Groom's Cake

This past week was crazier than usual. I just had a million things going on. My only day off was Saturday which really wasn't a day off because I had a cake due! I made the cake Friday night and prepared the buttercream while Emma was on her way to my house on Saturday. We usually work at Emma's house because she has a beautiful kitchen with an amazing layout. However, since I would have had a ridiculous amount of items to lug to her house, we did it by me.

Anyway, the order was for a groom's cake in the shape of a NY Yankees baseball cap. As I stacked the cake and prepared it with fondant, Emma was busy making the brim and logo. Being that this was our third cake together, we really got into a groove and it was done relatively quickly.

Then came the decision - to airbrush or not to airbrush. We've wanted to airbrush our cakes in the past, however, there's always been some sort of an issue. Emma made the final call - DO IT!! It made the cake look even better! From now on, any cakes made by us will most likely have this finishing touch!

We had to deliver the cake to Verona, NJ which was about a 45 minute drive. I HATE the deliveries. They give me agita! Thankfully, this little guy was sturdy and small so there wasn't to much to worry about. When we handed the cake over to the reception venue they didn't even realize it was a cake so I guess we did a good job! ;)

In other news, Emma and I have been working on a website. Hopefully it will be up and running soon and then you can tell all your friends about us!!!

"I'm not your bitch, bitch."

Today was a fun day. This morning I headed to The French Culinary Institute to assist Chef Dave Martin. You may remember him from season 1 of Top Chef.

It was weird being back in school, changing into my whites, and heading into the kitchen. Chef had train issues and arrived later than expected. There wasn't much for him to worry about; us volunteers had already gotten the mise en place done.

This was my first time assisting at a school demo or recreational class, so I really didn't know what to expect. My first task was to make parfaits. I sweetened some yogurt with a drop of sugar and vanilla and sprinkled them with a granola that Chef had made. His secret ingredient - Golden Grahams. Pretty tasty.

After setting up some more mise en place trays and shredding duck (gross), I got to work along side the students making extra items for the buffet line. The theme was brunch. The menu...

-Malted Brioche French Toast

-Veggie Frittata

-Granola

-Hash of Duck Confit, Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes, Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Sweet Onion and Wild Mushrooms

-Crab Cake Eggs Benedict served with Pineapple Hollandaise and Papaya Salsa

-Bloody Mary's and Mimosas

The people I worked with were very nice. Everyone helped each other out and, therefor, everything ran smoothly. It was fun helping the students get through their recipes. I think I'd really enjoy teaching culinary arts.

After the class, we straightened out and I was able to take a picture with Chef before heading home. :)