All Posts Tagged With: "Pastry School"

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My Aha Moment for Mutual of Omaha

Watch my “Aha Moment” that I taped last summer, and all the details on my decision to cross over to the culinary field.

26Jan2012 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Why Pastry School?

I’ve always loved baking. You can probably tell this by taking one look at my blog. But I wanted to learn more. I wanted to understand why failures in the kitchen happen and how to prevent them. I also wanted to know how to make those fancy, gorgeous plated desserts seen at fine dining restaurants, [...]

25Jul2009 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Salted Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies

When I was younger and naive to the extent of flavors and ingredients in the culinary world, I thought there was only one type of salt- iodized table salt that people needed in their diets to prevent goiters. Then I grew older and wiser, a natural progression. In fact, there are numerous varieties of salt [...]

17May2009 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Saffron and Cardamom Panna Cotta

When I go grocery shopping, there are three things I practically stockpile every time: butter, heavy cream, and eggs. If I could carry Sam’s Club or Costco-sized loads of these products home on each occasion I would. Living in a city where you have to carry your groceries for blocks completely changes your perspective on [...]

17May2009 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Lavender-Scented Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

This cookie was inspired by a number of things- the approaching holiday celebrating all things motherly, springtime in Chicago, and a recent trip to a spice merchant. I wanted to make something that is perfect for giving to moms this time of year; perhaps a bit floral, a bit feminine, fresh, and sweet. Let me [...]

5May2009 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Pastry School Update: Sugar Candies, Ice Creams and Sorbets, Plated Desserts, & Jam-Making

Again, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted about school. I’ve never experienced such a period in my life where the days, and weeks…and months literally fly by. But I am back, and hoping to stay around a bit. I’ve got a zillion recipe ideas crashing around in my head and I want to try them [...]

4May2009 | | 5 comments | Continued
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Pastry School Update: Gumpaste Flowers & Wedding Cakes

This unit was definitely a break from our regular kitchen routine- we did almost no baking- rather, we sat at our kitchen stations and created the beautiful and realistic creations known as gumpaste flowers. Prior to pastry school, I had no knowledge of gumpaste flowers. It wasn’t until our chef for this unit, Chef Laura Ragano, [...]

21Mar2009 | | 5 comments | Continued
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Pastry School Update: Tarts and Cakes

Having completed the petit fours unit, it was time to move on to tarts, with Chef John Kraus. We had a little bit of experience making tart doughs and rolling out tart dough from the tartlets we made in the petit fours unit, but I still have a difficult time rolling out some of the [...]

16Mar2009 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Pastry School Update: Petit Fours and 1st Exam

So far the petit fours unit has been my favorite unit in pastry school. Everything is small and bite-sized, and therefore cute. We started the unit by making pate a choux, which is the thick, rich paste used for making eclairs, cream puffs, and other pastries. It has the amazing ability to puff as it [...]

16Mar2009 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Pastry School Update: More Breads, Breakfast Pastries, and Petit Fours

This week was the conclusion of our breads and breakfast pastries unit.  This was a good thing because I was beginning to run out of room in my freezer! We made brioche dough again, but this time we shaped it differently. The brioche has been one of my favorite breads we’ve made, especially when it is [...]

16Feb2009 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Pastry School Update: Breads and Breakfast Pastries

Another week in the kitchen for our breads and breakfast pastries unit has passed, and ohh, the abundance of baked goods. I think I have been following a strict butter diet. On to the food… Photograph (right): Pear danish TUESDAY: We didn’t have class on Monday due to MLK Day. Tuesday arrived with a bang, [...]

25Jan2009 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Pastry School Update: The First Two Weeks

This week at pastry school was our first week in the kitchens. Last week was mostly orientation, food safety/sanitation, and lecture classes, which were inspiring. Some of the chefs spoke to us about the different areas of the food industry our talent could take us. The great thing about being a pastry chef is that [...]

19Jan2009 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Pastry School!

Well, I am halfway through my first week of pastry school! Each day has been exciting and exhausting, but the exhausting part comes with adjusting to any new job or semester of school. Highlight: Getting my pastry tool kit filled with all the goods. Lowlight: Sanitation and food safety class. I think I’ll be afraid [...]

8Jan2009 | | 2 comments | Continued
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The Beautiful Web of Food

Earlier this week, something very cool happened. I was contacted by Kat Rohrbacher, an artist from Baltimore who is originally from Fort Wayne. She is working on her thesis project for graduate school and wants to use my cupcakes in her paintings! We chatted for a long time last night about her project and I [...]

12Dec2008 | | 1 comment | Continued