A Life in Baking, Pastry, and Libations.
Sourdough starters are unparalleled in their ability to coax flavor from flour. Even if you don’t make bread regularly, sourdough starters can be used in cakes, beignets and even bread pudding. No pastry kitchen should be without a sourdough starter and you can start one in less than two weeks. Once you’ve created your starter,... Continue Reading →
I started making my own crème fraiche a year ago because commerical crème friache has a buttery texture that makes it prone to lumping when spun into ice creams and sorbets. It tastes bland, and to add insult, is exorbitantly expensive. I started making my own crème fraiche a year ago and found the flavor to be clean and refreshingly... Continue Reading →
One of the earliest fermented beverages, and one that even predates beer, is honey wine (mead). In its most basic form, mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey and water. 750 mL honey, raw* 3 L water, mineral Whisk water and honey until honey has dissolved. Cover with a towel and ferment... Continue Reading →
I don't think of olives as a savory ingredient in pastry. To me, it's just another form of salt, albeit one with a vast array of fruity, herbal and nutty undertones. Candying the olives removes some of the saltiness imparted during the brining process while drying intensifies the olives' natural affinity for citrus, nuts, and... Continue Reading →
A fun idea for serving dessert. This would have been helpful during my years in catering industry: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4595682?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003
Although ricotta is ridiculously easy to make, I've never made it at work because I can buy a high-quality cheese from most of my wholesalers. I've been thinking about an olive oil, ricotta, and honey dessert but it didn't seem very exciting to plop some plain old ricotta on the plate. So, I tried making... Continue Reading →
Buttery. Salted. Caramel. 