Comments on: The Easy Battle

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:23:56 +0000

This is so well written and true to my experience too! I helped a friend make real buttercream for her kids birthday cupacakes the other day and while she admitted it was easy, said she probably still wouldn’t try it on her own. Gahhhhh! I just don’t understand what everybody is afraid of when it comes to baking.

By: Michael Natkin

Michael Natkin — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:39:15 +0000

I don’t know how I grew up in Kentucky without tasting “poke cake”, but I have to say I’m glad I did! That sounds scary.

By: Eat Me Outta Here

Eat Me Outta Here — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:00:22 +0000

I am drooling with anticipation of making this recipe! I love that you give so much insight and scientific background to your technique. Pastry is a science! In culinary school they don’t teach you the whys and hows of pastry. They just teach you the recipe without the scientific reason or technique behind it. How can you make something better without knowing what exactly is happening. I am learning so much from just reading your blog!

By: Traca

Traca — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:14:07 +0000

As someone who has taken many classes around town…and nearly every class you taught the first year, I have to say…your classes raise the bar and are filled with a ton of good content. I’d write pages and pages of notes!

Dana, if I can hold my own in a kitchen and know exactly what you mean by the “texture of pastry cream” or learned that wonderful trick about freezing berries to express more flavor and better texture…that’s all thanks to your influence.

Raise the bar, girl.

Those who really want to learn…will find a way to leap over it.

By: Camille

Camille — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:59:59 +0000

I’ve never had the Jello cake, but I immediately thought of the Dump cake as well. (As in, something I know I’m not supposed to enjoy, but do anyway.)

And I suffer from the same distorted sense of what is easy… although there is a distinct difference for me between what is easy at work (in the professional bakeshop) and what is easy at home.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 03:08:18 +0000

Thanks for the tips on puree and panna cotta. I am looking forward to try them at home.

Btw, can you bring the honey mousse back on the menu?

By: peabody

peabody — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:52:07 +0000

I love the Jello cake as well as Dump cake. Both beyond simple.
I forget often when I am talking to others also that it may be easy for me but not for them.
I had a friend over awhile back and we were having bread pudding. I asked her what sauce she wanted and she said caramel. So while we were talking in the kitchen I just whipped some up. She just kept starring at me. And I was like what. She was beyond intrigued that I just made it without measuring and without really paying attention and it came out beautifully.
Panna cotta sounds great.