When Lutèce was in its hey day as top New York restaurant, André Soltner allowed me to bring a special birthday cake into the restaurant. When editor Pam Chirls and author Lisa Yockelson and I went to Restaurant Daniel for an after event nightcap, not only did Daniel Boulud voice no objections to my having brought a piece of coconut cake from my then upcoming book, the wait person graciously insisted on plating it for us. Scott Conant had no problem with my bringing an entire birthday cake into Alto for lunch.

Welcome to the new rude reality where it's cool to be cruel: the world fashioned after Simon Cowell of American Idol, where mean insults and sarcasm rule... the world of Gorden Ramsays, David Changs, and restaurants like the Spotted Pig, a world where guests are made to feel lucky they managed to get a seat, even though that seat more often than not has no back, surely to encourage the eater to leave as soon as possible to make room for the next desperate one who has bought into the hype du jour.

The Breslin, sister restaurant to the Spotted Pig, was recommended by a food friend so I lost no time in arranging a lunch date for two other favorite food friends while Woody was in town helping me film a video. Typical of the new trendy restaurant style, The Breslin did not accept reservations, so we agreed to meet at noon before the crowd (which never materialized). Nancy arrived a little early but they would not seat her (writing on the wall...).

Woody and I have conducted numerous tests using bleached cake flour, bleached all-purpose flour, and unbleached all-purpose flour in a solid (unmelted) butter layer cake using my one bowl mixing method.

Our Conclusions
1. bleached cake flour is suitable for cakes where a very tender texture is desired.
2. bleached all-purpose flour is preferable for cakes that benefit from more structure.
3. bleached flour results in the best flavor.
4. bleached flour results in the best volume.
5. bleached flour results in the most tender and velvety texture.
6. unbleached flour results in less volume.
.....................................................................................................................
7. unbleached flour results in a coarser, chewier texture.
8. unbleached flour results in a cornbread-like flavor.
9. cornstarch substitution for part of the flour for bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour is less effective to improve structure than decreasing leavening, and alters the flavor.
10. potato starch substitution for part of the flour for bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour is even more effective than lowering the baking powder as it softens the crumb.
11. decreasing baking powder by 1/8 teaspoon:200 grams/7 ounces flour will limit dipping should it occur.

Betsy Cukla of Hammersong, creators of the most exquisite cookie cutters I've ever seen, has also created a great bunch of tips to help you get that cookie dough out the cook cutter in one perfect piece!

My new book sandwiched by Lisa Yockelson's latest two books!

The winners will be announced at the IACP Conference in Portland Oregon on April 22.

(I could say something funny about "heavenly cakes" being brought down to earth--the 22nd is Earth Day!).

Jim, Marie, and Hector

Marie and Jim Wolf arrived in Hawaii along with the threat of a major wave--talk about making waves!

Their first mini blogger convention was hosted by our very own dear Hector Wong. Lucky Wolfs! How perfect that "Bake Along" meets "Hector's Take."

The leis the Wolfs are sporting are a gift from Hector who writes:

It is tradition you get one, specially from a local or if this is your FIRST visit.

Jim has a lei strung with kukui nuts. They can keep this and many
people frame it. Marie has a lei made from white ginger blossoms
before they open, and overlay of red petals from eryhrina crista galli
(I think). I love the ginger lei, but is only lasts 24 hours.

Someone should make lasting necklaces of these exquisite accessories!

Those of you who have seen my Christmas Cookie book know how much I value my collection of amazing cookie cutters from Hammer Song. These cookies are so exquisitely crafted they even reside in the Smithsonian.

Recently, Betsy Cukla of Hammer Song sent me a photo of some of her new cookie cutters with Easter themes illustrating the imaginative way one can decorate them. Under the photo is written: "cookie cutters to make you laugh, cry, giggle or remember" Yes indeed!

Betsy also offers cookie decorating classes. e-mail her at: hammersongtin@centurytel.net

You an also order the cutters directly from her.

See why weighing flour is so much faster, easier, and more accurate than measuring it!

My friend of many years, Ariane Daguin, (who calls me Maman Gâteau) is from Gascony in the southwest of France--land of the Three Musketeers and...sound the trumpets..foie gras. Twenty-five years ago she started a company named D'Artagnon, introducing foie gras to America and has since expanded her line to an enormous range of specialty meats and foods.

Last night, a huge celebration was held at Guastavino, located under the Queen's Borough Bridge in Manhattan. I walked the three miles from Bleecker Street because I knew I'd be eating a lot of foie gras among other delectables. But my main motivation of attending this event was to honor Ariane and to see her parents. I had stayed with them in their home in Auch, 21 years ago, and felt like part of the famiy.

I'll always remember Ariane's mother, Joceleine, telling me how husband, chef André Daguin, was an avid rugby player and that the last time he played he ended up crawling around the field trying to find his two front teeth. His restaurant had to close for a few days due to his injuries but he refused to give up the sport. So the next time he played rugby Joceleine put up a sign on the front door saying: "fermé `a cause de rugby." (Closed because of rugby, in anticipation of the inevitable next accident.

To honor the rugby players, many of whom attended last night's event, everyone was encouraged to dress in team colors of red and white and virtually all obliged.

In the crowd of a near 1000 (and if I were a true Gascogne I would have said at least 5000 because everything Gascony is larger than life including the Gascons!) it was easy to find Ariane as she was more radiant than I've ever seen her. But I also managed to find her parents, my favorite of her honorary 'uncle/chefs' Bernard, and what seemed like every friend I've ever known in the food industry. I also found myself talking to a lovely young woman who turned out to be Apollonia Poilane of the famed Poilane bread from Paris. I had met her very charming father Lionel at the chocolate show in Paris two years before his tragic plane accident and when he learned I was working on a bread cookbook, he had invited me to come and visit. It was a great joy to meet Apollonia who has become his very worthy successor.

And now to the food! The longest lines were for the Jamones-Segovia (ham: the best I've ever tasted--made from Hungarian pigs and cured in Spain), the foie gras terrines, and the grits with black truffle. The French Kisses, prunes, soaked in Armagnac and stuffed with foie gras, disappeared within seconds each time they reappeared. There was also unending trays of spareribs, cassoulet, and osso bucco. This is one time the foie gras truly flowed (a term I've only ever heard used in relation to wine!). Foie was also presented sautéed with tangy raisins impaled on skewers that were afixed to long baguettes--so long each extended the full length of the servers' arms from wrist to shoulder.

As D'Artagnan also specializes in wild game and game birds, there were also trays of plump juicy quail legs. And finally for a dessert that no one really needed but couldn't resist there was an assortment of macarons of varied flavors.

Needless to say there were lots of excellent wines and a live and loud band to which many people were dancing. The lead singer, of course, was a chef! There was also a huge monitor flashing photos of family and chefs all offering congratulations to Ariane.

Many recipes call for freshly squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice. But after the fruit is juiced, the remaining outer portion of the fruit becomes too limp to grate into zest. If you freeze it until you are ready to use it, it is rigid enough to allow it to be grated with ease. So if you didn't think of grating the fruit's outer peel while it was still whole, this is a terrific method.

One tip segment will post every Wednesday starting next week.

I am indebted to my friend, the cookbook author Elizabeth Andoh, for pointing me in the direction of these homemade treats which are a world apart from the commercial ones sold in jars. The kumquats are luminous, orange/amber, bright in appearance and flavor--very moist. I love them as an accompaniment to duck.

The kumquats look like little lanterns, because the slashes made to release the pits open up during poaching. Cutting them in half to remove the seeds would be easier, but leaving them whole offers a burst of succulence.

We just received a small shipment of kumquats from our friends George and Elisette Dirusso who live in Florida. They were from their own kumquat tree and are the sweetest I've ever tasted. Note the round as opposed to the usual oblong shape. I lost no time in candying them!