Sorbet course, presentation ideas

Here is the menu:

Tuchon de fois gras, haricot vert and shallot ring salad, white truffle oil

Autumn squash and apple "bisque" with spiced pumpkin seeds

Spinach salad with warm panchetta vinaigrette

Honeydew and raspberry swirl sorbet

Bacon wrapped filet mignon, lobster hash, grilled asparagus, slow roasted roma tomatoes, mushroom infused merlot reduction

flourless chocolate decadance, hazelnut ice cream, flourentine curl, mascerated berry melange

What I need is an idea for the base presentation for the sorbet. I am going to be serving the sorbet in a shallow champagne glass, sugar rimmed, mint, and my thought is to make a lightly flavored lemon granita, mound that and then place the sorbet quenelle on that, it looks nice in my head but seems somewhat uninspired............ any suggestions??

By Tortesrus (Tortesrus) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:02 am: Edit

Hi Chef-Just a thought, maybe shy away from the
sweeter intermezzo, and go with a combination
of more acidic or neutral flavors- honey dew and cucumber sorbet with a lemon granite, or a fresh starfruit and pineapple brunoise with a lime granite, and a lime slice on the rim like a margarita- maybe dust the rim with salt and a little cayenne powder instead...
something to shake up the taste buds...
(If you have a champion juicer- you can freeze the melon and cucumber and run them through the juicer frozen- with the solid sheild on, and it comes out just like a pure sorbet- but no additives, creamy texture but only the natural pure flavor. The quenelle idea sounds great.(so does dinner!!)

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:36 am: Edit

Chef, If I may.......
Don't swirl the sorbet. Separet for effect and space.
Place them on a small plate, like a demi coffee plate with the lemon granita just showing from underneth.
lose the mint.
sprinkle something on the plate or on the sorbet.
something of a darker color.
or a quick brush of something like a coulee', something that stays when cold.
If your going to make the hazelnut ice cream, wash the nuts in whites and roll in sugar, then roast,.. cool,.. dry,.. grind or crush before you add to the ice cream.
This will make your nuts taste great!, cold.
Hope this helps.

By Chefgibz0 (Chefgibz0) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Thank You Spike and Tortesrus.
I am commited to the sweet melon and rasp sorbet, that is what the members chose and as the dinner is tomorrow nite....well cannot change now. I will keep the "margarita" sorbet in mind for an upscale to Mexican Night. As far as the swirl goes I like the contrast in color, and the design that comes out from a quenelle presentation........why lose the mint Spike......yous got something against mint!?!?!? And I was gunna chiffonade the mint and nest it on top....and if you are opposed to the mint what do you say to the parsley sprig and lemon twist on the main course?? I like the idea of the nuts for the ice cream...I was just not incorporating them in the mix itself but rather "encrust" the scoop of ice cream with the nuts, to much??
The only other idea I have come up with for the base presentation is to thinly slice lemons and limes and alternate them and line the bottom of the glass and freeze........??

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 02:40 pm: Edit

"As far as the swirl goes I like the contrast in color, and the design that comes out from a quenelle presentation........"

Then do one end one flavor and the other end the other flavor. x2 right? It will look better. Cleaner. Exact. Like you were up all night. You can get swirl from an ice cream truck. Speaking of trucks, my new/used truck is great. I was making out in the back the other night, it's BIG back there !
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"why lose the mint Spike......yous got something against mint!?!?!?"

Yawwwwnnnnnnn.....it's overpowering, and sucks, and looks dirty next to sorbet. and boring. speaking of boring, anyone heard from Manny lately?
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"encrust"...
Ya, do that, thats nice. But grind your nuts very fine, with the skins, looks good and a nice contrast, since you like contrast.

"The only other idea I have come up with for the base presentation is to thinly slice lemons and limes and alternate them and line the bottom of the glass and freeze........??"

Ya, thats nicer, do that.
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Good Luck.
Where's Manny?

By Chefgibz0 (Chefgibz0) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 02:53 pm: Edit

Spike,
Then do one end one flavor and the other end the other flavor. x2 right? It will look better. Cleaner. Exact. Like you were up all night. You can get swirl from an ice cream truck. Speaking of trucks, my new/used truck is great. I was making out in the back the other night, it's BIG back there !

What if I did lines like a neopolitan?? and I am glad your new truck is workin out for you but does makin out by yourself qualify as "makin out"?? and yes it IS big back there when you are by yourself!!
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Yawwwwnnnnnnn.....it's overpowering, and sucks, and looks dirty next to sorbet. and boring. speaking of boring, anyone heard from Manny lately?

Sucks?? Boring?? Mint is back in man....it is all the new and hip rage......where do you get dirty from........what if I sugared the leaves?? No have not heard from Manny.........Maybe he had to bail from Flor-e-duh before Willllllllllllllmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaa hits. For him I hope she calms down!!
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"encrust"...
Ya, do that, thats nice. But grind your nuts very fine, with the skins, looks good and a nice contrast, since you like contrast.

Thanx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The only other idea I have come up with for the base presentation is to thinly slice lemons and limes and alternate them and line the bottom of the glass and freeze........??"

it will save time, but is it as nice as a granita?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanx

By Rpd144000 (Rpd144000) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 02:54 pm: Edit

skip the sorbet and do a granitee. speaking of pricey, check out the english value priced menu here www.exclusivehotels.co.uk/docs/ Menus%20and%20Additional%20Information.pdf

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 04:28 pm: Edit

""What if I did lines like a neopolitan?? and I am glad your new truck is workin out for you but does makin out by yourself qualify as "makin out"?? and yes it IS big back there when you are by yourself!!"".....

ya, do the neopolitan.
I won't even answer that last part. I guess you never done that, Johnnie Cash love songs playing on the box, couple of big gulps from 7-11, very romantic.
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""Sucks?? Boring?? Mint is back in man....it is all the new and hip rage......where do you get dirty from........what if I sugared the leaves?? No have not heard from Manny""

the new rage??...use a flower. or some pettles. much better. mo' better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

""The only other idea I have come up with for the base presentation is to thinly slice lemons and limes and alternate them and line the bottom of the glass and freeze........??"
it will save time, but is it as nice as a granita?""............

Do both, you got time. [its a country club, jeez. ain't like those people know the difference anyhow.] HaHaHa............

yea.....Johnnie Cash love songs baby, gets 'em everytime.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 06:31 pm: Edit

256 oz. big gulp........................$11.67
CD, of Johnnie Cash love songs (used)...$ 3.95
The look in her eyes when,
she's being romanced..............................Priceless.

Don't leave home without cash, 'cause sometimes, you just can't use credit cards.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 07:24 pm: Edit

You do lines??????????

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 07:25 pm: Edit

It all depends on what your definition of "is" is, in regards to that "making out by yourself" question sir!!!!!!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:44 am: Edit

I think I'll marry this one.