“Sassy Sauces”
Learn how to make zesty, bold, rich, salted, creamy, and spicy sauces.
Burnt Orange, Salted Caramel, Bittersweet Chocolate, Classic Creme Anglaise, Port-Pepper Syrup, and more.
Saturday April 12th, 2008 10am-12
Email Chef Guas to sign up or for more information.
Class size is limited. Cost is $75/per person. Two hour sessions.
“From the Garden”
Learn how to make fun and easy sweets using items from the garden(Vegetables/Herbs).
Carrot Cupcakes, Fresh Thyme-Zucchini Pound Cakes, Pine Nut-Rosemary Brittle, Lemon Curd and Sweet Basil SyrupÂ
Date: Saturday March 29th, 2008 10am-12
Email Chef Guas to sign up or for more information.
Class size is limited. Cost is $75/per person. Two hour sessions.
Here’s some information on a few of my favorite chocolates, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Guittard Chocolate(US) is one that I’ve used for the past 5 years, great working chocolate. Although it was a Frenchman who started the company(Etienne Guittard)it has been produced in San Fransico since its birth. I temper it for candies, sealing chocolates, baking, etc. I use their 72% bittersweet, 61% semi-sweet, and they have a 40% milk that is unbelievable for the price. As a professional pastry chef, I’m always concerned about cost and this line of chocolates are extremely affordable. I was buying them for just over $4/lb. www.guittard.com
Belcolade Chocolates(Belgian) are great and affordable as well. If you are looking for some unique flavor in a chocolate they have a 64% semi-sweet which is from Papua New Guina which has a wonderful smoky flavor and some tobacco and chili undertones. I would use this chocolate in a “Mexican” style hot chocolate with ground almonds and canella steeped into the milk. Cost is similar to Guittard right around $4/lb. www.belcolade.com
Michel Cluizel Chocolate(French) is the Ferrari of chocolates- expensive, elegant, beautiful flavor and performs perfectly every time. They have a 50% cocoa milk chocolate which is by far my favorite chocolate that they produce. I would use this if I needed something that doesn’t require many other ingredients. This chocolate is great for ganache for truffle fillings or other desserts. Most small pastry operations do not use this for their every day chocolate but may feature it in one dessert on the menu. I prefer eating it right out of the box. Cost of this chocolate averages around $8-9/lb. www.cluizel.com