U P D A T E

Merry Christmas.

Happy New Year.

Its been too long my friends, too long.

Nevertheless, I will recap whats been happening in my life.


//Over Christmas break, there was a FOOT of snow in Blue Ridge...we were snowed in for three days.  Once we tried to leave, we ended up in a ditch...my dad first tried pulling us out with his truck. no luck. Then resorted to his skidstere and pulled us up the driveway.

//On new years eve, I was rear ended and then hit the guy in front of me...no good.

//I put in my two weeks notice at work...decided that working there wasnt healthy. I was so stressed all the time!

And so I have broken free, re-prioritized my life..trying to get myself back on track.


We took a quick trip to Florida to have Christmas with Charlies family...and i forgot my camera..we were trying to leave Atlanta before the snow hit us.


However, I would like to continue blogging. I think I am going to start a new project - Document what Charlie wears every day for a year.

missing you dearest

charles is gone for the weekend hunting in south carolina.  :(

i am alone.

i am sad.

he has been gone for no more then 2 hours and i am sick - i feel like i am going to cry. pathetic, maybe.

and so i come home from work, eat, and sip my tea while i watch juile and julia thinking of my love and what he must be doing, what he must be thinking.

so heres to you charlie: 

 

 

 

Epic Friday

Good Morning, its EPIC FRIDAY.

this day marks several events:
 - last day of school (Winter break)
 - last day of work (for the weekend)
 - last day in Georgia (for the weekend)

However I am relieved to be taking a break - I feel as if I have been running non stop. The payoff has proved to be worth it though.

Lets talk about school:
  Today is final day of the class, which means why not end it with a two-day practical? We are assigned a dessert platter consisting of five different types of petit fours. Its up to us to present our platter any way we want. My theme: Christmas. I finish today = pictures later (dont want to give too much away now)

 Moreover we had another practical earlier in the week on Opera Cake:
     I think I did better on the writing on this cake and worse on the cutting (not enough time to set up), however my grade was still satisfactory (92).

Opera Cake Round Two:

I had left over ganache and thought, "hmm..what can I do with this?"

Behold -

UGLY TRUFFLES:

 They aren't pretty, but the taste seems to be pretty good. :)

Buche de Noel.

Its a classic Christmas dessert that comes from the France in the late 1700s. Families would burn a yule log to cook Christmas diner and it was believed that the ashes from this log would keep away evil spirits, diseases, etc.

Other traditions were started when the construction of homes without fireplaces was prevalent. The presence of a cake that looked like a yule log served as the replacement for the actual yule log.

There are many different version of this cake, many different styles. The important thing behind this cake is the theme that is presents: Being with family during the holidays, community.

Here is mine:

Have you ever had an Applepear?

They are super juicy and really tasty. I ate one for breakfast.

Along with butternut squash sprinkled lightly with sea salt and chives.

mmhmm

Im turning into more of a tea drinker, not that I dont jump at a chance to drink coffee, but I find tea more soothing, not as harsh. Kinda like a bubble bath at the end of a hard day.

And so im offering a simple phrase to kids from one to ninety two.

although its been said many times many ways.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

the phantom of the opera....

no, not really. just opera cake!!!

today I embarked on a two day event known as the phantom of the opera cake!

its a lovely cake - 7 beautiful layers!

and its one inch high.

talk about miniature dessert.

I started making the cake today and assembled up until the sixth layer.

pictures tomorrow when complete!

Tuesday was a huge turnaround from Monday - I went into class with a new attitude and a new ambition.

Results:

Langues Du Chat:
literally "cats tongue"





Milano Cookies:
langues du chat with orange chocolate in between.



Pate a Choux Swans:
filled with vanilla bean pastry cream & creme chantilly.





So tonight, Charles and I made Gumbo!!
Fantastic Gumbo!

this was pre 6 hour simmer.


chicken - sausage - venison - okra - tomato - green pepper - onion
and the perfect blend of spice


and to end a short post:



merry christmas