Hi Donna,

I'm threatening to take 2 days off work every week now my brother is working with us, what to do with my time??, I'm fantasizing working part time for someone else.

By Donna Marie Bégin (Donna) on Monday, May 17, 1999 - 08:07 am: Edit

I can't imagine you taking two days off in a month, never mind in one week!
If you do, please fly down to do my bloody desserts. I hate making them. I can take three days making foie gras but, oh those sweets are doing me in. I purchased all the proper gagets, tools, hobart mixer, etc., I thought that this would prompt me to bake. Ya, right.
I make all my own sauces, stocks, gravies, dressings, etc. I think that my desserts aren't
fancy enough. Any ideas?
I guess what I am saying is that I want my desserts as unique as the rest of the courses.
I am looking for a good pastry chef.
So, hit me with your best shot, guys!
Donna

p.s. George, the forum looks terrific. Thanks for all your hard work but, where do you find the time! What do you know that I don't.

By Gerard Jones (Gerard) on Monday, May 17, 1999 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Donna,

if people realised gadgets didn't work?
Williams Sonoma would go belly up,
its like joining a health club on the assumption "this will make me exercise and eat right".
Sure it will.

I would steer clear of overly embellished dessert, make it taste good and look professional.
Often simple is more elegant.
Would you rather eat modern dessert on decorated plate of pulled sugar twirls and choc spider web or sliced stawbs soaked in grand marnier spooned over ice cream, I'd take the strawberries romanov on ice cream because it tastes better.
You need to assemble a menu of good tasting but simple banquet desserts.
I'm afraid you'll have to come down here to Boston and we'll teach you what you need to know.
Even if you hire the position out you need to know yourself, with many of the so-called pastry chefs nowadays you'll find they are more in love with the title than training.

If I can get time off I'd love to come up north and help out.

By Chefk (Chefk) on Thursday, September 09, 1999 - 12:48 am: Edit

I agree with Gerard. Our Pastry Chef is fabulous and she doesn't rely upon fu-fu sugar pulls and non-related tuiles, her desserts just Taste Good. I worked with one of those wunderkind architechts once and her desserts looked astounding, but you had to have a demolition license to eat them! Flavor rules. Find a few simple recipes that you absolutely love, stick to them and do it with love. You can't lose.