02.15.06 Fundamentals of Baking / Corn bread> i think? it had Jalapenos it was GOOD!

02.15.06 Fundamentals of Baking / Baguettes

Jose filling up the hotel pan with water so we can bake the puddings

02.16.06 Advenaced Pastry / N.Y. style Cheesecake garnished with Whipped cream ribbons + Choc. sauce + raspberry coulis.

02.16.06 Advenaced Pastry / Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce and frosted pecans

02.16.06 Advenaced Pastry / Lemon pudding with Caramel Sauce + Raspberry Coulis + garnished with whip cream and mint

02.16.06 Advenaced Pastry / N.Y. style Cheesecake garnished with Choc. sauce + raspberry coulis.

02.16.06 Advenaced Pastry / mini chocolate souffle. It was Nice + moist and creamy inside. Very intense chocolate - orange flavor.

HELLO Chef Warner!!!!!!!!!!

Preping for the event...

Waiting for all to start.... More of our distinguished servers.

MMM Food! LOL. Chef Warner making all look good on the buffet table.

We Are HUNGRY!!! Katie, Jamie, Andrew and Martell

DESSERT station! Strawberries dipped in chocolate(chocolate fountain) with Spritz cookies.

Tim, Amy & Joseph "The Servers"

Beverage station (water, ice tea & coffee)

The buffet table starting with: bread rolls, salad + the sides for the salad. Then the baked potato station.... all healthy stuff since it was a Dietetics event.

Dishes anyone?

Lots! of dishes to do after the event!!! We had to set up all 3 bay sinks in the kitchen because the dishwasher area was so FULL

The event/seminar on nutrition on the go! ... we are seated to the left...way back there...

02.09.2006 Advance Pastry class production

Bread Pudding Cake Style with Caramel Sauce

Creme Brulee

Crepe with Chocolate Mousse filling + Ganache & Caramel

Pre bake, creme brulee

This looks easy!

Caramelization! Torching the Creme Brulee

TU!!!!!!!!! ok Tu was the last one to try and look @ his face! Firts he was like uh! it looks hard! but then AH!!!!!!! this is a piece of cake or shall we say creme brulee!

Creme Brulee!!!

Our group's Creme Brulee!!! it was MMM soft and creamy inside and caramel crunchy outside.

Dressed Crepes! Stuffed with chocolate mousse and covered in Ganache. (Advanced Pastry)

Bread Pudding! Sal's group pudding ... it was MMM so good with the caramel sauce!!!

The usual......Here we have Jose showing off AGAIN! LOL kidding he just did his first crepe ever and got it right! Congrats!!!

Stephanie and her first Crepe

Jose and Alison (Teacher/Chef)

Crepe au feu!!!

Today in the Advanced pastry Class > Jose Making Crepes

Thank You! Jose I was so hungry! These are some samples from this week's Basic Pastry Class. > Biscuit, Soft Roll + Braid and Checkerboard Cookies from last week's production.

This week on Basic Pastry Class production > Checkerboard Cookies! MMM so nutty Good!!!! made by Jose and Maria

This week @ the Basic Pastry Class .... let's see we have Alison, Willie, Martell,Andrew and ????

Last week's Basic Pastry Class production > Sugar Cookies

Last week's Basic Pastry Class production > BROWNIES!!!!!!!!!! they where SO SO Good!!!!

Last week's Basic Pastry Class production > Spritz Cookies with blueberry filling (made by Maria and Jose)

FRUIT SALAD, anyone? LOL here is this very eye appealing fruit salad by my friend Adriana!!! Go Adri! Go! And she says she can't cook... called her last night and she was making this fancy salad with cranberries!

DINNER!!!! To die for!!!! OK so mom tells me "lets have some salmon for dinner". I am thinking ok this ought to be simple.... SO I did the Salmon (grilled with Pomegranate BBQ Sauce (*) ) and when I turn around next thing I know mom has this killer, luxury salad!!!!

Now that is where I learned to cook! Mom's Kitchen is never simple green salad! LOL : )
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(*) Pomegrante BBQ Sauce is the best pairing to Salmon!!!!

=Pomegranate BBQ Sauce=

(1) Pomegranate Syrup also called "Pomegranate Molasses"
I like Cortas Brand which can be found in Mediterranean or middle eastern groceries. Or here inDFW in "Fiesta" or "Halal Imported Foods"
(2) Light Soy Sauce
(3) Honey

Mix all 3 ingredients Pomegranate + Soy Sauce + Honey in equal parts...I like a little more of pomegranate. Then you can grill your salmon with this sauce or like I do used it as a sauce or dipping sauce once the salmon is platted.

* This Recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's "Forever Summer" cookbook which is an adventure for all the senses!!! This lady knows how to marry flavor like NO Other!!!

Pate Choux! MMM we only did the dough shells this week and next we are doing Cream Puffs and Eclairs with this!!!!! MMMM!!!!!!!!

HI Jose!!!! Here is Jose putting muscle in to our puff pastry so we get some nice lamination! LOL

Lamination at its best!!!! Nice layers of Puff Pastry we will be using next week to make Napoleons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!!!!!!!! First day of Baking Class!!!!

Hi!!!! Well for those of you still eating Blue Bell or worst out there I have for you "Paciugo" a Italian Gelateria! Right here in DFW! ok first of all I will like to call it a Genuine Italian Gelateria BUT

(one) we are not in Italy and
(two) I met a guy from Italy who to make it short is an expert in all of this and promises me this is nothing close to what is sold as Gelato in Italy.
Then I have a gelato fan friend who has been to Italy twice and swears this is the real thing. Any way if you ask me this is the best gelato ever!

Now when I go to Italy with Adri, I shall make the official announcement and verdict that shall settle the matter. Until then DO visit and enjoy Paciugo's Gelato which has no cream, less calories and packs lot of flavor! And please DON'T get chocolate, vanilla or any other sad flavor you might be used to when getting IceCream which is not the same as gelato getting Paciugo is an adventure, so do let your inner child guide you to discover new flavors! BTW the handsome and unofficial Paciugo model in the picture here above is Emanuel (Ema) Adri's cousin Enjoying his Paciugo Lemon Gelato : ) such a HAPPY face proves that gelato brings joy to those who eat it.... no matter where it is made.

*(Gelato v.s. Ice Cream) Gelato is in short a form of "Ice Cream" if you will but it is not really Ice Cream since it contains NO Cream. It is ice cream made in the Italian way to yield Gelato a frozen custard like ice. Now Ice Cream is whipped margarine or any other commercial fat with who knows what added to make it taste "good" in sum eat it and you shall get fat. Also gelato doesn't leave a grease coat on your mouth or that stuffed feeling ice cream does, so gelato is pleasant to eat and enjoy.