Archives for May 2009
The Prodigal Lobe Returneth.
29 May 2009 | Uncategorized, news | No Responses
I shipped it out Thursday, they recieved it Friday vis USPS Express ($25.) I emailed them to let them know it was on the way and to ask about the turnaround time. My heart sank as the replier informed me 5-7 days. A whole week without myPhone!! I sent back an email proclaiming my blog and its readership ripe with potential customers, could we expedite this process in exchange for a little mrjeffmccarthy.com publicity? Memorial Day weekend kept me decently distracted, there were people present that had iPhones I could use. That Monday I checked my email and find out that myPhone had been repaired and was on it’s way back to me as of Saturday!! My device had been prioritized, shipping had been upgraded to FedEx next day air! myBrain myPhone was back in the city already! Also, ipodjuice.com had noticed a small crack on the back plate of myPhone, and replaced it, free of charge. I opened the FedEx box and pulled out a brand new phone. Thanks ipodjuice, you earned a link from this blog. It’s nice to know that some businesses out there are trying to make people happy, exceeding expectations, etc.
Tragedy Strikes!!
21 May 2009 | news | 2 Responses
The telltale pop of glass breaking was barely audible; my ears reached for gossamer threads of sound, not quite registering. The sun hit the pavement with a silent uproar, I squinted unbelieving as I reached for the one device. Turning over myPhone I gasped. Disaster!! Faceplant from shoulder hieght, a sickening scrunch of concrete and glass. Amazingly, the touch screen still functioned; albeit through razor sharp spikes of glass, and myPhone continued to operate properly. My first response to any kind of crisis is to call my manager, and she just made fun of me. “Nice one.” She says. Before long I had pulled up the website for this iPhone repair company, ipodjuice. The prices shocked me but the testimonials soothed me, it was just the glass that was broken. At the corner of Everett and 7th I open PDX Bus, my ride is right on time. Once home I made the deal online, and I used the phone the rest of the night. The following day I removed my SIM card and shipped the little bugger off. USPS Expess for twenty-five bucks got me next day by noon with insurance, another hickie to the billfold. Flashforward to present time; ten or so hours later, I feel slightly retarded. I haven’t heard any good music all day, I have a dozen emails to read, to tweet I have to sit down!! I didn’t get to talk to my Dad on his birthday, had to leave a message with Perez’s phone. myPhone has become an extenal drive for my brain, a third lobe. Removing it has been disorienting and odd. I’ll go over a week before it allegedly will return from Texas, where it’s being repaired. This isn’t the first apple product I’ve smashed, I have a feeling it won’t be the last.
Your Mom’s White Chocolate Mousse.
17 May 2009 | chocolate, dessert, recipe | 3 Responses
Like most people on Planet Earth do nowadays, I Google a lot of shit. In fact as of late, I annoyingly bark searches into my hand-held device, and somehow Google finds that shit. Mostly I get lost on random pics and silly articles. YouTube and Hulu of course; Twitter, sure. Oh yeah and porn, can’t forget about porn. Often however, I search recipes. Now there are recipes and there are recipes; but like your mom, this one is HUGE. This simple ratio can be divided or multiplied to any yield, a supple and smooth mousse for piping or filling. I’ve tried infusing the cream, I’ve substituted brown butter for half the weight in chocolate. This versatile recipe is the basic formula for my dulce de leche mousse. I’ve filled cakes and tarts or just scooped it onto a plate. This particular batch was for rather large off site event a few months ago. When I was searching for a vessel large enough in which to melt twenty one pounds of chocolate, I didn’t deem it necessary to make certain said vessel had no cracks or holes, which it did. I poured over a gallon of hot scalding cream into the large square container, then watched white chocolate ganache come oozing out the bottom an onto the floor. Very unpleasant. Be sure to double check your equipment always, but especially when working with a recipe of this size.
White Chocolate Mousse
1 gallon 1 qt heavy cream
21 lbs white chocolate
100 grams sheet gelatin
1 1/2 gallons heavy cream
1. Weigh the gelatin into a bowl and bloom it with cold water. Drain. Weigh the chocolate into a large vessel.
2. Heat the first amount of cream to a scald, and pour it over the white chocolate. Add the gelatin. Whisk until smooth. Cool to room temp.
3. Whip the second amount of cream to soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Chill the mousse thoroughly before use.
Faithful Readers.
7 May 2009 | blog, delicious, dessert, faithful readers, plated dessert, shameless self promotion | 6 Responses
For those five or six people that actually read this shit allow me to elucidate, you are not alone! faithful readers are out there, and they’re making dessert. This photo here is a version of the Dessert of Last Year; a chocolate flourless cake made by Ms. Jessie Badley, a culinary student and faithful reader. Apparently the dessert is offered at her cooking college’s restaurant, where it is maued upon with much gusto. It gives me great pleasure to know that someone is out there among the interwebs reading my screwy ideas and bullshit ramblings. So pleasured am I in fact, that I will now publish her email without her permission! Thanks Jessie!!
Hello! I recently found your site online and have become somewhat obsessed. I’ve looked through all your plated desserts and they are beautiful! I am currently enrolled in culinary school as a prospective pastry chef and found your recipe for the chocolate whiskey cake! I am actually making this at school right now for our plated desserts in the restaurant on campus (inspired by your post.) I just wanted to let you know that its genius. I switched out makers mark for Evan Williams (sour mash) and it tastes amazing! So I guess I’m writing to thank you for having an awesome blog and such in depth directions and whatnot. not only do I get a giggle out of your words, but I’ve learned a lot! Keep it coming!