Chocdoc Linking up in Lancaster

[Kerry Beal]

Those of you who pay attention may have noticed that last year I didn’t make it to Lancaster, having been snowed out at the last minute.

 

But I am on my way now so what is going to happen this year.

 

It is the PMCA again - I usually attend just the Monday.

 

I left the house around 8am bound for @patris‘s place to meet up for brunch and to pick up all the things that have been delivered here since the last time I was down - I should’ve taken a picture of the boxes before I started to open them!

 

But I  will share with you their contents as this trip unfolds. 

 

I drove past the bridge where Canada’s own Tim Hortons lost his life - then off to the Whirlpool bridge to cross the border, which is unfortunately closed until mid-May.  

 

A teaser 

 

[ElsieD]

For those of us who don't know, what is PMCA?

[Kerry Beal]

Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners Association

 

Apparently sometime between when I joined and now it has changed it's name to Professional Manufacturing Confectioners Association. 

Edited April 7, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

Providence Social for brunch 

 

 

 

 

 

had to provide my own teabag 

 

 

@Valerie B that some may recall from the last workshop

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

Long drive down here today - managed to catch a picture of the gates to Bucknell University - where my cousin studied civil engineering and where I attended my first concert - Loggins and Messina.

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

Got settled in - went out looking for a bit - found a little place around the corner which makes a very flexible scallion pancake and fills it with all sorts of stuff. 

 

I opted for the coconut rice, beef steak bits, onions and peppers, seaweed salad, carrot salad, sesame ginger dressing and a bit of salad on the top.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

I've been shipping a lot of packages lately - @Tri2Cook turned me on to a company called Shiptime that has connections to Costco. I started using them consistently during the mail strike - and haven't really gone back to using Canada Post since. I've been printing out labels with my inkjet printer and have to trim a chunk off each side before I stuff them in the envelope. Got thinking about using one of my label writing printers to make the labels but discovered that they aren't large enough. I did look at the Dymo labelmaker that would let me make the labels - but then discovered this little Rollo thermal printer. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

There is a reason you should not walk around naked in your hotel room!

 

[Kerry Beal]

Today I did some running around - mostly for the purpose of showing you the next thing I picked up at @patris's place.

 

I found Costco with the only purpose to find the Paradise Green uncrystallized ginger that I had discovered at the Fancy Food Show in SFO - it was not there!

 

But look what I found in the drug aisle - 

 

 

Amused me to no end to see the spice aisle moving in to the drug aisle. Left with some peanuts, a couple of jars of Rao's tomato sauce, a couple of pair of pants for the rug rat.

 

From Costco I headed to the thrift store - I had a mission.

 

 

I only needed only one but for 97 cents each I decided to spring for the lot. Induction compatible Chantal posts - not pretty but serviceable.

 

 

Also this for $1.29

 

 

 

First up - boil water in a few short minutes for my tea.

 

 

Beurre Monte

 

 

 

 

 

Leftover Beurre Monte made a nice Hollandaise. 

 

 

For my cooked in the bathroom hotel room dinner - butter poached lobster tails, asparagus with lobster flavored Hollandaise. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

And now time for a cuppa and a Negroni

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

@Kerry Beal  A woman who sure knows how to improvise!

[Anna N]

33 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

For my cooked in the bathroom hotel room dinner - butter poached lobster tails, asparagus with lobster flavored Hollandaise. 

You put us all to shame.

[Kerry Beal]

23 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Kerry Beal  A woman who sure knows how to improvise!

Well I did spend a good part of the day obtaining stuff to improvise with.

 

The last thing I picked up was the plate - I was out to get booze and realized that I had nothing to put my dinner on.

[ElsieD]

Although, it does help to have a Control Freak.  How long have you had it and how do you like it?

[Kerry Beal]

19 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Although, it does help to have a Control Freak.  How long have you had it and how do you like it?

I've had it for 24 hours. I like it so far.

[Kerry Beal]

Met @lancastermike for breakfast - we were going to go to the chocolate shop we had been to before - but it’s closed on Monday - instead we went around the corner to the Dolce Vita Italian Bakery.

 

I had an apple crumble square - mike had a toasted bagel.

 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

The Back to Basics talks this morning at the PMCA are all around sugar crystallization.

 

Eye rolling from the presenters and the audience occur around the concept of non-GMO. Also frustration around how you replace corn syrup (because in the US the term glucose is not among confectioners) with other acceptable doctors to prevent crystallization.

 

My favorite line from a presenter today - discussing the trend towards adding a lot of protein to various products - "pea protein - for those who like that wet dog flavor in their confections"!

[Kerry Beal]

And I've got to say I'm loving the Control Freak - we get 15 minute breaks and I can come up to the room, boil a pot of water and make tea, and be back down there with time to spare.

 

 

[ElsieD]

I know you have other equipment for this but are you going to try to temper chocolate using the Control Freak?

[Kerry Beal]

Likely not while I am here - but I did get involved with showing someone how to use the EZtemper with their Control Freak to temper here.

[teonzo]

20 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

20 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Although, it does help to have a Control Freak.  How long have you had it and how do you like it?

I've had it for 24 hours. I like it so far.

 

Hahahaha, I bet your "toys I wish - list" is much shorter than your actual "toys I already have - list".

That's the way to live, full throttle, kudos!

 

 

 

Teo

 

[AlaMoi]

went there

did that

missed ya'!

[Kerry Beal]

Apparently I didn't post my lunch earlier.

 

 

 

 

They were serving a lunch downstairs - but I had all this lovely stuff from Wegman's.

 

 

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, Kerry Beal said:

They were serving a lunch downstairs - but I had all this lovely stuff from Wegman's.

 Your lunch looks quite delicious. I’m sure whatever they were serving couldn’t hold a candle to this.

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things seen at the show today - stuffed cocoa pods. Little conche suitable for 2.5 kg of chocolate, the Perfect automatic tempering machine, enrober and cooling tunnel. Very well priced relative to other machines.