a day in the life of this pastry student November 9, 2009

My days start at 6am. I wake up after having hit the snooze button at least 2 or 3 times. I get dressed and wear my chef uniform. No need for makeup and all I do is twist my hair up into a low bun we are out the door no later than 6:40am or whatever time I have finished packing the lunch bag for myself and my mother.

We then arrive to school sometime around 7:30am or whatever time we have finished getting the 20oz cup of café mocha from Walgreens (don’t judge, but the closest Starbucks is 2 hours away). I then make some instant oatmeal in the microwave at my mother’s office. The secret is to nuke it in increments of 60, 25, 20, 15 & 10sec. After that, believe me when I tell you that I take my time slowly eating my oatmeal. I am often late to class even though all I have to do is go down a flight of stairs to reach my classroom. But at least I make it there in time to slip on my skill cap and tie on my bistro length apron before the real work starts.

Over the span of 5 hours we plow through theoretical material as well as get our hands dirty. Today, for example, we made bread by hand and decided to make crepes. I was not very impressed with the latter so I won’t share the recipe but the stack of crepes we made will be shown below. They tasted yummy, by the way, when we ate them with whipped cream.

Meanwhile, this bread dough was just amazing! The rolls came out so light and soft. I recommend everyone make these! The average yield of this recipe is about 17-2ounce rolls.

So let’s see if I can summarize the whole bread making process for you. Maybe in the next day or two I might write out a lesson in the basic steps in bread making, so that no matter what bread recipe you come across, you will always know how to form the perfect dough.

Egg bread rolls
– 9 1/2 oz water
- 3/4 oz Yeast
- 1lb 5oz bread flour
- 2t salt
-2 oz sugar
- 1oz milk
- 1oz butter
- 1oz shortening
- 1 large egg

1- proof yeast in water with a few pinches of the sugar.

2- make a well of the dry ingredients and cream the days with the sugar with the palm of your hand. Blend all wet ingredients in center.

3- slowly incorporate flower by working fingers around the well until the consistency thickens and you can incorporate flour. You can take your time with this step as it helps for the flour to become hydratef before kneading.

4- knead the dough for 5-10min until it comes together in a smooth ball.

5- place on a floured baking sheet, flour too and loosely place plastic wrap over. Allow to rise until double in size, approximately 1hr.

6- punch down and round the dough, place back on floured baking sheet, with loose covering of plastic wrap and allow to rise again for approximately 30min.

7- divide into 2oz portions or approximately 16 balls. Fold each portion until smooth then round by making counter clockwise circles under cupped palm of hand.

8- allow balls to rise again for 20-30min or until double in size.

9- brush with an eggwash and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds as desired.

10- Bake at 400 F for 20min or until bottoms are a golden brown.

Enjoy!

A girl with hair on the brain November 8, 2009

Since yesterday when I finished ironing out my hair, I have been contemplating my hair.  

You can’t tell, but my hair is actually mid-back when its all straight and sleek.  Its the longest it has been for many years.  I would say that its the longest it has been since I graduated high school.

Yesterday I was at the hair salon waiting for a friend to get his haircut.  (Don’t worry, I didn’t cut mine but I was very tempted. VERY tempted)  So tempted in fact, that had I cut my hair, I would have cut it up to my chin.  

That would have been major!

I think more than one person would have stopped talking to me had I gone through with it.

I do need to get my hair trimmed, though.  But until such time that I can guarantee that I can see a stylist and NOT tell him to chop it off, chop it all off, I will have to live with the split-ends I’ve been spotting for a little while longer.  It will be safer, I believe.  

What does everyone think?  

Should I cut it off a la Sinead O’Conner?

Should I get a cute pixie or a sweet bob?

Or should I just give it the usual trim and shaping?

The leafy bombshell wants to know. 

And yes, the leafy bombshell is aware that she has dark roots.

But I’ve decided to let my hair grow out to its natural brunette shade for a while.

a girl in a pensive mood November 7, 2009

It is the beginning of the weekend and I managed to wake up without a hangover (the key is staying hydratef. Drink 1 cup water for every 2 drinks you have). I wasn’t the first one up but I was one of the first few. Today, for some readon I am feeling as if my mind were everywhere but here. It seems to be a thousand miles away, wishing I were with othe people I love and adore. I feel like my life has taken on that kind of holding pattern sensation.

I am also very behind on my writing. I did not write a thing for 2 days and today seems to be flowing past me with the same sort of disinterest to sit down and write. By tomorrow, I am supposed to be at about a quarter of the way. I should be over 13,000 just to feel that I will make it to the full 50,000 by the 30th. But the way I am feeling, is like this fine spider silk thread is what is keeping my mind from just floating away.

Just seems like the party is over.

the surprise of a lifetime November 6, 2009

Be warned! The picture that goes with this blog post is a bit… Much. Its just cake but you have been warned!

There are friends in your life that you love and would do anything for. You would cross islands and stay awake for hours. Friends who would help you move bodies without questions, offer to be hitmen and be unable to post bail for you because they are sitting right next to you in the cell going “we fucked but not we had fun!”

I have 3 friends who are that to me and I know would have my back, no questions asked. Two of them no longer live on island with me. The one that I have left just had a birthday on the 2nd.

We plotted and planned and managed to pull off yet another surprise party. One he swore I would not be able to make it to because of where I am. However, I made it and, while I had no choice on the cake, I helped decorate it.

I think it speaks for itself.

the perfect cornbread November 5, 2009

For the longest time I have been hunting for the perfect recipe for cornbread. I had tried quite a few and was never satisfied with the end product. To me, the perfect cornbread was one that was sweet, light and fluffy. I don’t like it to be dense or filled with chunks of real corn. I suppose I wanted a cornbread recipe not from a box that was almost like a fluffy delicious cake.

But no matter what recipe I tried, the result was either grainy or too dense. I still had one recipe as my go-to even though it didn’t produce the airy light product I wanted.

Then suddenly, about 2 weeks ago I decided to make the recipe with a sudden adjustment. After having taken a class on bread development and gluten and the perfect bread crumb, I felt there was something instinctual. This time it would be perfect.

Want to know what the secret ingredient was?

Butter!

Yes, butter.

The secret to life is always butter.

Just a single ounce more of butter made all the difference. Who knew?

The reason I believe is that the layers of the fat from the butter better coat the proteins in the flour. When the cornbread mix is baked, the fat melts and air is released to fluff it up.

I also discovered how just one tablespoon more of sugar to this recipe makes for a very crunchy crust. The sugar caramelizes on the crust and adds a nice crisp. I prefer it without that crunch but my mother prefers it with.

So I urge everyone to try this recipe and let me know how it goes.

To have the perfect cornbread, I baked it in my trusty cast iron skillet.

Ivy’s Prefect Cornbread @ 400 F

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 oz (6 tblspn) butter
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1- In a large bowl, place all dry ingredients and whisk together until it looks evenly distributed. Leave a small well in center.
2- Slice butter and place in skillet. Place over med-low heat and allow to melt. Swirl bitter around in the skillet to cost the surface and sides.
3- Pour milk, eggs and butter into the well of the dry ingredients.
4- Whisk together, starting in small circles in center and making larger circles until incorporated. Once fully blended, mixture will look thick and butter will have been absorbed.
5- Pour mixture into skillet and bake immediately at 400 F for 20-25min or until top is golden and middle springs back to touch.
6- Scrape edges with a spatula, working it under the cornbread to loosen it from the pan after 5min. Turn out on to a plate or serve straight from skillet. Best when eaten nice and warm!

A NaNoWriMo pause during NaBloPoMo November 4, 2009

Yay! I actually got my internet to work!!  w00t!

So I’ve mastered attacking pictures to my posts via mobile wordpress but I can’t find where one makes a hyperlink.  And this is a shame since I wanted to share some links with everyone.  

 

First I want to share the love with my NaBloPoMo tweetsters!

Yes, I stalk each and everyone via Twitter.

Share your support with them as they try to post on their blogs daily, just like me: 

Love Big, Bake Often

I <3 Food 4 Thought 

Ezra Pound Cake

Each one of them is quite unique and every one is super special.

Seems each of us has different ideas on what to write about this November.

 

Now, with that covered, I have time to share with you another blog.  

Like I mentioned some bajillion and a half dozen times so far since November started, I’m doing NaNoWriMo.  

But not only that! I’m collaborator on a blog about the whole experience with my friends.  My sister in law coerced me into it but my older brother is also taking part of it while in Korea, as well as an old college friend and a friend I made when I visited Cali.  

So be sure to come check out all our rants, goals, hopes, dreams

not to mention helpless sobbing

 as our word counts start going up as the calender days dwindle.

 

No Plot? No problem! 

 
   Word Count Update: As of last night, I had 4585 words.  I’m not the one with the most words but I believe I’m second in our group of writers.  I did finish the first chapter very neatly and feel prepared to really write my heart out today.  So I will get onto that once I finish all the blog rounds.  

 

A girl toting a tool box November 3, 2009

So this is me and that is my tool box. I kid you not, I got the thing over at Home Depot. Notice that it is far more stylish than regular tool boxes. When I went to get it, my mother and I scoured the entire store for the nicest one. Sure, we came across those bulky ugly black and grey boxes. Even if those had been the last ones in existence, I would not have taken them. Its bad enough that I have to wear nondescript black shoes, grey work pants and a plain white chefcoat (I will spare you the rant on the ugly hat they make me wear, the fact I can’t wear makeup or that I can only wear my hair up in a bun). I drew the line at having to carry an ugly bag.

So, why a toolbox? Because I have to carry a lot of them. I need to have everything from kitchen towels to knives to spatulas and scrapers. While the kitchen lab area has some of these things, they aren’t set aside especially for pastry and sweets. To avoid cross contamination, I then carry all I need with me. I am still missing things, but if anyone is interested in knowing all the tools and utensils a professional baker is meant to have, just ask me and I will be all to happy to list it all out.

Now I am sure, a few people are troubled about whether they should start dividing up their things to keep certain things separate from that which is used for meats and vegetables. I would say that its a good idea. Label everything and keep them apart. Kept together the way I have them, its useful anytime I need to make something at home. I know that all I have to do is reach into bag of tricks and have what I need. No going through shelves and worrying about misplaced items. And anything that saves time when baking is a very good thing, if you ask me.

A girl giving mobile wordpress a try November 2, 2009

This is going to make me seem far more techy than I really am but I am currently having breakfast and setting up the mobile wordpress application for my blackberry. The jury is still out on whether or not I am impressed by this. But it will come in handy to be able to blog during the day while I am still at school and therefore still in signal range.
There is so much I want to say and share. However, everyone is just going to have to be patient with me while I figure this thing out. I am sure that there are ways to attach pictures and write in hyperlinks. There has to be a way to make my posts seem so much more impressive than boring ramblings on my life. So I will play with it a little more everyday and hope that either I master it or my internet gets to working at my house.

Tomorrow will be far more interesting, I promise!

A girl having technical difficulties November 1, 2009

Goodness! I always promise myself that when I get caught up on my blog that I will keep it up. But then a week goes by and I don’t post. That is when I promise myself that I will catch up that week. I knew what I was going to write, all I needed to do was sit and actually write. Then another day passes and I swear that tomorrow will be the day I will sit and write. Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months. And with everyday I feel worse for slacking. What could I write to make up for it? What excuse did I have for not writing a few words?

Nothing ever sounds grand enough to explain my absence. And its not like I didn’t have anything to write and blog about. I started studying pastry and I have made so many delicious naked goods! For the first term I didn’t feel challenged enough. I told my mom that all I learned was how to use a scoop. Doesn’t that sound sad?

It turned out that even though I was part of the half of the class without previous culinary studies, I ended up being the one with the most personal experience. I have been baking since I was 8, afterall. Not to mention that I have a passion for food. Add that to the fact that I was relaxed and saw this course as a way to pass my next year, it all came very naturally. Now with breads and doughs, my arms and elbows hurt but I’m finally feeling the challenge.

But all that isn’t even why I finally decided to post on my blog. In fact, it was my sister in law that wanted me to take part of National Novel Writing Month now in November. I thought she had been referring to National Blog Posting Month. The first event is a writing challege where you have to write 50,000 words in the month of November. A group of friends decided that we should use it to write. We were all, for various reasons, too caught up in our own heads and not actually writing like we felt we should be. With NaNoWriMo, it would give us a fun way to worry about getting a novel done relatively quickly, then worry about editing later. I have so many stories in my head. This would be the perfect way for me to let words pour from my head, down my fingertips and up onto the screen.

As for National Blog Posting Month, I think that is pretty self explanatory! I needed a reason to just jump right back into blogging. So I signed up my blog a few days ago. But would you know it?! My internet isn’t working at home! I was sure that I was going to fail before I could even begin this challenge. However, luckily for me wordpress allows you to post to your blog via email. I will give it a try. Tomorrow I can use the mobile wordpress application. The important thing is to write and try to make the daily commitment to share. In my case, I will share my usual wife variety of stories and projects.

Wish me luck with NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo! November is looking to be a very wordy month… To say the least.

A girl embarking on something new August 18, 2009

With life never quite working out as one would hope or plan, we often find that we must strive to find a new direction in which to move forth.  That often seems to be the case with me.  At least, that is the way it has felt for the past year and a half.  I have to revise and re-revise that which I considered to be my life plan for the oncoming months. 

So, with the job termination nearly one month ago, I have found it to be a blessing in disguise.  With so much free time I’ve managed to relaunch my Mary Kay business in a serious way, as I’ve decided that I like the idea of being self-employed far more than I like the idea of being considered un-employed.  That has been accomplished to mild success as I have hopes to supplant my past income through my selling of Mary Kay.  In just 3 short weeks I’m about halfway there and that is with my still not getting out much from home. 

However, as of tomorrow, that is going to change. 

Tomorrow I start a 12month journey into a technical course for pastry chef.  My mother works for Ponce Paramedical College in Ponce and because of that I will have the institutional scholarship for my studies.  With such a steal, how could I say no?  REALLY!  At first I was just going to take the normal chef’s course but it turns out they were just itching to get started on opening the pastry chef course.  When the director of the chef program heard that I was going to be studying with them, he got moving to get a reknowned pastry chef and open that course for me to take.  

Okay, so it wasn’t done exclusively for me, but as I’ll be part of the first group to get that pastry chef tech certificate, I can pretend like its the truth! :p

I’ve already got my class schedule for this term which begins tomorrow and ends October 13th.  I’ll be taking such classes like History of breakmaking and Culinary Math, amongst about 2-3 others.  I’m really excited to see what they are all about!  I’ll try my best to chronicle my progression through everything and hopefully build up a portfolio with all the yummy things I’ll be making.  The people over at the associate’s degree nursing department have already called dibs on all my work and homework.  So its nice to know I have such willing tasters, although they are already fans of my cooking and baking. 

In other news… well, I actually don’t have any other news.  So I guess that is it for now!  

Stay tuned!