tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81547352024-03-13T09:32:53.797-07:00The Sweet LifeMy life on a dessert plate.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-38417408033426198982018-05-21T10:10:00.001-07:002018-05-21T10:10:47.337-07:00Um, Hello?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">White chocolate olive oil cream, red wine poached and fresh apples, cinnamon arlettes, celery, and toasted oat ice cream</span></div>
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Hello, hello?<br />
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*taps microphone<br />
<br />
Is this thing on?<br />
<br />
*mic feedback<br />
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Wow. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm pretty sure you're glad to know I haven't died or anything, right? Things were getting a little crazy for me and I was second guessing my career choice. People always tell you to do what you love, follow your passion, but they don't tell you about the rest of it.<br />
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Please bear with me as I try to get all of the cobwebs out of this thing and see what I have to work with.<br />
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2013 - Now.<br />
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A lot has happened in 5 years. I've changed jobs, and my dessert plating style has changed a lot. Currently, I'm sitting on my couch, it's raining outside and from the 10th floor, it seems the world has disappeared. The fog insulates me as I hear the raindrops, the slosh of traffic driving through soaked streets, the keys on my MacBook click and pause between thoughts, and oddly, my cat licking her paws clean. There's a lot to reflect on, but most of it can be glossed over.<br />
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Did you know that MacBooks-well, at least this older model-don't use autocorrect like a phone? That I have to capitalize and add punctuation as I type?<br />
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Highlights? After that last post, I changed jobs to go work for an exclusive club. The best thing about my time there was making dessert for President Barack Obama. I heard his voice as they passed through the kitchen on their way out, and of course I froze and didn't ask for a photo, because, I'm so frigging cool, right?<br />
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After that I left for North Pond restaurant, a Michelin starred establishment. I worked there briefly before quitting. It was a short, but interesting ride.<br />
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And here I am. Sitting on the couch, trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my working life. Because I don't want to work 70 hours a week, 14 hours a day as a one woman team anymore. I don't want anyone exploiting my labor anymore. Because I want to make great desserts and have a team of people to work with, to share my knowledge and learn from while having a better quality of life.<br />
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I'm cooking so much at home these days. I'm experimenting with sourdough baking. I'm enjoying going to the farmers markets and cooking what I crave these days.<br />
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I'm trying to get back to myself during this downtime. To make food for food's sake instead of making money for people who do less work and feed that elite 1% because they can afford it.<br />
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I'm very fortunate that I've lived a life accumulating skills in a world to me I never expected. I did the office jobs, the retail jobs, the boring, expected-of-you jobs. But then I went to pastry school and started working in restaurants and absorbed everything I could from everyone I worked with. And now I can basically cook almost anything I want to. It's intrinsic for me.<br />
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Although I created this blog to chronicle my journey through my life as a pasty cook and chef, I think I'll start posting the meals I cook and what I learn about bread making. I'll try to post recipes, but don't get upset that they're not exactly measured. I don't measure as I cook, but I'll give you an estimate, some direction, and faith that you can figure it out as you go.<br />
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Thanks for reading.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-4925224644017991162013-04-16T21:49:00.000-07:002013-04-16T21:49:00.337-07:00My Famous S'mores Tarts!Are on the Time Out Chicago's Eat Out Awards photos!!! I'm including a link below.<br />
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<a href="http://timeoutchicago.com/restaurants-bars/16197946/eat-out-awards-2013-photos" target="_blank">Eat Out Awards for 2013</a>. Now you'll have to scroll over to the 4th photo, I think. And then they pop up again later in the slideshow. Kinda proud of these simple beauties!<br />
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Other than creating famous pastries, I'm training for my first 5 mile run on May 5. Yes, you read that right, I'm running the Cinco de Miler, baby! with my friend Jennifer. Then, on May 18, we're running the Zombie Shuffle. We plan to run another Hot Chocolate 5K in November, and I'm hoping to sign up for a run on my birthday. Interesting way to celebrate.<br />
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So, in order to see photos of my tarts, check out the link!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-23558132594469013112013-03-03T12:58:00.000-08:002013-03-03T12:58:37.476-08:00You Bake Cakes All Day?Yes, I bake cakes all day. I get to bake what I want, when I want. It's a lot like those Food Network shows, I'm all fresh and dewy, never sweaty or stressed. I never work so hard I can barely move the next day.<br />
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You think what I do is glamourous? Hahaha! Let me tell you some of the things that they don't tell you about what I do. When I see ads for culinary schools, and see culinary students, I want to stop them on the street and tell them that it's all bullshit. Whatever the admissions counselor told them ain't crap.<br />
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Nobody ever told me that my passion would be pushed aside by babysitting duties. Or that I'll have to teach the same people the same skills every day, and then, one day, before they've mastered the basics, or consistency (what's that?), they'll be asking for a raise because they've worked for you for x amount of months.<br />
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Or that my passion would be smothered by a pile of papers, emails, sticky-notes of reminders and recipe notes, and adjustments, ideas, thoughts, quick questions scribbled on scraps of paper only to be forgotten 45 minutes later.<br />
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They never tell you that you're dried up and too tired to create the new menu ideas that A. needs for her internal events and that they're all more special than the other clients.<br />
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Or new items for the Cafe.<br />
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That you'll come in one day and find that the same person didn't bake the blondies correctly. That an entire sheet pan will be lost because the bottoms are all raw. This is Baking 101, are you kidding me?<br />
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Nor are you told about last-minute changes, or guest increases until 24-2 hours before the event, so you feel like you're making the same mise en place all day long, because a few more people just decided to show up at the last minute. Or choose or change their menu at the last minute. And we need to make them happy so that they book their gala with us . . .<br />
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What? Nobody ordered that stuff you've been asking for for a week now? We're out of flour? Butter? Sugar?<br />
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The plates that you spoke about at that meeting last week-the one you have every week with catering managers, FOH, BOH, operations, so everybody is on the same page-those dishes never got ordered, so your staff has to wait around until they come in. Time and labor lost.<br />
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Party is running late, so you have to stay. You'll have to try to leave early tomorrow so you don't go past your 40 hours.<br />
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You go in on your day off to correct something that wasn't made right the first time. And try to figure out how to leave early, because there. Is. No. Overtime.<br />
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You have to cut your labor. Staff complains that they're not getting hours. Then you schedule them, but they can't work those hours. Suck it up. Either you work, or you don't.<br />
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You're constantly interrupted to take care of things for your staff, because they are your customers and you need to make sure their needs are met. You spend precious time goose-chasing, as someone tells you it's not their job, go see so-and-so. But I'm never allowed to say that it's not my job.<br />
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And that par stock information that you typed up voluntarily to help train the people who did the ordering before we hired the new purchasing manager? Can you please re-create that in Excel? By March? Thanks!<br />
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The constant meetings. Where you're told that more is expected of you.<br />
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Ah, yes, the General Manager comes by and tells you at the last minute that he needs 3 dozen cupcakes for his son's birthday. Add that to the list.<br />
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And yet another day goes by that I didn't get to test a recipe for an event. My to-do list is just re-written with more stuff added.<br />
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I'm tired. I don't sleep at night, and when I do, it's often work-mares. The latest one? None of my cooks showed up and there is a party for tonight we didn't have the information for and it's for 200 people and I have to make everything and nothing is working out. Cakes aren't baking, mousses aren't setting.<br />
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My dreams of being a pastry chef slip through my fingers like sand most days lately. Then, I'll get a so good magazine or look at my pastry books and am reminded of what I love about this industry. I marvel at others' talent and think about how far I need to go. I'll gain inspiration through these pastry masters, grab my iPad to record my ideas, and sketch my desserts and I feel hope in those quiet, fleeting moments. Or I'll have a great meal and am moved by what the cooks express through careful skill. Then I catch my 3 hours of sleep before heading into the trenches.<br />
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This is reality.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-82123640967904254412012-10-12T06:58:00.000-07:002013-03-03T12:58:50.912-08:00Pastry Family Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the challenges that I face with my staff is that they tend to slow down and become nervous when given a new recipe, whether it is for something as simple a new cookie, or something a little more complex. For instance, I gave a recipe to one of my newer cooks, J. It listed the ingredients, listed cooking methods, and combining the components. When it came time to finishing the recipe, it said "Put the pastry cream into the robot coupe and add the chevre." She turned to me and asked if she had missed something. "Where is the pastry cream? It's not listed in the ingredients." she asked. I then had to show her that the first part of the recipe is making a pastry cream with the first few ingredients.<br />
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I suppose part of me knew that they are not aware of what they are making on a daily basis or why. That they just look at ingredients listed and methods and don't think about it. That they were just blindly trying to get through prep lists and go home. Just getting through the day. Often I'm not really aware that others in the kitchen aren't like myself, constantly thinking through a recipe, no matter how many times I've done it.<br />
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So, in an effort to teach my staff about the whys and hows of cooking and pastry, I started having a one-on-one conversation with one of the most recently hired pastry cooks about the Pastry Family Tree.<br />
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Just as in savory, pastry has an intricate lineage running through our recipes that can be traced back to Mother Sauce(s). The most basic begins with Creme Anglaise. Being a custard, it is the matriarch of many of pastry's creations, from sauces, other custards, to bases for bavarians, or mousses. Changing the ratio of ingredients, and sometimes, adding other components, you can create a variety of items, as well as learn how changing the cooking methods are a way of getting those ingredients to react to one another differently to effect different results.<br />
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The Anglaise method is basically heating your liquids (milk, cream) and tempering it into a yolk and sugar mixture, returning this to your pot and cooking this mixture on the stovetop to 77ºC - 85ºC.<br />
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If you were to add cornstarch to the Anglaise - keeping the same method of cooking it on the stovetop - you have pastry cream.<br />
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If you temper the hot liquids into the yolks, strain, and pour it into ramekins and bake it in the oven in a water bath, you have creme brulee (and pots de creme, etc.). You have changed the cooking method to a baked custard.<br />
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If you add whole eggs and bake the custard, you have a flan.<br />
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If you spin your cold Anglaise in an ice cream machine, you have ice cream.<br />
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I was teaching E. about how to make Italian Meringue Buttercream. A recent graduate of French Pastry School, she has not had much experience in the field, other than baking for friends and family. While at the mixer, we explored the branch of the Meringue family tree.<br />
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Italian Meringue is basically egg whites, whipped until light and fluffy, then a sugar syrup (heated to a certain temperature) is added to stabilize it.<br />
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Add butter, and you have Italian Meringue Buttercream.<br />
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Add bloomed and melted gelatin, and you have marshmallows.<br />
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Fold your Italian Meringue into a base of almond flour, powdered sugar and liquid whites, you have French macarons.<br />
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Change the components of the syrup and the ratio of syrup to egg whites, and you have marshmallow fluff.<br />
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Now, if you marry Pastry Cream, gelatin, and Italian Meringue, you have a chiboust.<br />
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It's been interesting talking to E. about how these things are all interconnected and how changes create new things. I tell my staff, there is no "new recipe" but just the same methods, and often the same ingredients in different ratios.<br />
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Recipes are guidelines. They are reminders of how just much and what you need to make a particular item. Learning the actual methods and what to look for - "When is it done?" "When it's done!" - instead of sticking strictly to cooking time, for instance, you learn about the chemistry and the hows and the whys. You must always be present, aware, and you must think when cooking and baking. There are so many variables that recipes don't cover, such as an oven running hotter or cooler, gas versus electric stoves, and climate changes, that you need to learn to recognize what is going on with what you're making. The fact that so many family recipes are passed down the each new generation by learning <i>with</i> someone makes more sense than just inheriting a recipe box.<br />
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It's not always easy getting people to think and learn. It's not always easy to take the time to teach someone methods. Some days you spend putting out more fires than guiding your staff. Some people are actually just working for a paycheck, while others, like E., are interested in learning what's behind the written recipe. I'm looking forward to introducing the rest of my staff to the Pastry Family Tree and hope that I am able to reach them and teach them what I know. I understand that it is a process and that I have to learn to be patient with myself - many times the things that come easily to me, these things that I take for granted - won't come easily to others. And I have to be patient to those who are not as much of a pastry nerd as I am and try to find a way to reach them as well.<br />
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Next time you're making brownies, a cake, or even a soup, think about what's going on in front of you. If you have time - when you have time - experiment a little and see what happens. You may find a delightful surprise in a recipe you've used for years.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-45709456866544839972012-07-15T17:32:00.000-07:002012-07-16T09:34:43.946-07:00Pickled Cherries!I just got back from Ace Hardware with a dozen 4 oz jars with lids!<br />
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Exciting, I know.<br />
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It's cherry season again! And seeing that I still have brandied cherries in my fridge (apparently I don't drink enough cocktails!), I decided to make pickled cherries this year. I made some at work for our cherry inspired dessert on the McKinlock Court menu, so I figured why not make some at home and . . . try canning them! And of course, give them away as gifts.<br />
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The following recipe is sort of a template in that you can substitute as needed. For instance, I didn't have any cider vinegar, so I used champagne vinegar instead. I also didn't have any cloves, but I had some wine muddling spices left over from winter and since it's mostly cloves, I used that instead. Feel free to substitute whatever you want that complements your fruit. I made a little over twice this recipe (2.31 times to be exact) and had enough to fill twelve 4 oz jars and one.<br />
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<b>Pickling Syrup</b><br />
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116 grams cider vinegar<br />
116 grams ice wine vinegar<br />
116 grams rice vinegar<br />
1/2 tsp. cloves, whole<br />
1/2 tsp. pink peppercorns<br />
1 ea star anise<br />
2 ea cinnamon sticks<br />
90 grams light brown sugar<br />
fresh cherries (or any fruit, really), pitted (I cut mine in half)<br />
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Prep your jars. This is the first time I've tried this, so I consulted a lot of websites and blogs just to get a better understanding of the process.<br />
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Bring vinegars and sugar to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.<br />
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Distribute spices into jars. I used the small 4 oz jars, so I broke my cinnamon sticks and star anise and divided everything else.<br />
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Pack your cherries into your jars, not too tight, leaving room at the top.<br />
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Pour hot vinegar into jars, leaving space at the top (the suggested size was 1/2", but again, since I was using smaller jars, I gauged it between 1/2-1/4").<br />
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Screw the lids on "finger tight" or until it starts to tighten, but not all the way. From what I understand, if you tighten it all the way, the air won't escape which creates the vacuum.<br />
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Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove from pot and let sit at room temperature to cool.<br />
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Check seals after cooling. (I asked my mom about this because as I was removing the jars from the water, they hissed at me and I took this as a good sign that they were "vacuuming" and, well, let's just say the conversation got me nervous because I tend to over-think things. But they've all "popped" and are concave, so I'm taking that as a good sign).<br />
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I would suggest that if you give these away, caution people that you have loose spices in the jar, so that no one bites down on anything hard. Also, if you choose not to cut your cherries in half, also advise that they may contain pits!<br />
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I'm quite excited to see the results of my efforts. I will definitely add these cherries to my cheese plates and salads. Maybe even chop them up and add herbs and cheese and serve with a white fish.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-84509241880571952652012-05-19T18:29:00.000-07:002012-05-19T18:29:46.503-07:00Raspberry Cream PuffSeems cream puffs are all the rage these days. At least among the chefs I admire.<br />
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I remembered something from my days back at Trump when my pastry chef Hichem was working on pate a choux with a "streusel" top. He had conversations with a French chef, and experimented at work. I'm not sure if he was testing the other chef's recipes, or if they were sharing ideas and working on a technique. But in any event, I used this technique for my Raspberry Cream Puff, one of the new desserts at AIC. I got the recipe, which I call cassonade dough, from a French recipe.<br />
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I rather like these, though they're becoming more commonplace at many bakeries and restaurants across the US. But at least I can say that I was a witness during the development stage!<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Raspberry Cream Puff</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Raspberry Cream, Lemon Curd, St Germain Chia Seeds, </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Micro Lemon Balm, Freeze-Dried Raspberries</span></i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-90781725331148774302012-05-02T13:52:00.001-07:002012-05-02T13:52:26.189-07:00Chocolate & Brandied Cherry Thumbprint CookiesBaking cookies for a bake sale. Instead of baking something new, I'm going back to cookies I baked last <a href="http://mochene.blogspot.com/2011/12/making-christmas.html" target="_blank">Christmas</a> for friends.<br />
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I can't recall where exactly I got this recipe, but I'm sure if I wasn't lazy, I could do a "Google" and find the original and tell you where I got it. But, seeing that it is 12:22 and I've only my second dozen cookies in the oven and that I haven't been feeling too well lately, I'm hoping that you'll let me off the hook. In any event, the recipe isn't mine, and the idea isn't original, but I'm filling the "thumbprints" with ganache, and a brandied cherry half-the cherries I brandied myself a couple of years ago.<br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">226<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">butter</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">272</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sugar</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 tsp</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vanilla paste</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">40<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">yolks</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">115</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dutch cocoa</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 tsp</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salt</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">272</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">flour</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">30<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> grams </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cream</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cream together room temperature butter and sugar, with vanilla paste. Add yolks, scraping after adding and mix until incorporated. Add sifted dries, then cream, mixing until dough comes together.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Allow dough to rest. You may chill the dough, but tonight I let it rest on the counter. Yes, laziness overruled.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I portioned my cookies with a #60 scoop, rolled them into balls, rolled the balls in sugar, lined them up, 12 to a half sheet pan lined with a Silpat. I gently flattened each cookie with the palm of my hand, then used the handle of a spoon to make my indentions in the center.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">According to my gas oven, at 350ºF, I baked the cookies for 12 minutes, turned, re-pressing the centers gently, then baked them another 5 minutes. You'll have to adjust according to your oven, but the cookies should be set in the center, not doughy.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the ganache I simply used dark chocolate and heavy cream with a 2:1 ratio. I filled the centers, gently pressed half a cherry in and let them set.</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-27006940914291150342012-05-02T13:48:00.000-07:002012-05-02T13:50:59.038-07:00Milk Tea Mousse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNyT7fdKipY/T6Gbbts-3GI/AAAAAAAAAYo/L-yGLnDV4CQ/s1600/Milk+Tea+Mousse++705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNyT7fdKipY/T6Gbbts-3GI/AAAAAAAAAYo/L-yGLnDV4CQ/s320/Milk+Tea+Mousse++705.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Milk Tea Mousse, milk chocolate almond biscuit, sesame streusel, blackberries, micro lemon basil, bubble sugar</i></span></div>
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I made this for the Woman's Board lunch on Tuesday. I will be serving it this Thursday as a dessert option in the Member's Lounge. I'll be adding a sauce, either blackberry, or a tea caramel (or blackberry tea caramel?).<br />
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This dessert replaced another one they originally wanted; they grew tired of creme brulees. I used to drink milk tea when I visited Chinatown with my friend, and so, it evolved into a dessert. I tried to think of many ways to keep a pure tea taste and ended up using one of my white chocolate mousse recipes. Worked out very well.<br />
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Once I get the sauce down, I'll repost another photo.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-33681869328255517662012-04-22T20:13:00.000-07:002012-04-22T20:13:05.922-07:00Peanuts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKsI0rfvg74/T5TITOYcO8I/AAAAAAAAAYg/f2qybW34scQ/s1600/525507_10150827601651869_677906868_11670974_828412680_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wKsI0rfvg74/T5TITOYcO8I/AAAAAAAAAYg/f2qybW34scQ/s320/525507_10150827601651869_677906868_11670974_828412680_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Working on items for our Small Plates restaurant this season and piped these guys. They were supposed to be eclairs, but they shrank into little peanut shapes (they were supposed to be minis for this platter on Wednesday . . . but, whatever, these are much better!). So, instead of getting discouraged, I got excited, made some peanut butter cream, filled them, put them in a bowl and shared them with coworkers. The best bowl of peanuts, hands down! Best of all, no messy shells to sweep up and toss.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-49030602621698023112011-12-22T09:20:00.000-08:002011-12-22T09:20:44.296-08:00Making ChristmasCan you believe that Christmas is <i>this</i> Sunday? Neither can I!<br />
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I've been a busy little elf, and after the Cookie Swap, I've been inspired to carry on with the cookie and candy making.<br />
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For my pastry team, I bought oven mitts and stuffed them with little treasures:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZopfYjtlYU/TvNf9H5foYI/AAAAAAAAAXY/iN8y55EnNWg/s1600/Stockings2++689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZopfYjtlYU/TvNf9H5foYI/AAAAAAAAAXY/iN8y55EnNWg/s200/Stockings2++689.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8TcpS7Hq250/TvNf8G3dQ5I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/cNTvdPNv3p0/s1600/Stockings++688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8TcpS7Hq250/TvNf8G3dQ5I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/cNTvdPNv3p0/s200/Stockings++688.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<br />
And for friends and "chosen family" I made coffee caramels, nougat, more <a href="http://mochene.blogspot.com/2011/12/cookie-swap.html" target="_blank">Spiced Cookies with Cranberry Jam and Jivara</a>, and <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/281540/chocolate-thumbprints" target="_blank">Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies</a> with ganache and brandied cherries!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOXB9Pqtg9c/TvNgcmGwE6I/AAAAAAAAAXk/pgWY495UXL8/s1600/Chocolate+Thumbprints++691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOXB9Pqtg9c/TvNgcmGwE6I/AAAAAAAAAXk/pgWY495UXL8/s200/Chocolate+Thumbprints++691.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Chocolate thumbprints filled with ganache and brandied cherries!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3y_XwF7dnw/TvNgmY5zlSI/AAAAAAAAAYM/ZXZc3JtdclQ/s1600/Spiced+Cookies+Filling++690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3y_XwF7dnw/TvNgmY5zlSI/AAAAAAAAAYM/ZXZc3JtdclQ/s200/Spiced+Cookies+Filling++690.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Filling the spiced cookies.</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFe39MtWPwI/TvNgi_YZv0I/AAAAAAAAAX8/Jqq63R7LV58/s1600/Cookie+Tins++693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFe39MtWPwI/TvNgi_YZv0I/AAAAAAAAAX8/Jqq63R7LV58/s200/Cookie+Tins++693.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cookie and candy tins!</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq7YvzrRQDc/TvNggp9P8oI/AAAAAAAAAX0/8fqPw3-wmhE/s1600/Cookie+Bags++695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq7YvzrRQDc/TvNggp9P8oI/AAAAAAAAAX0/8fqPw3-wmhE/s200/Cookie+Bags++695.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cookie Bags!</i></span></div>
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I hope everyone has a happy holiday! Merry Christmas and I'll see you in the new year!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-73881703239960309602011-12-13T05:24:00.000-08:002011-12-15T03:12:02.507-08:00Cookie Swap!Let me preface this post by stating that I woke up at 2 am and realized that I didn't post this, nor did I send my link in to be added to the round up. But that's not why I woke up that early. Lately I sleep about 4 hours a night, and wake up at 2-ish and am up the rest of the night. One day I was up for 25 hours straight, but that's another story. On to the cookies!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aw2X_vGYDlY/TunT2AYjk_I/AAAAAAAAAWM/yX9gwKlZ1BU/s1600/jxhg3Md1Kra7c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aw2X_vGYDlY/TunT2AYjk_I/AAAAAAAAAWM/yX9gwKlZ1BU/s320/jxhg3Md1Kra7c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I did something I normally don't do. I participated in something. I joined a cookie swap and baked three dozen cookies, mailed them, and waited for cookies to arrive. Three dozen.<br />
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I wanted to do something a little different than what I've baked in the previous years. I also wanted to send something a little special; something festive and fancy for the occasion. I made Spiced Cookies with Cranberry Jam drizzled with Jivara Milk Chocolate, an adapted a recipe, from Epicurious. You can get the original recipe <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orange-Cardamom-Cookies-240927" target="_blank">here</a>. Instead of sandwiching the cookies with Jivara ganache as usual, I decided that cranberry jam would be more seasonal and festive. I added the chocolate drizzle as an additional component, as well as to make them pretty.<br />
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Unfortunately, on the day of mailing, I was in a huge rush to get the cookies shipped. Usually I'm off on Sundays and Mondays, but this particular week I worked on a Monday. I figured I would have time to get home, pack the cookies and get to the post office. Haha, the joke was on me, because the plan went a way off course. We had a dinner party of 300+ and the tart shells weren't delivered until the afternoon, causing me to have to stay an extra hour to get the desserts done and plated. Then, there was some sort of problem on the red line so they had to shut down the line, and provide shuttle service for certain stops. There was a SWAT team involved (found out later that one suspect was apprehended, but I can't remember if they caught the other guy). We stopped at each station for about 10 minutes, and just before my stop, we were in the tunnel for some time, which meant I got home at 6:00, when it's usually a 7 minute commute! Flustered, I rushed home to pack the cookies, only to find that the tins were a little smaller than my dozen cookies, so I went to Walgreens to buy substitutes. Ended up shipping from the UPS store just as they were closing. I won't go into itemizing, but I have to say, I was in sticker shock!<br />
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I had a couple of cookies left over, and I have to say that they are better the next day. The cookies are softer and the flavors get to know each other.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVLpUsySCiM/TunTCClhi7I/AAAAAAAAAWE/fmMsDwAmClg/s1600/Cookies++687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QVLpUsySCiM/TunTCClhi7I/AAAAAAAAAWE/fmMsDwAmClg/s320/Cookies++687.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Spiced Cookies with Cranberry Jam and Jivara Chocolate</b><br />
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<b>Cookie Dough</b><br />
226 grams butter<br />
164 grams sugar<br />
20 grams egg yolk (1 each)<br />
4 grams spices*<br />
6 grams salt<br />
324 grams flour<br />
30 grams cream<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
Cream together room temperature butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolk and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl.<br />
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Sift dries and add while mixing on low. Add cream and mix until dough comes together. Scrape dough onto plastic and flatten into a disc. This helps when rolling out the dough.<br />
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Let chill for about half an hour.<br />
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Roll out the dough between parchment paper and cut shapes. Bake 350º F until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*I created my own spice mix for the holidays and used it for this recipe. I didn't measure, but I used cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, ground black pepper (you can use white, I just didn't have any on hand). You can create your own spice mix or buy one.</span><br />
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<b>Cranberry Jam</b><br />
340 grams cranberries<br />
166 grams sugar<br />
128 grams water<br />
zest of one medium orange (peel in strips with a vegetable peeler)<br />
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Combine in a pot and cook on medium heat until the water simmers and the berries start to pop. Reduce heat until all berries are soft. Remove the zest and blend with an immersion blender or use your blender until smooth. Pour into a dish and cover the surface with plastic and let cool.<br />
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Once cookies and jam are cooled, turn over half of the cookies and pipe on the jam. Spread with an offset spatula or a knife and top with another cookie.<br />
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Melt milk chocolate and thin it out with a little flavorless oil, such as canola or vegetable, until it is thin enough to drizzle. Fill a piping bag and drizzle over cookies in a zig-zag pattern. Let set.<br />
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Store air-tight.<br />
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I honestly don't know the shelf-life of these cookies.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-89837058242041918632011-12-04T22:53:00.002-08:002020-06-27T15:11:39.908-07:00Long Time, No SeeI realize that I haven't posted anything in a long time. It's been difficult because of work, and I haven't been inspired to do anything. And if one waits for inspiration, well, one waits for a while.<br />
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I am participating in a cookie swap! Yes, me! And I shopped, prepped, made, baked, cooled, assembled, drizzled, and shot some hasty flash-lit (horrendous I know, but it is night, and we've had cloudy days for more than a week!) shots in one day! This week my off days are split, and they have to be shipped tomorrow. So, after work, I'll rush back home to pack and ship.<br />
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I can't say much more about the cookies, but until I can post about them, here are a few shots from work and other items.<br />
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Desserts from the Twelve Plates of Christmas at the Art Institute of Chicago's Small Plates in<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times", "times new roman", serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times", "times new roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/restaurants.html">McKinlock Court</a>. There are four savory courses, drinks, and a surprise at the end!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuVEcPEGGDY/Ttxs2vRat-I/AAAAAAAAAVM/mHIPfqrmy0s/s1600/Cranberry+Mousse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuVEcPEGGDY/Ttxs2vRat-I/AAAAAAAAAVM/mHIPfqrmy0s/s320/Cranberry+Mousse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Cranberry mousse, pistachio dacquoise, cranberry gastrique</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(I plan to add a layer of cranberry gelee for color and to boost the cranberry flavor)</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNkcUVxwnPw/Ttxs7MO25oI/AAAAAAAAAVs/F_tNAa3LufU/s1600/Macaron+Ornament.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNkcUVxwnPw/Ttxs7MO25oI/AAAAAAAAAVs/F_tNAa3LufU/s320/Macaron+Ornament.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> French Macaron Ornament-Cherry chocolate ganache, or pistachio (green shell)</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uY1IVN1lmkw/Ttxs8HHC66I/AAAAAAAAAV0/0rTaoMlTUI8/s1600/Pumpkin+Cremeux.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uY1IVN1lmkw/Ttxs8HHC66I/AAAAAAAAAV0/0rTaoMlTUI8/s320/Pumpkin+Cremeux.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Pumpkin cremeux, spiced streusel, chantilly</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAJLXPWI9jU/Ttxs3mEsLDI/AAAAAAAAAVU/3hkzi7vARvs/s1600/Dear+Santa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAJLXPWI9jU/Ttxs3mEsLDI/AAAAAAAAAVU/3hkzi7vARvs/s320/Dear+Santa.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Santa's Cookie Plate</span></i></div>
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Gingerbread house on display in the <a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/restaurants.html">Garden Cafe</a>:</div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Gingerbread House</span></i></div>
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And some macaron shells I'm proud of!<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WPAHaYfB8Mo/Ttxs8RVUSAI/AAAAAAAAAV8/blNjv-OBXTk/s1600/Green+Mac+Shells.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WPAHaYfB8Mo/Ttxs8RVUSAI/AAAAAAAAAV8/blNjv-OBXTk/s320/Green+Mac+Shells.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></span></i></div>
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Green macaron shells for this Thursday!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-73142522790945373112011-09-24T23:09:00.000-07:002011-09-24T23:15:10.670-07:00The Docent's 50th Anniversary Gala<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QKBoK-1Gp1M/Tn6-ef4_vTI/AAAAAAAAAVI/XcpkMXDsY7M/s1600/Docent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QKBoK-1Gp1M/Tn6-ef4_vTI/AAAAAAAAAVI/XcpkMXDsY7M/s320/Docent.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The Art Institute of Chicago decided to throw a gala for their docent's 50th year and I was asked to create a golden dessert for their golden anniversary. I mulled it over for a very long time before I came up with this: Valrhona Manjari mousse with passion fruit gelee (inside), olive oil feuilletine layer between the mousse and chocolate cake, "golden" chocolate sauce and "golden" chocolate decor, and "golden" honey. Did I mention that I had to make 340 of these desserts? That it would be featured in the restaurant upstairs?<br />
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So I met with Chef M and explained my flavor profiles and what direction I was going in. She told me that the passion fruit would not be used, as they only served seasonal items in the restaurant. I was mostly using the passion fruit because it was golden in color, as well as for an acidic balance to the rich dark chocolate. Also, you really don't find a lot of yellow-hued fruits in the fall. So, we decided to use caped gooseberries for the garnish. I was fine with that (sort of, I mean, have you really tasted a caped gooseberry?). And absolutely <b><i>NO GOLD</i></b> would be on the plate <b><i>AT ALL</i></b>!! Well, I thought that a bit odd, seeing as how, after all, we were celebrating a "Golden Anniversary." Fast forward to the actual gala. I'm busting out 350 of these bad boys for the gala all by myself. Short staffed as I possibly could be, exhausted, with a sinus infection starting in (apparently ragweed and mold spores are high right now), lack of sleep and proper food. I'm dreaming about these desserts, I'm so stressed. I get through the event, not quite happy with the result. See, we often have to use cooks from other accounts, many of whom do not have any pastry experience. So, of course, plating is off, there is no consistency, some of them are a big "bruised," etc. Exhausted, but not quite dead, I go in the next morning at 6AM to prep the mousses without the insert (since I really didn't want to stay any later that night) and make sure that they had the mise upstairs for their lunch service. I'd sent an email to the chefs letting them know that I would be up to go over it with the staff. When I take everything upstairs, I'm told that the chef is in the pre-shift meeting and that they are not starting the dessert until tomorrow, seeing that it was so "last minute." Last minute my Aunt Fanny! I wasn't too happy, no wait, I was pissed! I'm losing sleep over this! Fast forward to today when I am told that Chef M. has decided to come up with her "own" concept of the idea, creating recipes so that I won't have to do the "work," like they're doing me a favor. I politely told the Sous that I had already started prep on the dessert and asked that they use those since they are already done. "Ok," (again with the favors!) was the reply. The dessert had been created and the recipes are in place. So, after it is all said and done, it will <i>not</i> be <i>my</i> dessert featured in the restaurant-f*ck-you-very-much-and I have no idea what they have come up with (even after I asked to be included in the process). This, after the announcement at the gala that my dessert would be on the menu in the restaurant and that for every one sold, $1 will go to the Docent Program.<br />
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So here I am, vacillating between being very angry (how dare she be so disrespectful!!), and trying to learn to let go (don't be such a Petty Betty!). I feel I have been treated in an unprofessional and rude manner. I have done everything possible to make this easy for them, including doing the prep for the dessert.<br />
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The photo posted is the one on the publications for the museum. Maybe that will change too, but it is the original dessert.<br />
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So that's where I am right now.<br />
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Oh well, on to the next project!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-70049485368112606892011-07-07T20:40:00.000-07:002011-07-07T20:40:08.854-07:00Summer UpdateI haven't posted in ages.<br />
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I'm waiting for my grain rice mix to cook.<br />
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I'm trying to condense these past couple of months into a post without going overboard.<br />
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I had a birthday. Ate at <a href="http://www.sepiachicago.com/">Sepia</a> and had a wonderful time.<br />
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Enjoyed a tasting menu at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Aviary/116137495084710?sk=info">Aviary</a>. Had a wonderful time.<br />
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Worked about 70-80 hours a week for about a month. Short-staffed. Frustrated. Exhausted. Don't remember much.<br />
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Got a dessert published on BizBash.<br />
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Changed the desserts in Small Plates.<br />
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Wait? What? Go back? Which part did you miss?<br />
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Many things have been happening at work and not having enough people to do the work has been tough, but I've been pretty well-seasoned from working at NoMI and Trump to be able to "make it happen." We are <i>finally</i> having a slow week, and I have <i>finally</i> had two days off in a week (in a row even!), and am catching up on rest and am getting bored. Cafe items is up to par stock. Banquets and Small Plates is just about up to par stock.<br />
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Did I tell you I had to write someone up? First time, and I took it pretty poorly, if you ask me. You would have thought I was the one in trouble. But enough about that.<br />
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Remember that dessert <a href="http://mochene.blogspot.com/2011/04/duets-new-adventures.html">duet</a> I did for a tasting a while back? Well, that same dessert was shot and published on <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/">BizBash</a>! When the catering manager for the group told me the news, she was so excited! When I got the link from her, I immediately forwarded it to my parents. I'm still in shock! It's shot from the back, but still . . . My first bit of "publicity"! Woot! Check out the slideshow <a href="http://www.bizbash.com/golden_spiders_inspire_intimate_art_institute_dinner/chicago/story/20885">here</a>. It's the last photo.<br />
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Last, but not least, here are the shots of the new desserts for Small Plates. Please excuse the hastily shot iPhone pics.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vK00sklkKU/ThPXnC3AnCI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Eq0LcCvDOQw/s1600/Poppy+Seed+Cake++646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vK00sklkKU/ThPXnC3AnCI/AAAAAAAAAUA/Eq0LcCvDOQw/s320/Poppy+Seed+Cake++646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Poppy Seed Cake, Yuzu Curd, Fresh Blueberries, Caramelized Honey Ale Sauce</span></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7YM90b7oS9M/ThPXp8LYiFI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bdN86ktswII/s1600/Yogurt+Mousse++645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7YM90b7oS9M/ThPXp8LYiFI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bdN86ktswII/s320/Yogurt+Mousse++645.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Yogurt Mousse, Rhubarb Compote, Oat Groat Crisp, Micro Basil, Tuile</span></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ASFm4K2uKa8/ThPXslp-qsI/AAAAAAAAAUI/OliX185RDz8/s1600/Chocolate+Tart++644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ASFm4K2uKa8/ThPXslp-qsI/AAAAAAAAAUI/OliX185RDz8/s320/Chocolate+Tart++644.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Chocolate Tart, Chocolate Sable, Caramelized Cocoa Nibs and Hazelnuts, Chantilly Cream</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-90612054241484030372011-04-27T20:08:00.000-07:002011-04-27T20:08:20.758-07:00Spring?Today the company executives came for an all-day meeting. They had the Continental breakfast, lunch, and cookies for afternoon break. I started creating this dessert on Friday, and finished execution today. I have to say that this is the first dessert I have been happy with upon completion. Usually I find fault with my desserts almost immediately after plating and sending it out. Even my Chef was very pleased. The execs were impressed and I got great feedback!<br />
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I am calling it Spring? temporarily because for the most part, it has been grey, rainy, and chilly and it's almost May! I can't wait for the days to warm up and the farmers markets to be open! I am excited to get out and buy local produce again and cook fresh veggies and fruits! The browns are earth tones, and the muted green of the lime "caviar" and the tender leaves of the micro basil are tentative signs of approaching spring weather.<br />
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Originally I had planned and was finally excited to use finger limes. I'd read about them over a year ago, and tasted one brought in by a vendor as a sample to Trump when I worked there. But, unfortunately, the crops aren't doing well, so they are not available, though their season has technically started. Instead, I broke out my reverse spherification kit and made lime "caviar" instead. I had researched the method thoroughly, and was able to get it right the first time! I loved giving people samples and watching their faces as the little pearls burst in their mouth, little squirts of fresh lime juice surprising them! The texture of the cremeux was spot on, but I wanted to firm it up a little more so that it would not crack while being transported on the speed rack to the banquet room, but without compromising the creaminess too much. The only thing I would change-now that I think of it-is I would glaze the cremeux next time, instead of using a chocolate spray. When thawing, the cremeux shrank a little, pulling away from the spray "shell" which cracked some. I finally used the coupe bowls, a new dish for us. They're petty cool, asymmetrical in shape with the back of the bowl higher than the front.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fW6ZSJsrgS8/TbjTvykcOkI/AAAAAAAAAT8/ZJG3NRBdKYQ/s1600/Spring%253F++642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fW6ZSJsrgS8/TbjTvykcOkI/AAAAAAAAAT8/ZJG3NRBdKYQ/s320/Spring%253F++642.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Roasted Valrhona Iviore on a Moist Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Soil, Lime Caramel, </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lime "Caviar", Micro Basil, Chocolate Dentelle</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-1451923779042843012011-04-23T09:57:00.000-07:002011-04-23T09:57:30.382-07:00French Brandied Raspberry Clafoutis, and Learning Confidence.Yesterday I did a tasting for a prominent Chicago couple's personal chef. They're having a dinner at our facility for other "prominent people" in the next couple of months. It just so happens that this chef worked at NoMI, but left just before me, so I really don't know him, but I know of him.<br />
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It is one thing to have your boss critique your desserts. After a while you build a relationship and learn each other's style and you learn his/her expectations and you work from there. Tastings for people who are on a committee choosing a menu for the umpteenth gala isn't so bad either. Especially when you are doing something that other banquet facilities don't do. But doing a tasting for another chef is different altogether.<br />
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Chef D introduced me and upon hearing my name, "Chef B" looks at me intently. "Why does that name sound familiar? Did you work at NoMI?" I nodded and we established that he was on his way out as I was on my way in. I made a mental note to ask my other NoMI alum about him. He looked at my plating, pushed the tines of his fork against the sorbet that was resting on a small cookie (to prevent it from sliding around on the plate) before contemplating the clafoutis. He broke the surface slowly, scooped up a bite of the semi-firm custard and ate it. "Perfect." I was speechless, other than a polite "Thank you," of course. A., the catering manager agreed, and kept eating. I don't remember much else other than Chef D coming behind the line asking me to try the extra dessert (I always make one more to choose the best of, to play around with plating, or in case they have a joiner, etc). I returned to the kitchen with my tray and smiled, still a bit in of a daze.<br />
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To have someone in the industry, a peer or higher-up to genuinely compliment one of my desserts means a lot to me. The pastry chef at my last job was convinced that I really couldn't function in her kitchen, though before she started (she replaced the previous chef I learned under) I ran part of the pastry department, and had worked in a 3 1/2 star restaurant before that. Working under someone who has that kind of attitude about you wears on your self-esteem after a while. When you can't prove otherwise in their eyes, it becomes a study in frustration before you're resigned to the fact that you can't change the way that they see you. You then start questioning your skills and talents. Working where I am now has allowed me to learn to trust my instincts and to grow confident in my skills. There are times when I wish I could tell her that I am better than what she thought of me. That I am a chef now, and that people actually like what I can do. But instead, I am learning to find comfort and celebration in the fact that I don't have to let her know these things, that I have already succeeded by not only going beyond her low expectations, but by doing what I love and do best. Validation is better than vindication.<br />
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They wanted a brandied raspberry clafoutis. I only had griottines, French brandied cherries in stock, so I found some French brandy and made my own using a cryovac machine. Basically it vacuumed the air out, filling the "pores" of the raspberries with brandy, infusing them faster. I will use this method for the party, but will do so maybe three days prior to get a better flavor. Very simple menu, simple plating. Simple is not easy, by far. It is more complicated because you can't hide behind a thousand components.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VvEPbi0QWLg/TbMBSG93csI/AAAAAAAAAT4/N8OnG3cpcPA/s1600/Duet++641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VvEPbi0QWLg/TbMBSG93csI/AAAAAAAAAT4/N8OnG3cpcPA/s320/Duet++641.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">French brandied raspberry clafoutis, almond garnish, raspberry sorbet on a basil seed cookie.</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-8449425856340723082011-04-15T17:08:00.000-07:002011-04-15T17:08:26.684-07:00Duets, New AdventuresHello. For those of you still tuning in, I am still alive. I have not won the Lottery and run off to Paris to live blissfully, getting fat on croissants and Paris Brest. I have not been abducted by aliens.<br />
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I have been promoted.<br />
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After returning to work from my trip, I was asked into the office by the Chef de Cuisine. They are happy with what I'm doing, and they wanted to offer me the position of pastry chef, which I accepted. I'm still in shock, and when introduced at tastings as " . . . my pastry chef . . ." It takes a couple of beats for me to realize he's talking about me!<br />
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I'm really enjoying things, as much as I can. We're short-staffed, and I've had people in for interviews, stages, and soon, paperwork. It's quite interesting being on the other side of the interview. It's also a challenge to lead a staff, to monitor and figure out what to do in certain situations. But it's also exciting! I'm looking forward to what my team can do once we're up and running!<br />
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It's been crazy. I've been working 12+ hours a day, and I pulled an 11-day week! We finally have a slow week, one in which I can catch my breath. I'm creating and experimenting, and will be able to use new products soon.<br />
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Through all of this change, I'm reminding myself to find balance. I try to create a balanced dessert; sweet, salty, bitter, sour, creamy, crunchy. But off the plate, I have to create it in other areas. My new position takes me out of the kitchen, with meetings and ordering, building relationships with vendors. I'll soon have an email account, so I will have to make time to check that. I'm fortunate that the catering staff is very easy to communicate with. They come to me with updates and questions, making sure that the details are taken care of. And they also give me great feedback about what everyone likes. Now I have to balance all of this with time in the kitchen, doing the things I really like doing.<br />
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Here's one of the desserts I did for a tasting this past week. The clients wanted something tropical, a duet with chocolate and passion fruit mousse, as well as some sort of "gold filaments" to celebrate the spider silk tapestry that will be on exhibit. I pulled some sugar that I colored yellow and added gold dust to. I used some gold leaf to cover the place where I stuck the sugar piece into the chocolate cremeux. I'm pretty happy with it overall. Out of the three desserts, this was my favorite, and when we took them out to the table, I could tell that they really liked it as well!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuS3OysZKQY/Tajbj2nCKvI/AAAAAAAAAT0/cI-bm8cfM9s/s1600/Duet++640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HuS3OysZKQY/Tajbj2nCKvI/AAAAAAAAAT0/cI-bm8cfM9s/s320/Duet++640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Manjari Cremeux on Moist Chocolate Cake, Passion Fruit Mousse, Vanilla Streusel, Tropical Fruit, Pulled Sugar, Chocolate Decor, Sauce, Soil</i></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-74217435066620248652011-03-07T17:57:00.000-08:002011-03-07T17:57:09.261-08:00Forgotten PhotographsWhile waiting for my mom during her surgery this afternoon, I started editing photos and sorting them into nice "projects" on Aperture. I rediscovered some that I'd taken a while ago and thought I would share them with you.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mhPwfyMoQXc/TXWKoCow-lI/AAAAAAAAATY/WGU3TXOeSHo/s1600/Berries++633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-mhPwfyMoQXc/TXWKoCow-lI/AAAAAAAAATY/WGU3TXOeSHo/s320/Berries++633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qj83LAoOFfg/TXWKoYP0jII/AAAAAAAAATc/4KJ8SuiCQlw/s1600/Berries++637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qj83LAoOFfg/TXWKoYP0jII/AAAAAAAAATc/4KJ8SuiCQlw/s320/Berries++637.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JI-GUIyWg1g/TXWKpEUAOTI/AAAAAAAAATg/MNwOYL__6ZA/s1600/Cosmos++638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JI-GUIyWg1g/TXWKpEUAOTI/AAAAAAAAATg/MNwOYL__6ZA/s320/Cosmos++638.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gR_OYOjCRC4/TXWKpsZDQlI/AAAAAAAAATo/TVdhAC1ba2Q/s1600/Onions++634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gR_OYOjCRC4/TXWKpsZDQlI/AAAAAAAAATo/TVdhAC1ba2Q/s320/Onions++634.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3IRJpLS7z48/TXWKqO16KiI/AAAAAAAAATw/mgfJ5Me-GDQ/s1600/Succulents++635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3IRJpLS7z48/TXWKqO16KiI/AAAAAAAAATw/mgfJ5Me-GDQ/s320/Succulents++635.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-35nCgklgo_k/TXWKpWYCYeI/AAAAAAAAATk/iwuOjhHX8wg/s1600/Jars++639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-35nCgklgo_k/TXWKpWYCYeI/AAAAAAAAATk/iwuOjhHX8wg/s320/Jars++639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_1ky9n93a-Q/TXWKpzZNK3I/AAAAAAAAATs/gBg4aI8KsNY/s1600/Salad++636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_1ky9n93a-Q/TXWKpzZNK3I/AAAAAAAAATs/gBg4aI8KsNY/s320/Salad++636.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-50471083029415246212011-03-03T18:36:00.000-08:002011-03-03T18:36:48.777-08:00I am . . . the sum of my career. At this point.<br />
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. . . the sum of my choices. I am the person that I am today because of them.<br />
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As I work through my day, I follow procedures based on those of chefs I've worked with, the kitchens I've worked in. My pastry education, post culinary school, is a culmination of the information those people-chefs, both savory and pastry, fellow cooks-have chosen to give to me. I understand why ingredients work the way they do because someone else learned it and taught it to me. I remember by effect, the chemical reactions between heat and ingredients, time, air, cold. When something goes wrong, I can make corrections based on this knowledge. I choose to pass this information on to the staff I now supervise, and am not afraid of not having an answer-in fact it makes me want to learn so that I can better understand and answer the next time.<br />
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I tell my staff where this information comes from. I'll say that Chef H. taught me this . . . Chef S. showed me how this works. I always give credit because that's what you do. If you're confident in your ability, the information you have won't detract from what you do if you pass it on. It makes you stronger.<br />
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I also choose to do things differently from those chefs who showed characteristics I did not admire. Working in a kitchen is far from easy, and sometimes you just work until your time is up. You dream of a better place where you can have the opportunities to learn and grow, and to work for someone who believes in you. But even though I didn't like working under that particular chef, I still learned from them. I learned what <i>not</i> to do. I think now, when faced with a similar situation, how can I teach someone or communicate to someone without making them feel bad about themselves?<br />
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I am a student.<br />
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I am an educator.<br />
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My relationships with my cooks is symbiotic in that we both learn from each other. For instance, I was teaching M. how to calculate a recipe based on a given. He wasn't picking it up from my explanation, so I had to figure out how to relate it to him. I asked for assistance because there are various ways that people learn and I can't give up on someone because I can't teach them another way. If anything, it goes to show that I don't believe enough in someone to try to find a way to help them.<br />
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I am a finder of solutions.<br />
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I like to solve puzzles and fix "problems." Not all solutions work, but with each elimination, I am that much closer to finding one that will.<br />
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I am who I am and it has taken me some time to feel comfortable in my skin. Finding this person has been a great experience and I'm looking forward to a long relationship with her.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-59818820445456889532011-02-22T10:54:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:54:05.702-08:00More Works in ProgressThese are two more desserts on the menu, realized for the first time. After plating these samples for a tasting today, I've rethought some of the elements. And while they're good enough to serve, I still want to tweak them a bit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QFWR5TStIyg/TWQECJEPgDI/AAAAAAAAATA/2zy-MGuLy6g/s1600/Creme+Fraiche++586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QFWR5TStIyg/TWQECJEPgDI/AAAAAAAAATA/2zy-MGuLy6g/s320/Creme+Fraiche++586.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Creme Fraiche Bavarian, Lemon Curd (insert and sauce), Raspberries, Streusel, White Chocolate Decor</i></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OyiDQQQy5MA/TWQEDaeapVI/AAAAAAAAATE/0PkJOlBxP5s/s1600/L%2527Opera++587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OyiDQQQy5MA/TWQEDaeapVI/AAAAAAAAATE/0PkJOlBxP5s/s320/L%2527Opera++587.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Classic </i></span>L'Opera with Mocha Sauce</i></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-21272696272350853832011-02-15T16:31:00.000-08:002011-02-15T16:31:54.086-08:00Almond Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Keliw4yhqlA/TVsXOFqH5rI/AAAAAAAAAS8/gMNsD5LLn80/s1600/Bite+3++585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Keliw4yhqlA/TVsXOFqH5rI/AAAAAAAAAS8/gMNsD5LLn80/s320/Bite+3++585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I'm a bit of a pastry snob. If I crave a particular sweet, say, a cookie, or chocolate cake, I'll make it myself instead of going out and buying something from the grocery store. There's one pastry shop near me that I go to when I am <i>really</i> craving a cupcake and don't want to make any myself because they're good. This snobbery keeps me from eating a lot of sweets just because I'm having a craving and can get my hands on anything out there. I figure if I <i>really</i> want it, I'll get up off my lazy butt, get what I need and make it myself. That's acceptable, right?<br />
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So today I finally gave into a sugar craving by making almond cake. What started out as a simple snack has turned into a small plated dessert. Made with almond paste, this cake has a richness that is balanced by a light crumb. No more dense than a pound cake, it is quite easy to eat a lot of-especially if you're hungry and having baked a 6 x 6 cake, you have batter left over for, say, 5 muffin-sized cakes. It can also be dressed up for company with various sauces and fruit accompaniments.<br />
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With the larger cake out of the oven I started whipping cream and thought about the brandied cherries in my fridge. From that thought I made a sauce using the liquor from cherries I'd brandied last summer. I wanted something with body, but not syrupy, just simple and quick, maybe even a little tart to offset the sweet cake and whipped cream. As the cakes cooled I gave myself time to think about what I wanted to do.<br />
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As technical as pastry is, I tend to think like a savory cook sometimes. I will not argue that a macaron recipe should never be tinkered with, along with cakes, cookies, etc., but when it comes to other aspects of pastry, I think you could fudge a few things. Sauces, for instance. S. taught me how to make a beurre blanc (to the detriment of my waistline), without a recipe. I learned by looking, tasting, listening and getting to know the process behind the cooking what to do and when. One day at work I needed a quick chocolate sauce and I didn't have a recipe, but recalled ingredients for a sauce I did for a job almost 5 years ago and whipped up something quite close to the original. I drew from my experiences in the kitchen to created this sauce.<br />
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I poured some of the brandy/cherry liquor into a pot with a small amount of cornstarch and a couple of pinches of turbinado sugar. I stirred it up, brought it to a boil, then lowered it to a simmer and let it thicken. Next, I added a few cherries to warm and coat them. I spooned some of the sauce into the bottom of the bowl, placed one of the small cakes in the center, made a loose quenelle of whipped cream on top, and three cherries around. It was a perfect bite. The sauce was thick enough that it wasn't immediately soaked into the cake, warm, tart. Everything melded together and was heavenly for the few minutes it took to eat it. I felt a little sad that I had scarfed down two other cakes before I could savor them the same way.<br />
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Sorry I don't have the sauce recipe for you, but maybe you'll feel adventurous enough to use my description and try it out yourself. I am including a recipe from David Lebovitz's blog, along with a link to the original <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/06/almond-cake-recipe/">recipe</a>. Here, I've listed the ingredients from his recipe with instructions for using a mixer instead of a food processor. My recipe from work needs to be scaled down to a 9-inch cake pan, and, well, I'm feeling kinda lazy.<br />
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1 1/3 cups (265 grams) sugar<br />
8 oz (225 grams) almond paste<br />
1 cup (140 grams) flour<br />
1 cup (225 grams) butter, cut in tbsp., room temp.<br />
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />
3/4 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp. almond extract<br />
6 large eggs, room temp.<br />
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Beat the almond paste with a paddle to loosen the texture. Add sugar and cream until light. Add butter, piece-by-piece and cream mixture. Add eggs, incorporating before adding the next. Scrape the sides often. Add sifted dries and mix just until combined.<br />
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Pour into prepared pans (I used parchment to line mine). Bake 325ºF oven for about 50-60 minutes or until done (will require less time if using a smaller pan). Check by inserting a skewer into the center of the cake. It should come out clean.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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One of the new desserts I did for a dinner party tonight. I like this version much better than what I did for the tasting. What a difference the right equipment makes. I feel like maybe it could use a smaller dentelle on the front right corner, or . . . something.<br />
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Work in progress.<br />
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Happy Valentine's Day!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-72468655325997706562011-02-12T07:44:00.000-08:002011-02-26T21:20:49.159-08:00Nutella Tarts for The One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3F5PpZiZqUI/TVans1JzLuI/AAAAAAAAASk/EhDzXeBsegc/s1600/Tart++579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3F5PpZiZqUI/TVans1JzLuI/AAAAAAAAASk/EhDzXeBsegc/s320/Tart++579.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I think this blog has become a sort of confessional for me. I say this because I confess that this tart wasn't ready for World Nutella Day on February 5th, but it is in time for Valentine's Day!<br />
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It took me a while to think of a few things to make for the holiday, then to narrow them down. I actually decided to do this tart and made one-got it right first shot!-but with the snow storm, I was feeling a little cozy and lazy, similar to what I believe bears go through during this time of year. So, I did a lot of napping, watching movies I won't admit to watching, and eating soup. Laziness prevented me from getting my entry in, but, like I said, Valentine's Day saved me!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i3U1YCEwtWs/TVaoIyQurmI/AAAAAAAAASs/gn5xxT_kvQw/s1600/Cut+Tart++581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i3U1YCEwtWs/TVaoIyQurmI/AAAAAAAAASs/gn5xxT_kvQw/s320/Cut+Tart++581.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-44180224586140969182011-02-11T19:27:00.000-08:002011-02-11T19:27:53.118-08:00In Praise of Carrots or The Rice isn't Ready & the Fish Fell Apart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d3YmYJjOQZg/TVX7ZzJ5bkI/AAAAAAAAASg/xLMD9mB79oA/s1600/Carrots++578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d3YmYJjOQZg/TVX7ZzJ5bkI/AAAAAAAAASg/xLMD9mB79oA/s320/Carrots++578.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Yea-ya (ala Dave Chappell).<br />
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Posting this while I wait for the rice I thought was ready to finish cooking (I always start cooking rice first).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Or it may just be carrots and fish now, rice later.<br />
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10 points goes to the photo looking better on my computer than on my blog.<br />
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I used my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Benriner-Small-Mandolin-12/dp/B00012F3RC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1297480913&sr=8-4">Benriner</a> with the cross blade to cut the carrot. Brought water to boil, salted it, dropped the shreds in, watched until color brightened, strained, put back into the pan and seasoned them. The heat from the pilot light kept them warm. They were delightfully al-dente!<br />
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Just for the record, the fish didn't "fall apart" one fillet broke in two places. I'm dramatic sometimes.<br />
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Did you know that fish fillet has 2 l's and filet mignon has only 1? Just realized this myself!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154735.post-42416710260350246232011-02-07T08:16:00.000-08:002011-02-07T08:16:05.573-08:00Snow Days, Breakfast and a Lazy DayLast week's snow days were truly a study in laziness. In between peeping through the window at the flurry of flakes, napping, and watching tv I did a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y nothing. The snow started Tuesday, and stopped some time on Wednesday. Lakeshore Drive was shut down, people were stranded, downtown closed-it was like something out of a movie. I <i>love</i> snow and this is the first real snowfall we've had in a long time. So far, before this storm, we had some precipitation, but it was gone within two days. This time, however, I got a message from work on Tuesday that we would be closed and I didn't have to go in tomorrow.<br />
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I woke up Wednesday morning excited like a kid on a snow day from school. I got bundled up, grabbed my camera, and headed outside.<br />
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It was truly a winter wonderland. The streets were clear, and people were walking in them since many sidewalks were still covered and the cars were buried. I didn't know what to do first! I wanted to play in it, offer to help shovel, take photos, run around like a kid hyped up on sugar! On my way to the lake, I passed a man carrying his Nikon and we sheepishly grinned at each other, knowing that we could be inside like the Sensible People, but here we were, away from the comfort of our homes, snapping shots because we could.<br />
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When I finally got out to the lake it was amazing! I mean, there was no lake! It was all ice and mounds of snow like in that movie with Dennis Quaid, The Day After Tomorrow and the few of us that braved the winds and climb piles of shoveled and plowed snow stared in amazement. The snow blew around like plumes of smoke which added an element of danger to the expedition. I'm posting the pics on Flickr if you want to take a look.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVvLlRolI/AAAAAAAAASQ/ZrlyEfmipqg/s1600/batter++572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVvLlRolI/AAAAAAAAASQ/ZrlyEfmipqg/s320/batter++572.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lumpy batter? Good, it should have small lumps. Smooth batter=tough pancakes!</span></i></div><br />
Fast forward to today, another day off. After waking from a nightmare about my last chef-we're talking about horror far worse than being chased by a maniacal murderer!-I woke up to a pretty sunny morning. Hungry, and with a full day ahead of me, I pondered what to eat. I am not much for cereal, and I really didn't want to go out to the Original Pancake House. My friend sent me a text about waffles and omlettes, and I figured I would make pancakes, which I haven't done in such a long time I don't even know where my go-to recipe is (probably on my sad Mac that needs a new hard drive).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVlnmb2_I/AAAAAAAAASM/daRxx8Uh1Qc/s1600/Flame++573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVlnmb2_I/AAAAAAAAASM/daRxx8Uh1Qc/s320/Flame++573.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Use a medium flame, not too high, you'll burn your flapjacks; too low and they won't rise well.</span></i></div><span id="goog_1732346596"></span><span id="goog_1732346597"></span><br />
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After a quick search I decided to use <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/Pancakes.html">this</a> recipe on the Joy of Baking site, adding 1 tsp. of finely ground flax seeds, and using a whole grain all-purpose flour. Topped with real maple syrup and chased with orange juice, I'm having a great day off so far.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVTmRz2OI/AAAAAAAAASE/Gq1S1S78f-A/s1600/Finished+Cakes++574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YLS7juuGaYg/TVAVTmRz2OI/AAAAAAAAASE/Gq1S1S78f-A/s320/Finished+Cakes++574.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Ready to eat!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">You can freeze leftover pancakes, put parchment between, stack, wrap and keep in freezer to reheat during the week!</span></i></div><br />
I think today will be a lazy one for me. I'm going to make a chocolate tart dough and bake off my Nutella custard. I know I'm late for World Nutella Day-it was February 5-but I was snowed in and loving it. I'll be indulging in some really crappy tv, including my current addiction, LMN movies. Bolstered by these pancakes, if it isn't too cold, I'll venture out and take more shots. Tuesday and Wednesday the high is supposed to be 7º, not factoring in the wind chill.<br />
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Oh, and if you want to know what kind of pan I used, it is a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. I used just enough oil to thinly coat the bottom.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2