Inside Les Madeleine's Kitchen Week 3

As I've mentioned in my last post, my whole family has been under a lot of stress.  With lack of quality sleep, it's been a bit tough getting up at 3:30AM for the morning bake shift which starts at 5AM.  Well, getting up is actually not a problem for me--it's staying mentally alert during the shift that gets tricky.  Dear Les Mads staff--if I come off as depressed, grouchy, dim-witted/zombie-like, and anti-social, it is not because I don't like you--as a matter of fact, I love you all--I'm just exhausted and stressed.  Maybe I'll ask our lovely barista for a double shot of espresso next time to perk me up.

Despite all that, I've still managed to do a decent job finishing up these chocolate religieuse.

Les Madeleine's menu changes monthly, so these will be available until the end of May.  In June, they're planning on switching to strawberry religieuse.  I love how they switch up their menus so both the customers and the kitchen crew won't get bored making/eating the same thing throughout the year.  This will definitely encourage people to come back to check on new items.  Changing the menu also keeps the servers on their toes, since they have to know each menu item and be able to explain to a customer what it is--a very important duty of FOH (front of the house).  A blank stare from a server as an answer to a question leaves a very, very poor impression on the customer.  I have had this happen to me...  

These are Chocolate Tangerine Semifreddo, a new menu item.  Frozen chocolate mousse, infused with tangerine, with a sponge base, finished with chocolate glaze.  Gotta love the sheen on the glaze!  The mousse itself is velvety smooth, starting with rich chocolate flavor and finishing with a slight tang from the tangerine.  The mousse itself is not very sweet, but is balanced very well with the sweeter glaze.  This will be great for the upcoming summer months.

One of the morning-bake items, the Checkerboard Cookies.  The log is sliced into 24 portions and baked.  Known as icebox cookies, these can be frozen in logs, sliced and baked as needed, and store very well.

Once of the items on the "To Make" List (i.e. production list), Vanilla Bean Shortbread.  Prepared dough is pressed into small tart pans and frozen.  They will be cut into quarters once firm and baked as needed (see the trend?).

Another cool thing about working here is being able to sample the prototypes of potential new menu item.  I really enjoy watching a dish or a pastry evolve as it gets tested numerous times and critiqued by the staff.  The passion, the thought, the love that goes into each and every dish/pastry--I think those are the elements required to produce delicious, high-quality food.