So today marks the 3rd month I've been in the UK and that was apparently enough incentive for me to blog. It's gonna be short and sweet today, simply because I have a final tomorrow that I am 'studying' for...don't frown at me-like I know most of you are! I got up early to work more on what I had already started, and my final's not till noon tomorrow so I've got plenty of time to review before class!
I feel like I should be writing something nostalgic, being that this term is almost over and today is the anniversary of the first day I arrived in the UK for school...but I think that would be too cliche for my personality to accept! Instead, I'll just sit here thinking all those nostalgic things without sharing them with anyone, but making you hope I will just because I mentioned them! ha! Take that, all you people who think you know me! :D
But seriously guys, this term has been great! I'll do several wrap-up blogs soon (hopefully with pictures) so you can all bask in the glory that is my patissiere work...sometimes not so much glory, but effort nonetheless!
Ok, I can't help it-one nostalgic thing before I get back to the 'books'!
To all my friends and family in the US-please know I think of each of you every time I write my blog. Most of you are in a huddled mass of faces, but you are thought of regardless! I hope you look forward to reading about my life as much as I dread having to remember everything in a fun way to keep you coming back to read about me! I love and miss you all!
To my other friends not in the US who follow me-thanks for reading and listening to me tell you the same stories all over again in person and on the internet!
Love from London!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Plague
So I've been avoiding posting a new blog like the plague...and I'm not sure why. My creative juices just aren't flowing right now and I've been in a funk for the last couple of weeks. But eventually the guilt got to me that all my adoring fans weren't getting the insight on my life like they crave, and it was all my fault. (If you don't really know me very well most of that last sentence was sarcasm lol)
I have 9 days of classes left this term...9! That includes both of my exams, and 7 classes. It's crazy to think that this term has gone by so fast and it's nearly over!! Let's see...I'm behind on what we've been making at school so here's a quick catch up. We've made madelines (yummy mini cakes shaped like shells and they were quite delicious!) and lemon cake one day. Again, I'm not a lemon kind of person but it was lightly lemon flavored so it wasn't that bad. We also made our final exam piece-the Genoise Framboise...or something of that spelling. Basically it's a sponge cake with raspberry filling and butter cream masking (icing). It was actually my favorite thing we've made so far and I enjoyed bringing it home!
Speaking of bringing things home, I've learned something very interesting since I got my own cake box and started using it on a regular basis: Cake boxes (with cake in it) are as magnetizing as being pregnant. Everyone and their dog wants to come by and check out what you have in the box and comment about every little thing....it's rather annoying in a city of 7.5 million and makes me even more sure that I don't want to be pregnant!! But having sweets can come in handy when you take a coach back and forth to London on a regular basis! I gave my bus driver some of the madelines I made as a 'Thank you for driving me/I don't want or need all these sweets so take them off me' gift. Funny part was the next trip I took to the city, he was my driver again and recognized me! It's the little things in life like that which make it worth being nice to people-no matter who they are!
This past week we made black forest gateau and a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate bavarian cream. I wasn't too impressed by the gateau simply because all I could taste was the alcohol...that and it wasn't near as sweet as the black forest cakes I'm used to from the states. I've noticed that a lot of the desserts we make in class really aren't super sweet like the desserts in the states, and I'm thinking that's part of the reason European's can eat all these treats and still be skinny. Well, that and the fact that they walk EVERYWHERE! I think I've walked more in the almost 3 months I've been here than my entire 3 1/2 years at college! The cool part of that class was getting to work with tempering chocolate and adding those cool designs you see in awesome high class chocolate shops! See the pictures below!
The chocolate sponge cake was good, but I've been giving away pretty much all my desserts to ensure I don't eat them! Again, it's a great way to make friends with the fish and chips shop across the street from my school, as well as the receptionists at school; you never know when you might need a favor that a previously given chocolate sponge cake can give you!
We've also had technical classes over fruit and chocolate (at separate times). I've got to say that while we're receiving plenty of information on these subjects, neither class has been exciting or interesting the way you would think they could be. Maybe I just got my hopes up too high, especially on the chocolate lecture, or maybe I just know how a teacher can make or break a lecture. Thanks to my wonderful mother-who is one of the best teachers I know-I have a very high expectation of how teachers and chefs alike should present information and was a bit disappointed the past couple of weeks. On the bright side, I get to eat things in class that I wouldn't normally get to because they're a bit out of my budget! I definitely wouldn't go out and spend money on something I've never tried before and hope I liked-now I have a better idea and got it fo free!!
-Note: That sentence was supposed to say 'fo free'....I do know how to spell and check my work, but I'm going for a specific speaking style and if you were in my head reading it, you would all understand. If you don't like it, ignore it and move on!-
Hmm...let's see what other kinds of trouble have I been getting into?!?! I've gone out to Camden Town finally-a very hyped up place for sure! Next time, I'll make sure I'm better prepared with no glasses, no jeans, no converse and plenty of sleep the night before! haha It makes it hard to enjoy the night with all the previous problems in one of London's most exciting clubs! Live and learn, right? Other than a couple of nights out here and there, quite a bit of my time is spent studying for finals....yes, already. I have recipes and French terms to memorize, exam pieces to practice and get timing down, and plenty more information to make sure I can remember in the next couple of weeks. I am trying to take advantage of my location, but at the same time I know why I'm here and my 'good student' side comes out in full force making me stay in and try to study!
Ok, who's ready for pictures?!?!? You? Me? Well, wait just a little longer because I've got one more thing to talk about!! Thanksgiving-yes that special holiday where we all are allowed (by ourselves and others) to eat our weight in food for about 4 days straight! Should we, probably not, but do we? Absolutely! It is a sad fact that I will be in class both Thursday and Friday so I can only do the binge eating thing for a couple of days, but I am looking forward to getting the weekend to enjoy my own version of the holiday. I will miss being with my family, but I get to chat with them that weekend as well, so it will kind of feel like they're right there with me celebrating!
Alright, I've made you wait long enough and waddle through enough of my incesant rambling about classes...it's time to reward you with pictures! Here you go! You're welcome! ;)
I have 9 days of classes left this term...9! That includes both of my exams, and 7 classes. It's crazy to think that this term has gone by so fast and it's nearly over!! Let's see...I'm behind on what we've been making at school so here's a quick catch up. We've made madelines (yummy mini cakes shaped like shells and they were quite delicious!) and lemon cake one day. Again, I'm not a lemon kind of person but it was lightly lemon flavored so it wasn't that bad. We also made our final exam piece-the Genoise Framboise...or something of that spelling. Basically it's a sponge cake with raspberry filling and butter cream masking (icing). It was actually my favorite thing we've made so far and I enjoyed bringing it home!
Speaking of bringing things home, I've learned something very interesting since I got my own cake box and started using it on a regular basis: Cake boxes (with cake in it) are as magnetizing as being pregnant. Everyone and their dog wants to come by and check out what you have in the box and comment about every little thing....it's rather annoying in a city of 7.5 million and makes me even more sure that I don't want to be pregnant!! But having sweets can come in handy when you take a coach back and forth to London on a regular basis! I gave my bus driver some of the madelines I made as a 'Thank you for driving me/I don't want or need all these sweets so take them off me' gift. Funny part was the next trip I took to the city, he was my driver again and recognized me! It's the little things in life like that which make it worth being nice to people-no matter who they are!
This past week we made black forest gateau and a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate bavarian cream. I wasn't too impressed by the gateau simply because all I could taste was the alcohol...that and it wasn't near as sweet as the black forest cakes I'm used to from the states. I've noticed that a lot of the desserts we make in class really aren't super sweet like the desserts in the states, and I'm thinking that's part of the reason European's can eat all these treats and still be skinny. Well, that and the fact that they walk EVERYWHERE! I think I've walked more in the almost 3 months I've been here than my entire 3 1/2 years at college! The cool part of that class was getting to work with tempering chocolate and adding those cool designs you see in awesome high class chocolate shops! See the pictures below!
The chocolate sponge cake was good, but I've been giving away pretty much all my desserts to ensure I don't eat them! Again, it's a great way to make friends with the fish and chips shop across the street from my school, as well as the receptionists at school; you never know when you might need a favor that a previously given chocolate sponge cake can give you!
We've also had technical classes over fruit and chocolate (at separate times). I've got to say that while we're receiving plenty of information on these subjects, neither class has been exciting or interesting the way you would think they could be. Maybe I just got my hopes up too high, especially on the chocolate lecture, or maybe I just know how a teacher can make or break a lecture. Thanks to my wonderful mother-who is one of the best teachers I know-I have a very high expectation of how teachers and chefs alike should present information and was a bit disappointed the past couple of weeks. On the bright side, I get to eat things in class that I wouldn't normally get to because they're a bit out of my budget! I definitely wouldn't go out and spend money on something I've never tried before and hope I liked-now I have a better idea and got it fo free!!
-Note: That sentence was supposed to say 'fo free'....I do know how to spell and check my work, but I'm going for a specific speaking style and if you were in my head reading it, you would all understand. If you don't like it, ignore it and move on!-
Hmm...let's see what other kinds of trouble have I been getting into?!?! I've gone out to Camden Town finally-a very hyped up place for sure! Next time, I'll make sure I'm better prepared with no glasses, no jeans, no converse and plenty of sleep the night before! haha It makes it hard to enjoy the night with all the previous problems in one of London's most exciting clubs! Live and learn, right? Other than a couple of nights out here and there, quite a bit of my time is spent studying for finals....yes, already. I have recipes and French terms to memorize, exam pieces to practice and get timing down, and plenty more information to make sure I can remember in the next couple of weeks. I am trying to take advantage of my location, but at the same time I know why I'm here and my 'good student' side comes out in full force making me stay in and try to study!
Ok, who's ready for pictures?!?!? You? Me? Well, wait just a little longer because I've got one more thing to talk about!! Thanksgiving-yes that special holiday where we all are allowed (by ourselves and others) to eat our weight in food for about 4 days straight! Should we, probably not, but do we? Absolutely! It is a sad fact that I will be in class both Thursday and Friday so I can only do the binge eating thing for a couple of days, but I am looking forward to getting the weekend to enjoy my own version of the holiday. I will miss being with my family, but I get to chat with them that weekend as well, so it will kind of feel like they're right there with me celebrating!
Alright, I've made you wait long enough and waddle through enough of my incesant rambling about classes...it's time to reward you with pictures! Here you go! You're welcome! ;)
 |
| This is the Black Forest Gateau with an awesome chocolate decoration around the outside...pretty much the only part of the cake I really enjoyed. |
 |
| A better view of the Black Forest Gateau! |
 |
| Top view of the Black Forest Gateau with rosettes of creme Chantilly and kirsch soaked cherries. |
 | |
| Just in case you didn't get the idea of what my gateau looked like! ;) |
 | |
| Chocolate sponge cake with chocolate Bavarian Cream...and chocolate ruffles that chef helped me make. |
 |
| The cake was dusted with cocoa powder, the chocolate ruffles placed on, then dusted with icing sugar. |
 |
| Lemon cake with icing sugar dusting and candied lemon peel. |
 |
| Madelines...they're usually served this way with sweetened whipped cream in the middle where the 'pearl' is. The pearl is a bubble of batter that naturally forms when cooked. |
 |
| Top view of the madelines so you can see their shell shape. |
 |
| Our last exam piece: Genoise! It's got a butter cream masking, piped butter cream and piped chocolate work. I'm quite proud of my attempt at this one as masking cakes is something I actually do quite well! |
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
SURPRISE!!!
I know...most of you needed to be seated when you heard I posted, yet again, in the middle of the week!! What has my life come to that I post so regularly?!!? Who knows, but for my family reading this out there I know they appreciate it!
So the big surprise for this mid week post is that I've changed up the theme and color scheme of my blog! ....wait, that wasn't exciting for you? And now you're wondering why you were even friends with me in the first place; someone who got so excited over the simple fact of changing a picture and the color of my posts?? Well I did, and out of all the crazy things you have all been around me for, something as little as this shouldn't have changed your mind...so ha! Turns out you are/do want to be friends with an easily amused color and picture blog changer...girl...thingy...person!
Wow...that kind of got away from me there. On a brighter note, I have fun things to write about that aren't school related! Yay!! I went to the Zoo and the Imperial War Museum on my day off today!
I do have to admit I am pretty impressed with the London Zoo...I thought it would be like any old zoo! In some respects it was-they have a reptile house, an aquarium, monkeys, giraffes, lions, etc. The thing that impressed me most I guess was the amount of effort that went into each exhibit. There was a building for rain forest animals and when you walk through the doors and past the plastic partitions you were immediately drenched in sweat/moisture because they simulated the environment so well. It's something you will have to go experience for yourself because I'm not sure how else to describe it other than awesome!
The best part was getting to see animals up close and personal that I might never want/need to again! I was in a monkey section where there was no glass between myself and the little critters-they jumped on your shoulder like it was no big deal! Monkeys!! (the little cute ones, not the big scary ones!) I was in the aviary with all the noisy birds, rounded a corner and on the railing was this huge peacock that looked as startled as I felt! I've never been so amazed with nature, or so humble about my humanity as when I go to a place that embraces the whole of nature's goods. I do feel the need to mention that I did witness a couple of otters in the midst of...procreation-again up close and personal. For my older, more understanding but still shocked eyes it was something to laugh about in a bit of embarrassment and nervousness...for the underdeveloped and innocent eyes of the small child next to me, well...let's just say I'm glad I wasn't her mother today and it was only a pair of otters!!
After my excursion at the Zoo I met up with Sierra at the Imperial War Museum. (For all of you who are friends with me on Facebook, I've put up an album of what I did today so feel free to check it out!) Every time I'm explore uncharted territory I feel like I've been transported to a different city-kind of like a suburb in the city. When I arrived at the museum, I got this sense of how old this country really is, almost like the ground around it was laughing at how young my foot steps were compared to the ones that came before me. I will have to go back again sometime to see the rest of the museum as I had one focus today-the Holocaust exhibition.
We spent around 2 1/2 hours in one exhibition alone and could have spent more if we both hadn't been so tired. I have been thinking all night about how to describe this exhibition and the wonders it holds, and I can't come up with the right combination of words to tell you how amazing it really is. I was affected emotionally on so many levels that my head was spinning, but I couldn't stop looking or reading, soaking up everything they had to offer. When you read about this kind of stuff, or see it on TV it doesn't have the same kind of impact that an exhibition like this does. I was literally inches away from concentration camp uniforms, from the yellow stars Jews were made to wear on their clothing. I could touch parts of the railway carts they were transported in, and the wheel barrow they used to collect the dead bodies. It sent chills up my spine and put a stamp of reality on everything I had read or seen before about this horrible time in history.
I am planning a trip to Germany and will spend the time (and money) to see the museums and go to Auschwitz in person. I think it's important everyone take the opportunity to go see history in the places the books can't describe. For all the good things we have going on in the US and the UK, compared to the horror our ancestors had to deal with a short time ago, we need a reality check on the worries and things we complain about on a day to day basis.
I'll step down off my soap box now and tell you guys that fall in London is beautiful!! The leaves are changing and the weather is brisk but not too cold just yet. It makes me think of when I was younger and this time of year was spent fund raising for this, that and the other, planning holiday get-togethers and thinking about decorating for Christmas. More specifically, I think about selling cookie dough and candles which I always wanted to buy crazy loads of but never could make my parents see eye to eye with me! I love exploring new areas and searching for the beauty that others might ignore, just to remind myself of how lucky I am to be here.
With that in mind, I have class at 8am tomorrow so it's bed time for me! Look for more pictures and another post this weekend! Until then, my advice to you this week is to search for the beauty in things you see every day, and maybe think before you complain about something small this week!
Love from London!
So the big surprise for this mid week post is that I've changed up the theme and color scheme of my blog! ....wait, that wasn't exciting for you? And now you're wondering why you were even friends with me in the first place; someone who got so excited over the simple fact of changing a picture and the color of my posts?? Well I did, and out of all the crazy things you have all been around me for, something as little as this shouldn't have changed your mind...so ha! Turns out you are/do want to be friends with an easily amused color and picture blog changer...girl...thingy...person!
Wow...that kind of got away from me there. On a brighter note, I have fun things to write about that aren't school related! Yay!! I went to the Zoo and the Imperial War Museum on my day off today!
I do have to admit I am pretty impressed with the London Zoo...I thought it would be like any old zoo! In some respects it was-they have a reptile house, an aquarium, monkeys, giraffes, lions, etc. The thing that impressed me most I guess was the amount of effort that went into each exhibit. There was a building for rain forest animals and when you walk through the doors and past the plastic partitions you were immediately drenched in sweat/moisture because they simulated the environment so well. It's something you will have to go experience for yourself because I'm not sure how else to describe it other than awesome!
The best part was getting to see animals up close and personal that I might never want/need to again! I was in a monkey section where there was no glass between myself and the little critters-they jumped on your shoulder like it was no big deal! Monkeys!! (the little cute ones, not the big scary ones!) I was in the aviary with all the noisy birds, rounded a corner and on the railing was this huge peacock that looked as startled as I felt! I've never been so amazed with nature, or so humble about my humanity as when I go to a place that embraces the whole of nature's goods. I do feel the need to mention that I did witness a couple of otters in the midst of...procreation-again up close and personal. For my older, more understanding but still shocked eyes it was something to laugh about in a bit of embarrassment and nervousness...for the underdeveloped and innocent eyes of the small child next to me, well...let's just say I'm glad I wasn't her mother today and it was only a pair of otters!!
After my excursion at the Zoo I met up with Sierra at the Imperial War Museum. (For all of you who are friends with me on Facebook, I've put up an album of what I did today so feel free to check it out!) Every time I'm explore uncharted territory I feel like I've been transported to a different city-kind of like a suburb in the city. When I arrived at the museum, I got this sense of how old this country really is, almost like the ground around it was laughing at how young my foot steps were compared to the ones that came before me. I will have to go back again sometime to see the rest of the museum as I had one focus today-the Holocaust exhibition.
We spent around 2 1/2 hours in one exhibition alone and could have spent more if we both hadn't been so tired. I have been thinking all night about how to describe this exhibition and the wonders it holds, and I can't come up with the right combination of words to tell you how amazing it really is. I was affected emotionally on so many levels that my head was spinning, but I couldn't stop looking or reading, soaking up everything they had to offer. When you read about this kind of stuff, or see it on TV it doesn't have the same kind of impact that an exhibition like this does. I was literally inches away from concentration camp uniforms, from the yellow stars Jews were made to wear on their clothing. I could touch parts of the railway carts they were transported in, and the wheel barrow they used to collect the dead bodies. It sent chills up my spine and put a stamp of reality on everything I had read or seen before about this horrible time in history.
I am planning a trip to Germany and will spend the time (and money) to see the museums and go to Auschwitz in person. I think it's important everyone take the opportunity to go see history in the places the books can't describe. For all the good things we have going on in the US and the UK, compared to the horror our ancestors had to deal with a short time ago, we need a reality check on the worries and things we complain about on a day to day basis.
I'll step down off my soap box now and tell you guys that fall in London is beautiful!! The leaves are changing and the weather is brisk but not too cold just yet. It makes me think of when I was younger and this time of year was spent fund raising for this, that and the other, planning holiday get-togethers and thinking about decorating for Christmas. More specifically, I think about selling cookie dough and candles which I always wanted to buy crazy loads of but never could make my parents see eye to eye with me! I love exploring new areas and searching for the beauty that others might ignore, just to remind myself of how lucky I am to be here.
With that in mind, I have class at 8am tomorrow so it's bed time for me! Look for more pictures and another post this weekend! Until then, my advice to you this week is to search for the beauty in things you see every day, and maybe think before you complain about something small this week!
Love from London!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
It looks that way on paper...and tastes much better in person
First, more photos!! Then later, another update about the past week! (Don't you just love reading my blog?!?!?!) :D
I've noticed as the weeks of class and traveling progress, I get more and more tired! I know I've worked harder and longer hours than this before, but something about the kind of work and travel I do is wearing my body out. I have been sleeping weird hours, but longer periods and still don't feel rejuvenated when I wake up. I am getting plenty of sleep, but man I feel like I've been hit with a Mac truck! Now don't get me wrong-I'm not complaining about my life right now, because I wouldn't have it any other way! Not everyone gets to follow their dreams and end up in a city like London doing what they love and I know how fortunate I am to be able to have this opportunity. This blog is just a place for me to tell about my life right now and, right now, I am dog tired!
I had a conflicting time in class this week. My group finally had Chef Christophe last week and he is my least favorite chef to work with. He is very French and my suspicions are that he wants to try to weed out any of the 'weak' in basic patisserie. This week we had him for our practical when we did the Choux pastry and eclairs, and man that was one stressful day. When we got to our practical, chef was explaining how things were supposed to be done that day and it was different from the way the chef in the demo had taught us. Our whole class was confused and chef Christophe was getting more and more upset thinking we didn't pay attention in class or know what we were doing. I had to find my happy place and just take what he was saying with a grain of salt. Sometimes you have to just follow directions at that time and figure out later how to make things work for you. I guess that's the way I will have to deal with this chef; usually some of the best teachers are the ones who are your least favorite because they're hard on you...in the right way.
The next day we made bread!! The pics above are what we did in class-white dinner rolls and soda bread! I think when we have to make something that is in our exam one week, the next day they let us make things that are a bit relaxing so we're not super stressed all week. I found out that making bread is a very therapeutic pastry-if you do it by hand that is! All the kneading and mixing will give you super strong arm muscles and a cheaper way to deal with anger than therapy. I had a lot of fun that day in class and was super excited to make turtles out of bread!
The rest of the week was spent shopping for baking items and working on Christmas gifts-which by the way are almost planned/figured out! Just a few more people to decide what to give them and then I'll be ready for the holidays! Tonight I've been making note cards and studying for my exams already...even though it's 5 weeks away I still want to get ready early so I won't have to cram later! Tomorrow I'm treating myself to a pedicure and making a lemon tart with a time limit like what I'm going to have in my exam. I wish I had more to update because I feel like my life-and effectively my blog-became very boring recently. I guess the more involved I get with only school, the less I have to report about outside of school.
I am planning something special for this next week here on my blog so get ready! It may not be much to most of you but for those who actively read this you might find it interesting! As always, thanks for reading and I hope to have some fun stories soon, so stay tuned!
Love from London <3
 |
| Soda Bread...Irish in origin and very good buttered with soup! |
 | |
| White Bread Rolls in the 'pull apart' shape (bottom) and the 'crown' shape (top left). Preview of the turtle on top right. |
 |
| More White dinner rolls in an 'S' shape and another turtle preview! |
 | |||||||||
| White dinner rolls in a 'turtle named Rusty' shape! *Rusty is my one eyed turtle from back home and I modeled these rolls after her...one eye and everything! |
I had a conflicting time in class this week. My group finally had Chef Christophe last week and he is my least favorite chef to work with. He is very French and my suspicions are that he wants to try to weed out any of the 'weak' in basic patisserie. This week we had him for our practical when we did the Choux pastry and eclairs, and man that was one stressful day. When we got to our practical, chef was explaining how things were supposed to be done that day and it was different from the way the chef in the demo had taught us. Our whole class was confused and chef Christophe was getting more and more upset thinking we didn't pay attention in class or know what we were doing. I had to find my happy place and just take what he was saying with a grain of salt. Sometimes you have to just follow directions at that time and figure out later how to make things work for you. I guess that's the way I will have to deal with this chef; usually some of the best teachers are the ones who are your least favorite because they're hard on you...in the right way.
The next day we made bread!! The pics above are what we did in class-white dinner rolls and soda bread! I think when we have to make something that is in our exam one week, the next day they let us make things that are a bit relaxing so we're not super stressed all week. I found out that making bread is a very therapeutic pastry-if you do it by hand that is! All the kneading and mixing will give you super strong arm muscles and a cheaper way to deal with anger than therapy. I had a lot of fun that day in class and was super excited to make turtles out of bread!
The rest of the week was spent shopping for baking items and working on Christmas gifts-which by the way are almost planned/figured out! Just a few more people to decide what to give them and then I'll be ready for the holidays! Tonight I've been making note cards and studying for my exams already...even though it's 5 weeks away I still want to get ready early so I won't have to cram later! Tomorrow I'm treating myself to a pedicure and making a lemon tart with a time limit like what I'm going to have in my exam. I wish I had more to update because I feel like my life-and effectively my blog-became very boring recently. I guess the more involved I get with only school, the less I have to report about outside of school.
I am planning something special for this next week here on my blog so get ready! It may not be much to most of you but for those who actively read this you might find it interesting! As always, thanks for reading and I hope to have some fun stories soon, so stay tuned!
Love from London <3
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Please comment if you like what you see!!
I will be posting more pictures when my camera is up and running again! It died and I forgot my charger...but a bit thank you to one of the girls in class who let me take pics on her phone! |
| The Eclairs I made today; Choux Pastry with a Coffee flavored Pastry Cream and topped with Coffee flavored fondant and piped Dark Chocolate. |
 |
| A close up of the Eclairs I made! I'm quite proud because this is one of the items that will be on our exam, and the chef said mine were good enough today to get a high score in the exam! Woot! |
 |
| Another close up of the Eclairs...Please excuse the non-artistic skills I have. I'm still working on my piping skills! |
 |
| This is a Bande from last's week's puff pastry class. I made the pastry from scratch, did the designs on the side, baked it, filled it with pastry cream (see spoon) and topped with fruit! The heart shaped things on the side were my Palmiers also made from puff pastry. |
Monday, October 31, 2011
Texas Girl in the UK and a Happy Halloween to you all!!
Well it's the end of October and the weather in the UK is quite delightful! The temperature's been in the mid 60's and the sad part is I'm still in short sleeves! It's started to rain and be cloudy for most of the day, and I have to say I'm enjoying it.
I would like to think that I really will be able to keep my promises to you faithful readers, but you'll have to give me some time. I am trying, really, to keep y'all up to date with what's going on over here. This post should be short and sweet, with a longer one this weekend. Enjoy!
Alright first off a quick version of my social life, which incidentally turns out is not as glamorous as I would like to believe haha I've been going out and seeing the sights of London-Oxford street, London bridge, the tower of London-and feel so overwhelmed by the amount of history and legacy that this city holds. I've gone out with some of the girls from school and enjoyed what kind of night life London can offer...sadly enough everything shuts down pretty early most nights! I've been on a couple dates, but they haven't really led anywhere worth while. Seeing as I'm not here to find 'true love' I'm not worried about how things are going to turn out in that department! I got to have dinner with a British girl I met back in Texas, as well as host my own little dinner party for people from my group which went really well!
This past week in school was all about making puff pastry...from scratch! It's a 2 day process so we made the dough the first day-it's a very technically precise process-and then used some pre-made dough to make a Jalousie. A Jalousie is a cooked pastry with poached pears and a lattice design on top made of, you guessed it, puff pastry; then it's cooked to a golden brown crispiness and was delicious! The next day we took the dough we made the day before and used it to make a chilled pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh fruit. Again, delicious but the worst part is these pastries I get to take home are huge! There's no way I can-or want to-eat them by myself so they've been just sitting on the counter wishing to be consumed. The technical for last week was about flour and sugar; the different types and what each one is usually used for. It was informative but a bit boring all at once.
For my upcoming class we'll be making Choux (pronounced shoe) pastry used mostly for eclairs. This is another of the possible recipes for my final exam so it's going to be a challenging week. I'm heading back to Mildenhall at the end of the week an am so excited to be back with everyone since most of them have been out of town! I'm in the process of looking up gifts for Christmas-while prices are kind of low-as well as making Thanksgiving preparations! Who knew there could be so many holiday's crammed into one!
That's about it for now-will post again after the craziness of this week subsides! Thanks to all you loyal readers and feel free to comment about anything you like! <3
I would like to think that I really will be able to keep my promises to you faithful readers, but you'll have to give me some time. I am trying, really, to keep y'all up to date with what's going on over here. This post should be short and sweet, with a longer one this weekend. Enjoy!
Alright first off a quick version of my social life, which incidentally turns out is not as glamorous as I would like to believe haha I've been going out and seeing the sights of London-Oxford street, London bridge, the tower of London-and feel so overwhelmed by the amount of history and legacy that this city holds. I've gone out with some of the girls from school and enjoyed what kind of night life London can offer...sadly enough everything shuts down pretty early most nights! I've been on a couple dates, but they haven't really led anywhere worth while. Seeing as I'm not here to find 'true love' I'm not worried about how things are going to turn out in that department! I got to have dinner with a British girl I met back in Texas, as well as host my own little dinner party for people from my group which went really well!
This past week in school was all about making puff pastry...from scratch! It's a 2 day process so we made the dough the first day-it's a very technically precise process-and then used some pre-made dough to make a Jalousie. A Jalousie is a cooked pastry with poached pears and a lattice design on top made of, you guessed it, puff pastry; then it's cooked to a golden brown crispiness and was delicious! The next day we took the dough we made the day before and used it to make a chilled pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh fruit. Again, delicious but the worst part is these pastries I get to take home are huge! There's no way I can-or want to-eat them by myself so they've been just sitting on the counter wishing to be consumed. The technical for last week was about flour and sugar; the different types and what each one is usually used for. It was informative but a bit boring all at once.
For my upcoming class we'll be making Choux (pronounced shoe) pastry used mostly for eclairs. This is another of the possible recipes for my final exam so it's going to be a challenging week. I'm heading back to Mildenhall at the end of the week an am so excited to be back with everyone since most of them have been out of town! I'm in the process of looking up gifts for Christmas-while prices are kind of low-as well as making Thanksgiving preparations! Who knew there could be so many holiday's crammed into one!
That's about it for now-will post again after the craziness of this week subsides! Thanks to all you loyal readers and feel free to comment about anything you like! <3
Monday, October 24, 2011
A couple days late, but here none the less!
Where did Saturday go?!?!? I was planning on updating here on Saturday, I swear but somehow this weekend got away from me! I guess that's what happens when you get busy making friends and taking advantage of the city! :D
So this past week has left me quite tired, but all the adventures I've had have made it worth it! For all of you who are worried about my health being so busy-please don't!! I've taken today to rest and recover because I don't want to get sick and miss class...at this point in the game I don't know how I would be able to keep up after missing even one class!!
Monday/Tuesday of last week were very relaxing; I was with Maria and Kent (by the way Maria gave me permission to use her name so Maria=Mandy from now on!) and we just chilled and did a bit of Christmas shopping. In October!! I know it seems to be a bit early, but we love shopping and why bother with crowds later when you can save time and money doing it now?? She got most of her presents, while I just got ideas for what I want to get for everyone! I had class Wed, Thur, Fri this week and three days in a row gets to be a bit intense.
Wednesday we went over what our final exam is going to be over for this term...and I am super worried about it! Basically our final grade is determined 45% by our daily attendance/participation in our demo's and practicals, 10% by a written exam over any information covered this term and 45% practical exam where I actually have to make a dessert by myself! The practical is what I'm most worried about becaust it's going to be very challenging. We have to memorize 3 different recipes (ingredients, method, and assembly) exactly to the 'T' but we don't know which one we will be making. The day of the exam we are given a number for a station in the kitchen and whatever recipe is at that station is what we will be making. So I could be making a Lemon Tart, Chocolate Eclair's or a Raspberry Sponge Cake. Each one has the same level of difficulty and we will have a teaching chef in the kitchen with us watching our hygiene and preparation method to see how well we stay organized. They are also looking for mistakes-burning the bottom of a pastry, dropping things on the floor and then using them, not cooking things thoroughly-to tell the chefs that come in after we are done. The chefs that come in later are tasting chefs who are grading us on presentation, assembly, taste, texture and overall performance. It's a lot of pressure because if one major thing goes wrong, say your eclair's don't rise, it could mean not passing this term and having to retake it!
In class Thursday and Friday we were making tarts! Thursday we made the Lemon tart...yes the same one I'm might have to do in my final exam! :/ I felt pretty good during class, and most of my tart came out exactly how it was supposed to, but I did have problems with piping the meringue on top...again! Who knew piping would be so hard?!?!? But class that day was stressful because everyone is questioning every step trying to make sure they can replicate it at home to practice for the exam! Now, I don't like Lemon tart...or lemon meringue pie...or anything lemon flavored really. I tried the Lemon Tart chef made in our demo so I could make sure I know what my practice ones are supposed to taste like but I tried the smallest piece I could and nearly died it was so gross!! After class, I had this relatively nice looking lemon tart and no desire to take it back with me...I know I'm not going to eat it and the lady I'm staying with right now is going to bring one with her so I was at a loss of what to do with it. Chef suggested I take it to reception because the ladies there might enjoy it, and boy howdy did they ever! The young lady I offered it to was ecstatic and couldn't take it off me fast enough!
Friday was apple tart day and the first day of class that I left feeling completely confident in my skills and what I had accomplished that day. The difference between the apple tart and lemon tart, for anyone who cares to know, is the crust, the way the filling is made and the decoration. For the lemon tart, the crust is saltier to off set the tangy lemon curd filling, and has a sweet Italian meringue on top to make a nice (to some people) combination. The apple tart is much better in my opinion with a sweet crust, a compote filling of crisp and soft apples, sugar, butter and cinnamon, and a topping of thinly sliced nicely decorated apple brushed with butter, honey and a bit of sugar. Chef helped us out making a rose out of apple slices for a lovely decorating touch and this particular chef is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I took this one back with me and hopefully Kent took it to work with him so someone else could enjoy it!
I realized I haven't told you much about my chefs so it might be time for that!
-Chef Julie is the head Patisserie chef at LCB, English, and my favorite to have in a practical class; she walks around and helps you stay organized by reminding you what you should be thinking of next, what your next step will be and how to get prepared for that. It's very nice and as a woman I feel this connection with her like she's in my corner rooting for me just because I'm a woman in the industry!
-Chef Graeham (I think that's how to spell his name...I'd go find out but I'm way too lazy for that right now) is English and tied for second favorite of the Patisserie chef's. But I prefer to have him for my practical classes rather than demo's simply because he seems to run through things in demo's a bit too fast for my tastes. In practical though, I stand right next to him and look over often to see which way he shakes his head to let me know if I'm doing things correctly. He has a fun, dry sense of humor and is very laid back about most things.
-Chef Matthew is another English chef tied for second favorite chef simply because he reminds me of a cartoon! -If cartoons could cook and tell jokes as well as he does that is!!- If any of you have seen the clay animation films about Wallace and Gromit, Chef Matthew reminds me of a live version of Wallace! I wish I could draw you guys a picture of what he's like in class because it's very entertaining! When he whisks something, he raises one eyebrow and gets 'robot arms' that can go super fast and for quite some time...it's just amazing! He also has a great presence in the demo's but not so much in the practicals.
-Chef Nicolas (pronounced Nick-o-la) is a French chef who can't pronounce my name haha! He's young, has a very thick accent and is very, very French. If you've ever met anyone who is from France and is a chef, you have some idea what I'm talking about! He was nice enough in practical, but that's the only time I've had him as a teaching chef so I can't judge him properly!
-Last is another French chef, Chef Christophe (who prefers we call him Gerard for some strange reason!) I've yet to have him in a kitchen, and from what I've heard I'm very lucky! When I know more about him I will let you guys know!
Well...this post became quite a novel and I haven't even gotten to the social part of the last week!! Guess that means I will be updating again this week, which is a shock for most of you, I know!! Until then, just know things are great in and out of class; I'm getting to explore and have grand adventures as well as learn new things about myself along the way! Here's a quick preview of the next post!!!
------Single's night, Brazilian club, Festival at Russel Square, and a date ;) !!-------
Love from London <3
So this past week has left me quite tired, but all the adventures I've had have made it worth it! For all of you who are worried about my health being so busy-please don't!! I've taken today to rest and recover because I don't want to get sick and miss class...at this point in the game I don't know how I would be able to keep up after missing even one class!!
Monday/Tuesday of last week were very relaxing; I was with Maria and Kent (by the way Maria gave me permission to use her name so Maria=Mandy from now on!) and we just chilled and did a bit of Christmas shopping. In October!! I know it seems to be a bit early, but we love shopping and why bother with crowds later when you can save time and money doing it now?? She got most of her presents, while I just got ideas for what I want to get for everyone! I had class Wed, Thur, Fri this week and three days in a row gets to be a bit intense.
Wednesday we went over what our final exam is going to be over for this term...and I am super worried about it! Basically our final grade is determined 45% by our daily attendance/participation in our demo's and practicals, 10% by a written exam over any information covered this term and 45% practical exam where I actually have to make a dessert by myself! The practical is what I'm most worried about becaust it's going to be very challenging. We have to memorize 3 different recipes (ingredients, method, and assembly) exactly to the 'T' but we don't know which one we will be making. The day of the exam we are given a number for a station in the kitchen and whatever recipe is at that station is what we will be making. So I could be making a Lemon Tart, Chocolate Eclair's or a Raspberry Sponge Cake. Each one has the same level of difficulty and we will have a teaching chef in the kitchen with us watching our hygiene and preparation method to see how well we stay organized. They are also looking for mistakes-burning the bottom of a pastry, dropping things on the floor and then using them, not cooking things thoroughly-to tell the chefs that come in after we are done. The chefs that come in later are tasting chefs who are grading us on presentation, assembly, taste, texture and overall performance. It's a lot of pressure because if one major thing goes wrong, say your eclair's don't rise, it could mean not passing this term and having to retake it!
In class Thursday and Friday we were making tarts! Thursday we made the Lemon tart...yes the same one I'm might have to do in my final exam! :/ I felt pretty good during class, and most of my tart came out exactly how it was supposed to, but I did have problems with piping the meringue on top...again! Who knew piping would be so hard?!?!? But class that day was stressful because everyone is questioning every step trying to make sure they can replicate it at home to practice for the exam! Now, I don't like Lemon tart...or lemon meringue pie...or anything lemon flavored really. I tried the Lemon Tart chef made in our demo so I could make sure I know what my practice ones are supposed to taste like but I tried the smallest piece I could and nearly died it was so gross!! After class, I had this relatively nice looking lemon tart and no desire to take it back with me...I know I'm not going to eat it and the lady I'm staying with right now is going to bring one with her so I was at a loss of what to do with it. Chef suggested I take it to reception because the ladies there might enjoy it, and boy howdy did they ever! The young lady I offered it to was ecstatic and couldn't take it off me fast enough!
Friday was apple tart day and the first day of class that I left feeling completely confident in my skills and what I had accomplished that day. The difference between the apple tart and lemon tart, for anyone who cares to know, is the crust, the way the filling is made and the decoration. For the lemon tart, the crust is saltier to off set the tangy lemon curd filling, and has a sweet Italian meringue on top to make a nice (to some people) combination. The apple tart is much better in my opinion with a sweet crust, a compote filling of crisp and soft apples, sugar, butter and cinnamon, and a topping of thinly sliced nicely decorated apple brushed with butter, honey and a bit of sugar. Chef helped us out making a rose out of apple slices for a lovely decorating touch and this particular chef is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I took this one back with me and hopefully Kent took it to work with him so someone else could enjoy it!
I realized I haven't told you much about my chefs so it might be time for that!
-Chef Julie is the head Patisserie chef at LCB, English, and my favorite to have in a practical class; she walks around and helps you stay organized by reminding you what you should be thinking of next, what your next step will be and how to get prepared for that. It's very nice and as a woman I feel this connection with her like she's in my corner rooting for me just because I'm a woman in the industry!
-Chef Graeham (I think that's how to spell his name...I'd go find out but I'm way too lazy for that right now) is English and tied for second favorite of the Patisserie chef's. But I prefer to have him for my practical classes rather than demo's simply because he seems to run through things in demo's a bit too fast for my tastes. In practical though, I stand right next to him and look over often to see which way he shakes his head to let me know if I'm doing things correctly. He has a fun, dry sense of humor and is very laid back about most things.
-Chef Matthew is another English chef tied for second favorite chef simply because he reminds me of a cartoon! -If cartoons could cook and tell jokes as well as he does that is!!- If any of you have seen the clay animation films about Wallace and Gromit, Chef Matthew reminds me of a live version of Wallace! I wish I could draw you guys a picture of what he's like in class because it's very entertaining! When he whisks something, he raises one eyebrow and gets 'robot arms' that can go super fast and for quite some time...it's just amazing! He also has a great presence in the demo's but not so much in the practicals.
-Chef Nicolas (pronounced Nick-o-la) is a French chef who can't pronounce my name haha! He's young, has a very thick accent and is very, very French. If you've ever met anyone who is from France and is a chef, you have some idea what I'm talking about! He was nice enough in practical, but that's the only time I've had him as a teaching chef so I can't judge him properly!
-Last is another French chef, Chef Christophe (who prefers we call him Gerard for some strange reason!) I've yet to have him in a kitchen, and from what I've heard I'm very lucky! When I know more about him I will let you guys know!
Well...this post became quite a novel and I haven't even gotten to the social part of the last week!! Guess that means I will be updating again this week, which is a shock for most of you, I know!! Until then, just know things are great in and out of class; I'm getting to explore and have grand adventures as well as learn new things about myself along the way! Here's a quick preview of the next post!!!
------Single's night, Brazilian club, Festival at Russel Square, and a date ;) !!-------
Love from London <3
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Love from London! (Well, sometimes London)
I am at the point right now on my view of England that I would really like to go frolicking through the woods...so driving along the English countryside, on of my favorite things to do, I see this field and it butts up to the amazing looking forest. I am usually very tempted to ask the driver to stop so I can run into the woods (they are usually on someone's property) and frolic! Anyone with me on this?? Anyone? No?? Ok it's just me...though I wouldn't like to be there when it's dark because that gets to be the creepy side of things! Also...is it weird to Facebook stalk the person you're sitting next to?? These kinds of things are vital for me to know!
That note aside, things here have been interesting to say the least. Just in case you don't know me, my life seems to have a bunch of drama in it-most of it I'm ok with-but I never seem to be short of a good story! I also enjoy putting in every detail of my life, even though most people don't care about all the details so here is your forewarning:
-----This may be quite a novel-like post about my first two weeks of class and what not. Only start this if you have the time because there's no telling how long it may take you to read it!-----
Also, I will be changing names of people in my blog, because I haven't gotten permission from them to mention them here and I feel this is the best option for everyone! I will give you a character reference so you have some idea as to who these people are!
First off let me tell you about my classes-the number one reason I'm here! To give you an idea of how things work, my schedule is like this: I have Technical Demonstrations where we sit in a class room and learn about random things like Fire safety, the history of flour, why ice cream was first made, etc. So far those classes have been a bit...boring but only because we've just covered fire safety! Then I have Demonstrations where we are shown how to make the items for the day from our notebook. The notebooks contain recipes with ingredients on it, but no instructions so we write that down during the demo.
Later on in the day after our demo's, we have Practical classes where we are required to replicate what was made in the demonstration class. Our practical class has 10 students and a chef to help guide us through the process as well as answer any questions we might have. I've had 4 of the 5 chefs from the Patisserie department in my practical classes and have learned little differences between each of the chefs and how they teach! All that being said, I have one technical demo, 2 demo's and 2 practicals each week...it doesn't seem like it's a lot, but once you get going-usually at 8am-and don't leave till around 5:30 it takes a toll!
The first week in class we worked on knife skills and making syrups (simple syrups and working with cooking sugar to different stages), and making fruit salad. It sounds easy, but you have to start somewhere and it helps break bad habits, or form good ones depending on what experience you've had already. Getting into the practical for the first time and not knowing where to find things in the kitchen, or what exactly to do when starting a practical was scary and nerve wracking to say the least! Good thing a couple people in my group had already taken the cuisine part of LCB and knew how to set up their work station...the rest of us followed suit and the day went smoothly from there. We also learned how to make pastry cream, meringues, and the different variations of the two. We worked on our piping skills with Swiss meringue, and I learned my skills are lacking more than I would like to admit! I have since been working on them with mashed potatoes, but the process is slow going! I can't seem to make my hand follow and make what my brain sees!
---Things I learned my first week: 1) Cutting fruit is easy and even easier when you have a fantastic knife set of the highest quality with your initials engraved on it! 2) Sticking my hand into a pot of boiling sugar to test what stage of cooking it's at is some of the most fun I've had in a kitchen...and the scariest experience in one! 3) When working in teams, make sure you choose someone who has a brain, first of all, and stick up for yourself or you'll end up paying for their mistakes. :( 4) Pastry cream isn't my favorite unless it has whipping cream added to it...but that means it's harder to make! 5) Piping=not my strong suit...and I will keep working at it until I have perfected it! and 6) Making friends in another country requires nothing more than a nice smile and a good southern hospitality mentality!
This last week was a bit more challenging! We have started getting into the scientific process of making desserts; it's not about what ingredients you add together, it's how you add them and when you add them that makes it work! We had our technical over how to take notes during a demo (very helpful actually) and how to work as a team in class...pretty boring but necessary for those out there with no common sense or social skills. In demo, the topic was baked and stirred custards. I don't think I'll ever get over how easy the chef's make our demo's look! They whip something up and you're writing furiously trying to take it all in and thinking, "That looked so easy, surely I can do that!" Then you get to class and you realize they've had help making it look that easy-experience and someone behind the scenes measuring out their ingredients for them before hand...and it's just them in a workspace so they can take up as much room as they need!
So, in practical, we made Creme Brulee, Creme Caramel, Creme Anglaise, Fruit Coulis, and Tuile batter. It was a lot to do in one class but we had the head pastry chef as our guide that practical and she was a blessing! She walks around and makes sure you understand what you're doing, as well as stops you from making a mistake that you couldn't come back from! I was nervous to be with her in the kitchen, but she is an amazing teacher-and I would know!! We didn't get to take anything home that day because we were going to decorate and present it all the next day! Those decorations the next day consisted of piping out our Tuile (btw pronounced twill...strange, I know) and I was actually a bit proud of how well some of my designs came out. The hard part is shaping them to give them a 3D effect because you have to do it straight out of the oven and those puppies are hot!!
Next on the agenda was working with sugar to make baskets, abstract designs, and actual shapes to decorate items. This was more to get used to working with sugar-it's harder than it looks-but I am feeling more confident with my skills the more I practice. Then we finished our creme brulee's by toasting the sugar and decorating it with sugar, our finished tuile shapes, and sugar shapes. We plated our creme caramel's next, adding piped chocolate, decorations with our creme angliase, fruit coulis, tuile shapes, and sugar shapes. If I can figure out how to add photos from my phone onto my computer I will show you my finished designs! I was proud of them and so was the chef of the day! Overall a great week!
I have found, since I've been here, I don't like London until I'm there going to class or hanging out with the people from school. I love leaving the city and living with Maria and her family in Mildenhall, going to the country side and a slower pace of life! Don't get me wrong, London is great and has it's charms, but there's something missing that makes me dread having to be there...that is till I get there! It's all very confusing, but I'm trying to stay positive and really can't complain about much of anything at this point! I've got some of the best friends anyone could ask for-new and old-and the most supportive family that helped make this all possible!
I've got a four day weekend at least once a month, this weekend being the first, and plan to get caught up on sleep, and get things done (laundry, shopping, cooking, Christmas decoration shopping with Maria!!!) I am setting some goals for myself, kind of like new year's resolutions, and you all are responsible for making sure I follow through with some of these! I will work on piping skills every day till I am more competent in my skills. I will blog every weekend about my class experience and what's been happening in my life. I will get out and do things that most people don't get to experience because this is the only life I have, and I will make the most out of this amazing experience!
Until next time, I hope you all got through this massive blog and I promise they won't all be like this...!! I feel the need to say thanks for reading this, even though it was a conscious choice for all of you-I just don't want anyone to feel the need to read it out of obligation! So if you did happen to read this out of obligation, you have my sincerest gratitude for making it to the end!
Love from London!! <3
That note aside, things here have been interesting to say the least. Just in case you don't know me, my life seems to have a bunch of drama in it-most of it I'm ok with-but I never seem to be short of a good story! I also enjoy putting in every detail of my life, even though most people don't care about all the details so here is your forewarning:
-----This may be quite a novel-like post about my first two weeks of class and what not. Only start this if you have the time because there's no telling how long it may take you to read it!-----
Also, I will be changing names of people in my blog, because I haven't gotten permission from them to mention them here and I feel this is the best option for everyone! I will give you a character reference so you have some idea as to who these people are!
- Samantha, Sierra, and Natalie are some of the girls from my class I hang out with quite a bit
- Aidan is my best friend and a great guy for letting me stay with him for a while!
- Lily and Maria are two of my new best friends and I'll be living with Maria for a bit this month...Maria, Kent and their son are being gracious enough to let me stay in their guest room until Aidan gets back!
First off let me tell you about my classes-the number one reason I'm here! To give you an idea of how things work, my schedule is like this: I have Technical Demonstrations where we sit in a class room and learn about random things like Fire safety, the history of flour, why ice cream was first made, etc. So far those classes have been a bit...boring but only because we've just covered fire safety! Then I have Demonstrations where we are shown how to make the items for the day from our notebook. The notebooks contain recipes with ingredients on it, but no instructions so we write that down during the demo.
Later on in the day after our demo's, we have Practical classes where we are required to replicate what was made in the demonstration class. Our practical class has 10 students and a chef to help guide us through the process as well as answer any questions we might have. I've had 4 of the 5 chefs from the Patisserie department in my practical classes and have learned little differences between each of the chefs and how they teach! All that being said, I have one technical demo, 2 demo's and 2 practicals each week...it doesn't seem like it's a lot, but once you get going-usually at 8am-and don't leave till around 5:30 it takes a toll!
The first week in class we worked on knife skills and making syrups (simple syrups and working with cooking sugar to different stages), and making fruit salad. It sounds easy, but you have to start somewhere and it helps break bad habits, or form good ones depending on what experience you've had already. Getting into the practical for the first time and not knowing where to find things in the kitchen, or what exactly to do when starting a practical was scary and nerve wracking to say the least! Good thing a couple people in my group had already taken the cuisine part of LCB and knew how to set up their work station...the rest of us followed suit and the day went smoothly from there. We also learned how to make pastry cream, meringues, and the different variations of the two. We worked on our piping skills with Swiss meringue, and I learned my skills are lacking more than I would like to admit! I have since been working on them with mashed potatoes, but the process is slow going! I can't seem to make my hand follow and make what my brain sees!
---Things I learned my first week: 1) Cutting fruit is easy and even easier when you have a fantastic knife set of the highest quality with your initials engraved on it! 2) Sticking my hand into a pot of boiling sugar to test what stage of cooking it's at is some of the most fun I've had in a kitchen...and the scariest experience in one! 3) When working in teams, make sure you choose someone who has a brain, first of all, and stick up for yourself or you'll end up paying for their mistakes. :( 4) Pastry cream isn't my favorite unless it has whipping cream added to it...but that means it's harder to make! 5) Piping=not my strong suit...and I will keep working at it until I have perfected it! and 6) Making friends in another country requires nothing more than a nice smile and a good southern hospitality mentality!
This last week was a bit more challenging! We have started getting into the scientific process of making desserts; it's not about what ingredients you add together, it's how you add them and when you add them that makes it work! We had our technical over how to take notes during a demo (very helpful actually) and how to work as a team in class...pretty boring but necessary for those out there with no common sense or social skills. In demo, the topic was baked and stirred custards. I don't think I'll ever get over how easy the chef's make our demo's look! They whip something up and you're writing furiously trying to take it all in and thinking, "That looked so easy, surely I can do that!" Then you get to class and you realize they've had help making it look that easy-experience and someone behind the scenes measuring out their ingredients for them before hand...and it's just them in a workspace so they can take up as much room as they need!
So, in practical, we made Creme Brulee, Creme Caramel, Creme Anglaise, Fruit Coulis, and Tuile batter. It was a lot to do in one class but we had the head pastry chef as our guide that practical and she was a blessing! She walks around and makes sure you understand what you're doing, as well as stops you from making a mistake that you couldn't come back from! I was nervous to be with her in the kitchen, but she is an amazing teacher-and I would know!! We didn't get to take anything home that day because we were going to decorate and present it all the next day! Those decorations the next day consisted of piping out our Tuile (btw pronounced twill...strange, I know) and I was actually a bit proud of how well some of my designs came out. The hard part is shaping them to give them a 3D effect because you have to do it straight out of the oven and those puppies are hot!!
Next on the agenda was working with sugar to make baskets, abstract designs, and actual shapes to decorate items. This was more to get used to working with sugar-it's harder than it looks-but I am feeling more confident with my skills the more I practice. Then we finished our creme brulee's by toasting the sugar and decorating it with sugar, our finished tuile shapes, and sugar shapes. We plated our creme caramel's next, adding piped chocolate, decorations with our creme angliase, fruit coulis, tuile shapes, and sugar shapes. If I can figure out how to add photos from my phone onto my computer I will show you my finished designs! I was proud of them and so was the chef of the day! Overall a great week!
I have found, since I've been here, I don't like London until I'm there going to class or hanging out with the people from school. I love leaving the city and living with Maria and her family in Mildenhall, going to the country side and a slower pace of life! Don't get me wrong, London is great and has it's charms, but there's something missing that makes me dread having to be there...that is till I get there! It's all very confusing, but I'm trying to stay positive and really can't complain about much of anything at this point! I've got some of the best friends anyone could ask for-new and old-and the most supportive family that helped make this all possible!
I've got a four day weekend at least once a month, this weekend being the first, and plan to get caught up on sleep, and get things done (laundry, shopping, cooking, Christmas decoration shopping with Maria!!!) I am setting some goals for myself, kind of like new year's resolutions, and you all are responsible for making sure I follow through with some of these! I will work on piping skills every day till I am more competent in my skills. I will blog every weekend about my class experience and what's been happening in my life. I will get out and do things that most people don't get to experience because this is the only life I have, and I will make the most out of this amazing experience!
Until next time, I hope you all got through this massive blog and I promise they won't all be like this...!! I feel the need to say thanks for reading this, even though it was a conscious choice for all of you-I just don't want anyone to feel the need to read it out of obligation! So if you did happen to read this out of obligation, you have my sincerest gratitude for making it to the end!
Love from London!! <3
Sunday, September 18, 2011
It's about time...
...for another post! I've been in England for 10 days and I decided it was time for a real post. I've tried to write several since I've gotten here, but I'm easily distracted and never finished any of them. I will get around to posting them eventually but for now, here is a short summary of what has been going on:
Walked all around the area where my school is to get my bearings, and find the necessities! I got an English phone and am attached at the hip to it...with all 3 of my contacts so I'm expecting calls all the time! haha no not really but it stays with me none-the-less just in case. I haven't found a place to stay yet, but am hoping the person I'm talking to right now works out.
I met some great girls and have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the both of them and their kids. Strange, I know, because I'm not a fan of kids but I put on my 'big-girl panties' and live in the moment. Obviously I'm still hanging out with them so I've not been deterred by the kids and I hope it stays that way.
I have been baking a bit, made banana muffins and banana chocolate chip muffins and shared with my new friends! I am looking forward to this week and being even more productive....maybe even moving into a flat by this weekend...we shall see.
Now for the thought of the night, and maybe a few song lyrics along the way just because that's the mood I'm in tonight!
Standing alone looking in the mirror, we see only what we want to see; Standing with someone else beside ya, we see a shared potential we never thought possible.
And now some points of mention-I have realized I thoroughly enjoy the song Jump (For my love) just because of the movie Love Actually....and I'm doubting the need to get back into shape because fat keeps you warmer than muscle and winter might be kind of cold if I have nothing to keep me warm!!
"Now in the whirl wind of my life is where you presently reside. Can I pretend you don't exist maybe just for 10 more minutes. My heart's been broken into two, and rusted from years of disuse. So will you place upon it your hand and will you help it beat again?" -RA, been stuck in my head all day!
Will post again soon in keeping up with my productive week schedule! Much love from across the pond and please comment if you have something specific you want to know about!
Walked all around the area where my school is to get my bearings, and find the necessities! I got an English phone and am attached at the hip to it...with all 3 of my contacts so I'm expecting calls all the time! haha no not really but it stays with me none-the-less just in case. I haven't found a place to stay yet, but am hoping the person I'm talking to right now works out.
I met some great girls and have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the both of them and their kids. Strange, I know, because I'm not a fan of kids but I put on my 'big-girl panties' and live in the moment. Obviously I'm still hanging out with them so I've not been deterred by the kids and I hope it stays that way.
I have been baking a bit, made banana muffins and banana chocolate chip muffins and shared with my new friends! I am looking forward to this week and being even more productive....maybe even moving into a flat by this weekend...we shall see.
Now for the thought of the night, and maybe a few song lyrics along the way just because that's the mood I'm in tonight!
Standing alone looking in the mirror, we see only what we want to see; Standing with someone else beside ya, we see a shared potential we never thought possible.
And now some points of mention-I have realized I thoroughly enjoy the song Jump (For my love) just because of the movie Love Actually....and I'm doubting the need to get back into shape because fat keeps you warmer than muscle and winter might be kind of cold if I have nothing to keep me warm!!
"Now in the whirl wind of my life is where you presently reside. Can I pretend you don't exist maybe just for 10 more minutes. My heart's been broken into two, and rusted from years of disuse. So will you place upon it your hand and will you help it beat again?" -RA, been stuck in my head all day!
Will post again soon in keeping up with my productive week schedule! Much love from across the pond and please comment if you have something specific you want to know about!
Monday, September 5, 2011
You say Good bye, and I'll say....Good Bye!
Today begins the first leg of my journey to the UK. I am full of conflicting emotions right now and can't wrap my head around everything I'm going to be doing, and everyone who has been so supportive of my quest thus far. I realized the past few weeks how truly blessed I really am to have such wonderful friends and family in my life that can help me achieve such a dream!
I am sitting in the room I always stay in at my grandparents house and I can feel the reality bubble hovering above me just waiting to pop and pour down on me that my dream is actually coming true! Until that happen, I will just continue on in a state of bliss that I'm traveling....even if my suitcase is a few pounds over the limit! I know when that bubble pops, stress will follow (no matter how many deep breaths I take), and life as I knew it will be over...
What happens from here on out will be documented in my blog. I will be on Facebook, but I think I can put more of me here than I can on a social media site where people would feel obligated to read about me when they sometimes don't want to! I can't promise to update as often as I would like, nor will I make that promise and live with the guilt of not being able to keep it!!! I may not always have funny stories, or be able to tell the stories to their full funny potential but I will record them hopefully for others to enjoy. I will post pictures of things and sometimes myself...but mostly of things and other people! I will try to recognize the people who have made this trip possible and show them some internet love in ways only words will be able to describe.
Tonight's 'London Person of Love' is more than one person! Tonight it is my grandparents in Weatherford, OK. Tonight it is some of my favorite people who always look at me with love, grace, joy and never with any judgment.
Tonight is my Grandmother who will always have "That smell" and any other person who wears her perfume will get a dirty look because they've made me think my Grandma is surprising me with a visit when they were just unknowingly breaking my heart because it wasn't true! Tonight is the homemade apricot pie she made for dinner and for all the wonderful smells she can make come from a kitchen with a loving heart and a pallet that no one can compare to. Tonight is her laugh-because if you can tell a story that makes Grandma laugh, everyone will laugh with her and the world will seem a little brighter.
Tonight is my Punkin with his tighter-than-a-bear hugs and when he holds you, there's no better place you could be in the world. Tonight is the humbleness he has for the world and what kind of an influence he makes on everyone he meets. Tonight is his smile that is full of true genuine love that is so rare anymore and that will be forever burned into my memory long after other memories have faded away. Tonight is the adventures we have had, big and small, and it doesn't matter what we are doing I know I'll love being with you both every minute.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to my Grandma and Punkin, without whom life would be harder, dreams would seem farther away, love wouldn't be as real and ice cream from Braum's would hold no sense of joy in my heart!
Till next time!
I am sitting in the room I always stay in at my grandparents house and I can feel the reality bubble hovering above me just waiting to pop and pour down on me that my dream is actually coming true! Until that happen, I will just continue on in a state of bliss that I'm traveling....even if my suitcase is a few pounds over the limit! I know when that bubble pops, stress will follow (no matter how many deep breaths I take), and life as I knew it will be over...
What happens from here on out will be documented in my blog. I will be on Facebook, but I think I can put more of me here than I can on a social media site where people would feel obligated to read about me when they sometimes don't want to! I can't promise to update as often as I would like, nor will I make that promise and live with the guilt of not being able to keep it!!! I may not always have funny stories, or be able to tell the stories to their full funny potential but I will record them hopefully for others to enjoy. I will post pictures of things and sometimes myself...but mostly of things and other people! I will try to recognize the people who have made this trip possible and show them some internet love in ways only words will be able to describe.
Tonight's 'London Person of Love' is more than one person! Tonight it is my grandparents in Weatherford, OK. Tonight it is some of my favorite people who always look at me with love, grace, joy and never with any judgment.
Tonight is my Grandmother who will always have "That smell" and any other person who wears her perfume will get a dirty look because they've made me think my Grandma is surprising me with a visit when they were just unknowingly breaking my heart because it wasn't true! Tonight is the homemade apricot pie she made for dinner and for all the wonderful smells she can make come from a kitchen with a loving heart and a pallet that no one can compare to. Tonight is her laugh-because if you can tell a story that makes Grandma laugh, everyone will laugh with her and the world will seem a little brighter.
Tonight is my Punkin with his tighter-than-a-bear hugs and when he holds you, there's no better place you could be in the world. Tonight is the humbleness he has for the world and what kind of an influence he makes on everyone he meets. Tonight is his smile that is full of true genuine love that is so rare anymore and that will be forever burned into my memory long after other memories have faded away. Tonight is the adventures we have had, big and small, and it doesn't matter what we are doing I know I'll love being with you both every minute.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to my Grandma and Punkin, without whom life would be harder, dreams would seem farther away, love wouldn't be as real and ice cream from Braum's would hold no sense of joy in my heart!
Till next time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)