Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Report: eG Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop 2014


Kerry Beal

Recommended Posts

And so it begins...

 

I arrived in Las Vegas at 10:30 or so this morning, picked up my rental car and hastened over the the Tuscany Suites to meet up with Chocolot.  After a brief cruise through all the loot that she had accumulated for the workshop we headed out to do a few errands.  We checked in with Melissa and Jean Marie to check that all was well for later in the week and to enjoy a little look around the facility.  I also had to deliver several bottles of wonderful looking paté that Alleguede had made for Jean Marie (I kept one bottle here for snacking purposes this week).  There was serious drooling going on over all the equipment they have available for us to play with.

 

What was to be a quick stop at Chef Rubber took a little longer than expected - there is a lot to look at there!  And to buy!

 

We investigated a couple of thrift stores - notably the Habitat for Humanity Reuse to grab a couple of items that will show their usefulness later this week.

 

And for dinner we hit Lotus of Siam.  We know that we are going back there this week - but it is a place I've wanted to check out since FG wrote about it a few years ago.  And you can never eat too much Thai can you?

 

DSCN2663.jpg

 

Jasmine tea for me.  

 

DSCN2664.jpg

 

Chicken larb.

 

DSCN2665.jpg

 

DSCN2668.jpg

 

Khao soi - noodles with a red thai sauce.  And the condiments to go with them - some sort of pickled green (perhaps mustard), onion and of course lime.  

 

DSCN2667.jpg

 

Pepper garlic shrimp - didn't see a table without this one!

 

DSCN2670.jpg

 

And fried rice with veg and egg. 

 

Right now Ruth is cruising the internet reviews to see what we should order when we return there on Thursday.  

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ran around a bit more this morning - hitting the shop where we ordered sandwiches for the 3 days of classes - and taking the opportunity to visit the 'International Marketplace' and Trader Joe's.  

 

Waiting for gfron1 to return so we can hit a few more spots this afternoon so pulled together some lunch.

 

DSCN2672.jpg

 

Lovely pate de Campagne (thank you Alleguede) and Beehive cheese (Seahive and Promontory) with some Ak Mak crackers (thank you Trader Joe's).  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ran around a bit more this morning - hitting the shop where we ordered sandwiches for the 3 days of classes - and taking the opportunity to visit the 'International Marketplace' and Trader Joe's.  

 

Waiting for gfron1 to return so we can hit a few more spots this afternoon so pulled together some lunch.

 

attachicon.gifDSCN2672.jpg

 

Lovely pate de Campagne (thank you Alleguede) and Beehive cheese (Seahive and Promontory) with some Ak Mak crackers (thank you Trader Joe's).

That International Marketplace is my kind of shop and love your lunch!

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dinner tonight at Raku.  Gfron1 and I shared omakase, Willow and Ms Tenacity went a la carte.  

 

DSCN2674.jpg

 

The middle of the table - needed a little rake to play in the sand.  

 

DSCN2675.jpg

 

Willow starts with Tomatoes in Bacon. 

 

DSCN2676.jpg

 

Followed by Chicken Breast in Chicken Skin.  

 

DSCN2678.jpg

 

Fresh Tofu with chrysanthemum, wasabi, shiso microgreens.  The salt shaker contained salt with matcha and mushroom to sprinkle on it.  

 

DSCN2680.jpg

 

Willow get's Pork Ribs. 

 

DSCN2681.jpg

 

Willow and Andrea get Rice shapes - meanwhile gfron1 and I are getting ready to eat the table.  

 

DSCN2682.jpg

 

Finally asparagus in puffed rice appears.  

 

DSCN2684.jpg

 

And sashimi.  

 

DSCN2685.jpg

 

Andrea scores some Tendon.  

 

 

DSCN2686.jpg

 

A scallop in a very lovely sauce - shells required licking.  

 

DSCN2688.jpg

 

And a whole sea bream.  

 

DSCN2689.jpg

 

Which required deboning (at least the head and spine).  

 

DSCN2690.jpg

 

Still a fair number of bones hidden in this flesh. 

 

DSCN2691.jpg

 

Waygu beef with wasabi.

 

DSCN2693.jpg

 

Duck breast with balsamic reduction.  

 

DSCN2694.jpg

 

Foie on rice.  

 

DSCN2695.jpg

 

An interesting tea.  

 

DSCN2696.jpg

 

Matcha creme brulee.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot to post about the facilities in Raku.  

 

IMG_0427.jpg

 

While sitting on the heated seat of this baby - you can enjoy the view.  

 

IMG_0429.jpg

 

The wall of fish tank...

 

IMG_0428.jpg

 

The interesting ceiling installation. 

 

IMG_0432.jpg

 

But a final piece of advice if you find yourself there - none of these buttons flushes the toilet - the flush mechanism is the European style on the top of the tank.  So standing over the unit and pushing those buttons will not have the desired effect - but you can blow your face dry!

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of us are not so adventurous. In N Out was a new experience for the East Coaster.

Cheeseburger, animal style.

 

 

photo.JPG

  • Like 3

Ruth Kendrick

Chocolot
Artisan Chocolates and Toffees
www.chocolot.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well you have certainly dined at two of the top Asian restaurants in Las Vegas in Raku and Lotus of Siam.  If you go back, Lotus has a crispy rice dish, (which I can't define by name), that is outstanding.   Now I'm looking forward to some sweet confections!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

photo 2.jpg

 

Breakfast this am at 'eat'.

 

 

DSCN2697.jpg

 

We shared these cinnamon biscuits with strawberry coulis.

 

photo 3.jpg

 

Ruth opted for Bacon and Eggs with Sourdough. 

 

DSCN2699.jpg

 

 

Bob and I enjoyed chilequiles.

 

photo 1.jpg

 

The door on the way out!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lotus of Siam again this evening - 

 

DSCN2700.jpg

 

Crispy Rice - thanks for the suggestion David - right out of the park.  

 

DSCN2702.jpg

 

The Garlic Pepper Prawns again.

 

DSCN2703.jpg

 

Crispy Duck with Panang sauce.

 

DSCN2704.jpg

 

Short Ribs with Panang sauce.  

 

DSCN2705.jpg

 

Sliced Beef Salad.

 

DSCN2708.jpg

 

Pounded Jackfruit with Pork.  

 

DSCN2709.jpg

 

Squid Larb.

 

DSCN2710.jpg

 

Cellophane noodles.

 

DSCN2712.jpg

 

And sticky rice with coconut and mango.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lotus of Siam repeat.

 

Chicken Satay w/peanut sauce 

 

photo.JPG

 

Tempura Prawns

 

photo2.jpg

 

Part of the group. Having a great time. Fun really begins tomorrow.

 

photo.jpg

  • Like 4

Ruth Kendrick

Chocolot
Artisan Chocolates and Toffees
www.chocolot.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday Ruth, Bob and I went to a grocery store to get supplies for the lunches for the weekend.  

 

Never seen slot machines in a grocery store before - 

 

IMG_0433.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

DSCN2719.jpg

 

Too tired to post tonight about our day or our dinner - but will leave you with this one image that represents Jean-Marie Auboine's facility where we are doing our workshop this weekend.  

 

The Bogota clock represents Mellisa - our instructor today.  The Paris clock for Jean-Marie the other partner in the business.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday with Melissa was a truly outstanding day. My head is still spinning from everything she shared. When we left Melissa, everyone met up at Chef Rubber for a once in a lifetime shopping experience, with discounts. We had to hurry back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, along the way our driver caught a glimpse of a a poor guy who evidently lost everything at the casinos....

image.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday Ruth, Bob and I went to a grocery store to get supplies for the lunches for the weekend.  

 

Never seen slot machines in a grocery store before - 

 

 

Went through Las Vegas back in 1985 and stopped for gas at 5:30 am.  And the gas station was full of slot machines.  We definitely weren't in Ontario any more! :raz:

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been an amazing weekend, like Curls, I will post when I get home and can sort out the photo's and properly describe them. Lots of confections and work to share....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's not a lot of description on the photos, but this is some of my take of the goings-on, including Rob & I's trip up from Silver City.

 

I wasn't in the workshops, but the social stuff and the chocolate gorging was definitely in my agenda. I made this album public so the link should work for anyone....

 

Enjoy!

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152428256146763&type=1&l=4a721cbadf

 

Andrea

"You can't taste the beauty and energy of the Earth in a Twinkie." - Astrid Alauda

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

Food Lovers' Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos: OMG I wrote a book. Woo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's not a lot of description on the photos, but this is some of my take of the goings-on, including Rob & I's trip up from Silver City.

 

I wasn't in the workshops, but the social stuff and the chocolate gorging was definitely in my agenda. I made this album public so the link should work for anyone....

 

Enjoy!

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152428256146763&type=1&l=4a721cbadf

 

Andrea

Nice shots... thanks for sharing.

 

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Besides the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, the highlight for me was simply seeing how JMA made this decorations.  So simple and so classy.  The lines were a brand (acetate or flexible metal) dipped in shimmer and isoprobyl.  The other shapes were pastry tips or frozen metal stamps.

 

JMA.jpg

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...