Sunday Baking & the Saints are NFC Champions

Geaux Saints! The Saints are the NFC champions and they will be playing the Colts in the Superbowl.

Today I made some fruit tarts. I made some basic tart shells using my 4.5" tart dishes. I used Swan's Down cake flour and White Lily all purpose flour. It came out very good.

I used a basic tart pastry filling and fresh fruit. I also a few small tart shells in a cupcake pan.

Day 13 - Lecture, Lecture, Lecture

Yesterday in class we covered background checks and all the specific types of checks (credit check, drug test, moving violation reports, reference checks, etc) which employers may perform prior to hiring a new employee. Then we where given time to go to the school library to use the computers. This was mainly for the students that don't have access to a computer at home.

Today in class we covered trade associations related to the restaurant industry. The instructor covered Professional development as well. This was mainly about the ways to continue learning and growing in your profession.

This was the last day of the Hospitality Career Management class and so we took a quiz covering the material we learned this week. The test seemed easy and I should have done well. We also had to turn in our Cover Letter and Portfolio. I emailed it to the instructor before class. Of course I don't have many pictures to include in the portfolio yet and the resume looks totally weak in the experience section. But, I'll get there.

This is the last class I'll have that is totally lecture in a classroom setting. On Monday we'll start the Intro to Patisserie & Baking class. This will be a three week class. Monday, the students will each receive their tool kit. I'm sure we are all excited to get our tool kit. It will be like Christmas again.

Yesterday I got some Swan's Down Cake Flower from Wal-Mart. I also got a new OXO Digital Kitchen Scale (see picture above) from Williams Sonoma. This scale had some good reviews on the internet and at $50, it fit my budget. Maybe I'll try it out this weekend.

Day 11 - Lecture rolls on.

Yesterday and today in class we learned about portfolios, resumes, cover letters, interviews and career paths. We were shown samples and the do's and don'ts in creating them. We were also told of some of the creative things that have worked for some students.

Last weekend, I was looking for cake flour to make tart pastry dough. I could find no cake flour in the groceries I went to. I ended up using some whole wheat pastry flour and I didn't like the results. This week, I got some White Lily Enriched Bleached Self-Rising Flour and Enriched Bleached All-Purpose Flour to add to my pantry for future baking projects. Looking at the Nutrtion Facts on the bags of White Lily flour, they listed the Protein at 2g for a 30g serving, therefore it should be close to 7% protein. The strange thing is that the White Lily web site list the Protein for this flour at 3g. Hmm! I also plan to get some Swan Down Cake Flour at Wal-Mart. I see online that the Swan Down Cake Flour list the Protein at 2g as well. I'll use these next time I make some tart shells and see which I like better.