A Life in Baking, Pastry, and Libations.
In the days before chemically manufactured baking soda was available, ash water was used both as a leavener and as a source of potash. It seems odd to us now but using ash made sense as wood-burning ovens and fireplaces were the primary sources of cooking and heating the home. Although potash worked instantly, it... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to imagine what cakes and biscuits would taste and look like if they were made without baking powder, but in fact, baking powder is a recent innovation that did not make its first cookbook appearance until the 1850s. Sourdough or yeast, along with a helping of dregs from the wine casket, was the... Continue Reading →
Ice cream stabilizers are an issue that I’ve grappled with for a long time. I want to believe that stabilizers are never necessary and that ice cream should only contain milk, cream, sugar, eggs and flavoring. There exists the perception that stabilized ice cream mixes are “pumped full of chemicals and air”, not “all-natural”, and... Continue Reading →
A well-crafted dessert menu displays artistry in flavor and execution to present desserts that marry with the restaurant’s philosophy while reflecting the season. As old desserts fall flat on our jaded palates, pastry chefs must adapt and add new techniques to their arsenal. An apple pie can be deconstructed and re-imagined every which way to... Continue Reading →
Pairing cooking and jazz is not an original concept. Eleven Madison Park’s Daniel Humm credits Miles Davis as the inspiration that guided the restaurant through its revamp and subsequent evolution to 3-star Michelin status. Charlie Trotter likens himself to “the Miles Davis of cuisine” in that the legendary trumpet player claimed to have never played... Continue Reading →
Food trends (ahem, ramps) usually send me fleeing for cover. But the cronut sucked me in. Besides, I've been putting off a trip to Dominique Ansel's bakery since it opened two years ago and what better time to visit than with a stampede of foodie-crazed New Yorkers? In case you've been holed up indoors on... Continue Reading →
Buttery. Salted. Caramel. 