Mr to my Mrs.

Hy came home about 4pm on Friday afternoon, what a relief! I was beginning to think that he was never going to come home! We had such a fun day yesterday. Hy took me shopping, to a movie, to dinner, and out for drinks. What a blast. Today we have to go grocery shopping- arghhh- and then we are going to the river with our puppy for a picnic.

The last time we went to the river was when Grandma Bonnie and my mom came to visit us. Thats Gram in the picture with us.

We saw the Pineapple Express yesterday, soo funny. A bit more violent than I had intended, but an all around good laugh.

Lily really missed Hy and tuckered herself out after being crazy for a few hours.

I have a huge essay to write for my Viennoiserie class, pointless-yes, and havent even started. Totally due on Tuesday. Ill figure it out tomorrow. IN the meantime, Hy is coming home with Jack-in -the-Box, because we are grumpy with out our sustinance. Cant go shopping on an empty stomach.

Grief

I am at a part in my grief that every person that pisses me off, runs the risk of getting punched in the face.

I am upset that something like this could happen and I am in disbelief that someone so wonderful could be lost in such a way.

When I went to school today I had to make Danish dough in Viennoiserie and it was the "modified straight dough method." Which means nothing to you unless you are a baker. Anyway, super simple, and I just sat there looking at my bread mixer like "what do I do with you?"

Anything other than getting dressed and sleeping is a little more complication that I am ready for.

In loving memory of sweet Mandy Johnson

I would just like to take a few minutes out of my day to say a few words. There was a plane crash in Southern Utah last night and all 10 passengers on that plane were killed. One of the people on this plane was named Mandy Johnson.

I grew up with Mandy and we had a lot of activities together: achievement days, young womens, girsl camps, lots of church activities. I know that the entire town of Hurricane, especially the Johnsons, are feeling lost and heartbroken.

Mandy was one of the kindest people I have ever had the good fortune of meeting. Not once have I ever heard her say something negative about someone else. Of all the people, I feel as though Mandy was the most deserving of a long and beautiful life. Unfortionately, that is not up to me or anyone else who loved that wonderful girl.

There are so many bad and negative people on this earth and I feel like one of the brighter and kinder people was taken far to early. The world seems a bit dimmer today.

Rest in Peace Mandy Johnson 08-22-08

Another Day....

Just found out Hy has to stay for an extra couple of days. Pretty bummed. I think in honor of these sucky circumstances, I am going back to bed till 3 this afternoon.

On another, more positive note: I aced my first viennoiserie practical. It was pretty tough too. Chef Anjali grades on a pretty strict basis. 95/100?? I'll take it. 1000 layer pastries?? Yeah it was freakishly awesome. And for some miraculous reason, almost everything was perfect. Sweet.

WCI

I get one week off of school about every 4 months and tomorrow I have to go back. LAME. I had 9 beautiful days off, although they were pretty much filled with sleeping and more sleeping.

So anyway I am back to school tomorrow to start Venoisserie and Lamanated doughs! Yay. As you can tell I am practically brimming with joy at this prospect. My only complaint besides the constant sticky hands is using the same 4 ingredeints in 400 different ways. It can get a tad bit boring.

Miss Lily

While Hy is gone I am most thankful for our sweetheart of a puppy Miss Lily. She is our only child currently and makes me laugh my guts out everyday. Had to put up a picture I took of her a few minutes ago. She is pooped after a hot and sweaty trip to Petco. What a sweet puppy.



The vicious burn on my middle finger is mostly healed and mostly annoying. I guess thats what I get for flipping off a blow torch.

You're on a mission. You've got my permission.

"Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.”

You dont realize how large a part someone has in the circus you call your life until they leave. Then there is this giant gaping hole that you struggle to fill. My food that I create tastes bland and all of my desserts fall flat. Not quite the same when you dont have someone to cook for.

11 days till he comes home

Night 2

Having Rudee over last night helped the night go by faster. BUt now that it is just me and my puppy, time ticks very slowly. The nights seem to go on forever! I know that he is missing me too and that makes me miss him even more. I know that something like this makes a couple stronger, but I guess right now I dont really see the positive side of it. Maybe in 2 weeks when he gets back I will? For now puppy and I are going to spoon and watch movies and hopefuly that will help me sleep. Currently though: melencholic ( I figure its a good a disease as any.)

Sad Panda

Hy left this morning for his 2 week work trip. Kenzi is now a sad panda. Rudee is sleeping over tonight to hopefuly keep Kenzi from being too sad of a panda, but I dont think it will do much good.

I must eat so many lemons

Cause right now Im feeling pretty bitter. Hy is leaving town in the morning and I am pretty bummed. I know he doesn't want to go and I surely dont want him to go either. He has to be in California for 2 weeks for work. Lame me has only one week for summer break from school and cant go. Im sure many melencholy posts will follow. Hopefuly the time will pass quickly.

Oh how camp...

We had a total blast camping with our puppy Lily. It was nice to get away from everything and just spend time together. No school and no work. Nothing but the 3 of us. Our little family. We camped in the best little spot by a bridge and a river, in the middle of the trees.

Im pretty sure that no one can rock footie polar bear pajamas like I can. I mean how can you not love something that has elastic ankles?! I am just thankful I have a husband who understands my weirdness.

Lily had a total blast and swam pretty much the entire time. She was our little explorer. She passed out all wrapped up in blankets on the way home and got up only so she could go inside. She slept for the next 14 hours. That puppy was pooped.

All in all I had a really great time.

We camp

We are going camping tonight because Hy just found out that he has to go to California for 2 weeks on Tuesday. I have school in a week and unfortionately cant go. Im pretty busted up about it. SO we are going hog wild this weekend and are starting it off by camping. But before we go:

Four random things I like about my husband:
1. How he sings me the get out of bed song when I wont.
2. How he bandages me up after getting wounded at school
3. He would do anything for our little family.
4. The way he drives crazy so I will hold on to him.


Four jobs I’ve had:
1. World Traveling Nanny
2. Receptionist for Redrock Customs
3. Lab Assistant at HP Headquarters
4. Sous pastry chef for NK Tavi


Four movies I have watched more than once:
1. Garden State
2. Igby goes Down
3. Love actually
4. Bride and Prejudice, yes BRIDE( its a bollywood movie.)


Four TV shows I watch:
1. So you think you can dance
2. Ghost Whisperer
3. Big Bang Theory
4. Ugly Betty


Four places I have been:
1. Nice, Aix-en-Provence, Saint Tropez, Marseille- France
2. Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Gaza Strip- Israel
3. Hawaii, Florida, New York I think all but 6 states.
4 Trinidad


Four people who e-mail me regularly:
1. Sarah
2. Rudee
3. Tifnasty
4. Jess and Erin


Four of my favorite foods:
1. Anything Indian: tandori Chicken, Aloo Nan, Kashmiri Nan, Fish Masala. YUM
2. Dessert, oh yeah. I make a killer Creme Brulee and Creme Caramel
3. Hyrums "heart attack" breakfast mash
4. Sweet Potato Mash

Four places I would like to visit:
1. Maori part of New Zealand
2. Anywhere in India
3. Greece
4. Turkey


Four things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Graduating on the Deans List from School
2. Going on a Graduation cruise
3. Making a massive 3 day Thanksgiving dinner like I do every year
4. Spending more time with my neph Jaxten

Sweet

Today was pretty freaking sweet. Did really well on my written exam, and damn does she make them difficult. I made a ton of Artisan breads today, all but my crumpets turned out perfect. Stupid bread flour. I have to get up really early tomorrow morning so I can get to school by 6 AM. Yes AM. My slot time for presentations is at 8:45 and I have to prepare a traditional tea service, make a 3 fermentation 800 year old recipe, and talk about them for 20 minutes. I just hope my second batch turns out. OR ELSE.

The dean of students came to bake shops again today and handed out placement award letters. I was positive I wasnt going to be on any academic list, I mean making the Dean's list once was pretty sweet. I made the Honors List and recieved another award for academic excellence.

Kind of makes everyone elses 9-5 seem pretty lame right?

Up there you have Brioche, Pate Fermente, Poolish, Vienna, Onion Bread, and some pumpernickel.

Hitting the Bread Wall

I have two days left of bread class and I am counting the seconds. I have a massive final tomorrow(thursday) and a huge presentation and makeup on Friday. Oh boy. THen I get a bliss filled week and a half of no school. THANK YOU!

I get the general oppinion that most people think that it isnt hard to be a serious baker or Pastry chef. It is about putting ingredients together and basic things like that. But it is also about thousands of years of history, chemistry, Business, even architecture. All of it is super important. And with Artisan Breads, one single gram of extra ingredient can give your dough a closed cell structure and even one second of over handeling will kill your starter. I have a thousand little details running through my head 24-7.

Have you ever tried to temper chocolate? I guarantee you will screw it up atleast 5 times.

Makes it a little hard to sleep.

But Hy and I are going camping this weekend and I am seriously looking forward to not getting up at 4 am or having to make bread. Roasting homemade marsh. But after this break I have the beginning of my Veniosserie and Laminated dough classes. Oye.

Last week of Breads Class!

My last week of breads class starts tomorrow! I have never been more excited. After breads week I have a 2 week break from school. After that I have to pretty much buckle down and kick it for the next 4 months followed by 3 months of externship. I graduate in May 2009 as a Pastry Chef and head patissiere. Sweeet. I have basically been burning the tips of my fingers for the last 2 months in preperation for all of my candy classes. The head chefs say that if you dont, the pain is excruciating at that high of a temperature. Mr. Johnson and I had nothing to really saturday besides 4 last minute loads of laundry, so I decided to go all out and make something special. I made a champagne chiffon cake torted with raspberry compote. It was delish, plus vanilla buttercream. How can you go wrong? Anyway for my next cake class I have figured out what I will make Are you ready...........