Snow Daze.

What is all this white, powdery, fluffy stuff? The natural colors outside are shades of black, white, and grey. It's depressing, but depressingly beautiful (good, right, Jess?). When I posted pictures last week of the snow that fell on Friday, I had not even seen the sights of the Hudson, which is essentially my backyard. I apologize that y'all have been missing out on experiencing this lovely river in the winter, but here it is!
This weekend was highly anti-climactic. I did take the school shuttle to the mall on Saturday to buy the essentials, Coca-Cola, Cheez-its, and small chocolate chip muffins. I know, I know, where's the Oreos? I already have a stash that should last me another week and a half. I watched a lot of TV on DVD, Gossip Girl (judge me, I don't care). I slept. I did laundry, and changed my sheets. All-in-all, a low key weekend.

Monday, January 10 (Day 5)
*Cut Napoleons.
*Rolled out and blind-baked tart dough for Chocolate Custard Tart and Orange Chiboust.
*Orange Chiboust
Above: my cut Napoleons ready for service. They would have been rather tasty if the puff dough had not been overbaked.

Tuesday, January 11 (Day 6)
*Sprinkled sugar on Orange Chiboust and torched for service.
*Made and baked Chocolate Custard. Sprinkled with powdered sugar in snowflake shape (with a paper stencil my partner, Laura, made) and garnished with a raspberry.
*Tempered Chocolate.
Above: Laura made two different snowflake designs. We tried them both, and we put a blueberry on one and a raspberry on the other.
Above: this is the winning chocolate custard tart creation. Which one do you like better, the blueberry or raspberry snowflake design?
Above: Laura and I were very proud of our dessert of the day. And, this is a picture of me in my whites actually baking, which I know y'all love to see!

Wednesday, January 12
SNOW DAY! Just when I was feeling left out with all the snow in Georgia, the CIA granted us a snow day! Forecasters predicted that today's "blizzard" would dump 6-18 inches in the Hudson Valley. Well, I must say that I am disappointed with this New York snow. Now granted, the snow does almost come to my knees (see below), but there was no wind blowing snow in swirls, like you see in the movies when there's a blizzard. Blizzard, smizzard. It was just snow.

The best sight I saw today was people sledding down the hills on sheet trays. What a multi-purpose use for one of the most important pans in the kitchen, culinary students! I am very proud!
Above: I played in the snow for 0.5 seconds to take this picture for the blog. Success. I did it for y'all!
Above: It was very difficult to walk in the snow with tennis shoes and jeans. I need more winter apparel asap. Now granted, half of my clothes are still in GA, but my boots, etc, might need to make the journey to NY in June!

My friend, Pete, and I ordered Chinese. They just called and are here. I'm starving. After that, seeing as I have already finished the season of Gossip Girl, I should work on a paper that is due Friday and my project that is due Tuesday. 10 more days people! 10 more days!

I WANT TO GO TO THE BEACH! (Good thing I start working on an ISLAND in 2 weeks!)

Hay Reh

*Can you believe that it has been a year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti? Unbelievable.

*Welcome home, Demond the cat. Way to get caught in a trap again and scare my mother to death!

*Congrats, Auburn!