PastryScoop.com Online Chat Transcript

Chef Jehangir Mehta, Aix/Partistry.com
December 1, 2003

<Kate_PastryScoop> Today we're going to chat with Jehangir Mehta, the Pastry Chef at Aix. He also has a website- www.partistry.com . The main topic is spicing ideas for holiday desserts, but I'm sure Jehangir will field any of your pastry questions.

<ProgressivePro> Jehangir, what trends have you seen in wedding cakes this year?

<Jehangir Mehta> Just mine, whimsical cakes.

<ProgressivePro> What would you define as whimsical?

<Angela_PastryScoop> Are brides asking for interesting flavors instead of typical white cake?

<Jehangir Mehta> Different shapes, interesting combinations like fruit with ganache. First thing, do not have a white cake. Try stuff like bisquites, which are much more moist. Or try a Dacquoise.

<raina> The flavors you use in your desserts are so creative. What is your thought process in creating these flavor combinations? How do you invent new desserts?

<Jehangir Mehta> It's mainly due to my origin, Iranian and Indian. We use a great deal of spices so the flavors come more naturally.

<ProgressivePro> Can you give us any presentation tips?

<Jehangir Mehta> Keep it clean and simple. Most of my desserts are very geometrical, not vertical. Do not use overly decorative plates to begin with.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Chef Mehta, I read a great article about you and your restaurant Aix in Gourmet magazine last month. Can you share with us your favorite dessert from your menu?

<Jehangir Mehta> My favorite dessert is the Provence Salad, licorice panna cotta, and a few others.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> What would you say is the proper ratio of gelatin to milk/cream for a silky but not too rubbery panna cotta?

<Jehangir Mehta> Use 4 sheets to a quart.

<raina> What is in your Provence salad?

<Jehangir Mehta> In the salad: green tomatoes, candied celery, galia melons, pomegranates and mint sorbet.

<ProgressivePro> Do you have any suggestions for making holiday dessert presentations beautiful?

<Jehangir Mehta> Pick up Seventeen magazine- January issue where I have a bunch of suggestions. This issue is already out. Go down to Pearl Paint or AI Freedman for boxes and paper.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Can you tell us a little about Candy Camp?

<Jehangir Mehta> The class consists of kids from 4-14. We teach them how to make desserts as well as getting accustomed to different tastes. The kids have made chocolate cakes, fruit tarts, marshmallows, painting on food items for Halloween. There is a Christmas class coming up. We will learn how to make Christmas cakes, chocolates, and cookies. It's called the Aixmas workshop.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Sounds like so much fun. I wish we had something like that when I was that age! Where do you hold the classes?

<Jehangir Mehta> The classes are held at Aix, 88th street and Broadway.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> How do kids sign up?

<Jehangir Mehta> Sign up with the reservationist, (212)874-7400, or sign up at Partistry.com, or call 800-939-2990. I'm waiting for my phone to ring.

<Kate_PastryScoop> Do you have any special desserts planned for the holiday season at Aix?

<Jehangir Mehta> The Christmas Fruitcake which belongs to my English mother-in-law. We are serving it the week of Christmas. We are also doing a chestnut tart.

<Angela_PastryScoop> The chestnut tart sounds great.

<ProgressivePro> Do you do anything with chocolate covered fruits?

<Jehangir Mehta> No, but we have chocolate palet on the menu, which is a ganache with dulce de leche covered in raw chocolate.

<rebecca> Hi. What's raw chocolate?

<Jehangir Mehta> Raw chocolate is gru de cacao. 100 percent bitter chocolate, unprocessed.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Chef Mehta, what kind of chocolate truffles are you making these days?

<Jehangir Mehta> We make Grand Marnier, star anise, jonquille. I hope all of you are above 18 because we have a Kama Sutra collection which are affrodisiac chocolates. Flavors like pipal, beetle nut, fennel, all of which are mentioned in the Kama Sutra.

<NhumiSD> Do you guys ship those chocolates?

<Jehangir Mehta> Yes we ship the chocolates, plus you can pick them up at the restaurant.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> It's nice to know that there's more to chocolate than caramel and peanuts. Well done. I'll have to check out that jonquille.

<ProgressivePro> Can you place an order for chocolates on your website?

<Jehangir Mehta> Yes on the website or the 800 number.

<ErinMcFarlane> Does Aix have a special plan for Buche de Noel, or perhaps some suggestions on flavors?

<Jehangir Mehta> Well we don't have a Buche de Noel, but the best thing about suggestions is that you can ask yourself what you like, then incorporate that flavor into your chocolate.

<kimber> What is a good resource for spice information?

<Jehangir Mehta> I sell two spices on my website, tandoori and garam masala.

<Angela_PastryScoop> I like the Indian markets on Lexington Avenue for spices like Kalutsyan's on 28th Street. You can find their info on Pastryscoop.com under "Resources" in the LOOK IT UP section.

<Jehangir Mehta> Very good places for spices

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Do you use those blends in your desserts as well?

<Jehangir Mehta> Not the tandoori; if you want to taste the tandoori, go to Ara wine bar where I supply them with tandoori chicken pizzas. It is in the meat packing district.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Do you have a favorite type of cinnamon?

<Jehangir Mehta> I buy the Indian bark cinnamon from the Himalaya near Kashmir.

<ErinMcFarlane> Chef Mehta, what is your best seller at Christmas time?

<Jehangir Mehta> Our best sellers at Christmas time are the Christmas cakes and soufflés because they are warm.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Do you have a favorite brand of chocolate?

<Jehangir Mehta> Valhrona. If you are looking for traditional chocolates, log on to my friend's website: Danielschocolates.com.

<kimber> Who has influenced you work?

<Jehangir Mehta> People have not so much as influenced my work, but people like Eric Hubert, my very good friend Didier Virot and Andres Vasquez and Dan Levy always supports me with crazy flavors. Didier, Dan and Andres have been working with me for the last six years. We all met at Jean Georges and have worked together since.

<raina> What other kinds of desserts do you like to make during the winter when so many fruits are out of season?

<Jehangir Mehta> Things like tapioca. I use lots of nuts; apples and pears are always around and of high quality.

<NhumiSD> What kind of Asian spices/flavors do you regularly use for desserts?

<Jehangir Mehta> Cinnamon, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, Thai long pepper, fennel, pomegranate seeds.

<kimber> What flavor do the pomegranate seeds impart?

<NhumiSD> And how would you use the pomegranate seeds?

<raina> And do you have a good trick for getting the seeds out of the fruit?

<Jehangir Mehta> Soak the pomegranate seeds in hot water for a day. Just to soften the seeds, then proceed using as need be. Put everything in food mill, so the seeds stay on top and juice goes through.

<NhumiSD> That is for fresh pomegranates?

<Jehangir Mehta> For fresh pomegranates, I prefer leaving them whole and spitting the seeds on other people at the table.

<rebecca> What's a typical workday like for you at Aix?

<Jehangir Mehta> Coming in at whatever time I feel like, because I have an amazing sous chef, Andres Vasquez, who is also a partner in Partistry. Start by coming up with weird preparations which I've thought of during my bath and continue to socialize later in the evening with the customers. Eat lots of foie gras, which sous chef Dan Levy has made, and keep my slim 110 pound figure. Sounds like fun, NO?

<rebecca> Sounds like fun!

<Jehangir Mehta> Fun is an understatement. Working with people who I like is more important for me, and I'd rather not take a job if my assistant can't come with me. And Didier Virot is an unbelievable chef to work for, and one of my best friends.

<Angela_PastryScoop> That is so awesome! Work environment is so important.

<kimber> What books, etc. have you found very helpful and unique?

<Jehangir Mehta> I prefer books like histories of food, or Larousse Gastronomique . It's a good back-bone. Let your imagination do the rest.

<NhumiSD> Can you tell us how you come to pick some of the flavor combinations for your desserts?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> What's your favorite flavor combination?

<Jehangir Mehta> Combinations sometimes come from your experiences, from your childhood. My friends are Jewish, Mexican, French, so it all blends in sometimes.

<kimber> What is the most memorable dessert you have tasted?

<Jehangir Mehta> Eric Hubert is more a memorable pastry chef than any one of his desserts; do try his stuff at Atelier, you will not be disappointed.

<NhumiSD> Whenever I am in this chatroom, I feel like running home and baking

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> That's great!

<Jehangir Mehta> Well then, you should chat from your home.

<Angela_PastryScoop> That's the whole idea of PastryScoop.com! Inspiring people to bake and cook more.

<NhumiSD> Angela: yes, sure gets my blood flowing.

<rebecca> Do you try any of the crazy flavor combos out on the kids at Candy Camp?

<Jehangir Mehta> I do not try out crazy flavors, but I introduce them to these flavors and educate them on the spices. I just volunteered at PS 87 for "Days of Taste" to introduce children to new flavors. Many of these kids haven't seen a vanilla bean.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Hey, many adults haven't seen a vanilla bean!

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Chef Mehta, have you noticed any new dessert "trends" lately?

<Jehangir Mehta> Very honestly, I don't follow other people, as my mother always told me never be cattle. I'm an individualist person.

<tasneem> I am a pastry student at The French Culinary Institute and doing an internship at Fauchon.

<NhumiSD> Tasneem: how do you like it ?

<tasneem> It's nice and very different from school.

<NhumiSD> Tasneem: how do you like the French Culinary Institute?

<tasneem> The institute is great.

<Jehangir Mehta> It's very nice, I've done a demo there and judged a final exam. But of course being a CIA Grad, I love my school most.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> I'm a graduate of FCI as well. Excellent pastry instruction.

<tasneem> Really, I would like you to visit at our final exams.

<rebecca> Any possibility of doing a Candy Camp for grown-ups?

<Jehangir Mehta> We have tried to make a stand-by list for grown-ups. The Aixmas workshop is for grown-ups as well.

<NhumiSD> Is anyone here looking into pastry as their second career?

<Angela_PastryScoop> Judiaann and I both left careers to go to The FCI Pastry Arts program.

<NhumiSD> Oh really. Can you tell me how you did the transition...was it just the decision to enter culinary schools?

<Angela_PastryScoop> NhumiSD: It took a lot of thought, but was well worth it. Feel free to email me after the chat, and I'll tell you about it.

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Speaking of holiday gift giving, do you have any favorite tools/gadgets that you recommend every pastry pro owning?

<Jehangir Mehta> Silpat sheets are the best. Disposable pastry bags.

<Jehangir Mehta> It was so nice to talk with you all. Wishing you all a very happy holiday season. Visit us at Aix, Partistry.com, danielschocolates.com, and don't forget the toll free number 800-939-2990.

<cheftina> Hope to see you soon at a FCI, Jehangir, maybe judge a graduation?

<Judiaann_PastryScoop> Thanks Chef Mehta for taking the time to chat with us today. Happy Holidays!

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