In the Midst of Things

I am so happy that I harnessed the crazy energy that is trapped in my brain and finally made the jump into the pastry world. I have now been in school for a little over 6 months. In that time, I have made pies, tarts, cream puffs, eclairs, European tortes, American style cakes, ice cream, sorbet, cookies, plated desserts, chocolate work (truffles, rochers, etc.), pastillage, nougatine, breads and so much more! I wish I had more time though! We have so much to learn yet sometimes I think I could spend more time on more sections! So this is where my blog comes in. I want to keep up my learning outside of class and documenting on here keeps me accountable to my schedule. So while I will discuss things that I create in class, I will primarily focus the blog on things I want to improve upon or just try to make for the first time!

The rest of this month is pretty crazy for me. I am competing in my first pastry competition through the  American Culinary Federation. I am competing in the cold-plated dessert section. What I think I am most worried about is time. I have really enjoyed coming up with this plate and I believe I now have finished my flavor profile. What is more terrifying is the lack of time I have to practice now that the competition is looming at the end of this month. I never realized how much time I like to take on a project. I appreciate my attention to detail most times but it has really slowed me down in the kitchen sometimes. I thought I would show you guys some of the pictures of my plated dessert in progress. It is in no way finished in these pictures. I just thought some of you might like to see a little bit of the process and play!

My cold dessert plate includes caramelized pistachios, cardamom ice cream, a frozen lemon mousse, yellow chiffon cake, and creme anglaise. I have now revised my plate to include a prickly pear puree and a white chocolate ganache. I will probably dedicate a whole post to the competition and pictures of the final plated dessert!

 Now I would have had this post out sooner but my lovely dog, Carlisle (Kreacher :)), decided that he would take the cord that use to upload the photos and he hid under the bed which is probably his favorite spot. I think its because he thinks he can get away with mischief where no one can see him there!

Indecisive Sometimes Has A Nice Ring To It

So I finally decided to make that big jump. I fully realized that I was not ready for it after just coming back to the US two and a half years ago. My priority at the time was my family and that was where I focused. I became frustrated later when most of my friends seemed to have it all figured out and I was still stuck trying to find any path that seemed somewhat clear. I like to do things spontaneously but figuring out what I truly was passionate about and wanted for a career? That is one big pot that took forever to boil! I just wasn't sure I was capable of jumping in. When the word recession lurks at every corner and your decision requires you to step off that firm footing of a full-time job, it is slightly terrifying. So here it is, I am going back to school, pastry school that is.

A Couple of Things Have Happened...

So its been a while since I wrote on this lovely blog, so I thought it was time for an update. I have been enjoying it warming up here finally. It is actually in the high 70s! I have really been missing Northern Ireland recently but I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. I have started working at a preschool as an assistant teacher in a 4 year old class. They are super cute and so smart! I have also been training for a full marathon at the end of May. I am doing it with Team in Training and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I love running and it makes me even happier that I will be running in a marathon to help cure cancer!

What? Where? Why? How?

Life has been pretty hectic since I got back to the US. I loved feeling the heat and humidity in the southeast visiting with my mom. I also got a chance to reconnect with the other volunteers that served not only internationally but also in the US. We had a retreat in Ghost Ranch that was fantastic and helped continue the transitioning. I can't say that I am or will ever be fully transitioned back into the US culture. This past year gave me insight that I don't want to lose but I have enjoyed finding comfort in familiar things of home. I made the decision before I left Belfast to move to Indianapolis, IN.

During the middle of september, I had packed my car and drove two hours north to stay with a friend to make the 12 hour drive reduced to 10 hour in one day. Well, that was the plan until my car was having trouble driving up hills and I knew I would be encoutering mountains also before arriving at my destination. I took the car to the shop. The news was dreadful. The car needed 2,600 dollars in repair to make it right. This caused a chain of events which led me to unloading my packed car in 95 degree heat and loading it into my mom's car so that she could drive me home. Things were not looking like the way I had planned them. We sold the car to one of the mechanics. Thankfully, one of them liked it.

Anyway, I was now stuck on an island with no transportation and ironically not walking friendly. My mom and I went car shopping that following weekend. I was able to get a car! So I repacked my new car (well, new to me anyway!). I drove to Indianapolis. I moved in with my grandparents. I got settled somewhat. Then my grandpa went the hospital. Then he had open heart surgery. While, my grandmother on the other hand is now legally blind and has terminal cancer. As this is going on, I am also job searching. I am working on the virtues patience and humility right now. On the upside I joined the local YMCA and have been enjoying spending time with my family and being able to be there for them. I have taken up playing volleyball and taken a liking to spinning class. I look forward to spending thanksgiving this year with family but will always remember one of the volunteers heating up custard and just having it in a bowl for desert.

Saying Goodbye, no really, for real this time!

How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye seem impossible? So for all the brilliant people I have met this year, I will say " see you later"!


So I have been saying goodbye to people for months now, so much so that it has become a running joke. It has made it feel like I am not really leaving tomorrow morning. The funny thing is that coming to Belfast the end of August last year sometimes feels like ages ago but yet I can't imagine that this year is over. I am excited to tell my friends and family all about my year here in this dramatically beautiful country. It has been such a year of discovery for me and I have so many people to thank for it. I will definitely think back each day knowing which activities will be going on at either organization I worked with. The kids that I worked with will be a year ahead, quite a few of them heading off to secondary school. Its the small things that I will miss, like the wee chats with the mums at mums & tots. I will also miss seeing people I know when I walk to work or am walking to the grocery store.

Speaking of walking, I was given the opportunity to do quite a bit of walking as I had missed the bus in North Belfast to take me to city centre. So I walked to city centre. Well, once I got there I realized if I waited for the bus to East Belfast where I worked then I would be extremely late to my last service. So I kept on walking, something that I thoroughly enjoy thankfully. I made it with about ten minutes to spare and was quite impressed with myself because I was walking in sandals and a dress. After I had greeted and talked to quite a few people at the church doors, I took my seat and watched as the service started. They picked quite a couple of my favorite songs to sing and then the minister asked me to help serve communion with him. I was doing really well and was grateful to get the opportunity to serve the church one last time. Well as the second line of people came to be served communion, one of the pensioners collapsed. I have worked with her all year and have really enjoyed her spritely personality. Her face was ashen, one color I have never seen pale. After seeing her so frail, I suddenly began to cry. I couldn't help it and as I tried to prevent more tears, I started to sob. It felt good though. It was awkward as I gave the bread and said the wee message through sobs but it felt quite cathartic. It gave me a chance to let those walls down that I think I hold in so close now. I was able to finish helping serve and watched as she was wheeled out of the church. I pray that she is okay and that it was a scare. As I type this I also have to look forward because in a couple of hours I will be thrown into a sort of a reverse culture shock. I have told many people over here that I think it might just be harder adjusting to the US after being gone than leaving to welcome a new culture. Either way it will be there waiting for me to return, so I must deal with it in some capacity.

Plans- as of now finding a job would be nice. One that isn't 8-9 hours at a desk would also be preferable. Suggestion? Comments? Let me know!

Goodbye from Belfast one last time,
Sally

You and I will meet again, When we're least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won't say goodbye my friend

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. ~Gilda Radner


Never Stopping

To be honest, I have tried hard to think at what would be the best to tell you about as my year here comes to a close. I am still quite busy and as usual feel like I am just barely being able to fit everything in. The sermon yesterday was titled "re-ordering disorder". I find that disorder wreaks havoc on my life and yet so many times I have let it. I have struggled to make intentional time to read and find focus. Now mind you, I have done plenty of reading but I don't know that Jane Austen counts as prayer time. I am a queen of tangents and distractions as many can attest. So as I work through my last full month in Northern Ireland, I am taking the effort to find focus and be in that moment. There is still plenty for me to do here though before I leave. I will be working in the new cafe at East Belfast Mission this week and the last week of July. In between that time I will be working at a quasi VBS/Summer Camp/Montreat in Cranfield, right under the Mourne Mountains. Cranfield is on the beach. The thing is if its raining, we will be leading the programs in the rain and if I haven't mentioned it before; it rains in Northern Ireland. It rains quite a lot. So while the rest of the programs that I have been doing have ended, the summer has sure provided plenty to keep me busy.

Blooper:
I was washing up after one of the pensioner's weekly meetings and was holding the teapot. Well, before I disposed of the used tea bags, I sniffed the inside of the teapot. I heard one of the guys that works in the office come in telling me that Americans are weird. I look up at him and probably blushed, while I explained that I was curious as to how it smelled when only the used tea bags were left. He just smiled, shook his head and walked back up to his office. I knew it was just my luck that someone would catch me doing something silly like that.