Not Back to School for Me, But Back to Baking and Blogging, Yes!

It's been one full year since I retired from teaching.  The official retirement date may be June 30, but it's the opening of a new school year that really marks it for any teacher, and thus the real retirement date.  We're used to those weeks off in summer: sleeping in, taking trips, reading books we want to read.  It's that first week back that is a killer: getting up with the birds, rushing to school, standing on our feet most of the day, preparing lesson plans and grading papers night after night. For some, that week doesn't begin until after Labor Day; for many it begins the third or fourth week of August.  But this year my colleagues at LAUSD, bless their souls, had to start back this past Monday, August 16th!  So though it's still summer to many people out there, to me and my fellow teachers, it's back to school time already.  And yet, I don't have to go back to school....

But I do have to get back to baking!  My trips are behind me: my niece's wedding in NY and my trip with my husband to Lake Louise, Canada which was glorious. And since my friends and colleagues are talking about the new school year, I feel like it's time for me to get back to my two serious ventures: writing and baking. So this week I worked on some short fiction, I'm returning to my blog right now, and I'm in the midst of baking a cake for my mother-in-law, Yolande.

So first things first. Lake Louise, Canada: Two Stunning Sights

Taken from in front of our hotel--Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada

Taken at Moraine Lake Lodge--Chocolate Banana Spring Roll--delicious.  Just right: not too much chocolate or banana, a touch of custard, and a nice crisp crunch of the spring roll pastry.

Second things second:  Great Birthday Gifts: Two New Cake Plates

This cute little cupcake plate is just the right size for serving a few cookies or cupcakes.  I found it at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena.  They have the nicest selection of uniques gifts in addition to being a fabulous bookstore.  I bought it, along with a couple of books, using my gift money from my dad--Thanks Dad!

And from my good friend Margaret, a lovely hand-painted Italian cake plate to add to my now growing collection of three plates: small, medium, and large. Perfect.  I love it.  Thanks, Margaret!  And it is appropriately displayed beside a bottle of Sopranos Chianti given to me by the charming and always entertaining sisters: Rosine and Yolande. The wine was thoroughly enjoyed and the plate is now a centerpiece on my table and will be used for years to come.

And last but certainly not least.  Yolande's Birthday Cake: A Buttercream Work in Progress and Practice!

For my mother-in-law Yolande's birthday, I wanted to make a special cake--fancy-schmancy fondant and gumpaste flowers and all that jazz--but she preferred a white cake with white buttercream icing because, like many people, she doesn't like fondant.  Fairly simple, though I plan on making Italian Meringue Buttercream which is bit complicated, cooking the sugar and all; however, I am not that experienced with piping buttercream decorations. Aha!  A challenge!

So today I baked the cake, wrapped the layers, and put them in the fridge.  (Tomorrow I will make the buttercream, then assemble, ice, and decorate the cake.)  But--today--using store bought Wilton's shortening-based Decorator's Icing which tasted terrible--I practiced on parchment paper which I then threw away--along with the Wilton's Decorator's Icing!  I practiced piping shells, ruffles, stars, rosettes, leaves, and finally a rose on a nail. 

Now I have to give credit where credit is due.  I learned how to do the buttercream rose a month or so ago at an afternoon class in West Hollywood's Cake and Art cake shop. They do all their cakes--often for big-name celebrities--using buttercream--no fondant.  My instructor was the cutest and sweetest young man named Kody.  We had so much fun listening to Etta James and decorating our cakes. 

 

Kody was quite a character.  He showed me a video where he dressed up as Brittany Spears and delivered a cake to Mario Lopez on Extra!  We had fun that afternoon--and I learned how to make a buttercream rose using a nail tool--which I practiced over and over today.  So we'll see how it comes out tomorrow! Stay tuned!!

I plan now to continue my baking daze journey. Further classes will have to wait, however, as my finances have dwindled a bit, but I plan to use what I've learned and move forward--hopefully improving as I go!