Fake Cakes?

Good morning!

I think I’m really going to enjoy my centerpiece design class. Its definitely unlike any class I’ve ever had because there is NO baking that goes on! We don’t bake the cakes we decorate—instead we use styrofoam cakes and just focus solely on the decorating aspect of it all. Last night we started making our croquembusch, a traditional European wedding cake made from pate a choux (the stuff you make eclairs from). It’s basically a tower of cream puffs, without the cream filling. We are decorating it tonight with nougatine and royal icing—pictures to come!

Can you believe I only have two more baking classes left after this??!!! After this class I have summer break (!!!!), then Chocolate and Sugar class then I have the final class in the program: Capstone—a culmination of everything I’ve learned in the whole program and the final testing of my ability. After that I move back to morning classes and finish up my academics with wine and cost control class. Then I’m done! Wow!

This morning I woke up, ate my usual half a banana with pb and went to the gym for a strength circuit. I started out on the treadmill, jogging for a few minutes to warm up, then I did lunges holding five pound dumbells, punching them each lunge down. This really works your back, shoulders and legs in one! I did 4 sets of about 12 walking lunges. Then came 21s with dumbells (curling up, mid and down for 21 reps—2 sets, 10 pound weights in each hand), rowing for my back, calf raises holding 10 pound weights and plank pose and side plank pose and a few yoga poses to stretch and build more core muscle. I feel like I did a couple more exercises for my upper body but I’m drawing a blank.

When I got back I toasted up an Ezekiel english muffin and had a good old fashioned pb&j. My favorite :). With more english breakfast tea of course! I’m finding a renewed love for this and I am also finding that I actually enjoy it a lot more than coffee. I love the robust taste to it.

I’m STILL excited to be able to eat the delicious leftovers of my Edamame and Corn salad for lunch today! I packed what was left of it along with a cold, baked sweet potato I will heat up in the microwave at work with a couple rice cakes for crunch. For my snack, I packed a ripe peach I’ve had sitting out on my counter as well as a small baggie of Cinnamon Harvest kashi cereal. This stuff makes great snacks!