The art of french pastry phần 51

confidence “CREATIVITY” AND PASTRY If you are creative it’s all the more important that you master these recipes You need to walk before you can run, and you will run in the wrong direction if you don’t have a full grasp of the essentials I welcome creativity—it is what makes us go forward, and I appreciate my students’ desire to express it But after teaching pastry for seventeen years I have seen many over-creative students forget about what works in pastry and make mistakes Had they mastered the fundamentals, the mistakes would have been avoided One day a student presented me with what he called a “never-been-donebefore curry crème brulée.” I tasted it graciously, but each spoonful became more painful to swallow; this was definitely not a winning flavor combination I told the student that there might be a good reason why no one has ever done a curry crème brulée before: curry and crème brulée do not work well together The student agreed with me but then said that despite its bad taste the combination was “interesting.” I responded that an interesting pastry is appreciated (if not enjoyed) once A classic pastry, made well and with a flavor combination that people have enjoyed over centuries, is appreciated forever Perhaps that student will become a seasoned pastry chef and will someday figure out a way to achieve a flavorful curry crème brulée that works But as of now I still have the taste of that dessert in my mind, and not for the right reason  ... But after teaching pastry for seventeen years I have seen many over-creative students forget about what works in pastry and make mistakes Had they mastered the fundamentals, the mistakes would have been... I told the student that there might be a good reason why no one has ever done a curry crème brulée before: curry and crème brulée do not work well together The student agreed with me but then said that despite its... seasoned pastry chef and will someday figure out a way to achieve a flavorful curry crème brulée that works But as of now I still have the taste of that dessert in my mind, and not for the right reason