What are you doing right now?

[severine]

You need to open up a pastry shop.

Thanks! I actually contacted the Connecticut Culinary Institute recently about their pastry chef program. Unfortunately, the program starts too early for me to be able to get there (night classes are 3 nights a week, 5:30pm-10:30pm) and there are inconsistencies in their documentation about how long the program lasts before graduating (47 weeks including the paid externship -vs- 90 weeks). My aunt went there for her chef program and really liked the school. But I guess for now, I will stick with my English degree program. I'm enjoying the baking but I wonder if I would grow to hate it if it was my livelihood, KWIM?

I'm itching to bake some more right now, actually, but I already have too much food for our guests tonight. So at this moment, I'm relaxing a little before I finish cleaning up and setting up for tonight's mini party.

ETA: I was a baker's assistant (for the above-mentioned aunt) when I was 21 for 8 weeks, BTW. I worked in a small bakery helping my aunt with the cookies, doing the brulee on the tarts that required it, decorating other tarts with fruit, transporting bread from their main bakery to a small store they also had 1 hr away, transporting tart shells back, and washing dishes. A few times, my aunt had me make the cookies entirely and that was cool. I left the job because there were no benefits though; I needed health insurance and received a job offer from where I ended up working up until I became a SAHM. So I've been in that world before and enjoyed it even though it's not always fun or easy.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Bank run for some $$ then pick up the Blueberry wine for tonite's Roast Turkey Dinner .

The Family all returns to home to MA and downstate tomorrow am . Gonna be Quiet around here tomorrow -- that's not ALL bad

 

[RootDKJ]

But I guess for now, I will stick with my English degree program. I'm enjoying the baking but I wonder if I would grow to hate it if it was my livelihood, KWIM?

Did you get your grades yet?

 

[drjeff]

Sitting at home with the kids playing with toys. Decided to put the drive to VT off until later this afternoon and the DOT has had a bit more time to work the roads. Kind of figured it made more sense to leave in 2 to 3 hours and have the ride take 3 hours than leave now and have the ride take probably 5 hours. Plus this way I get to play with the snowblower this afternoon too!

 

[severine]

Did you get your grades yet?

Yup. I earned As in both courses. Thanks for asking!

 

[Warp Daddy]

Thanks! I actually contacted the Connecticut Culinary Institute recently about their pastry chef program. Unfortunately, the program starts too early for me to be able to get there (night classes are 3 nights a week, 5:30pm-10:30pm) and there are inconsistencies in their documentation about how long the program lasts before graduating (47 weeks including the paid externship -vs- 90 weeks). My aunt went there for her chef program and really liked the school. But I guess for now, I will stick with my English degree program. I'm enjoying the baking but I wonder if I would grow to hate it if it was my livelihood, KWIM?

I'm itching to bake some more right now, actually, but I already have too much food for our guests tonight. So at this moment, I'm relaxing a little before I finish cleaning up and setting up for tonight's mini party.

ETA: I was a baker's assistant (for the above-mentioned aunt) when I was 21 for 8 weeks, BTW. I worked in a small bakery helping my aunt with the cookies, doing the brulee on the tarts that required it, decorating other tarts with fruit, transporting bread from their main bakery to a small store they also had 1 hr away, transporting tart shells back, and washing dishes. A few times, my aunt had me make the cookies entirely and that was cool. I left the job because there were no benefits though; I needed health insurance and received a job offer from where I ended up working up until I became a SAHM. So I've been in that world before and enjoyed it even though it's not always fun or easy.

So Carrie as a student you remember that several of the great figures in literature were inspired by cafe society activities and wonderful delicacies

So i see some kind of amalgamation in YOUR future a writers cafe with fantastic bakery delicacies AND an ambiance filled with inspirational conversation leading to the development of MORE great literature which you OF COURSE will either WRITE or Teach about

 

[Moe Ghoul]

So Carrie as a student you remember that several of the great figures in literature were inspired by cafe society activities and wonderful delicacies

So i see some kind of amalgamation in YOUR future a writers cafe with fantastic bakery delicacies AND an ambiance filled with inspirational conversation leading to the development of MORE great literature which you OF COURSE will either WRITE or Teach about

Equally important......Location, Location, Location.

 

[RootDKJ]

Yup. I earned As in both courses. Thanks for asking!

Good for you! Happy New Beer! :beer:

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

digesting a Pulled Pork Sandwich and 6 Guinesses (took the crew out for lunch).....at work wrapping up some last minute stuff...(good to be the boss)

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I just cracked open Beer #2...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

digesting a Pulled Pork Sandwich and 6 Guinesses (took the crew out for lunch).....at work wrapping up some last minute stuff...(good to be the boss)

Nothing like walking around the office with a buzz on..that's what it was like after our Christmas lunch..

Severine..Congrats on the A's..!!!!

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Congrats on the A's, Sev. Baking the spuds and watching Spongebob...............

 

[Geoff]

Yup. Made in the cast iron skillet, from scratch, with fresh pineapple and had to make a caramel sauce that became the topping in which the pineapples sit. Doesn't look as pretty as the picture on the blog where I found the recipe, but I bet it still tastes pretty good.
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/the-sunny-day-yawn/

F'ing A. That looks really good! I've made pineapple upside-down cake before but I've always used the box mix and canned pineapples in a Pyrex baking dish.

I just pulled a couple of cornbread loaves out of the oven. I'm bringing eggplant caponata & crackers, chicken chili & cornbread, and mini pecan pies to a New Years Eve party. I need to head down to the cellar to dig out some wine. I haven't decided what I'm drinking yet.

The eggplant caponata comes out of the Todd English Olive's Table cookbook. He serves it as a side dish in his restaurant. I use it as a spread. It has sliced browned italian sausage in it along with a bunch of mediterranian flavors and curry powder.
http://www.bigoven.com/143810-Eggplant-Caponata-recipe.html

 

[wa-loaf]

Getting this party started!




Ok, I'm having a beer and watching Nemo with the kids . . .

 

[severine]

So i see some kind of amalgamation in YOUR future a writers cafe with fantastic bakery delicacies AND an ambiance filled with inspirational conversation leading to the development of MORE great literature which you OF COURSE will either WRITE or Teach about

The Cookie Cafe? However...

Equally important......Location, Location, Location.

We're not in a great location for something like this. I don't really want to be a business owner anyway; too many headaches with very little time off from work.

Right now... waiting for my ILs to come over. Feeding the kiddos some dinner and then hopefully the little guy will be asleep before our guests arrive. I should have bought more beer... guess I'll have to stick with the hard stuff tonight.

 

[hardline]

just got on the train to the city. going through a bunch of new music i got over christmass. i can't belive this party is going from 9 to 9. i havent done a party like this since i used to dj at raves.

 

[davidhowland14]

sounds like fun hardline. i'm jealous.

I'm finishing off writing a new page on my site. still need more pictures for it, but the code is done. I'm working on some homework and then a party.

I'm also trying to see if I can be at Mt. Snow on the 4th. pay your own age day!

 

[drjeff]

Just chilling in VT right now. Ride up took about an extra 45 minutes than usual - mainly do to the back roads in CT, and some people on the Mass Pike who apparently think that you need to drive at 35mph because of road spray

The skis have been tuned/waxed, the kids bathed and in bed, and I figure that a few beers before the ball drops sounds like a GOOD plan right now :beer:

 

[davidhowland14]

about to hit the sack. possibly a 6mile run tomorrow followed by a dunk in the ocean. and then trying to make my way to the gfs house over the 6-8" or so we got today. whee...

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Back from skiing..is it beer-thirty???