I had another bread class, we made sweet dough. With this sweet dough, we made cinnamon sugar and regular sugar puff balls we made cinnamon buns, sticky buns, monkey bread and Apple cinnamon raisin bread. I didn't get a loaf of apple cinnamon raisin bread because I was cleaning and getting things put away that I forgot about that then left without it. but I will say this, I am glad that I have good friends in my class because I probably wouldn't get any bread cause I'm always cleaning at the end of class. I get concentrated on what I'm doing I don't always remember to get stuff before class time runs out.

Today my teacher asked me why I changed from the career that I had before I came to school to become a pasty chef. Which I might add is a big change in direction,
architectural draftsman to pastry chef. The truth of it is that I LOVE BAKING! I grew up with great mentors. My mother, whom I love has always been a huge inspiration in my life and was a very good teacher. Learning to bake and cook a large variety of things from her was, now that I look back on it, an amazing and really fun time. I remember going to my grandparents house and helping my Gram and Pap cook and bake. My Pap Smethers was an amazing man. I really wish he was still alive. I think he would be proud of my decision to follow my heart on this great adventure. My Gram Smethers is also an amazing lady, she still bakes all kinds of great stuff I will not list cause it will take forever.

The thing I find that's funny is that after only having four classes (in which we learn how to make bread and other pastries) in the kitchen, learning from the teacher, my mother and brother who is also a great baker of many fine things, come to me to ask questions. This both humbles and amazes me, because up until this point I had gone to them with questions.

The bottom line and most important reason I have started down this road I'm on is that I've prayed to our Heavenly Father and received inspiration that this choice is the most correct for me and my family. I know He will protect me and my family in the years to come because I have gone to Him in faith and am doing what I can to live in accordance to His will. And yes there is always room for improvement.

I had a great day at school today, we had a make up lab to make up for one we missed due to the new building not being ready. Today we made bagels and some other kinds of breads. we learned how to do a three strand braid and how to make bagels by hand. what a great day. I am really enjoying learning about the different aspects of backing bread. I never knew there were so many different variables that went into great bread.

We made four different types of bread in class today, we made Cheese bread with pepperoni, 100%Whole Wheat Bread, Sweet Rye Bread, and Onion Garlic Dill bread. In my group we were in charge of the cheese bread from the mixing to the baking. Class really goes fast and I find myself wishing for more time to learn from our teacher. As you would expect from someone whose been in the business for 30 years, he really knows his stuff, and more importantly he knows how to teach it.


Here is a picture of the breads we did in class

Today was the first day we were able to get into the kitchen at school and we made three different types of breads. We made white bread as a class, each group gathering a different ingredient and combined them as we learned how to use the mixers and the other types of equipment in the kitchen.
In our groups of two we made french and italian bread. My group made french bread. We learned what a proofer/retarder is for and we baked in a deck oven, which was pretty cool, I had never done that before. Then at the end of the day, we got to bring three loaves of bread home. The family and I have already eaten one and a half loaves. I'm going to have to take a bike ride tommorrow to get rid of the extra calories.

French Bread



The proofer that we used is a proofer/retarder. The proofer helpes in the fermentation of the dough. It gives the glutin in the bread one last boost of energy, if you will, before it goes in the oven. The retarder is, namely, what it is. It retards the fermentation of the dough so you can bake it hours later, like the next day.

White Bread



Class went really well in my opinion. I learned a lot and before I knew it, class was over. I can't complain about getting fresh bread either. I'm really glad I'm following this path laid out before me, what a great adventure.

Here is a picture of the carrot cake I made, I think it turned out looking pretty good.

Delivering a carrot cake tomorrow, I hope he likes it. Will post a picture of it soon.

I also got myself a new toy to play with, I got a Wilton cake turn table, I love it. That is one of the greatest inventions. Not sure how I did things with out it.

19 Jars of chopped tomatoes canned last night, at my mom's house. We still have lots of tomatoes to do yet.

My first week of school is almost over, one more day left. My bread class is going to be great, I can't wait to get started baking. We are going to learn a ton of great techniques that I always wanted to know. Like that six braided french bread, and how to make puff pastrie dough, and lots of other cool stuff. It's going to be great!