Lots has gone on since the last time I posted! Having only a two-week break for Christmas was not enough. Three weeks would have been just right. It was weird with it being in the middle of a term. I’ll tell you one thing, it is tough being with the same group of people since September for 6 hours a day for 4 days a week sometimes 5 days. I am glad I got the break when we did because I don’t know if I would have stayed sane.

Christmas break came at the right time. I got to relax some and decompress. It was much needed. Still had to help out around the place with getting food ready and gifts wrapped. I didn’t get to see everybody that I wanted to see over break but I did have a nice surprise getting drinks and dinner with some old friends from high school and getting to catch up. I enjoyed being back around my family. That is one thing I’ve missed most about being so far from home.

Since I’ve been back out here I got to help out with a dessert for a dinner. The dinner was for the contestants, judges and advisors for the Intra-Collegiate Culinary and Pastry Competition, which was between all four of the Johnson and Wales campuses (Providence, Charlotte, North Miami and Denver). Got to put together an apricot compote with pine needle (which is edible like rosemary), chestnut pancakes with a honey chocolate sauce, and a tonka bean soufflé.

It was a lot of fun coming up with it and putting it together. The three part dessert was served on a plank of cedar that had been treated and added another element to the dessert. The coooolest part of the night for me was when we were presented to the dining room and given credit for our creations… I just so happened to be next to the table that the judges were sitting. Chef Keegan from the foodnetwork was one of the judges and I was right next to him. He leans over to me and taps my shoulder and asked me if I was really from Oxford, MS (we have to wear name tags with our names and they have on there where we are from). When I told him I was, he grinned ear to ear and said… “Hotty toddy.” Yes we did a hushed hotty toddy cheer together, too. He went on to tell me that he went to Ole Miss for a year or two before he transferred out to Colorado, and continued to talk about Oxford and other stuff as well. MADE my night.

Right now I'm a week and a day away from spring break!! So excited. Road tripping with two friends from here all the way to a friends place in Upland, CA, then on the way back stopping in Vegas for a few days. So excited! This break cannot come quick enough! My dad is coming out here to visit for the week after my spring break. That will be fun! But anyway, I need to keep this as short as I can b/c I have to get up early in the morning to go to my chocolates and confections class... love love love this lab!! 6 hours of chocolates!