Finally A REAL break in classes!

Thanksgiving and the month of November have vanished and December has arrived and is not slowing down.

Here we are after the Martha Stewart Dinner that Phil, Megan & Ricki prepared. Ricki's sister & Megan's brother, as well as fello P & B student Hiro & his wife were among the guests.

Only 5 days until a two and a half week break from classes. The intensity of this last week and the week that is to come make me long for the break desperately. The days seem to be blurring together as of late in a crazy way.

I've learned so many different things and am thrilled to be making president's list in all of my classes! Below are just a few of the fabulous things made as of late.

Charlotte Royal

Pecan infused Creme Carmel with Carmel garnish

Another version of the pecan creme caramel...

Apple Turnovers with passion fruit coulis & creme anglaise garnish.

And Brioche...

We're doing mousse cakes and frozen desserts next week so more pictures will come. I'm happy to say I will be going to Houston for a week over christmas to see my mom, brother & (practically sister in law) Melissa. I can't wait.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Ok OK I know.....

So I'll admit I've been slacking....let's face facts I haven't been putting "blogging" at the top of my priority list. For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis I do apologize, but the truth is School. is. crazy.
I am deep into my 3rd term and very proud that I have a 4.0 average....yay me! I will toot my own horn and be proud of myself darn it! to give you the run down my life is about to get even busier once I find my second job.....however FIRST I must get a driver's license.

...one might think this a simple task and ask "Courtney what can possibly be the problem?"

The problem is this my friends... I am in class from 6am to 12pm then I work until 3pm....some of you may still fail to see what the problem is, but there's this teensy weensy thing about the fact that they stop testing at 4pm and when it takes me 15 to 25 minutes to get there depending on traffic both walking or otherwise and then I have to take a number and get called before 3:59.

...I have been to the DMV 3 times this week playing the crapshoot that is the "will I get called in time lottery" right up there with the "how many hours can I waste at the DMV this week lottery?"

Needless to say the nice lady at the window as I'm holding back tears of utter frustration actually was extremely sympathetic and told me that there were two offices that did testing on saturday....unlike the ass hole I delt with on wednesday....LOVED him! He wasn't there today so he's probably the reason my number didn't get called today since they were short handed....

SO tomorrow morning, bright & early I will be heading to the DMV for the fourth time this week...La-ti- freakin-da......

You may ask, what's the big deal, not having a license--you don't drive, you have a bus pass....well folks would have loved to witness me being asked to leave a drinking establishment last friday because my license expired on my birthday.....mortified and frustrated were the feelings that bubbled to the surface....Great day let me tell ya.

Also until I have said license I can't apply for another job.....PROBLEM....So there you have it. That is probably the most exciting bit of drama that has presented itself as of late.

Looking forward to Halloween--my favorite holiday. Minnie Mouse, just in case you're wondering, is my costume of choice this year.

Am also looking forward to hiking in Government Camp on Sunday! yay snow! wooo!

Until next time, Same foodie time, same foodie channel.

oxox

Sorry!

A quick "I'm sorry" to my dedicated reader pool of 2. My schedule has been a little more hectic & life in general has been a little more social.

Yay!

I got my first term grades and am so extremely happy to say that I have an A for the first term of classes and am hoping that I will do just as well for the second term :) I am enjoying many things....one of them at this moment is some peach, macadamia nut & ricotta cheese foccacia bread that kylee made in lab for her project next week....mmmmmmmmmm. The other has been numerous restaurants & what not.

Myself, Megan, Ally, Brooks & Raleigh went to Departure for my birthday last friday... it was amazing & the company was too! The dancing that ensued after dinner was ruccous & wonderful and my 29 year old body felt every inch that of 60 after sleeping on Ally & Brooks' apartment floor with Megan... ouch. Se` la vie!

The weekend was filled with pickling at the Alberta house where good food was eaten, friends laughed and then....we attempted to go dancing AGAIN. Not nearly the fun of friday & we were all tired on sunday as I awoke at yet another slumber party....this one much more comfortably arranged :)

I am currently in Bread class.... I have made 3 baguettes a day for the last 3 weeks.....that's almost 50 baguettes....as well as approximately 4 different kinds of bread everyday for the last week and 1/2.....lots o' carbs....grrrr.

but yum!

Next week we get to choose our breads so I am going to attempt some gluten free masterpieces that will hopefully be scruptious and wonderful. Wish me luck!

Pray to St. Honore` for me!

Learning Jewish Traditions....

So some of you may know I work odd jobs picked up at the career services office in addition to my swank, very valued job at the library. Most recently I have been working for two rabbi's who run services and ceremonies out of their home.
This in itself is daunting, I personally cannot imagine having large sit down gatherings at my home every week that involve food, dishes and all the preparation. But the Rabbi's are wonderful people and like my work so they are going to use me for a regular basis....how regular is up in the air but I already have another 3 or 4 days set up tentatively already :) yay!

I was beginning to sweat finding some regular side work to fill in the gaps from the library paycheck....

Right now I'm sitting in the gazebo in my Auntie's back yard enjoying this beautiful day & wearing a sweatshirt ....a warm one... which makes me ever so happy! It is sunny & the sky is blue.....couldn't ask for a better day really. I am going to the library at some point to return books, but other than that things have been pretty well thrown between work, sleep and school.

Thursday we went out to the Rougue Brewery since Meg had friends in town and I must say you know the P & B is definately beginning to get to you when you begin to pipe in public. Yes that's right we made Ali & Ricki made paper piping cones and were piping mustard or whatever was available onto plates....I only wish we'd had more paper....

on that note completion of the week of cakes was not as successful as hoped but all finished products came out beautifully. Breads are next, it's our last week of Baking 102. I can hardly believe how quickly the 6 weeks has gone by!

ttfn. xo

p.s.

Today was better than yesterday.....but could have been better! It is friday however & I can start allllllllll over again on monday :) Hope everyone has a great weekend!

I am creme caramel-ed out! ....but I could go for another dish of my vanilla pecan creme brulee....

Ugh...

So today I woke up on time & thought to myself "It's going to be a good day today, this morning just feels good"...HA well then I got to class. After blundering my infusion (not really but I didn't do it the way I should have) then somehow screwing up my creme brulee ( we'll find out how bad tomorrow) then ALMOST having to make my pastry cream all over again, first because the dumb flavoring compound burnt to the bottom and then because it almost oozed out every edge of the plastic wrap, I didn't get my creme caramel started so I put my strained pecans from my infusion into sugar and spread them out to put them in the oven to caramelize & toast for the top of my vanilla pecan creme brulee.....well someone changed my timer and didn't inform all the people in the oven....hence oh what's that smell? yes that's right the nuts were smoking in the oven....sigh...I thought at least I can get my muffins done with everything being mise en placed yesterday......I'm melting my butter & as I am pulling it out of the microwave it slips every so delightfully from my hands and onto the floor.....Ta da! my day!
bon appe-friggin-tite!

Hood River & More....

Friday was a day of great relief. First test. First practical. First time I've stayed out until 1:30am in a loooooooooooooong time. Oh what fun however.... Ginger pale ale at the MASH Tun mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

These are the crazy folk I spend much of my free time with in the two pics above from left to right are.... Raleigh, Natalie, Ricki, Megan & Phil....and we've all aquired nicknames....we'll leave it at that.

In the world of baking this week:

Practical & first test go swimmingly! Peanut Butter cookies dipped in chocolate....chocolate sabotage slowed me down but I kicked tempered chocolate butt!

Also made tarts!

Fresh Fruit Tart with Apricot Glaze & a Pate Sucree Crust

and

Almond Creme Tart with a Pate Brisee Crust

Also as a note.... I know I promised yummy recipes & I will try to share, but they are all formulas, not recipes ie. the ingredients need to be weighed in oz. or g. Sorry....but keep reading I'll adapt them someway!

The Wild wild west.....not really just a busy schedule...

Ah the weekend how I do miss thee....A splendid Saturday was spent in the Rose garden near Hoyt Arboretum....I say this because many people call where the trailblazers play "the Rose garden" I am referring to the international rose test garden....oh the scent of roses on the air and the sun in the sky.

I got some color to boot! I was joined in this adventure by Megan, Ricki & Chewy (Natalie got called into work unfortunately)

Not sure if the roses were good enough to eat, but the picture makes for good rose garden fun! We did get hungry though & eventually went out on my maiden sushi voyage...in THE NORTHEAST...

I got to try a number of things and even the seaweed salad was yummy, unusual, but yummy. Usagi or Eel is what I chose to try and it was yum-a-licious if I do say so. The edamame however was quite yummy to with its pods of salty goodness. I tried a roll of some sort with avocado & salmon (raw) the avocado and rice were yummy the texture of the salmon however... not to my particular liking.



Sunday was filled with laundry, ironing and work followed by COOKIE-palooza in class this week in class. Byselkex, Peanut butter dipped in milk chocolate, Straussburg with apricot jam & hazelnuts, Lintzer cookies, Biscotti & Almond Macaroons.....
Here's a few pics with more to come!



Happy Eating :)

Feels a little off today....

So on the cusp of crummy news from home about my cousin who I'm super close to I've gone and allowed myself to be mellow dramatic and think of all the other things that I'm missing and piling that on top of stupid stuff out of my control.....i.e. I'm feeling a bit homesick today.

Everything is so much more than great I'm just having a day. Ice cream was fabulous & so was the strudel. My brownies were sabotaged however from both a miscommunication with my partner & I discovered after some research that someone had put salt in the chile powder (that went into my brownies).

Hopefully a haircut, and hiking with the girls tomorrow will help de-funk my mood....or maybe I just need a beer.

It's been a crazy week...I thought today was tuesday if that says anything.

So today is wednesday if you all didn't realize & even though I called julie yesterday on her birthday....I still thought today was tuesday. Sunday evening threw me a bit. I thought I'd be finished working around nine....it was instead 11 and almost midnight before I actually got into bed & fell asleep.

5am does not come so easily with 5 hours of sleep.....and so the week began. We made Apple strudel on Monday and it's waiting in the freezer to be baked until friday when we are making ice cream.

Yesterday we partnered up and made peanut brittle it was fabulous. Ricki was my partner again today and here she is posing with our hard work....i believe Natalie is laughing in the background.

Bannana chocolate chip bread & Ricki put dates in hers....On a rather different note today was my first classroom injury! yay! I burnt myself.

It was a rather bone headed thing but I am blaming the person who stuck her enormously too full pan of bread on our cookie sheet. If I hadn't needed to leave it in the oven longer I would not have burned myself.

see--

what you can't in this picture is that my wrists look like they have carpet burn all the way around them....Thank you dry skin + industrial sanitizer = nasty nasty paper cut type skin irritation.....hopefully vaseline & antibiotic ointment will keep it at bay. Until then I'm forced to strap on gloves.





below is another beautiful shot of my banana bread. Bon Appetite!

So I missed a few days....I apologize.

I'm sure you're all just gripping the edge of your seats in anticipation for a new entry right?



Well I have suddenly discovered that it's difficult to have homework, work time, a life, school time and sleep time & still blog....did you see I said "a life"? I went out for happy hour on friday with some gals from class that turned quickly into me not getting home until almost 11:30pm ( remember I wake up at 5am sometimes earlier if the auntie happens to be awake at 4 (!!!!!!!).



It's character building....I will adjust eventually it's just going to be a challenge at times. I finished my homework this afternoon and have roughly 105 terms & 13 questions due friday from chapter 4....however there are 2 chapters in between as well with 35 more definitions and 8 more detailed questions 80 pages worth of reading....did I mention we covered a 14 chapter book last week? The test friday went swimingly I think I may have missed 1 at most :) Our managerial serv safe test is this coming friday so I need to keep up the studying for that as well on top of all the other homework.



Wish me luck!



On a fun note: I made watermelon pudding yesterday.

those are white chocolate shavings on top. Though I wish I could say I was creative enough to come up with this on my own....I got it from a Gourmet magazine. I know, "watermelon pudding?" but ice cold it has that watermelon quench to it plus a smooth slightly creamy coolness of a gelatin sliding down your throat.
My next idea is to do this with other fruits...blueberry lemon pudding anyone?

Until next time! Happy Weekend & Happy Eating!

My first accomplishment....

So today we made pizza dough!

I'm quite proud....it was one of the more perfect looking dough balls. I know the pic is a little fuzzy....however it looks pretty much just like that. A ball of dough. Tomorrow we're making sauce and having pizza I'm quite excited. We also sliced & diced fruit today for smoothies to go with our pizza :)

I am happy to say that I managed to keep from slicing my own flesh unfortunately I did end up bleeding by the end of class. The sanitizer used to clean and to wash dishes with is quite drying and the edge of my fingernail parted ways with my flesh putting forth a healthy bit of blood drippage.

Yipee....but there cookies waiting for me at the library :)

I've almost made it through my first week of class....next week we're making Apple brown betty & Ice cream :) my favorite!

I think the girls at my workstation & I are going out for happy hour tomorrow to celebrate our first week of class.... yay!

until next time happy eating!

day 3....

So to give you an idea....I'm tired. My brain is tired. We've covered 14 chapters in 3 days....that should give you an indication of the intensity of the program. Though I will say it is getting easier to wake up at 5am.

...as long as I get to bed before 10 :)

My "project" today was trying to get out of the basic computer class I'm supposed to take as part of my curriculum....Graphic Designer in need of a computer class? sounds like someone barely got there degree or wasted their money....I am not that person so I suppose I could go for the easy A ++++++++ but uh I really don't wanna :)

I would rather focus on more fun things....like scholarship competitions! Which I am currently working on! The one due next friday is a menu competition and I am cooking up one he-yeck of a constitution day menu :) will share after the deadline of course...just in case :)

Well anyways I should get a move on I have pants to hem...ugh.

:)

Chocolate c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e!

Today I ....not quite mastered the art of the "parchment paper piping bag"....quite amusing when you can get Chef to say it 3 times fast. Tempered chocolate was the name of the game today among other things, I must say piping buttercream is NOT comprable to piping chocolate...chocolate is Much more challanging... I need practice. Enough said.

Library work is slow & is giving me plenty of time to fill you folks in on the small stuff because nothing super exciting has blown this way... yet....

"My First Day of School" by C. Goldsmith

I had my first day of Culinary school and though excitement was high right along with irritability due to the hour in which I had to leave...everything was great. Chef Bruce is amazing and entertaining; which always makes those early am classes that much easier to bear.

We are beginning at the beginning with safety & cleanliness first...and we have to be certified :)....that's cer-ti-fied, not certifiable. So already I have homework, 3 chapters of studying and a test friday & a test next friday and I'm guessing that's how it will go...minimum...because today was the easy day remember? yeah so they make you get up and extra half hour early on the easy day to throw you off..........tomorrow tomorrow.

If I seem rambly blame it on the fact that I've been awake for 14 hours now and forcibly alert for the majority. It's 6pm and I'm just getting home. I foresee this as the average from here on. I digress....

We will be making Pizza on friday! yay fun....sheer bribery on the part of our teacher I'm sure...but I think it's going to work.

until tomorrow. Eat Well, Be well....sounds good but I'm in this to be a pastry chef! Fat chance of that happening! :)

Yay only 3 days to go!

So I woke this morning full of excitement because in less than 3 days I start class. Though I am not looking forward to the fact that I have to be out of the house by 5:30am I will survive...maybe. I will by the end of the day today be officially completely unpacked & settled in and working on the laundry I've accumulated. Tomorrow however I'm excited to say I am working from 3 to 8 pm for a private party making $15 an hour....um yay! Hopefully it will be the first of many jobs as such to supplement my library job...though I also applied at Sur La Table for a part time job...so my guess is I will be busting butt on a daily basis from here on out...and I'm quite pleased about it. I have felt darn lazy so this is just the trick to put things back in order!

Anyways I should scoot along now...unpacking and what not to do since the auntie has cleaned out the closet!

ta!ta!

Hooray for Friday!

Yesterday was a day full of fun filled things. It was my cousin Zacky's 27th birthday and the ironic thing is it was spent just as I spent my 27th birthday. Happy Hour at Henry's in Portland with my Auntie & my cousin Erica. It was over some very yummy straciatella & pistachio gelato that Erica asked Zack what's different about "27" & I began to think of my coming birthday and pondering the difference between then and now. So much can happen in just two short years. I think if I'd had to make a guess then I wouldn't have figured on having moved to Portland and returning to school...well I had already been pondering the return to school very passingly but it wasn't to follow a true passion it was to get a means to a better end... and in Marquette no less not thousands of miles west.
It was yesterday when I was standing in Powell's bookstore (what has to be the Mecca of all book stores) in the cooking section that I thought to myself " if I had to be completely honest I can't remember a time when I felt this good & this whole heartedly sure about a decision I've made for myself" I just keep taking things a day at a time and try not to stress about anything trivial.

Change is good. And I can't wait to start class & work on monday!

And Zack from now on I will try my best to write in my blog no matter how mundane...just for you. I definately don' t want a repeat of the scolding I got yesterday...I have never had someone quote me word for word so well to stick it to me.

Hard work & a long walk lead to good things!

Ok, so it really wasn't hard work, but the walk was 4.5 miles yesterday from homebase to school. Yes folks I thought to myself "why take the bus when I have to legs?" so I went and I lived, however was a sweaty mess when I arrived for orientation. Thank goodness I had baby powder & a shrug to somewhat cover the fact that my tank top was soaked thru the back...ugh can you say gross. But don't worry it did dry up by the time we got out of orientation at twenty to six.

I also had a job interview setup yesterday & got locker number 102...what are the odds? Oh and the job interview was today and got the job on the spot! How great is that?! I am now the newest Library Assistant at Western Culinary Institute. I'm super geeked...I mean this isn't just a library it's a culinary library! full of books and what not allllllllll about food!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a bit geeky I know but I can't wait to start!

So other than not really having too many people to talk to which will hopefully change Monday....things have been great and slowly getting organized. Now off to relax a bit and maybe have a dilly bar :)

Nothing beats a good treat!
Until Next time!

Just a random note, but damn does it feel good to be 96% unpacked and organized! Orientation tomorrow and one week until class starts! Oh and a job interview this week! yay!

A friend of mine threatened that he wouldn't read my blog unless I posted yummy recipes...so just an fyi I will be posting random yummy recipes just for you dan!

Happy Reading & Happy Eating!

Julie & Julia

So on Wednesday I had the privilege to go to a pre-screening of Julie & Julia with about 80 other students and faculty at WCI (my new school) and I have to say it was absolutely amazing. It was the ideal movie for me to see just before starting school. If felt like an affirmation that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be at exactly the right time.

I found that when I laughed at things in the movie, yes they were funny, but they were silly, dramatic, yet passionate idiosyncrasies that I myself often do.

And I find myself chomping at the bit to start school...

Things are moving along and I have my first job interview next week. Hopefully it is the first of many as I am finding I may need two jobs to get enough hours to pay the bills...thankfully most jobs here pay $8.00+ per hour!

But I really need to get back to unpacking! So until my next moment/ ephinal burst...which was really wednesday, but I didn't get a chance to get to the computer after the movie (I was a bit tired) this will have to tie you over. In the words of Julia Child, Bon Appetite!

It's official! I have relocated.

Today is the last day of the "vacation" bit of my cross country move. After 4 days in a rented house, a family wedding and 3 more days spent at the ocean - tomorrow everyone but me catches their flights home to their respected living places.
Here I will be just myself & the auntie beginning to unpack and settle in! However I am starting with a bang! My darling Kim is coming down tomorrow to see me and we are going to a special gourmet dinner & a special pre-screening of "Julie & Julia" thru the school. I'm very excited! I promise to write more once I'm settled btw the ocean here is --refreshing :) Until next time!

The Initial Beginnings of a Move via Airplane...

So I officially have 20 days that have nothing but cleaning and packing involved and 35 days until I'm hopping a plane for my first run to Portland. I'm finding that this is an adventure just in the packing alone! I've never tried to move via airline before, but I've found that I am shipping at least 7 boxes...minimum. Wish me luck! I'm in desperate need of it!


It's a challenge. I will promise to let you know how it goes as often as I can before I actually move...