they call me p-nasty

for some unknown reason my two favorite runners have nicknamed p-nasty. i find it amusing!

one day i was out doing something for a second. when i come back to my station they posted this sign:


a cacophony of booming laughter came out of me like never before. it totally made my day. so that sign will forever be in my pastry station. after that it goes into my portfolio.

the littles things always amuse and constantly make you smile.

thank you adam and corey.

*this picture is courtesy of katie

fun fun

my friends came by last night to have dinner at our soft opening. i am really glad they came. whats better than cooking for friends? really, what is?

katie posted a pictures on her flickr

you are invited

to our soft opening.

keep it quiet, its a soft opening. shhhhhhh!!!

cupcakes

cupcakes
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt

so here they are again.

as much as i hated making them everyday at the bakery, i enjoy making them at the restaurant. this time its at americas and i am super excited about it.

smoked chocolate cupcake, dulce de leche buttercream.

id like to constantly change the cupcakes. keep them fresh. keep them creative.

apple cupcake, foie gras buttercream, candied bacon
peanut cupcake, jelly buttercream, banana chips
onion cupcake, duck confit buttercream
lucuma cupcake, goat cheese buttercream, basil

send me ideas!

top chef pastry challenge

its always upsetting watching cooking shows where they have pastry challenges. why do they all fear it? what's there to fear?!!

oh i know, for some reason people view pastries as being effeminate.

ay! hey chefs, do you know what desserts are? do you?! its food. you cook food, you like food. so damnit! cook desserts. its not hard. its actually tons of fun. its incredibly creative. it requires lots of technique and skill. and foremost, its just food!

food food food food food food food food food!

i was a chef before a pastry chef. i had an initial fear for pastries. ill admit it, i too found pastries to be very effeminate. but i dated one of the prettiest pastry chefs ever. she literally smacked my head for having such an obtuse view towards pastries. after a few months of working with her i completely turned around.

as chefs what drives us is our passion for food. pastries are food. dont forget pastries!

i have a fan!

the blogger for food in houston!

check it here, here and here

fun with agar

custard pearls
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt

ive been playing around with agar for a little over a year and the stuff still fascinates me!

about 2 months ago i decided to try sam mason's technique of spherification with agar and oil.

after a week of playing, i came up with a recipe that works with my custard dessert. luckily i had this done before my tasting with the cordua group. it blew me (as much as them) away! so here it is:

agar agar solution
16 oz water
12 oz sugar
1 oz agar agar

combine water and sugar. bring to a boil. sprinkle in agar. whisk vigorously until agar is fully incorporated. continue boiling for 2 minutes.

custard
12 ea egg yolks
2 ea eggs
2 cups sugar
1 ea vanilla bean
pinch sea salt
1 qt heavy cream

place all in 4 qt container with lid. whisk to combine. place in microwave (home use) for three minutes. remove from microwave. whisk. top with lid. microwave for 3 more minutes. repeat but now for 2 minutes. repeat but now for 1 minute. repeat until mixture gets thicker (consistency of creme anglaise). remove and place in ice bath to stop cooking.
(for beads, use custard mix that is hot)

custard beads
2 lb custard, hot
12 oz agar agar solution, hot
vegetable oil, as needed

combine both in blender, strain and fill squeeze bottle.
drip custard mix into cold oil.

have fun!!

late night dinner

late night dinner
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt

whats a chef to do for food late at night and only with a few bucks?!

thats right! dos tacos por 99 centavos

why aren't i fat??

i get asked this, NO! i get dismissed as a pastry chef because everyone envisions a pastry chef being over indulgently fat. so i started thinking about it ...

i base my career around fat (butter, eggs, cream, chocolate, sugar, etc.)
i constantly snack on/taste my desserts.
i eat desserts at every restaurant (at least once) to gauge the chef (and if money permits, the pastry chef).
my night cap consisted of valrhona guanaja chocolate (70%) and a glass of baileys.
i love foie gras!
i love brioche!
i love pork belly!
recently i admitted that my last meal would be a braised pork belly and foie gras slider on a rich mans brioche (peter reinhart)

so why am i not fat?
good metabolism? yes, but ...

as a pastry chef i am sick and disgusted by what people consider dessert. i hate the idea of dessert. people think something super rich, super sweet, super heavy and super fat. when i think of dessert i think as the perfect end of a meal wether it be sweet or savory. i think a few pastry chefs agree with me on this.

with that in mind, i am on a mission to change peoples perspective of dessert. it will prove almost impossible in texas (everythings bigger in texas) but i will continue on my quest. join me!

ingredients and gums

ingredients and gums
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt

a few hyrdocolloids and gelatins i use regularly. dont worry, you wont even know its in your desserts!

if you've had my desserts, you've had these already!

we have light

we have light
Originally uploaded by fuzzzycatt

this picture captures by far one of the most important days in my life. we (the chefs) have been in agony for months cramped up in office hour after hour. this site is as beautiful to us as is the first time a mom sees her baby.

this is our baby and it is alive!!

wow! i cant wait to see what comes forth those flames. we are going to ignite the woodlands.

i'm way too excited! i think i need a drink ... i've been told that jagermeister is the drink of drink for up and coming chefs ... or the demise of chefs. i'm not fan of the stuff, but if you're buying. i'll take 2 or 300! haha