"Chez Orly" Orly's Gluten Free Dessert Tasting Party
I hosted approximately 40 women at my parent's home on a Sunday evening for a gluten free dessert tasting party. Since I've decided that my professional pursuit is to create a gluten free pastry line, I thought it would be fun to test my first stage recipes among family and friends. I was only in the US for a week before returning to Sydney. During the week I was home, I baked at all hours of the day and night like a MANIC person. I was so excited about impressing my family and friends with all of the techniques that I learned in school. More-so, I was motivated to challenge myself to produce the tastiest and most aesthetically pleasing gluten free products in the gluten free retail market! The event was a huge success and I received very informative and helpful feedback from my guests. 75% of my guests were not restricted to a gluten free diet, so it was interesting to gain perspective from them as well. I put little notepads next to each dish on the table, and people took the time to write some thoughts after tasting each item. I also sent all guests an anonymous online survey with a series of valuable questions about their demographic and the texture, flavour, and appearance of each product. I compiled the notes have used this constructive feedback to ameliorate each pastry so that ultimately, I can develop a recipe that suits almost everyone's palate!
Feedback:
I made 8 varieties of original cupcake flavours, 4 varieties of cookies, a chocolate tiramisu, French eclairs, a croquembouche, chocolate pecan pie, and apple pie. Among my American audience, the tiramisu, cupcakes, and cookies were the three most popular items. The pies were a close runner up and the French choux pastry items lagged behind. It is interesting to note some of the differences that I've noticed between American and Australian preferences.
1. Americans in general are not as excited by French pastry as Australians.
2. Almost all of my guests said they loved the flavour of the cookies, but they would have preferred a softer and chewier cookie. When I made the cookies soft and chewy to my liking at school in Sydney, my chefs and classmates advised me to make them crunchier.
3. Most of my American guests loved the pie crust but suggested that I make the fillings sweeter. American pastries are stereotyped among the French and Australians to be overwhelmingly sweet. My developed palate enjoyed the sweetness level of the pies, but I have to cater to my audience!
4. The most popular cupcake flavour at my tasting party were the Red Velvet and the Peanut Butter Bomb cupcakes- NO SURPRISE THERE! While living in Paris, I never found anything flavoured with peanut butter or red velvet unless I was at an American shop.
1. Americans in general are not as excited by French pastry as Australians.
2. Almost all of my guests said they loved the flavour of the cookies, but they would have preferred a softer and chewier cookie. When I made the cookies soft and chewy to my liking at school in Sydney, my chefs and classmates advised me to make them crunchier.
3. Most of my American guests loved the pie crust but suggested that I make the fillings sweeter. American pastries are stereotyped among the French and Australians to be overwhelmingly sweet. My developed palate enjoyed the sweetness level of the pies, but I have to cater to my audience!
4. The most popular cupcake flavour at my tasting party were the Red Velvet and the Peanut Butter Bomb cupcakes- NO SURPRISE THERE! While living in Paris, I never found anything flavoured with peanut butter or red velvet unless I was at an American shop.