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

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'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