"Food is Life. Create and SAVOR Yours."

I know that I am super cool (and corny)... two blogs in a row with a play on words for the title. (You would consider that a play on words, right?) Get it? Savor like savory?

Thursday, December 2 (Day 13)
*Savory Prep Day
*Apple Strip (practice for our 2nd Term Practical, which is happening in THREE weeks. Insert freaking out and heavy breathing here.)
Basically, I grated cheese, rolled out puff pastry, rolled the cheese on the puff, cut the puff into strips, and twisted them. With the apple strip, there are strict guidelines that must be followed to pass this portion of the practical. (For example, the strip must be 20 inches x 5 inches or points are deducted.) I only have 6 hours collectively for my practical, and this stupid strip takes forever. I was glad to practice though, even if it does prove to be tedious and stressful.

Friday, December 3 (Day 14)
*Baked Savory Items (Cheese Straws. See below.)
*Final exam (I think I did well!!)
(FYI, I also found out on Friday that I scored a 95 on both of my tarts, my lemon meringue and alsation apple. Go me.)
Because putting sheet trays in the oven, setting the timer, and taking the straws out of the oven when finished baking does not take much time, Chef Temme asked me and Christie to make 7x the recipe for Devil's Food Icing (or Frosting). 7x!!!!!! (He apparently needed it for a Continuing Education class on Saturday.) It proved to be an adventure. When Chef saw what was in the mixer when we finished, he did not think it was enough and asked us to make the 7x recipe AGAIN. Needless to say, our whites were not white by the end of the day. We had cocoa all over our faces and icing was EVERYWHERE in the kitchen by the end of it. Oops. (See Christie below at the end of the second batch. I will miss you, partner.)
Robert recently graduated from the AOS Baking Program and will began the Bachelor's this week. Throughout our block, he was coming in and out of our bakeshop to make a gingerbread display for downstairs of Roth, on the main floor. With a wedding at Farq on Saturday, he was asked to move it for the weekend. Here is the finished display below. Isn't it fantastic? I just had to take a picture. (If you look to the right, you can see a cord. This plugs into a power source, and the stain glass sugar lights up.)
Another angle.
In our free time before finishing Cookies class on Friday and forever, I drew a "flow chart" (aka diagram) of where I will be and my travel plans over the next several months. You may not understand it, but it is blog worthy, I promise. It is a masterpiece in disguise. I will be BUSY.
The plan for Saturday was for me to go visit my friend, Derek, from Pennsylvania. We met over three years ago when we did Summer Staff at Saranac Village, a Young Life camp in Saranac Lake, NY. We were going to hang out and watch football (a mutual passion of ours). I was going to be able to check PA off my list of states that I have visited (see below). Well, I can check PA off, but I did not make it to visiting Derek. It started snowing, and I got scared. I did not want to get stuck on I84 by myself in the snow in the NORTH, and I did not want to have to drive back through snow or worse get stuck in PA when I have to be in class on Monday. Therefore, I turned around. So, this is all I got... a picture from the car (it wasn't snowing yet obvi) of the PA state sign. (I did get to spend a few hours at the fabulous outlets at Woodbury Commons before heading back to the CIA, however. A SMALL cancellation to seeing an old friend that I have not seen in over two years! :()
Tomorrow, I start Basic and Classical Cakes, an 11 day class. The 12th and 13th days are devoted to our 2nd Term Practical, as I mentioned above. Yes, I must pass my practical on the last two days before Christmas vacation. Thank you, CIA, for awesome timing.

Speaking of awesome timing, I found out this morning at 12 that I was getting a new roommate between 1 and 4. (Nikki moved out for her externship in New Orleans. I will miss you, Nikki!) It is fine, but I also thought this was worth mentioning on the blog. Only six weeks, and I will be moving out. Craziness.

PIECE OF CAKE? COMING RIGHT UP.

Hay Reh

*Congratulations to my dear friend, Dan Duncan, and the lovely Allison on their engagement. MoCiddle (and Wyldlife in general, Allison) for LIFE. Love you, guys!

*SEC representing in the National Championship. Congrats, Kristy and Swann Family, specifically.