the end of an era

Saturday morning my stomach was in knots. i drank 2 sips of coffee before i realized i wouldn't even be able to handle that. i had ironed my uniform the night before, so i looked at my flashcards one last time, kissed my fish goodbye and headed for the train. I was about to take my Mod 2 final exam! ack!
This exam consisted of a written test and 2 practicals. Both went swimmingly. well, i was sweating profusely and had a permanent stomach cramp from all the nerves,but that's pretty standard for a stressful day in the kitchen. the exam was winding down, i had performed the Detrempe, Beurrage, and Paton for my puff pastry, and i was cleaning up my station (or as i lovingly refer to it as "microwave corner") Chef Sim was making the rounds, poking the dough, scribbling notes, losing his tea, and the inevitable truth was upon us. We are halfway through school, and Chef Sim, our instructor for 4 months, was no longer going to be with us. rats!
Chef Sim, with a perpetual hangover and long hair had taught us such phrases as "it's your world", "bob's your uncle", and my personal favorite "bibbly bobbly". (don't worry, it's not an inside joke, no one ever knew what he was talking about.) he was patient and helpful, a bread savant, a hippe, a sailor, and one hell of an instructor. We spent every weekend, for 4 months, with chef sim. we could read his moods, understand his slang, and knew what he was referring to when he pointed at something and said "Jim-Jam". (basically it meant, get him whatever he was pointing to)
and so, as we enter Module 3 with a new instructor, mostly unaware of what to expect, I say farewell chef sim. thanks for teaching us how to make donuts, how to make a cornet, and what days not to come to class hungover. (strudel day comes to mind) Thanks for encouraging us to be individuals and bake as we see fit (just don't ever use bright blue food coloring...so tacky) Thanks for telling us endless stories about your life and the adventure you have been on, and sweetly listening to our young adventures. i truly enjoyed seeing you before class, sitting on the stoop at Home Depot, rolling cigarettes and recapping the night before. i'll always remember your advice to have light hands, thick skin and late nights.
I'll be seeing you round school, dude, and most certainly at the pub.

the thrifty robot

**disclaimer-my computer is on the fritz so i apologize for the lack of pictures, but i figure by now you have all seen my eating a cupcake...which is the only picture i took for this post anyway....**

I live in the most exciting and expensive city in the world. the former is why i stay, the latter is an unfortunate repercussion. this often means, cheap wine, cheap clothes, peanut butter and jelly for days on end. but i don't complain (often); it's rather exciting, and lord knows i am not the only one struggling to "make it". considering the career i am trying so hard to obtain, things won't get any easier...but they will certainly have to get more creative.
Yesterday i took a computer class in a different neighborhood than i am usually stationed. on my lunch break, although the weather was less than forgiving, i took a stroll, to see things i don't always see. I passed by the lovely and tremendous New York Public Library, the Jack's 99 cent store, and countless tourists. i stumbled upon a landmark i have only read about, something i seek out with every lunch time stroll i take in the stuffy Mid-Town district. The Treats Truck!
a beloved addition to New York's packed streets, the treats truck comes strolling down in a silver box truck, packed with cookies, brownies,and cupcakes. I asked if she makes the treats in the truck, and she said no, she makes them at their headquarters in Red Hook (bklyn). Although i wanted the cupcake with the pink frosting (because i am nothing if not predictable) it only came under vanilla cake, and I needed some chocolate. So i got the Chocolate cake with Vanilla Frosting and sprinkles. It was 2 bucks.
Then i grabbed a large coffee at a no-name deli for 1.55.
Then i headed over to bryant park, where the air was still foggy, but warm enough to eat al fresco. I passed that 'Witch craft place, and noticed something that really tied my whole snack together. They had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.....FOR 5 DOLLARS! i was floored; i actually yelled something i shall not repeat. needless to say i was shocked and appalled. it got me thinking about how much i had saved by going to the little guys.

Crumbs cupcake: 3.75
Large Starbucks coffee:4 bucks
SANDWICH I CAN'T EVEN DEAL WITH: 4.99
This is mostly me bragging about how stingy i am, but you've got to be wise to make it in a city where a PBR is 5 bucks ( i don't even want to talk about that incident) and a PB&J is is the same.
So, here's a list of the sunny robots favorite cheap spots!
Blue and Gold - bartender isn't the greatest, but the juke box is awesome and the beers are cheap. very private atmosphere with a pool table, if you're into that sort of thing.
Mamouns Falafel - best falafel i have EVER had. hot sauce makes you weep, and the whole thing is 2.50.
Mister Softee - that is all.
Nancy Whiskey Pub - probably the best place, ever. they have pitchers, they do buy backs, the juke box is the best i've come across, the waitresses remember you. and they're food is fresh and perfectly greasy bar food.
and last, but never....ever....EVER least:
Big Enchilada- I don't crave anything like I crave enchiladas, and these are some of the best i have ever had. tucked behind union square, it's cozy and authentic atmosphere is memorable, but not as memorable as their trademark dish, yes, you guessed it, The Big Enchilada. get the green sauce, sit back, and watch some soccer.
man i want an enchilada right now.

So, go forth and prosper in big bad NYC! don't spend all your money on a martini, put your make up on in Sephora without ever buying anything, and enjoy the ride.

The Cake Parade : part two

Yo whatUP?!!
feeling a bit rowdy this happy hour. Just received my LOST pint glasses, each with a different dharma logo on them...perhaps i shall drink a different beverage in each, to break them in. let's see - wine, milk, seltzer, bloody mary mix, salad dressing....
I best wait for the proper occasion.
moving on! Hung up a painting of migrating birds on my bare wall, this too makes me smile. planning trips to visit friends and see shows, weekend anticipation, and pleasant weather. all make a sunny robot a bit sunnier.
and so we find ourselves, onto part two of the great cake parade. we last left off consuming a light Zac Efron coconut cake. (i'll stop soon, i swear) today, we delve deeper into easter,with all things rabbit....Carrot Cake!
The plan had been Red Velvet, but isn't that always the plan. and plans are boring, and comfy...shmoops said to think outside the box. i panicked. we decided on carrot cake when we were in the frozen food section picking out dessert. (it was our night off! back off! we got turnovers, can you think of a better idea?) we happened upon a box of Sarah Lee(maybe?) carrot cake, when shmoops told me how much dan enjoys a good carrot cake. or a bad carrot cake, either way.
i don't have a recipe for carrot cake! panic! drama! this is where my odd inability to think "outside the box" comes into play...shmoops, always the cool calm and collected when i am not (and vice versa) suggests we look on the back of the sarah lee(?) box. the back read as such "sugar, sugar, sugar gum, corn syrup...chemicals, etc etc.**" but! if you squint real hard you can see the following, in some form: carrots, basic things every cake requires, pineapple, you have this all in your pantry.
so! we picked up some pineapple, we already had 50 lbs of carrots, and made our merry way home.
I quickly found this recipe, and it was a go. Upon reading the comments and review section of the recipe (a feature i strongly suggest taking advantage of) i saw that most comments mentioned that a) this recipe was fabulous, and b)it made a very small cake.
So i doubled the recipe, another thing i find highly stressful, but this worked perfectly, with no conversions necessary. a straightforward doubling of all ingredients.
This is what my Easter morning looked like: grating carrots, listening to my favorite baking album (Metric, Live It Out) and snacking on goodies the bunny left me.

Me still not believing carrot cake has pineapple in it...who knew?

getting ready to go in:

mmmm,the frosting. what's better than carrot cake? the cream cheese frosting that goes on a carrot cake...

chillin in the microwave til the time is right...

up close and personal:

I thought it was a success and i hope everyone who consumed it can agree.
it's been a pleasure, and now i bid you, adieu.



** i really really love entenmanns, lays potato chips, and all things processed so i'm not gonna knock chemicals...just trying to make a point.

The Cake Parade : part one

Good evening and welcome to the sunny robot happy hour! Pour yourself a glass of milk, or miller lite, or mint tea and snuggle on the couch next to loved ones. tell them a tale, a tale of knights and princes, damsels and white horses. or, tell them something they will actually enjoy; something they can believe in. tell them a story of cake.
Last weekend was Easter weekend. spent with friends and family and food and pastels. as any of my avid readers can tell you, my mom and i take menus quite seriously. i am generally in charge of desserts, a position i do not take lightly. you see, it's just me in this little apartment, which i do love, but sometimes i find it hard to justify making a 3 layer cake, or cupcakes shaped like mice or, well food beyond soup and grilled cheese. you know how it is, work all day, come home, do the hula, eat, watch some LOST. don't lie...i know i am not the only one out there....
anyway!
after much deliberation and about 20 emails back and forth we decided on a menu to please (hopefully) everyone. I made a Coconut Layer Cake. my dream cake....flawlessly white, moist, light, airy...clouds and heaven and angels singing and Zac Efron and all that good stuff.
This one turned out much better than my last attempt. the recipe can be found here. I made a change with the frosting, because it didn't fit my image of the Zac Efron style perfect light frosting i wanted. (did that just become a description?! i guess so....you know what i mean, ladies)
instead i made a simple whipped frosting, following a recipe from the classic and always inspiring Joy of Baking. I couldn't find the Cream of coconut needed for the cake at the snobbish whole foods (sorry John, Jena and Jen, i really love it!), but it was found at the neighborhood grocery store in Michellebletown, Emmanuels Marketplace.

this is the kitchen i got to use!! Rapture! Jeremy and Missy's kitchen in New Jersey. oh god....they have a standing mixer and really good knives and everything a hopeless little baker could ask for!

The Mysterious Cream of Coconut......

getting ready for assembly!

complete and ready to eat :)

Dig in!


The general consensus was good! it was nice and moist, i believe due to the buttermilk in the batter, and the frosting was simple yes, but classically yummy.A delightful contribution to the menu Shmoops so perfectly crafted; sans the ham, she had nothing to do with that. and really neither did I, or rather i didn't want anything to do with it:

that's all for now my pets....
now, finish up your drink, kiss your loved one goodnight, and promise them tales for another night.
xo-TSR

April 4th, 2009

4/4/09 was a big day. Lawson Kane Wahlers was welcomed into the world, screaming, clamoring, and keeping it real the whole time. (i don't know what that means either...)
also! It was puff pastry day at school, a monumental, make it or break it day.
due the the former announcement, I missed puff pastry day, but i got some practice in at home. Puff pastry is a grueling, back breaking, soul wrenching practice. good times. but it's really impressive when done properly, and still moderately impressive when done improperly. so i took the dough i had made at school, before little Lawson decided to join us, home with me and made Spinach and Blue Cheese Strudel!
i promptly forgot i would be writing about this, so i didn't take pictures of me rolling out the dough, which i'm actually more pleased with than the rest of the process. but take my word that I AM AWESOME.
or something.
but really, i had to roll out the dough to paper thin width, into a 36 inch square, to later be cut into 2 18 inch squares. for those in the audience who have never done this, this is really f***ing hard. it tore a bit, i used a ton of flour to patch it up and eventually i got a very jagged squarish piece of dough. good enough for me! i trimmed the edges with a knife. I chilled the dough for about an hour, and in this time i got the filling ready. i love blue cheese as much as the next guy, but this stuff smelled HORRIBLE. cringe inducing bad. i convinced myself that this meant it was really good cheese. the smellier the better? please someone confirm this for me.
moving on, the flling consisted of: spinach, butter, milk, 2 eggs, a bit of flour, salt/pepper and 4 ounces of Bleu Cheese. blanch the spinach, the return to boil. then cool/pat dry/chop.
heat butter and milk in a sauce pan, when it comes to a boil add the flour so it's all pasty. mix the paste and the 2 eggs together, then add spinach...then stir in the cheese. strap on your gas mask and proceed....
place the mixture in a piping bag, and line one of the pastry sheets with 4 or five rows.

then lay the second sheet on top and press the dough together where the hills end.

all i could think of was Shai Hulud from Dune.
then trim the edges so that they will bake as 4-5 separate strudels. bake at 375 for 25 minutes and you too can have this:

which looks like this inside:

Had i done this in school it would have been remarkably more pleasing to the eye, with Chef barking over my shoulder (lovingly, of course). but they were still quite delightful. the pastry was nice and light and the filling, well, cheesy.

Until my next adventure, good night my little robots....