Last week of bakery

I've been dragging ass for the past two weeks, largely due to the family getting spanked by strep.  On top of that though, I've learned bakery's not really where my tastes or ambitions lie.  So it's cool but not as cool as roasting techniques, sauces etc.

That said, chef knows we feel that way, so she's doing a great job clueing us in about how as chefs a modicum of bakery skills can really set us apart.  Expand our menus on the cheap, and become more marketable too.

Makes sense to me, because when I think about our future place, I definitely think of having empanadas, and some kind of bready sticks or flatbreads for dipping.

Last night C and I made tuile dough and florentine dough, which we'll use tonight making moldable cookies.  We got Friday's creme brulee's graded, and we did well, chef said they were delicious but our caramel crust was not thick enough.  Jen, who wants me to gain weight, will be happy to hear I ate a ton of creme brulee at 9:30.

We made creme Anglaise, also for use tonight.  I could bathe in that stuff, tastes awesome.  And we cooked, cooled, then piped out what will end up being truffles, milk chocolate Frangelico hazlenut, and dark chocolate powdery.

Last week's high point for me: C and I made souffles and we absolutely dominated on them.  The first week though, we blazed through some of the baking basics, only one night for baguettes, one night for danish and croissant.  Our croissant didn't have much time to proof and rise, so we cooked up some mini bull horns, looked like something you'd see hanging on a steakhouse wall.  I'd like to redo those, Marcel loves croissant.

Next week we start International, which we think is also 1/2 garde manger.  This Friday Jen and I are going to Conan OBrien, holla.