Febuary 14, 2012

Sarah: Rose, ok na ang table set-up natin? Ang mga pearls? Ang table cloth? Ok na? Napraktisan mo na ang table set-up natin?
Me: uhhh….. ang pearls wala kasi akala ko na sa iyo.. may table cloth na tayo at hindi ako nakapagpraktis ng table set-up kasi may praktis kami sa production at hip hop.
Sarah: wala man sa akin ang mga pearls. May extra apron ka?
Me: wala.
Sarah: uie, amot tayo ng 100 pesos ha, kasi kulang ang budget natin, kailangan pa natin bumili ng strawberries.
Me: sure, kasali na ang glucose?
Sarah: Maghingi lang tayo kay madam.
Me: hindi naman tayo pwede maghingi kila madam kay ubusin man nila ang glucose. Magbili nalang ako na glucose na konti ang quantity, pati na rin ang mga pearls. Iprint ko pa ang menu natin.
Sarah: oh sige.. isasali ko na ang glucose sa purchase.




Febuary 15, 2012


Sarah: 150 nalang ang amot kasi walang strawberries, naubos ang pera ko sa pamasahe.. pumunta na ako ng Robinsons, Victoria, g-mall at abreeza.
Me: Ok. Sa sm pala? Samahan kita.
*sa mall
Sarah: ano bayan naubusan tayo ng strawberries
Me: canned pala?
Sarah: pangit man…
Me: mag-iba ba ang lasa?
Sarah: para lang man yun sa garnish..
Me: ahh…kaya pala.. wala na tayong magawa…
Sarah: ito nalang (gets the canned one)
*Later that evening…
Sir Jm: I have this strong feeling that we will bag the first place in the Ultimate Dessert Competition. Rose, relax lang ka ha, ayaw pagtaranta, kay katung nakit-an tika ing-ani ang imuang nawung (portrays a shocking face) Ay hala! *the group laughs* –mura kag tanga tan-awon. Relax lang ka.




Febuary 16, 2012


This is it.

Last night, I already prepared the things needed for the competition. I brought lots of white towels to be used and also the frame with the menu on it. I was early, but when I got there, all of the representatives were already preparing for their table set-up. I was assigned to do that task ; so me and Karen immediately started. We have a glass showcase where we will put all the desserts, Sir JM even placed a candle lamp to add a touch of ambience. The theme of our dessert is “Lovers in Paris” which is also the name of the dessert. I was thinking about vintage: with old books, roses, embroidered cloths and jewels inside a glass container.





Thanks to Liane, she lend me her family’s vintage stuff. ;) also monalyn leang for taking the picture


Afterwards I immediately prepared myself for the dessert competition. My task was to make a brandy snap and the almond chocolate base. Time was running out, I dashed to the kitchen only to find out that we still have 10 minutes left to prepare. What I did was to go to the Culinary kitchen which is beside the Commercial Cooking kitchen and Pre-heat the oven; that place was also the venue for the Cake decorating competition and Madam was really worried that the heat coming from the oven might ruin their fondant cake.
Before the competition started, Sir JM introduced to the contestants one of the judges for the competition, She’s a pastry chef and had a work experience abroad but I really forgot her name (T_T). So we got started and I pour the chopped roasted almonds and chopped chocolates into the bowl (also place the containers neatly on the table) mix them and added four table spoons of whipped cream then mix. Afterwards I move on to make a brandy snap; mix the flour and confectioner’s sugar and then pour in the maple syrup and glucose; soften the butter and add it into the flour mixture. Mix them well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Then dust your hands with flour and knead the dough until it is sticky. On a pan, I have to wax papers and place a small dough and flatten it. I have to cook two brandy snaps per batch and it takes eight minutes to bake it.

Unfortunately, the first two batches were a complete failure. I was like: “ GOD, If I’m not getting this right for the next batch, I’m so gonna cry”, but I just turned to Angelo (who is my secret crush) and said “There is still hope.”.

*So, I’m sorry Angelo if I didn’t fulfill your request of getting you a spoon because I have to watch carefully the 3rd batch. :(

So when the 3rd batch was finished, I immediately turned a baked one on top of the bottom glass and squeeze to make it into a cup form (which is very tedious and hot….I burned my fingers when I did it for the first time..) and then snap the useless parts and presented it to Sarah for garnishing.

Well let’s skip to the judging part already (it’s really interesting)

here's the dessert:

courtsey of monalyn leang




Me, Sarah and Karen: Good Morning sir (serves the finished dessert)
Chef 1: Name your dessert and say the procedures
Sarah: The name of the dessert is Lovers in Paris: it is chocolate mousse layered with strawberry bavaroi on top of almond-chocolate crust garnished with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. To make a chocolate mousse, the chocolate is melted on a double broiler, then mixed with whipped cream and gelatin. The strawberry bavaroi was made with strawberry coulis and whipped cream then mixed with fresh milk and gelatin. The crust is just chopped roasted almonds with chopped chocolates and cream. The gingersnap is maple syrup with butter, flour, sugar and sugar syrup…
Me: *whispers to sarah* Brandy snap! (and where’s the glucose?)
Chef 1: I’m not used to gingersnaps… is the gingersnap usually shiny? I’m not usually assigned in a pastry area. Chef?
Chef 2: the gingersnap is not shiny..
Chef 1: but why is this shiny?
Sarah: it’s because of the glucose…
Me: *nice one sarah!*
Chef 1: ok…..
Chef 3: masarap baya siya....
Chef 1 : ganito talaga ang gingersnap?
Me: sarah, brandy snap.
Sarah: ay tama! Brandy Snap pala yan chef… Sorry.
Chef 1: kaya pala.. nagtataka ako ba’t parang hindi mukhang gingersnap, biscuit yun diba?
Sarah: Yes chef, sorry..
Chef 1: strawberry coulis ito?
Sarah: yes chef.
Chef 1: paano yan ginawa?
Sarah: fresh strawberries heated with brown sugar and water until syrupy cool and then blend.
*all the chefs nodded, chef 3 and chef 2 tasted our desserts*
Chef 3: gusto ko ito, hindi masyadong matamis.
Chef 2: dapat ang sauce ng isang dessert kanina parang ganito sa coulis.
Chef 1 : *nods*

Then chef 1 tasted our dessert… then nodded…
And tasted it again..

Chef 1: masarap siya.. pwede itake out? All three of them.. ok lang? paalam niyo lang kay sir JM kung pwede..
Me: Pwede man itake out chef. (buot buot ko ba.. pero kung si sir Jm pa yan.. choks talaga yan sa kanya BIRUIN MO ITA-TAKE OUT NG JUDGE????)
Chef 1 : ok na..
Me: ok na chef? Para itake out…

So yeah.. in the end we really won as the champion. 0.0

courtesy of janelle cabada