NYC Chocolate Show

Today is the last day to attend. I had the pleasure of visiting the 2010 NYC Chocolate Show on my birthday (November 11). Let me just say this, I am still recovering from chocolate overdose. With over 50 participants the chocolate show boasted a staggering lineup. From what I saw there was a host of "mom and pop" private businesses with only a small number of heavy hitters eg. Valrhona, Guittard, Michel Cluizel. If you are like me and can not live without chocolate you must stop what you are doing right now, and take a trip to the Metropolitan Pavilion for the last few hours of this glorious event. Booth after booth of : hand dipped truffles, molded chocolates, chocolate sculptures, dragees, hot chocolate, wine, pralines, couverture, etc. It was a great way to spend my birthday afternoon. Below are a few pictures of some chocolate sculptures that caught my eye as well as the E. Guittard booth, and some assorted bon bons.

Talenti

Talenti Gelato e Sorbetto, an artisan gelato and sorbet maker. The brand originated in Florentine in the mid 1500's by Bernardo Buontalenti. The gelatos and sorbets are made from all natural ingredients of the highest quality. So...I was at the store the other day and was in the market for ice cream. I came across this brand that I have never heard of or tried before. So I go ahead and pick up a pint. It actually has a very nice mouthfeel. A little airier than what I expected from a typical gelato, but overall very nice. With a price point of nearly $7.00 a pint it is the most expensive brand that I have ever come across (probably $4 worth of packaging). The picture above is the lid and below is the container and the rest of my order. God I love ice cream.

Curtis Duffy

www.Curtisduffy.com (must see)

Modernist Cuisine

A line of books coming March 2011. I cannont wait until this series is released. Authors, Dr. Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet have put together what looks to be an outstanding volume of books. The 6 volumes will have a pricetag of $500.00. You can begin to pre-order your books on amazon. With chapters like: Microbiology for Cooks, Heat and Energy, The Physics of Food and Water, Cooking Sous Vide, Thickeners, Gels, Emulsions, Foams, etc. these books will be a highly sought after item for cooking professionals. From what I have seen the photography is phenomenal. I am going to start saving now for this book

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Two Tone Pate de Fruit

Quite possible the coolest Pate de Fruit I have ever seen. The two flavors I used for this Pate de Fruit are Verjus Blanc, and Verjus Rouge. Verjus translates to "green juice". It is basically the liquid taken from white and/or red wine grapes before they undergo fermentation. The grapes are broken down and harvested when the natural sugars in the fruit are at there peak. The Pate de Fruit is a pretty standard confection when it comes to the pastry kitchen. It is basically a gel that is set with pectin. In this recipe I used high methoxyl pectin, sugar, glucose powder, and a citric acid solution. I scaled both recipes, both a little different than the next taking into consideration solids content, natural sugars, and acidity. I began by cooking the Pate de Fruit that required the higher temperature first, pooring it on a silpat with confectionary bars as a frame. Directly after pooring the first batch I began cooking the 2nd. Before pooring the 2nd batch on top of the 1st I used a heat gun to warm the top layer of the 1st. (ensuring a solid adhesion between the two) I think the two tone is a more modern take on the classic confection. Not to mention it looks really cool and tastes great.

COI

Above: Pastry Chef Bill Corbett and myself. Below is a picture of one of the Pastry Chef Bill Corbett's summer desserts. It is Caramelized White Chocolate Namelaka, Raspberries, and Sorrel. It was very refreshing and artfully presented. I really enjoyed the short time I had working alongside Chef Corbett. They are doing some really great things at COI. I highly recommend making a stop in and eating if you are in the Bay Area anytime soon. I also hear that Daniel Patterson and Bill Corbett have big plans for Plum, a new Oakland restaurant as well. I look forward to eating there the next time I make it to California.

New iSi Product

It is called the "Twist and Sparkle" It is basically a more affordable soda siphon. Williams and Sonoma are selling it for $49.95. From what I can tell you would add your liquid or anything that you wish to carbonate into the plastic bottle, insert a Co2 canister into the top, and screw the top on to add carbonation. It seems like it could come in handy when making cocktails, or any other carbonated beverage. I wonder if the little wand has to be submerged into the "liquid" or if the entire bottle would be carbonated upon the C02.