surprised that there are so many things to learn from each other. I do however want to register a complaint that nobody used the "thin" filter on their cameras. I'm going to have to change my name to "Fat Bastard".

And me to "Old Broad". Got to pretend to be a 34 year old this weekend at the Family Practice exams - not a single person commented on the grey hair strangely!

[MelissaH]

No photos here, but I'm adding my loud voice to the chorus of thanks. Kerry, it was a marvelous weekend, and I'm really glad I was able to come and stay for the whole weekend this time. I can't remember the last time a whole table laughed so much while eating dinner—and it's probably a good thing the beaver was not served earlier in the meal because I don't want to know what other jokes might have come out. I wish I got to play with chocolate with other people more often!

[psantucc]

Part one of my wrestling with technology is over: some not very good, but possibly helpful, video is to be had here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/psantucc/videos

My thanks also to Kerry and all our demonstrators, including the informal ones (I'm looking at you, RoberM!) who are always worth watching work. I learned a few things:

- I'd forgotten much of my moulding technique, and need to brush up!

- Great technique for fondant and cordial cherries

- Halvah is hard for everyone

- The very cool decoration with lustre dust in alcohol on the edge of an acetate

- Some caramel troubleshooting tips I'm eager to put into practice

- Someday, I'm going to have a pan. And an enrober. And a pony...

I didn't mange to try out my refractometer! I imagine you'll see some posts from me when I do.

Thanks to Chocolat for indulging a longtime fan with an autograph for my copy of her book.

Thanks to MelissaH for the challenge that led to Ketchup Ganache with bacon, everyone willing to try it, and lebowits for a straight-faced and legitimate critique: smaller pieces of bacon more evenly dispersed.

Thanks to the kitchen and bar crew for a quality of dinner not to be had at any price anywhere else.

Photos to come if anything worthy appeared in my very poor phone.

Apologies for things I've already forgotten. Remind me at Workshop 2014!

[Prabha]

Thanks for the great pictures, everyone! I'm reliving the great time through the pictures.