Restaurant desserts: your innermost wishes

[Matcha Eyes]

Until any of those desserts do not contain any calories, my innermost wish will never be fullfilled.

[C_Ruark]

Hi GG,

Agree with Carrot Top... outsourcing desserts to mass-producers is a HUGE peeve because of the relative drop in quality. I can understand if a place can't afford a full time p-chef (though the investment is darn worth it!), but even a part-timer would suffice; provided they are allowed to control the menu and train a few full-timers to do some simple dessert work.

A good dessert never needs to be overly complex. And filling up my plate with some freezer-burned sugary mess that tastes like refrigerant is a sure-fire turnoff.

[miladyinsanity]

I like the suggestions.

I never ever order chocolate desserts or ice cream in restaurants. At home, I know the chocolate and cocoa I'm using is Valrhona. As for ice cream, it's rarely ever made in-house and is usually too sweet anyway.

I like the idea of a dessert sample tray. At a favorite cafe of mine, they sell very small squares of brownies and clafouti, gerbet macarons and tiny tartlets.

[BarbaraY]

Why don't more restaurants serve a cheese plate for dessert? High-end places usually have one, but I'd love to see cheeses at more moderately priced restaurants.

I can't stand those huge, overly sweet chocolate concoctions built to impress children and large enough for 6 people. I get full on my main course, like CanadianBakin'  but could make room for a couple pieces of cheese or a small fruit something, even a small chocolate something. Keep it small, and let the larger appetites order two.!!!

←

Good cheeses are very expensive in North America. That's why you don't see them in moderately priced restaurants. Not to mention most people around here don't appreciate good cheese.

But yes, I love cheese plates. I love making them too. I would always add several accompaniments to my cheese courses, usually one thing to pair with each type of cheese.

←

Some years ago I started working at a small historic hotel. The owner wanted to add a cheese plate to the dessert menu and I agreed that it was an excellent ides. We ordered excellent cheeses .

We missed out on the idea of, "Know your audience." It was rarely ordered as a dessert and only occasionally as a cocktail accompaniment.

After we removed it from the menu I had fun creating things to use a wheel of Stilton.

As for myself, I believe there is such a thing as too much chocolate!

Would love some housemade dessert if they are made right. I had a wine poached pear with whipped mascarpone but the pear was waaaay underdone. A few toasted hazelnuts would have been a good addition. If only they had cooked the darned pair.

[BarbaraY]

Why don't more restaurants serve a cheese plate for dessert? High-end places usually have one, but I'd love to see cheeses at more moderately priced restaurants.

I can't stand those huge, overly sweet chocolate concoctions built to impress children and large enough for 6 people. I get full on my main course, like CanadianBakin'  but could make room for a couple pieces of cheese or a small fruit something, even a small chocolate something. Keep it small, and let the larger appetites order two.!!!

←

Good cheeses are very expensive in North America. That's why you don't see them in moderately priced restaurants. Not to mention most people around here don't appreciate good cheese.

But yes, I love cheese plates. I love making them too. I would always add several accompaniments to my cheese courses, usually one thing to pair with each type of cheese.

←

Some years ago I started working at a small historic hotel. The owner wanted to add a cheese plate to the dessert menu and I agreed that it was an excellent ides. We ordered excellent cheeses .

We missed out on the idea of, "Know your audience." It was rarely ordered as a dessert and only occasionally as a cocktail accompaniment.

After we removed it from the menu I had fun creating things to use a wheel of Stilton.

As for myself, I believe there is such a thing as too much chocolate!

Would love some housemade dessert if they are made right. I had a wine poached pear with whipped mascarpone but the pear was waaaay underdone. A few toasted hazelnuts would have been a good addition. If only they had cooked the darned pair.