Peach Bruschetta

[Kimmie]

Anneke,

How did you like the book?

[Anneke]

Kimmie, I prefered the TV series... There's room for much improvement in the book...

[Kimmie]

What didn't you like, Anneke?

[Anneke]

Ouch Kimmie, now you're really putting me on the spot!! I haven't looked at the book for a while so I can't remember exactly. There were problems with proportions and measurements I think.. I forget. I'll have to bring it out again when I get over my busy period at school! Have you tried any of the recipes? What did you think?

[Isa]

Thanks Kimmie. I was thinking of going to Indigo tonight, I have a 10$ coupon that expires tonight. You know I discovered that if I go there around 6 PM I can usually find a parking spot.

Wonder what I'll come home with...

[Kimmie]

Anneke,

Only some savoury stuff like pasta dishes (that I had jotted down from the series) and where measurements are not as critical as for desserts.

Have you tried the panna cotta? Pompeyam said that's the recipe he uses all the time.

P.S.: Didn't mean to put you on the spot!

[Kimmie]

Iza,

• Italian Kitchen
• Crust and Crumb
• Artisan Baking across America
• The Bread Bible
• Breads from La Brea Bakery
• The Bread Book (Linda Collister)
• The Bread Builders

etc. etc. etc.

You might want to pawn your car and take a cab?

[Anneke]

no hard feelings Kimmie..! I'll have to try the panna cotta. I remember reading reviews for their restaurant. They were saying that there were too many herbs, that the flavours were too strong. I though that was funny.... I guess for the british palate it might be! (no offense to our friends in the UK)

I keep meaning to do their fish in salt crust. MAybe this weekend!

[Kimmie]

Anneke,

OH, I'm so interested, since I never did that before. Please share the outcome with us.

For more review on River Café, click here

[Isa]

Well Kimmie I was reasonable. Surprise huh? Only came back with one book. I had a book to exchange or I wouldn't have gone there. It's really dangerous to go in there otherwise. You might get tempted by too many book.

So what did it get you might ask? Artisan Baking Across America. And you know what? It's a fantastic book, I forgot if you have it or not.

Now if you'll excuse me I have some reading to do. So do you I think. How's the Italian cookbook?

[ July 31, 2001: Message edited by: Iza ]

[Kimmie]

Iza,

I'm happy with Italian Kitchen. Artisan will follow very very soon!

No surprise. I sort of knew you were reasonable. That was the reason for the list of temptations a few posts up.

You are sooooo excused; got some reading to do as well...



[ July 31, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[Kimmie]

Dear Iza,

So I started reading The Italian Kitchen last night. I like the presentation and a lot of the recipes. I have sooooooo many plans...think I'll start with Chocolate Nemisis, no, Grilled Polenta with Marjoram and Gorgonzola...

How do you like the Artisan?

Note to Anneke: Did you read the funny reviews on The River Café?

[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[Isa]

Chocolate Nemesis you say, sounds interesting. Would love to hear more about it. I don’t recall it from the shows. You do have a point about the content. The shows recipes all looked so good. Next time I’m downtown I’ll go get a second look.

I am into my own dilemma. Acme's rustic baguette or the rustic herb slab or… Who knows I might even try their sourdough starter or that enticing walnut bread. And I can not overlook the rustic roasted garlic bread. You should see that loaf. It looks so good. Don’t you think so Koko?

I’ll try to wait for cooler weather to try the pandoro, kugelhopf and stollen. Stollen with baked in almond paste. I’ve been dreaming of that.

Decision, decision. I hope I’ll be well enough to try at least one of the recipe from this book during the weekend.

Kimmie instead of bagel have you consider bialy? There is a recipe in Baking With Julia as well as in Artisan. It looks pretty good.

[Kimmie]

Dear Iza,

I will talk to you about Chocolate Nemesis later tonight (book is at home

and thanks for the information about Bialys; they require high-gluten flour, just like bagels. I know that in Baking with Julia they mention that you can use all-purpose, bread or high-gluten flour. However, I would never consider using all-purpose, it's not "strong" enough. I would try bread flour with the addition of vital wheat gluten to give it a boost.

I'm planning to become a member of the Round Table soon and order some flour from King Arthur. I just can't decide what to order first, I kind of want them all! I will pick-up the phone as soon as I really know what I want.

Just like you in the book store, decisions, decisions...

[Kimmie]

Dear Iza,

As promised, here goes:

Preceding the recipes in each section of the book, you will find a presentation on the topic, followed by brief informative comments about the dish and helpful advice or information to help the reader to achieve it the right way. For example, and I quote:

Chocolate Nemesis (page 174)
We make this chocolate cake every day, and it's the most popular dessert in the restaurant. Use the cake tin size specified in the recipe; one with a different depth or circumference will alter the way the cake cooks. The bain-marie must be filled right to the rim with hot water before cooking; leave the cake in the bain-marie to cool down. The cake must be completely cold before you turn it out.

It's a chocolate cake, not very high, that almost looks like a tart (on TV anyway). It's shown in the 6th show of the series. The ingredients are 1 ½ lb. bittersweet chocolate, 10 whole eggs, 1 lb 5 oz caster sugar and 1 lb unsalted butter, softened.

Seems to have a very moist, chocolatey texture. They advise that the cake should feel just set not firm like a baked cake.




[ August 01, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]