Chocolate flavor can mean many different things. It can be bitter, rich, earthy, acidic and fruity—all qualities that provide various wine pairing challenges. When I was in culinary school, I was always told to drink water with chocolate but there are some very interesting wines that help enhance the chocolate flavor. In this episode, we explore two different red wines with three totally different chocolate desserts to find a perfect pairing.
Le Bernardin’s pastry chef, Michael Laiskonis, who proves that truly everything is better with bacon showed us how to integrate savory flavors like bacon, pepper, salt and herbs into his desserts. The bacon ice cream is a very intriguing flavor that enhances the flavor of the figs and a great marriage of sweet and savory ingredients.
When I first started cooking professionally, it was very common for a waiter or dining room captain to present some dishes “tableside.” Presenting tableside requires a lot of confidence but is a wonderful way to add some drama to the dining experience. Finishing the crepes for guests is a great way to bring a little formality (that is also quite fun) to your home and it pays homage to all of the “back of the house” and “front of the house” workers that make dining out such a pleasure.
This dessert is so fun to make! Cooking cans of sweetened condensed milk in boiling water is kind of like playing in a science lab. The milk cooks to a golden, delicious syrup that can be used to pour over all kinds of desserts. Because it is cooked in the can and never opened, it will keep in the pantry for a long while. Shortbread cookies are one of the easiest cookies to make and when vanilla ice cream and dulce de Leche are squeezed between, a fantastic little personal dessert is created.
