7/26/05-Tuesday 9:30pm-New Orleans
I fly out to New orleans for the ICES (International Cake Exploration Society) Convention this week. It's the largest Cake Convention ever and is held in a different location every year. This is my first attendance. I've always dreamed of traveling to New orleans. I'm not as stoked about it as I thought I'd be though. I guess because I'm there more for cake than culture, but I'll see a little New Orleans culture between cake demo's. I'm swamped with school since I'm taking Thurs. & Fri. Off. Gotta go do my food costing homework now. I hope the excitement hits me on the plane. I'll post again when I return Monday or Tuesday.

7/21/05-Thursday 10:00pm-Blowing bubbles
Tonight in Sugar Club Ruth , Chef Peg, and I blew 33 Sugar Bubbles for a wedding cake to present August 6th. Only 100 more sugar bubbles need to be blown.

I won the essay contest scholarship! I didn't win the $3000 grand prize , but $1000 is nothing to cry about. I feel good about my effort. It was announced in class and I was embarrassed. The other students were bummed out and I felt kinda bad, but no one else in class entered and there are many more scholarship contests.

"Plated Desserts" course is more fun than I expected. We are encouraged to expand creatively. Today I made lemon Balm Ice Cream.

Phylo dough "fettucini" nest filled with raspberry and mint. A scoop of lemon Balm Ice cream. Skewered with a sugar stick and berries.

A white chocolate dome filled with white Chocolate mousse on a coconut cookie. Garnished with Red currant tuiles, berries, and Sugar sticks. This would have been better with liquor soaked cherry in the middle and around the plate instead of currants.

Stout beer ice cream topped with chocolate sauce, pecan tuiles, a chocolate decoration, black currant sauce around the edge. Chef didn't like how round everything was, but it tasted all right.

Looks like I should clean all the butter & sugar off my lense.

7/17/05-Sunday 11:30pm-Izzy's Birthday Party
My Finch, Izzy, turned 10 Saturday. We celebrated with a bbq and cake. This is the cake I made for my final practical and for Izzy. It's a Chocolate Hazelnut cake. Chocolate sponge cake coated with Godiva Chocolate liquor and hazelnut liquor. Filled with hazelnut and chocolate buttercream. Iced with whipped chocolate hazelnut ganache then glazed with chocolate ganache. Topped with white chocolate molded roses.

Saturday I baked this sourdough rye bread. I nursed my sourdough starter well last week feeding the yeast more flour and water so they grow and release gas. It tastes like actual rye bread. I'm happy and chef thought it was pretty good.

Jemma and Sarah are staying with us this week. Arrived from Maui Friday. We had a lovely day hiking in the Columbia Gorge. Today was a perfect Portland summer day. Hang'n in a mossy canyon with our toes in the river. It's supposed to be gorgeous all week. Jemma and Sarah are here for a Waldorf School training week. It's an alternative schooling program that focuses on art and developing well balanced self-reliant kids. I enjoy hearing about their experiences and about the children. I'm disapointed in the public school system, what's taught-how it's taught-how kids are neglected, and so happy to hear about a system where children get the attention they deserve. Especially in art and music. Sure you need math, which is instructed, but kids are taught that learning is fun. Teachers remain with the same kids up through high school. Relationships are developed very closely with the kids and parents. Theere is alot of love and passion for education.

My cakes course is complete. I start "plated desserts" tomorrow. Oh jeez, Classmates are getting roudy, it feels competitive.

 
/11/05-Monday 11:30pm-Late Baking
I just finished baking late night cakes. 13 hours of baking today. The Dalai Lama cake was eventful Saturday. We ran into a serious fondant problem, but managed to make a new batch and salvage a part of the very dry fondant by kneading in extra moisture. As a group we got lost on the way to Oaks park. Bad. But, the cake blew people away. We were thanked with a blessing and prayer scarves. Then we drank ourselves silly. It was like a dream come true to work with a talented and friendly team on such a special cake.

7/7/05-Thursday 7:22pm-Chocolate Torte
I made my first chocolate molded roses today. Also made a 4 layer raspberry chocolate torte. Glazed in Chocolate ganache. Not perfect, but nice. Last night at Sugar pulling we made sugar lotus flowers for the Dalai Lama cake. Tomorrow eve we decorate the cake. Saturday we add final touches and deliver it.

I can't believe I'm going to Napa in the Fall. Tonight I'm buying fresh rye and wheat flour to begin my sourdough starter. I need to get into the routine of managing a wild starter. It'll be like having a new pet.

I'll post photos soon.

7/5/05-Tuesday 11:40pm-Bouchon Bakery - The French Laundry
I GOT THE JOB I GOT THE JOB I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm interning at Bouchon Bakery, owned by Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, October through December. www.frenchlaundry.com I'll be baking breads and pastries, tarts and cakes. I'll also work with the Bistro and French Laundry's Pastry Chefs to provide daily desserts. I can't believe it! I'm floating on a cloud!

Today I played catch up at school. So hard to focus with all the excitement. I made a mocha angel food cake, hazelnut sponge, and chocolate layer cake. I frost them tomorrow.

Rich and I had a blast in Salem. It was wonderful to catch up with his family and meet new relatives at the wedding. The ceremony was quite traditional Catholic. I haven't been in a church since youth group....felt a little strange...in fact I'm surprised my head didn't burst into flames upon entrance. The reception was a total hoot after my third glass of Pinot Grigio. So much food and drink! Not traditional cake, but delicious cheesecake and chocolate cake took care of that. I have no complaints. I love visiting Rich's family over 4th of July, they crack me up. I didn't get enough sun and pool time in though. Went on a few nice walks with Rich's mom. Pleasant chats with his sister in law, Jen. No fireflies this year 8( I can't believe the trip is over. I woke up this morning listening to the chirping birds, daydreaming that the pool was right outside my window...sigh.....

I can't believe I'm going to Napa this fall! What a day. Rich and Hillary took me out to dinner and ice cream to celebrate. I think I'll bask in the glory of it the rest of this week, then begin planning and "oh crap I'm going away" worrying later next week.
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