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

Trapped at home . . .

without my car. WG's car is in the shop and he had to take my car. So I'm working from home for the next several days. I guess it is a little bit of a blessing. I'm massively busy at my job-job [you know the one that pays] and no commuting back and forth, 2 1/2 hours a day, does help, I think? . . .

 . . . Day 6 of no car. I could have guess from the statement of a "couple of days" would turn into this. But it's out of my control and what can I do. . .


CATCH UP. With my project, I've been feeling a bit under water with. I'm exhausted from trying to keep up for the last 2 weeks but this past Friday, I had made great progress and no more drowning feeling [it does help when you know come Monday, you get to turn back the part of the project you've been covering for someone]

KNIT. Since I set  my goal of not buying new yarn and to knit my stash away. I made good work of it this weekend. Three project on the burner: another set of bib and burping cloth, fingerless gloves for WG and a cardigan for hmmmm . . .maybe me or a gift. This is attempt 3 with this yarn/cardigan combo and hope the third time is a charm.

Pattern: Lodi Cardigan by Tanis Gray

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease

From the top down, making nice progress