Cake That's Worth It

It's 2 Days before i turn 19 and 4 dyas before my "new life"  begins in Oregon. So why have I spent the last 6 hours baking and not pakcing? For one thing, it's nearly impossible for me to go a day without baking something. For another, i had a cake to bake for my grandma's birthday today.
Unfortunately,m today was the second time I made the vanilla cake layers. Lesson learned: no more double recipes!
I went for a flower theme; frosting the cupcakes in yello9w, lemony frosting (which unfortunately looks curdled, but it adds to the natural appeal), and the layer cake in rich, fudgy frosting.
I took it seriously; this is probably the last time I will make a cake at home, at least before i start making them in high production at Bliss Bakeshop. I even went all-out; with modeling chocolate roses that required some creativity to color. The only unfortunate thing is that I never made a ckae this good during my practical. But then, it's just as well; at least I know who gets to enjoy it this time.
Here's to my last weekend at home; last weekend of meat, and last weekend of being 18. A pretty good way to do it! Now, if only I would get an email from Scharfeen Berger...

Anticipation in Numbers

It's not easy being a pastry student. I'm not talking about the work, the stress, the exhaustion, though those can be tough too. I'm talking about all the food; the inspiration, the cravings, the antsy feeling you get at future opportunities, dreams and creations that are close to bursting your head open!

That's me right now. In three weeks, I'll be 19. In 21 days I'll be flying to Portland. In 28 days I'll be starting my internship in Portland. In 28 days I'll be starting a vegan adventure.

Whew! So you see why I might be a little jittery right now! On one hand; I'm ready for something new; something that is not sitting in a classroom and listening to lectures that have very little to do with my future; something that will teach me real-world techniques and get my body immersed in commercial baking. I'm excited to get a feel for living on my own and to hopefully start a regiment that might actually work to keep me healthy. Excited to explore a new city and be close to one of my bff's.

On the other hand there is all the "what if's"... need I say more?

And in the meantime, I have papers to write, plans to make, housing to find and so much hunger and longing in my mind.

My sweet tooth isn't helping!

Last weekend, I bought a great book, by the same author of a vegan cookie book I love, and have literally had to keep myself from flipping through every delicious page. Instead, I looked at the picture section and tried to remind myself that I plan to save it for the plane; the flight on which my new life will start. We'll see how long that lasts!

That leads me to this recipe; not one that I've created, since the kitchen I wanted has still not appeared inside my dorm room; but one by Isa and Terry, who wrote Veganomicon, my newest bookshelf addition.

If you're like me, you will want to run to your fridge and figure out what you can do to satisfy your sudden sweet craving!

Berry Creme Tart

Winter blues

I know. I haven't published in over a month. But, by now, I hope you know me; I like to blog when I have something to talk about. Or just because I want to have something to talk about.
The ladder is true today.
Here I am, in my 8 by 10 dorm room on a snowy Friday; with all my plans and aspirations blown away into the dancing flakes. I'm starting to get sick. Physically and... emotionally? No need to worry; just a cold and some New Englanditis. i'm so done with snow. On the one hand, I can't believe it's almost February of my sophomore year already. On the other hand; I can't wait to hop a plane to Oregon in like six weeks. Then I start feeling guilty that I'll be on the other side of the country from home for at least 3 months.
So, you might see why I'm a bit down in the dumps and questioning my every move.
Sometimes I'm afraid i'm growing up to fast.
But most of the time; I want to just get to opening that bakery I've been wanting since I was five.
I don't know.

To make things worse, I'm trying to recover my favorite recipes from memory; because i forgot to do what I tell everyone else to; backup my computer. It's a Mac; why should it ever fail? But, alas; one day it worked, and the next day- my hard drive was failing and my data inaccessible.

So, I'm sorry to tell you I don't have a new recipe for you. I'm spending my weekend trying to pry the recipes I entered into the Scharffen Berger Cupcake Adventure Contest, Saffron Velvet Cupcakes and Coconut Mocha Steamers; out of my brain stores. At least I have my basic recipes to work off of! And I have another new idea in the works. Cupcakes are good; but this might be better!

But, all that will have to wait for another time. Right now; I've got an internship to finalize and housing to find. But, it's sure good to get all my thoughts out there.

i'm always on the hunt for ideas; if you have recently tried a dessert you've loved; please tell me about it! You never know what kind of spin I'll put on it!

Christmas Time!

It's Christmas at last! The hot fudge sauce is made and perfuming the house; the cookies are in the car waiting for tonight's festivities, and the counter and tables are set for tomorrow's Swedish Smorgasbord. It's official: Christmas if my favorite time of year!

With a second place ribbon in place from Mom's wonderful gingerbread house, and 3,983 cookies distributed throughout our network of lucky friends and neighbors; it's time to wonder what is next on the baking horizon.

But that will have to wait; because even though I have plenty of cupcake ideas zooming through my mind and a contest I hope to enter; for now it's time to look forward to the next 36 hours. Dinners, presents, cardamom bread and... to top it all off; Snow Pudding. The custard-sauce topped, light and fluffy Jello-like dessert that i could eat all year long, yet get to eat only during this week between Christmas and New Year's.

So, as I try to relax and break my brain away from schoolwork, the ever-present plethora of innovative ideas inside my head, and my yearnings and dreams that lie in Portland, I wish everyone; especially hard-working college students like myself; a family-centered, surprising, yummy and merry Christmas!

Bread, Vacation, Gingerbread and thoughts about food.

Two weeks is such a short period of time, but can take so long at times, and fly by at others. In the last two weeks of my life, I finished a great bread lab and another chapter of my college career (let alone what was probably my last hand-on lab class), and brought home boxes of bread that no one even had time to enjoy because my parents and I got on a plane bound for Portland at 6:20 the next morning.

Then came a whirlwind of bakery visits, walking, train-travel, and great meals; all of which sounded ridiculous when I retold the five days of travel at the Thanksgiving table. Yet there was still so much more I would have liked to see.

Now, stuffed with two weeks of great food; Mom and I teamed up to assemble and decorate our first real gingerbread house; a traditional Irish cottage dressed in simple, religious decor amidst the rainy climate and strong traditions. Meanwhile, a some-what solemn baking frenzy has commenced, with a realization that the cookie marathon Mom and I have kept a tradition for 11 years has gotten too big to continue, and the boxes of cookies will be smaller this year, with the freezer already full of other baked goods.

But there is still a lot left to be done; and not enough time to do it in.

And yet, part of me wants to be back in Portland. At home, or in Portland, not back to school tomorrow; where my hard work will be put to tests and essays, and not to creating the new & innovative baked goods that pop into my head daily.

The struggles of an aspiring baker!

And now; some pictorial food for thought to drool over!

Warm, flaky croissants from Advanced Breads

A cute, harmless alligator that you get to eat!

"Quinoa-crusted diver scallops perched on top of wilted spinach and potato-parsnip purée, with golden beet and crabmeat "cannelloni, and a duet of red beet and passionfruit reductions" (www.andinarestaurant.com)

"ANTICUCHO DE POLLO marinated chicken kebobs, served with a spicy salsa de rocoto" (www.andinarestaurant.com)

Braised Veal Shank with ajus, garbanzo bean puree and chanterelle mushrooms

Voodoo Doughnuts display of deliciousness!

Gingerbread Irish Cottage