The Pastry Princess Blog: Merry Christmas

For my final Blog of Christmas, I want to acknowledge, thank and introduce the one who gave me a chance and put me to work. Few things merit gratitude than a person who is not only your most inspirational mentor, but a friend as well. Someone who doesn’t criticize for the sake of criticism, but who offers advice as you navigate your way through your new job and new career. I’m thankful that years have not passed me by before I realized just how valuable, and rare, this type of friendship is.

Deborah Racicot is a passionate, meticulous pastry chef whose great sense of humor, firm grasp on reality, exquisite palate and support has made a deep impression on me. Everything I know and am learning about restaurant pastry grows out of my tutelage by Deborah, and I am honored to consider her my most influential mentor. Dedicated to fostering a friendly learning environment, her efforts go far beyond the teaching of culinary skills in the kitchen, as she also strives to help improve her apprentices’ self esteem, independence and self-discipline.

Like myself, Deborah never went to culinary school – “My training is the school of hard Knox.” Always curious, I wanted to know whom she sites as her most influential mentors, and I discovered:

*Her parents and grandmother, from whom she learned about the essence of food.

*Chef Hugh Kho of Simpatico (Seattle) – He was the one that saw something in her that she never knew she had and gave her the first opportunity to work in the kitchen. It was also under Kho that she learned that number one is taste, not beauty.

*Chef Richard Leach, formerly of La Cote Basque (NYC), from whom she learned that all the ideas in her head are possible and pastry can be beautiful.

*Chef Marcus Samuelsson, of Aquavit (NYC), from whom she learned about the true passion of food.

*Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine (NYC), who helped refine and develop her palate making her understand the elements of taste and texture.

*Chef Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill (NYC), her current inspiration, who introduced her to seasonality and taught that food, like all things, go in and out of style, so you must stay on top of the game.

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From working with Deborah this past year and a half, I have learned to embrace the energy and controlled chaos in the kitchen (I now thrive on the rush), to refine my style and keep things clean and simple, and to respect the essence of food. Deborah’s reverence with which she approaches food and her appreciation for the simplest ingredients is evident throughout her work – from the way she handles a juicy, ripe piece of fruit to her plates that reveal a beautiful simplicity. Deborah constantly challenges her mind, as well as those of her staff, to find new methods and ideas that surpass what we have created before. She works with precision and finesse, marrying taste with stunning presentation, to create a dessert that makes the entire dining experience one of pleasure that leaves the diner with an explosion of sensory indulgence.

“I believe that food should be beautiful to eat, but most important, taste good. I was taught very early on that people eat with their eyes, therefore, when one is creating a dish always make it look appealing to the eye, but it better taste good.”

Deb’s modern creativity often spurs inventive pairings and daring desserts, but always refined and elegant, they never stray from the comfort of traditional. Think sweet and savory, fruit with spice, or adding a whole new dimension with alcohol. Contrasts are constantly played with, such as hot and cold, soft and crunchy, as well as sweetness, saltiness, bitterness and sourness, to create sensual delights to the mouth.

Rather than give any recipes or tips with this post, I simply wanted to take the time to introduce you to my Pastry Chef, Deborah Racicot. There will be plenty of time to delve deeper into her recipes and techniques in the coming year, but for now here are a few of her astonishing desserts from the past year.