Find out the latest from pastry chef Richard Ruskell

The Chocolate Cream recipe that I demonstrated at the California Food & Wine festival can be found below.  During the demo I got a few measurements wrong.  The correct recipe is:

Chocolate Cream Pudding

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

½ cup granulated sugar

14 egg yolks

14 oz. 64% bittersweet chocolate (the best you can buy), chopped into uniform pieces

Sweetened whipped cream for garnishing

Place the cream and the milk in a medium saucepan and bring it to a light boil.  Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale yellow.  Place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl.

When the milk begins to boil pour about ¼ of it onto the beaten egg yolks, whisking continuously.  Pour this mixture back into the milk.  With a heatproof rubber spatula, and the heat on medium, stir the mixture until it thickens and coats the spatula.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.  Whisk until you have melted the chocolate and it is streak free.

Pour into bowls and refrigerate until set.  Remove from the fridge about an hour before serving and spoon sweetened whipped cream on top.

For the demonstration I garnished the pudding with lemon scented whipped cream and a spiced chocolate ball.  The lemon whipped cream is simple to make.  Just add some lemon zest (using a micro-plane zester) to the cream before beating.  the spiced chocolate balls are made by the chocolate company Valrhona.  The are called Xocopili.

The name of the chocolate company that I love is Michel Cluizel.  Their website is Nobleingredients.com.

later……………

I have done the Epcot Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World for several years.  In fact I’m going back in October (the 23rd and 24th).  But this is the first time I was invited to Disneyland for the California Food and Wine Festival.  Right in my back yard.  I did a demo (chocolate cream/pudding/cake filling) on Friday and Saturday and then presented at Sweet Sundays (Strawberry Brunch).

For those of you who came to the demos–Thank you.  I just got back home and will post the recipe for the chocolate cream here on the blog.  I am also doing some editing on a short video I had shot of the intro to the demo on Saturday.  If you’re in it: Congratulations!  you’re a star.

If you’re in the Orlando area in late October, please come to Epcot for the Food & Wine festival.  I will be at the Party for the Senses on Saturday October 23 and doing another Sweet Sundays on the 24th.  Get your tickets early.

I have been a fan of Disney forever it seems.  I like finding the “hidden Mickeys” and knowing all the ins and outs of what Walt Disney had up his sleeve.  Truly Fascinating.

I just wanted to post this quick note to say “Thanks Again”  And as usual:  Pass this blog on and keep reading!!

And of course, a special thank you to Jim, Robyn, Diego, Natalie, Payton, Tiffany, Kevin, and everyone else for, first, inviting me, and secondly, for all the help.

recipe and more tomorrow!

It’s that time….almost.  California is starting to kick into great produce.  Strawberries are just fine.  Can’t wait for the rest to follow.  Here are some items off the new menu:

No, not the CIA, but the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America.

Stephen Durfee, good friend, colleague, and instructor at the school invited me to participate as a guest chef for an event the school was having commemorating various wine-makers, wine-writers, wine-what-have-yous.  I could be wrong but I think the event is annual.  Most of the people honored are dead but some are still kicking.  Just enough to get people to turn up.

I jumped at the chance to get away from the shop.  I had been feeling a little overworked.  I was working on an upcoming bridal show that was planned WAY too late and…….let’s table that for now, I’m writing about Napa.

The flight took nine hours.  No, not the usual hour long flight.  The unusual NINE hour flight.  Seems the rain was just too awful in San Francisco and the airport was not letting flights in.  So I sat at LAX for three hours and then, once we got on the plane, sat on the tarmac for another hour.  Once we took off the flight was fine.  But it was hellzapoppin in San Francisco.  Honestly, I’m not sure I have ever driven through so much rain.  That shit was coming down horizontal thanks to the gale force winds.  Driving was a nightmare.  That, plus the fact that I’m driving a rental car and trying to figure out where the wipers, lights and panic buttons are.  Why oh why do I never take that extra minute before I drive out off?

Wouldn’t you know it.  The minute I crossed the Napa County Line the rain stopped and the sky started to clear.  When I told Stephen about the rain, he said, “what rain?”  Figures.

Stephen’s wife, Jill, is an event planner and she was readying a community center in Napa for a fundraiser for their kids’ school.  I helped.  A little. I put LED candles in vintage lanterns.  Then I walked around Napa’s waterfront for a while.  The Mustard Festival was going on and there was some good music playing

View from my room

The event wasn’t widely attended but I didn’t care.  I shared good company with fellow pastry chefs Sherry Yard (Spago), Emily Luchetti (Faralon) and Stephen.  All three of them are James Beard Award winners.  Oooooh.

I served Rhubarb Tres Leches cake and Chocolate Cream with Espresso Caviar.  The technique of spherification was a real hit with the students.  That’s one of the things from the whole molecular gastronomy trend that will probably stick around.  I kind of like it.  Works well for garnish.

I had a nice time and was able to decompress before getting back into the thick of things with THAT DAMNED BRIDAL SHOW.

later…………

About a week and a half ago I was auctioned off at The Geffen Playhouse’s charity event:  Backstage at the Geffen.  It was a stellar affair honoring Barry Meyer (Head of Warner Bros.) and Kristen Chenowith (and who doesn’t know her).  I was part of the silent auction.  I was bartered for $2100!  Not bad.  So what did they get for their bid?  A pastry class for 3-4 people and a cake for up to 200 of their closest friends.  I have no idea who bid on me.  All I do know is that most of the night my bid sheet was empty.  It wasn’t until the end of the night that it filled up.  I would have been devastated had I not gotten anything.

The night was great!  We heard from Clint Eastwood, Beau Bridges, Matthew Morrison (from Glee), Rita Wilson, Hank Azaria and others.  Listened to songs from Alan Cumming and Dick Van Dyke (unbelievably impressive at his age), Christina Applegate and star watched for most of the evening.  Swelling with the swells.

One of the bids, which at the beginning of the event had a low bid of $6k(!) was to sit in on a table reading of The Simpsons and join Hank Azaria’s table on his poker night.  That would have been.  There were also unique items such as a week in French Polynesia (valued at $29,000) and various other one of a kind giveaways.  I didn’t bid on anything…..ahem.

But I did make a cake.

finished product

The bottom platform is solid chocolate.  Dark and white which I painted all sorts of bright colors:

in the shop

The theater building was fondant.  Hand painted and airbrushed with royal icing ivy. The L.A. blocks were solid chocolate, weighed a lot.

Balanced on top was a large piece, covered in fondant, with the event’s logo.  The whole contraption was held together with pvc, threaded pipe, washers and bolts……the usual.  I arranged some sugarpaste flowers and got some micro-lighting to add a little drama.  They lit it well and I was able to have a primo location for it.  Honestly I don’t think people knew it was cake.   Sometimes that’s not to my advantage.  I think I should just put up a big sign that says:  IT’S CAKE!

For the actual event we served red velvet cupcakes, passionfruit white chocolate cake, banana deutsch cake, and white chocolate chip cake.

A good time was had by all.

And boy does Clint Eastwood look great!  I should look so good when I’m whatever age he is.

later

My calendar is fast filling up.  Can’t believe it.  I am a guest chef at the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa campus.  Part of their Vintner’s Induction ceremony.  Should be fun.  I’m doing a Food Network Challenge at the end of March.  Backstage at The Geffen is a benefit for the theatre.  I’m one of the items you can bid on for their silent auction.  My brother and his family are coming sometime during all of this.  I’m giving a demonstration for the chocolate company, Michel Cluizel, in mid-April.  My absolute all time favorite chocolate, btw.  and then May 1st I’ll be part of the Disneyland California Food & Wine Fest.  Whew.  All that in 2 months.

Next week we have a great opportunity at the hotel to show off some of our culinary muscle.  We’re hosting a wine dinner.  Finally, some real foodies to entertain.  My dessert is called, Chocolate Ice, with compressed banana, blood orange and mint.  haven’t figured out how it will all go together, but the mint will probably be spherified (is that a word?)

Below is the chocolate/banana tart served at a banquet the other day.  Shiny chocolate glaze over banana mousse, sitting on a speculos crust.  Served with peanut sauce, chocolate dust and milk chocolate curd.

Just a short note to tell you the L.A. Times corrected my misspelled name.  Check it out.  And here is a pic of the cake.  It wasn’t very visible before

Kinda small.  I’ll work on it!

Lates!

For those of you who have kept up with my blog, the previous one and now this “new” one : Thanks!

As you may also know, and those who don’t will now find out, I have been doing opening night cakes for a theatre here in town (L.A.).  It’s the Geffen Playhouse and I would venture to say it is the premier professional venue in the city.

To make a long story short, I saw a show there, loved it, and emailed them saying I would love to see others.  They had invited us to the Playhouse as a thank-you for a function they had at the hotel.  They were very gracious and said, “any time.”  Being a former actor and lover of live theatre, and also someone who is NOT going to let opportunity walk away, I offered to make opening night cakes for the cast as “payment” for seeing the shows.  I gave them my laundry list of qualifications, years of service, TVFN Challenge wins, blah, blah, blah.  The Geffen, also seeing an opportunity, suggested I make cakes for not only the cast but for the opening night audience as well.  That was the birth of a beautiful relationship.  Not only has this become a wonderful opportunity, but it has allowed me to meet some fantastic people!

So, last night was the third show in their season.  I did a cake for the closing performance of their previous season.  The show was called Farragut North and starred Chris Pine (of the new Star Trek movie) and Chris Noth (Big on Sex in the City).  The opening play of this new season was Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas, starring, yes, Matthew Modine, Perry Gilpin (Fraiser) and French Stewart (3rd Rock….).   The second show was Equivocation, starring Harry Groener (original cast of Cats, and Dear John) and Joe Spano (Hillstreet Blues and others).  The play last night was The Female of The Species, starring Annette Bening, David Arquette and Julian Sands along with other recognizable faces.

After the first two cakes/shows, we (the Geffen and myself) realized that the cast never gets to see the cakes. They are displayed in the lobby preshow and during intermission.  Neither of those times can the cast come out and see it.  The cake is cut after intermission and served when the audience exits the theatre.  So, no cast.  I was disappointed because I never got my picture taken with the cast.  I admit I’m a bit of a star stalker.  It’s fun, what can I say.

We figured out a way to make this work.  I would make fake cakes for display purposes only and have sheet cakes cut up in the back for service.  Voila, cast comes out, they see cake, Geffen gets pics of cast with cake, and I get pics of ME with cast and cake.

And last night didn’t disappoint!  The show was a lot of fun.  The afterparty was held at a restaurant close by the theatre and it was pretty star studded.  I not only got to meet Annette Bening, David Arquette, and the whole cast, but I got to meet the significant others.  When it’s Annette Bening that means Warren Beatty.  Both very charming and gracious.  David Arquette, for five minutes, was my new best friend!  Courtney Cox was there, Kirk Douglas, well, you can read the article.

And yes, the L.A. Times spelled my name wrong.  What is wrong with these people, don’t they know who I am!!!?

hope you like the pics (All photos by Jordan Strauss)

Pretty neat huh?

Who is that handsome guy in the background?

I just got back from a 24-hour instant-spur-of-the-moment day away from L.A. drive up Highway 1 to Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Our friend, Kim, mentioned that it’s a great place to visit and the drive is remarkable.  She, her husband, Jim, and son, Jack, seem to make Carmel the place they go to deflate.  Far enough away from the “ugh” that is Los Angeles and work, but close enough to drive (and the view ain’t half bad).  About 5 hours, depending on weather and if any of the Coast Highway is washed out by rain.  So, we took them up on their suggestion.

We managed to get a friend to stay at the house last night (thanks, Andrea) so Bubba wouldn’t be lonely, and we took off at 5am Saturday morning.

We took the 101 to Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo.  We have been this far before.  Several trips to Hearst Castle made this part of the drive seem familiar.  Don’t get me wrong.  It’s beautiful.  To see the giant sea lions lounging around and groaning on the beach just north of San Simeon is a real treat.  There’s something kind of scary, to be honest, about them.  They are so huge and so foreign looking that I am repulsed and in awe at the same time.

I should preface this blog by explaining that we’ve had some seriously wet weather here in California.  The downpours also brought surf advisories.  Waves of up to 20-30 feet were predicted.  Now mind you, these were the waves I expected California to have when I first moved here.  But no.  Not even slightly.  The waves around Huntington Beach, Surf City, Beach Boy Mecca, aren’t even a quarter of that.  But there is still a lot of surfing.  When I saw these “weather-warning-waves” I was pretty amazed.  That was one angry ocean named for peace.  All the way up the coast we saw some curls and washouts that were really wild.  I caught some of them on film.

When we broke away and finally got onto the real coast highway I was first surprised at how high we were.  Antoinette, a good friend, warned us to take highway 1 up the coast (meaning north).  She’s a little shy of the sheer drop-offs you face if you take highway 1 going south.  We heeded her advise.  Man, the drive was awesome.  I hope I don’t overstate that. I think we were lucky that it was right after all of the thunderstorms.  The highway was pretty deserted.  There are hairpin turns galore, some flagmen and stoplights along the way because of washouts due to the storm, I guessed, and just a general feeling of “pay attention” that had to be respected.

For all the trouble California is in:  Taxes, Debt, Housing, Orange County, Medical marijuana.  The one thing it truly has is beauty!  Wyoming has always been my favorite state.  I’ve been to all 50.  There is something about the wildness of Wyoming, the mountains in the west, the prairies of the southeast.  But it will have to step aside now that I have seen a fairly large share of California.  Yosemite,  Redwoods,  The Far-north, San Francisco, Joshua Tree, the Hollywood Sign (come on, you love it, you know you do) and now, the drive up Highway 1 to the Monterey Peninsula.

I hope these pics do it some justice.

Don’t worry, I’ll calm down.  You have to understand it was my first time and I didn’t have real high expectations.

Carmel is a charming town with a lot of rich people.  Pebble Beach, a lot richer people.  Spanish Bay, the same.  Monterey is kind of slumming (sorry).  We had to pay $9.25 for the privilege of driving through the “rich part of town” and hobnobbing with the swells.

But the Monterey Bay Aquarium is, again with that word, Awesome.  A real work of art and science.

We tooled around the aquarium, had a great dinner at Pacific’s Edge restaurant at the Highlands Inn, walked through Carmel in the morning, this morning, and then took highway 101 back to L.A.  It was one day very well spent.

So…………if I had such a great time, why is the name of the column “Kvetching”?  Because in all our wanderings every pastry shop, bakery, dessert place we could find, the product was TERRIBLE!!!  Nothing looked appetizing!! I was so downhearted that amongst all this so-called high quality there wasn’t a single bakery that lived up to the standard these people should be accustomed to!

God, why can’t I have my own place!!!!

a beedabeeedabeedabbed, that’s all folks!

lates