Good-bye 2012: A Year to Remember!!!

Happy New Year guys!!!

Welcome back and here's the last post of 2012: a year to truly remember. So much happened this past year, it is truly hard to summarize in a single post. It was a year filled with new experiences, lessons learned, skills acquired and knowledge gained. I went from being an amateur baker to a certified Patisserie Chef. 

It's a great way to say goodbye to 2012

It still sounds weird and it will take me a while to get used to it. I still have a long road ahead, but I trust my skills will take me on the correct path. Last week we celebrated Christmas worldwide and as a recently graduated Chef, it was my duty to present the desserts. So I prepared a Cranberry, Pistachio and Orange Roulade and an Orange-Cranberry Cheesecake. Thankfully, both were a huge success!!! When people hear the word Chef, much pressure goes on those shoulders. Expectations were high and happily I didn't disappoint. 

Tonight is New Year's Eve on this side of the world and I prepared Pear Pavlovas, Rum Balls and a traditional apple pie.  I apologize for my short post, but I have a second dinner to attend to and the hour grows late. Yes, you read correctly, a second NYE feast. Let's hope my clothes don't complain!!!

I wish you all the very best on this coming year. May 2013 be a blessing to you all!!!

Until next year then!!!

xx

Home for the Holidays!!!

Hi guys!!!

And welcome back. Christmas is upon us, finally, and we've much to celebrate on this joyful day!!! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!!!

I have to say, despite my sad goodbye to London last week, that there's absolutely no place like home for the holidays!!! Hopping from plane to plane is stressful, specially during this time of the year. My first plane ride was an emotionally overwhelming one, after so many sad goodbyes. But as soon as I landed in Tegucigalpa (te-goo-see-gal-pa), I was overcome with a strange happiness. In all my nine months in London, only once did I truly miss being at home. And now I am.

Beautiful Christmas tree and Nativity scene at home :)

Last week was just non-stop. Between cleaning the flat, turning in keys, tying loose ends, repacking bags, saying goodbye, and gift shopping, last week is a blur in my memory. Monday was spent entirely in my old home, packing up the crockery and cleaning the flat. By the time we left, the place was spit-spot. Tuesday morning, I found myself back in Camden, locking my flat for the very last time. The lady who came to "inspect" the flat was quite sympathetic of my melancholic sadness, having lived herself in Camden, many years ago.  So I walked away from what I had called my home away from home and went on to run my errands. After ten thousand calls to different companies regarding bills and whatnot, my leaving felt final. A very late dinner and I was off to bed. I returned to Camden the following afternoon, to deliver Christmas presents and more goodbyes. Interestingly, the day was gray and it poured nonstop, much like the day I first arrived in London. I guess it was a proper goodbye from the temperamental weather of the lively city.

Silva's Christmas Lunch

Late in the afternoon, I made my way back to school for the last time, to pick up a letter and join friends for a late breakfast, lunch and dinner. We headed to Silva's once more and I enjoyed a rather large Christmas Lunch, with turkey breast, stuffing, roast potatoes, sausage and peas. Nighttime was soon upon the vivacious city and after more errands, I finally headed to my temporary home. I wrapped some gifts and repacked my bags yet again. In a few hours I'd be leaving the city, but I withheld the tears and joined my friends for one last drink. Well, more like drinks. We headed back home and with only three hours of sleep, I was already hauling bags into the Heathrow Express and saying one last cruel goodbye, to my best friend and sister, without whom my months in London would not have been the same. Technically it's not a goodbye, as I will see everyone again, someday soon let's hope, but with so much time spent together, it feels like a goodbye when your return is unforeseen. 

Check it out:

Silva's 

220 Shaftesbury Ave.

WC2H 8EB

020 7240 0028

A couple of stressful hours later, I was finally midway home, having landed in Houston, after a, thankfully, calm flight. As soon as I got to my hotel, I headed out for some quick shopping at Galleria. The place is huge and my sleepiness did not help, so getting lost was already in the plans. But I managed and soon enough I was drifting off to sleep. The following day continued as planned (without counting having to shift some weight on to my carry on, which ended weighing half a ton) and in a blink of an eye I was homing, getting greeted by our 7 dogs. Yes guys, seven dogs. Three labradors, a basset hound, a doberman pincher, a boxer and an australian cattle dog . After many greetings and paw prints on my clothes, I finally entered my house and I felt it. I finally felt Christmas!!! If you're a fanatic like me, you know what I mean when I say feel Christmas!!! 

You really can't complain about this weather!!!

The tree, the garlands, the music, the Nativity scene, nuts and chocolates, and egg nog in the fridge. Yes, I was finally home, during my favorite time of the year, after many months. A quick visit to my grandma's, having proper coffee after so long and a talkative dinner, I passed out in seconds. I, of course, didn't account for waking up so early the next morning. Still, errands needed to be run, so I joined in the hustle and bustle of the house. Day quickly became night and once again, I was sleepy quite early, and I was out like a light. Sunday morning greeted me with a sunny sky and after more errands, I was back home, baking another apple strudel, on request from my dad. I also baked a blueberry lemon loaf and both turned out equally nice. There's something about men and apples in my family but from my grandfather to my brother, apple desserts seem to be the hype. I was glad I didn't disappoint.

Nothing says holiday like a yummy apple strudel

Today has been a quiet day, beautiful and sunny. I finally returned to my exercise regime, with some dancing every morning. Tonight is Christmas eve, or was Christmas eve and now is Christmas morning on the other side of the world. I have two desserts planned: an Orange, Cranberry and Pistachio Meringue Roulade for tonight's festivities and an Orange and Cranberry Cheesecake for tomorrow's Christmas lunch. Both are already on the finishing steps, so tune in next week to see how they went. 

Despite the time differences between us, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!! Make sure to drink some eggnog and eat lots of turkey (or whatever you enjoy on this wonderful occasion) and just be happy. After all, 'tis the season to be jolly!!!

Until next time.

xx

A Week of Sad Goodbyes: Oh, London, How I Love Thee...

Hey guys!!!

Welcome back. It is with a heavy heart that I find myself writing to you today. Despite the beautiful weather, blazing sunshine and bearable cold, I am overcome with a great sadness. This will be my last post being here in merry ol' London as I fly back home this Thursday. So much has happened in the past week that my mind seems to be running on blurry memories. 

Finally a Pastry Chef!!!

So last week we entered the school's kitchens for the very last time. It was a nerve-wrecking moment and quite an emotionally overwhelming one as well. It was our final exam. I got there five minutes before my due time, and those have been some of the longest in my life. As I witnessed some of my classmates who were already working, I had to give myself a pep talk. I was very nervous, something plain obvious to my sympathetic supervising chef, who encouraged me and assured me it would be alright. I was debriefed on the "rules" and directed to my workstation, my hands were clasped together, to prevent the horrible shaking from showing. 

Twenty minutes to prepare and I was off. Made my orange caramel and my tuile paste. Made my joconde biscuit and feuillantine base. Prepared the mousse and the tuiles. Made the glaze and the creme anglaise. Tempered that chocolate and made the decorations. Twelve minutes before time was up and I found myself cleaning my plates and ready to present. I'm still baffled as to how I managed to make it on time, with shaking hands and a million things going through my head, but there I was, walking to the tasting room, plates in hand. I laid them down on my assigned number and left. I felt like crying: out of relief, sadness, happiness, I still don't know. Too many things all at once, but I was finally done! And I presented all the necessary components. So I returned to the kitchen, cleaned my area and left that room for the last time. 

My Final Plated Dessert:
Mini Chocoholics Heaven Cake

Not feeling to well, some of us decided to have a late lunch and we made our way to Kimchee, a popular Korean restaurant in Holborn. I had never had proper Korean food and I felt like a guinea pig, testing different foods and flavours! Worth it!!! We shared Korean pancakes (Pa Jeon) and delicious pan fried dumplings (Gogi Mandu). For my main dish, I ordered a beef Bulgogi (thinly sliced beef, marinated in a fruity sauce with onions and garlic). I ordered rice on the side and it came with lettuce, to make lettuce wraps. It was rather messy to eat, but then again, I am messy ^^. I think we had ordered too much food in the end, as we had all been stressed, and we left feeling like stuffed turkeys. We parted ways and I headed home. I was coming down with a cold and by the time I got to Camden, I was feeling ill. Bought medicine and at 4:30 pm, I was lying down on my bed. It was too early to sleep, but it didn't prevent me from napping for a while. The teas I took helped a ton and I woke up feeling better the following day.

Delicious Beef Bulgogi

Check it out:

KIMCHEE

71 High Holborn

WC1V 6EA

020 74300956

After running a few errands, I was back in school, awaiting my verdict. Three hours later, I left with a huge smile on my face!!! Yes guys! I passed. I am now, OFFICIALLY, a Chef!!! As per usual, we were hungry and headed down to East Street once again. I paid my respect to the restaurant when I got my Panang Curry, a dish I'd been wanting to try there for a while now. Because, again, we had ordered starters, and had been starving for a good two hours, I couldn't get halfway through my dish so I took a doggy bag home. And here is where my depression hit me. I had to start packing. So I disassembled my TV, with some manly help, as I am a complete klutz as it turns out (I really couldn't remove the base...) and packed it up. It was a sad moment...no more movie marathons on my couch or long talks. It was finally over, my time here. In the blink of an eye, I moved here, settled down and packed my life away again. I sat down to write Christmas cards and the depression kicked in. Still, the following day was to be a celebrated, and I went to bed.

Graduation Lunch Starter:
Tataki of swordfish on sweet soy and lime sauce
with a Portland crab and scallion croquette and wasabi mayo

A grayish, cloudy sky greeted us all on a cold Thursday morning, yet we all dressed up nicely to received our Superior Patisserie certificates and our Patisserie Diplomas. It was a joyous occasion, knowing we made it and there it was: proof of our hard work in printed pages and a medal. It was also a memorable moment, as not only we received acknowledgement as Chefs, but my dream had finally come true!!! It still hasn't settled in my head that I carry that title, but perhaps in a near future, I might live up to it. It's enough to know that my dream came true. The ceremony was short, but nice and we sat down for a lovely lunch at the InterContinental Ballroom. Toasting with champagne and taking millions of pictures, it was a festival of conviviality. It was soon over, and Teaching Chefs and newly appointed ones, all the same, we moved to a pub further down. I can tell you, it was quite the day. 

The Messy CHEF: Officially!!!

Friday was a gloomy day in every sense. I packed to the pitter-patter of the harsh rain that covered London. I do love rainy days, but it only fueled my deep sadness. In the evening, the girls and I went out together for the last time (for now) but we were all so tired, we parted ways earlier than expected. Saturday morning was a different story. The blue sky was back, and the weather was absolutely perfect. Walking down, along the Thames River from Southbank Christmas Market to Borough Market,  I went back for my much loved DUCK sandwich one last time. It is absolutely delicious and big!!! Definitely try it out next time you're visiting Borough Market.  A little while later, we took a short trip to Winter Wonderland. The day passed in a blur, laughing and enjoying the perfect weather with the amazing company. After yet another depressing goodbye, I was down in Earl's Court, celebrating the return of some of my closest friends with great food and a Yankee Gift Swap, in honor up the upcoming Christmas Celebrations. 

Turning gray and black and it wasn't even 5 o'clock!!!

Yesterday I decided I needed to catch up on my sleep, but that didn't really happen. I still had 3/4 of my apartment to pack, but thankfully I have great friends who showed up and lent four extra hands. I could not have done it without them. Thank you Kluck Sisters. You're my guardian angels. I have to say it was quite an interesting cab ride, with 3 suitcases, and a countless number of bags, all carrying half my London life. Sleep came easy but it didn't last long. I showed up at my old home once again, with the help of a kind lady, to give the flat a good scrub. It looks brand new and the sight of it brought tears to my eyes, but I held them back. I am sure I will be back in merry ol' London someday soon. Tomorrow is another day, and in the weirdest sense, it will be the saddest day and the one that gives me closure, as I hand in my keys and walk away from my home for the last time. 

On your request Kendra, the last view of school. 

I foresee myself in a near future back here in London, but until then, I will enjoy my last moments to the highest and go back with so many wonderful memories of a life in one of the world's most amazing cities.

Fare Thee Well London!!!

Until next time!!!
xx

Mulled Wine for Cold, December Nights

Welcome Back Guys!!!

We are receiving this cold December with warm hands and happy hearts. There's so much to do in London around this time of year, and it's hard to coordinate just what it is you want to do. Well, last week was tough. One of my best friends was around for 9 days and because I was in the middle of a project (yes! That dreadful portfolio...) and studying for my Theory exam, I found myself having to choose to stay at home and work and study or go out and have fun. Well, as you can deduce, I had to choose the latter. Thankfully, for both of us, we believe, truly, that we'll see each other next year, so no damage there. 

Yummy Bratwurst at Winter Wonderland!!!

Sadly, she left Tuesday morning, and I made my way to school to turn in my project and sit down for the very last time, to take my Theory Exam in Demo Room 401. My emotions were a bit mixed that day. For one, I really wanted the exam to be over and done with, but then, it dawned on me that I am truly on my finishing lap here in London and at school. So the exam started and finished in a blur and we were out of there quick enough. To keep a cheery grin, we had organized a Yankee Gift Swap after the exam. It wasn't so much a Gift Swap as it was a choosing game. There was only one present stolen and thankfully, it wasn't mine. I got a lovely Christmas scented candle, an intriguing paper cutting game and a resourceful book on housekeeping tips. Thank you Gagan!!! I loved it. 

We held the Gift Swap in the school's lobby and we headed out for lunch. We went to one of the cities best burger places and coincidentally, one of my favorites: MEATtLiquor. Great food and value for money. Have you ever been? If you like burgers, I sincerely recommend you do so, immediately. Don't forget to order a side of fried pickles, next to the Dead Hippie burger...yes, it's the best. I have three people I wish to thank for introducing me to it: Lucas, Youssef and Carmela. Yup! Those three know how to pick 'em. 

Check it out:

MEATLiquor

74 Welbeck St. 

W1G 0BA

020 7224 4239

After a quick stop home to drop of my bags, I headed down to Shepherd's Bush, where we reunited again for a long game of cards and beer at O'Neills. I think it was our last time there, considering the amount of things we all have to do in the following short days. Wednesday came and went in a blink of an eye, and I found myself watching movies, yet again, until 2 am. The following day, after a quick cleaning, I headed out to buy some things. I've told you before how much I dislike the massive crowds that form in Oxford Circus, and still, there I was, walking and pushing my way around the busy streets, looking for my things. Luckily, I found what I was looking for and headed home just as quickly as I got there. In the evening, I visited Winter Wonderland for the first time!!! I am a Christmas maniac, as it is my favorite time of the year and felt practically at home in the place. My first stop was a mulled wine stall (yes...I love it!!!), after having tried on different hats on for fun. When you first enter, you find yourself in a little Christmas Market. If you ever need an idea for a Yuletide gift, I suggest you visit one of the cities many markets, as I am sure you are to find something suitable, for any budget you have in mind. 

If you're in town, head down to Winter Wonderland!!!

A trip up in the Observation Wheel, and you can see the whole of London. Sadly, it was a bit hard to do so on Thursday, as it had started to rain. Shivering, we headed into the Ice Kingdom...I know, a really smart idea, right? It was impressive!!! Sculptures and statues all made out of glass, depicting soldiers, knights, castles, and animals. We made our round in a few short minutes. The cold was beginning to be unbearable. Some mulled wine and a Bratwurst after attempted to warm me up. We left shortly after, but it was a memorable evening. It would have been perfect, had it snow. We got the wrong variety of precipitation.

Impressive, don't you think?

Friday I ran some errands, paid my bills and had a friend join me for some Christmas movies and a late lunch. The day was beautiful, but chilly. Perfect weather to stay inside, warm and cozy. And we did just that. The evening was entirely different story. A bunch of us headed out and had a good time, singing, dancing, cheering and toasting. We greeted the next day with some pizza and laughs. Surprisingly, I was up by noon, baking and ready to head out. A hot tea with friends is what the doctor ordered for me on Saturday afternoon. Take out dinner, some wine there, I was in bed soon enough, but didn't drift off. It was a glorious day, knowing two of the greatest friends were being joined together in Holy Matrimony, a ceremony I sadly couldn't be a part of for many due reasons. I wish them the very best of luck and a life of everlasting happiness as they embark in their journey together.  Here's to Mr. and Mrs. Speck!!!

Bleak rays of sunlight peaked into my room on Sunday and I caught up on my missed episodes. In the afternoon, we headed to one of my favorite places in London: The Camden Market. Too many Sundays have I spent there, eating and shopping. Things I recommend? Well, have a try of the cornmeal pancakes, the amazing Turkish wraps and a deliciously crafted pork sandwich. Also, pop into Cyberdog for a futuristic experience. Sadly, we just had a late lunch and left. The sky turned a blackish grey and the wind made the cold worse. The night remained chilly, but I was soon in bed, drifting off to sleep.

Aim to visit on a Sunday!!! 

Monday has greeted me once more, with a baby blue sky and a happy sun. It is a rare sight, but one I can indulge in joyfully.  We have much to look forward this week. Tomorrow is my final practical exam (4 hours of panic and stress, as we attempt to make a cake and plate two desserts), so please wish us the best of luck. Wednesday we have our debriefing, informing us whether we are Chefs or not and Thursday, hopefully, we graduate. It has been a long, tough and happy run and I can only wish for it to end with a tremendous boom and high note. After this, it's just packing, packing, packing. But we'll cross that bridge when we have to. So now we just calmly wait. Again, wish us luck!!!

Until next time.

xx

Goodbye November, Hello December!!!

Happy Monday Guys!!!

Yup! December is finally here and I cannot contain my joy!!! Despite the really cold weather of late, everything seems in place. Christmas is most definitely in the air and the smell of mulled wine hugs the town. You just have to love the most wonderful time of the year. The only sad thing to tell is that my time in lovely London town is up. In three weeks time, I will find myself on a plane back home. 

Carving Delicious Turkeys
They were AMAZING Gis!!!

But let's not delve into melancholic sadness. So this week flew by so quickly, it felt like day switching to night. Last Monday, one of my closest friends flew into town (remember my surprise?) and I couldn't be happier. We had not seen each other in a year and it was a nice reunion. I didn't let her put down her bags, before we were back out the door on our way to South Kensington. Apparently we were "late" for dinner, but we made it just in time. 

Tuesday greeted us with a gray sky and light rain. Spending the entire morning inside the cozy flat, we went for lunch to Bento Cafe. I've told you before of this place. It really is good and we had a craving for sushi. With some hot green tea at the side, we caught up on our missed time and enjoyed some yummy maki. We parted ways a little later in the afternoon, as I worked on a school portfolio and baked a lovely banana bread and two vanilla sponge cakes. The following day was my second assessment of five and I went to bed early.

Jumbo Maki Set on the Lunch Menu

So at 7:45 in the morning, we were all in uniform, ready to begin our Sugar Module exam. It consisted of a poured sugar centerpiece and a pulled sugar rose. The class was divided in two, while my group started on the pulled sugar rose and the other finished their centerpiece. It was quite an interesting class, as midway through the exam, the power went out and if not for the sugar lamps, we'd be all in the dark. It made the room very warm, but we continued our work. After a short break, we returned to the kitchens and started on the missing part. My sugar centerpiece design was based on two of the previous ones I'd done, as I felt more confident in my abilities to make them again. I didn't like some of the colors I used but the overall centerpiece was good and I'm sure I passed it.

Pink Pulled Sugar Rose and
Oceanic Centerpiece

The sugar exam was over and we all breathed with relief, but the day wasn't over. In the afternoon, we'd be having our  very last wine lecture. This time, we experimented with food pairings. Thank's to the school's production kitchen, we had some nice canapes to accompany the different wines. Some of them were good, some were unexpected and some were just plain bad. It was stimulating experience and I'm sure we all know a little bit more about wine now. I hurried home to finish off the vanilla sponge cakes as I was making a Strawberry Cream Cake with them. The result was fantastic and I'm sure the birthday boy appreciated it. 

Strawberry Cream Madness!!! Not the best picture...
Messy but so worth it ;)

If you're interested, check out The Moveable Feasts. Amy has amazing recipes!!!

http://themoveablefeasts.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/strawberry-cream-cake/

With groggy eyes, I woke up on Thursday, not ready for the day's plan. We had our Chocolate Module exam and so far, the other groups has said it was a nightmare, as the school's kitchens were at temperatures not suitable for chocolate work. To our lucky surprise, the room stayed a nice 24 degrees Celsius for the entire four hours. We were able to successfully create our chocolate boxes and twelve identical molded truffles. I liked the end product, but there are definitely some skills I need to work on, and they will reflect on my mark. It still looked lovely, neat and presented the required elements, so I still have that going on for me.

What do you think?

After a delicious chicken pie at Silva's (same as last time), I headed home to bake an apple strudel. Considering our Thanksgiving dinner had been cancelled the previous week, it got postponed to this past Thursday. With two small turkeys with gravy on the side, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, corn, bread, salad and cranberry sauce, we had an amazing dinner. Like the turkeys, most of us were stuffed by the end, but there was still dessert to be served. So I sliced the strudel (in a very messy way, to pay tribute to my name) and served it with vanilla ice cream on the side, with the apple syrup on top. One of our hostess' claimed it to be SOULGASMIC! She should patent the word. I am proud to say it was that good hehehe.

Soulgasmic Apple Strudel

Sleep came easy that night, after some turkey and wine. On Friday, we found ourselves food hunting in the Borough Market. I have to say, it is one of my favorite places in London. Great food, great ambiance and some of the cities hidden treasures. If you haven't been, please check it out!!! I was surprised to know that my friend hadn't been to the Tower Bridge, as she's come here often, so we walked next to the Thames River and headed to the bridge. The cold was turning unbearable but the view was breathtaking. I filled my tummy with caramelized peanuts and we headed to Covent Garden to see the beautiful Christmas Tree they have right in front of the Apple Market in the plaza. We browsed around, took pictures and headed home. I have to thank Prachi, as I made use of my dining table in the proper way (not hosting wine nights) and enjoyed dinner (with wine on the side of course!)

"Oh Christmas Tree! Oh Christmas Tree!
Of all the trees, most lovely!"

Saturday I spent most of my day at home, working on my portfolio and in the evening, we visited the Christmas Market in Southbank. It was absolutely beautiful. So far, no Christmas Market compares to the one set up in Montreux, Switzerland, but this was nice enough. Some mulled wine kept us warm as we walked around looking at what the stalls have to offer. Between four, we shared mushrooms, roasted potatoes and salted beef. It was so good!!! But we needed something sweet. After discussing what to have, we decided to share a chimney cake. It tasted like a sweet pretzel, but it was much softer. I suggest you head down to the market and try one. It was really good. In the end, the cold was too much so we left. 

Christmas Market in Southbank, London

Check it out:

Southbank Centre Christmas Market  

16 Nov – 24 Dec 2012

(11am – 10pm MO - FR / SA & SU 10am – 10pm)

Sunday came with blazing sunshine and we decided we needed to be outside. The sun was lovely, but the cold still ruled. We walked to the Camden Market, where we had lunch, and I gave a short tour of the place, as it is too big!!! The day passed in a blur and my mood had darkened. I guess I'm truly realizing I'll be leaving soon and it's kind of a depressing thought. So how to cheer myself up? In the supermarket, we met up with two friends, bought cheese, wine and a lovely, miniature Christmas tree. It's been a dream of mine to someday decorate my house for Christmas, but considering I won't be here,  the only solution was a miniature tree. I also bought movies and we stayed up watching two. 

Christmas Time Wine Night

Monday knocked on my window today, with busy people chattering away and hurrying to catch the bus in the rain. The sky's cleared up a bit, from what I can see from my window. With this, I take my leave. Gotta finish that portfolio and study, study, study!!! Tomorrow we have our Theory Exam!!! We'll see how it goes. Wish us luck!!!

Until next time.

xx

Farewells and Goodbyes: To Friendships, Autumn and Everlasting Wine (s)

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back!!! I hope the rainy weather hasn't upset your Monday too much. We have entered the last week of November and once again, like the past weeks, we woke up to receive raindrops on a Monday. It's uncanny, really, how a Sunday can be gloriously sunny and a Monday so gray and blue. Still, the day has permitted me to complete a list of tasks that I've been putting off. 

Gonna miss these lovely autumn colors...
December arrives soon

I found myself quite melancholic and sad last week, as I gave notice to my agency that I would be vacating the property next month. I am truly sad, knowing my time here in London is quickly coming to an end. It seems I just arrived a month ago. I've grown accustomed to my cozy flat, my neighbors, the hustle and bustle and noisy locals on those crazy weekends. It's as if I haven't lived anywhere else in years. But no need to feel sad...at least I try to tell myself. We have much to celebrate and look forward too. 

This past week was very busy!!! Monday evening I joined friends for a farewell dinner at a small italian restaurant in South Kensington (Cacciari's) as a great friend moves to Paris at the end of the month. We wish you the best of luck Mara!!! You'll be missed :(. Tuesday evening I joined another dinner in a small Persian restaurant near Edgware Road. Great food and amazing prices!!! The starter alone could have been enough, but the lamb was so good, I couldn't stop. I needed a tea before bed.

So going back to the kitchens, last week was our very last week of practicals. Apart from the assessments we shall face later on this week, we will no longer be cooking in there. Ok, so the sadness continues. My apologies.  It's hard not to feel a bit melancholic. To add another dose of sadness, the school waved goodbye to one of the very best teachers we've had as he embarked on a quest to open a new school in Turkey!!! We wish him the very best of luck in his future endeavors. We'll miss you Chef Christophe. 

Chef Christophe et les schtroumpfs

Anyhow, we continued our work with chocolate, making a chocolate box and a chocolate train!!! It was a short, but good practice, as this Thursday we face our Chocolate Work Assessment, which includes making another chocolate box and a set of 12 identical truffles. I've mentioned before how much I dislike working with chocolate and to be truly honest, I cannot wait for Thursday to come. Wish us luck!!!

Last week, started off with a technical class, during which we were given a breakdown of how our assessments this week would be. Everything seems pretty straightforward, but we'll see how it goes. The following day we started with our chocolate box and had a practice round on the truffles we are to make during the exam. In short words, it was an interesting practical. I had a general idea of how I wanted my box to look like. Due to my annoying habit of just diving into whatever I'm doing and not giving it a second thought, I ended up having a mirror problem with the base and the lid of my box. In the end, it ended up looking like a fish, but the chef was pleased and even said I should consider sticking to the design for the assessment. He also said I should add height to the structure as it seemed a bit flat. We are to use 5 different techniques when making the box and I ticked them all off making my box. So if I do stick to the design, I may pass. The truffles on the other hand were a major disaster. I have no idea what I did wrong with the ganache as it didn't want to set, which was essential to properly seal the truffles. I ended up with a few good ones, some okay ones and ones the chef said were catastrophic. I laughed. You couldn't help but to, as they were truly a disaster. But I managed to make them okay once, and I trust my skills will allow me to do so again on Thursday.

It was meant to be a teardrop, but the result is still nice :)

Thursday morning we got to class, ready to begin our work on the chocolate train. This workshop was divided into two separate days and we made all the preparations on the day, simply to show up on Friday to assemble it. It took a bit longer to make it all, but we managed. After class, we headed to a small restaurant nearby and had a great chicken pie with peas and mash. It was absolutely amazing!!! Since I've been here, I haven't had many traditional British dishes, as I find most of their food a bit bland, but this was delicious!!! Because it was Thanksgiving, I was in a cheerful mood and I got chocolates for everyone. I am not American, but I did grow up celebrating the holiday and I love it!!! So, a belated Thanksgiving to you all. Our dinner that night was cancelled due to unforeseen events but it has been rescheduled for this week. I am making an apple strudel and I hope I manage to roll it properly :). 

I still had a lovely dinner. It was a traditional Thanksgiving feast, but it was good nonetheless. I joined some of my friends and we headed to Bubbledogs. The restaurant opened not long ago, and we've been trying to get in several times. We managed, after queuing for at least an hour in the cold...yeah, trust me it wasn't easy. The place offers gourmet hotdogs and champagne. It was an intriguing experience. We ordered a bottle of champagne and I had a BLT hotdog: bacon wrapped with caramelized lettuce and truffle mayo.  It was really good!!! I was very tired and only ate one. My friends, each  had two or three, and we had sweet potato fries and tots on the side. Can you say yummy? 

Oh yes!!!

A BLT dog with some bubbly on the side

Check it out:

BUBBLEDOGS

70 Charlotte St

W1T 4QG

020 7637 7770

With groggy eyes, I woke up on Friday to finish off our week. The kitchen was busy and loud with chatter as we assembled our creations. The train was made up using egg shell molds, resting atop a chocolate bar. The result was quite lovely. With a small roof, a door, windows, wheels and a chimney, they looked cartoonish. Most of us added eyes. I added cotton to the chimney to add the sense of steam coming out. Soon class was finished, after a session of photos, we left our last practical with happy and melancholic faces. The day wasn't over, so we headed for a quick lunch to East Street (we love it, remember) and I ordered the Daging Lembu Goreng this time (rump steak strips, with ginger, fresh shallots and an oyster sauce.) Excellent choice!!! Try it out sometime.

My version of the Hogwarts Express hehehe

We headed back to school for our final wine lecture. We tried a series of sweet fortified wines and assessed food pairings with some canapés provided by the production kitchen in school. Some of them were really good, whereas other pairings did not work at all. I found it fascinating to know that a sweet wine really compliments a sweet dessert. It's just about finding a balance. I would have never thought of adding a sweet drink to an already sweet dessert. The result is interesting. 

And speaking of wine, Saturday night, I hosted a wine night/potluck dinner. We had an incredibly, amazing time. Bruschetta, cheese, crackers, white wine sangria, wine, brigadeiros, lolly cakes, sugar cookies, garlic and onion bread, and even butter I-LOVE-YOU chicken, the night turned out spectacularly fun. So the food combination sounds funny, and I haven't included all of it, but it was great. We then headed out to my favorite pub here and Camden and the fun continued. It was a memorable night. I didn't appreciate the cleaning the following morning, but it was well worth it. 

The beginning of a memorable night

I spent half of my Sunday in bed, the other half cleaning. After mass in the evening, we headed to a Thai restaurant I'd heard about before. One of us had already been there and vouched for the food. I have such a passion for great food and I wasn't disappointed. The restaurant's called Patara. We ordered   mixed dumplings as appetizers, which were scrumptious and so well presented. My main dish was Gang Ped Nua (red coconut curry of tender beef fillet, Thai eggplant and sweet basil). WOW!!! I didn't join the dinner conversation...I was engrossed in my plate. Hehehehe, I know...I just love food!!!

Great choice Gis!!!

Check it out:

PATARA

15 Greek St

W1D 4DP

020 7437 1071

We all headed home and I stayed up till midnight on a Christmas movie marathon...well, if two counts as a marathon. I didn't even finish How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I was falling asleep. The busy Monday chatter woke me up from my calm sleep. I guess I finally caught up with my rest. I ran my errands and tied loose ends.  One of my very best friends is coming to London this evening and she has no idea I'll be greeting her with a sign at the airport. So don't tell!!! :)

Anyways, I hope you all had a fun weekend and are ready to see November off with a smile as December greets us this coming Saturday!!!

Until next time.

xx

Chocolate-Dipped Fingers and Cakes Galore

Hi guys!!!

And welcome back. Can you believe it?!?! November is almost over, paving way to one of the most glorious months of the year. With a hand in my pocket and the other clutching my purse, I have walked the busy streets of London this past weekend and found myself ogling at all the beautiful Christmas displays and lights that have taken to adorn this charming city. To be honest, my idea of a peaceful walk does not involve Oxford Street in this time of year. Thousands upon thousands of people, both locals and tourists have taken to the early Christmas shopping, making my walks next to impossible. A sense of loneliness and claustrophobia, both, simultaneously envelope me when I see the massive crowds. However, this happens in every big city, in every country in the world that celebrates the joyous occasion of Christmas. London is no stranger. But I digress...

The week began with a technical class; the second part of a two-part technical demonstration on how to make a croquembouche: a towering structure made with pastry cream filled choux. I find this dessert a bomb of elegance and classiness and very regal. I have known it to be a traditional French wedding cake my whole life...although I've never seen one at a wedding back home.The chef made two different towers and decorated one with pulled sugar flowers. I hope to have one on my wedding day...but that's another subject hehehe. A croquembouche can be whichever height you want it to be and they are fairly easy to make. The tricky part comes when you pipe the choux, as they have to be similar in size to make the assembly easy and level. They are then dipped in caramel and stuck together in prism form with a hollow center. They are quite yummy. Have you ever seen one? If not, I hope the picture entices you to try one.

Chef's Festive Croquembouche

We turn our heads back to the kitchens, where this past week, we found ourselves elbow deep in chocolate. Yes, folks, we finally entered the module I feared. Don't take me wrong here. I live for chocolate...a fact my skin likes to remind me every so often. But I do hate the look of my lovely chef whites after a session with chocolate and let me tell you something I never understood at home when the laundry was being done. Chocolate is a nightmare to deal with. 

Last week we found ourselves divided into three groups, each making a set of six different chocolate varieties. Molded truffles, slab ganaches and confectionery. My group in particular worked on Nougat Truffles, Lemon Curd Truffles, Lavender infused, slab ganache Chocolates, Spiked Rum Truffles, Caramel Mou and Nougat de Montelimar. The work was divided into four workshops, with the work finished by Friday morning, when all that was left for our group to do was slather the Caramel Mou with tempered milk chocolate. It was then cut into small logs. It was delicious. We had also made the previous day, each a set of molded truffles. This was to practice for our Chocolate Module Assessment, which will include producing a chocolate box and twelve identical molded truffles. 

Lemon Curd Truffles

Thursday afternoon, as I headed home for a baking session at home. We were to have a birthday dinner the following evening and I needed to start my preparations. I whipped up a batch of the Vanilla Bean Birthday Cake, all courtesy of The Cake Merchant. http://cakemerchant.com/2012/11/07/vanilla-bean-birthday-cake/. The recipe called for cake flour, which I cannot find to this day in the supermarkets near by, so I made a substitute, like I did for Juliana's Red Velvet cake, with a 1/4 cup of corn flour instead of the plain flour. It worked on the other cake, but it compacted the cake batter in this one. I ended up with a cake that in texture seemed more like a tight brioche dough. I still made use of it, and the following afternoon I whipped up the frosting and masked my cake. The result was lovely, very girlish and I headed to dinner.

Fluffy, cloud-like buttercream frosting

We met at The Living Room, in Heddon Street, in a lively and boisterous atmosphere. I hadn't been there before and I enjoyed cocktails, a starter and a main dish. I ordered a butternut squash, Dolcelatte, walnut and honey tart for starter and a pan fried sea bass, with orange scented broccoli and lentil casserole, which was quite tasty; every bit of a great meal. Drinks all around, laughter and even the occasional dance moves from Miss Kendra, all encompassed our festive evening. 

Pan fried sea bass with orange scented broccoli
and a lentil casserole

The time for dessert approached and as the candles were being blown, anxiety hit me. I was sitting with a table full of future pastry chefs, and I alone would face the scrutiny of my cake...tick-tock, tick-tock. Cake was being passed around and I held my breathe for what seemed forever. I breathed with relief as the first words I heard were Brava!!! The taste of vanilla made for the tightness of the cake. A small piece would have been enough, as it was quite dense, but our gracious birthday girl insisted on small brick-sized pieces. So my work had not been in vain. The cake was enjoyed and that was my only worry. I headed home a little after midnight, with sleep in eyes and dozed off in seconds. 

Birthday girl blowing out those  beautiful angel flames
(Seriously...they are the coolest candles ever!!!)

Check it out:

The Living Room

3-9 Heddon St

London

W1B 4BE

020 7292 0570

I'm still trying to recover some lost sleep, as Thursday night, after a busy day in the school kitchens and a busy afternoon in my own kitchen, I arrived at the cinema for a midnight screening of the Breaking Dawn. I know, I feel it too. But I had made a promise of going and I kept it. Not a fan of the story, I have to say the movie wasn't bad. I was lost in parts, as I didn't read the book (again, I am not a fan...), but it was ok. I paid for it the next morning when I had to go to school. 

So we returned to the kitchens Friday morning to finish it all. We arranged our products on a paper lined tray and our Chef came round to try our molded truffles for the exam and the six other chocolate varieties we produced. We received good comments on everything, with small tweaks to be amended here and there. All in all, it was a fine week, with the slight annoyance I have with tempering chocolate, as I still need to master this skill.

Lemon Curd Truffles, Lavender Chocolate, Nougat Truffles
Spiked Rum Truffles, Caramel Mou and Nougat de Montelimar

The amount of chocolates we took home that day was enough to last until next year. I have given most of them away, and it's always nice to hear how good they are/were. It goes to show we all did a fine job. I got home and assembled a long overdue cake. A cake that had been ordered in June. A birthday cake. I'm still embarrassed to know it's taken me so long to do it. In a few words, the cake was a raspberry, macaron cake. Friday evening I baked the macarons, and I assembled the cake on Saturday. It was a vanilla bean macaron layer, topped with a raspberry chantilly (the original recipe was with strawberries), topped with fresh raspberries and this done again on a second layer. The result was pleasant. 

Vanilla Bean and Raspberry Heaven

Try out the recipes. All credits go to Annie's Eats and Brave Tart.

http://www.annies-eats.com/2011/04/29/vanilla-bean-macarons-with-raspberry-filling/

http://bravetart.com/recipes/StrawberryChantillyGF

Saturday evening I joined an enthusiastic crowd for a celebratory dinner. A few friends took part in the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest run here in London and they wished to commemorate the act. We headed to MASH (Modern American Steakhouse), a Danish chain with a venue newly opened here in London, two weeks to be exact. I ordered a magnificent Danish, aged, sirloin steak and as a big meat eater, let me tell you, no other word fits my state: WOW...it melted in my mouth...something I though impossible. But yes, they managed to do so, when I ordered my meat medium rare (my apologies to my vegetarian followers). We didn't order any starters and simply went for the red. We did however order several sides and sauces. No dessert was needed on my part. A good red wine had accompanied the dinner and I finished with a double macchiatto (like I said...I was sleep deprived). We headed for a last drink to Novikov, which isn't really my kind of place, but in good company, all is well. 

Check it out:

MASH

77 Brewer St

London

W1F 9ZN

020 7734 2608

After a few hours sleep, Sunday greeted me with a sunny side and I joined the masses for some quick shopping on the bustling streets. It was a long day overall and I was only to happy to find myself home again, being surprised by my friend Lucas at the door, as he picked up his macaron/raspberry cake. His verdict: AMAZING!!! So don't be shy and try out my version of both recipes. It doesn't disappoint ;).

Layer upon delicious layer...
made mini macarons on the side as well

Sleep came sooner than I thought and I drifted off to finally catch some rest. Rays of sunshine received me this morning as I headed out. Rain is scheduled for tomorrow, but it doesn't matter. My days here in London are counted and I aim to make the best of them. I head to South Kensington tonight, for a farewell dinner for a dear friend who also leaves London soon.

This week we shall continue to dip our fingers in chocolate as we attempt to create elegant chocolate boxes and trains. Wish us luck!!!

Until next time.

xx