Yes Chef!

A lot has happened since my last post. I survived Classical French Pastries. Had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. And this week, I started cakes class. I love cakes class!

I have Chef C., who is also my advisor. The majority of my classmates are other GYD students, and we share the class with a handful of Freshman. So far, it's a really great group of people, and there are no major problems (cough*awful girls*cough). We got to choose our tables, and I'm working with my friends Maria, Shannon, and Kendra. So far, we've made a convenience cake (cake from a box) and a chocolate applesauce cake, and fininshed both of those. Yesterday we baked off a pound cake with lime and a carrot cake, and we'll finish both of them on Monday. We also do skills practice every day, piping shells, rosettes, and roses. I went to Michael's last night for some pastry bags so that I can practice my piping at home. My shells especially are giving me a problem. Part of that is the fact that they're supposed to go in a straight line, and anyone who's ever seen me try to draw or write on a chalkboard knows that I can't even draw a straight line with a ruler. Hence, practice.

I adore Chef C. She is professional, and treats us with respect, treats us like adults. She expects a lot from us, and there is what seems like a TON of homework (altitude adjustments and formula conversions almost every night in addition to our two major projects), but I know I'm going to learn so much in her class.

My other class this tri is Baking Science, also called Bake Tech. It's interesting in that it's kind of a cross between a science lecture and a baking lab. Each week we'll do an experiment where we change ingredients in a formula and evaluate what happens to the finished product. The guy who does the lecture segment is a hoot and a half. We have a different chef for the lab part. I think the class will be fine.

We got our first really measurable snowfall on Thursday. The highway was a parking lot, so I took back roads to school. I would have been on time for class if I hadn't taken a nasty spill in the hallway as soon as I stepped off the carpet onto the tile. I know that my mother (hi mom!) is laughing at this, and saying that I really am her daughter. Seriously, though, I think I have more klutzy than she ever has. I felt like a cartoon character. My feet hit the tile and I went a$$ over teakettle, landed flat on my back. My toolkit and books went flying, and my travel mug hit the floor with such force that the rim got dented. Thankfully, I didn't get terribly hurt, just a little stiff. And I wasn't the only one. Two of my classmates also fell. So, note to self: wipe feet really well before venturing onto the tile.

Well, I need to get some homework done. I'll try and post more often this term. It turned out that there wasn't much to talk about last tri once I got out of breads class.