Author Archives: robertwhite

beaujolais berry and basil tart , a wine lovers favourite

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this is a lovely litte recipe that I picked up from a French chef that I spent some time working with . It is a must have recipe for the upcoming winter period as it uses fresh winter berries and a nice bottle ( or two ) of a sweet French dessert wine , which infuses with the fresh basil flavour to give you a unique savoury and sweet taste ,also known as umami  . the sweet pasrtry is a recipe that I use for all my sweet desserts as it is a simple yet quality pastry . hope you enjoy

Ingredients

Sweet pastry

Flour                            225g

Butter                          110g

Sugar                           80g

Egg yolk                      1

 

Beaujolais & basil jelly

Red wine                     1 bottle

Basil                            bunch

White peppercorns      4-5

Gelatine                       8-10 leaves

 

Method

. make sweet pastry and refridgerate

. Blind bake the tart case in a preheated oven at 165’c for 12 to 20 min’s until golden brown

. Boil together the red wine, basil, white peppercorns, sugar.

. Soak gelatine in cold water

. Whisk gelatine into red wine mix, strain mix into bowl over an ice bath to start cooling, do not let it cool completely .

. line tartlets with the berries , cover with jelly, refridgerate to set

the effects of modern technology on menu design and show casing of menus online

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 due to taking on a recent project during my culinary studies  I have come across some interesting developments into the effects of modern technology in the culinary world  which in many businesses have gone (putting it politely on the compost heap ) The level of menu design in the last century has developed so much that we no longer look go to our restaurant of choice  anymore without checking out the menu online first , this in my opinion has seriously effected the level of customers to restaurants . As a chef by trade  this eliminates the possibilities for a chef to express their work and creativity ,the menus that are available to view may not be suited to the potential customer so therefore this turns them off visiting the establishment for a dining experience , this in turn does not allow the chef to show their true skills and experience that would allow him or her to create a dish for the potential client showcasing potential customer lost ? yes potential income lost ? yes . these are things that need to be taking into consideration during this economic climate  , what are your views on this?