Eight Weeks Officially Down

Garde Manger again. It was a terribly slow night without any exciting rushes or complicated orders. Just plate and wait. Didn’t even get a chance to make messes to clean… Yup, that slow. One of the sorbets of the day was cherry red bull… I should have been eating that, but I don’t like the cherry flavor and red bull is overall bad. Last night I was a bum, enjoying my pajamas and warm blanket. I stayed there from around 6 pm till 10 AM this morning… Skipping the lobby, but my body needed it and it just felt too good to leave. It was just me and a cup of instant coffee… and a fly. I have terrible and slow aim, but discovered that if it lands and I get close enough, I can use my disinfectant spray and disable its ability to fly… then I kill it. Hah! Only took me eight weeks to figure it out, but I’ll be leaving Germany wiser!

Yesterday I missed my car… tonight I am seriously missing my phone. I have it with me so when I hop off the plane in Atlanta I will be calling and texting till the next flight home. I miss that ability to just say hi. Not lug my laptop in the cold night, quickly and quietly walk past grumpy lobby man, and after scanning through my updates and emails wrap myself up again and walk up that hill. Oh do I miss my phone. I never thought I’d say that since it doesn’t work properly most of the time and I can never get full reception, but it is my little buddy I depend on for so much.

Tomorrow I go in a little earlier at 11 to learn how to fabricate a deer leg then onto Garde Manger after that. To those of you non-culinarians fabricate = breakdown and figure out which parts and pieces get chopped up into big or small bits…. I’ve never attacked a deer’s leg before… Not sure if I am happy to do this, but hey it is more knowledge and I still get to sleep in till 10 :) So… it is time to stop finish the last of my email business and sneak out of view of Mr Grumpy lobby man. Two weeks and 4 or 5 days till I never need to shrivel away from him again…. Another Happy thought to say, “Indeed,” to.

Missing My Silver Steed

I think I officially woke up today after breakfast. The rye bread was exceptionally good.

I was decorating a slice of roulade dipped in chocolate with fruit. I made a somewhat artsy design and was really proud of it. Midway through the tray, chef walked over and told me next time to make it thicker but not make it so high. Sigh. It was really pretty and I was trying to figure out what he meant. As I was glazing it with their gelatin mixture I realized how awkward my design was to get at with the brush.. Ahhh… then I got it. Later on in the day I was given the job of filling small glasses with chocolate mousse. Chef piped three in a row quickly and perfectly. My first two… hehe.. not so pretty… the next two… mousse on the edge. The mousse was really soft and when I finished the twist at the top I kept having one smaller blob flow out of the bag finishing what should have been lovely star tip dollops into something looking more like glasses of turds. Chef saw my apologetic face when he approached and encouraged me by saying how it wasn’t his first time and I’d get it too with time…. He then brought over brown and white chocolate covered crispies to decorate AKA hide the top :)

One thing I am actually really good at is hand dipping pralines. I am able to swoosh the candies through the tempter chocolate and cleanly set it on a piece of parchment without my praline fork messing up the soft center or denting the edge. It sounds like a simple process but tray after tray my work is consistent, my bowl is never heaping with a hard chocolate rim, and my clothes are in a decent non-chocolated state. Although repetitive and sometimes a never ending story, apparently the chefs have been impressed with my praline abilities. I found out later that they think I should be a pastry chef. I kind of agreed. As much as I do enjoy the hot kitchens I think I am most comfortable and better skilled for those things cold. Pastry requires a little more time and patience and it suits me. So if I get my masters in Nutrition will it make me feel guilty about creating everything with cream and butter? ;)

Tomorrow I am back at garde manger for two days, back to pastry on Saturday and Sunday then onto the Silber Distal on Monday. Apparently tomorrow it will be about 16®C… No snow, and tomorrow I will have been here a total of 8 weeks. Two weeks and five (or six?) days till I leave Sonnenalp. Four weeks and a day till I am on my way home. Four weeks and four days till I am back in Miami. Four weeks and two days till I can drive my car around town with my music playing, familiar roads and English signs. I miss my car. I miss zipping around town with my cushioned steering wheel, the smell of my Cotton blossom Bath and Body Works scent bug, my little pocket filled with hair pins and hair ties…I miss my faithful, silver “steed.” I’m craving käse spaetzle but I wouldn’t mind a frosty either.

No autobahn, no Alps, no käse spaetzle, but I will be out of this apartment and staying in my home. Home is such a lovely word. Home. Happy thought indeed.

Garlic

I reek of garlic. My dinner tonight: seafood pizza loaded with Knoblauch… I will be avoiding the general public unless absolutely necessary.

Yesturday after work I tagged along on another trip to Lindau. On the drive there we stopped for a leber käse sandwich. Untill now I had only had the leber käse from the Bavarino at Sonnenalp. I discovered that they make it wrong. It is a beef, pork and speck (baconish lard) farce (puree) that has been molded into a bread pan… like a large “bologna” just waaaaaay better. When its time to eat, the deli / road stand / whatever takes this farce and warms it up again later in a really hot oven giving this a brown and lovely crust. A centimeter thick slice and “mehr Senf, bitte….” More mustard please… Let me tell you this sandwich was savory and the mustard perfectly spicy. And the smell: automatic salivation. It didn’t look like much but it was hefty once devoured… and devour I did!

The sun was out and Fall in full display. Absolutely gorgeous! Each time on this drive I have noticed a certain sign saying, “Gute Fahrt.” Yup... I know what you were thinking… same thing I thought  every time I saw it. This time I couldn’t help but attempt to say it out loud and ask my friend what it meant. It gave us a good laugh and she finally translated it to, “Good drive…” Basically wishing us a safe trip. I’m happy to say my friend is a great “fahrter” and we arrived safely to Lindau. After running a few errands we walked the island of Lindau. The area is beautiful with many old houses along Lake Constance. It was sunset when we started. I attempted to take pictures almost giving up, but thanks to my friend’s better technical knowledge and better eye for perspective I have some really good ones. I’ll put some of those up :) There is an old church there from around 1100… that is pre-Columbus, pre Magna Carta… Things like that are just too special to ignore. It isn’t just a building… it has been through a lot, and who knows what “who’s” of history have looked at that same building.

We stopped for hot chocolate and a slice of sour cherry nut cake… sitting outside with blankets wrapped around our legs. (For the colder times the restaurant hands out blankets so the guest can still sit outside…. Something this FL girl finds a bit funny... but that’s just me). It hit the spot enough to walk a little bit more and then drive home.

Pastry world is just as fantastic as usual. I must say the last few starts to the morning have been rough, but once I walk through the door and start the general prep I start to forget the warmth of the bed I left behind and get a bit consumed in fruits, cake, and chocolate. After breakfast break and coffee the world is much brighter and the work moves from routine to getting whatever is on the day’s / week’s menu done. Once in a while there is a task that is just overly repetitive, but in the end the sight of all the pralines lined up or the pipe work I’ve done makes up for the sore hands, neck, and back. I’m really trying to work on the consistency of my pipe-work. I’ve always struggled with keeping a good flow in my chocolate letters, decorations, and shapes. Yesterday I made the “Happy Birthday” for the newly 8 year old Felix… I must say it looked pretty good on the strawberry cake :) The chef doesn’t make me feel stupid for my mistakes… just tells me to keep going again and again. He always gives me a few exampled then stands over me as I do a few on my own… He’ll tell me to make it smaller (kline) or bigger (grosse) and waits till I finally get it. But even if I don’t get it, he is constantly teaching and showing... giving random helpful advice. I asked a random question on how croquant is made and within minutes was given a live demonstration. My little notebook is running out of room and that in itself is pretty exciting.

I’m full and tired and in need of sleep… Hmmm garlic… Muahahaha… I’m probably going to smell like it in the morning, but it was sooo worth it.

The pictures are taking too long to load... Sorry but don't feel like waiting

Nose Warmers

I’m in my room wearing a pair of shorts. Yes, it is quite chilly outside, but I’ve got a delightful little room heater right under my dining nook… and it feels quite good… like a mini fire place, but I just don’t end up smelling like smoke, and it is a plain, white box… No ambiance, no marshmallow roasting… good thing it is hidden under my seat, away from view but close enough for indoor, leg happiness.

I began my morning same as before, decorating the mousse bowl and filling fruit tartlets then moved on to finishing the champagne truffles I made yesterday. Besides the obvious benefits of having my hands covered in white chocolate, the recent increase of cocoa butter in my life has been seeping in and moisturizing… Not close to a baby’s-bottom softness, but softer. From the white chocolate to a pan of powdered sugar they looked like cute little snow balls of alcoholic joy. The champagne was a bit strong for my taste, but I was overall very pleased with the outcome. What else happened today? Oh.. yes..Today my marzipan roses turned out really pretty. On top of that I was taught how to make a duck, pig, elephant, and turtle. Maybe there is a Noah’s ark in my future ;) They are so cute I couldn’t help but smile and after molding each creature… especially the elephant. When the occasional visitor came walking through there was a general sound of “aaaaawe”… except from the buffest guys, of course. They had to man up, but deep down beside their muffled smiles, I know it made them happy. I also know I said I’d take pictures... I didn’t, but I will put up picture soon. I’m slacking again… sorry.

Two weeks and two days till I see my parents. They made a little vacation time and are coming! I’m actually pretty excited… okay I have had to do a few happy dances. I have been in need of a good hug from home and the hug will soon be on its way. It is very strange to think of leaving this place. When I first got here, it felt like I had just signed myself up for a lifetime, but now with the end so close I almost wish I had more time. I really like it here and though going home is the one thing I want more than anything else right now, it isn’t because I want to get out of this place. I’m trying to soak up as much as I can, but it seems that just as I am getting myself settled in the routine of here… well, it is going to be a bit too far to just stroll down the hill for. Till my parents get here I won’t be taking any more free days off… I’ll be working to add up those days and subtract it from the end of my time here. I get out of here earlier… I should be happier about that… maybe? Three weeks… I’ve got a lot more soaking to do.

And where is my snow!

Seriously! A week and a day till November. My pre-trip imagination pictured me knee deep by now… Probably a good thing since we all know my Uggs are not water proof, but still I need a chance to get tired of snow so that I can be thankful for another not-so-white-Christmas.

The warm loveliness of my room heater is making it very difficult for me to get up and dress for the lobby. Yes, I have that wonderful new hat, the fantastic thermal unders… etc… but I don’t have a nose-warmer. I can’t imagine something like that being very flattering on anyone, but it would help. I know that people wrap their scarves over their faces, but people look at me strangely when I do (according to them this weather doesn’t call for it), besides my glassed tend to fog up too. I’ll just display my pink nose and hope it will defrost quickly.

Update: No snow. But I did play with Marzipan. Let it be!!! Eeeek

First of all Happy Birthday to My Isi! ( for those of you confused: Isi is the Finnish word for Daddy) I am one blessed girl to have such a good and wonderful man as my father and I truly hope that as he reads today’s edition he  is smelling duck, bread dumplings, and cabbage for dinner with a good Mississippi Mudd cake in the near future! Love you and cannot wait to see you! Mentally singing to you now :)

I just spent the last few hours typing up journals for my homework. It wasn’t the fun kind of writing that this is. I wish I could just submit all of these entries… they would be more interesting to read then how I used my knowledge in safety and sanitation or how I did in production and presentation methodology… There is only so many interesting things I can say… I’d much rather talk about big fluffy clouds and my new and absolutely fantabulously warm hat. I was walking to the lobby with my scull all warm and toasty :) It is a dry night as well… Uggs on! No squishies. It can get as cold as it wants tonight… I’m prepared!

The ground was all sparkly and frosted this morning. From seeing my breath to fruit tartlets and cheese cakes, champagne ganache truffles, making roses and cats out of marzipan… yeah… good day. These little perks made up for the wretchedly dry beef cubes in today’s featured stew at lunch. They turned to powder in my mouth as I chewed… Oh dear… I even had to help the peas go down my throat with my water… yup. From now on, if it is a stew I’ll stick to a sandwich.

The world of pastry hasn’t been the busiest place here in the world of Sonnenalp but it certainly is fun. Everyone is joking around and the chef is a really nice guy, patient enough to show me the art of rose making… I suck at making roses… tried it during my other classes… I think I made a total of one good one out of fifty something? But today I was inspired by watching his rough and worn hands, set aside my doubts, and conquer the rose. I’ll take a picture of my efforts when I take them home :) I didn’t do a bad job either… not amazing, but not bad!

One aspect of downstairs that I could do without…the radio. I generally like listening to music as I work but not this station. … It is a pure torture. No. I’m not kidding… It starts off all innocent: light polka and an occasional yodelish tune, but then an hour or so into the morning and it changes to half 70’s disco other half cheesy mishmash of easy listening… and then the “best” songs repeat. You know how much quality went into the wording when you’ve never heard it before but can still sing along. Oh yeah… That good.

Three weeks and five days till I am officially done here.

Four weeks and five days till I am back in America

Five weeks and a day till I am back in Miami.

Goodness… Time is starting to fly a bit faster

Some guy is playing the piano and singing “Let it Be…” Don’t really want that stuck in my head… Running from Lobby at full speed! Goodnight!