Follow Me On This Baking Adventure

Orders filled while on break. Plain cheesecake, apple pie with apple cider vinegar instead of sugar, and plain and vanilla sugar cookies. I've been pretty busy. Today I have to fill an order of a strawberry cheesecake and that'll be it before I go back on Monday for the rest of the year.

Today we got to make our infusions for my mixology class. My end cocktail will be some type of hard strawberry lemonade. This is vodka infusing with lemons and tequila infusing with strawberries. I really can't wait to see how it turns out.

Last order filled while home on break. Peanut butter brownies. Another thing I've never made before but with every order I get to explore new things and learn more about myself. I continue to love what I do.

Since being home I have made a plain cheesecake drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce. I need to work on my drizzling skills but it felt amazing to bake again and I hope my client enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Not in labs anymore so no more baking while in school but I am in a mixology class and loving it. On the left is a "glacial teatini" with kombucha, vodka, lime juice, lemon juice, orange bitters, simple syrup, and ginger. On the right is a "frozen peach coconut daiquiri" with white rum, coconut rum, frozen peach sliced, lime juice, and ice. One day my dream is to open a bakery/cake decorating business, a restaurant, and then a bar. I'm finally learning things to help me run these businesses. We have one day of lecture in this class which also includes tasting different liquors and liqueurs. Then in the second session of the week we produce. Sometimes it's drinks that have been assigned and other times we get to think of it on our own. I suggest everyone take mixology at one point in their lives.

I'm officially back on campus. I'm also all moved into my apartment with my friends and I have gone to one day of classes. I'm in my bachelors degree so no I'm not in labs anymore but I love this atmosphere. This campus has always been so cool for me. I'm surrounded by people who absolutely love what they do and that's mostly baking and pastry or culinary. Maybe even hospitality. But we're all reaching for our dreams together. I'm looking forward to classes, events, living with friends, living on my own and having to cook for myself every night. This is a huge step in my life in any college students life and I'm just excited to experience it. I'm sad I'm not in labs anymore. But I'm never done learning or practicing my craft so stay tuned.

Some of the desserts I plated while at glenmere. I didn't like it there but sometimes we did nice things. I would do it differently but one day I'll get to in my own place.

Pumpkin pie, two kinds of apple pie, and carrot cake I made yesterday. I literally danced around my kitchen while doing this. So nice to love what I do again.

Today I made carrot cake for a thanksgiving order. It was nice to enjoy what I was doing. At glenmere it was just a groove I was in doing what I was told. Tomorrow I'm making three pies and icing and decorating this cake. Pictures to follow.

Yesterday was officially my last day at Glenmere Mansion. I can't believe I actually got through it. It was only 2 1/2 months but I definitely didn't like it. The minute I got there I knew what kind of place it was and that I wasn't going to enjoy it. I was the cheap help that got to do what everyone else didn't want to do and then got blamed for everything even if it wasn't actually my fault. Glenmere is a restaurant/hotel/spa and a very high end establishment. I was excited for the fine dining experience but it was nothing like I expected. There wasn't much to learn and most people weren't very willing to teach. And a lot of people there just didn't seem like they liked what they were doing and I didn't either. From the very beginning I didn't really enjoy service. I'm a workhorse. I love to bang out prep and just keep going going going. Sending out plated desserts is something I love but not with the stress of ticket times. I don't believe that's the best way to send out the best desserts. I'm more cut out for banquet events where everything needs to be prepped and then plated gorgeously in bulk. I walked away from my internship meeting some people I liked and sure with more experience. But I feel a little cheated. I feel as if I haven't learned much more in the past 2 1/2 months than I did in school. I honestly feel as if I learned MUCH MORE in school because no one was skilled enough or willing to teach. Honestly the best thing I walked away with were recipes. Now I'm just happy to be getting back to JWU for my bachelors degree and to be focused on my own baking adventure. If anyone is out there tell me about your personal internship experiences.

Every dessert I made while working at MetLife stadium. I put my heart and soul into working there and those desserts. I truly had the time of my life there. Thank you metlife for all of the amazing experiences and the amazing people I met.

Just a little bit about me: I'm 19 and from a small town in NY. I'm also engaged to an amazing 23 year old named Kenny. I was always interested in baking but I didn't really realize it. My senior year of high school I decided I really wanted to go to Johnson and Wales University and my amazing dad made this possible. I graduated high school June 2015 and was off to Italy for a much too short lived trip. August 2015 I was off to Charlotte NC to go to Johnson and Wales. By May 2016 I was walking across the stage in Charlotte graduating with my Associates in Baking and Pastry Arts. I had finished all my labs and just had my internship left. From late May 2016-late August 2016 I worked at Metlife Stadium. Jets Giants stadium in NJ. I had the time of my life and realized that I really love banquet style. I met a lot of amazing friends and I got to do what I loved plus learn every day. From early September 2016-November 19th 2016 (no that hasn't happened yet but I can't wait) I have been doing my internship at the prestigious Glenmere Mansion. It is a spa/hotel/tavern/upscale fine dining restaurant. I'm learning all about fast ticket times, plated desserts, and service in a fine dining establishment. I'm not enjoying it very much at all but I'm gritting my teeth and taking in every thing I can because I'm still doing what I love. After thanksgiving I will be back in Charlotte NC to finish my bachelors in Food Service Management. Stay tuned to see me do what I love and experiment with flavors and plate designs. All comments are always welcome. Let's start this adventure together.