Sugar High Friday!

Having surfed the food blogs and stumbled on "A la Cuisine". The young man (who looks to be a fabulous chef!) was hosting a Sugar High Friday featuring Puff Pastry. Well, all he had to do was ask! One of my favorite pastry doughs is Puff Dough. Living in France, you can go to the Boulangere and order some fresh puff dough (not always made with butter, tho). Very easy for the home cook! Of course, there is grocery store dough already rolled out for you to buy, but really, when you taste ho-made dough, you'll never really want to buy again! Unless you are lazy!
For some reason, it was important to me to really master this particular dough when I graduated from cooking school.
I decided to participate and send in my recipe today, which means I open my blog to the public (I think). At the moment, no one has taken a gander at any of my posts! I feel safe!


This is the end result. Puff Pastry, made in the traditional way, I use the 4 double-turn method a pastry chef from the Cordon Bleu introduced me to. I rolled the dough out thin, and docked the bottom layer, a bit like a Mille Feuille. Then I added some parma ham, fresh pear and some Brie de Meaux. I used another docking tool for the top layer and this is 'my beauty'!


Another view of the 'rise'.....not too high, but enough for you to know, it is ho-made dough. I must say, I've enjoyed thinking about this little project this week.

In the presence of Greatness today!

What a day! I lead such a charmed life. Today I hung out in the kitchen of a Michelin Star'd chef. He is only 32 years old. His approach is to use the freshest ingredients, simply prepared. He has such attention to detail. (look at the pic below---the Asian fellow is his sous chef). I am a fan of sauces, and I appreciate French technique, but this guy can turn a grated carrot into a real flavor POP in the mouth and you crave more!


This photo is an infusion of algae and dried tuna with a splash of soy at the end. Some very simply sauted, but perfectly prepared scallops and an amazing garnish (in the spoon) of green radish. It was a real mouth treat! I'm inspired.

Note To Self.......

Please check expiration date on important culinary items...like Gelatin! I've been wondering why my Bavarian Cream has had the 'wobbles'.....almost downright runny. The reason is an expiration date of: December 2003. Ok....I get it!

Practice makes Perfect!

I'm really not a Type-A personality. In fact, I'm a bit on the lazy side. Here is where the obsessive part of my personality kicks in, I've got a Hands-On Pastry class coming up in a week, and I'm trying to conquer the dreaded shrinking dough! Limp and shrinking dough can turn a bunch of expat ladies into flour and egg throwing crazies! They could no-show my next class! Then where would I be? Right now, it looks like I have nailed the problem, this dough is crisp and rich! It is just waiting to be filled with a Strawberry Bavarian Cream.......next issue, Gelatin. Lets talk about Wobble!