Endings and New Beginnings

Today was the last day of my cake decorating class. :-( Just when I was enjoying myself, it's time to do other things. Initially, I had so much difficulty doing gum paste flowers and it was only last Tuesday that I started to like it. Take note, it took me five (5) sessions to appreciate the process of doing these flowers. Am so glad I went to class today despite me not feeling so well. I tried airbrushing the flowers I made. How I love it. Just to illustrate how I love it ... well ... I'm planning to invest in an airbrush set. :-D I can't wait to buy one and spray everything I see with shimmer.

I can't believe I've been in school for two and a half months. I will be back in school but maybe next year. It's in the pipeline. I'll be enhancing my culinary and pastry skills and I plan to help my mom make our family's dreams come true. As I'm writing this blog, I'm beset with so many emotions - happiness, sadness, anxiety, hope and excitement.

When I received my certificate this afternoon, I knew it was time for me to move on and dream bigger dreams for myself. I now know better how to run my family's business. I'll miss my classmates. I'll see them in a month anyway. We're having a Christmas party in Tita Leni's home! (Tita Leni is our instructor.) I'll miss laughing my head off and joking around in class but I'm glad I enrolled myself when I thought I never would in this lifetime. I'm after all a domestic goddess.

Tomorrow, I'm back to the corporate world and that's another story altogether.

Lots of Cake

For the longest time, I've been practicing on styro for cake decorating class. Finally, I got to work on real cake today. Sheilla came over this afternoon and taught me how to make Chocolate Marble Pound Cake. It was really good and easy to make. It helps me a lot to work with someone who is an expert at what she does and Sheilla has been so generous of her time to me and my family. :-)

We made two cakes today using the same cake base. One was covered with pink marbled fondant while the other was covered with chocolate ganache. I was tasting everything and I could feel the sugar rush but what the heck, they all taste good. I can never describe how therapeutic it is for me to be in the baking room. There's a different sense of calm and drive to learn and try new things. I'm admittedly a student in this field and I don't really mind asking questions. I don't claim to know everything and I'm perfectly ok asking other people the ins and outs of what I want to learn.

Shei and I finished around past 8 in the evening and we called it a day with dimsum at Wan Chai. Both of us had our usual orders of ham siu kok, chicken feet, raddish cake, shrimp roll and seafood congee. I think I want to go back for another order of ham siu kok. It's addicting.

Akbar Cake

I can heave a sigh of relief. I was able to finish my final project just in time. I slept at 2 in the morning today when in fact, I started working on the 5-tiered cake at 4 PM yesterday. You can do the math. I only had yesterday to finish the cake with all the ongoings. I wanted to do more piping but I was running out of time. Nevertheless, I was pleased with my work. It didn't look exactly like Margaret Braun's creation but my cake had a striking resemblance to it. I'd say my work was an inspiration of Braun's Akbar Cake.

The cake wasn't perfect and I learned as I went along. That's how it is when you're a student or learning something new for that matter. You make a mistake the first time and correct on the second time you do it. (I even make mistakes the second time around.) I may not be as forgiving to myself before but I think I am now. I'd be cruel to myself if I expected everything to be perfect every single time. That's tiring. I just won't be able to do that. Everything is a learning process at this point in my life. My life is a work in progress. Whose life isn't anyway?

I'll post the pictures once I've uploaded it to my PC. For now, I'll relish the thought of me successfully finishing my project. I'm ready to take orders now. :-p

Beauty Routine

I was back at Facial Care Centre for my second round of diamond peel. I think the therapist was kind of aghast with the quality of my skin. It was dull and dry. I looked very tired. I was after all sleeping late nights for many many weeks. She pampered me still and placed different kinds of creams on my face - anti aging, sun block, moisturizing and I don't know what else. I did see the results of my first session and I like it. I need to sleep earlier though. No amount of peeling or facial would give me a glow not unless I have eight hours of sleep daily. Sleeping rejuvenates the skin and combined with enough water intake, these do wonders on the skin. I can't wait for my next session and not to mention, I can't wait to fully relax this coming weekend. I need it BADLY.

The Exhibit

The Kiddie Karnival was very successful. Our exhibit was just great. The exposure was good and there were a lot of kids and parents at the ballroom. There must have been 1,500 guests today. I felt so much like a child giving out goodies for the trick or treat. I was equally amazed with the mascots and life like figures. I won't even call Transformers a mascot for the simple reason that the robots scared the hell out of me. I wouldn't even dare come close to it for fear of being stepped on. That was how humongous these "mascots" were. Predatora was also walking around together with some other characters from Pirates of the Caribbean.

I'm very happy with the turn of events today. Pa, Ma and I were at Edsa Shangri-la at around 6:30 AM and we finished setting up the booth past 9. There were things I had to do on site such as the icing of the cupcakes. Everything that I did today was a first. I had so many lessons learned and I consider these valuable insights.

New pictures will be posted in our Multiply site. The exhibit was just the first step in marketing our products. There are so many possibilities and it can be overwhelming. For now, I'll take one day as it comes and market our products as I go along. I'll get to where I want to be and I know I will but knowing myself, once I get to my destination, I would steer things to a newer and better direction.

I'm ending this post here. I have so much more to share about my first exhibit experience. I'll share it in my future blogs. Before I forget, thank you so much to my family for the unwavering support and my thanks also goes to my true friends who cheered me on. My day is complete.

I am truly blessed by Him. O:-)

Sweet Success Multiply Site

My family created a Multiply site for our company Sweet Success. Do visit us at http://sweetsuccess888.multiply.com/. This is your online pastry shop!

There are different product categories for you to choose from. We are now accepting orders for events (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other occasions) and other requirements. Our pastries can also be for corporate giveaways and gifts. Spread the word to your family and friends and do add us up as your contact.

This is simply my family's sweet success. :-)

Kiddie Karnival is 3 Days Away

I'm three shut eyes away from the Kiddie Karnival. The whole exercise of staging an exhibit feels like a wedding to me. The preparations are very detailed and tedious. By my standards, this is a production number. I keep a timetable just so I wouldn't miss out on anything. I'm still panting and gasping for breath. So far, we are on track but I need a vacation after this coming Sunday and I mean it.

In between classes, I do the preparations from administrative work to cake decorating to planning. Things should be easier once we "launch" the new products of Sweet Success. I'm very positive this is a challenging new experience. It's the first time I'm going into business and it feels good to be doing this with the support of my family. The vibe is just different when I'm with Ma and Orie in the baking room decorating cookies. It's just a really fun mother and daughter moment. Though my other sister Marissa and my brother Koc are not here, they are nevertheless part of this undertaking.

For those who want to bring their kids for trick or treat, tickets are still available at Edsa Shangri-la on the day itself. That's October 26, Sunday. Tickets start at Php 250. This includes activities and a drink. You can purchase a ticket of a higher value should you wish to have more activities and food included. There will be several kiddie party suppliers who will also be at Isla Ballroom so see you!

A New Stylist

I'm meeting my new hair stylist tomorrow. I'm trying a new one. I've been in search for a good one who can do something about my lifeless hair. When Orie got home the other night, she was sporting a new hairdo. She looks like a Chinese doll and it looks good on her. By the looks of it, the stylist seems to be good. Well, she's the Creative Director of Head Zone. They have branches in Edsa Shangri-la and Richmonde Hotel. You can also try them out.

That's the thing with hair. You have to change stylist every after x number of years. My stylist has been giving me a wispy haircut for maybe six (6) years now and I'm getting bored with it. My hair also needs rest from chemicals as it has been permed and highlighted many times over. You can just imagine the damage it has endured. It must have been torture! For quite a while now, I'm letting it grow longer minus the temptation to do something outrageous with it. I'd love to have a new color but maybe with one that does less harm.

Till I meet my new stylist.

Unimaginable

These days, you'd usually see me without make up. I don't really fuss about it since I'm not going to the office anyway. I dress my age and I feel good about it. I act my age as well since I'm mostly in the company of friends. I haven't worn my suits for quite sometime (but I will soon be). My life is very much unstructured the past months and what I initially thought was bothersome turned out to be such a comforting place to be at.

Being unstructured for me means that I choose the people I want to talk with (this also means that I also choose the people I don't want to talk with). I choose where I want to be. I choose how I say things without editing myself. I allow myself to come face to face with my different issues, emotions and possibilities. I allow myself to feel that I'm human just like everyone else. What I maybe going through is not unique to myself. It can be shared by other people as well.

Three times I week, I'm mostly in the kitchen wearing my apron. It's not the usual me that people see but I don't really mind. For others, this sight maybe unimaginable since they're used to see me all dressed up. Lately, I'm all smothered with sugar powder all over my hands and to some extent my arms and even at times my face, my hair. That's just how it is. Getting down and dirty. The mess I initially couldn't stand but I somehow got used to the chaos of a sticky, icing surrounding.

I love wherever this journey is taking me. It's some place I've never been to.

Chef Dennis Hipolito's October 25 Schedule

Morning Class
9:00 AM to 12:00 NN
Special Holiday Buffet Dishes

1. Artichoke, Spinach and Cheese in Crisp Filo Purses
2. Dennis' Special Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil
3. Roasted Brined Turkey Breast with a Cranberry Relish
4. Baked Brown Rice, Bread, Chestnut and Dried Fruit Stuffing
5. Pan Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin with an Herb Butter Sauce
6. Creamy Pecan Pie Bars
Bonus Recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Afternoon Class
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Innovative Cakes and Tortes for 2008

1. Chocolate S'Mores Cake
2. Chocolate Yema Torte
3. Chocolate and Mango Walnut Wafer Torte
4. Dennis' Melts in the Mouth Flourless Decadence Cake with a Caramel Sauce and Chantilly Cream
5. Quick and Easy Mango Cream Cake (Easy Method)
6. Dennis' Moist Banana and Carrot Bundt Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting

For inquiries and those interested to attend the classes, call 0917-8486656. Classes are usually not repeated. These are all new classes.

Healing of Memories for Oneself

I received this handout from the Center for Ignatian Spirituality. It's relevant and I'm certain, it'll it home to most who read this.

Sometimes we experience a lack of freedom in ourselves, an inability to cope with something, an inability to forgive, a fear, a problem with uncontrollable anger or something like that. No matter how we pray or what we do, nothing seems to help. The first step is to discover the root of the problem. Very often it helps to talk it over with a spiritual guide. Sometimes our weakness or unfreedom is a result of an inadequate prayer life. Sometimes it is a result of an unwillingness to face the truth or to let go of something we want or a lack of discipline in our lives. Sometimes it is because we are too busy or too tired. Sometimes it's because we have not forgiven another. In instances like these, what we need for healing is repentance not prayer.

There are times however that the issues are rooted in the past, even in the time we were being carried in our mother's womb or in the process of birth. No matter how loving our home life has been, no matter how happy our childhood, it was not perfect. During the various stages of growing, we have experienced the oppression of others as well as that of institutions and structures. So we carry in ourselves the wounds of bad experiences, some of which we have not thought about in years.

There is a way of praying for the healing of past experiences. It is sometimes called 'healing of memories', sometimes 'psychological healing'. It rests on the fact that Jesus is the Lord of all time, past, present and future, that he can even change the effects of the past.

Some time ago a woman in Joseph's community said to him in passing that he had a lot of bitterness in him. Joseph was busy at the time and busy afterwards with a lot of things so he did not do anything about it. From time to time her remarks reoccurred to him and he did realize that occasionally a sharpness would develop in his tone of voice, a certain harshness would color his relations with others. He would ask for forgiveness when he could and move on. Finally he did learn to pray over these experiences and experienced through prayer a great deal of healing.

The elements of such prayer are simple:
1. Recall God's love and power.
2. Ask the Spirit's help in recalling the memories of the bad experiences of the past which affect you now.
3. Be quiet and let them come to mind.
4. Walk back into those recollections with Jesus and imaginatively reconstruct what would happen.
5. Thank Jesus for his love and healing.

Sometimes this must be done more than once. You know when you are healed when the child or person in the memory is smiling and happy because of the presence and love of Jesus.

An Afternoon with Martha Stewart

If you think that I sough a private audience with Martha Stewart, no I didn't. I was at Edsa Shangri-la yesterday for an Exhibitors' Meeting and I spent my time afterwards at Fully Booked. (For those not in the know, Edsa Shangri-la opened a coffee shop called Caf E at the wing fronting Shangri-la Mall. Beside Caf E is Fully Booked.)

Every opportunity I get whenever I pass by a bookstore, I'd immediately go to the Baking section. I browsed through a couple of books about designing using fondant and I chanced upon Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes book. How I love it! Just to illustrate how I was drawn to read every single page of the book, I comfortably positioned myself in an Indian sit at the carpeted floors of Fully Booked. I must have spent 30 minutes or more leafing through the wonderful wedding cakes in every design imaginable.

I took time to read the different design techniques and for me, that is really what's important - the technique. I can always surf the web for cake designs but the techniques are what will bring me to nicely put those tiered cakes together. Everything I read is all in my head from templates, transferring designs to the cake, transporting it and so many other things.

It is when I can't stop talking about something when you'll know that I'm ...
1. interested
2. serious about it and
3. passionate

My interest in culinary is growing and I was ecstatic to find a four and a half months Skills Program that allows me to learn the basics of both culinary and baking. I plan to take that course next year. This school will have both lectures and application. Classes will be every Sunday (and I don't really mind if it's a weekend). Will blog more about it when I'm about to enrol.

Happy weekend everyone! (I seem to be all charged up this morning.)

Risking and Healing

"The ability to risk can be a sign of healing!"

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risk must be taken because ... the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
One may avoid suffering and sorrow but simply cannot learn ... feel ... change ... grow ... love ... live.
Chained by one's certitudes, one is a slave, that person has forfeited life.
Only a person who risks ... is free.

A Different Sense of Satisfaction

Am really happy today. Nothing spectacular happened. I went to class as usual and designed cookies when I got home. It doesn't sound extraordinary but for me, today's just great. I have several reasons to jump up and down (though I'm physically tired and lazy to do so). Firstly, the preparations for the Kiddie Karnival are on track. The collaterals are almost complete and we're almost done pricing all the products. Product shoots are also finished and I've just completed our Sweet Success album / catalogue. I'm grinning from ear to ear as I leafed through the pages of the album. The pictures are a combination of Ma, Orie and I's work. Preparations for the designer cookie launching started a couple of months ago and I never looked back. It's been one day after the other of learning new things and endless researching. I haven't had a decent "day off" since I started going to cake decorating school. Things are falling into place and I am overjoyed with the turn of events. No matter how tired (or should I say exhausted) I am, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction for being able to pull this through with my family.

I have one more week to go to prepare for the products to be launched. I'm panting, pacing and panting again. There are moments though that I can't help but be overwhelmed with the list of things I have to do. It can be such a daunting task to be an exhibitor. It's pure guts and the confidence that what you're offering will click in the market. Orie, my youngest sister, is in charge of constructing of our Multiply site. I'll be posting the address soon. You'll definitely enjoy the pictures and I do look forward to your orders. :-) Sweet Success will be focusing on kiddie parties for now and it won't be for long when we'll be serving the wedding market soon. The possibilities are endless.

As the days pass, I strongly feel that I do want to be a chef and I do want to go to culinary school. My goal is to expand my family's business and expand its operations to service both culinary and pastry requirements. I think that adding to my feeling lethargic lately is my hyperactive mind that draws up an endless list of what I want to learn. I'm very inspired these days and I'm motivated by the thought of what the future brings for me and my family. I've found what I love to do and no matter how I whine and rant at how I feel utterly incapable at times doing gumpaste flowers, I love where I am today. This is what I want to do for life - bake, decorate, cook and make lots of money doing this and I'm serious about it.

Creatively Crazy

I'm hardly online during the day. This has been my routine for several weeks now. I've been busy preparing for the upcoming Kiddie Karnival and that's already next Sunday, October 26. My schedule is pretty crazy as it's full and I'm juggling the preparations alongside my advance fondant cake decorating class. On top of these, we're also making wedding party favors for this Saturday. I don't know how I'm able to sustain my energy level. I'm running out of time with the so many things I want to do. That's just how I am - loves a busy schedule and wants to learn new things. However today, I feel that I need to pace myself if I want to sanely reach the Kiddie Karnival event. (Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.)

My cake decorating class is very challenging. It's driving me nuts with all the kneading, rolling, cutting and forming just to make life like flowers and bouquets. Sometimes I wonder why don't cake designers just use real flowers instead of making them all out of sugar. I can't complain for the simple reason that this is the career and business that I want to go into so I have to soldier on.

The final project that I'll be working on is quite ambitious. Well, see for yourself. Good luck to me. It's a cake designed by Margaret Braun and I have to recreate it. Let's see how my being OC will fit this project. (Inhale, exhale.)

More Christmas Classes from Chef Dennis Hipolito

October 18, 2008
Morning Class: 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN
Part 2: Special Dips and Pates for the Holidays (for bottling and gift giving)

1. Dennis' Special Mixed Cheese and Pimiento Spread
2. Baked Cheese Pate with Smoked Fish and Pimientos
3. Caramelized Onion and Spiced Cottage Cheese Pate
4. Maple and Walnut Cheese Dip
5. Creamy Onion and Chive Spread
6. Spiced Mango and Onion Confit (for pork and sandwiches)

Bonus Recipe: Dennis' Deviled Ham and Mixed Cheese Spread

October 18, 2008
Afternoon Class: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Best Holiday Giveaways to Die For

1. Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Fudge Bars
2. Double Chocolate Fudge Cinnamon Rolls with a Melts in the Mouth Frosting
3. Melts in the Mouth Cherry Crumble Bars
4. Caramel Cashew Bars with a Crisp Meringue Topping
5. Chocolate and Cashew Swirl Fudge Bars
6. Dennis' Secret Moist and Chewy Triple Chocolate Bars

For inquiries and those interested to attend the classes, call 0917-8486656. Classes are usually not repeated.

Skin Care

I had the first in a series of 20 diamond peel sessions today at Facial Care Centre. I am also availing of their Laser Light treatment aside from the diamond peel. Since I'm now considered a regular client, they offered a really good anniversary promo. My skin isn't looking its best nowadays. I've been sleeping less than 8 hours a day for a couple of weeks now. Lack of sleep greatly affects the skin and this explains the breakouts and my skin seemingly looking tired. Argh. :-( I've always been very particular about my skin and I do invest in products from skin care to make up.

Here's my simple skin regimen:
1. Eight hours of sleep is important. If we lack sleep, it shows.
2. Drink eight glasses of water everyday to keep it hydrated. Drinking lots of water also cleanses the body.
3. Moisturize. Well I try to do this twice a day. If I can't, I moisturize before I go to bed.
4. Avoid the sun. The UV rays dries up the skin and it can cause spots and freckles. Should you be going under the sun, apply sun block.
5. Unscented soaps and cleansers are best for the face. I hardly use soap on my face. I've always used Shu Uemura's Purifying Oil to remove make up and at the same time, this is already my soap.
6. Remove warts on a yearly basis. This does wonders on the skin as it looks clearer after two weeks from the removal.
7. I buy make up that is good for Asian skin. Shu Uemura is one. MAC is also a good brand and it doesn't cause allergies.
8. Smile often. This is the cheapest solution of them all. :-)

What Matters Most

I had one of the most insightful conversations with one of my best friends this afternoon. I was very happy to see her. Albeit what brought us to see each other prematurely were appalling circumstances, we were relieved and at the same time happy to spend the day together. It felt surreal to see her and we just locked each other in a tight embrace. Listening to her totally shifted my perspective. Whatever I thought were important in my life just seemed trivial. I cringed when it came to mind the things I was wallowing about. How petty they were! I wouldn't even want to dare vocalize them as I'd surely sound silly and dense.

What matters to me:
1. my spiritual journey - He heals me, guides me, protects me, blesses me and it's indescribably amazing how He does it.
2. my family - No matter how grumpy and impatient I could be at times, they are my core group.
3. my true friends - I ran a mental list of who they are and it's just a small group. I don't mind if I can't fill a ballroom with them. A small table would do.

I have resolved to focus on the goodness that abounds my life. They're a lot. How silly of me to zero in on what no longer is relevant in my life be it people or things. It no longer matters what people say, think or do. If they're not part of my core group, I don't mind bidding them adieu. Life is too short to be blinded by what doesn't really count.

Thanks my dearest friend for sharing with me your life changing experience. It has changed me more than you'll ever know.

Pa and the Chinese Language

I was on my way home yesterday when I phoned Pa to ask an update on something. Take note that I was in the FX and I was squeezed in between people. I was keeping my voice down as I didn't want to share my conversation with a bunch of strangers.

me: Pa, kamusta? May balita ka na?
Pa: Meh, di kong lan nang weh! (Meh, speak Chinese.)
me: Pa, paano ako mag ko kong lan nang weh?! Nag tata lang ako sa FX. (Pa, how can I speak Chinese. I'm in the FX commuting.)
I hate to be drawing attention to myself so why even bother to speak a foreign language in public. I didn't realize that I was speaking a bit of Chinese to defend myself.
Pa: Kaya nga di kong lan nang weh! (That's why you need to speak Chinese.)
me: Huh?!

On another instance, I was talking with Pa about something.
me: Pa, ano yung ...
Pa: Meh, di kong lan nang weh! (Meh, speak Chinese.)
me: (I chose to keep quiet.)
Pa: Di tio practice na u advantage. (You should practice so you have an advantage.)
me: (my thought bubble was ... Hmm, si Pa nilagyan lang ng konting Chinese yung sentence to sound Chinese pero narinig ko puro English - practice and advantage. Style ko to eh. Nakarma ako.)

Pa is such a character. He never fails to amuse me.

In Between

I don't like the feeling of being in transition. It's awkward. For the longest time, I've been accustomed to being exactly here or there but never in between. However, lately, I'm just there ... in between. I'm transitioning in terms of career, beliefs, mind set, attitude, plans. I came from point A and I'm on my way to point B. I don't exactly know how to call this space. It's not limbo because I know what I'm doing. It's not a feeling of uncertainty either. Most people would dread being in this situation. Count me in. I have an aversion for this. It's only recently that it's hitting me that I have to go through this phase. Since it's taking some time to be in between, I might as well enjoy it. I'm thankful for the downtime to reassess where I want to be. It's not so bad most especially now that I can see how to get to point B.

Keeping It Real

Have you ever wanted to say something to someone but never ended up saying it for fear of hurting the person? Was there ever a time you chose not to say something just so things will not be complicated and for the issue to just die down?

If I were to describe my life now, it would have to be a series of wheels turning. So many aspects of my life have changed and there are also those going through changes. It's not the most comfortable feeling in this world but I know I have to go through it.

I've been raised to be tactful and careful with the words I say. It was recently that I realized that being too nice won't do me good most especially when the situation calls for me to lash out on people who dismay me to bits. I resolve to quit editing what I have to say whether this be in prayer or when I converse with people. It's healthier that way. Sometimes, we should say things the way we feel like saying it.

All I want is to be real with what I think, feel and say. It's important that I am spontaneous and true to myself. Life is too short to be spent beating around the bush. Just say things the way you like to say it. No cushioning, no sweet talk. No more sweeping under the rug for me.

Classes for Christmas

We're only more than two months away from Christmas. It's my favorite time of the year and I always look forward to the chilly breeze and the sight of Christmas decors in our home. I just know when it's Christmas. Our whole house smells of freshly baked cookies bars and pastries.

I'm continuing my culinary and baking classes. Since I enjoyed my class with Chef Dennis Hipolito's last Saturday, I'm taking two more classes.

October 11, 2008
Morning Class: 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN
Special Dips and Pates for the Holidays (for bottling and gift giving)

1. Dennis' Special Olive and Cheese Pate
2. Mushroom, Balut and Cheese Pate
3. Hot Gruyere, Kangkong and Pepper Dip
4. Roasted Bell Pepper Pesto
5. Roasted Garlic and Herb Spread
6. Caramelized Onion and Tomato Chutney

Afternoon Class: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Christmas Goodies for Gift Giving

1. Super Moist Fudge Loaf Cake with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumble Topping
2. Moist Banana Chocolate Loaf Cake with a Special Chocolate Glaze
3. Soft Holiday Walnut Bread with a Crumble Topping
4. Dennis' Christmas Wreath Bread with a Special Sauce
5. Chocolate Cheesecake Swirl Butter Cake Crumble Bars
6. Dennis' Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

For inquiries and those interested to attend the classes, call 0917-8486656. Classes are usually not repeated.

The Modern Girl Guide and Me

Sitting on my shelf is a new book that I bought on sale last Saturday at National Bookstore. It was a great deal for only Php 250. This must have originally been sold at Php 1,167. It's a 381-page pink covered book. It's called The Modern Girl's Guide to Life by Jane Buckingham. It's a Mod-Girl Survival Kit. I'm earnestly finding time to sit down and read through it.

This is the life guide that I need most especially now that I'm interested in so many things. The book talks about:

The only thing you should ever fake ... being a domestic goddess
Hot hair hints
Make up tricks for busy chicks
Treating your body right
Your cheat sheet for fabulous entertaining
Modern girl personal finance 101
When a modern girl makes a major purchase
How to land your dream job - I think I already found what I'm passionate about.
How to score points with your boss
Outsmarting nightmare bosses
How to be an electronics whiz
How to change a tire in stilettos
Painting: The easiest and cheapest way to transform your pad
Building a modern girl wardrobe
Buying lingerie that looks classy, not trashy
The Diva's guide to using a power drill
Zen and the art of bathroom maintenance
Keeping your bedroom blissful
How to fold a fitted sheet

These are just a few of the things I read on the front and back covers. I'm at this stage in my life when I want to better manage myself, have a business and at the same be ... umm ... domesticated (yes I want to be one). I don't know how these exactly go together in my so called life but I do want them to jibe. When I go back to work soon, I want to better manage my personal finances and I want to have a financial goal this time around. I have so many things on my mind and MBA is still not one of those. I do intend to continue taking classes to learn different things - food styling, culinary, photography and the list just goes on and on.

I'm absorbing as much as I can at this point. I want to be a better person and it's a matter of prioritizing what I want to learn. I still have my eyes on my goal - to make my family business succeed. I'm bent to take it to the next level and that's one of my goals as a modern day girl.

Premium Cupcakes

It was my first time to attend a baking session with Dennis Hipolito. He holds classes only every Saturday and I think that his offered schedules would fit me perfectly when I go back to work. We were only twelve students in class and I enjoyed learning the techniques of doing the different recipes. The sugar rush can be overwhelming. Dennis walked us through several butter based cupcakes.

1. Mocha Cupcake with a Chocolate Filling and Creamy Frosting
2. Prune Cupcake with a Melt in the Mouth Prune Frosting
3. Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcake with a Creamy Frosting
4. Mango Torte Cupcake - This is to die for!
5. Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake with a Fluffy Cream Frosting
6. Food for the Gods Cupcake

Well who knows, you might just enjoy these cupcakes from me this coming Christmas. :-)

Oh Abe

I'm usually out Friday nights and for a change, I happen to have a dinner date with friends at Serendra. The restaurant of choice was Abe. It must have been my 3rd or 4th time to enjoy Abe's Kapampangan food. I love Filipino food. I grew up preferring Kampampangan cooking since my Mom is Kapampangan. I remember my childhood trips to Pampanga and each and every time, my family and I would always have lunch or dinner at Everybody's Cafe. It was situated along the highway (which highway, I forgot).

For tonight's dinner, we enjoyed the pork asado, batute, binukadkad na plapla and adobong puso ng saging. For dessert, of course I wouldn't go home without it, we had maja blanca (two orders in fact), macapuno with halaya and turon. Dinner was just great!

I'm not sure where our next get together will be but we all agreed it'll be in some other place. Different food, different ambiance.

Back to High School Days

My whole day basic baking orientation today reminded me of days back in school. It wasn't just about math but it brought me back to my chemistry, physics and other science classes. (I think I'm having a nose bleed again.) While I did enjoy taking down notes and learning new things with Ma (she is my favorite classmate these days), I wished I listened more intently back in high school. I remember not being excited when it was time for lab work. First and foremost, I hate experiments. The process was just too tedious. Test tube A. Test tube B. Results. Conclusion. I don't even recall submitting a paper worth checking by my teacher. My conclusions were just plain DUH.

I was taught several things today about how ingredients react when combined. I didn't even know there were several types of flour, sugar. Baking as it turns out is science. It's about precision and it takes experimenting as well to know how replacing one ingredient yields a different result. I think I should see this exercise of product testing and recipe formulation as fun. My sense of taste is not as developed as Ma but I know this can be learned. For me, food either tastes good or bad. I haven't reached the level of being a food connoisseur. All I know is that I love food and most especially desserts. Yum!

We made 11 recipes today and I got to taste some of them. Most of the baked products were bread and a little of cookies. Being someone with a sweet tooth, I was naturally drawn to the cookies. As for the bread, I was just contented to look at them. I couldn't imagine gobbling up 11 different kinds of bread and cookies in one day. That's just too much carb overload.

Learning Curve

I'm taking advantage of my one week "vacation" from cake decorating school to learn other things. My classes will resume in a week's time and I'm busying myself learning how to bake. I'm not really a baker and my experience in baking is very minimal. It's really Ma who is the excellent baker. We work as a team. She bakes, I decorate. Simple. However, I strongly believe that if I want to be good at what I do, I should learn the whole process. In fact, I'm very willing to.

I've always thought that I'm a corporate person. (I guess I have another side that I didn't know until recently.) Give me a project to work on and I know my way around. Initially when I started decorating, I felt disoriented / lost. Why? Because the kitchen is not my territory. You have to understand that I'm used to sitting behind a desk and working on my laptop but an oven? I'm admittedly an amateur whether it's in cooking or baking and it takes practice and a lot of experience. Just yesterday morning while I was making my own gum paste and fondant, I was feeling my way around the recipe. Hmm, what ingredient goes before what? Both turned out well and I did learn a lot when I made it on my own.

What I love about baking is that it's experiential. You have to try doing it on your own to learn the tricks. Today, I'll be learning chocolate with S, a chef consultant. She's just a fantastic and generous person. Tomorrow, I'll be attending a free whole day orientation on baking operations. I think it'll be fun to know how commercial bake shops operate on a bigger scale. Then on Saturday, this is what's really making me excited! I'm attending a baking class with Dennis Hipolito. He holds his classes in New Manila and he is a chef consultant at Unilever. I'll be learning how to make premium cupcakes. :-D

I shall call it a day. I need a shut eye. It's 12:47 AM. Tata. Sweet dreams for me.