Spread Thin

I'm working two jobs now - part-time at the restaurant and full time in the pastry department of a bakery - and so my spare time is spread pretty thin. As is my sanity. I'm still not exactly certain what I'm doing with myself or where my life is going or what's going on. I'm still settling into the bakery and I'm not certain whether or not I'm actually going to enjoy it there.

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Jeggings - Fancy Sox, by Hue

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

The work isn't what worries me, but the people. A lot of folks seem to be leaving recently, and most people I talk to haven't been there more than 6 months, even those in 'senior' positions, which is a little worrying. Especially since my first shift was pretty rocky, spent with the crankiest woman I've met in a long time. I've already had issues with management and I'm very wary. I really hope it all works out and that people don't ruin what seemed like it would be my dream job. It all just makes me doubly appreciative of the great crew I work with at the restaurant. I hope you're doing good and the month has treated you well. Cheers!

Still Clothed

It's been ages since I've bothered to take outfit photos, but it's also been ages since I've done more than just throw something on. Wearing the same thing over several days until I've deemed it dirty enough to wash has become a bit of a bad habit. I'm just really not leaving my apartment much, or doing anything that warrants actual outfits or worrying about being seen wearing the same thing. It's been a long time since I last wore this dress though, and maybe that's why I actually made the effort to document this actual outfit.

 Scarf - Gift from grandmother

Dress - Thrifted from Rebuilt Resources

Top - Thrifted from Value Village

Shoes - Thrifted from Value Village

It does have to be noted that the shoes didn't actually leave my apartment with the outfit. It's winter after all, and the only appropriate footwear at the moment are snow boots. But I couldn't possibly be sock-footed in the first outfit photo of the year. I feel wonderfully colourful in this too, especially with the royal blue scarf my grandmother got me for Christmas. The joyful colour kick is definitely welcome these days. I hope you are all having a good week. Cheers!

Too Good to be True

Well then. I had hoped to share the happy news of my being hired on as a bread baker at a bakery. Except they let me go before I'd even properly started working there. Which is really a shame because I enjoyed the work I did have a chance to do before they cut me. Ugh. Now my life is upside down all over again and I'm just trying to keep afloat. It's hard not to second-guess myself and blame myself for all the bad things happening, there's definitely nobody else responsible for this situation but me. I'm starting to go a little stir-crazy, and losing hope. I know things will work out eventually but that doesn't make this any easier or less stressful. And when it looks like this outside...



It's rather difficult to get myself out there. I like to walk my stress off, but who wants to go walk in the snowpocalypse?! Or the ensuing slushy hell that follows. I'm doubting my choices, my decisions, my actions, and there's nobody I can really turn to for solid advice in this kind of situation. I love my parents, but they're even worse at such matters than I am. It's times like these that I feel really bitter about being alone, it's so much harder when you don't have someone at your side. Oh well. I'll just have to press on, because there isn't any choice. Cheers...

Happy Guest Poster

It was originally posted a little while ago, but I've got a guest post up on the wonderful Katie's blog, Head Heart Health. It's just a little ditty about my journey from grumpy librarian to being a happy baker. I'd love if you would take the time and have a read; here it is. Cheers!

Basic Pastry Graduation

You'd think with how proud graduating with my Basic Pastry certificate from the Cordon Bleu made me feel that I would have posted it about it immediately. It's been over three weeks now though, and it seems like a lifetime ago that I was taking classes there. I'm still sad that I'm not going back, attending Intermediate Pastry with some of my classmates and learning from our wonderful Chefs. Part of me hopes that within the next year and a half, I can pony up the next large chunk of money required and take it too. For now, I'm going to be proud of what I've managed to accomplish so far.

Chef Jocelyn above was the one who spent the most time teaching us and watching over us during our practical classes and I really adored him. He's such a character! But really, all the chefs are total characters and I adore them all. Even the grumpy ones heh. Chef Hervé below was another of my favourites, and the one responsible for helping me decide on Pastry rather than Cuisine, something I made certain to thank him for that evening.



Saying goodbye to my classmates was also pretty difficult. We were a very large Basic Pastry group - 36 in total - but I got to know a few of the people in our C group a little better. Most of them hail from very far away, be it China or way out in Alberta, so the odds of seeing any of them again are slim. But there's always Facebook, as I kept hearing that night.



I'm so glad I went through with all this. I can't imagine having done anything else, this whole process just felt so right, it really suits me well. I have more confidence in myself and my future now than I ever did before. Life can be scary sometimes, but it's a hell of a fun ride if you let it be. Dreams really can come true. Cheers!

Sweet Progress

Happy new year everyone! I'm late with that as I am with a few other things I'm going to be mentioning here, but better late than never I suppose. Life's been pretty crazy the last few weeks. I had to do a lot of studying for my final exam, and then attended my graduation. The holidays were a whirlwind with my parents' visit, and then I danced the night away with a friend to welcome in the new year. Not to mention my work life is changing too. I'll leave most of that to other posts, but for now I'll share some of the last pastry photos from my time at school.



Starting from the top, there's a Charlotte aux Poires, a pastry made from ladyfinger biscuit, filled with bavarian cream and pear chunks, and decorated with Chantilly cream and braised pear. The second photo is the Charlotte served with a strawberry coulis. The chocolate decadence below is a Pavé du Roy, chocolate biscuit soaked with rum syrup and layered with a dark chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate decor. Finally, two Saint-Honoré cakes, made with a base of shortcrust and choux paste, filled with Chibouste cream and decorated with caramel. The first was my initial attempt, and I unfortunately failed my Chibouste cream. My second attempt went much better and I was much happier with it.



These last two photos are a before-and-after of an apple tart I baked up in my own kitchen yesterday. The dough was leftover from one of my first ever classes and had been sitting in my freezer ever since and I figured I may as well use it up. I do so love baking. Which makes my other news all the more wonderful. But I'll save that for another day. Cheers!

Two months down

And one more month left before my Basic Pastry course at the Ottawa Cordon Bleu is done. They just posted the list of recipes for the final exam and I'll have to get started studying those ASAP. Most of them were ones I did quite well on but a few do worry me, and hopefully those aren't the ones I wind up having to do. Considering I'm always surprised with how well my dishes turn out, so long as I study properly, things should be alright.



From the top, here is the crème brulée, a gateau basque (filled with pastry cream and cherries) and a crème caramel renversée. I surprised myself with both the crèmes, and somehow actually managed to be done before anybody else in class that day which is unusual for me. The crème caramel is quite small but so rich, with all that sugar and egg in it. I just wanted to roll over and die after eating it and the crème brulée in class haha...

Anyhow, I have errands to run, crickets to acquire, and things to clean. I hope you are having a good Monday and that you had a groovy weekend. Cheers!