Sugar, part 3

05.02.12

From a culinary perspective, sugar is a very important ingredient so understanding how it reacts while being heated, melted, dissolved, etc is very crucial. One of the most integral parts of this is an understanding of what happens in a simple sugar and water solution. In this case, the sugar molecules have a tendency to bond to each other in orderly arrays and form dense solid masses (crystals). When sugar crystals are dissolved in water, H2O molecules have a tendency to overcome this bond between sugar molecules and form their own bonds. If the sugar molecules become too crowded with the water molecules, they begin pairing off with each other and form crystals once again.

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Sugar week, Part 1

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.04.30, under Good to know, lessons, stuff
04.30.12

I thought it would be neat to explore a new topic every week and learn something new, so this week we’re going to talk about sugar. We’ll get into history, uses, the nature of sugars and its varieties.

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The Grizzly Project, Barcelona

02.06.12

This is a very interesting clip on the design and making of a chocolate grizzly bear by the Barcelona Pastry Guild School for the World Chocolate Masters competition this year. Enjoy!

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Some food fun for the new year.

posted by admin on 2012.01.10, under lessons, Skills, stuff, Video
01.10.12

Its the new year and while everyone struggles to get back into the swing of things, we here at notesonameal.com would like to put a smile on your face.

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New Loblaws – Queen and Portland, Toronto

12.15.11

I must say that, in my opinion, Loblaws really tops all the other grocery stores in Toronto for the quality of products offered and their variety. Although it may be pricier than others, freshness is always guatanteed and the customer service is definitely admirable.

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Beautiful custom knives in Brooklyn

posted by admin on 2011.11.08, under pics, stuff, Uncategorized, Video
11.08.11

It  is pretty much fact that cooks love knives. Of all the gear in kitchens, we love knives the most.  We covet them, baby them and cut stuff up with them.  I am no exception. I am constantly on the prowl for new knives, innovative knives; knives that speak to me.  Thats when I came across this video about Cut Brooklyn, I was instantly taken in.

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Sugar flowers

10.16.11

Since baking in general is not dangerous enough, I’ve taken on a new challenge…. sugar pulling. For those not familiar with this concept, well, it’s pretty much what it sounds like, hot sugar being shaped and pulled into diverse “artistic” shapes. The sugar is warmed, dyed (any colour of the rainbow) and once it’s the right temperature, it is pulled to aerate the surface and add a phenomenal sheen. Afterwards, under a heat lamp in order to keep it hot, the sugar is formed into whatever shape you want and allowed to cool (to set).

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Apple vs. Apple

posted by admin on 2011.09.23, under burnt offerings, experiment, lessons, Skills, stuff, Uncategorized, Video
09.23.11

In my other life, outside of cooking, I am a huge geek.  I love tech and I am a bit of a Mac nerd.  While I love both worlds, there are few cases where the two meet.  For example, while I am typing this, my left index finger is unusable and pretty tender as I removed a large portion of the end of it while butchering a pork shoulder.  Even still, its hardly a case of two world colliding, more of one bleeding into the other, if you pardon the pun.

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Some More On Rome

posted by admin on 2011.05.09, under Mouthy Bits, remains, stuff, travel bits
05.09.11

Its a beautiful morning here in Florence.  The sun is shining and the air is crisp; a little Joan Jett playing in the background.  

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Jacques Pepin vs. omelet

posted by admin on 2011.03.10, under Mouthy Bits, stuff, Video
03.10.11

Jacques Pepin is the grand daddy of French cuisine. His book, “La Technique” made true French cooking available to the masses in much the same way Julia Childs books did. He also happens to really know how to make omelets.

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Love your food.