Walks--Feb '15

The majority of January was fighting a bad head cold that turned into a sinus infections, so no walking post. February started my new commute to my new office location. And a walking I go [well on days I work in the office--snow, ice and 2 work from home days have made working in the office a little less than usual].

My commute involves parking in the farthest corner of daily parking, walking very fast to get to the platform to make my train, then a 40 minute ride to my transfer stop [been knitting on this leg--on project 2], at transfer stop go walk up a flight of stairs, walk across to the another end of the train station [this is a big transfer station] down flight down a flight a stairs, find my track that my train is leaving on then down another flight a stairs to the track and on to my last leg of the train ride. Once I get to my stop, it's a quite beautiful 5ish minute walk on waterfront over looking the Manhattan and Hudson river. 

Once I get to the new office, there is more walking to be had. A big wide open plan--bathroom and pantry on the opposite side of building has me walking back forth for all the basic needs. You can see how the steps add up. 

Here's a what I did on the first day at the new office. This includes a 1/2 hour walk around Hoboken to check out the site. 



I've also added doing the stairs after lunch with co-worker because the bitter cold. Started off off with 1 1/2 rounds of 14 floors. I'm up to 2 rounds now on back to back days but I'm sure paying for it. My front of my thighs hurt and going down the steps is so painful that I need to do it sideways [thank goodness I had a work from day]. 

Wish I remember to bring my phone on walks to get a picture. More pics in March [I hope].

It's snowing

And my favorite thing about when it snow is quiet and light. Quiet from no cars on the road and slight bluefish-gray light from the falling snow.

It's been steady light snow for most the afternoon. Streets not plowed yet. Don't know how WG is going back to the restaurant from his siesta.

My Valentine's Day sweets

I'm resigned to the fact that the week or so before valentine is a very busy time for me. And last week didn't let me down. Started out with my meringue kisses dipped in chocolate ganache and sprinkles. And . . . I forgot to take a picture of it. I didn't do the technique I tested a week before--too messy and sticky so I stuck to the pale pink kisses. 

I brought back the old favorite --red velvet cupcakes filled with chocolate ganache and topped with cream cheese frosting. I need to make another batch tonight all gone in 3 days. I guess they missed their favorite cupcakes.

red velvet cupcake--everyone's favorite

I was talked into making this next dessert by the chefs, wait staff and friends. I didn't think it would do well but I thought I'd try. Although it is one of my favorite sweet, most people don't like the the chewy texture of chi chi dango. Chi chi dango is a sweeten mochi made with mochiko [sweet rice flour], coconut milk and sugar, flavored with vanilla and tinted with food coloring. I used a this recipe from justjennrecipes. Really simple and makes a lot.

Decided to fancy it up cut the dango into heart shapes and added matcha and raspberry sauce with a strawberry. [all the extra dango I sliced up for samples for the customers and the any extra for the restaurant staff]

slightly creamy and bitter

plated!

I made two more desserts for the valentines weekend--chocolate molten cake and coconut lime pie. No time for the cheesecake or the flourless chocolate sesame cake, it was just too much.

But I did me something on Sunday--Korean sweet potato doughnuts. These are made with mochiko and has a chewy texture similar to mochi. I posted about these doughnuts here. I was inspired by friend's post on doughnuts. This is what I made. Shared with the staff at the restaurant. I think I made the happy.

getting golden brown

cinnamon sugar coated

Valentine's Sweet Testing

Valentine's Day not my favorite holiday but now that we have the restaurant, it's kind of my dessert/sweets day. This year I'm running behind my testing because of my stupid head cold. Now that I'm better, I need to get going.

This year I'm making the meringue kisses, flourless black sesame chocolate cake with raspberry coulis and red velvet cupcakes. What I'm testing are the meringues because they are taking a different form, like a hershey's kiss. So I need to practice my piping skills and I'm also painting the piping bag, so they have pink strips on the meringues.

Here's what I got so far:

• under whipped the meringues--not good
• don't paint too much food coloring becomes sticky and needs a lot more time.
• not to happy with striping becomes one color
• will go with pink and white meringues, dipped in chocolate and sprinkles
• when piping, keep tip of the pan, slightly above
• press, count to 3, then release and twist

striping technique

white kisses

supposed to be strips

Next up pear butter cake, 2 loaves baking in the oven. I'm using this apple butter cake recipe from Sugar Dish Me. I've made this apple butter cake and everyone loves it. Easy especially if you have homemade apple or pear butter in your refrig. 

buttermilk and my homemade pear butter

Getting through winter

I'm close to being done with the my head cold/sinus infection. Hurray! I'm so tired of blowing my nose and finally getting my taste back.

Winter started off slow but now has kicked in. Thought I'd post some wintery snow pictures as well as what I've been up to on these cold and blustery days.

WG decided to get a new yellow shovel

Fron the not-so-much blizzard. Still beautiful!

CB's car wintering at our house