Das Stencil

Being a life long Kansan, I was expecting some mild teasing upon my arrival to New England. You know, some sort of reference to tornados, Dorothy, or perhaps a "midwestern" accent? Well so far there has been minimal reference to Oz or the bipolar tendencies of the weather back home, but this week I did endure some teasing regarding my "accent". However, this accent doesn't trace back to my midwestern roots, no no, I apparently carry a German accent that surfaces with such words as stencil, pencil, and with the letter "in"(N) in general. Oh yes, a harsh lesson I have learned in my 23rd year, how did I go so long without knowing I possess such a charming characteristic.

Chef Matt with Das Stencil



Regardless of the witty banter from my classmates and chef, well mostly just my chef, this past week was exceptional. Our last week in plated desserts was incredibly enjoyable and brought with it many learning opportunities, and not all of them pertaining to pastry.

A list of additional lessons learned this week:

• You will never get the answer you want if you never ask. 
• I ASKED Chef Matt if I could make candy corn!! Yep, a means by which to satisfy my obsession with the sugary bits of happiness that autumn brings me annually, bahahahahaha!! Well, the jokes on me. Turns out it is a fairly tedious task and Brachs is waaay tastier than homemade, however, Chef Michael enjoyed them and so I was then assigned the task of making a quadruple batch of candy corn for La Brioche to sell.

• Earworms
• Or "ohrwurms" as the Germans refer to them(how ironic?),  the parasitic phrases and catchy tunes that get stuck in our heads. What is the relevance of an "earworm" you ask? Well friends, Chef Matt is very very susceptible to the pesky parasites, the week began with Dream Police and a variety 80's ditties, and ended in original melodies relating to my newly Chef-diagnosed "speech impediment".
• My obsessive personality is quite dangerous in a pastry kitchen.
• I literally made myself sick on Friday evening gorging on the INCREDIBLE maple pecan caramel corn (see the addictive recipe below) looming on a rack within arms reach. Oh, my, goodness, I COULD NOT stop munching, makes me nauseous thinking about it. 
• Filing is much more hazardous than it seems.
• Monday was my first day working as an office assistant for financial aid, and whoa. The previous office assistant left 6 months prior to my arrival so I had a bit of catching up to do, and by that I mean a stack of papers 2 feet high that needed filed and four file cabinets of files that needed organized. A very monotonous task which resulted in multiple CARDSTOCK cuts on my hands and forearms, I would've never imagine such horrific work-related injuries
• side note.....I am currently listening to cats meowing jingle bell rock and I couldn't be happier
• Skeletons can be categorized at delightful and delicious
• Another holiday themed task I had this week was sheeting, cutting, and icing 50 gingerbread skeletons, and they were some pretty precious, palette-pleasing dudes. 

• Chef's whites attract chocolate, or maybe I still have a depth perception issue.....
• I was able to provide an additional form of entertainment this week as I was involved in a minor mishap with a chocolate cake tasting. So as you know, you must taste, taste, taste, and that I was doing when disaster struck. In the process of tasting the main component of my dessert this week, a chocolate lava cake with chocolate cinnamon sauce (yes just imagine the dangerous decadence) I misjudged the placement to my chops and the gooey goodness didn't miss a nook or cranny as is made its way down my face and onto my chef's whites. Ohhhh yeah, just as graceful as you would imagine.

• Oftentimes childhood classics turn into grown-up favorites
• Sophisticated S'mores, my finale in plated desserts and an all time favorite of yours truly.
• Main component: Rich Warm Chocolate Lava Cake                                                           
• Subcomponent: House-made Toasty Marshmallow and Creamy Cinnamon Ice Cream                                                          
• Sauce: Decadent Chocolate Cinnamon Sauce                                                                         
• Garnish: Graham Cracker Crumble, Chocolate Graham Tuile, and Decorative Spun Sugar   BAHHHHHH!!!!

       

Next up: Artisan Breads. 3 weeks. M-F 7pm-2am

Maple Pecan Caramel Corn, Dangerously Addictive

Will you teach me how to dougie?

They be like Smoove (what?)
Can you teach me how to dougie?
You know why?
'Cause all da b-words love me (aye!)
All I need is a beat that's super bumpin'
And for you, you, you to back it up and dump it!
Put your arms out front, lean side to side............

"Hannah, will you teach me how to dougie?"

Yep, that's right, Chef Matt ask ME to teach him how to dougie in class this week. NBD? No, definitely a big deal. For those of you who know me, you know that I am incapable of resisting a dirty beat and one dirty beat in particular: Teach Me How To Dougie. So when I was asked to teach my Chef instructor how to dougie, I immediately thought Russ or Derek or someone from back home had notified him of my obsession. Nope. Just another awesome addition to my adventure.

Yeah, so, um, that's all that happened this week.

Bahahahaha. I joke, I joke.

Although I did some "teaching" this week, the purpose in my adventure is to learn, and that I AM doing:

• For dessert bar this week we were given complete freedom over our desserts, the only stipulations were that, as a class, we needed to produce a variety of desserts and that our desserts had to reflect the season. After hours of research and googling desserts, (now actual homework and not just a means by which to procrastinate!) I learned, once again, that regardless of how much effort you put into something, things don't always go as planned. In order to be successful in the kitchen, you must be able to adjust to life's twists and turns. My mental masterpiece was too similar to my classmates, I wanted to be unique so I altered my dessert. A minor setback, NBD.
• I learned that nothing is safe in La Brioche's main production kitchen, Chef Matt munched on my garnish. And continued to munch on my garnish throughout the week, I suppose a compliment of sorts, but I was forced to monitor him and my maple candied pecans the remainder of the week.
• After four trips to the admissions office, I FINALLY got all of my uniforms!!!  

• I gave my class a glimpse into my inability to contain excitement. Twice.  Overly excited for next week's dessert (which I got to choose the theme for) and overly excited to share my story about my umbrealla hat. They don't understand me......
• I successfully executed a fall dessert with 7 complimentary/contrasting components. An apple spice cake with maple mousse, spice syrup, praline sauce, maple tuile, maple candied pecans, and sugar work garnish. 

• I GOT A JOB!!!!! Nothing fancy, A Financial Aid Office Assistant on campus, but still some skrillz.
• I passed my first exam: 100% BOOM

• Learned about Creams and Custards in lecture, most importantly Creme Anglaise and Pastry Cream. I also learned how to make tuiles, marshmallows, pull sugar, and various chocolate garnishes. And I experienced first hand the damaging effects of blasted humidity...no longer do I solely curse it for its detriments to my fur/locks/hair, my sugar work and tuiles were effected by this mayhem too.
• As the great Fergie once said: "I be up in the gym just working on my fitness"......so happy to be back in the gym. I need it too, since my incredible landlords are trying to fatten me up with tasty meals and desserts. This week alone I came home to chicken noodle soup, roasted chicken, homegrown squash, and apple crisp. They're so great!
• While at the gym, I was asked by a very elderly lady if my favorite color is purple. Staying true to my school, Go Go wild kitty cats!!!!! 
• We took a class field trip to the Capital City's Farmer's Market, pretty neat stuff Maynard! Our homework? We have to compose a dessert from ingredients at the Farmer's market......

• I sketched and started on my dessert for our final week, soooooo excited for it.....my alll time favorite!!!!!!!! Any guesses?! 

Hint: the theme I chose for next week's desserts is...............(that was a drumroll), Childhood Classics.

Ready.set.guess.

The Key to the Flagpole

The first week of sixth grade my english teacher told me that she needed me to go get "The key to the flagpole" from the eighth grade history teacher, Mr. Emmitt. So I went down to Mr. Emmitt's room and proceeded to ask him for the key, he smiles and says that Mr. Fetters had the key, I go onto Mr. Fetters room....I'm sure you can all see where this is going. THERE IS NO KEY TO THE FLAGPOLE. Just a sick joke they play on innocent new faces. Well, the way I felt at the beginning of this week was strikingly similar to the way I felt that day in sixth grade.

So Monday comes and it brings with it the start of this incredible culinary adventure, as well as a bit of chaos. I was assigned to attend two orientation sessions, one for students returning to NECI after their first internship and another for incoming students new to NECI. Well, to make a long story short, here is a bit of the chaos I encountered:

• A full on sprint back to campus (up and down "mountains"), in my chef's whites, with my        backpack and knife kit, to ensure punctuality, just to find out I was told the wrong time to return. I made it back in plenty of time-with plenty of sweat beads to accompany me in meeting my new classmates. Awesome first impression, Hannah-the sweaty girl.
• Literally going back and forth from the Admissions office to the orientation site FIVE times in search of answers to basic questions like: How do I get my email to work? Where do I get my ID card? How do I use my meal plan? Where is the fitness facility? When do I pick up the rest of my uniforms? Where is the key to the flagpole?!!
• Not receiving the reading assignment because I was not included on any of my Chef's class rosters. 
• MISSING MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL because three people, including the head of the baking and pastry department, told me that I didn't have class on Mondays. Do YOU have the key to the flagpole?!

Aside from the disorder and confusion of the first few days, the rest of the week was incredible! As I become more comfortable and familiar with a different kitchen, I am regaining some confidence and opening up to my three classmates and my chef instructor, Chef Matt. 

My first class is Plated Desserts and the Art of Plate Presentation, in production we work towards a dessert bar two nights a week. This week, we all contributed to the various components of the desserts that were chosen for us. Next week we'll have a blind basket, like in Chopped and we'll be responsible for our own dessert. Good thing I practiced hypothetical Chopped competitions with the roomie this summer!! 

So in order to counter the negative list above, I have compiled a list detailing the awesomeness that the week turned out to be:

• I prepared three different pastry creams, mini carrot cakes, mini chocolate budino cakes, candied hazelnuts, scaled and sheeted crustata dough, scaled and shaped biscotti, and prepared french vanilla ice cream base. 
• After feeling completely incompetent for a short while, I finally got a grasp on how to make paper piping cones. We learned how to pipe chocolate feuille's and script in chocolate. 
• I plated the Baby Cake Trio for the first ever La Brioche Dessert Bar!

• I learned how to spin ice cream and sorbet. We made apple cider sorbet and it was FANTASTIC...bahhhhhh!!!!
• I purchased snow tires and had them installed---a surprisingly easy and affordable process!
• Accidentally sent two letters without stamps. details details. One of them successfully arrived without postage, the other was returned. No worries, I was a week ahead, she will still receive it before her big birthday!
• Four skype dates! Thank you Shelly Garcia, Tiffany Carter, Bailey Miller, and Curtis Schriever!

• I finally received my ID card so I was able to eat off of my meal plan and workout!
• I discovered where the doorbell is located when the florist delivered my AMAZING flowers from my friend. 
• I walked approximately 28 miles to and from class. Boom, gotta stay fit.

Even though I never found the "key", I'd say week one was an overall success. 

Making the Move.

Alright, So here goes nothing.

It has been suggested that I start a blog to keep my people back home up to date on this spectacular adventure. (And yes, if you are reading this, I am claiming you as one of MY people.) I am a little apprehensive to do so as I severely lack storytelling skills. So all I ask is please don't stop loving me, as I am aware of this weakness.

WARNING: The following paragraph is a bit of background info for those of you who aren't aware of the reason for "The Big Move". That is fair warning as to not bore yourself with meaningless details and poor storytelling if it isn't necessary.

Game on.

Baking is my passion. My love for baking was sparked and refined by my incredible grandma, Alice Lee. Culinary school was always a dream of mine and the "plan" was to attend The Culinary Institute of America post Augusta High School. Well things don't always go as planned. After grandma's punch-in-the-gut death my senior year of high school, I wasn't ready to move to New York and leave my family, so I applied to K-State- her alma mater.  After 5 glorious years in Manhattan, a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, a minor in Bakery Science, Business Administration, and Leadership Studies, experience baking at coffee shops and at Colbert Hills, numerous birthday cakes, cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies, I am off to Montpelier, Vermont to attend The New England Culinary Institute for an Associates of Occupational Studies in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Blah.

So after investing in a wardrobe to brave the sub-zero temperatures, researching the benefits of snow tires, and indulging in some new ink, my fabulous parents and sister, Laura, accompanied me on the start of my journey. With 26 hours of driving and the most intense exam of my life complete, I tested out of 3-6 months of classes and a 6 month internship.

After the exam, the PLAN was to stay here and start my adventure. Plan. Splan. Bah. I decided to go back to Kansas with my parents for a week and a half to prevent emotional and psychological distress (dramatic? yes a bit. it's normal). So after my unexpected holiday, I am back up north and slowly adjusting to this new life. The first few days were a bit rough, but after some exploring and discovering a bit of familiarity, I am beyond ready to start class tomorrow!

                            A pretty little trail for a nice relaxing hike


Up First: Plated Desserts and the Art of Plate Presentation. 3 weeks, 4pm-8pm. Boom.


I hope it was tolerable and you return for more updates and food photo's! :)