New dessert... and a new assistant

Jen took off her Corn Custard Tart with Blackberries and Apricot Soda yesterday. She took a couple of the remaining tarts home and, god, were they good! Corn custard was apparently too savory for one of the owner's tastes. Such a shame...sometimes I wonder if the restaurant is limiting Jen's creativity. In any case, she's come up with a new concoction: the Chèvre Panna Cotta with Blackberry Compote and Macadamia Tuile. This should be a real treat for you goat cheese fans and may even surprise those of you who are unfamiliar with or not fans of chèvre.

Also, I have a little secret to tell which is Jen has a new assistant. As reported earlier, Jen's old assistant, Marty, left Jen for green pastures up in Oregon almost two weeks ago. Jen's been trying out new assistants ever since while having to cope with a broken ice cream machine and working longer and more days to cover what two people would have done. I can't name the new assistant just yet but stay tuned. Jen's very happy to have found this person.

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Culinary Word of the Day: Chèvre
French for "goat," chèvre is a pure white goat's-milk cheese with a delightfully tart flavor that easily distinguishes it from other cheeses. Some of the better known chèvres include banon, bûcheron and montrachet. "Pur chèvre" on the label ensures that the cheese is made entirely from goat's milk; others may have the addition of cow's milk. Chèvres can range in texture from moist and creamy to dry and semifirm. They come in a variety of shapes including cylinders, discs, cones and pyramids, and are often coated in edible ash or leaves, herbs or pepper. Store, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Old chèvre takes on a sour taste and should be discarded. See also pyramide. Source: Food Lover's Companion