Perfect Baking Digital Kitchen Scale

If you asked four people to measure one cup of flour, you would end up with four different weights.  Measuring by weight over volume gives you an accurate measurement every time resulting in a more consistent end product. It eliminates the need for multiple measuring instruments and is the standard in professional baking.

As a classically-trained artisan baker and pastry chef, I have designed a one-of-a-kind kitchen scale that fits the needs of every household and professional baker.

The Perfect Baking scale eliminates the need to convert fractions to decimals or approximate by thirds. This scale has all the fractions you will ever need to achieve perfect baking and surpasses every other scale on the market today.

BUY YOURS TODAY AT

www.perfectbaking.org

PERFECT BAKING SCALE EQUIPPED WITH

Four High Precision Sensors
Contemporary Stainless Steel Platform with Anti-fingerprint

Ultra-slim Design

Easy to Read Blue Film LCD Screen with White Backlight

Capacity 11 lbs or 5 kg

Units: g/fl. oz./lb. oz./ml

Power: 2xCR2032 (included)

Dimensions: 8x8x.5 inches

Tare Function

Low Battery and Overload Indicator

Unique Fraction Display Includes:

1/8, 1/4, 1/3, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 2/3, 3/4, 7/8

Perfect Baking

Life has been incredibly busy since graduating from Le Cordon Bleu!  Aside from the instructional baking show--which I cannot wait for you all to see--I established a new business PERFECT BAKING.  We've launched our new website so come take a look!

www.perfectbaking.org

Graduation

After the cuts and burns, countless dirtied towels and aprons, flooded sinks, months of ironing that uniform, hours learning just how to tie that neckerchief, and—of course—after all the added pounds acquired during nine months of study—my time at Le Cordon Bleu is officially over. Yes, classes concluded in December, but graduation ceremony was this past weekend so my family and I made the trek back to Pasadena; and for the last time, I wore my uniform, but this time to accept my diploma.

I could never have achieved what I have without the support of the Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors and Le Cordon Bleu staff. I look to them with gratitude for their shared knowledge and mentorship. I could never have achieved what I have without the support of my family and friends. Again, I look to them with gratitude for that support and for helping share the burden of eating everything created in class and brought home to them.

I once learned in a literature course during my university days that the French are not only known for their impeccable culinary expertise. The classical techniques for cooking and baking have survived the centuries, but so have the wonderful literary works of many French writers including Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince, and Voltaire’s Candide—to name a few. There is one quote from the humanist writer and philosopher Voltaire that is particularly appropriate as I look back on my experience at Le Cordon Bleu.

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent
in others belong to us as well” (Voltaire).

Because of the excellence of those who have come before, I feel so honored to take part in the Le Cordon Bleu heritage; and I hope, as an alumnus of the school, to show appropriate appreciation by accepting the challenge and responsibility to uphold that standard of excellence that came with the diploma we graduates earned and received this past weekend.

Since this is my final Le Cordon Bleu post, I wanted to do something really special. I have always loved to express the way I feel through music. I've been playing the piano ever since I was six-years-old and have always loved to write songs on the 88 keys. Well, since I no longer have a piano in my home, I've been "forced" to learn how to play the guitar and write for the six-stringed instrument. So, along with this graduation picture slideshow I have included the first song I have ever composed and recorded for the guitar. It's a little rough because (a) I'm not good at playing the guitar, (b) I had to play the different parts and mesh them together, and (c) I've never used the Garage Band software before; but for the first song, it will do. It is dedicated it to my family, friends, and chef instructors who have been there for me during the last year as I embarked on this new and exciting path. So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Want to Know How to Make French Bread?

Jonathan's French Bread

1 pound 9 1/2 ounces BREAD FLOUR

1/2 ounce SEA SALT

17 ounces WATER

3/8 ounce DRY ACTIVE YEAST

Fermentation: approximately one hour, Proofing: approximately 30 minutes
Baking: 28 minutes at 425°F

 

A special thanks to Shauna Yarbrough (it was so fun to teach you!), Cameron Robins, Cody Owens, and Hunter Sebresos

Grapefruit Dessert

As I was researching fresh fruit desserts this morning, I was surprised to find that the grapefruit is highly neglected.  We grew up having grapefruit halves for breakfast all the time and now that I'm temporarily spending time at my sister's apartment I see that the breakfast tradition has passed on to the next generation.  Consequently, there are many many grapefruits here--partially thanks to the season and partially thanks to Costco bulk buying.  Having somewhat of a soft-spot for these dessert worthy fruits I spent all morning thinking of numerous ways to include grapefruit in a dessert.  The winner--for today at least--was a light and refreshing spooned dessert with such a unique flavor it almost danced in my mouth the moment I tried it.

Grapefruit Curd

Looks delicious does it not?  This is what I did.  Since grapefruit is a citrus, I decided to make a grapefruit curd.  It didn't take much sugar to off-set the tartness of the fruit.  The pale ruby color of the grapefruit juice was lost when mixed with the yolks but the curd, in the end, had a slight pinkish hue--a stark difference from the vibrant color of traditional lemon curd.  I added some ginger and extra citrus to enhance the flavor.  I also included a little bit of butter in the formula to add to the silkiness of the curd which created a very smooth mouth-feel.  I dished the curd into little glasses and allowed the curd to set in the fridge.  While the curd-filled glasses chilled, I made a Tahitian vanilla Chantilly cream (Penny and Sam brought home some pretty incredible vanilla from their honeymoon to Tahiti).  I topped the curd with the cream and garnished the dessert with some plums.  I know it seems like an odd pairing, but I must say that combination is quite divine--the plum adding a hint of tart back into the overall experience.  Well, needless to say it was a fun morning of experimentation; and now I can boast that I've created a fine dessert using none other than the underestimated grapefruit.  Contact me if you want the recipe.

Feature on LA Times Food Blog

Check out LA Times Food Blog's most recent post, Meet Jonathan Wing.

CLICK to READ ARTICLE

Yigit Pura and Gourmet Ice Cream

Did any of you watch Top Chef Just Desserts?  If you did, then you'll know who Yigit Pura is.  Not only that, you'll know just how incredible he is.  There were, of course, so many talented pastry chefs on the show; but my friends and I were always Yigit fans from the very beginning.  He was always so inventive with his flavors and he consistently created impeccable desserts not only in taste but in aesthetic value as well.  Interestingly enough, Yigit also chose a culinary career path later on in the game.  I'm pretty sure he was studying business management--sound familiar?  I could go on, but suffice it to say it was no surprise that he won.

The reason I'm even writing about this is because this past weekend I was visiting my sister in Salt Lake City and she casually mentioned that "the winner of that Top Chef Just Desserts show [would be] presenting at the local home and garden festival."  Well, I definitely could not pass up the opportunity to learn from the man himself!  That night at the South Towne Expo Center Yigit gave a demonstration on sorbets and gourmet ice creams--strawberry sorbet, chocolate ganache ice cream, and salted caramel ice cream.  Utterly delicious.  I have to admit, I've never felt so entirely star-struck.  After his demonstration, Yigit was taking pictures with fans so naturally, I joined the queue.  There were so many things I wanted to say and ask; but instead, all that came out of me was:

Jonathan: "Uh, hi.  Can I take a picture?"

Yigit: "Yes.  What's your name?"

Jonathan: "Um, uh, (awkward pause), J . . . Jonathan."

Yigit: "Nice to meet you, I'm Yigit."

I don't know what was wrong with me.  I really don't get nervous in these types of situations, but I suppose it's almost comical that I don't even remember what else I really said at that point.  All I know is a bunch of gibberish came out of my mouth instead of all of the things I actually wanted to say and ask.  What a shame, eh?  Ha!  You know, if I had a good hour with Yigit, this is what I would want to ask him and discuss:

"What is your source of inspiration in creating original desserts (taste, ingredient use and pairing, design)?"

"What do you do to keep "current" with new culinary techniques and methods, and how do you keep learning, in general?"

"If you had to pick one experience throughout your culinary career that helped you develop the most as a pastry chef which would it be, and why?"

"What is a day in the life of Yigit like?"

"How has your life changed since TCJD?"

"When is your new San Fransisco dessert store 'Tout Sweet' opening?"

Well, I may never get that chance; but at least I had the opportunity to attend the demonstration, learn, and snag a picture with a brilliant pastry chef.  I did decided to make my own gourmet ice cream by using one of my mother's favorite ingredients--avocado.  It really had nice flavor and a beautiful silky mouth feel.  Above all, my mother loved it--especially the fact that I used the skins of the avocado as vessels to hold the ice cream (she's so practical).  If you want the recipe, just email me.  Cheers!

Avocado Ice Cream