WOW!!! Ok this afternoon, was my first afternoon with the pastry chef. We talked more than we baked, but still. We made "genoise" (can't think of how it's named in English) with pineapple and creme patissiere. And he taught me a new buttercream recipe, less sugary, easy to make, and you can make it with yellow margarine and it turns white yes you read right!!! We made only the base today, and he'll teach me tomorrow how to flavor it and everything. So I'll be posting the recipe as soon as I have it all together. It's not crusting. And he says that it holds well frozen. You can make your cake, decorate it, put it the freezer, and it stays very smooth and pretty. He told me that sometimes he even prepare big batches of the base, separate it in small containers and freeze them. He takes one out when needed and flavor it to match what he needs it for. Tomorrow, i' know we're going to learn the moka flavor, and another one, can't remember which one...
There's another baker with me also. She's 20 and just got out of the culinary school. She seems very nice. We only spent one afternoon together but I can sense that we're going to work great together. We complete each other in our work, some things she knows: I don't, and some things I know: she doesn't.
Can't wait to go back tomorrow.... tonight I'm baking some cookies

HOW FUN!

how on earth did he get get that icing white???

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!!!

i'm so excited for you!...i love love love learning new things...

I'm glad you had a great day!! I'm looking forward to that recipe too!

Moi Aussi,
Claire

That's great that you are able to have class from a chef. Way to go, have fun and please share your experience.

Wow! That is so awesome. I'm so happy for you, that sounds like an amazing opportunity! I so can't wait to hear about this bc! It sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!

So glad to hear that the experience went well for you, and that this chef is so willing to apprentice you.

I look forward to reading further episodes of your pastry adventures.

Theresa

That sounds just amazing...lucky, lucky you!!!! You'll have to keep us updated so the rest of us can enjoy the experience vicariously!!!!

You are going to learn so many great things!

yeah! I'm glad it went well today! Keep us posted we want to absorb your knowlege This is such a great opportunity for you!

congrats on a great first day!!

What an awesome opportunity! Good for you!

PS I REALLY want that Buttercream recipe!!

TIA

Beth in KY

That's so exciting! It's great to have a mentor take you under his wing. Sounds like so much fun. Can't wait to hear about your experiences!

This could actually become your own personal diary of working with the pastry chef.

Can't wait to hear what happened in the next episode.

I'm so happy for you Pootchi. But you still make me jealous every time! Parlez-vous francais?

Nick, oui je parle francais!
My first language is French, I just learned Englsih through school!

So here's the recipe for the icing:
400g margarine
250g icing sugar
1 egg

Put everything in the bowl and mix with paddle attachement around 10 minutes. Start at low to finish it at medium speed. Add flavoring as you wish, yummy!!!

I'll write more tonight and tell you all about yesterday and today

Pootchi

I am so happy for you and jealous too. I would love to learn from a professional. Please do keep us informed as how it goes. Make sure that it is OK that you share what you learn so you dont get into trouble!!!

Hello there!

Whew... those two days were busy days!! we made alot of things. He also made lots of different breads, (he'll teach me that later) it smells so yummy there!!!! Tonight it's inauguration (sp?) night! With guests and everything! Tomorrow is the big opening! I'm nervous a little... but I know it'll be ok. The next week will be very busy, the other girl that works with me on the pastries won't be there all week. So it's only me and the pastry Chef, doing everything! I'll be busy!!!!! But it's a fun job. he doesn't mind if I share my learning, because I'm sharing with him everything I've learned here, some tips I've learned he didn't know! I showed him the Americolor products, and he wants me to order some for him, He loved it!!!

Well gotta go, it's time to go at the inauguration!


Lorris

Glad it's going well Poochi, you sure are going to be busy this week

Hi all!
Mondays are less stressful in a bakery! I need to go to work only at 2 this afternoon. I went this morning to deliver the donuts anf the muffins, and also to glaze a few donuts. So I was there about 30 minutes, asked when I need to come back (he said at 2) and I checked what I need to bring back, only chocolate cakes. They're baked, and cooled down, only need to ice them. No decorations only iced, and and simple border, that's easy and simple! My parents offered me to take the kids for lunch all week! I took the offer! So today I can relax a little... I'll prepare the dinner and put it in the oven, so when dh comes back from work, everything will be done, except for the potatoes, but he makes much better mashed potatoes than me!
What sells the most, cookie wise, it's the oatmeal and raisins one. So I made those, and a batch with cranberries instead of the raisins, we'll see how it goes...
I love working there. I learn new tricks, how to go faster, but still do a great job, how to have great tasting pastries... And he is so open for new ideas so I can say what I think will work, and we try it. He even let me experiment with things, to come out with new stuff. He loves cakeballs! So he said he's going to buy me chocolate and flavorings, all I need, to turn the leftovers in cakeballs. So I'm in charge of the cake balls!
Gotta go! But I'll come back as soon as I can !!!!!

Sounds exciting Pootchi. Keep it up.

Bonne chance pour tout, Pootchi!!

Quietly posting this and trying not to hijack...

Speaking of Alton Brown, his show today is about buttercream icing. Don't know if it's a repeat or not, but maybe he will go over the white/butter/buttercream thing.

This is so exciting! You must be in heaven working there, learning so many new things. It will be so fun to hear all about it too!

Oh my! the bakery is too small!!! After three days of business, the other bakery closed so everyone comes to this one... Now we can't bake the breads AND the do the pastries at the same time: problems with the temperature in the room.... And the oven is soooo small.... All morning he was scratching his head, thinking, he thought about doing just breads, or just pastries, even closing!!!!! But finally around lunch time, he called the guy who sold him the oven, and this guy told him that he was going to look for an oven in the US that will fit (not brand new) and he needs to go see it, to make sure it's the right oven. After that, we'll make bread one day, the other day: pastries, and so on.. The breads and the pastries are so good, now everyone comes in... I even need to make cakeballs everyday!!! cakeballs made with French pastries scrap is soooo yummy!!!! So we never throw away food. Even those cookies that are too dry to sell: "cookie" balls, dipped in chocolate! You should try those!!! YUMMY YUMMY!!!!
Now I hope the guy finds an oven real quick....

what a wonderful "problem" to have....
too much business!

Aww, poor "other" bakeries.

It sounds like you are very busy! Please keep us posted.
Ok, what are cake balls and how do you make them?

Thanks,
Allison