Posted by Steve Klc on March 12, 1999 at 09:53:06:
In Reply to: Re: pastry books posted by Gerard on March 12, 1999 at 07:14:07:
: Michelle,
: Couldn't agree more, I also got some ideas from the book.
: Its kinda sad Americans are such suckers for pretention.
: One day guide michelin will land on these shores and there'll be some red faces when they are done.
: They've been threatening for some time.
: Yesterday I rolled brioche dough 1/8th inch thick (or thin), placed it over some brioche molds and piped pastry cream inside.
: Ran the rolling pin across the tops to cut the dough off on the lip of the molds and topped with apple slices.
: I put them on top of the oven to proof the dough then baked them off, after removing I inverted them to cool, this made the apple slices lay perfectly flat for a neater appearance, glazed to finish and sold for $2 each.
: For me I have to keep final prices down so the stuff will move, I think anyone can make pastry if cost and price aren't an issue but the general retail public aren't too thrilled with pretentions that translate into lofty prices.
: Cheers, Gerard.
Hi Gerard--sorry I haven't been in touch for awhile. But I'm glad to see you weigh in with comments about a pastry book--and generate so many replies! I've actually been working with the Trotter book, and a few others, for several months in order to write a review for my website--because you, and so many others, have asked for it! Remember--you wanted to know which books I liked and disliked? Well, I love the Trotter book--despite the fact that it is, at times, "idiotic, un-artistic, convoluted, and pretentious" according to your astute e-mail. Trotter--and his cadre of pastry chefs, all of whom take their position backstage--are not the first, and certainly not the only, proponents of plated desserts with odd juxtapositions of seemingly incongruous tastes and textures and unbelieveably exotic ingredient combinations. Amla, horned melon, sapote, hokkaido squash? Give us all a break. On the surface, this seems ridiculous--and certainly not applicable to your needs at a pastry shop. But then, Trotter is not addressing this book for your professional needs. He's following a trend in current media to focus on a "celebrity" chef--and what is new--not what is necessarily best. Another distinctly American media trend is to focus on plated desserts--and the chefs preparing them--as the ne plus ultra of the pastry scene. It should not come as a surprise to anyone that plated desserts are receiving so much attention at the expense of the work being done in bakeries and pastry shops. (Unlike in France and Italy, by the way--where the best pastry chefs have either owned their own or done extended stints in a patisserie.) Your work must not be glamorous enough, Gerard--but that's OK--you love your work in a pastry shop, you are committed to your profession, and you have alot to contribute that is no less relevant to working American pastry chefs than what Trotter is trying to say. That said, Charlie Trotter's Desserts is a wonderful, thought-provoking book--albeit pretentious and impractical--available at a bargain price on Amazon.com, especially when compared to the price of the best French pastry books--with impeccable food photography, styling and design. Michelle's response to you is right on the mark--the Trotter book does nothing if not spur creativity--creativity of vision, of thought and of process. My problem with some of the flavor combinations and recipes that I have tried is that they just don't translate into an enjoyable dessert experience. Unlike the seemingly exotic flavor combinations in Pierre Herme's pastry books, which never fail to surprise and please! Whereas Herme's seeming eclecticism is revelatory in taste and texture--Trotter's too often is merely eclectic. But then, the great thing about pastry is that there is no accounting for taste--which is inherently subjective--and no one correct opinion. I'll have a more thorough review of the book on my site soon, but suffice it to say, I think the Trotter is a must purchase and a must read for every American pastry chef. The other books that I love at the moment are: Frederic Bau "Au Coeur des Saveurs," Pierre Herme "Plaisirs sucres," Pierre Herme "The Patisserie of Pierre Herme," "Roger Verge's Cooking with Fruit," "Paramount Desserts" by Christine Mansfield, and the desserts in the "Jean-Georges" cookbook. JB Prince is your best bet for the Herme and Bau books--which are both in English, in stock for quick shipping, and worth every bit of the price. I'll have more on all of these later, and on the books that I don't like, like "Desserts by Pierre Herme" by Dorie Greenspan. Regards, Steve