Ultimate Pastry Weekend with Kathryn Gordon and Joe Cumm!

A few weeks ago I shared the news that Chef Joe Cumm was returning to ISAC to teach his stunning Valentine Chocolate Mini-Showpiece on February 12, 2017. Things are about to get even sweeter because Chef Kathryn Gordon will also be returning to ISAC to teach two French pastry classes on February 11, 2017! Studio B will be host to the ULTIMATE PASTRY WEEKEND this February 11-12, 2017!

Calissons by Chef Kathryn Gordon

 I'll give you all the details on Chef Kathryn's two classes, but first let me tell you more about the chef herself! Chef Kathryn has been a chef-instructor in the professional Pastry & Baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in NYC for over 12 years. She is a co-founder of a consultancy group for bakeries and other food businesses (foodstartuphelp.com). Chef Kathryn worked in management consulting after finishing an MBA, but turned her knowledge and interest for cooking into a passionate career. In her path to pastry chef, Kathryn was privileged to train under renowned pastry chef Jacques Torres, M.O.F. She earned honors certification from L'Academie de Cuisine in Maryland and trained at two 4-star NYC restaurants—Le Bernardin and Le Cirque. She refined her culinary skills while working in the kitchens of The Rainbow Room and Windows on the World, where she was the Pastry Chef of Cellar in The Sky. Kathryn was an assistant producer for the Carymax World and National Pastry Championships for 13 years. Chef Kathryn leads an annual culinary course in the western Loire Valley, France (loirevalleycooking.com). Her first cookbook, co-written with Anne E. McBride, was released in 2011 by Running Press, Les Petits Macarons, Colorful French Confections to Make at Home and has been described by The Wall Street Journal as the most, “comprehensive and inspiring” book on macarons in any language". Their second book, Les Petits Sweets, Two Bite Desserts from the French Patisserie, was released by Running Press in September 2016, and this book forms the basis of Chef Kathryn's two classes with us at ISAC!

On the morning of Saturday, February 11, Kathryn will demonstrate how to design and construct a fabulous Madeleine Tower! Chef Kathryn will demonstrate how to properly bake madeleines, showcasing a variety of flavors and colors (and yes, you will get to sample these tasty treats!). Next she will discuss how to properly design and layout a dessert tower, and go over the best methods for glueing the madeleines onto the tower, and finishing the tower with delicate, sugar lace bubble bursts. Chef Kathryn will also demonstrate the basics of cooking and pulling caramel! Yum, this class is making my mouth water already, and it's a month away!

Chef Kathryn's madeleine tower!

In the afternoon, Chef Kathryn will be teaching her class Afternoon Tea: Featuring the Recipes from Les Petits Sweets. This is a hands-on class, and students will work as teams to create Coffee-Cardamom Financiers, Orange Blossom Calisons (see photo above), Pistachio-Raspberry Dacquoisettes and Fig-Cherry-Chocolate Nougat. Other techniques that Chef Kathryn will be sharing with her students include: beurre noisette, gluten, candying fruit, jam, meringue, folding, piping, and cooking syrups. After all the treats have been baked, students and teacher will sit down and enjoy a proper afternoon tea and sample all of the desserts that were made. But wait, there is more! Each student will take home a copy of Chef Kathryn's book, Les Petits Sweets! Yay!

We are offering a sweet special price on the madeleine tower demonstration and the Afternoon Tea class if you sign up for both! The demo is $50 and the class is $100, each per person. However, for $130 you can sign up for both the madeleine tower demo and the Afternoon Tea class! To get this special bundle price you will need to CALL to register, the bundle is not available through online registration. You can reach us at 1-800-662-8925.

As I mentioned at the opening of this post, Chef Joe Cumm will also be teaching at ISAC this same weekend. If you want to enjoy the full ultimate pastry weekend experience, you should register for both of Chef Kathryn's French pastry classes AND stay on for Chef Joe's Valentine Chocolate Mini-Showpiece class on Sunday! From madeleines, to daquoisettes, to chocolate showpieces, this February 11 and 12 are sure to be SWEETEST weekend all year!

If you missed the post on Chef Joe's upcoming class, you can read it by clicking here! We hope to see all your sunshine faces in Studio B this February!

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

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Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award.