In Jack Revelle’s case, you can say, “Some people have all the luck.” At least, some pastry chefs do. The pastry chef extraordinaire at Capitol Hill’s overtly all-American eatery, Ted’s Bulletin, Revelle has not only been a recipe tester and consultant for D.C.’s megachef, Michel Richard of Citronelle, but also has been a pastry chef/contractor for the kitchens of the White House. Gulp.
Daunting and high-end as that all is, Revelle says his beginnings were more common. A native of Annapolis, Revelle graduated from Gettysburg College with a degree in philosophy. Despite taking a job at the Baltimore International College and talking to chefs there, he never dreamed his life would shift into overdrive.
After spotting an opening at a European bakery in Severna Park, Md., to make croissants, he applied for and got the job. There he mixed doughs, made fillings, and baked off all the breakfast pastries. “My dad thought I was insane,” he says. “That was 10 years ago, and here I am now.”
| IF YOU GO |
| Ted’s Bulletin |
| » Where: 505 8th St. SE |
| » Info: 202-544-8337 |
| » Hours: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily |
His career path eventually led him to the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City and then to the kitchens of the Willard Hotel. Then fate intervened.
“A person I worked for in Atlantic City — Thaddeus duBois — went to work at the White House,” he said.
Revelle found himself on call to bake for the first family and their family and guests. “It is a dream job of mine,” he says. “That was my goal, and I am very lucky. I not only assist in making incredible desserts, but I get to help serve the first family. I was even able to work at the recent China State Dinner.”
Reminiscing about that six-year stint, Revelle recalls that his first big party was working the dinner held for Prince Charles. “That was my second day there,” he says. “We served petit fours with frosted grapes, blown sugar and Chartreuse ice cream. It’s knowing that I was a small part of history. … It is a magical place to work.”
Now at Ted’s, Revelle continues making over-the-top pastries, incorporating seasonal fruits and dreaming up modern twists on such classic American faves — think Pop Tarts, Twinkies and SnoBalls. “Our take on what is known as the Twinkie is a real yellow sponge cake with an Italian meringue filling and topping,” he says.
Revelle also counts his parents as fans of his concoctions.
“My dad orders a coconut-covered, cream-filled cake,” he said. “And my mom loves our homemade toaster pastries.”
Q&A
What’s your comfort food?
Fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The foods of my youth, such as tuna-noodle casserole. Very simple foods from my youth. Crab cakes: I’m a Maryland guy.
What’s in your fridge?
Tofu and veggies; my girlfriend is a vegetarian. Also andouille sausages, temari soy sauce, milk, butter, eggs. I never know when I need to bake a cake for a friend.
What’s your cooking philosophy?
Make it seasonal, regional, and simple. Try not to think too hard. Just sense what makes sense to me. Start with good ingredients, and it all works out.
What do you do in your leisure time?
Read, go to movies and museums, chat with my girlfriend.
Where do you get the ideas for your recipes?
From where I am geographically and working, my menu at Ted’s passes on the whole idea of this restaurant. It is nostalgia for class comfort food. Then I work with what foods are available.
Recipe
Ted’s Bulletin “Twinkie” Recipe
Makes 10 pastries
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, room temperature, cubed
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
3 cups pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray Twinkie molds or cupcake tins with nonstick vegetable spray.
Place the butter into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the sugar and mix for 3 minutes more. Scrape the bowl again. Add the eggs, one at a time, at medium speed. Scrape the bowl once again.
In a medium bowl or over parchment paper, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients at low speed alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix until all of the ingredients are just incorporated. Fill the molds or tins three-quarters full.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown in color and a cake tester comes out clean. Once cooled, unmold the pastries. Level off the bottom of the pastries with a serrated knife (if using a Twinkie mold). With a toothpick, scoop out three holes on the bottom of each pastry so that it may be filled with meringue (recipe follows).
Brush each entire pastry with simple syrup (recipe follows). Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain pastry tip with the Italian meringue. Fill the holes with the Italian meringue. Pipe a straight or squiggled line on top to finish.
Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes and then remove from the heat.
Italian Meringue Filling
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)
3 eggs
Pour the water and sugar into a small saucepan. As an option, pour in lemon juice as well (the juice will help prevent large sugar crystals from forming during the cooking process).
Put the eggs in to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Make sure the bowl is very clean or the whites will not whip properly. Cook the sugar over medium-high heat until it registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. When it does, start whipping the egg whites at medium speed. Continue to cook the sugar.
Once the sugar reaches 250 degrees, take the saucepan off the heat and very carefully drizzle the sugar down the side of and into the mixing bowl while the whites are still being whipped. Be very careful to avoid pouring the sugar on the whisk as it will splatter around the sides of the bowl. Once the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and whip until the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool, 8 to 10 minutes.
