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Patricia Wells' Peach Cake

lala

By lala
in Pastry & Baking

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lala

lala

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Ok, I'm not totally ignorant, but I had an interesting experience the other night. At the end of a lovely dinner in a local restaurant, we ordered a piece of "Patricia Wells' Peach Cake".

It arrived, a single layer of dense cake with peach slices baked inside, in a pool of cream. I took a bite, tasted salt, and switched to a new spoon. Second bite was salty again - there was salt in the cream. My friend dragged her finger across the top of the cake (which looked like powdered sugar), tasted it, and exclaimed "There's salt ON the cake".

We figured that they had mixed up the salt and sugar, but we asked. We were told that since it was an olive oil cake, it was properly dusted with salt. Now, I've never heard of this in my life - is this something new? What's the scoop? Am I just behind the times, or has salt really taken over the world?

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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lala

lala

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I think it's important if it is the recipe as they're citing a particular chef - when you do that you need to do it right. As well, they have cited other chefs and their dishes, and so far, they've been true to those recipes.

The taste: in one word: Bizzare. As a former Pastry Chef who has made olive oil cakes, I've never seen this. I really think it was their own abberation and shall not order it again. Although I think they should warn people if they're salting the cakes. It was an odd end to an otherwise fine meal.

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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etalanian

etalanian

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I agree that they should stay true to the original recipe if they are crediting the recipe author.

Do you know which of Patricia Wells' books the recipe is from?

Eileen

Eileen Talanian

HowThe Cookie Crumbles.com

HomemadeGourmetMarshmallows.com

As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. ~Joan Gussow

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Ling

Ling

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I think it's important if it is the recipe as they're citing a particular chef  - when you do that you need to do it right.

Sorry, I was unclear. I know it is important to follow a recipe correctly if they are citing the creator. :smile: What I meant was that perhaps it's not that important to follow a rule (if there even is one--I doubt it!) that all olive oil cakes should be dusted with salt. I misinterpreted your post.

Edited by Ling (log)

Lorna Yee

the cool kids at belltown lofts

The Cookbook Chronicles

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lala

lala

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No problem, Ling!

I'm not sure which book this recipe is from - if I had the book I wouldn't be bothering you fine folks! I think it's from her Provencal book... This was a french restaurant/bistro, so that would fit...

I just can't imagine that it was correctly covered with salt, as that would just be damn wierd. I wrote to the Patricia Wells website and received an answer that they cannot answer recipe questions.

I think their pastry chef is on crack... :wacko:

Edited by lala (log)

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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lala

lala

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I knew there was something that keeps bringing us back to that place! :biggrin:

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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