That’s a lotta Sacher torte
How many Sacher Tortes does the Sacher Hotel sell each year? Through the Sacher hotel, the various Sacher shops and via their online store, some quarter million “original” Sacher tortes are sold each year.
READ ONTorte Law
Other than its flavor, texture, and historical and cultural pedigree, Sacher torte is notable in that it is the only pastry ever to be the subject of a nearly decade-long lawsuit. It seems that Franz, the son of Eduard the Inept Innkeeper (grandson of Franz Sacher, the inventor of Sacher torte) was himself a bit […]
READ ONSo who was Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar von…er, who was Metternich?
Other than the man for whom the first Sacher torte was made you mean? He was the most powerful statesman of his time, the so-called “arbiter of Europe” who oversaw the joint effort to redraw the map after the 25 years of turmoil that began with the French Revolution in 1789 and finished with the […]
READ ONDid I tell you, or did I tell you?
Reader Laura G. writes: This weekend I was taken out for a VERY nice dinner in a super fancy and famous restaurant in the SF area. The pastry chef sent out macaron as an off-the-menu treat, as some chefs are wont to do. I found myself wondering, “does Chef ____ read Joe Pastry?” Further bonus […]
READ ONJoe Gets Lazy MCMLXIV
Yesterday I wrote this about coconut fat: Easy to extract, abundant, cheap, and above all solid at room temperature (a very rare thing for a plant fat), it was the perfect alternative to butter. Except that one day some food scientist somewhere realized that it was rather a bad thing as a regular part of […]
READ ONMore Macaron Ideas
Pastry Chef Philana weighs in from London with these thoughts on coconut macarons: You can do the same for pistachio macarons (1/3 finely ground pistachios 2/3 ground almonds to combat the excess fat in the pistachios) Although Spanish or peeled pistachios are the only ones that look nice. If you use pistachios with skins – […]
READ ONAll Roads Lead to Vienna
Well, at least in the world of baking and pastry they do. I know what some of you are thinking: is this going to be another trip to the year 1683 and the Battle of Vienna — the most baking-intensive conflict in the history of man? This is one time when the answer is no. […]
READ ONAlmost forgot!
What are these? Why, coconut macarons of course! I couldn’t resist the pun. The meringues contain a 50-50 mix of ground almonds and ground coconut (if you want to try it yourself, I’d advise a mixture with more almond — about two thirds — since the extra coconut fat made for a less stable batter), […]
READ ONRequest #18: Sacher Torte
I can’t tell you how many requests I’ve received for this classic, but it seems only fitting that it should come up right around the Christmas holiday, when most home bakers are thinking about whipping up something special. Sacher torte is an excellent holiday pastry for several reasons. It’s challenging without being overly so, it’s […]
READ ON“Congo Cookies”?
Pastry Chef Camille files this report from the Continent: Funnily enough, I saw a pile of coconut macaroons in a bakery here in Paris yesterday. They were called “congolais.” Just thought you’d like to know that even here in macaron land, macaroons do exist. 🙂 Turns out those Parisians really do have taste!
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