September 12

Today was a nice, laid back kinda day.  We made soft rolls (for the fourth time) and everybody killed it.  They all looked so great.  Mine had a nice color and were uniform.  I think I was most pleased with how fast I was able to roll them.  When we first made rolls my hand did not understand how to shape a blob into a perfectly smooth circle.  Today, it kind of just clicked.

We also made orange curd, which I was getting the nervous squirts just thinking about making (juuuust kidding).  In all seriousness though, I was terrified.  Every time I’ve tried to make pudding or curd or pastry cream it either curdles or ends up with a bunch of cooked egg pieces.  To avoid this I was very meticulous  with every step.  I whisked my eggs well.  When it came time to combine the hot orange juice with the eggs I put in a half a teaspoon at a time, and whisked furiously the whole time.  I made sure that when I brought the curd up to a boil, it was only for a short time.  This may seem a bit obsessive, but in the end it turned out perfectly!  I was so happy!

Lastly we made Panna Cotta which is just sweetened gelatin and cream.  Mine turned out fine.  I think to avoid catastrophe you just need to make sure to keep a very watchful eye on you cream as it heats up, and not to over or under bloom your gelatin.

So the pizza was just what a classmate made us for dinner.  The reason I put it on here is because I realized how flavorful a home grown vegetable can be.  The tomatoes on there were from a home garden and they were so delicious!  I think if you really want a fruit or veggie to stand out in your dish you should stay away from supermarket produce.