Marsha L. wrote:Karen H wrote:I suppose my offerings must sound pretty mundane next to Ethan's, but I've been on a big "make something people will order" kick lately. Focus on flavors people like and build the dessert menu around it.
Sorry, Ethan - I couldn't resist. Just having a little fun with you. I'm actually quite jealous of all your fancy equipment and your freedom to explore the outer reaches of the pastry universe. I wasn't even able to sell an amazing stout ice cream to the denizens of St. Matthews last summer - it eventually got thrown out to make room for whatever came next that folks
were ordering. I don't have room to store my clunkers or much time to experiment too far afield beyond what I think will sell...because, well, our patrons just seem to keep eating almost everything else I make, and some weeks I can barely keep up!
I love your root beer float dessert idea. I used to make a sassafrass anglaise at Limestone that I bet would be heavenly with it. The most far out thing I'm working on at the moment is some sort of riff on "RC Cola and a Moon Pie".
not to get entirely off topic from cakes, but on the subject of pastry work in restaurants...
(and as usual, my apologies for a belated, and overly lengthy reply.)
Marsha:
I've taken a turn to the whole "make something people will order" thing myself.
People just aren't getting it.
The flavor pairings are no more "out there" than what you'd see in restaurants in Chicago or NYC...
but, alas...
I've gave it some thought.
I started out relatively tame, then moved on to even more bold flavor combinations.
My original notion was: "give them something they've never tasted (that tastes good) and open the diner to a new experience beyond traditional dessert expectations"
now i've moved more to: "give them what they want, but with a little of what i want to give them... and by my rules" (if that makes any sense?)
Example:
Root Beer Float in Textures: variations on vanilla and root beer
1. Root beer float - Traditional (it serves as the reference point of this dish)
2. Vanilla & soy milk 'faux tofu', root beer film and 'soil' (the 'faux tofu' is play on words here. i now make panna cotta using a blend of agar agar and locust bean gum, which as a gelatin substitute makes it entirely vegetarian. It also produces a mouthfeel quite similar to very silken tofu... so subbing in soy milk for milk and/or cream = 'faux tofu')
3. Root beer float in reverse (Shooter) - encapsulated root beer sphere, cream soda (a sphere of root beer suspended in cream soda, take it as a shot... tastes like root beer float.)
4. Vanilla bean sponge, root beer ice cream (self explanatory enough)
In regards to fancy equipment:
I only recently got a new ice cream machine, and although brand new... it churns like any other model. It's no Paco-Jet.
I still use portable burners on my station, an immersion blender and vita-prep to blend things, and silpats and acetate to keep stuff from sticking.
I use PVC pipe moulds because i couldn't find the size i needed.
I do have a few shelves full of all sorts of industrial additives, but that doesn't really fall into the realms of "fancy equipment"
Most of the additives are dirt cheap and easily accessible for purchase retail or wholesale.
In all truth, the fanciest equipment i use are two gram scales: one accurate from 1-4500 grams, the other accurate from 0.1 to 300 grams (crucial for measuring down to the fraction of a gram)
I read a lot, research a lot, dream a lot, and have a strange ability to imagine what flavor pairing will taste like in my head.
I may get to spread my wings and experiment, but people flock to eat your desserts...
and for that, i am truly jealous.
I may get the prize for "risk taker" or "most innovative"...
but i swear it's not as satisfying as "most loved dessert" or "people's choice".
Those laurels rest upon your work.
(and i am equally jealous in the entirely opposite way)
For your body of work Marsha...
I salute you.