First Post of the New Year!

It was a busy day or two since my last update.

The meal with which I say goodbye to the year: Chateau Briand roast, parsley potatoes, and a baguette. This is my favorite meal that I eat all year, and New Year's Eve is the only night I make it.

Meh...Not My Best Day

I wasn't feeling good today. Didn't get much done, outside of prepping some pastry for tomorrow...

ok...so...not a pastry. I pulled a new piece of micarta out of the press. By layering it just right, I got a two tone block to work with.

Where The Hell Was I?

Talk about getting swept up in projects! I've been busy on a couple of things, and really have no idea where the time is going. To me, that's a good thing! It means I'm doing what I like.

I started yesterday morning making some blueberry muffins to share with my neighbor. Secret recipe!

Another Morning Update

I had unexpected dinner company last night, so instead of writing the post, I enjoyed some food and drink until the late hours. What did the day have in store? And what have I already done this morning?

Work continued on my little fixture. My standard vise setup ended up being too tall for the drilling operation, so I reset with my tool maker's vise. I need the holes to be drilled straight relative to the angled face.

A Little Bakery: Bouchons

I bake all of the time, I just forget to post about it here. So here's a little something that I made the other day...

Bouchons are one of my favorite desserts. Of the small, single serving type, they are tops. Basically a brownie in the shape of a cork. I love these little guys.

Tiny one or two bite treats. They are packed with flavor...and calories...and butter...and sugar.

Baking: Apricot Flan Tart

This is a favorite of mine. The recipe comes from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery cookbook. Bouchon is amongst the best bakeries in the country. I've been there once, while visiting friends in California. If you ever happen past the town of Yountville, I recommend you stop in and try their goods. Since that is a long way for me to go for bakery, I like to make some of it for myself. This weekend's mission was Apricot Flan Tart. This is the third or fourth time I've made it. It's a relatively straight forward recipe, but it does demand your full attention while making it.

(I won't be sharing the recipe, as it is from a copyrighted book...that would be illegal...we're just looking at the process and highlights)

The recipe begins with a Pate Brisee for the shell. A simple mixture of flour, butter, and water. If you want your tart on Saturday morning...this needs to happen on Thursday evening. It needs to be chilled over night.

Baking

I don't post a lot of my baking on here. So I'm going to take a minute to do so.
I love food, and I love making it. Baking is a rewarding and relaxing activity for me. It's a way to get friends together, and enjoy good food.
Here's a few of the items I've baked over the last few weeks. I'm glad I started going to the gym!

If there is anything I get a little arrogant about, it's my cheesecake. I prefer them plain. You can't hide mistakes when there's no added junk all over the cake.

More scraper action

If you're a baking nerd like me, this is what you get excited about.

This one is heading off to my cousin.

Another one in the making...first of the full 4.5" blade version.

Baker's Bench Scraper

I have made a couple of Baker's Bench Scrapers. Otherwise known as a pastry scraper. A necessary and extremely useful tool in the kitchen.
I think I have nailed down the way I want to make them, and just need to speed up my process. My goal in the upcoming months is to make these for sale, amongst other items. My timeline is getting stretched a bit due to requirements at my day job, but I'll get there.

Top left is the run of the mill mass produced one that I bought at the store several years ago. Top right is my first scraper. It has walnut handles, cherry dowels, and an 18 ga blade. Bottom is the new one. A thinner 20 ga blade, bubinga handle, and Loveless handle fasteners.

Flour Power: macarons

Been talking about horsepower a lot lately. Time for some flour power. Earlier this year I picked up the Bouchon Bakery cookbook from Thomas Keller. As a challenge to myself I wanted to learn more about French baking. To me, the French have it nailed. Their bakery cannot be topped.
Bouchon is one of the top bakeries in the country (if not THE top bakery). Who better to learn from? I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Keller's bakers are actually an ancient coven of witches and sorcerers. That is the only way I can explain the nearly three inch wide macarons that they make. It HAS to be witchcraft!
As a baker (I'm good...but not a pro), I don't mess up very many recipes. Macarons are the only recipe that I have failed three times on. The previous record is two. On my fourth attempt, which was yesterday, I finally had success. They aren't perfect, but they were good enough for me to say I got it. Plenty of tweaking to do yet, but I'm getting there now.
I hadn't planned on tackling macarons just yet. Back in September, I visited some friends in Oakland and a few of us took the drive up to Yountville so that I could make my pilgrimage. After having what is simply the best tasty treats I've ever had in my life, I was determined to give the infamous macaron a try.
I'm not giving away all of the recipe...nor all of the process. That cookbook has a copyright, after all.

Meringue is the key. Beat the hell out of those eggs. And when the recipe says to get your sugar water to 248 degrees...in MEANS 248 degrees! Gotta hit that number. That spoon is standing up all on its own, that meringue is about as stiff as I think I can make it. It's also super rich. You won't use all of it either. Actually, you'll make 3-4 times the amount that you need for the cookies.