On Skinning Hazelnuts - I laughed out loud. Enjoy following along with these baking adventures, swooning the whole way through with your mouth watering photos. Also - love the bit on not being timid, how applicable!
This makes me so happy to hear, Kristen…especially knowing that you have very high standards for cool adventures! 🤩 (And yes, I seriously need to get “don’t be so timid” tattooed somewhere.)
carbo loading! ;) that's fabulous! i had a good giggle at the hazelnuts this week. long, long ago i worked with cashews and the process from farm pick to plate is surprisingly intense! they are so, so tasty, though! you *almost* forget the work. almost...ha ha!
I know very little about baking other than the basics (I'm an excellent taste tester) so all of this is so fascinating. I have such deep respect for people that take it to this level of mastery. I'm SO PROUD OF YOU! You're doing AMAZING!!!!
I wish you all the best in shedding your timidity! Living in a foreign country (France is fantastic for this) is the perfect circumstance for you to grow bolder, especially in the world of French viennoiserie! 💘
THANK YOU! And: the taste-testing role is so important! I'm finding that learning about the baking process is pretty fascinating—but still, without appreciative people to share the results with, the act of baking would lose a lot of its luster for me. ❤️
1. Love, love, love that you purposely make dough the “wrong” way to see the results of over and under kneading. Now you can answer with experience and authority why you shouldn’t do those things.
2. Tough teaching = masterful and confident students. I remember taking an Indian cooking course and my instructor tasted my rice, made an unhappy face, and just said, “salty.” No other words. I’m not at all suggesting we shame people for learning, but kid gloves does result in expert knowledge.
1. YES, I'll absolutely be incorporating this into my own kitchen exploits moving forward, albeit in a lower-volume way! And 2. YUP to the "masterful and confident students" thing. I snort-laughed at your story 😂
Even though I ate pain aux chocolat aux amandes all my life I ve never had any idea it was basic pain au chocolat remastered! Thanks to you we are all learning a lot.
I ve never studied in the US but I know first hand French teaching can be harsh, but don t ever take it personnally it s inly meant to not settle on enough. You re doing a great job learning and sharing.
Wow you’re going thru it! I was a teacher in France. I was SHOCKED by the pedagogy. Students who do really well got no recognition. Students who messed up were really called out and shamed. Sometimes the teacher made the kids who were acting out stand in the corner. So let it roll off your back! They don’t give positive feedback.
Where I lived was near the home of tarte flambee. Seems super tricky to make and yours looks great! So jelly you can make pain au chocolat which is my favorite pastry of all time ❤️
I always relish hearing about your wealth of real-world experiences...and whew, the "calling out and shaming" thing sounds rough! Your supportive words are like a buoy. 🤗
That tarte flambée 👏👏👏👏 Grading the croissants would be impossible for me: they all looked like perfection. Thanks once again for sharing your adventures.
Not only are you making all of these glorious bakes, you’re generously sharing all the behind-the-scenes with us! Have a great weekend in Paris 🇫🇷, Maddie! xx
A class like this is not for me, but it's so interesting to read about (and see, thanks to your short videos) the process. Of course it's so different from how one does it at home, and it has to be. I'd no idea there was a machine that could handle 50kg of dough, nor that there were multiple ways of scoring the baguettes, multiple ways to fold dough, getting the flat slices of dough, and so on. Geometry and math is involved, so is the temperature. All the different ovens are interesting, too. It gives me a new appreciation for the next time I walk into a bakery and see all that is presented.
Thanks for taking the time to say this, Mark, because hearing it truly makes my day...*especially* knowing that this kind of class wouldn't be your cup of tea! Most of this info is new to me, too, and I definitely have an improved sense of understanding (and therefore respect) for bakery operations now.
On Skinning Hazelnuts - I laughed out loud. Enjoy following along with these baking adventures, swooning the whole way through with your mouth watering photos. Also - love the bit on not being timid, how applicable!
This makes me so happy to hear, Kristen…especially knowing that you have very high standards for cool adventures! 🤩 (And yes, I seriously need to get “don’t be so timid” tattooed somewhere.)
carbo loading! ;) that's fabulous! i had a good giggle at the hazelnuts this week. long, long ago i worked with cashews and the process from farm pick to plate is surprisingly intense! they are so, so tasty, though! you *almost* forget the work. almost...ha ha!
...ALMOST 😂
Truly enjoying your yummy travails (en français, s'il vous plaît), Maddie. (Also, my high school French is so dusty. LOL.) xo
At least you have high school French to draw on...my first-grade French class is of absolutely no use! 😜
Skinning hazelnuts?! 🤯 Wild!!!
I know very little about baking other than the basics (I'm an excellent taste tester) so all of this is so fascinating. I have such deep respect for people that take it to this level of mastery. I'm SO PROUD OF YOU! You're doing AMAZING!!!!
I wish you all the best in shedding your timidity! Living in a foreign country (France is fantastic for this) is the perfect circumstance for you to grow bolder, especially in the world of French viennoiserie! 💘
THANK YOU! And: the taste-testing role is so important! I'm finding that learning about the baking process is pretty fascinating—but still, without appreciative people to share the results with, the act of baking would lose a lot of its luster for me. ❤️
My take-always this week by Professor Maddie:
1. Love, love, love that you purposely make dough the “wrong” way to see the results of over and under kneading. Now you can answer with experience and authority why you shouldn’t do those things.
2. Tough teaching = masterful and confident students. I remember taking an Indian cooking course and my instructor tasted my rice, made an unhappy face, and just said, “salty.” No other words. I’m not at all suggesting we shame people for learning, but kid gloves does result in expert knowledge.
1. YES, I'll absolutely be incorporating this into my own kitchen exploits moving forward, albeit in a lower-volume way! And 2. YUP to the "masterful and confident students" thing. I snort-laughed at your story 😂
I do have ptsd when it comes to making rice. 😐
Even though I ate pain aux chocolat aux amandes all my life I ve never had any idea it was basic pain au chocolat remastered! Thanks to you we are all learning a lot.
I ve never studied in the US but I know first hand French teaching can be harsh, but don t ever take it personnally it s inly meant to not settle on enough. You re doing a great job learning and sharing.
Oh, I'm so delighted to hear this, Valérie! It's such a great way to give life to unsold pastries.
And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually finding that I prefer this teaching style...the directness is refreshing!
Btw. YOURE DOING GREAT!!! 👏🏻
THANK YOU!!
Wow you’re going thru it! I was a teacher in France. I was SHOCKED by the pedagogy. Students who do really well got no recognition. Students who messed up were really called out and shamed. Sometimes the teacher made the kids who were acting out stand in the corner. So let it roll off your back! They don’t give positive feedback.
Where I lived was near the home of tarte flambee. Seems super tricky to make and yours looks great! So jelly you can make pain au chocolat which is my favorite pastry of all time ❤️
I always relish hearing about your wealth of real-world experiences...and whew, the "calling out and shaming" thing sounds rough! Your supportive words are like a buoy. 🤗
Shabbat shalom! Reading this before dinner is the perfect intro to challah. Another fabulous week under your belt!
I am so delighted to hear this!
Tarte flambée! I was in the Alsace last year and also greedily devoured my fair share of those, very tasty. Loving the updates!
Ah, I absolutely love hearing this, Skylar! I think I need to make a very specific road trip to try the "real" thing... 🤔
That tarte flambée 👏👏👏👏 Grading the croissants would be impossible for me: they all looked like perfection. Thanks once again for sharing your adventures.
I think my tarte flambée experience has given me the confidence to try a tonda-style recipe from Pizza Night!
Not only are you making all of these glorious bakes, you’re generously sharing all the behind-the-scenes with us! Have a great weekend in Paris 🇫🇷, Maddie! xx
On a bus back from Champagne as we speak, so: challenge accepted! 🥂
Reims is one of my favorite cities in France!!! Enjoy !!!
Oh gosh, it was absolutely gorgeous—I see why!
🥂
Echoing the other comments that these updates are such a delight, thank you!
Heather, you absolutely made my day. Thanks for letting me know! 🤩
Really enjoying the weekly updates!
Oh, I’m so delighted to hear this, Mark—thank you!
A class like this is not for me, but it's so interesting to read about (and see, thanks to your short videos) the process. Of course it's so different from how one does it at home, and it has to be. I'd no idea there was a machine that could handle 50kg of dough, nor that there were multiple ways of scoring the baguettes, multiple ways to fold dough, getting the flat slices of dough, and so on. Geometry and math is involved, so is the temperature. All the different ovens are interesting, too. It gives me a new appreciation for the next time I walk into a bakery and see all that is presented.
Thanks for taking the time to say this, Mark, because hearing it truly makes my day...*especially* knowing that this kind of class wouldn't be your cup of tea! Most of this info is new to me, too, and I definitely have an improved sense of understanding (and therefore respect) for bakery operations now.
Enjoying every tasty bit of this journey! Excited you have found a run buddy. It’s where friendships are made 😊
I mean, I obviously miss my OG run buddy! 🥹 But having one here has been fabulous so far.