I'm interested in which magazines the people on this board find valuable and/or interesting.

Someone mentioned a magazine put out by Thuries. Have you got subscriber info for that magazine?

My current reads:
Chocolatier magazine - The recipes have been hit and miss, but I have a chocolate fetish so it's ideal for me. Any other great chocolate mags?

Pastry Art & Design - I pick it up occasionally at the newstand; not sure if it is worth subscribing to yet.

By jeee2 on Thursday, September 09, 1999 - 05:53 am: Edit

Mike,
I get the ACF mag being a member,way too much emphasis on education.
Chocolatier is home style low volume .
Pastry art and design ,dunno. Its obvious from the editorials they get flack for their "10 best pastry chefs" editions every year. It never mentions the internet ,maybe thats on purpose.
I talked to the editor last year, did an interview and pretty much cut them up. I didn't think they'd print it but they did and surprisingly all the other interviews were in agreement("way too much schooling, not enough training and a chronic shortage of skilled hands"). If you do desserts for a restaurant it would be a good idea mag.
I buy it once or twice a year.

Regards, Gerard

By makubo on Saturday, September 11, 1999 - 07:05 pm: Edit

Mikeh,
Thuriez Magazine Abonnement, 10 issues per year, 800FF according to the one I am holding here.
To order (you might want to be able to parlez francais) Tel: 16-63561606 or Fax: 16-63561699
No english editions.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, September 12, 1999 - 03:32 pm: Edit

Talking about Pastry Art & design, I've tried 2 or 3 different recipes that were published. One was for a simple coffee cake I can't believe anyone would put their name to it, it was so bad. I change my ala carte menu weekly and after 2 years worth of magazines I've yet to use a recipe from them. Their presentations are what you see in current books. I wish they had more advertisements because as a source for baking equipment it's been useful.

I have found quite a number of winners in the Chocolatier Magazine. Alot of them were published in their earlier years. I don't bake in volume so my needs are different than most other pastry chefs. I know every recipe isn't great but I've found enough to make it well worth the investment.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, September 12, 1999 - 03:44 pm: Edit

This will really raise everyones eyebrows but I always glance thru the little Pillsbury magazine at the grocerie store. I have some older issues labeled "baking from scratch". Those issues have had some good quick coffee cakes, cookies and muffins. I wouldn't tell you to subscribe to them but a quick glance while waiting in line has given me more recipes than Pastry Art & Design.

Please don't write me about it, just laugh quitely to yourself!

I would also like to find some good professional magazines with recipes that have taste and a tasteful presentation. I can't go home at night and leave cooks to recreate a balancing chocolate sphere on top of a tuile.

By jeee2 on Sunday, September 12, 1999 - 06:07 pm: Edit

The editor of pastry art and design wrote 'plated desserts have become an American invention much as Jazz was for American Music'. He's nuts.
My view is plated desserts as seen in P.A.d is what you get when you take a French idea , lack restraint and don't know where to start or when enough is enough. An occasional plate looks OK but its mostly art student stuff.
Linda Formicelli, the writer I spoke to also added the plated trend was meeting resistence and diners are looking more for real dessert(cobblers etc).

Regards, Gerard

By makubo on Sunday, September 12, 1999 - 06:57 pm: Edit

comfort food, eh?
Then tell me why schools whith, Olympic finalist this and Gold medallist that, are shooting up like the mushrooms? And why so many are willing to fork over so much for so little. I know that fools and their money soon part but should'nt the senior icons of the trade, whether self anointed or so declared by others, renounce the humbug?
Gerard, I get the feeling you have do'nt like the french all that much?
Nouvelle cuisine was given birth but also declared deceased in France, today's the finest trades peole in Europe (led by the French)have renounced schmontzes like painted plates and printed biscuits, let the berry lie where it may fall!

By jeee2 on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 03:09 am: Edit

Makubo,

>Then tell me why schools whith, Olympic finalist this and Gold medallist that,
are shooting up like the mushrooms?>

To make money and no other reason.
The people who compete don't seem very good, it seems to attract the young.

You're mis-reading me on the French, I've lived and worked with them all my life and no-one is going to catch them. Plated dessert was something anyone in America could do, doesn't require much ability and the schools could crank out students who thought they are pastry chefs, they have no idea what the title means. I hope plated dessert follows nouvelle.
I worked with a gold medalist ,from the German Olympics I think , he was not very good at all.
Regards, Gerard

By W.DeBord on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 09:00 am: Edit

I really see what people want when we put out a buffet. They hardly make a dent in the "fancy" pastries. I always sneak in a few plain items like: flan, white cake, choc. cake with choc. frosting, cobbler etc... these are gone first! People love to eat "comfort" foods!

I'll only list 1 or 2 professional type pastries on my ala carte menu. They rarely are ordered. But list peach cobbler ala mode and I can't keep up with the orders.

I'm not suprised that simple items sell. I would be suprised if I saw that art/pastry would be a enduring selling trend. It's like the classic story of the emperiors'(sp?) clothing, the twist here is you have clothing but nothing supporting it. Only fools buy it.

By jeee2 on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 10:03 am: Edit

You may have read about a dessert restaurant in Boston recently in pastry art and design, its called Finale, been open a couple of yrs.
They featured all the artsy plated stuff and it looks nice but it doesn't sell, now they are doing a cafe menu to make up for what the desserts don't bring in. Its funny to watch people with no experience in the food industry come along and show us how it should be done.

Regards, Gerard

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Monday, September 13, 1999 - 11:54 pm: Edit

There is a cookbook out called Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax. The recipes cover many of the comfort foods that we are discussing here. Have any of you tried the recipes from this book?

Cheers,
Mike

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 07:28 am: Edit

Mikeh is this a newer release? It reminds me of one put out by borden foods, is that correct?

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Tuesday, September 14, 1999 - 10:33 am: Edit

W. DeBord,

I don't think so. This book is (based on Amazon.com info) published in 1996 by Chapters Publishing Ltd, hardcover, 688 pages. The previous printing won the Julia Child award in 1995.

Seven reviewers on Amazon.com have given it a five out of five rating, and I was impressed by its down to earthness when I looked at it in the bookstore.

So, I'm wondering if anybody here has seen it and can offer an opinion from a professional viewpoint.

Cheers,
Mike

By JenMurphy on Thursday, October 21, 1999 - 11:45 pm: Edit

Mike,

I purchased Classic Home Desserts a few months ago upon the recommendation of a colleague. I have only tried of few of the recipes so far, but they have turned out very well. I do have to say that I have not tried them out at work in high volume, but at home, so I cannot say how they would work at work. I will say that the peach cobbler recipe alone is worth the book!

As an aside, I recently found this forum and I have to say it is very informative and professional! It's great, keep it up!

Jen

By W.DeBord on Friday, October 22, 1999 - 08:20 am: Edit

Jen would you share that peach cobbler recipe? I have to make cobblers occasionally at work and I'm always open for a better recipe.

Thanks in advance.

P.S.Welcome! Are you a pastry chef???

By W.DeBord on Monday, October 25, 1999 - 09:35 am: Edit

I purchased Classic Home Desserts yesterday. It looks very interesting. The enthnic recipes he included were ones I've had interest in and not had alot of sources to cross reference. I wish he had included more photos, I feel shy to try some of his cakes with-out seeing them first.

His list of puddings is impressive. I'm going to start working thru some of them.

Mike did you buy it?

Jen which other recipes have you liked?

I also purchased Payards' "Simply Sensational Desserts" (for the home baker). Does anyone have any recommendations from his book?

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Tuesday, October 26, 1999 - 08:52 pm: Edit

I haven't bought it yet, but based on the reviews here, I'm certainly going to try it. What kind of ethnic recipes are included?

Cheers, Mike.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, October 27, 1999 - 08:26 am: Edit

They have a Greek pastry I love that is hard to find. I had to buy a small cookbook at a Greek church to get it, don't ask me the name I can't spell it. It's filo with farina(cream of wheat) made into a pastry cream filling topped with more filo and syrup poured over it.

It also has some Jewish recipes like noodle kugel and a couple different strudels. Their aren't alot of ethnic recipes but it has some that I enjoy.


I made the coconut ganache torte from Payards' book yesterday. Skip it! I had to use my own macaroon cookie recipe, his was barely useable. The book goes to the shelf until I'm desperate or someone tells me what recipe is good. Is anyone really Selling fruit soups for dessert???????

By W.DeBord on Thursday, October 28, 1999 - 08:23 am: Edit

Mike I made Saxs' apple crumb pie and his Bon Tons New Orleans bread pudding yesterday. Both recipes worked well and had a homey simple good flavor. He also writes his instructions simple and clear which is a pleasure to follow.

By Ltom on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 - 02:25 am: Edit

Richard Sax's book is one of the great books that started me into baking & pastry--his pumpkin pie is perfect--I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the taste of their food and historical baking/literary trivia as well. I don't know about using them professionally (i.e., quantity, keeping quality. The only problem for me was the pie crust recipe (difference in cup sizes American vs. Canadian + non-professional at that time).

I also have Payard's book--nice pictures, inspiring but the instructions for the black & white cookies are ridiculous and the cookie tastes blah. I was pretty disappointed. At the place I am currently working, they present a pineapple basil soup with fruit sorbet--very fragrant or a watermelon soup with basil chiffonade--very beautiful visually in a white soup plate.

By Ltom on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 - 02:25 am: Edit

Richard Sax's book is one of the great books that started me into baking & pastry--his pumpkin pie is perfect--I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the taste of their food and historical baking/literary trivia as well. I don't know about using them professionally (i.e., quantity, keeping quality. The only problem for me was the pie crust recipe (difference in cup sizes American vs. Canadian + non-professional at that time).

I also have Payard's book--nice pictures, inspiring but the instructions for the black & white cookies are ridiculous and the cookie tastes blah. I was pretty disappointed. At the place I am currently working, they present a pineapple basil soup with fruit sorbet--very fragrant or a watermelon soup with basil chiffonade--very beautiful visually in a white soup plate.

By bakeshpdan on Wednesday, July 26, 2000 - 11:52 pm: Edit

I always enjoy reading the comments from others in the pastry industry weather its professional or other. what It all comes down to is, we have to make what sells or we get poor real fast. Im sure all of us can make some really nice stuf inside and out but the hard part is selling it. I rarely use recipes out of magazines but I enjoy looking at them to read the articles or the pics to us with existing formulas that I already have and i know work and have a good chance of selling remember what happens in the bowl determines what happens in the oven. I have learned to give pastry respect and patience. Mihala Dan