Pirate Ship Birthday Cake

Wow I don't know where the time went in this class. I had intended to post at least once a week. When I have the time I will go back and post the things we have made. Most of the things have been really good and I have learned a lot in this class.

For now though I will post the birthday cake I made for Nate Dawg's birthday! He specifically requested a pirate ship cake with the Scooby Doo Gang looking scared and ghost pirates. I haven't taken the cake making class in school so this is all on my own and I did my best. It was a lot of fun to do.

Sorry these pictures are not the best quality.

Garde Manger Class

I think it's pretty obvious that baking class is much more interesting to me and more fun to post about. This last semester I learned fruit, crudite and cheese platters; how to plate sandwiches to make them look appealing; made many types of salads including potato, pasta, bean, and all other kinds; did an ice sculpture; made appetizers and a "show platter" which is all real food, but coated with aspic so many times that they are no longer edible.

Last Friday was the Presidential Scholarship Ball and was also the practical final. The practical final was a show platter along with 300 appetizers. It only took all week while putting in lots of extra hours! =)

Here's the show platter. The galantine on the right is a whole duck that I cut the back open and took the bones out, stuffed it with forcemeat and salami and tied it back up. Yum!

Toast point or cracker with orange rosemary butter, roasted duck salad with oranges and pistachios

Wild rice pancake with lingonberry cream cheese and garam masala seared duck breast

Duck breast mousse profiterole topped with bacon

Here I am with a week's worth of work that went like hot cakes. ;)

Thanks to the husband who surprised me with flowers for no reason and became my table decoration!

Easter brownies

I did make these brownies once in school but the ones pictured I made at home for Easter dessert. These are rich and fudgy just the way we like them. In fact, if you undercook them they taste just like fudge. The topping is a dark ganache and the lighter chocolate is nutella I just melted in a ziploc and piped on.

My camera is really not working great for some reason. I think one of my boys messed with the settings and it hasn't been the same since..... so sorry for the really terrible pictures.

Before cutting

With a few pieces snitched by the hubby (and maybe a little by me)

A nice big piece for serving.

The First of Cooking Skills Development Class

Well I obviously have not been as excited about this class as baking seeing as how I haven't posted in a really long time.

This class is all about the basics. Dicing, cutting, basic mother sauces, cutting up chickens, filleting fish, making a roux, etc.

Most who read this blog know a lot of the basics so my goal is to try and post something interesting and new to all of you for the days I have left.

Today my team made cream of asparagus soup. The cool part about this soup to me was that it's made from the end of the asparagus that we typically just throw away. First saute some onions and celery and then add the asparagus pieces (and we also used some broccoli scraps). We cooked all of this until tender and then added chicken stock and simmered for about an hour. Next we pureed the soup and then strained it to get all the asparagus strings out. To finish it up we added some cream, cheese and a little salt and pepper. Simple and yet delicious.

I also filleted a halibut and my friend took a picture of it but then it didn't turn out so, a post with no picture. =(

The last few goodies from the bake shop

This dessert we didn't actually make. Another girl and I just plated it and served it for a small event that took place at the school. They have events held there quite often. The cake thing has ladyfingers on the bottom and I'm not sure what the white part is exactly. The red is piped raspberry sauce and then the chocolate in the back is ganache dolloped on and then a spoon swiped through the middle.

My cherry danish. These were shown on the Fox news video if you saw that.

This I made and plated. It's a Vanilla Bavarian Cream with chocolate cake on the bottom. The sauce is raspberry and the yellow alien egg stuff is passion fruit. My chef told me to add that for color even though there is no passion fruit anywhere in the dessert. A little of that has A LOT of flavor. Mmmmmm

This I also made and plated. It's a raspberry mousse cake which actually has strawberries in it instead of raspberries. The top is a layer of raspberry gelee. The colors in real life are much more vibrant and beautiful than in the picture.

FOX News

Aaron made me post this.

The news came and did several segments about the culinary program and most included our class since we were the only ones from 6-8 am

Aaron also did a little editing so it may seem like the transitions are a little strange... =)

Also, I really don't like watching myself so these are really a little embarrassing so be kind, and know that I am not allowed to wear makeup to class. =)

All the food from my practical exam

Here is my tray of goodies. Missing from this pic is my pumpkin pie and creme Anglaise. This is what I presented to the Chef and he graded me on taste and appearance.

I scored 99/100 and my missing point was for my pie crust. It was a little big on the sides and sagged down below the lip. Oh well. I'm happy with my 99! =)

A few closeups of each one

Blueberry Muffins

Cream Puff Swans

Cream Puffs

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft Rolls (Round)

Soft Rolls (Twist)

Pumpkin Pie

And let me just tell you, I did the impossible. Aaron ate a piece of my pie. He tasted a bite of mine, and went back and got a slice. I have never witnessed him eating pumpkin pie before. Woohoo!