Went to Champaign/Urbana, IL with S to visit friends. We needed to get out of the city. It was my second visit and the goats were just as great as they were the first time.
Last year for my birthday, I had the pleasure of dining at L2O, a fine dining restaurant that tastefully uses "molecular gastronomy" here in Chicago. I'd done a stage there, unfortunately it did not work out, but I am still quite impressed with Laurent Gras' food philosophy, how well run and organized the kitchen was, as well as the vibe between the cooks. Anyway, months later I had the pleasure of receiving the recipe for their pain au lait rolls via email from Time Out Chicago . These rolls were so good that I chose them more often than the others that were offered in selection from their bread basket. I'd filed the recipe away, and recently had the pleasure of making some for a dinner party. Initially the recipe was converted from weight in ounces to volume, so when I made it, not only did I double-check the accuracy (I found discrepancies) I converted it to a more accurate gram measure. So, pulling out my measuring cups, I converted it correctly to grams...
I will admit that I don't like a lot of citrus desserts. I like my lemons sour-I eat them with salt-and I'm not too keen on key lime pies, though my mother loves them. Making lemon curd is torture to me. To stand over the pot, stirring the mix of yolks, lemon juice and sugar while smelling the proteins in the yolks coagulate is not a thing of pleasure. I honestly think it stinks myself, but to each his/her own. This doesn't mean I don't make the things I don't like very well. In the world of pastry, you have to cook for your guests and customers, even if that means making something you don't eat. When changing jobs, going into a new kitchen and executing the previous chef's menu, you're torn between keeping their style, and asserting your own (these events are often booked months in advance, and some have tastings where the expectations are established). So when I read Deconstructed Key Lime Pie on the menu, like a flip book, the ideas flicker...
Yes, today I'm another year older. No, I won't tell you how old I am. It's been a busy week. I've been off for three days, back to work tomorrow. Not sure I'm quite ready though! But I'm happy I was able to take time off. It's been really nice. Wednesday I tried to clean the house, and I started on my birthday cake. Thursday I spent with one of my friends. We walked and shopped, had dinner out. Got comped desserts, though we didn't say anything about my birthday. The things you can get when you wink at the server (thanks to my friend!). He brought us a white chocolate cheesecake with an Oreo crust and a flourless chocolate slice. Both were more wedges than slices though. My parents mailed me gifts, which arrived as early as yesterday and I'm still waiting for one. I was quite tempted to open it, but I waited until today. As I took photos of my presents I got a little sad. I wish that they were here to celebrate with me. I'm surrou...
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