TDG: Desperate Measures: Panna Cotta

[Fat Guy]

Mamster does fancy Jell-O.

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[Gavin Jones]

Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not delicious.

Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's not possible to screw it up worse than my first marriage.

And I've never been married.

England used to rejoice in varieties of 'cooked cream' puddings.

Blancmange was a favourite.

Too much gelatin, too much sugar, too little cream and insufficiently contrasted sauce.

A perfect vanilla panna cotta with an espresso tipped over is a fantastic end to a meal.

But simplicity brings its own travails - it is readily mass-produced in a disastrous format, and it is easily over-embellished.

Sitting in a front room having the perfect panna cotta it is too easy to close ones eyes and imagine the death-knell of 'creativity' being applied. Creativity is adjudged post facto, not the mystery season-all which turns perfection into a passion-fruit & saffron nausea of taste possibilities which history has had the good sense to never ask for.

[mamster]

I agree with all the of the above except the parts I don't understand because they're in English. Trust me--my recipe will not cause any type of mange, blanc or otherwise.

The unreported backstory to this column is that I told nightscotsman I wanted to make tamarind panna cotta and he said, "You know the tamarind will curdle the cream, right?" "Of course I know that," I said. "I was just testing you."

Also, after eating a whole lot of panna cotta while working on this column, I can report that (a) the recipe is very delicious, and (b) I've had about enough of it for this decade. Why it should seem any richer than ice cream, I don't know, but it does.

[col klink]

I've had some of Nightscotsman's panna cotta except it was flavored with black pepper and served with a tart strawberry sauce. To my dying day I will never forget it. Damn that was good. Oh yeah, they also had it black as night cocoa cookies.

[bripastryguy]

The Creamsicle

vanilla yogurt panna cotta, lacquered clementines

I've been told to take it off the menu!

I call it "The Creamsicle" (very identifiable, childhood recognition...)

I serve a yougurt panna cotta lightly sweetened and seasoned with fresh vanilla, clementine zest and a reduction of the juice. I sit it on a drizzle of vanilla sauce and clementine syrup with a "salad" of laquered clementine segments with a chiffonade of fresh basil and sprinkling of black pepper. It tastes great, looks great, but the waitstaff cant sell it.

I love the dessert, we did it to finish off quite a filling 5 course wine tasting and the guests appreciated its etheral appeal.

How do I save it?

[Schielke]

Why do they want it off the menu?

[nightscotsman]

I wonder if it's the yogurt in the description that is turning customers off? Maybe if you used buttermilk instead?

[nightscotsman]

I confess that I have a tendency to turn into a "dessert vampire" myself. Not because I don't order dessert, but because I want to try all of the desserts and don't want to look like a complete pig by ordering the entire menu.

Vong's in Chicago has the right idea on their lunch menu: they offer tiny, 2 or 3 bite versions of their desserts for about three bucks, or you can order a sampler plate with 5 of the mini desserts for around $10. Very smart (and very good).

[Michael Laiskonis]

I call it "The Creamsicle" (very identifiable, childhood recognition...)...

Great minds think alike, Brian! I do a clementine sorbet, enhanced with dry nonfat milk, that creates the same effect. It definitely brings out the nostalgia, and people love it.

To echo the above comments, for all the crazy, techno-pastry hoops we create for ourselves to jump through, nailing that luscious, perfect, pannacotta is satisfying enough sometimes...

[mamster]

I think people sometimes convince themselves that dessert only has calories if you order it yourself. The creamsicle ideas sound delicious, and I agree with nightscotsman that you're better off not mentioning the yogurt.

I wonder if you could substitute coconut milk for cream in other desserts. (Not whipped cream, obviously.)

[Rachel Perlow]

It's definitely the word yogurt -- just leave it out of the description.

[bripastryguy]

I'll try dropping the yogurt in the description

and we'll see what happens

[Bond Girl]

Definitely one of the simplest and most delicious desserts to make. I tried it once with mascapone cheese and cream mixture, sprinkled with chocolate crumbs and rasperries.

Edited March 18, 2003 by Bond Girl (log)

[Kim WB]

And also, Bri, there is a group of otherwise food savvy people that, no matter what, will simply not order a desert with pepper, basil or salt in the ingredient list.

[bripastryguy]

i dont list the basil or pepper on the menu

[ronfland]

... a yougurt panna cotta lightly sweetened and seasoned with fresh vanilla, clementine zest and a reduction of the juice. I sit it on a drizzle of vanilla sauce and clementine syrup with a "salad" of laquered clementine segments with a chiffonade of fresh basil and sprinkling of black pepper.

It could just be me, and far be if for me to disagree with the others, but I think the description is LUSCIOUS sounding just as it is. Is this description written of delivered by the server? I think it might be the delivery if that's the case.

[nightscotsman]

... a yougurt panna cotta lightly sweetened and seasoned with fresh vanilla, clementine zest and a reduction of the juice. I sit it on a drizzle of vanilla sauce and clementine syrup with a "salad" of laquered clementine segments with a chiffonade of fresh basil and sprinkling of black pepper.

It could just be me, and far be if for me to disagree with the others, but I think the description is LUSCIOUS sounding just as it is. Is this description written of delivered by the server? I think it might be the delivery if that's the case.

Oh, I don't disagree with you at all - I also think the dessert sounds really good. I was only refering to the menu description and how it would be interpreted by the general (non-foodie, non-eGullet, relatively innexperienced) public. For me, seeing "yogurt" as part of a dessert would make me think: "hmm, sounds interesting - looks like the pastry chef is using some creativity", and I would be more likely to order it over say, an overkill chocolate dessert. On the other hand I think many people would see "yogurt" and think: "sour, not rich tasting, nasty healthfood that's supposed to be good for you and I only eat that stuff when I'm on a diet". With that mindset, chocolate will win every time. Buttermilk doesn't fall into this trap because it has the word "butter" in it (of course), but also because people are used to seeing it used in richer foods like biscuits, pancakes, waffles and donuts.

[bripastryguy]

Night,

I like your reasoning. Are you in NY? If so, come to Long Island and Ill buy you dessert.

Brian

[nightscotsman]

Night,

I like your reasoning. Are you in NY? If so, come to Long Island and Ill buy you dessert.

Brian

I would love to come sample your stuff Brian, but unfortunately I'm in Seattle right now. I'll be moving to Chicago this summer (to attend the French Pastry School - yikes!), so I might be able to make it out to the New York area for a weekend sometime. Who knows, I might even end up moving there after I'm done with school.

[mamster]

I might even end up moving there after I'm done with school.

Do you think New York is so far that col klink and Laurie and I wouldn't come and kick your ass?

[elyse]

Brian, I'm on the buttermilk wagon as well. But also (and I'm sure I'm alone in this) I'd change the name. Whenever I see desserts with "childhood names", I get a little grossed out. Again, I'm sure it's just me. But it does sound wonderful, yogurt or not.

[bripastryguy]

Well, again I lost a battle. The chef wants it off, name change and everything, he says it doesnt do anything for him.

Well I guess when I own my own place I can dictate menu items.

[ronfland]

Bri -

where on LI is your restaurant?

[elyse]

P.S. mamster, liked the article. Hate the vampires.

[TrishCT]

Vong's in Chicago has the right idea on their lunch menu: they offer tiny, 2 or 3 bite versions of their desserts for about three bucks, or you can order a sampler plate with 5 of the mini desserts for around $10. Very smart (and very good).

At Becco in NYC they have a tasting dessert menu for just $4.50 per person, a veritable bargain for a plateful of desserts. And their panna cotta was smooth and ephemeral.