8/24/05-Wednesday 7:00pm-Catching Up
I'm sooo late on the entries. I had every intention of entering sooner, wanting to put up a bunch of new great photos at once. Y'know how a project is going to take awhile and you keep putting it off. I kept saying I'd put up a new entry when I had time to process all the pics. That "time" hasn't been found.

Last I left off I had a Plated Dessert Final which I passed with a high score, but could have been better. Chef Peg said I was too concerned with balance and expected a more free flowing design from me. I think it's my German heritage...a bit too controlling. Now I'm in Cake Centerpieces course, wedding cakes and special occasion cakes. I'm having so much fun! It's slower paced creative icing and sugar sculpting work. Today I painted "Totoro" on a piece of marzipan for the "Child's Celebration Cake". Totoro is a Japanese animation character, totally adorable fat kitty-like creature. Chef Erica is great with the class, even the bitter students which is about half the class.

White Chocolate Coconut Rum Custard with Tangerine Passion Fruit Sauce and Tuile Cookie

Banana Ice cream on Banana puree filled crepes with chocolate Banana and Sauce. Caramel Pecan Garnish

Ruth and I teamed up to build this Croqembouche. Cream puffs and caramel. A French Wedding Dessert.

My first highly tasty loaf of Sunflower, Flax, and Millet bread made with my Levain starter

Fondant Gateau with Marzipan Flowers

The bubble-pearl cake went well. Rich and I delivered the sugar pearls to the winery where the wedding was held and stacked the sugar around the cake. Next day we went on Summer Vacation! School had a week long break Aug. 6th-15th, so we drove to Leavenworth, Washington for a 5 day backpack trip in the Cascade Range. Climbed 3000 ft. to an elevation of 7700 ft. into an area called "The Enchantments". So epic! We hiked this area last year and came back this year to finish it. It was the perfect trip, a challenging trail with lots of rock scrambling, Mountain Goats, Marmots, waterfalls, lake after lake and sunny weather. We hiked down a bit earlier than planned just to avoid another instant oatmeal breakfast plus build up a brunch base in the tummy for the assortment of German beers we consumed in the town's beer garden.

Pearl Cake - done finally!

Packed up some cold Dutch beer to Colchuck Lake

That's the pass we climbed to get to the Enchantments. Big Granite boulders and scree

That little black speck amongst all that granite rock is Rich.

A neighbor

Munchen Lager, my latest favorite

This is my safe place

Homefire's Bakery - We toured the kitchen, this is the German Mason built oven

Now I'm finalizing details for my internship. We are flying-driving to Napa over Labor Day to tour Bouchon Bakery and meet Jeff Cerciello, exec. Chef of the Bistro. He was just in town at the "Knoble Rot" restaurant with Chef Thomas Keller signing their cook books. Tickets were $150 to just dine near them and receive a signed copy. That I actually get to work with them blows my mind!

I'm looking at places to live while I'm there also. I may have found the place already though. Well, I have ..I'm so in love with this vacation home that's been offered to me. A friend of Judy's, a woman I used to work for in my Printpaks software days, has a gorgeous place in Calistoga that's about 35 min. away. A drive, but this place is so cozy, much more appealing than staying in a mobile home park which was the original plan. Plus, Judy has a vacation home nearby and an old printpaks coworker, Shauna, is nearby. I'll be visiting with old friends. How strange that 6 years ago if somebody told me I'd be in Napa working at the French Laundry's bakery and staying in Judy's friend's vacation home + hanging with Shauna I'd giggle and say "no way, how?. I'm giggling now.

I better go for a jog. Rich is making bug costumes for a "No Talent, Talent Show" show we performing in. I'm playing the casio while he sings a song about bugs hopping...it's very happy and sappy. Tomorrow night I have sugar pulling club then a building rooftop projected film to watch titled "Bill and Coo". A 1947 all bird film set to music with parakeets, a Parrot, and one bad black Crow enacting a love story. Have to see to believe....

8/2/05-Tuesday 9:30pm-ICES
New Orleans was a blast! Thursday my plane was grounded , so I missed my first demo candy-cake molds, but I met 2 nice ladies in the Denver airport who were attending ICES, Cherie and Helen. Helen was 84 years old and "decorating cakes since W.W.I" she says. They took care of me that first night and helped me through registration. I couldn't find them the rest of the convention because there were 1500 cake decorators running around the Marriot Hotel! I had "Crepes Suzette"at New Orleans' oldest restaurant for dinner, "Antoines". Waiters in tuxedos flambe'ing crepes at my table!

Friday morning was the ICES breakfast. I opened the ballroom doors to see all 1500 cake decorators in one room. What a sight! Met nice women and discussed how hard it is to work full time then try to fulfill cake orders. Also talked to a nice woman who works at Walmart. She said they treat her well with time off and benefits. I had to ask because Walmart has a history if slave driving their decorators, same with Costco. I found a magical Voodoo Shop after breakfast. "Voodoo Authentica." Fantastic voodoo dolls.

Breakfast Banquet - 1500 Cake Decorators!

In the afternoon I attended a demo on Royal Icing. The demonstrator was Spanish speaking, so we had translator headsets. It was my favorite demo, because I learned that I could paint wonderful designs with details on the icing and transfer them to a cake. Like, take a comic book character and capture the exact look. I also had a "Fresh Flowers on Wedding Cake" demo, and "Buttercream Flowers" demo.

Alligator Cake

Colette Peters' Cake

That night I went on a Haunted walking tour of the French Quarter. Great tour! Many stories of death, carnage, and hauntings. A beautiful walk!

Haunted House - Ghost died in fire

After the tour I had the best bowl of gumbo ever at Cafe Amelie. Started with a Fresh Mozzerella Tomato Basil salad. The basil was grown in the garden in front of the cafe. A bowl of spicy gumbo, but not too spicy,a well balanced spice. Fig Gelato for dessert. The setting was a quaint romantic quartyard with trickling fountain and candle lit outside tables. I had a late dinner , so had the patio to myself to unwind from a full day. I watched the horse and buggies pass by through the gothic steel gates. Excellent meal!

Cafe Amelie

Saturday morning I toured a cemetery. Visited the tomb of the first man ever to process sugar into granulated form, Etienne Bore'.

Etienne Bore'

Mourning Grave Statue

My afternoon demos: "Needlework and Patchwork with Royal Icing", "Wedding Cake Stacking for Successful Delivery", and "Fun Chocolate decorations". I was pretty tired and crabby at this point. Lack of sleep was wearing on me. That night was a Banquet. The speeches were a bit dull. New boardmembers were elected, so politics had to be handled. Afterwards we elected a King and Queen and flung beads. Imagine a ballroom of church ladies throwing beads. I met 2 friendly women at my dinner table, Chris and Cathy. They joined me for a stroll down Bourbon St. ...I didn't want to walk alone. The frat party girls gone wild factor was way high. Way Sketchy! I partied when I was in my 20's, but not in big scenes...that I can remember. Sometimes we block things out. After the Bourbon stroll, around midnight we ended up at Cafe DuMonde eating beignets and talking about mixing colors into fondant.

Cake Decorators from Jamaica and South America

My Dessert

Mardi Gras Party

Sunday morning I was in alot of pain from the late night , wine , chocolate, coffee, and fried dough. I somehow made it to my "How to Start a Successful Cake Business" demo then hit the exhibitor tables, grabbed a sandwich then headed home.

Monday I woke up seeing stars and with an upset stomach. I skipped school. There was no way I could move in the kitchen. I was surprised by how affected I was by the time change...plus lack of sleep. I'm much better today. I started working on my desserts for the final practical. Chef Peg needed help at a neighborhood event. She had a cookie and gelato booth. Rich helped scoop gelato and I handed out cookies. Met a nice girl, Kelley who's in the morning class. Oh, I'm so bummed! Chef Peg is moving to the morning class. We have a new Chef next week, Chef Erica. I like Chef Erica, I just like how Chef Peg instructs and I have a good relationship with her.