Simple yet Complex

Before......

After.........

The finale of our participation in the IACP conference.

Our truffles have wowed the meet&greet of the French Culinary Institute, the board of trustees dinner for Cook Street School of Fine Cooking, and last night we triumphed at the Wild and Rare dinner. Following a menu that included bison, elk and kangaroo, our poached pear with fudge sauce was universally adored. The food editor of Bon Appetit made a point of telling us how fabulous it was. The lovely Italian lady who has a gelato business in Texas loved it - and from what she said about her gelatos (including one with orange and vidalia onion) it would be worth a trip to Texas just to try them. We met a lot of really cool people (the Vidalia onion representative, two R&D people from Smuckers, a couple of very promising students from Johnson & Wales).

I always dread going to public events. I'm shy, introverted, and try to avoid attracting attention. There's a lot of stress leading up to them. Once it starts, I'm busy, people are excited, and the praise begins. I get to see and hear how people react to what I've made. And I blossom. I'm like one of those dried-up tea flowers that blooms when placed in boiling water.

But back to the dessert. A poaching syrup of star anise, saigon cassia cinnamon, tahitian vanilla bean, all spice, clove, black peppercorn, grapefruit, lemon and a reduction of Chateau Roland Sauternes 2006. Organic pear. Chocolate leaf of Kokoleka, from Oahu, only 18 trees of this variety in the world, with 23 karat gold flakes. Fudge sauce of dark cocoa, cream, blackberry schnapps and tamarisk honey. You know you want some.

This is not that blog......

Like many people, I watched the debate. Unlike many people, I'm not blogging about it. Because I don't feel like it.

I need to go to bed.

It was a twelve hour workday. Tomorrow will be a long day too; it's our last wedding of the year. One two -tier cake and 14 small cakes. Plus a few cakes for the shop. 6 cakes are in the fridge, filled and frosted, waiting to be drenched in shiny, deep chocolate glaze. All the rest of the cakes are cut. Buttercreams, soaking syrups, fillings and glazes are ready to go.

Over three hundred truffles were dipped in tempered chocolate and garnished.

Tart dough for 7 different pastries was rolled, cut and put into rings. Tiny leaves of dough were cut out for the pear pastry. Half a Bosc, peeled and cored, stuffed with drunken cranberries and ginger, sprinkled with brown sugar and wrapped in sweet tart dough. Decorated with little pear leaves. They're plump and pretty, golden brown pastry pears sparkling with sugar.

A run to the store for butter, cream and champagne-colored ribbon for the cake to harmonize with the bride's gown.

That was just my day. The guys had their own stuff to do.

Chef had to work the shop today. He came back with the October issue of Denver Magazine. Check it out - there's a full page photo, a half page photo, and a whole lot of words about Wen Chocolates. Several of the truffles are described in detail. Including the Oshun, which I created. That was exciting - Chef insisted that Oshun be mentioned. That's one of the extraordinary things about him; he encourages ideas and creativity, and he gives credit for them. Many chefs don't want to hear it, they just want their minions to do what they're told.

It's been a long week. 6 days. Long days.

Welcome to fourth quarter. This will be the norm from here until about Valentine's Day. It's crazy, and I love it.