All about Sugar

This week we are learning all about pulling, blowing and pouring sugar!  When sugar is used in this manner we are actually talking about Isomalt.  Isomalt is a modified sugar containing extra hydrogen molecules making it more stable that granulated sugar.  It lasts  longer, but cost 10 times as much.  So this sugar gets heated up too 330 degrees for pulling and blowing; 360 degrees for pouring.  Talk about HOT!  Lets hope I don't burn myself the next few weeks! 
Today we are starting our Fruit Baskets. 
Th requirements:
5 fruits
Basket
Handle
Bow
Rim
Pulled and Blown sugar
Doesn't sound like a lot but we are weaving the basket out of sugar.  We get about 5 days to complete this basket.  I hope I do better on this project. 
This is what the sugar looks like after it is cook and cooled and before you start to play with it, I have it under a 250 watt light to start to heat it up so I can "play" with it

Like everything else, this was way harder than I thought!  Pulling sugar is not so bad.  I kind of liked that part, but the blowing sugar was, lets just say it tested my patience A LOT!  For pulling sugar you literally pull it to the shape you want.  Not too bad.  For the blowing of sugar you have to get it in the shape of a "ball" and use what looks like the pump part from a blood pressure cuff and pump it up.  Sound easy enough, but if the "ball" is not of even consistency when you pump it you will get a thin side and then if it gets too thin....POP!  Sharp little sugar pieces everywhere.  Did I mention how fragile sugar work is?  Yeah, you breath wrong and it will shatter! 



Gingerbread

This past week at school we started our new project: Gingerbread!  We are free to do what we want.  Which is great because I have to best idea EVER! 

The requirements:
10 mediums, gingerbread, 2 windows, 2 people or animals, all edible, shingles, 2 candies that we make (one crystalline and one noncrystalline) and must fit on a 1/2 sheet pan.
My idea:
Large mountain (I am talking large as in the base takes up 3/4 of my 1/2 sheet) carving a curvy road, building a motorcycle and my dad and I riding up the mountain.  A mini store at the base of the mountain made out of gingerbread, modeling a motorcycle out of marzipan and people out of modeling chocolate.  The rest of the details to come.
The first day: Construction of the large mountain and make gingerbread and cut out templates.  First 2 attempts of mountain = 2 ways NOT to construct it.
Day 2: Continue construction of mountain, make mediums in groups for class use.  Full day spent on construction of mountain, lets just say I learned a few more ways NOT to make a mountain out of Rock Sugar and added bonus = second degree burn on my finger tips. 

Day 3: 2 more attempts on this mountain.  hmmm now to try a new plan.  Poured my windows and sculpted "Joe and Bug" riders. 
Day 4: sculpt motorcycle, work on "Joe and Bug" riders, and paint
Day 5: Prep half sheet board, "glue" house together with royal icing.  Work on Mountain-realized have adjust original plan have to "make do" with what I got.  Started cleaning up and I went to do my dishes and when my house was moved, it fell apart one window broke....pure sadness.  Time to go can not fix it today and project due tomorrow. 
Day 6: 2 hours to complete project and turn it in.  Whipped up some fresh icing glued house together again (with broken window).  assembled riders on bike, glued down all other pieces.  Time to turn it in.  Carried to grading table.  While I was cleaning on the other side of the room my motorcycle broke in half.  I noticed it before my turn and and grab a thin dry noodle and "fixed" it. 
The grading: Did overall really well even with all the trouble I was having.  Big mark down was for all the "glue" showing.  I was rushed to get the motorcycle and remaining landscaping down.  I finished out with a 86 B.  I am happy with the grade.  I sure did learn a lot for next time. 
The finished product:

Triumphant Tuesday...

Triumphant Tuesday, that is literally the best word to use to describe how my Tuesday was. 

 First at school we had to finish our Chocolate sculptures and turn them in.  I was one of the last few to get mine graded and I made a 94-A!  Not only that but I also made the highest grade in the class!  Hell yeah!  I was rockin' it!  This is the sculpture in all its glory! 

After class I had a meeting with the AGM of DoubleTree.  I showed up at the hotel ready to ask the AGM for a written letter of recommendation.  I was so nervous, but also so excited from the great morning I had at school.  I walked up to Steve's office and I was ready!  He asked me why I was so smiley and I told him all about my Chocolate sculpture and my grade.  He was very impressed and then asked me if it was here because he would like to see it.  I am so happy I decided to take it to the hotel.  Then, we got on to business and I started to explain my externship process and my goal of wanting to go to Australia.  The time came to ask for a letter, I took a deep breath and said, Steve I would greatly appreciate if you would write me a letter of recommendation.  Without even a moment to take a breath he agreed.  I believe I thanked him a hundred times.  haha! 
He started asking me my goals and what I was wanting to do.  I briefly talked about owning my own bake shop one day.  I also told him how much I do enjoy working here and if there was an actually Pastry Chef position available I would stay.  Then, he replied with lets see if we can't get you a few hours in the bake shop to play around and I want you to make the dessert menu for the restaurants before you leave. 
WHAT?!?!?!  Are you kidding me? 
I swear those were his words!!  Oh my gosh, you should have seen me then.  WOW!  I was totally on cloud nine after that.
We finished up our meeting and Steve said lets go see your sculpture.  So we headed downstairs and I showed him my "work of art" and he was blown away.  I very much impressed him with my talent.  He just kept saying wow and chef needs to see this etc.  Grace (Director of guest services) came out of her office  and started talking about my sculpture and she called Chef and told him to come over to the desk.  When Chef Ward (the Executive Chef of  the hotel) came over; he was very impressed and was in shock.  He kept looking at it looking at me back and forth and said you know we need to talk more.  Oh yeah!  GO ME!! 
What a good day...

EXTERNSHIP.....

As part of my requirements for graduation I must complete 2 six-week or 1 twelve week "externship" (similar to an internship).  So basically I will be working in the field under another Chef.  You can find ones that: pay, include housing, are in exotic areas, resorts, anywhere.  The sky is the limit!  Literally the world is your oyster and you have your choice! 
With all this "freedom" I am all over the place.  I have been trying to decide where to go.  I have looked into many options in hopes of finding one that fits just right.  My ideal externship would be as follows: new location (prefer somewhere I haven't been), PAID, city, busy, public transport (Portland ruined me on this one, too good of public transport :) ), would be great if it included housing but it depends on the rest.  So, after thinking long and hard I have decided I want to go to Australia. 

There is a way to go on a work/student Visa that I am going to apply for. 

I am pretty excited about this, I have a lot of steps to go through first before I qualify, but I believe it will be worth it. 
First thing on my list is to get my passport.  I must have my passport in hand before I can even apply for my Visa.  I will be playing a little of the waiting game for sure.  I am looking forward to updating every step of the way...  

Can you say slack ass?

Wow!  October huh?  No wonder I have had the feelings of missing something.  Well, a brief update: holidays-SUCKED! I did get to see Mom and Dad the week before Christmas but other than that, they kind of blew.  I have been keeping busy with school, work and all the crazy "home" drama.  So let me just share what IS happening now. 

I am about to make my 4th, yes I said 4th move since being in Portland.  My most current situation is with a very pregnant bitch whom decided to end her marriage over a damn text message and is taking it out on me.  I am so over her!  This last weekend I went out and found another place to live.  I will be renting from some "older" lesbians (no drama there right?....HAHA) who seem to have their shit together.  The best part, or least I think so, it is a purple house with a big pickup truck in the front.  Clearly the house of gay!  hahaha!  I will be moving in either this weekend or next Wednesday.  More on the that situation as it unfolds. 

School update: Still maintaining Honors List, finished out my plated desserts class with an "A".  Pretty proud of that bad boy!  Just started Advance Showpiece aka big over priced chocolate or sugar sculptures.  However I am super excited to be in this class.  I can't wait to learn about pulled sugar and blowing sugar muahahaha!  I have 2 terms left (after this one)before I venture on an externship.  Still not sure where I am going for my externship just yet.  I have been applying many places in the country and one out of the country.  I am stressing out a bit about my externship.  So many choices and decisions to make and the ones I am making right now will affect of my pastry future.  I decided I need to get back to blogging at least once a week even if it is just for a release.  
Work status:  I am still at DoubleTree.  Things here are going well.  The night crew is still AMAZING!  I officially hit my year mark last month and now I have a weeks worth of vacation time saved up, I am pretty stoked about that.  I am waiting on my evaluation for a raise.  They are kind of playing around with the "set" schedule due to some issues.  It's all gravy as long as I still get close to 40 a week.  I am still in the running for Employee of the Year which should be announced at our banquet in April.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for that one ;)
     I think that about covers the updates.  I am looking forward to maintaining my blogs a little better from here in out.  Watch out the best is yet to come...

Zipcar

On Wednesday I decided to rent my first Zipcar.  They are running a promotion right now where you can rent a car from 6PM to 830AM for $36!  I was looking into renting one earlier that afternoon because it was so frickin' nice out I just wanted to go for a drive.  I called the customer service because I wanted some assistance, with my first rental, they told me about this promotion so I decided to wait until after 6.  I picked one up close to my school so it would easy to drop off before school Thursday morning.  I got a very nice Volvo

I drove to the OMSI for the After Hours.  Then I drove all around town and I had a great time.  This was much needed!  I didn't realize how much I missed having a car until that night.  I decided to go grocery shopping that night too because some things are just too heavy to care a mile home when your walking.  Then the next morning I drove myself to school. 

I am looking forward to my next Zipcar rental! 

Portland

Let me just say I love this City!  There are so many cool things here, sights, bars, restaurants, public transportation,etc. I could go on forever.  there are 2 huge downfalls though one in which I can not change and just have t accept it that way it is- It rains  A LOT and it's GLOOMY a LOT!  The second thing is My family is not here, and I don't have the best social life.  I can't get my family here and that is fine but I can make new/more friends.  I have always been a social butterfly but for some odd reason since I am here I find myself keeping more to myself.  I think it is because I am alone here.  Don't go feeling sorry for me this was my decision; I am just not sure why my internal"ness" made this decision.  personally I do believe it is because I know how I get when my friends want to do something and I have school and or work.  I tend to blow off the lather to hang with them.  Maybe this is the mature side of me that is making this happen so I can concentrate on my studies and keep up the good work ethic I have here.  Either way, sometimes it does make me sad.

Someone drew this on the ground where I wait for the max at night.  I thought that is was pretty cool.  The next few pics are just some random pics from the past month.

This is an awesome sculpture that I walk pass every Saturday morning on the way to my meetings.  I just love seeing it!  It just really makes me smile.
About 2 weeks ago now I went to a gaming expo and met some pretty awesome guys.  The following are some pictures from the expo:

This was a pretty cool event.  I had a really good time and met some really awesome people that day! 
Then this past Wednesday I went to the OMSI which is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, they do an after hours event the last Wednesday of every month.  This weeks theme was 80's and I just so happened to be off work that Wednesday so I went.  the next few pics are from this event:

I had such a good time, one of my friends from school met me up there and we walked around played a bunch of brain teasers, drank some whiskey, some vodka, and ate.  They had food and talks about food.  In one of the pictures you can see where they had a station set up for hair crimping hahaha!  This was a GREAT night!