YDPC

"Break this tired old routine. . . "

2011-07-12T18:11:00.000-04:00

It has been a while, hasn't it?

I find myself in a state of flux. Since I last posted, jobs have come and jobs have gone. Issues have arisen and issues have put themselves to bed.

What I am sure of is that I know my next step. Finally, after 6 years of being both a restaurant pastry chef and a pastry instructor I have concluded that the time has come to choose between the two. And I have chosen teaching. An easy decision this most certainly was not. And an easy transition it hasn't been and it probably won't be. I must focus on one though. For my career. For my future. For my students. For my knowledge base. For my life. For my relationship. For my sanity.

KWCE: Done

2009-12-17T01:50:00.000-05:00

KWCE III

2009-12-10T22:19:00.000-05:00

Passion fruit curd . . . check.
Lemon rosemary curd . . . check.
Bailey's pastry cream . . . check.
Almond praline powder . . . check.
Mise for praline buttercream . . . check.
Tired . . . check.

KWCE II

2009-12-09T22:19:00.001-05:00

Two days ago I baked:
6 layers of coconut cake

Yesterrday I baked:
chocolate Guinness cake layers

Today I baked:
lemon cake layers
carrot cake layers
vanilla cake layers

Tomorrow I make:
passion fruit curd
lemon curd
Bailey's pastry cream
maybe some Swiss buttercream--should do this at work considering I need 15 or so pounds of it. Perhaps I will push this to Friday. Ever the procrastinator.

Pineapple Jam

2009-12-06T18:02:00.000-05:00

I have just begun (with 6 days remaining) Kristy's Wedding Cake Extravaganza.

The glory of having my new job is that when we are slow, I can come home. Don't have to wait around and plod through service every night. Since I was out early after brunch (today's pastries: cheddar-apple scones. pear and dried fruit compote filled puff pastry turnovers, coffee muffins with espresso glaze, and pumpkin-cinnamon rolls), I came home and made pineapple jam for the filling in the two carrot cakes for KWCE. Going to try to bake a few layers tonight of whichever cake I have ingredients for here in the house. Looking around I think I might be SOL. Gotta hit Costco on the way home tomorrow . . . .

Pineapple Jam
1 large pineapple
3# sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin (2 come in one box)
couple of pinches of kosher salt
optional:
     1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
     cinnamon
     allspice
     clove
     ginger
     nutmeg
     black pepper
     lime zest
1. Clean and rough chop pineapple. Pulse in food processor until finely chopped. Measure out 1# 5 1/2 ounces pineapple. (Utilize the remainder in fancy rum drinks that are suitably garnished with an umbrella or use to construct a marinade for skirt or flank steak.) Place the pineapple in a large saucepan. Add sugar, salt, and spices as you desire.

2. Bring to a boil that you can't stir down.

3. Add the liquid pectin. Stir. Return to the boil and keep it there for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Jar and process according to USDA guidelines or pour into heatproof containers, cool slightly, cover, refrigerate, and use within 3 weeks.

K's Wedding Cake Extravaganza

2009-11-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

K has a great idea for her wedding cake. We are going to make five different retro cakes each with a bit of a twist. Her aunt has located a variety of antique cakestands on which to display the cakes. This is gonna be fun.

The Wedding Cake--3"/6"/9" layers, coconut cake with passion fruit curd, coconut Swiss buttercream, topped with coconut

2-8" round carrot cakes with pineapple preserves, cream cheese icing, finished with toasted walnuts

2-8" square Guinness chocolate cakes, raspberry filling, chocolate icing, fresh raspberriess

2-8"ish hearts almond daquoise; prailine and chocolate Swiss buttercream; toasted, natural sliced almonds

2-8" round lemon cakes with rosemary infused lemon curd, lemon Swiss buttercream, rosemary deco

2-8" round caramel cakes with white cake layers, Bailey's Irish Cream pastry cream, caramel icing

2009-08-27T00:15:00.001-04:00

My turn has come.

2009-08-22T13:19:00.001-04:00

If the one thing in the world you do not eat is tapioca, why did you order the coconut TAPIOCA brulee?

Learning

2009-08-20T23:45:00.005-04:00

A well-floured couche. Tee hee.

Mini epis. A couple of baguettes. A lonely batard.

Playing with baguette dough. I am no baker. But it doesn't mean I don't wanna be.

Mater Pies

2009-08-20T23:45:00.000-04:00

I still don't like tomatoes. I envy all you who do. There is just something about the taste that flips my stomach. Yet I find them beautiful, gorgeous.

Heirlooms are everywhere in the kitchen. I even grew some myself this year. This led to my interest in tomato pie. I asked The Exec a couple weeks back if I could provide him some pies for a side or an app or a salad. He said--and I paraphrase--"Sure, make it with bleu cheese and sofrito, and I will find a use for it ."

I made my usual cornmeal galette dough, but I subbed out a good portion of the butter for our house rendered lard and Greek yogurt for the sour cream. 86'd 2 of the 3 ounces of sugar in the dough. The next day I prepped my tomatoes, pulled out the sofrito, chopped up some basil, beat together 1 part bleu and 1 part Duke's, and rolled out my dough. I was going for a galette instead of the traditional pie. Lots of crust and lots of mater.

The Exec puts a slab of pie with a pork chop. I even tried a bite of the pie. How could I recommend you come in and sample it otherwise?

Mater Pies In Progress

2009-08-20T23:34:00.003-04:00

Mater slices drying a little.

Pre baked.

Baked

Look at those layers. Thank you, Lard!

A slice.

Figs in Syrup

2009-08-06T23:35:00.004-04:00

One of our servers has a huge fig tree. He picks them and bring them in to us. I preserved about 6 qts of them in a 2 parts sugar: 1 part water syrup with some thinly sliced lemons. Beautiful.

I also made a fig mostarda. This is a recipe I would definitely utilize with other fruit in the future. A nice accompaniment to a certain someone's charcuterie.

Sorbet Kick

2009-08-02T13:02:00.005-04:00

I have been on a sorbet kick this summer. It is hot outside. Give me something cool, refreshing, and non-dairy based.

I ran a cucumber sorbet special earlier in the season. The fellow who supplies the wood for our grill likes to bestow vegetal tokens as well. He brought me a seam bursting bag of cukes from a farmer friend of his on John's Island. I though immediately that they were destined to become pickles. But pickles we didn't need at work and I didn't have time to do the job at home. Then my mind turned to sorbet. I did my usual quick interent search and came up with three or four mostly savory recipes. After a little compiling and figuring, I conjured up with my version. Accompanying the sorbet was a cantaloupe soup, pickled cantaloupe, Greek Yogurt, and some edible flowers that the Chef's Garden sent us gratis. (Edible flowers usually aren't my thing, but free and gorgeous do fit my MO.) Oh, and tiny little peppermint leaves that I grew myself.

Cucumber sorbet seemed a little much for our current clientele. Seemed pretty straightforward to me. Add a dessert "soup," which is just a chilled puree in this case, and the over-their-heads component seems to overwhelm some folks. What would people do if I went all Sam Mason and Johnny Iuzzini on their asses?

I conceded and left this one as a special. But I still hankered for a light, cold dessert to add to the menu. After local cantaloupes started coming in the door, I switched to using those as my sorbet base. 86'd the soup and the pickles. I stayed with the Greek yogurt and threw in a mixture of all the berries on our menu. I kept thinking of this as a better version of that lame fruit salad you get as a side at so many casual, lunchy places. We finish her off with cubes of cantaloupe compressed with elderflower liqueur.

Light, refreshing, local . . . simple.

Blackberry Me In Summer

2009-08-02T12:58:00.002-04:00

Blackberries in Chambord Syrup--2 ways

Blackberry Me In Summer II

2009-08-02T12:41:00.009-04:00

Blackberry Vinegar--1 part blackberries mashed: 1 part apple cider vinegar: 1 month of patience

Blackberries...now I get it.

2009-08-02T11:46:00.002-04:00

I have never been all that keen on blackberries. Consistently I have found the flavor to be that of a a fake, waxy, Lipsmacker lip gloss nature. Too tart. Too seedy. Overall I was simply not impressed.

But then on Wednesday The Exec jumped on three cases of the most insanely satisfying blackberries I fear I may not be privileged to see again until next year (if I am lucky). . . or ever. One of our purveyors who brings us heirloom tomatoes grown up near Asheville happened to have these beauties. He had three cases and Chef snatched up all three. And that boy done good.

Rarely do I have to chide myself in regards to overindulging in my products--raw materials or finished. Even though my brain thinks in sugar, my gut thrives on savory anything. I am simply not the biggest sweets eater. But put a deli container of pickled okra or a chunk of ricotta salata or some leftover beefies (Dre's term for any edible and unsecured beef scrap) on your station and I will do some intense grazing when your attention is turned. However, every cook's mise was safe this weekend as I unabashedly popped blackberry after blackberry after blackberry. I was in love.

So was The Exec. He called me from babysitting duty on Thursday to inform me of the arrival of said nuggets of berrilocity. "Use 'em," he implored. "They are ripe and all yours. Try something simple: a sweet biscuit."

And that was the perfect idea. I made a good 'ol shortcake with a lemon zest-infused sweet biscuit. the largest mound of fresh and unadulterated berries I could soundly assemble, a blackberry sauce (made from the boo, hiss blackberries we usually have), and vanilla bean whipped cream. Warmed the biscuits before serving, of course. We offered it as a special on both the regular menu and the prix fixe. And for everyday that I sold the spec I made the biscuits fresh. I am still digging White Lily out from under my fingernails.

Only sold two on Thursday. Fools. Sold 7 or 8 on Friday. Better. And I think we may have pushed out 12 or so last night. We are definitely in one of the slower spots of the year. The heat and the humidity do dull the appetite a bit. Perhaps that it was why we seemed to get a lot of late diners this weekend. Once that oppressive blanket of summer is tempered by the downing of the sun, the thought of eating once again busies the mind. Or something like that.

Approximately two of the three flats of blackberries have gone onto our plates (or into our bellies)--on the special, on the coconut tapioca brulee, and on the John's Island cantaloupe sorbet. I knew I wasn't going to get through all the berries while they were still at peak. Ergo I took one flat and made three different products: blackberry vinegar, blackberries in syrup, and a similar blackberries in framboise. With the assistance of the NewGirl, we preserved those heavenly bits of summer.

Now I only have to show some patience and not break the seals on those jars too soon. I wanna wait until the apple and fennel galettes with cinnamon ice cream and the pear souffles come into season.. Then I can open one a cup jar of blackberries in framboise and remember this weekend and the glory of those summer berries. Hallelujah.

Pie on a stick. . . genius.

2009-07-27T18:11:00.000-04:00

http://www.luxirare.com/

2009-07-18T23:22:00.001-04:00

When is it gonna be my turn?

Ida

2009-07-17T22:43:00.001-04:00

Good to see ya, girl.

It's the heat AND the humidity.

2009-06-12T23:07:00.000-04:00

Damn, it's hot. Head down to Cypress for the ultimate refreshing dessert: John's Island cucumber sorbet, chilled cantaloupe soup, pickled cantaloupe (sounds odd, but it's yummy and I don't even care much for cantaloupe), Greek yogurt, and mint grown by yours truly.

2009-05-31T01:45:00.003-04:00

JRBW

2006-2009

2009-05-11T15:42:00.001-04:00

If you want something done right. . . . Well, you know the rest.

2009-05-02T20:54:00.001-04:00

Miss those bacon lollipops, I sure do.

Two whole days off a week!

2009-04-30T09:09:00.003-04:00

Today is my last day of teaching until the fall. I haven't had a stretch of just working the main gig this long since 2004. Ah, sweet freedom. I am gonna have two whole days off every week for 4 months! Wow, the concept is deliciously baffling. Ah.

2009-04-24T17:37:00.001-04:00

Why aren't the local strawberries floating my boat this year? They seem either too tart or too tasteless. And we have gotten them from at least 3 farms. Sad.

Why

2009-04-22T16:38:00.001-04:00

Why do I always seem to be the one who finds a hair in my food?

Last Year

2009-04-21T11:30:00.001-04:00

From left: Gale Gand, Nathalie Dupree, me, Marion Sullivan

Dinosaur. . . .ROAR!

2009-04-21T11:26:00.002-04:00

Thanks, Wikihow, for the instructions.

Thanks, Stacey, for the fondant work.

Thanks, dinosaur, for being a bobblehead but still keeping your head. How many skewers can you stick in a cake?

Kool-Aid Jelly

2009-04-01T15:40:00.003-04:00

Why did we make Kool-Aid jelly in jams and jellies class today? Why not, I answer.

Tropical fruit punch jelly. What would you eat it on? Not sure, but it sure had a purdy color. And oh so much sugar.

While searching the internet for the recipe, I found a Mt. Dew jelly. I proposed that to the students. Nary a one was interested. Kool-Aid jelly was exciting enough for them. I was thinking about a Dr. Pepper jelly myself.

Kool-Aid Jelly
6 cups sugar
3 cups water
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 envelope unsweetened Kool-Aid (any flavor)
2 pouches of liquid pectin
Canning jars and lids

1. In a large pot, bring to a full rolling boil, sugar, water, soda and Kool-Aid.
2. Add liquid pectin and return to a full boil.
3. Boil for 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and skim.
5. Immediately pour into hot jars and seal.
6. Process for 10 minutes.
7. Cool and store.

Coconut Quartet

2009-03-28T17:18:00.004-04:00

Cleaning out the walk-in, freezer, and dry goods yielded this special.

From left to right:
coconut creme brulee (we needed the leftover whites for souffles)

coconut cake--swiss buttercream with Malibu

coconut cream pie napoleon

coconut pavlova filled with coconut-mango sorbet

fresh mango

toasted coconut (leftover from the visit of Chef Payard)

hibiscus gel (set with agar)

Bob the Sous (for size perspective)

Smiley Pants and Payard

2009-03-25T11:13:00.001-04:00

http://charlestonfood.smugmug.com/gallery/7573848_uwLHj#490648215_u695c

Making Cheesecakes Just Got Even More Fun

2009-03-25T11:05:00.003-04:00

How in the hell did I ever live without this?

Food and Wine Festival

2009-03-10T14:47:00.002-04:00

I have pix from the local food and wine festival, but I lack the time to upload them. Picking up a third class--jams and jellies--starting tomorrow and I have yet to write the syllabus. Spent hours last night and today putting together product orders for the class for next week. Yes, I knew about the class months and months ago. And, yes, I am the Queen Procrastinator.

The Festival is always so nuts for me. And every year I try to add on more responsibilities. . . for what reason, I know not. This year the week of the fest was nuts: I had to keep the restaurant in product, prep a dessert for 70 people for our dine around dinner (the avuncular and extremely kind Kevin Rathbun was our guest chef), prep the Bubbles and Sweets event dessert, proctor and grade back-to-back practicals on Thursday for my baking classes, demo milk chocolate mousse lollipops at the festival for the awesome ladies at Charleston Magazine, and host Francois Payard while he prepped his desserts and demo at our restaurant.

What would I have done without Patty Cakes? Cried and run away, probably.

Well, there is more to write, but now I need to get a little work done so that I can get to that syllabus. As long as I can get it squared away by 7 AM in the morning, I should be golden. Oh, and then I need to type up some recipes, too. Okay, better hit the mixer.

From the local free weekly

2009-02-18T16:38:00.003-05:00

Someone actually listened. Praise be and thank you.

"This Hospitality Management Group restaurant is the most luxe of its three properties by far. Chef Craig Deihl takes a contemporary approach to Lowcountry seafood and produce but puts an Asian spin on it. The sashimi tuna served on top of an ice cold oyster is an amazing start to any meal or night out. Everything is put on display in this dazzling building. Diners on the first floor can see the chefs in Cypress’ flashy stainless steel kitchen. The two-story glass wine cellar stretches up one wall, literally showcasing the impressive wine list. Upstairs, an illuminated marble bar attracts the pretty people like moths to a flame for chic cocktails and creative nibbles. Try the lavender martini or the cucumber cocktail with the tuna tartare or the scallops and bacon. And then, seriously, why stop there? Go ahead and get something off the seasonal menu like tilefish, smoked pork loin, or whatever else may have gotten the Deihl treatment. And we’d be remiss to neglect mentioning Charleston’s favorite pastry chef, M. Kelly Wilson, who spends her days concocting creative, seasonal delights for your sweet tooth. Throw her a bone, forget about the crème brûlée and the chocolate cake, and go for one of her specials." —Alison Sher

Slip ups

2009-01-28T00:31:00.002-05:00

Can y'all tell that school started? I have been a busy bee avoiding keeping up with grades and such. Special #3 of 52 still isn't up. And I am now one special behind for the year as a result of a major menu change last week. Much, much to do. I know.

Today's interesting development was a photo shoot for the Chefwear catalog. Free jackets in crazy colors were flying. Although I sent in my measurements, I somehow ended up with a medium jacket--ha--and a pair of 3X camo pants--like wearing two trash bags. Alas, I was finally outfitted with black pants that sorta fit and a jacket sans embroidery--don't worry, PhotoShop has my back. But the folks from the company rocked. They offered to send me a jacket, though the shoot was done. Sweet.

Ugh, I am rambling. I will be back sometime soon. Yawn.

52 Specials: 2 of 52

2009-01-11T23:13:00.003-05:00

Simpler tastes for simpler clientele.

Beignets & Coffee Ice Cream

strawberries, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, Saigon cinnamon, chocolate "coffee bean"

G-O-S-S-I-P

2009-01-11T23:10:00.001-05:00

Rumors thrive in the restaurant industry. And with the current economic climate even more fuel is thrown on the fire.

“So & So did zero covers on Sunday—that includes brunch and dinner.”

“The same place did only 4 covers on Friday”

“Well, I heard that Grille 666 didn’t so a single cover for lunch today.”

“According to Beulah, there is a rumor going around Fancy Schmancy Grille that we are closing.”
“The CanoeCasa closed. Ruth Chris is gonna buy that space.”

And on it goes. Gossip is an entertaining diversion that reminds us that we are all lucky to have jobs and that we are not alone in our anxiety right now.

Toys

2009-01-06T19:33:00.000-05:00

My new toy is pure heaven. No, it’s not powered by 2 AA batteries. It’s a mini laptop-- half the size of my old three ring, overly full, but not complete 5” binder. And it rocks. I thank my much better half for this manna from heaven. I can keep all my recipes on hand and access them any time I desire.

I can also keep all my grades up to date easily with this tool. School starts next week and I am teaching three classes, so I can keep grades organized so much better than ever before.

Sweet.

Good for a laugh

2009-01-05T21:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes there is nothing quite as funny as watching line cooks try to bake.

The approach is all wrong, but, by gum, sometimes they actually land the plane.

New Year's Eve Special

2009-01-04T15:37:00.005-05:00

As I told y'all, I pulled a lot of leftovers from this special to create the brittle basket for the weekend. Here I layered dark chocolate mousse with flourless chocolate bisquit and raspberry sauce in acetate-lined 3" ring molds. I froze the molds and came back to them the next day. After unmolding the individual mousse tortes, I wrapped them in dark chocolate and purchased transfer sheets patterned with a mod red and orange design. To plate, we removed the acetate, slid the squiggly decos (made with tempered dark chocolate piped onto a hand painted transfer sheet designed with brushstrokes of red and orange cocoa butter), covered the top of the torte with raspberries, and finished the plate with more squiggles of rasp sauce to echo the squiggles on top.

I am in lust with the pairing of chocolate with reds. Every time I do a plate with a chocolate item, I always want red on it. Raspberries, strawberries, berry dusts, red wine reduction, port syrups. Red and chocolate. Love it.

The only thing I missed in this presentation is not referencing the orange cocoa butter elements with something flavored orange. I considered tangerine segments and tangerine marmalade--both of which were in great supply at the moment. But I chose to steer clear of them this time because I really only wanted the two flavors of chocolate and raspberries in the dessert. So why did I bring the orange in at all? Those were the only acetates I had and I wasn't about to buy anymore. Flavor versus presentation: my struggle.

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Thanksgiving

2009-01-03T13:32:00.003-05:00

Pumpkin Cheesecake

hazelnut streusel, maple creme anglaise, vanilla-maple syrup, Frangelico whipped cream, pumpkin seed brittle

Häagen-Dazs

2009-01-03T13:29:00.002-05:00

Where: A fine dining restaurant in Charleston, SC

When: 30 December 2008

Who: a nine-top at table 23

What: Only one person received dessert (because he ordered the prix fixe menu and dessert is included with that option) at the table. When the server approached to drop the check he noticed that two of the children at the table were eating ice cream . . . out of Häagen-Dazs cups . . . from the ice cream shop two blocks north and one block west of the restaurant . . . with plastic spoons. Server informs the table that they can’t bring outside food into the restaurant. They are instructed to eat it outside. The table hurries to leave.

Why: The economy? Poor manners? Lack of couth? Stupidity? That's good ice cream and they couldn't possibly get the same thing at a fine dining restaurant with a pastry chef and an ice cream machine?

So this is what they mean by "feedback"

2009-01-02T14:58:00.002-05:00

52 Specials: #1 of 52

2009-01-02T14:52:00.003-05:00

Almond Brittle Basket

dark chocolate mousse, fresh raspberries, port poached pears, raspberry sauce, tempered chocolate decos

Robert Burns

2009-01-02T13:55:00.006-05:00

After being pushed into another new year kicking and screaming, I have taken off three days IN A ROW--an entire weekend at that. And since it is only the second of January and the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" still reverberates in the air, I am contemplating the sincerity of my half-assedly made resolutions. Already I am led to recall another of Burns' more famous contributions to us all: "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men/Gang aft a-gley." Yep, the desire to blog once a day--hey, it could happen--began with a misstep since I missed the first. But I have plenty of material today, so with a little extra prep time, here we go.

The second resolution and the one I was and am most resolute about is the desire to run a dessert special every weekend of the year. 52 specials. Admittedly I should have been doing this all along, but it can be daunting when the fruits aren't exciting or I need time off to do a cake or I am going out of town or there is a special event demanding my attention. The excuses--yes, I recognize them for what they are--are being thrown to wayside.

A little challenge to myself, I say, and I will begin the challenge by running a dessert this weekend while I am not even at work. A lotta leftover love from the New Year's eve spec--dark chocolate mousse, tempered chocolate squiggle decos, minuscule fresh raspberries, and a vat of raspberry sauce--needed a home. I rocked out 20 almond brittle baskets for holding the mousse and berries. The raspberry sauce took to the plate in the form of the trusted graduated dot design. I poked around in the walk-in and found some tasty port poached Bosc pears that had been relegated to the back of the shelf during the NYE prep frenzy. Three quenelles of the mousse filled each basket. Those were sprinkled liberally with the fresh berries. Squiggles slipped into the quenelles and were finished off each with a raspberry topper.

So if you need a chocolate fix, head downtown. The special runs all weekend or until we run out.

Seashell Cake

2008-11-30T18:04:00.002-05:00

If you make wedding cakes in Charleston, you have to make one of these. . . at least once. This, I hope, was my "once."

Delicious Tradition

2008-11-30T17:58:00.002-05:00

The top tier of a fondant covered wedding cake on the occasion of the 1st anniversary. I felt like was I unwrapping a mummy. It tasted like a mummy. Misguided tradition. Blech.

Found the cord.

2008-11-30T17:49:00.003-05:00

Strawberry Charlotte Royale

Not a big seller considering the work that went into it.

You want a side of what with your molten cake?

2008-11-10T22:25:00.002-05:00

Taking a little time off from working the line on a regular basis refreshed my perceptions of what goes on here at night. Last night was the molten split debacle. That was an odd one. Can't people just split their own food? If you can share a dinner table with someone, a conversation, a ride in the car to the restaurant, what is so toxic about sharing a plate?

Tonight's novelty was a thought provoker: a lady wanted a side of Brussels sprouts with her molten. She got 'em.

Hmmm.

Split a molten cake?

2008-11-09T21:54:00.002-05:00

I think this is one of the first times I have encountered a guest requesting us to split a molten cake onto two different plates. Their server--a newer one here--rang in the modifier. When I confronted him, he said he knew I wouldn't/couldn't do it. I laughed at him and said, "Why did you make me tell you 'no'?" Then I get all this info regarding the guest that doesn't change my mind in the least. A molten cake split in half would look horrific. Murder on a plate.

It went out as God, er, I intended. And they made the server split it right there at the table in front of them.

Sheesh. People.

Where is that damned cord?

2008-11-09T19:17:00.002-05:00

Somewhere in the mess that is my new house is the cord that connects my camera to my computer. When I find it, I can show y'all what I did during my time off from blogland. "When" sounds better than "if."

Quote of the Night

2008-11-01T23:12:00.002-04:00

Server began to tell Guest about the dessert special. "Tonight our special dessert is Poached Pears" and at that point Guest interrupts: "People who poach pears are the same kind of people who don't cook their green beans all the way." Server surrenders.

Ah, foodies.

Another reason I do what I do

2008-10-28T11:49:00.001-04:00

Look at that smile! Cake makes everyone happy. . . even one-year-olds.

Wait...where did October go?

2008-10-28T11:47:00.003-04:00

Somehow, somewhere, someway I lost a whole month. Pure silence on the blog front. That was not the plan. But life has been butting in on my time lately, so sitting in front of the computer for fun as opposed to work was not in the cards. Let's try to remedy that, shall we?

Busy, busy, busy

2008-09-25T09:32:00.001-04:00

Work.

School.

Moving.

Blogging?

6 years

2008-09-17T13:58:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my 6th anniversary as a pastry chef. A smattering of mixed feelings accompany making that mark. Where am I going? Where have I been? When am I gonna find the time to learn all that I wanna learn? When am I gonna learn the difference between a job, a career, and a lifestyle? When am I gonna learn to compartmentalize? There is always somewhere to go. Stagnation should be a no go.

Lately I am finding deep fulfillment in simply baking pie shells for the Banana Cream Pie. The multitude of steps to produce a more perfect crust used to be boring and a burden. Now I take my time. I relish the process, not just the product. I don't mind waiting for that overnight rest after the dough is first made. And then a good thin roll out--I love it. After that, another overnight rest before cutting my rounds. Then the filling of the old flan rings followed by an hour or so rest. Trim the dough. . . and rest again? Heck, yeah. Dock those cold babies, line 'em, weigh 'em down (having to use rock salt these days since we have neither beans nor rice available in dry goods), and bake at 350 degrees for 10 or so minutes. Lift out the weights. Return to the oven and bake on the top rack for 2 or 3 minutes and then it's all done. A cool down and into the Rubbermaid they go. Served within two days or out the door. That way I can make more.

I love it.

Bring on another 6 years.

Rock star!

2008-09-14T00:09:00.001-04:00

Banana Cream Pie

2008-09-14T00:04:00.004-04:00

On the menu and pretty tasty.

Pie crust.

Fresh naners.

White chocolate (vanilla seed, too) pastry cream.

Stabilized vanilla bean whipped cream.

White chocolate shavings.

Fleur de sel caramel.

Bruleed naners.

Powdered naners (dried naners crushed).

Roasted naner ice cream.

Ugh, my apron looks funny

2008-09-11T07:47:00.002-04:00

The Charleston Magazine I did the photo shoot for is out. I can't find myself anywhere on the web site, but my recipes are there. So I guess I gotta say go find a copy. The article is quite fancy. I am exponentially pleased. Thanks go again to Marion for the hook up and the work she put into making me look good.

Ah, the internet

2008-09-08T11:20:00.002-04:00

Former Cook B, who now works among the 9 to 5 living, sent me a little email forward:

New Office Procedures for Hurricanes--As we watch the progress of the storm, the following are the new guidelines based upon the hurricane's intensity:

Hurricane Category #1 No excuse for being late. Leave earlier to give extra time to avoid fallen trees and limbs.

Hurricane Category #2 Due to the horizontal rain, you may wear jeans.

Hurricane Category #3 Whereas most of the area will be flooded we suggest you avoid wearing open toe sandals when coming to work. Canoes will be provided to get to the building safely without getting wet.

Hurricane Category #4 More than likely there will be no electricity. Given that , we will have manual typewriters available to all staff members. Please take extra caution and wear waterproof make-up if Category 4 or above.

Hurricane Category #5 Velcro will be provided to keep you attached to your chairs when the windows blow out. For those that survive, we will have chocolate cake at 3:00 pm in the kitchen.

Well, I sent that one on around because I know I love it when I get tons of forwards, and my smart ass brother, who in the halcyon days of youth pulled a tour or two in the restaurant (s)industry, comes up with this:

In case of a slowdown, servers are required to form roaming looting squads. All acquisitions must be split with the management, therefore you are reminded to grab two of each.

Hair must be tied up in case sparks raining down from blown transformers sets it ablaze. Tightly bound tresses burn much more slowly, giving the horizontal rain time to extinguish the flames.

It is the responsibility of kitchen staff to remove any human remains that find their way into the restaurant.

Any messages painted on the roof requesting rescue must be approved by management for proper format and spelling. No expletives.

If rescue by the authorities is not forthcoming after one week, staff members are allowed to consume remaining edible stock with some restrictions:
Standard menu items must be prepared in their entirety.
Staff will be charged %65 of menu price.
Alcoholic beverages are not included.
The standard %15 gratuity will be applied.

(Bro, the standard grat at my place is 18%, but the FOH expects at least 20% or you are considered a cheap redneck. FYI.)

Developments

2008-09-05T09:44:00.002-04:00

It's a quarter to ten in the morning and the sky is overcast. Winds are already starting to gust. We are forecasted to start receiving the height of our Hanna experience around 8 PM tonight--the time when service tends to get cranking. Of course, I will be downtown on the Peninsula which floods like a mother since it is actually below sea level. Already I am wondering should I call out my cook since she has to drive from about 40 minutes inland in the late afternoon. With the number of resos on, that might be the best thing to do. Gotta wait to get to work to see what is going on.

Oh well

2008-09-04T20:39:00.002-04:00

My pleas went unheeded. We are in the middle of service right now and everyone is standing around waiting for the stragglers to come in. So, so slow. So, so painful.

And Hanna probably isn't even going to hit us.

But I do have tomorrow off from school since classes are canceled. I am thoroughly South Carolinian, so I can guarantee I have seen more days off from school in my life due to hurricanes as opposed to snow. And I am a bit giddy again to have the chance to sleep until ten on a Friday, as opposed to 6:30.

Supposed Natural Disasters and This Industry

2008-09-02T23:20:00.002-04:00

The storm may or may not come this week. Either way the more speculation and news coverage, the worse business gets. Sure, the Mayor can roll on screen a couple hours after the danger has passed and announce UpChuck open for business, but what has happened during the four days leading up to landfall/no landfall? Folks are going to Homo Depot and buying generators that they can't then afford to buy gas for, or they are stocking up on booze and ice, or they are just chilling at home watching round the clock hurricane coverage. Either way, it hurts. And this week can't get any better until the threat passes. . . but then Ike or the next one waits its turn. Nature does what it does. Why stress when a fine meal is just waiting on you? So go out to dinner. Please.

Storm's a'comin'?

2008-09-02T13:07:00.002-04:00

Here we are on Tuesday and Hurricane Hanna is "scheduled" to hit anywhere from Jacksonville to Wrightsville Beach on Friday. And I am already tired of the continuous speculation. It'll do what it does. But the variables are so great, I wish people wouldn't get their drawers in a knot. Wait until Thursday or so for that.

I forgot to mention. . .

2008-09-01T16:43:00.002-04:00

. . . that a galette much like this one was my first ever special. Creating and running a special was a requirement of my pastry internship. Classic.

Finding Simple(r)

2008-08-31T10:01:00.002-04:00

This weekend I ran a simple peach galette--or a rustic peach pie as I told the servers to call it for their less food knowledgeable patrons. The galette is a go-to dessert for me when I have to get rid of peaches, apples, pears, any fruit that shines from being baked. With a surfeit of peaches that were "about to shit the bed" as The exec says, the galette was a perfect choice. The assistants made a double batch of cornmeal galette dough on Thursday. Digging around in the freezer, I found a quart and a half of peach buttermilk ice cream. I supplemented that with another couple quarts last night, thus using more peaches. Peach sauce and fleur de sel caramel finished the plate. Simple. And sellable. We moved 10 on Friday (that was all I had) and 12 before I left on Saturday night.

What A Week

2008-08-30T11:31:00.002-04:00

Phew. I have almost made it to the end of a crazy week. School started back--teaching two classes this time. The Charleston Food + Wine Festival had its summer launch party which required some face time and lollipop crafting on my part. And the personal life was demanding its fair share of attention as well. Oh, and there is always my main job, which was a tad slow though it is gonna crank up over the next two days with the Labor Day weekend. All in all, I can't wait to take Monday off and sleep in (and then sit in front of the computer setting up on-line gradebooks and formatting recipes).

A couple of cool things happened at the launch party mentioned above. First, I had my own table and didn't have much to do, so I actually engaged folks in conversation. Talked to a bunch of people I have met along the way in this town and business. Saw Naomi from Charleston Mag and a whole bunch of former JWU folks who are now with the Charleston campus of the Art Institute. Second, I talked to two people I didn't know, but who remembered very specific things about my desserts. One was an AI student who really loved the tomato tart I did this summer. That was awesome to hear since I never got many takers on that dessert. He even remembered all of the componenets. Another talker was a fellow who had the monstrous S'More Napoleon last year on the night before Thanksgiving. He recalled it still as being good, but he was daunted at the time by how to approach eating the thing. This man gave me criticism I could stomach. Yep, that thing was huge, I agreed. Then I told him I would try better in the future to consider "eatability."

So I guess overcoming shyness and talking to people isn't too too terrible. (Even though there were some dopey socialites who had nothing but snide things to say, which led me to believe that they were the ones always ordering the creme brulee. Hah, enjoy that 55 grams of fat!)

Personal Assistant Wanted

2008-08-28T12:01:00.002-04:00

The only requirement is you must work for free. Sounds like a great job to me.

Sugar Roasted Pears

2008-08-26T22:15:00.005-04:00

Sugar and egg white encased pears after roasting.

Sweet freedom.

Bourbon whipped cream, sugar roasted pear (filled with chocolate sauce and served on fleur de sel caramel), layered bread pudding (chocolate stout cake, honey wheat brioche)

I don't usually share recipes . . .

2008-08-26T21:58:00.002-04:00

. . . but this blast from the past was requested, so why not? After all, it's even in the Treehouse book and I already have a homestyle version written.

Key Lime White Chocolate Cheesecake
Looking for a twist on key lime pie? I was. The result was this cheesecake. It is continually a hit. I have made 10” versions with graham cracker crusts, the 4 ounce cakes detailed here with homemade graham crackers, and one ounce minis with equally mini grahams. The elements of the traditional key lime pie morphed into a cheesecake, one of the most popular of all desserts in America, cannot help but be become a memorable capper to a fine meal.

The challenge of baking the perfect cheesecake is what brought me into the world of baking. As a novice in the kitchen, I spent hours trying to keep my cheesecakes from cracking, browning, and possessing unpalatable lumps of cream cheese. A tour through baking and pastry school and many years in the business have finally provided me with the tools to face the challenge and to bring amateur bakers with me.

Here are the four keys to cheesecake success: First, have all of the ingredients at room temperature. In the case of cheesecakes, the ingredients mix best at the same, warm temperature. Second, scrape the mixing bowl often. Don’t be afraid to get down in that mixing bowl and ferret out every lump of cream cheese. Fewer lumps result in less chance of overmixing because the batter becomes smoother more quickly. That leads to tip three: overmixing a cheesecake leads to the incorporation of too much air into the batter. When that extra air heats in the oven, steam is trapped, and the cake rises (this is termed “physical leavening”). While this is necessary in a soufflé, it is death to a cheesecake. When the “risen” cheesecake cools, the hot air in it cools and the entire cake shrinks. This results in cracking, which ruins the presentation. Finally, a water bath is crucial in producing that just right cheesecake. This entails surrounding the pan of cheesecake batter with a warm water bath while it bakes. The water insulates the cheesecake and protects against dramatic heat fluctuations.

Yields 12-4 ounce cheesecakes

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 whole large eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 pound quality white chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces key lime juice, room temperature
2 tablespoons Meyer’s Dark Rum

1. Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
2. Add the room temperature eggs and yolks individually to the cream cheese mixture. Scrape the bowl often.
3. Melt the white chocolate by placing it in a microwave-safe container and cooking in 30 seconds increments at half power, stirring between each cooking interval. Continue cooking and stirring until chocolate is smooth.
4. Fold melted chocolate into the cream cheese base until completely incorporated.
5. Combine key lime juice and rum and fold into the batter.
6. Using pan spray, grease 12-4 ounce aluminum tins or a muffin pan with 12 cups. Divide the batter amongst the tins or cups filling each to within a 1/4” of the top.
7. Place tins or muffin pan in a sheet pan with at least a 3/4” lip. Put the pan of cheesecakes in a 325 degree oven and carefully fill the sheet pan to the top with hot water. Bake for 20 minutes--check for doneness. Continue baking as needed. The center of each cheesecake should be set.
8. Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and cool for one hour on a wire rack. For best results, chill overnight before unmolding.

Homemade Graham Crackers
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, soft
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup cold water

1. Combine all-purpose flour through salt in an electric mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low for 30 seconds.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just smooth.
3. Wrap and chill the dough, preferably overnight.
4. Roll the dough out to about 1/8” thick. Cut the dough with a round cookie cutter that is roughly the size of the base of the individual cheesecakes (The top of the cheesecake when it is in the forms is actually going to be the bottom when the dessert is presented).
5. Arrange the dough circles on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. The crackers should be golden in color and soft in texture.
6. Store at room temperature in an airtight container until needed.

Gingered Blueberry Compote
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1-3”piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly
juice of 1 lime

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot,
2. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and berries release juice.
3. Simmer and cook until about half of the berries have burst, 3-4 minutes.
4. Chill and strain before using, reserving the syrup for the Magenta Lime Chips. Also be sure to remove the ginger slices from the compote before serving.

Magenta Lime Chips
2 limes
gingered blueberry syrup reserved from the making of Gingered Blueberry Compote

1. Using an electric slicer or a Japanese mandoline cut each lime into slices approximately 1/16” thick.
2. Soak the lime slices, excluding the smaller end pieces, overnight in the blueberry syrup.
3. Drain the syrup and place the slices in a single layer—not allowing them to touch—on a nonstick baking mat. Bake in a 200 degree oven for at least 2 hours or until dry and crisp when cool.
4. Store in an airtight container.

White Chocolate-Graham Cracker Moons
1 pound white chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1. Melt the white chocolate by placing it in a microwave-safe container and cooking in 30 seconds increments at half power, stirring between each cooking interval. Continue cooking and stirring until chocolate is smooth.
2. Stir graham cracker crumbs into the melted chocolate.
3. Pour the mixture onto sheetpan lined with a non-stick baking mat and spread with a metal offset spatula until smooth.
4. Place the pan in the refrigerator until the chocolate is just barely set.
5. Using the same round cutter from slicing the graham crackers, cut out half moons. Do this by stamping out one circle, removing the cutter from the chocolate while leaving the chocolate circle in place, then moving to the right about half an inch and cutting another circle. Repeat for more moons.
6. Return the pan to the refrigerator and cool until the chocolate is completely set. Remove from the nonstick mat and store at room temperature until needed.

White Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup water
10 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add white chocolate to the pot. Allow the mixture to stand for two minutes.
2. Whisk until smooth.
3. Strain and chill.

To thin: add more warm water.
To thicken: add melted white chocolate.

To assemble the finished dessert:

Unmold the cheesecakes and place each on a graham cracker.

Place an even layer of blueberry compote approximately the same size of the graham cracker on a plate. Top with a graham-bottomed cheesecake.

Insert a Magenta Lime Chip and a White Chocolate-Graham Cracker Moon into the top of the cake.

Using a squeeze bottle, decorate the plate with white chocolate sauce.

Sprinkle some lime zest over the entire plate.

Serve.

13 Things--Number 2

2008-08-23T13:29:00.002-04:00

There are no sick days in a restaurant.

True and not true. From what I have seen, the FOH staff is keenly aware that if they are ill, it presents a poor portrait of the restaurant to our customers. And while it all does come down to money--if I am sick, my service will be compromised and the guest will not tip as well--they pretty much call out when they feel unwell.

As for the BOH, there is an unwritten code. I had to learn it myself way back in the day. If you are sick, especially that first date of your incapacitating illness, you show up for work. And you make an effort to work. And if you are really that sick, the chef sends you home. One reason is that this allows the chef to eschew hangovers as a reason for not working. Another is that he can rearrange the set up of cooks when he sees just how many reservations are on and what the night looks like. Plus, it gives that chef faith that his staff is dedicated.

Of course, in both cases of BOH and FOh if you go home, you don't get paid. These are hourly employees. And as for the salaried employees, there in no allowance in my company for sick days. If you come in and get sent home, or miss the next day and so on, you are taking vacation days or working off those missed hours in the week to come. Allowances are made on a case by case basis. But if you have a severe cold and can't work two days this week, you are probably gonna work seven days next.

So no official sick days. But no human health hazards running rampant through the kitchen either.

13 Things--Number 1

2008-08-22T09:55:00.004-04:00

Sambal sent me "Thirteen Things Your Waiter Won't Tell You" a few weeks back. Being slightly evil, I forwarded it around a little. My brother asked me if there was any truth to the points. I thought I might riff a little on which ones I think are most valid, at least in my experience.

1. Avoid going out on busy nights. Hmm, I would say this is true if you want a leisurely, relaxed meal. On busy nights, it is the job of everyone in a restaurant to turn the tables. Hostesses must seat promptly. Servers must greet immediately and get drinks on the table. Apps and all other courses have to come out in a timely fashion. But when every table wants to be seated at 8 PM on a Saturday night in November or on New Year's Eve, there is gonna be a problem.

In my experience, Thursday and Sunday nights are an excellent night for fine dining. Specials are being run. There are fewer diners, so the mood of the restaurant is less frenetic. On Thursday, the chef is there usually (Sunday and Monday are most often the days when exec's are off). On Sunday, the staff is more relaxed after pushing through the weekend. Just don't come in past 8 on a Sunday. The restaurant may be open until 10, but on the slower nights the kitchen is in the process of shutting down way before then.

Of course, this also how I see things after 7 years at the same restaurant. I am looking at it from a BOH position foremost as the person responsible for the final course. So you know I am biased.

I Love This Blog

2008-08-21T23:32:00.002-04:00

This is the best blog ever. I am in love. Already I feel this one's influence. Mmmmmmm-hmmmmm good.

I tried her sugar crusted bananas this week. Added cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the sugar. Exquisite.

I sugar crusted and baked some tart and not quite ripe local pears tonight. First I infused the hard ass pears with Maker's Mark and sucked the hell out of 'em on 10 in the cryovac machine. I let those rest a bit. Then I baked them in some swell sugar shells. No spices this time since I was all about the bourbon. The finished texture was amazing--that grainy peariness with the accompanying yield of a perfectly poached Bosc. Heaven.

To The Man Who Thought The Avocado Sorbet Was Ice Cream

2008-08-21T08:52:00.002-04:00

Ice cream contains cream.

Sorbet does not contain any dairy.

Sherbet contains milk, not cream.

I know the difference; it is my job.

The avocado sorbet does not contain cream, hence the sorbet classification. It is creamy because of all that delicious fat in the avocado.

Lactose intolerance is a nasty thing. I would not knowingly allow someone who can't have dairy any dairy.

I know the difference; it is my job.

School's Starting

2008-08-19T22:44:00.002-04:00

It always seems too soon, but the first day of school for me is a week from tomorrow. I will be teaching basic bakeshop on Wednesday mornings and advanced bakeshop on Friday mornings. And we all know that is in addition to my first and foremost gig and all those little things I do on the side.

I was talking to a cook yesterday about school. He asked me if I get nervous teaching. And I told him that I did. But my main worries are not regarding getting up in front of people and talking and all that stuff. That used to be the scariest thing. Now I just obsess over whether I am going to be late to class. That is my biggest fear. Oversleeping. The thought just sets me to sweating. But I have made it through two semesters of these early classes, so I think I can do it again.

Why do I teach? The original reason was based on simple economics. With student loan and credit card debt, I was unable to afford the new (to me) vehicle I desperately needed. Teaching helped make a new car a reality. Then it morphed into a great tool for making me even better at my job. I hadn't made pate a choux since school and here I was teaching it. Better get some practice in. My grasp of the fundamental and traditional techniques of my profession strengthened.

From there I began to learn new things because I had to teach them. When I started teaching Advanced I had to rely heavily upon the instructor who designed the class. She had worked in more kitchens than I and had more experience in making entremets and petit fours. Without her to hold me up, I would not have succeeded. Heck, she finally taught me how to make a chocolate cigarette. So my teaching came to fulfill my need to be taught. There are so many aspects of my job that I have had to learn myself by way of books and the internet. Once I got to the top pastry position in my restaurant, there was no one at my job from whom I could learn everyday. So I have a million books now and tons of tattered printouts from the net.

And I have learned. And I am learning. If I could afford a Notter class and three or four days off from work, I would be there. But I can't, so I will continue to immerse myself in books and blogs.

Where will teaching take me? I have some nebulous plans for the future. Teaching seems to be the one definite in those plans. Let's just see how this fall semester goes. I know I'm stoked.

Happy 88th Birthday, Grandma!

2008-08-18T22:47:00.005-04:00

We were a few days early, but celebrate we did. Yesterday the family convened to recognize my paternal grandmother's 88th birthday. Of course, I made the cake. And, of course, it was coconut. That was grandma's cake when I was younger. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas and probably Easter, she made that cake. The 1-2-3-4 cake recipe from the back of the Swans Down cake flour box, seven minute icing, and fresh coconut combined to be my most anticipated dessert of my year. I still don't know how she prevented the icing from getting grainy. I'll be damned if my doesn't stay grainy and deflate. (I have since given up and just go with heavily Malibu'd buttercream.)

And for at least Christmas, (my now late) Grandpa made the fruit salad. We called it ambrosia even though I now know that it included too many fruits to be a proper ambrosia (coconut, pineapple, orange only). Now that I think about it, that fruit salad and fried bologna sandwiches were the only two things I remember Grandpa "cooking." Anyhow, he was in charge of the fruit salad and cracking and shaving the fresh coconut for the cake.

Yesterday, when dad handed me a hammer to pierce the eyes and crack the coconut for Grandma's cake, he told me that I was using Grandpa's hammer. We aren't the most sentimental family, but that meant something to me. . . and obviously my dad, too. Grandad has been gone since right before Christmas of 1999. And I can tell you I have sorely missed that fruit salad of his every year. I still make it during the holidays for our family. And I make it at Thanksgiving at the Treehouse when we have the best family meal of the year. My coconut cake is always there, too. The two just naturally go together like my grandparents still seem to do . . . though one is gone.

The cake yesterday. . . well, I don't have a picture, but it was three tiers high. And despite her concern for her cholesterol level, Grandma worked her way through 1/2 of the 3" top tier. And you know she got the rest wrapped up to take home and enjoy later. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Saturday was a bust

2008-08-17T23:01:00.002-04:00

Boo, hiss. Saturday was lay-aim. Didn't sell much of anything. Period. So the simplicity experiment must continue.

I didn't take a pic of the special because it never became what I wanted. It was tasty, but not what I had envisioned. I did snap a pic of the woven joconde. I liked it, but the pink was too Pepto Bismol. Maybe I should just do chocolate and vanilla next time. Ah, that's a good idea.

Simple Part II

2008-08-16T10:49:00.003-04:00

Well, the special was gonna be sexier. But when I got to work, the ovens (I call mine) were in use, so there went my opportunity to get the three hour 200 degree, meringue drying process done by 5. Okay, so I scrapped that. Next a trip into the walk-in proved that the raspberries that somehow appeared on my day off --getting rid of them was the main reason for doing this special--were getting a little long in the tooth. Well, I guessed we needed to skip just the solo raspberry aspect of the dessert, and make it a berry party. Then I stepped in the freezer and found some cryovac-ed blackberries. Hmmm, 86 the raspberry consomme, I'm making good ol' mixed berry sauce. A little bit bit of fresh raspberries, a little bit of fresh blueberries, toss in those frozen blackberries and an equal amount of cryo'ed strawberries, add a little sugar, and liven it up with some lemon juice and a couple of old vanilla bean pods and boil. Puree, strain, love it. I still had the joconde and I wove it into strips like i planned (and got a headache with all the damned concentrating on not tearing the cake). The ice cream was amazing, so of course it stayed. (Our professional ice cream machine spins the base too quickly and too cold. If you pour in a French style, creme anglaise base--or Philadelphia style with all its cream for that matter--you make buttered ice cream. In the past I have simply reduced the amount of cream in my anglaise bases to almost nothing and increased the egg yolk substantially. The product is good, but not as good as what I want to produce. I have since bought a couple of 1 qt tabletop ice cream churns so that I can make proper ice cream. These were used for this vanilla bean ice cream, as was the Bouchon ice cream recipe with the addition of a pinch of salt and a slight reduction in the amount if sugar.)

And what did I end up with? Berries and cream. Sold three last night. We'll she how she flies tonight. We had some killer sales with the molten changes I implemented last night, so I can't wait to see what happens tonight. I think we sold 30 some odd moltens on a fairly slow Friday, in addition to a good amount of all the other desserts except souffles. I need a few more nights to see if this forgetting-my-ego-and-giving-'em-what-they-want stuff is where I need to and can go.

Your favorite?

2008-08-15T10:55:00.002-04:00

What is your favorite dessert?

I really wanna know. Your answers inspire me.

I love too many things to name just one. Here are three: pecan brown butter financiers; soft, underbaked chocolate chip cookies three minutes out of the oven; my grandmother's coconut cake with 7 minute icing.

So what is your favorite?

Hashing it out

2008-08-15T10:11:00.005-04:00

Sometimes when I am writing about my job, I feel like I get too whiny. Nobody likes my Margarita Granita. Everybody wants that boring ass molten cake. Wah, wah, wah. I recognize the negativity. And it even gets on my nerves.

As I have been reading the few comments I get on this blog, I realize that I am not alone in my reaction to being a little lost in Candy Land. That is comforting. Also I am getting whole new perspectives on my situation. That is also comforting because it proves again that I am not the only one out here trying to wrap my mind around the dessert consumer. Heck, I only ever order dessert at restaurants for personal inspiration. My favorite meal closer is a Bailey's and coffee. So I definitely need another point of view or twelve. (As long as the POV is conveyed in a polite and respectful manner, that is. "You suck!" does nothing for me.)

This leads me to why I blog in the first place. When I started I was just trying to give far away friends a way to keep up with me. Slowly I began to realize that the writing was also a cheap form of therapy. Then I started seeing the blog as an excellent way to keep track of what I produce and where my career is going. Now I see it as a way to feel less isolated in my kitchen.

That being said, I am off to make some vanilla vacherins for tonight's special. I know I said I needed to go simpler, but old habits die hard. The simplest thing about this dessert is that it will only have two dominant flavors: vanilla and raspberry. From there, it is a bit out of control. Nothing crazy, just a lot of old techniques tossed together. Joconde. French style vanilla ice cream. Raspberry consomme. Dried meringues. We'll see if it still looks/sounds too complicated once it gets on the plate.

Phoning it in

2008-08-13T11:53:00.003-04:00

I am so passive aggressive. Always have been and always will be. Confrontation is icky, but quiet little things that make others miserable are great. I know, very grown up. So mature. But it is something in my character that I can't get rid of. . . and really probably don't wanna get rid of since it channels my frustration.

As a result of this personality "issue," I have dumbed down those two desserts on the menu that sell the most, have the highest profit margin, and bore me to absolute tears: vanilla bean creme brulee and the molten cake.

I refer to them affectionately as "the pudding" and "an underbaked brownie."

The pudding has nothing on it. Nothing. No fruit. No cookie. Nothing. Back in the day I just got tired of watching people eat around the berries that we placed on top of the crust. They literally ate the custard from beneath the berries leaving a little caramelized sugar shelf with the precariously perched berries teetering over the abyss. This happened ever so frequently. And forget about the pistachio or hazelnut sablee we served with the brulee. More of those went in the trash than in the mouth. Handrounded truffles were a bomb as well. Biscotti, bye bye. The only thing that kinda sorta worked were the uber mini chocolate cupcakes we paired with the custard. But I am a snob and that flirtation with the cupcake craze was short lived. So the brulee is naked now. Plate, artichoke fold, dish of crispy pudding. Nothing else. And no one has complained.

The molten cake, well, I have tried many, many approaches to liven that one up. The peanut butter molten had all the accompaniments a Reese's lover would dig: slam bang pb parfait, pb caramel filling, pb caramel sauce, etc. No go. We want just cake and vanilla ice cream. How about the espresso and coffee themed cake? Sorry, but no. Just cake and ice cream. There are two couples that come in every October and ask for plain moltens. Can we just get one without a non-chocolate filling and with vanilla ice cream, they'd ask via the Director of Operations. A local concierge said it should just be chocolate and vanilla. And so I gave up. Hell, I don't like the thing anyhow, so why fight it. Oh, yeah, I threw some roasted beets on the plate with a chocolate beet sauce this spring. But the beets were always scraped to the side and sales went down. Ergo, chocolate cake, chocolate sauce (a simple ganache that we keep liquid by storing on top of the deck oven during service), and vanilla bean ice cream. No garnish. No love. And I charge $10 for it. And it sells.

But I have to add something back in. So I am going to throw a little chocolate toffee on the plate. Add in fresh strawberries. Get off my lazy ass and do a tempered dark chocolate garnish. I also dried strawberry chips that I will crush into a powder, blend with 10X, and use as the finishing sprinkle.

And all this I will do until I lose my patience again and passive aggression breeds more hate within me. In that vein, I am already hearing a suggestion to increase the price and decrease the size. Good thing I saved that suggestion here.

On the road to simpler

2008-08-11T11:38:00.004-04:00

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

***Stout Chocolate Cake

***Milk Chocolate Mousse

***Raspberry Sauce (thickened with lots of pectin)

***Fresh Raspberries

***Orange Juice Reduction

***Orange Segments

***Sugar Squiggle

Confusion

2008-08-11T11:20:00.002-04:00

I am finding that I am ready to venture even further afield in the pastry arts (having grown accustomed to the more basic presentations) and I am torn. It seems that the clientele want simplicity. Yes, it is the time of year when diners of a different calibre frequent the Treehouse. However, considering how many of the simpler, plainer desserts we sell, I am wondering what to do. Should I go back to desserts that have little challenge for me, but in terms of business are sure winners? Do I try to push on with Margarita Granita's, Sweet Tomato Tarts, and their ilk? Shall I do as my number one cook suggested and start handing out coupons for Applebee's so everyone can just get their ice cream and brownie? I have a marble for chocolate work; should I break it out and start mixing housemade gummy worms and housemade oreo crumbs with housemade vanilla ice cream and serve it in housemade waffle cones?

At home I am doing a major clean out. I am tossing stuff left and right. While in the middle of a pile of photographs, I found pictures I took of my predecessor's desserts for my internship project. Simple, I kept thinking. For the most part, the style was simple. And that pushed me further along in considering a sparser, more refined direction for my creations.

I tried simpler this weekend with the special and it sold. But it was chocolate. And that almost always sells. Well, a menu change lurks in the future, so I will go with sparser, familiar, desserty items. Let us see where that little experiment puts us.

Charleston Magazine

2008-08-07T20:37:00.002-04:00

A good day today. I am being featured in next month's issue of Charleston Magazine. This ol' pastry chef feels pretty privileged. Pictures of my food were taken with utmost care. The energy I put into my desserts these folks put into making them look even better. Thanks to Marion for getting me to write what I needed to, to Roo for exercising his own simpatico creative beliefs and capturing great shots, to Kathy for styling her ass off, and to Justin for telling me that silly Polaroids joke. Great people doing great things. Could I tear up? Maybe.

A bit of a mess, but tasty nonetheless

2008-08-06T15:23:00.004-04:00

I hit fig season on the tail end this year. Brevity of season and my vacation coincided to shorten my fig communing this summer. But I got one in with fig frozen yogurt (I used Greek yogurt and fell in love) wrapped in a sweet crepe, topped with honey roasted figs, candied pistachios, and a Cabernet reduction.

We didn't sell to many of these tasty tributes to a local beauty, which blew my mind because crepes are almost always a sure sell. Once again, a plate full of flavor, textural and temperature contrasts, and local love is overlooked in favor of the standards.

But, YDPC, remember it is summer in Charleston and adventure is stifled by the low blood flow to the brain caused by overtightend fanny pack straps, constant 60 SPF inhalation. and overdosing on fried (definitely not local) seafood.

Carolina Peach Pies

2008-08-06T15:11:00.007-04:00

I have never been much of a pie fan. The fruit filling was always too gooey and sweet. Treacly. Never liked the crust much. And speaking of crust, I can never get it to look perfect on the finished product. Once all the sticky fruit and egg wash gets in the picture, I just don't have the patience with pinching and crimping. So when one of our favorite cooks answered "peach pie" to my query regarding any birthday requests, I felt a little disheartened.

However, I made the offer, so peach pie it was. Fresh peaches, too. And I think that made the difference in regards to the sweetness of the filling. Not too much. The Maker's Mark added liberally wasn't a bad addition either.

The crust, well, goo it did. But I did my best and remembered I wasn't in a State Fair competition or at a Mrs. Smith's photo shoot. I planned to do both pies with lattice crusts, but lost my interest in that after the first one. The second pie just had the old double crust. And for the vent I cut out the birthday cook's first initial.

Pies ain't so rough, I guess. Just don't tell my dad that or I will be making pies for him every time I see him.

Huckleberry Tomatoes

2008-08-06T15:00:00.006-04:00

The Exec got these huckleberry tomatoes in from the Chef's Garden in Ohio. They are so tiny and so sweet that I actually liked them. The baby heirlooms behind the hucks are from a local farmer.

What I Learned Today

2008-08-04T19:19:00.003-04:00

Never, even if your t-shirt is splattered with chocolate, is rife with armpit holes, and smells, are you to wear your chef coat into Whole Foods. That is, unless you want to have a conversation with every single other customer in the store. Sorry, I don't work here and I have no idea where anything is myself. Next time I am gonna do what Charlie suggested and just answer, "Aisle 4."

5 Days

2008-07-31T09:36:00.008-04:00

For 5 days in a row I didn't have to put on black chef pants. For 5 days I didn't have to wear a chef coat. For 5 consecutive days I didn't have to reach around my back and tie on an apron.

For 5 days I actually relaxed. For five days I reclaimed a little bit of the non-pastry chef left in me.

For ten years I waited for all this. For ten years I won't be waiting to experience that feeling again.

Mini Milk Chocolate Mousse Lollipops

2008-07-24T10:21:00.009-04:00

On the menu, I leave this one a little easier to stomach for the average diner--cherries and chocolate are the flavors. I switched things up for a recent off-site event and dipped the lollipops in finely ground, dried banana chips and The Exec's house made bacon. The combination of salty and sweet rocked.

A while ago I read in Saveur magazine about milk chocolate, banana, bacon, and peanut butter truffles produced by an assistant at Magnolia Grill in Durham, NC. I have been wanting to do my own combination of that since--without the peanuts here because of that persistent nut allergy. Finally, I got my chance.

A couple of vegetarians even became willing meat eaters. And I had more raves than jeers. In fact, I sold about 380 of these little love bombs in about 1 1/2 hours. Nice.

Pastry Chef BFFs

2008-07-24T10:20:00.000-04:00

Not my style

2008-07-21T11:36:00.005-04:00

This Saturday I made a wedding cake for guests in the restaurant--and I am still not quite sure how that happened because I normally don't do those.

And, lo and behold, the cake was simple. And simple is a nightmare for me. No rolled fondant. Just buttercream, yellow cake, and pastry cream filling (I had to talk them out of the horrid Bavarian cream). Not used to simple, I dreaded this one. I even eschewed my usual Italian Buttercream for what is affectionately known in the business as "grease cream." This is your standard shortening and powdered sugar icing found in buckets at Piggly Wiggly's and Bi-Lo's throughout the land. Although I did use half butter and half shortening and I flavored mine with Navan instead of clear vanilla extract, I still got that finished look that all the cakes at those store bakeries have. Now I understand why they use the grease cream (aka American buttercream). The finish is gorgeous. And it crusts. And you want it to. Nice to see I am still learning some after all these years.

I hate tomatoes. . . More on that later. . .

2008-07-07T22:01:00.002-04:00

Sweet Tea Sorbet (on the 4th of July)

2008-07-07T21:55:00.003-04:00

Finally I found a recipe for sweet tea sorbet that works. Not too icy on day two, not too slushy. And tasty. . . you bet. I made use of America's Classic Tea, the only tea grown in the US and hailing from two islands over (Wadmalaw, that is). The addition of a little Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, the new local summer sensation, didn't hurt.

Basically, we have sorbet and lots of fruit (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango, watermelon, peaches, and a bit of the hated mint leaf). No sauce. I figured the sorbet would melt partially and become a sauce. Oh, and I added sugar cane as a deco.

The tea hit your palate first. The sweet followed suit. Summertime in the South. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Limoncello a'brewin'

2008-06-28T11:56:00.003-04:00

6 bottles of booze. The "Microplaned" zest of an entire case of small Meyer Lemons. Two months.

Ricotta a'drainin'

2008-06-28T11:47:00.003-04:00

When I added the limoncello cheesecake to the menu, I forget I had been lazily looking for an excuse to make my own ricotta. Every once in a while I would happen across a recipe for making your own and I never had a reason to do so. That is, until the other day when I was almost out of cheesecake and there was no ricotta in house. So I googled and found a couple of recipes. Two gallons of milk and two quarts of buttermilk later and I was draining a whey. (Sorry for that awful pun. I couldn't resist.)

The ricotta was far more flavorful to me in comparison to the purchased brand. The curd was much more delicate. I was only slightly ticked that I had no use for the all the whey. There was no time for me to make bread with it. And I have since seen a tip to use it to make grits. Next time I am freezing it for later use. I just can't stand to throw anything away.

Rhubarb Schnapps--What am I gonna do with you?

2008-06-25T20:19:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks back I decided it was time to decant the rhubarb schnapps. The rhubarb itself had taken a cadaverous hue that just wasn't too appealing to look at any longer. Ergo, I strained off the solids and was pleased to see that happy pink pretty in my jar as opposed to something the color of the juice rotten toes would puddle in. And you know I had to have a sip. Come on, you know it. That first taste was disconcerting because all I got was vodka (the schnapps is just a mixture of fresh rhubarb, granulated sugar, and Smirnoff left to age for about 2 months). Just as I was about to wallow in a little self pity and down some more out of spite, the subtle rhubarb flavor slid home. Dre and I shut down the kitchen last Saturday with some rhubarb and sodas on crushed ice. But what can I do with it now? I had been planning a rhubarb-strawberry fizz composed of the schnapps, strawberry sorbet, and seltzer or club soda. But the liquor is just too subtle. The strawberry would stomp its ass. So maybe just a rhubarb fizz? Rhubarb sorbet and the booze? Sounds delightful to me. And buzz-inducing.

On the Road again

2008-06-24T17:35:00.002-04:00

Here I am on day 5 of an eight day class. I'm teaching back in Columbia so I can afford to make the car payment during the summer, tech-checkless months. And I can tell you that I started out teaching this go 'round class monitoring my gas usage like a shut-in peering through the windows at what the neighbors are up to. But that got bored really quickly. Sure, I saved maybe $5 on that first day driving the speed limit. However, that extra 30 minutes in the car made the painful drive that more excruciating. So, I keep it at 5 over now, and that makes me happy. I just pretend that I will be earning enough this rotation to make it all worth the time and gas money. That being said, let me go watch cookie chaos go down. Happy teaching!

Limoncello Cheesecake

2008-06-22T22:53:00.002-04:00

I have been making limoncello for the Treehouse bar since at least last summer. I find, and our FOH managers agree, that the homemade version thankfully and obviously lacks the "fake" flavor of some of the brands we used to offer. Two factors probably help us here: I only use Meyer lemons for the flavoring and the only other ingredients are 100 proof vodka, grain alcohol, and simple syrup.

Well, you know if I make it, I want to figure out how to use it in my food. And you also know that booze is one of my favorite ingredients. Alas, I needed to find a home for my limoncello. I also say this after losing lots of skin cells and fingernail chunks to the Microplane grater while zesting entire cases of Meyers (I like to think the little bits of me "sweeten" the mix). Ergo, here we have limoncello cheesecake. I even make my own ricotta cheese for the batter.

The plate is finished with a pine nut shortbread crumble (the butter in the shortbread is infused with lavender and rosemary), blueberry sauce, fresh blueberries, fresh lavender, a rosemary sprig, lavender infused honey, and candied lemon wheels.

Peach Skillet Cake for Two

2008-06-22T22:49:00.002-04:00

Again, a cry to the average Charlestonian's taste buds. In essence we have a peach upside down cake served warm in a 5" cast skillet with two scoops of rockin' peach buttermilk ice cream (really more of a sherbet), and topped with a caramel deco.

SC peaches are awesome this year. Tell your friends. I sure have been telling mine.