Posted by Baker on October 25, 1997 at 21:02:32:
In Reply to: patissier posted by Terry on October 24, 1997 at 16:39:13:
: I am currently attending college to be come a
: chef de patissier iam in my first year and would appreciate any information on what books i could get
Heres the problem, you can't get skill from a book and you won't get it in a school either. What you are learning is a trade , you need to get into the right kitchen , learning is watching,asking and doing ...over and over. IF it was possible to learn skills from books I wouldn't be running a pastry shop , I'd get the right books to become a brain surgeon.!
Besides the french books by Roland Bilheux and Alain escoffier theres not much that I've seen, forget amateur books by the likes of Rosie's Cake Bible (?), the non pro's are nice but clueless.
The Pro French Pastry series cost approx $69 each and theres four of them, call (713) 359 2270 if you want to buy them. $239 for the set (4).
Domenic Dermo's Professional pastry chef book is good but you won't learn anything from it, its just full of proven formulas.
Knowledge in pastry in large part is useless, you only to be able to actually DO IT, talking a good game adds no skill.
I recently hired an apprentice who went to J&W, he's quite knowledgable to talk to but makes the biggest mess you ever saw, I have to watch him almost every second but thats to be expected.
Gerard @ Savoy.