ottawa foodies

Creating this forum topic after Icecream was kicked out of Forum - Amateur Food Porn for being "too pro." ;-)

Thank you Fresh Foodie :)
I laughed so hard when I saw this forum.
I will work on my hardcore food porn, it is too busy until Christmas ends:(

Meantime,I would like to introduce a food porn site from Japan.
Most of the food here are created at home(amateurs)
www.studiorfood.com/

Oh, my god. I didn't mean for this to happen! It fires me up to see your photos, inspires me to make more creative things. Still, this may be for the best after all. I can keep checking back here for the most inspiring photos.

/me is embarrassed.

I love these food porn forums! I am living vicariously through all the great food photos and descriptions right now since I have a family member who is suffering from the effects of chemo and can't stand the smell of any food cooking. So, keep 'em coming and I'll stay out of the kitchen!

Le Mendiant

Very easy to make. Temper any tipes pf chocolate, mold it, arrange any nuts and dry fruits of your choice. If you are afraid of tempering chocolate, buy compound chocolate, you don't need to temper them.
This is great fun with kids.

Florentine cookies and Le Mendiant.

Florentine is also easy to make. I used dried cranberries, orange peel, sliced almond, almond powder. Decorated with dark chocolate and pistachio dust.

Those are beautiful Aisu.

Caperbeachgal: I hope your family member get well very soon.
Rizak: Why are you embarrased? You didn't do anything :)
Lovetoeat: thank you, Christmas treats are more fun to make!

Sugar spirals.
I will use them for plated dessert, but I don't know what yet.

Aisu, those delicate spirals are gorgeous. Your patience, skill and steady hand must have been tested making them. Please post a pic when you find a use for them.
Your Florentines are lovely. I have loved Florentines ever since I was introduced to them at Kardish Delicatessen a long time age. I bet yours are even more delicious!

Andy: I read this blog and tried it. This blog was very helpful.
duhlicious.com
I did not use whisk handle. I used a stainless steel rod.
When the sugar is not too runny and getting thicker, I start making spirals.
It is like pulling the sugar.

Florentine is very easy to make.

pre heat oven at 375f about 30 cookies

Unsalted butter 75g
sugar 100g
honey 50g
35% cream 50g

mix all in the sauce pan and boil them until 240F

sliced almonds 125g
ground almonds 25g
orange peels, cut 50g
dried cranberries 25g
bread flour 25g

mix all above in a stainless steel bowl
Pour boiled sugar at one stage while sugar is hot.

one cookie is about 15g
scoop and place onto silicone paper lined baking sheet pans.space uniformly at least 2" apart. It will spread. Flatten the raw cookie with back of the fork, dough should be about 2~3 inch diameter.

bake at 375F about 8 mins or until golden brown.
Use oiled, round cookie cutter to pull the expanded cookies back togeter to a uniform shape as soon as the pans are removed from the oven.
Let it cool.

Dip in the melted chocolate, sprinke pistachio dust.

Christmas cookies

Gingerbread teddy bears and stained glass stars

Shortbread cookies

Stained glass cookies

Beat the hell out of the hard candies by the meat mallet.
Fill the candy bits in the cookie cut outs.
Bake. Candy will melt and it will become a stained glass look.

I forgot to punch out a hole on the cookie dough. I wanted to use star cookies for my Christmas tree.

Strawberry macaron.

Perfect foot

Filling is just simple strawberry jam.

Gorgeous!

Picture taken in the morning light.

Fig and Cinnamon macaron.
I will make foie gras and fig macaron when I can get nice foie gras.

Strawberry macaron and a glass of champagne goes really well together.

Wow, food porn at its best - thank you for sharing your creativity :-)

Oh yum, cinnamon and fig two of my favourites.

Jojo : thank you very much. I just enjoy baking so much.
lovetoeat: I used Bonne Maman's fig jam for this macaron.Very good jam!

Today is my dayoff. I have to work everyday until Christmas ends.
So I made something special today.

I love Opera cake,it is a rich layered cake, biscuit joconde,coffee syrup, moca butter cream and ganache.
So I made Macaron Opera.

Chocolate macaron shell with gold dust.

Macaron Opera.
Next time I will use gold flake.

It goes well with espresso, rich, dark roast coffee...

Holy flip those are beauties!

Sidenote: Another really good jam (La Bottega in the Byward Market carries it) is Menz & Gasser...really thick with fruit and they also have a Chestnut Cream/Crema di Marroni that is so, so delicious. Continental Delicatessen down the street on York has an interesting selection of imported jams/preserves too.

AMR: Thank you so much for the information. I will check it out as soon as possible. I like using jam for macaron.
Chestnut Cream/Crema di Marroni sounds really good, I think I will make chestnut macaron next!

Taking food picture is fun.

Looking at food picture is fun too.

Licking food picture, not so much fun.

Green tea macaron

Nice macarons Aisu.

If canned foie gras works I have a stash from my October trip and leaving Friday for London and Paris with my sister so can get more if specific type is needed. Willing to contribute the foie gras for half of the fig and foie gras macarons.

p.s. you are welcome about the M&F tea. I had committed to do a run for a friend so took me almost no time to add an extra item to the order.

Eclair
I don't like fondant for coating, so I made hard ganache.
I whipped cream and added ganache to make chocolate cream filling.

FoodTravel: I am not really sure what foie gras would be the best...I haven't asked my friend chefs yet...too busy :(
Tea tastes great. I will make rose water and white chocolate macaron for this tea. Have a safe and fun travel!

Dried berries and sugar pearls on top

Very Sexy

This is Opera, I wanted to make traditional Opera cake design, but I had to change my plan.
I will have this cake with my family and friends tomorrow after Izakaya dinner.
I wish Ottawa Foodies members all the best in 2013!

I wanted to practice royal icing, it was fun making royal icing decor on macarons, but I don't want to do this for a while.
I don't know why I did this...I don't even like pink girly things.
I didn't breathe while I was doing detail jobs and now I am having headache.
I think this kind of cute macarons are great for Valentine's day and wedding.

I will take better picture with daylight tomorrow.
Filling is marzipan buttercream with rosewater.

I am still having bad headache.
They look cute, but I think macarons look too artificial, almost look like soap.

Close up

Aisu ... You are a true artist !

Aisu, those are truly beautiful. I can well-imagine decorating them gave you a headache!

Rum and Chestnut cream cake.
Sopnge,syrup, whipped cream with rum into a chilled crème pâtissière
repeat three layer and finish cake with chestnut, whip cream, vanilla and rum mix . This is very good.

Captain Caper ,Caperbeachgal : I may need bifocal glasses soon :( My eyes were so tire after the small jobs.

Coconut Macaroon: taste of grandma:) Hint of lemon, Crunchy outside, chewy inside. I am not big fan of cherry, but I wanted to finish them.

My husband told me I do look like a cherub, so I must cut back sugar for a while:(

Love this thread and I laugh every time I see the "Very sexy" description of the Eclair. I appreciate a bit of fun with the descriptions ;)

hipfunkyfun
I am happy that I made you laugh by my porn :)
My friends and family tell me that I am crazy! And yes, I agree with them 100%.
I am a pastry maniac!

The picture is Japanese traditional New Year's day food " Osechi"
Assorted veg simmered in dashi stock, kombu rolls, black beans, kamaboko fish cake and sweet and salty dried anchovies. All of them have good luck meanings.
I was going to cook some grilled fish and meat dishes, but I realized I forgot to buy sake!! I was very disappointed...and I quit cooking.

Daikon radish and carrot Nimono: I used vegan dashi stock(kombu and dried shitake).
I used shichimi togarashi hot pepper for garnish.

When I made lots macarons, I had so much egg yolk leftover and I made Crème brûlée.

I love chestnut so much. It takes so much time prepping the fresh chestnut.
Chestnut cream Crème brûlée with candied chestnut and fresh fig
I made this last fall, I used leaves from my garden, they were so beautiful.

OMG, Aisu, you keep out-doing yourself. Your creme brulee with the macarons and fruit looks amazing.

OMG Aisu your pictures are always breathtaking! Are these the kinds of things we can sample through your workplace, or are they personal exercises?

I made my portfolio and it has better pictures.
If you are interested, please see my profile, I posted link there.

The leftmost blueberry in this pic excites me! :P unichan2005.viewbook.com

Amazing work, Icecream! Absolutely world class.

I think I deleted the last commnet? Don't know what I did:( staying up too late.

FF: imagine this cake without all the berries, it is just big purple round thing. Fruits do all the important job for me!

Our job is to make the food looks fancy and complicated(that means more $$ in pocket)
by adding fansy, exotic food names and using many components (but often the case,they are very simple!!) and giving the food make up by adding sauce, garnish, fruit..etc.

Sugar craft, it is edible art, not so tasty...but very useful skill as a pastry cook, so I have been studying sugar craft and sugar work.

Icing is fun.

Edible tatting!!! Sweet, and beautiful, maybe not so tasty but oh-so-beautiful. Wowsa! Great admiration for your varied skills and eye for beauty in what you do! What fun to create such beauty!

Andy, Thank you! Icing is nothing but sugar and colour, so if I eat them all, I will be sick for sure...lol But this is really fun.

Picture of my sugar work practice. I made a sugar rose for the first time. My finger tips hurt so much from the heat. (Boil sugar until 154 c then play with it.)

blubarry: Food here were made at home, and I don't make them at work.

You can still try my food at where I work,I do both pastry and cooking...I work all over the kitchen and I am not sure when I do pastry, or lunch, or dinner, or function or, production until the last minute!!

I suppose the obvious follow-up questions are where do you work and are you willing for OF to invade you?

Vanilla bean macaron shell, filling is Walnut and dulce de leche.
I also made dulce de leche buttercream.
I think it goes well with Earl Grey.

snoopyloopy: I found that I forgot to reply blubarry.
I won't post where I work on the forum, since anyone can read it.

I have to correct my previous comment, food from my work won't be "my food" since I work with many chefs...we always work as a team.

Whatever I bake or cook at "home" is just for me to practice and eat with family and friends... and I will never sell it, and I have no plan to do any food related business. It won't be fun playing with food anymore if I have to think about money and business:( I am not good at money)

So ... do you need any more friends?

:-)

Yes zym, I am always looking for good friends!

I am not interested in business, but I would love to use my passion and culinary skills for the community. I would like to volunteer for charity bake sale, cook at soup kitchen for example.

Our school is having a "Stone SOup" night as a fundraiser for the Ottawa Food Center.

Donations of soup are welcome! March 6th is the date.

Zym:I will keep that event in mind for sure! Thank you :)

Royal Icing butterfly and hand painted icing cookies.
I used vodka to paint gold on the icing.

Cupcake. I don't want to use too much colour for the icing.

Trio cupcakes.
Happy Birthday to my beer making, pizza baking, rabbit hunting foodie friend!

I have foodie friend envy!

Caperbeachgal:We should have a tea party together!

My first attempt to make marzipan flowers. It was fun.
ponko2010.viewbook.com

I'll bring the tea.

I'll bring the sherry. Those marzipan flowers are beautiful!

Today's lunch: smoked salmon on pumpernickel, maple and blackpepper goat cream cheese whip, rocket, pepper and onion tossed in lemon and olive oil.

Apple tart: sweet dough baked with almond cream, topped with red wine and maple poached fuji apple. mascarpone and sour cream whip, chocolate sauce, cinnamon.

Aisu Kurimu You make the most beautiful pastries I have ever seen! They look so beautiful it would be a shame to eat them-;)

Pastalover: Thank you for your kind comment:) I ate this tart as soon as I took pictures.

How to make apple tart part 1

Pâte Sucrée
You don't need to use them all.
I just make this amount and use for another desserts.

300g pastry flour
150g unsalted butter room temp
150g Icing sugar
3 egg yolks
30ml water
1 pintch salt
1 pinch vanilla sugar

Butter should be soft, but not melted. Use paddle and start mixing.
Add shifted icing sugar, salt and vanilla sugar to the butter. Mix well

Add egg yolk on by one, egg should be well mixed and butter mixture should be smooth and creamy.

Add shifted flour. Use spatura and mix them. Do not over mix, mix until the dough looks like a cookie dough.

Dust some flour, flatten the dough, wrap in plastic, keep in the fridge at least 1 hour. Over night is ideal.

Crème d'amande

almond powder 50g
icing sugar 50g
unsalted butter 50g room temp
egg 50g
1 pinch salt
rum, vanilla 1 tea sppon each

Mix butter, icing and salt. Mix well.
Add egg bit by bit and mix well.
Add almond powder bit by bit
Add rum and vanilla
Use french whip and whisk the mixture until all nice and smooth.
wrap and keep in the fridge up to 1 week.

Roll out Pâte Sucrée about 3mm thick, Line the tart shell, pipe the Crème d'amande. Add some cubed apple if you want.

Bake at 325~350 for about 15~20 mins.See More

Poached apple
Used Fuji apple. Slice thinly. Poach them with red wine, Calvados if you have, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice, cranberry, maple syrup, sugar. Don't over cook it. Use cranberry raspberry juice to add natural colour

Start rolling apple.
Use small one, roll it as tight as possible

Keep rolling, use slightly bigger apple slice each time.

Put them on the tart.
Arrange apple petals to make them look real.
Serve it with maple whipped cream cheese, Crème anglaise or whatever you like and say " How do you like them apples " when you serve it.

Heart cookie samples for Valentine's day

Close up

You are truly gifted Aisu Kurimu. I hope whomever is your valentine is properly appreciative of your dazzling artistry.

Those are truly exquisite!

bulbarry: I don't think I am gifted, but I know I am VERY persistent!! I never give up until I get what I want.

Caperbeachgal: My kitchen was such a mess after making cookies :(

Don't deny your skills Aisu. There is no way I could even draw those wonderful lacy decorations on paper, let alone with sugary icing. Your persistence has definitely paid off.

Aisu, I'd say you need a kitchen helper in exchange for the odd crumb!

bulbarry: I use special tools and icing mix to make icing lace, it is called sugarveil. It is very hard to handle since it becomes very fragile in dry climate.
youtu.be/uFB-RA4w1Es

Caperbeachgal: Yes,we should have a tea party and cleaning together...lol I just wish I had 30 hours a day, not 24 hours! I have to go to work now:(

Aisu,

I have been been eyeing your macarons and saw a macarons class at le Cordon Bleu on March 16.

You did your training there ? If so would you recommend the demo or the 4 hr with practical option?

Also eyeing the chocolate technique demo in April :D

FoodTravel
I have never taken any classes for macarons. I thought about taking this macaron class at Cordon, but I don't think I can make it.

It would be really nice to see how pastry chef makes macaron... you will learn a lot for sure. But at the same time, you really need to get to know your oven. This is very important too.

If I have time, I really want to go to the french pastry school in Chicago and take some courses!!

is the chicago french pastry school better than le cordon bleu? There is a 4 day session later in the year. I had done a few demo sessions in Paris a while back but have not gone to any of the lCB sessions here.

FoodTravel
I think both Cordon and Chicago pastry are good school. Chicago pastry school offers many courses for professionals. One of my friend chef took courses and she really enjoyed it, so I am thinking about taking one like Chocolate Showpieces for Competition or Display.

Picture: Cameo cookie. Inspired by Wedgewood Jasperware

Something blue, something white, wedding theme cookies.
I love white icing.

Man, these make me wish I was getting married all over again. Stunning.

cardamom: Thank you very much for your kind comment.

I think it would be nice to do some workshop with another icing maniacs in Ottawa, not for business though, just for fun and learn something new.

I made bridesmaid's dress and shoes.

Cute, isn't it?

Cute is right, those are absolutely beautiful! It seems a shame that they will be eaten, but I imagine they taste delicious. You are a true artist.

I have always enjoyed decorating cookies and would love to do a workshop for fun.

Gardener Mom: Thank you so much for your kind comment!
I will post my sugar cookie dough recipe from Cordon Bleu. It is very simple but so good! I want to do work shop at my home, but the problem is,I have a crazy dog! She is too happy and friendly.

Picture:Macaron Salé...Macaron for wine and food pairing.

I made this macaron for prosecco.
Filling is maple syrup and goat cream cheese buttercream (but less sugar), sea salt and lots black pepper. Black pepper works really well.

I will make more "Macaron Salé"

Are you willing to travel / work in someone elses' kitchen?

I'm sure there are a few people on the site that would be happy to host in exchange for a work shop!

:)

MichaelGA: Yes,I would love to meet chefs and play with food! That would be so much fun:)

I used Truffle brie from Serious cheese.

Serious cheese Truffle Brie+Fig and Ginger Jam+Maple and Cranberry Compote+ Black Sesame dusted Macaron shells= Oh my god, is this really made by me?
SOOOOOO Good. Oh man! this is the best macaron I have ever made.
Sweet,salty and creamy!!
You can whip up the brie like Thomas Keller, but I am just being lazy!

I was going to ask what happens to all of these creations.
I guess I know now.

Rizak: What happens? I don't really think about what will happens to all of these creations. I enjoy the process rather than the results. I just want to create and eat what's in my head. I do this just for fun...my family think I am crazy a bit...lol

Sugar work. I have to make fish, but I don't want to. I like making flowers.

Those flowers! Last night I watched Kings of Pastry, a documentary on the competition for the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. It follows a few of the chefs beforehand, including chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago's French Pastry School, as he travels back to his childhood home in Alsace to practice for the competition and then behind the scenes at the competition itself.
"Nerve-wracking suspense."The New York Times

I agree...and as I watching I was thinking Aisu Kurimu could win this. :)

AMR: I will check out Kings of Pastry,it sounds very interesting. Sugar work is very difficult! It requires so many hours of practice! I have just started,
trying to get used to the hot sugar, it is really hot!!
I am making a showpiece for the class I am taking now.
I casted sugar. I am going to use this as a base and put some candy flowers.

I am trying to figure out how to arrange the parts.
I really enjoy this Sugar Work course at Algonquin, it runs 8 weeeks, total of 24 hours, but you must practice at home.
You will learn how to cook sugar,how to handle sugar, and you will practice
three basic skills, casting, pullling and blowing sugar.
Bows and rose are pulled sugar, I used air pump to make swan's body.

Hey Aisu,

I signed up for the macarons course at le Cordon Bleu.

Due to the wait to make sure I will be in Ottawa this weekend, I can only get into the demo portion since the practical part is full.

If you ever run an exchange workshop for macarons, I can bring the foie gras for you to try to make foie gras macarons :D

Aisu and Food Travel, count me in!

Food Travel: Making and finding macaron in Ottawa is difficult, since not too many people know real macaron...It is hard to find good samples from the stores.
Macaron is very difficult to make. Even the very skilled chef can end up making crappy macarons.

Try "Macarons Et Madeleines", I really liked their macaron. Macaron should be "aged" for at least 24 hours in the fridge, keep in the air tight box after putting the filling. Thin outer shell is still crispy, but the body of the shell is so moist and tender. Don't forget to take macarons out from the fridge at least 15 mins before you eat it. Oh man, aged macaron, just jam, chocolate ganache, butter cream...sooooo good.

Grainy macaron, may be using coase almond powder? not enough macaronage?
Colour, use of strong, intense colour, because pale colour shows the brown tint from the baking. Making pure white macaron requires white food colour.
For your info, my posted picture from March 1, I didn't add any colour. This is the macaron's natural colour.

I must practice making more macarons before I offer any exchange!!
capernbeachgal will be the judge! lol

Laduree at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi had the best macarons I have ever had and they were mulberry flavored, and it was either Laduree or another parisian vendor nearby in the Mitsukoshi food halls that also sold amazing little passion fruit flavored marshmallows. But I crave those mulberry macarons. I wish someone would make them locally. I have a mulberry tree.....
www.laduree.fr

We have a student from Cordon Bleu renting a room from us. Today is the final class for the intermediate level pastry students. Having rented to others I have learned the skedule and this is my favorite day! Waiting for the macaroons to come home! I'll post pictures later!

I like both Laduree and Pierre Hermes in Paris.
www.pierreherme.com/

In Ottawa the best one I have tasted so far is Macarons Et Madeleines.

A friend who lived in Lyon has a young daugther that is crazy about macarons.

I talked to Kevin at Art-is-in about their Macarons but apparently the person making it right now is new to Macarons so I might wait a bit to try theirs or I think I might be disappointed.

If anyone else is interested in Le Cordon Bleu's demo session on Macarons:
Sat March 16 at 12 noon for $50. The practical part is full

www.cordonbleu.edu

I totally forgot to post cookie dough recipe!
This can be used as tart shell. For example, I use this for fruit tarts.
For the fruit tarts, coat inside of the baked shells with apricot jam or melted white chocolate, then fill the pastry cream. That way, shell won't get soggy.

Pate sable
Pastry flour 200g Icing sugar 100g unsalted butter 150g egg 1/2
vanilla sugar 1 pinch salt 1 pinch

Shift flour and icing sugar togeter, then mix with soft butter,
When the mixture becomes crumbs, then add egg, sugar and salt.
if you don't have vanilla sugar, use vanilla extract.
Make the dough into one piece. flatten the dough, (so easier to roll it) wrap, keep in fridge over night.

I made Yuzu citrus macaron shells. I bought yuzu peels from Japan,it smells so good. Yuzu powder inside of the shell.
Filling is foie gras mousse, I added shichimi hot pepper.
I like foie gras,yuzu and shichimi together...it's very nice,
but I think it doesn't need to be a macaron!

blubarry: What type of filling is in the mulberry macaron? Jam? Butter cream with mulberry puree?

southshore: How was the macaron from the student? Better keep macarons in the fridge overnight! I know it is hard :)

Food Travel: Pierre Herme and Laduree must be almost the same quality.
Chef Herme was an executive chef at FAUCHON Paris, then he became an executive chef at Laduree, This talented chef saved the failing business back on track. Chef Herme created his most famous Macaron "Ispahan" at Laduree.

Have you tried Dalloyau's macaron? They are famous for Opera, but they also make macarons. Princess Diana loved Dalloyau's macarons.

Aisu. Fauchon is a beautiful store. Did not make it there last 2 trips since they were short trips.

Laudee and Pieere Hermes are the same quality. Both have rainbow range of different macrons with some great flavours.

The foie gras macarons looks great but it probably did not need the macaron. I still dream of the foie gras creme brulee in a Japanese soup spoon that I had at Park Hyatt Paris Vendome brunch at L'Orchidees. It was even better than the foie gras lollipop at their restaurant le Pur.

No have not yet tried Dalloyau's macaron but will put in on the list for a future trip.

Interesting, checked out Ispahan and they have a croissant Ispahan at Pierre Hermes.

www.pierreherme.com

There was a decent recipe for madeleines.. considering bying some pans and give them a try.

Valrhona cocoa macaron shells.
Callebeaut semi sweet chocolate and Grand marnier ganache.
Put some gold dust like Pierre Herme's
Tasty!! Good ingredients makes huge difference.
I am in heaven!

FoodTravel
I have a great madeleines recipe too. In both plain and chocolate.
Takes 2 days to make them, but yummy.
I will post this recipe!

Looks great Aisu. Which Valrhona chocolate did you use?

I still have a le Noir 61% 1kg tab and several small 70g tablets of noir Abinao 85%. Everything else have been consumed.

Hi Aisu....They were delicious! Were gobbled up before We even got them photographed! Hope there will be another chance. I showed her the site and she (like everyone) was blown away by your work. Did you also study at Cordon Bleu? If not, where?

Aisu the laduree mulberry macaron was a creamy filling,not jam. I tend to prefer the creamy fillings.

Food Travel: My Valrhona is cocoa powder,it smells so good.
Chocolate I used is Callebaut's dark and bitter 60.1% . High cocoa content.
Yummy!!!!!

southshore: I studied at Algonquin college. One of my school chef used to teach at Cordon Bleu, so I was kinda lucky!
I also study a lot at home. Macaron for example, I failed so many times...at least 50 times. I never give up!

Blubarry: I guess it is mulberry crémeux? It sounds nice! When do you hervest mulberry?

Actually I've never actually harvested the mulberries. I only have one tree, and the berries ripen in the summer. I've eaten one or two, but usually leave them for the birds they attract to my garden. I think you'd have to net the tree to save the berries for harvest, and I haven't tried that so far.

My izakaya menu: Buta-Kimchi. Great with dry beer.

Ebi-mayo: one of the most popular item in Japan.

Pork, bamboo shoots and green pepper. My mom's special red miso base sauce.

Shio Koji, one of the most popular seasoning in Japan.

"Shio-koji is koji that has been fermented in salt. It is a live food that is rich in enzymes and brings out the umami in foods. It can be used in place of salt in any dish or as an ingredient in sauces. The saltiness is mild and sweet. Using shio-koji instead of salt will lower the overall salt content in your food. With shio-koji you get the same salty flavor with less than 50% of the salt content.
Shio-koji imparts a rich savory flavor and makes any dish delicious. It is excellent to use when marinating fish or meat."

Information from www.kojiya.jp

I bought this bottle of shio koji at Win tai Market. This product was made by famous miso company in Japan.

I have been working on making nanaimo bar's recipe.
I don't want to use instant custard powder, but it seems the recipes I can find
use the powder. This one I made custard buttercream with rum raisins.

OMG! I'm in love! Chocolate, rum, raisins, custard buttercream....

Caperbeachgal:
I am writing food articles at the Japanese Iron pastry chef's web site.
I want to introduce Canadian food culture to Japan, so I am trying to find the best nanaimo bar recipe.

The latest article I wrote was about strawberry shortcake, North american short cakes are very different from the ones in Japan. In Japan, we use genoise, not tea biscuit like pastry.
I like both!

I think it depends on where you live in Canada as to what you use to make a strawberry shortcake. Being from the Maritimes, I use a warm-from-the oven rich tea biscuit, buttered and heaped with fresh berries and whipped cream. We would precede that with a very light or no supper since it is so rich. Friends have served me strawberry shortcake using sponge cake or angel food cake.....not nearly as good in my opinion.

Caperbeachgal: Maritime strawberry short cake sounds so good. I love rich tea biscuit, I eat them with maple syrup too.

I made NY cheesecake with greek yogurt. For the cheesecake crust,I baked chocolate and almond sable and crushed them. This sable goes really well on vanilla ice cream.

WOW! I just love what you do. Would you be willing to teach some of us how you do some of your creations. I would even be happy to pay if you decided to set up some classes. Or just be a friend and let me watch.

Kutia: I don't know where to begin!

Are you a professional cook/baker?
Are you interested in cooking and baking?
Food plating?
Food photography?
Or all of them like me?

Dessert picture which I posted on March 30, I made this plated dessert after listening Philippe Jaroussky's "Vedro con mio diletto" all day long.
Plating design...it just happens in my head.
I wanted to eat cheesecake so bad and I was listening Vivaldi's aria over and over that day, then the image of the plated dessert came up in my mind.
I made this cake at 3:00a.m. I plated cake later that day. I named this dessert "Philippe Jaroussky."

Have you ever heard "Phi Metrics 1.618"? It is golden ratio for design of all kinds. If you understand the logic, it will help you when you design.
www.goldennumber.net/

I am studying food styling and photography. This summer, I will attend a workshop at Prince Edward County to learn how to style food and take food pictures. You can see instructors' works on LCBO's Food and Drink Magazine.
foodographypec.com/

I don't know what I can do, but you are welcome to contact me.
But you have to listen to my aria, and I am not a good singer.

Aisu: Thanks for your response. No I am not a professional cook or baker. I am an engineer by background but I love cooking and have dabbled in baking. I am from India so cook a lot of Indian food. However I also love to experiment with German, Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian and Ethiopian food. I am really interested in learning more on food plating. As an engineer I have heard of Phi Metrics and the Fibonacci sequence. I love photography but I am a lousy photographer. :) If you could even show me how to do the dessert you posted on March 30 I will be in heaven. I will even listen to your Aria. :) I will contact you separately and discuss further. Thanks again.

This is an incredibly inspiring thread.

Gum paste rose.
I took a course at Algonquin. My chef is super talented.
She makes beautiful cakes and sugar craft!

Gum paste flowers

I'd say your chef's student is super talented too.

Caperbeachgal: My teacher is really nice lady too. I continue my practice with her. I am very lucky to know her!
Food picture is fun, but I don't have enough time to do everything by myself, grocery shopping, bake,cook, style, photo shooting, editing and cleaning kitchen.
Taking dark colour picture was very refreshing: portobello mushroom and asparagus

I made salad from portobello and asparagus from above picture.
I sweat and caramelized shallot, garlic, thyme and pancetta, then added white wine,reduced it almost nothing,then added balsamic, reduced to 1/3, finished with maple syrup,salt and pepper.

Gumpaste flowers

Sugarveil Icing cake

These are all so beautiful!

Gallimaufry: Thank you so much for your kind comment.
I have been studying and experimenting...trying to find what I really want to do.
I met two very talented people, they make beautiful sweet things. I am very excited!

Picture: macaron with royal icing. I am going to make macaron tower, add some sugar flowers.

I made my macarons thinner than usual, I did macaronage longer than usual.
I mix almond powder and Icing sugar, then use food processer to make fine powder, shift 3 times after that...so macaron shell has nice smooth egg shell like shine.

I also used fondant to decorate macarons.

Dark chocolate and raspberry macaron.

I used chocolate cremeux instead of regular chocolate ganache.

Aisu those macarons look DELICIOUS! Off to wipe the drool off my keyboard...

@Aiso Kurimu:

I am loving this thread and your lovely creations; thank you so much for sharing them with us.

I was wondering if you would be willing to post instructions on how to prepare your March 18 entries of:

Buta-Kimchi
Ebi-Mayo
Pork, bamboo shoots and green pepper with red miso (I could probably figure this one out on my own, but I was wondering what cut of pork you used and where I could locate red miso paste -- or even make it myself if it isn't too hard)

Thank you again. Very inspiring!

Pastalover: It was nice to see you! I can make some for you if you are interested. FoodTravel was very kind, she offered me some fresh rhubarbs from her garden, so I made some macarons as thanks gift...she told me her parents enjoyed them. I am very happy:)

Loveforallgoodfood: Thank you very much for your kind comment!
These are very simple and easy to cook. I will post "how to cook recipe" for you.
I think I used pork tenderloin...because it was on sale!

I made Japanese theme icing cookies. It was fun.

Aisu,

Thanks again for the Macaroons, my parents really enjoyed them. My mom was very happy that her rhubarb is not going to waste.

The kimono cookie is beautiful.

I have dozens of friends who are Ikebana artists that would LOVE those Japanese themed cookies! Beautiful!

Religieuses, Macaron,Éclair and Doughnuts cookies

FoodTravel: I am very happy your parents enjoyed! I made rhubarb jam and pie and it was very tasty!

bulbarry:I am thinking about making more Japanese theme cookies!

So nice to have met you the other day!
I love the idea of decorating cookies to look like other food! Is it weird to think that it might be fun to make them look like foods that aren't baked goods? Corn on the cob? rib steak? leg of lamb? sushi? Club Sandwich? The possibilities are endless LOL...

bulbarry: It was very nice meeting you, thank you for your time.
I have so many ideas in my head,but I don't have time!
Like you said, I started sushi cookies! lol
First step to make sushi cookies is to make drawing the templates.

Happy Canada Day!
Maple Mousse cake with Italian meringue on top.
This cake is very tasty when it is half frozen, just like ice cream cake...also easier to cut.

Flower basket cookies

I went to Prince Edward County to attend food photography workshop by Foodography PEC. foodographypec.com/
All the food were cooked by From the Farm cooking school fromthefarm.ca/

Food stylist and photographer showed me how to take great pictures.
It was a fun workshop. Food was great too.

This is one of the picture I took.
I will try to write more about this workshop when I have time.
I am very busy now!

I made cookies for my friend's little daughter's 1st birthday.
I am making strawberry mousse cake for birthday now.

I finished strawberry mousse cake just now.I hope my frined will be happy!
I have lots raspberries from my garden,I will make raspberry mousse cake next time.

I made a wedding cake at Le Cordon Bleu.
It was huge 3 tier wedding cake, but I only took top 2 tier home.

High ratio sponge is filled with Italian butter cream, covered by rolled fondant.

I didn't have enough time to make more roses. I wanted to make larger roses as cake topper, but I couldn't... so I made rose petals (because it dries faster) and finished cake decoration with it.

I bought a great recipe book written by Chef Martin Picard of Restaurant Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal.
This book "Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Bush" is all about maple syrup, lots recipe for both sweet and savory food. This beautiful book is full colour, lot of fun and very sexy!

I followed recipe to play with maple syrup.
I made maple fudge, maple butter, maple sugar and maple rock sugar.

I made maple macarons by using maple sugar and maple butter I made from maple syrup.

I used fine maple sugar for macaron shells and dusted maple rock sugar on top.
I made maple butter cream by using maple syrup and maple butter.

Many prep to do, but very tasty. Taste of Canada for sure.

Pumpkin icing cookies.
My new job keeping me very busy but I love it!

I will work on Christmas cookies too.

Gateau Opera for my friend's birthday.

It is made with layers of almond sponge cake (known as Joconde in French) soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee buttercream, and covered in a chocolate glaze. The cake was popularized by the French pâtisserie house Dalloyau.

Fondant flower close up

I usually use French meringue to make macaron, but I use Italian when I make multiple different colours.
Meringue should be stiff and has nice shine.

The tricky part of making macaron is macaronage.
Mix dry ingredients and meringue together well before you start macaronage.
Use big mixing bowl possible.
Picture is just mixed dry ingredients and meringue together, ready to macaronage. Remember how lumpy the texture is!

I use card to do macaronage.
I push and spread the batter against the mixing bowl, and scrape them back to the centre. I repeat this. Batter become very smooth, it has silky shine. If you don't do this process enough, macaron will look lumpy and don't have smooth egg shell like surface. If you mix too much and break meringue too much, it becomes too runny and you won't have "foot" around the edge.

Pipe macarons, try to aim same size. Dont' put too much batter in the piping bag, it will very hard to control.
After piping macarons, tap the tray on the counter few times to get lid of any air bubbles.
Dry macaron well. When macaron is ready to bake, you should be able to touch the surface and nothing sticks on your finger. If you don't dry macaron well enough, your macaron will crack, it will look like turtle.

Macarons from Montreal "point G'
Lemon, Balsamic vinegar, Lavender, Lime and basil, crème bluree, and raspberry.
Very tasty. 6 for $10

My macaron "orange cremeux"
I like using Valrhona cocoa powder, it gives macaron very nice rich dark colour without using any food colouring.

Sorry I wasn't there to taste test for you.

I just licked the screen, which was not a good substitute.

Caperbeachgal: If you live in Kanata area, I would like to ask you to be my guinea pig!!

Rizak: I made your "Pig Candy" and it was very tasty. I used maple flavoured whisky.

Picture is macarons I baked. It turned out very nice and I was happy.

I failed so many times before.
One day, I sent an email to Chef Stéphan at Macarons Et Madeleines and asked him about my macaron issues and I wanted to improve it...I really like his macaron's texture.
He is such a nice, kind man! He replied and he gave me many tips!!
After that, I tried few more times, and I finally figured out how to make macaron.
His macarons are best in Ottawa, they are so moist and soft. I hate dry,flavourless macaron!!

Sadly, I live in the Alta Vista area. I may have to move!!

Heart shaped macarons for Valentine's day
Dark chocolate ganache and raspberry filling :)