The Big Five-O

I just passed my one-year anniversary with WordPress (they sent a card) and I realized that this post is my fiftieth. Fifty sounds huge, right? What to say? How to commemorate? How’s ’bout with some photos?

I’ve been a busy little bee with these final three baking lab courses. We’ve been buckled down for winter over here in Maryland (which is pretty much like a mild Spring to most other states in the Northeast and New England, but Marylanders take the threat of snow verrrrrrrry seriously…) and it’s been nose to the grindstone for me, so I haven’t done much running around discovering local eats BUT there are a few things I need to do before I split this joint: I need to find a Berger cookie (people love them and tears were flowing last month when the shop closed down for a few weeks), eat at a decent restaurant, and experience the Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham I mentioned last year when I was on that quest for fresh ham. So stay tuned for all that fun.

In the meantime, I’ve got pictures (click on them for the slideshow). And reservations tonight at Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen, the chef of which is a finalist for the 2013 James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.

Adv. Pastry Practical Exam #2: Crystallized Ginger Apple Crisp with Apple Brandy Ice Cream and Cranberry Orange Sauce.

Dead Dough Project: Preparing the smaller elements

Dead Dough Project: Too bad this is blurry because the snails are starting to look super cute.

Dead Dough Project: Stylized flowers

Dead Dough Project: The finished product, by hook or by crook, with lots of gritted teeth and forced design adjustments — the logo for Happy Owl Baking!