Every serious home cook has a favorite chef; someone they try to emulate. For me that person is Gina DePalma. I was first introduced to her work when I had dessert at Babbo several years back and since then have baked my way through her entire cookbook,
. (at least that's how it seems)
Gina is an amazing pastry chef and it shines through in all her recipes. Recently I was fortunate enough to chat with her, by email, about her passion for pastries and I want to share that with all of you.
1. As a pastry specialist what are some intuitive things people need to know to make pastries successfully?
When
it comes to baking, I think there is a myth out there that it is all
about being precise and scientific, while savory cooking is all about
instinct. Food is food, and whether it is sweet or savory, you have to
develop an ease and confidence in cooking, whether you are making a
custard or baking a cake or roasting a turkey or sautéing mushrooms. The
only way to develop that ease and confidence is to COOK. Often. And pay
attention to what is going on, notice the details, the differences, the
appearances and textures and tastes of the things you are cooking.
Intuition and instinct are the most important tools for any cook to
develop. My mother and grandmother certainly weren't professionals, but
their skills were honed razor sharp from years of practice, and it is
only from practice that you develop intution and instinct.
2. What do you think is the biggest mistake people make when baking?
Continuing
what I said above, I think the biggest mistake is not paying attention
to what is happening in front of you and relying too much on a recipe to
tell you what you need to know. My staff used to always ask me how long
to bake things and my answer always was, until it is done. Underbaked
things or undercooked custards would drive me crazy. "But I cooked it
for 18 minutes!" they would say Well, it may need 19 or 20 minutes today
for a number of reasons - how many times was the oven door opened, and
was there something else in there baking with it? Is it hot and humid
today or cold and dry? There are so many factors you can't control, so
you have to constantly adjust things as you go along and look at what
your food is doing. A recipe is just a guideline.
3. I understand you have lived in Italy…what has this brought to the art of what you do?
Well,
I am Italian, and I grew up in an Italian household; my grandparents
came from the same town in Calabria and my mother spent part of her
childhood there. Everything I did and learned about cooking from
childhood influenced me much more than the time I spent traveling and
living in Italy. That was my basis. My later travels were more of a
validation and refinement of what I already knew and the way I already
had lived.
4. How does esthetics factor into the final product? Looks or taste what’s more important to you?
I
never begin conceptualizing a dessert by thinking about aesthetics. I
begin thinking about what flavors and textures I want and the
ingredients I want to feature. I think well-prepared food is naturally
beautiful, so the visual part usually comes easy and is the last step
for me.
5. What kitchen tool(s) can’t you live without?
My
wooden spoons and mixing bowls. With just those two things, you can do a
lot. Cooks did almost everything with them at one point, before we had
the walls of gadgets available now. I love my wooden spoons and use them
more than anything else.
6. What is your go to dessert for family/friends?
If
we have dessert, I usually make my creamy ricotta cheesecake more than
anything else, because it is quick and easy and delicious. The flavors
are pure and straightforward, and after a big meal it is nice to have
something simple and sweet. I also make a lot of cookies, because they
go a long way, and nothing makes people happier than a big plate piled
high with cookies. Most Italians, including my family, enjoy fruit and
cheese and nuts after dinner, and the all-important espresso, and in
many cases we don't have a dessert after that, but a cookie to dunk is
always welcomed.
7. Are you working on a new cookbook?
Yes,
I am. It has been a long project that finally nearing completion, and
it is a continuation of my love for Italy and Italian sweets. There's a
lot in there about both my family experience and my travels.
8. Any kitchen disasters you’d want to share?
We've
all had kitchen disasters, it is part of process. People shouldn't be
ashamed or angry because it is through the disasters that you learn the
most about how to cook. I've made more than a few wedding cakes, and
they are always filled with potential disaster. I once had to deal with a
cake that cracked and almost split in half during the transportation
process. After that, I swore off them.
9. How did you get started with pastries?
I
never studied pastry formally in school. But when I needed a job, one
was available in pastry so I took it. Simple as that. That was almost 20
years ago, and the explosion of the restaurant scene had not yet begun.
If you were offered a job in a good kitchen, you took it. I had
apprenticed at Chanterelle and then was blessed with an opportunity in
pastry at Gramercy Tavern, and it obviously determined the course of my
career.
10. Share an unknown fact about your kitchen
It
is a tiny NYC apartment kitchen. Teeny tiny. I don't have enough space
in my cabinets for all of my equipment, so I have it stashed everywhere -
in clothes closets, trunks, baskets, bureau drawers and under my bed. I
dream of someday having a nice, big kitchen with two wall ovens and a
kitchen island, but I sure don't have that now!
