Lemon Tart

Yay, it's Saturday! Time for rest. I've only been attending the Cordon Bleu for two weeks now but I've already baked up a génoise cake, lady fingers, custard sauce, pastry creams, and yesterday an entire lemon tart. From scratch. By hand. Intense! But so much fun! I really get into the zone and do my thing, but we all work really well together too. If one person is done before another, they usually wind up helping someone else etc. and giving each other tips and pointers or steering the other in the right direction if they appear to be doing something not quite right. I've never really been part of a real team before, one that actually works together and enjoys it and does it well.

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Skirt - Thrifted from Value Village

Mocassins - Sears, Hush Puppies

Sunglasses - A shop in Cape Breton, NS

It's still very intimidating and a little scary every time I go into a practical class to make something for the first time, but the Chefs are all fantastic teachers and great people. Some of us are having a better time than others - an unfortunate classmate of mine has failed to finish the required recipes during two of our three practicals - but I guess it has to be this intense to weed out the ones who won't make it in the real world.

So far my forty-five minute walks to class have been enjoyable, but I haven't been caught in any heavy rain or blowing snow yet. I have a feeling in a few weeks once the weather gets cooler I won't enjoy it so much. October is usually a nice month though, and if you're lucky you can run around without a jacket like I did the day I took these photos. Thankfully I managed to thrift myself an amazing down winter jacket a short while ago (80% down and 20% duck feathers) and that will keep me toasty come time.



This is the lemon tart I made yesterday! It's a base of sweet dough, with a layer of almond cream, a layer of lemon curd, and is then topped with Italian meringue and sliced almonds. I made this whole thing by hand and didn't use a single appliance except the electric stove in which it was baked. When I finally ate a piece, I was almost surprised at how good it tasted. I don't give myself and my abilities enough credit sometimes, I think.

Some of you have commented that ya miss having me around on your blogs... and I'm so sorry for disappearing like that. I really haven't been reading any blogs at all the last few months - not even my most favourite - so it's not that I dislike you now or anything. I became a bit disillusioned with all the shopping and spending and constant 'need' for new things and distanced myself from the whole fashion blogosphere. I recently read Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline, and it really was the clincher in the whole thing. I read the book in one day, in one sitting, it's fantastic and I recommend it. But anyway, I should probably get around to attacking the giant mound of dishes that's accumulated in my sink before it starts to come to life. I hope you have a great Saturday! Cheers!