I have to admit, I threw out some pretty harsh, unnecessary insults today...

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah........Sometimes I get sidetracked, actually, I get sidetracked, on average, 23 times a day. I have a very short attention span. BUT. I THINK about updating the blog a lot, does that count?? 

Now that I have the pseudo-apology off my chest, here goes the last 7 months in a nut shell.......

July: HG the second was born, precious-little-baby-monster-ring bearer-boy.

Sweet baby Hughston napping, long before he was able to laugh and throw himself from his carseat. Oh boys. 

August: Went to the happiest place on earth, Kansas, to find a wedding dress

First dress, a no-go

September: Switched to nights at the 'ole OH, pretty amazing. ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS with the most spectacular lady ever, oh b, you are magical.

Plating Olympics at The Ocean House, White Carrot Cake. 

October: Moved home for a magical MONTH of wedding planning with the best family, friends, and a      few individuals that are a combination of the two...... "Silly me, dinosaurs can't open doors...."

Kodah dragon

Last night as a single lady.....sillyness

Obvious who rules the roost. I miss these nights with the Garcia's

November: Oh, nothing really went down this month. Oh wait. Yeah. Only the best day EVER. A gigantic lovefest. ALLL of the greatest human beings on the planet supporting my best friend and I becoming fam. Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Words don't work, just a mix of sounds, a few fist pumps, and some really great hugs. Yeah, that awesome. ahhhhhhhh:) Oh yeah, and that INCREDIBLE surprise honeymoon extravaganza to RIVERA MAYA, Mexico with now HUBBYFRIEND......
THEEEEEEEEEEEEN, grown-up life hit me straight in the face, just like that episode of The Brady Bunch when Marsha got nailed with the fooseball....yeah like that. So I started my big kid job on a Wednesday, one week before Thanksgiving.....um yeah, dumb. I do not suggest doing so when you are the sole individual responsible for building a pastry program in an establishment where your only predecessor  has been a Sysco carrot cake. But whatevs...I say,bring it on. The next month involved many hours at work trying to build a safe haven for my treats, respect for pastry, and a reputable showing at the Ladies Holiday Luncheons. I think I might have accomplished two of the three, the respect for pastry is still in the works. It could be awhile.......

:) Eeeeee!!! And nice spelling peeps....

Just a friendly reminder. 

2012 Pastry at Round Hill Club:

July---Revamping the A la Carte menu to include only house-made desserts and the introduction of house-made cookies, brownies, and a signature cookie.

August---One day a week to stock the club on cookies, brownies, and key lime pie

September---STOCKPILE of cookie dough to get them through my month of bride-to-be in Kansas

October......Preoccupied, it was awesome.

November---Board of Directors meeting, Club Managers Meeting, Thanksgiving Dessert Buffet times two, new dessert menu, weekly dinner buffets, Women's holiday dessert buffet, Christmas Dance tasting, and a multitude of take-out orders.

Marscapone budino with passionfruit curd and yellow tomato sorbet (not pictured)

Not proud....Thanksgiving round one. One week. 

December---5 plated dinners, weekly dinner buffets, Gingerbread village, Women's Holiday Luncheon times 3, Christmas Dance, Christmas with Santa, Gingerbread decorating parties, and a Christmas dinner buffet that went from 250 guests to 400 overnight-the night in which we DROVE home (24 hours) to Kansas, oh December, I don't miss you.

Holiday buffet prep

To go for a "friendly" Mink-wearing lady. 

Christmas with Santa, Children's buffet

"Who do you get your cookies from" followed by an order for 2 dozen.....desserts are a new concept around here

250 plated

Yep, Adam was right, Pastry preps in speed racks...alone. 

Holiday luncheon day 2

Holiday Luncheon day 1

Gingerbread assembly, alone, in the basement, blissful!

January---BOREDOM, oh my goodness, Inventory, a handful of to go orders, and a few cake orders, Ski party dessert buffet, two giant plated dinners, and the introduction of Hannah SCHRIEVER, Pastry Chef, at the Round Hill Club Board of Directors Annual Dinner Banquet. WEIRD.

Coconut Mango Panna cotta with Coconut Pain Perdu (not pictured)

FINALLY, it was only 4 months overdue.....

Married Life:
AWESOME. Breakfasts dates/devotional time EVERYDAY. Dinners dates most days (the perks of BOTH working at the same place that provides two meals to you 5 days a week). Library dates. Coffee dates. Movie dates (he can stay awake through an entire movie now!) Warm car in the morning when I leave for the gym. Slumber parties every night. Slowing decorating our new home. Skype dates with our friends and family. Entertaining guests and planning for visitors. EXPLORING. Knowing that when I tell him goodbye, I'll see him the same day, not a week from now. Taking a broken/now healing hubbyFriend on walks to help him recover from surgery. And so much more!

Willie, our LOUD pet frog. First pet. 

A reward after the RHC Christmas week. The Tree in NYC

We are going big while we are here

I love this guy. A LOT. 

I am a lady of routine, and my Friend Curtis appreciates that, for the most part. Some might say I have a very addictive/obsessive personality, I call it dedication. My current dedications are:

Popcorn, every night. CAN.NOT.GET.ENOUGH.
Peanut Butter. A spoonful here, a spoonful there, a sandwich for lunch in between recipes.
Healthy food. "Hippie" food. Rabbit food. Whatevsssss,
Black beans. O.M.G. Black bean hummus, black bean salsa, black bean dip, black bean brownies,  and extra black beans at Chipotle, yeah.
Trying, and embracing all the foods I once hated.....brace yourselves people, here are a few shockers.......mom are you ready.....raisins, carrots, cauliflower, yogurt, and black beans. yeah, they have made quite a difference in my life.
Hazelnut coffee.
Dry cake mix. Not ok. Don't start. ugh. not proud.


So friends, as I have said many times, I will try to keep up. I may just post a small blurb daily to hold myself accountable, I may be back in 6 months. This could become a new "dedication", you never know, a lady is unpredictable and keeps a captive audience on the edge of their seats.....Until next time, I bid you adieu. Meow.

I have a confession. I think I'm going to throw up.

Boom. Big month.

July 2. Mid-term review. The dreaded Seaside Terrace. The disciplinary dock. When we are going to be scolded, this is where Adam takes us, torturous bliss. Yes, please look at that gorgeous view of the ocean while I crack the whip. 

I cower and avoid eye-contact with oncoming co-workers as I follow the chief Titan to the deck.

 "Are you scared?!"

"Just a bit....?"

"Really????!!!! WHY?! Don't you think you'd know if I weren't happy with you?"

I begin to breath again, and attempt to make eye-contact. Bahhhhhhhhhhhhh! All-in-all it is a positive review with mention of a future with The Ocean House. I leave happy. FANTASTIC!

Seaside Terrace, torturous bliss

July 3. Pull into the warehouse parking lot, (the employee gathering point where we wait eagerly to see which shuttle broke down on it's 352 mile daily adventure to lug all 400 employees to and from the big yellow house by the sea) I have about 8 minutes before Bob is expected to pull in to escort us to work, I think to myself, "I don't want to wait a year to get married, meh. Wait. It's leap year, November 2 is a Friday this year, people get married on Fridays all the time. Let's do this." My thoughts become reality after my text asking permission from the Mr. says YES! Please! And my Mother responds to my inquiry about an available date with a confirmation voicemail saying it's a go!!!! Now I just have to break the news to the rest of the world, including my bosssssssssssss.....

Besides the awesome LOVEFEST that our wedding will be, this lady/genius right here is what I am most pumped about!!! I have loved chatting and planning with her!! GROUP 5 NEVER SAYS DIE!

July 4-6. Go America. An All-American Quiche, Turkey Ranch BLT. Delish. Normal A.M. prep, mignardises, and Red, White, and Blue everything possible. Duh. A nice journey to Greenwich for my day's off, grilling with the Friend and fireworks. Boom Boom BOOM! Literally. 

Go AMERICA, Corn on the cob, hot dogs, and ddp. True American.

July 7. Let's do this. Except it is the ONLY day Adam doesn't come in until 10:30, he must have secretly known I was going to "call a meeting" and he was trying to torture me. Bah. So, once again, without making eye-contact, I told Adam that we moved the wedding up....

"So, um, Adam, Curtis and I got impatient and moved the wedding to THIS November....."

"Hannah! That is awesome!!!!"

"....which means, I won't be returning after my internship is complete....(I wince as I fear his reaction)"

"What?! WHy!?"

"um, I'd like to live with my husband...?"

"Oh Hannah......If I have to lose you to someone I guess it can be your husband"

Honestly one of the scariest moments of my life. 

The reaction from Adam was much more positive that I had imagined, Chef John has been threatening to have "his people" fire Curtis. His version of problem solving. whatev. 

So that is my month in a nutshell. 

Kidding. 

In the learning realm, I am still going strong, everyday is a new technique and secret. I am gaining more and more responsibility and my timing is improving daily. Ahhh. I LOVE it!

Monday-Wednesday, heavy restaurant prep, mignardises, and daily refreshments! Saturday: Brunch prep. Sunday: My little corner with the view! Crepes made to your liking, guest interaction, sweaty legs (200 degree burners with little ventilation and thick pants makes for a bit of discomfort.)

Key Lime Macs....proud of those feet!

"Greek Salad" Quiche. pre-bake. love these dudes.

An additional learning experience this month, Mignardise cart showpiece that doubled as a showpiece for Mrs. Royce's Bastille Day party for her 90 closest friends! Mrs. Royce is the wife of the fella who dropped $200 mil out of pocket to buy the little cottage we like to call The Ocean House. 

I'm on a Boat!!! Chocolate Sailboat!!!

Crashing waves, pinstripes, and an OH flag. DUH!!

High tide.

Aside from work, I don't do much socially. I WORK OUT!!! wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. yeah. And I do homework, and plan a wedding. Yep. That's about it. I visit my Friend Curtis on my Thursday and Friday's off and when my friends from home come to the big city, I go and spend the day with them!!!! Thank you Aimee for the phone call, I LOVED our reunion in NYC!!! 

I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of my ring bearer and my return home to Augusta to find my dress with my mom's and sisters!!! Can't Wait!!! bahhhh!!!! EEEEE!!! Big things happening, big, giant things happening. So, So pumped.  

Grand Central with my fav event planner!! Miss you cutie!

Until next time.....

"Nine Pan? We Do Our Prep in Speed Racks"

WHOA. Yeah. Where to begin???? Yes, so I fell through with the New Year's Resolution of weekly updates, I do apologize. School got real intense and time became impossible to find. I don't think I can recap the last four months better than by saying it has been amazing. School was incredible, I learned a crazy amount in a short period of time, I built some awesome friendships and relationships with my blockmates and chefs, I secured and started my internship, I moved, I helped to marry off my best friends, I had ANOTHER birthday, and I got engaged-- to name a few!! Bahhhhh, it is insane what has changed since January!!

Wedding Cake 

:) Chef Adrian, Pete, Chef Dan

Dinner with my BFF

Birthday in NYC

Our Best Friend's Wedding

EEEEEEEEE, 11/2/13

Part of my internship class is a monthly blog update, what better way to reunite than by requirement?! Perf!

So let's start from the beginning, or April 24, my first day at The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island http://www.oceanhouseri.com/index-alt.php.

B-E-A-Utiful Ocean House

Boom. Pastry Intern. The first week or so was a bit, err, um, well, uncomfortable-you know how it is when you start a new job. I was yearning for time to pass and comfort to come, I wanted to know where to find a saucepan without assistance, I wanted to come in and know what I was expected to do, I wanted the confidence that I had in previous kitchens. I am now much more comfortable and confident. I have been through two big holidays, a few handfuls of events, and a menu change and I am looking forward to the rise in business as the season progresses!

Mother's Day Dessert Buffet

I am blessed with an incredible group of people to work with and learn from

Spitting Image

• Adam: Boss. Baller, Bahhhhhhh. Hands down the best possible human being to learn pastry from, AMAZING mentor. 

• Meghan: Momma Meg. Has been awesome from day negative 43, helped me with questions I had prior to the application, helped with the dreadful apartment search, and helps me daily with new and exciting recipes. FANTASTIC lady.
• Sarah: Sweet Sarah. PM plater. She joins me at 3:00 and always saves me a cheese puff! Go team pastry. Duh.

Official NECI grads. Sarah and Meghan

In addition to team pastry there are a ton of other fabulous kitchen cuties at OH:

• Chef John: Executive Chef. Refers to me as sideshow or freakshow or whatever affectionate name comes to mind when he sees me and my untamable fur peaking out of my cap.
• Team Banquet: Marky Mark-we have an ongoing paper, scissors, rock war that I am constantly losing due to my attempt at "strategy" which is really just me over analyzing the dueling hand game. JC and Cuz, they're cousins and two of the nicest fella's you'll meet. 
• Team AM Seasons: Marissa, Diane, Jeffery Clark, Andrew, and Christine. All awesome. They call and I come running. Literally.
• Team Seasons PM, Team Verandah, Team Seaside, and Team Dunes. I don't work as closely with them, but they are always a pleasure to be around in our homey kitchen. 

A few of my responsibilities include:

• AM/casual prep and plating
• Chocolate Tart-6 components
• Creme Brulee -4 components
• Lemon Dome-5 components
• Blackberry Jaconde-5 components
• Sorbet Tasting-5 components
• "Daily" Quiche. $22 dose of creativity. Today's beast: Maple Sausage, fennel, apple, pepper melange, and Atwell Gold cheddar.
• Tea Service- macaroons, Madeline's, mini opera cakes, scones, shortbread, strawberry jam, marscapone, and whipped butter 
• Afternoon refreshments-Scones and cookies
• Turndown amenities-macaroons, cookies, and chocolates(Adam's beautiful creations)
• Mignardises- all sorts of goodies
• A few small banquets (a few brownies, lemon bars, and cookies here and there), 
• Sunday Brunch crepe station-Crepes made to order. Interaction with guests. Utilizing BOTH degrees. 

Chocolate Tart

Lemon Dome

Blackberry Jaconde

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Sorbet Tasting: Chocolate, Red Plum, Blackberry, Rhubarb

Crepe Station! Picture me with a apron and a smile.

A mini tour of the new digs? Here ya go!

Production Kitchen, the closest set of ovens is pastry

Production kitchen. The three walk-ins (Produce, Production,  Dairy) are located on the right wall.

A small portion of dry storage

Pastry's fraction of the kitchen. We do work.

My station

Seasons kitchen. (Restaurant)

Season's Pastry station-plating happens here.

Season's Pastry Station

A new state. 

A new kitchen.

A new experience. 

I love it. A very challenging and rewarding internship, I am pumped for what is to come!

P.S. 'Ole Regis Philbin shared some time at OH today, a return visit based on this gem: