Day Eighty-Five

on
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
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Friday was the last day of exams, and it really couldn’t have gone better.  I was surprised how smoothly everything went last week.  I even finished the test a little early!  I felt so proud of myself when I walked out of class.  My past exams weren’t as smooth, and our chef said this was the hardest exam we would have to take. 

My gum paste flowers were ten times better.

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On Saturday I competed in a brownie competition sponsored by Pastry Chicago.  I was contestant #8.  I ended up winning third place and an immersion blender!  Whoo hoo.  I was pretty surprised because there were a ton of amazing-looking brownies there. 

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The next month’s competition is gingerbread houses, so I’m not sure if I will enter.  I would like to enter, but I don’t know anything about making a gingerbread house.  Any advice?  We have to recreate a Chicago building.

Today we started a new subject: breads!  The class is being taught by…

Jacquy Pfeiffer!  The dean of the school, and star of Kings of Pastry. 
I caught him in mid-bread action today. 

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I didn’t look quite as powerful when I held that huge bread peel.  Someone in class called me the Keebler Elf.  Which I totally agree with because I’m very elf-like. 

I started out being scared of Chef Jacquy, but I got over that pretty quickly when he grabbed my hands and started showing me how to knead the bread dough properly.  Then he told me he wasn’t leaving my table until he saw me do it myself.   

He’s kind of a jokester.  I wasn’t expecting that. 

We made “Toast Bread” today, which is basic white bread.  I don’t care if it’s only basic white bread – it was good.  I love all bread.  I actually have a bread problem.  I rip into loaves of bread, right out of the oven, before they’ve even had a chance to cool.  I’m like a wild savage. 

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There’s nothing like scalding your mouth on a hot blueberry muffins.  We made these too. 

They were made with fancy French blueberries.  In a fancy mold.

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I’m going to love breads class.  There’s lots of science behind bread baking and I like that. 

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16 comments on "Day Eighty-Five"
  1. Glad your exams went smoothly. Your roses are beautiful.
    Too bad about the FB page, I use FB but I don't like their policies... I hope your lawyer friend can sort it out.

    The bread class looks fun, as does your teacher :)

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    1. Thanks, Julie! I'm working on the page still. I'll have an update next week.

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  2. Really already 86 days????? Seems like you began yesterday!!! Love the little blueberries breads!

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  3. I'm glad you did so well on your exams! I'd be so nervous having to making something. Congrats on the brownie contest! You're going to enjoy the immersion blender.

    If you want any pointers on gingerbread houses, send me a message!

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    1. I knew you could help me! Mizz Gingerbread Queen. I'm still trying to find something I want to make.

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  4. Bread baking! Kings of Pastry! Wow...I have to admit to being a little jealous. Congrats on finishing exams and on the brownie contest. Thanks for posting and I can't wait to see more about the bread (I think I may have a bit of a bread problem too!)

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    1. Breadaholics unite! I ate half a loaf tonight plus a doughnut. Oh my.

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  5. Yum, if any of those blueberry muffins are left on Friday, I might be able to help you get rid of a few of them :)

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    1. Haha do you really want them? They're old now! Eric doesn't like them. I thought they were pretty good.

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  6. Yay bread! So fun! I took a bread-making workshop one time and the instructor helped me knead too - I felt so much more confident afterwards. Congrats on your tests, too. :)

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  7. Great job on your exams! I am super jealous that you have Jacquy Pfeiffer as a teacher! What an amazing opportunity. I loved watching Kings of Pastry!

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    1. It's a great documentary! He's a really nice guy.

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  8. Glad you made it through your exams with flying colors! =)

    PS - I'm like a wild savage when it comes to bread, too. It has no chance to cool before I'm ripping off hunks and shoving them in my mouth!

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