Good evening, friends and neighbors.When I was culinary school, I had a chef instructor who didn’t just teach pastry arts and baking- she also taught how to put them down and walk away.
Education
The Old Ways
Good afternoon, friends and neighbors.
The words that have been used to describe my soul include “kind,” “warm,” “simple,”… and “old as f***.””Fluffy” as well, but this blog is about why old things are really cool.
The words that have been used to describe my soul include “kind,” “warm,” “simple,”… and “old as f***.””Fluffy” as well, but this blog is about why old things are really cool.
Kind, Warm, Simple, Fluffy, and Old. I want some honey now.
Why Do I Do This To Myself?
Good evening, friends and neighbors. It’s been a while.
5:15 AM
My alarm goes off by my side of the bed. It’s still dark in the room.- not even a hint of the dawn coming in about 2 hours. I know Emily has probably only been in bed a few hours (night owl that she is,) so I jerk myself conscious enough to silence the alarm quickly before it can bother her.
My phone alarm acts as a dim nightlight, so I can just barely make her out next to me. Streetlights and headlights glow indirectly through the tiny ceiling window- enough for me to grab my phone, check the weather forecast for the morning, buzz through Facebook, curse myself for doing so, and get up.
I don’t have to be into work till 9, but I insist on arriving no later than 8:45. I want time to make breakfast and clean up-
after a workout of course.
This was not always me.
4 years ago, this was me.
To My Teachers
Good evening, friends and neighbors.
So this happened last week-
She’s a student. Crazy capable, and catches on quick. We’ve had her as an extern for a while, and today- thanks to a crunch schedule- she gets to solo the pastry bench. I’ve already got things set up for her as much as I can. She has a production list, but she gets to decide her timeline. The list is reasonable, but unspecific- she’ll have to get creative.
I’m off to the left with my own work, taking care of the production end of things. I have a light list so I can keep an eye on her. She’s worked, she’s prepped- and now it’s time to fly.
“Voos Mahkt A Yid?”- Yiddish in Portland, and a Recipe for Hamantaschen!
Good evening, friends and neighbors! Hope your Labor Day was fun and restful, and that all the kids are excited to be back in school.
What? Weirder things have happened. Case in point was MY Labor Day, spent in the kitchen of Crema Cafe + Bakery, my current employers.
As you might expect, business was VERY swift that day, and I was double-timing it around the kitchen. As the only pastry guy on duty that day, I had to make sure the front was stocked. Pastries, pies, cakes, pudding- whatever I could whip up with what was available that the customers would like.
