Torreblanca and Achatz

A gazillion thanks to Vincent for making this happen.

Nervous about opening these ones... I am sure I am going to find lots of goodies in them to drive me insane. These guys have raised the bar so high that these books are quickly becoming the current standard practice. They cost me a whole month's pay. Can't wait for the Quique Dacosta book. Planning to get Momofuku, a couple of Blumenthals, and some Herve This stuff after moving to the new place.

In the midst of clearing my junk

Some interesting things that I have unearthed amongst the crap that I have gathered over the years. My Callebaut notes from the school trip and a school notepad which shows how I wandered off into the land of necking creatures in the middle of a brainstorming session. Very productive Andre......

More pics from my final days.

Leftover brioche and marzipan filling.

Sneak peak at the boys' walk-in chiller.

A scorching baking tray hicky! A whole tube of Burnol was sacrificed after the incident.

Misen placing for double cinnamon ice-cream.

Frosty and Horchata.

KitchenAid unboxing

I had been waiting for this KitchenAid since day one and it finally arrived! I had been borrowing and returning (yo-yo-ing) the old mixer from the pastry girls upstairs every single day the entire time I was in the restaurant and I hadn't complained once. It's good exercise...

Pics from my last week in Pontini

Gingerspiced triple chocolate financier. Mainly cocoa powder, grue de cacao and Guanaja.

I was in the midst of clearing my junk in the house when I discovered these. Barley samples from yesteryears. Our task was to determine the mineral contents in them using all sorts of crazy digestion techniques. Gabriel would be proud... >.<

Coconut sorbets and mascaporne gelato with coconut granita. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Baked a humongous "brioche" for the boys. Accompaniments were leftover berry sorbet and mushroom soup.

You should know what this is by now.....

and this too...

Shiny blueberry pacmans with blueberry cream.

Thanks to Chef Frank for inspiring me with funky ideas and possibilities, pushing me forward (by hook AND by crook), and being an awesome boss.

Random

Probably my last purchase for this year. Great insight on various regions and techniques.

Above the microwave.

Mozaic effect from the condensation on my supper.

Coques from last night. Gonna make some blueberry cream for the filling.

Queen of fruits, mangosteens from Malaysia. Jui-ceh!

It didn't last very long.

Blueberry macaron coques v1.2.1

I wasn't satisfied with all my previous macarons. (I am one tough cookie, aren't I?) My current goal is to obtain flatter shells with tiny fragile looking feet. It involves putting a few extra folds to what I have been doing during macaronage (all these crazy maca-terms...) using the usual macaronner folding technique (mac the what??).

I have recently discovered that the ratio of ingredients that I have been faithfully following is categorised under the Spanish method (Hola! Español) of macaron making which involves additional confectioner's sugar. It gives better structure compared to the French tant pour tant's ratio of almond meal to icing sugar but there's some tradeoffs. I have yet to try the Italian method out eventhough I already have the recipes and steps laid out in front of me. I guess it's because that's the safest method and I enjoy living dangerously.

Anyway, that was just one of the gazillion variables to think about. Picture speaks a thousand words.

Well, I am sort of satisfied for now.

I feel that macaron shells are evolving. The French with their melted chocolate macaron batter and the Americans with their nut-free versions.

Time to move on...thanks for the cookies

Same picture, same story. Thou shall not swim in oil.

My experimental walnut macarons. I tried grounding some toasted walnuts with the robot coupe but they contained too much oil and tended to stick to each other forming sticky clumps. I found I could get some really fine powder by adding icing sugar. I decided to proceed with the chunky walnut paste and I ended up having chunky walnut macarons. Instead of being chewy in the inside, I got bits of walnuts instead. Pretty interesting.... I have more experiments waiting to be ticked off in the macaron section.

Warm strawberry foam. I got some leftover frozen aerated strawberry puree so I chunked them into the microwave hoping to see them explode. But it held pretty good and I got some radical foam. It's definitely better than using lecithin.

Cold Storage's deli section. Decent spread of bacon and ham. Some awesome salads too.

I had cravings for freshly diced garlic and chinese black vinegar so I gave in to the lor mee from the staff canteen.

I don't usually have dinner at work but I had to try some interesting stuff from the deli section out. Sicilian olives, Cripps Pink and Ambrosia apples, quinoa and eggplant salad, shingo pear.

I enjoy working on Saturdays. It's the only time I feel I am actually working in a fine dining restaurant away from lame business lunches.

Yea, it's time to move on. I don't know what lies ahead but I am not afraid. Well, it has definitely been a crazy ride. Shoutouts to the pastry production team upstairs for bearing with my mind boggling antics. Special thanks to Chef Amy for providing me with a solid core. Without her, I am nothing.