Kit

aww, jackal! your tiny financier (with the red on the bottom right) is smiling at us!

I know it's non-corporate, but I always wear a skirt or pants suit to an interview no matter if I'm trying for the corner bakery or the Ritz. It's always a good idea to dress up for an interview to show that you take it seriously. Or at least that's what they told me at school. Most places I've been seem pretty positive about it. Of course, I have my uniform and shoes in the car or in a bag with me in case they want a bench test. Never really had the hair problem 'cause mine's pretty short so I can't help you there.

I'm planning on getting a nice B&W of a vanilla orchid. It'll look like one of those old biological drawings with the plant name in latin underneath it. I'm really just trying to figure out where to put it.

Ours are white with very thin red stripes, diagonal, on them. I don't think I've ever seen pink boxes by me.

I second all the book and equipment recommendations! Another couple of books I like for beginners are the King Arthur's Flour Baking Book, (I think it's actually called that but I'm not sure) and In The Sweet Kitchen by Regan... damn, I can't remember her last name, but I like the book. It's got a tan cover. Friends have told me the King Arthur book is really good for starting out with lots of explanations. Beware, they have a cookie book out also which, while I'm sure it's cool, is not as all encompassing becuase it's well, about cookies. I have the second book and almost half of it is ingredient descriptions, recommendations for equipment, and all sorts of other things before you even come near a recipie. (First one is beyond page 350 if I remember correctly) Welcome to baking and have a good time!

Faust, I think what she was trying to point out is that a rude act is a rude act no matter how famous the person is that performs it. You may not be embarressed by a famous chef in the same situation, but people who tend to be horrified by scenes like that (myself included) would probably be only more embarressed because the top chef in a high end restaurant came out to confront them. As for my 2 cents, the only time as a professional I ever come out of the kitchen is when someone asks to see me. The boss didn't hire me to do the manager's job. You don't like the dessert? I'm sorry. Tell the manager, she'll comp it, and then she'll come back and tell me so I can either fix the problem in the kitchen (If it's a real problem) or brush it off (if it's a freeloader).

As much as I think it won't go through thanks to A.C., it would be so nice to go to a bar and not have to send my coat to the dry cleaners the next day just so it wouldn't reek. And for anyone that tells me to find a non-smoking bar, you try finding one that everyone wants to go to. I (sorta) feel your pain, but since it's directly benefitting me, I honestly (and selfishly) don't care.

What a cool idea arc! I may have to do that this year!

I agree that it's totally about context. I don't mind artsy tattoos, (ie: not racist, overly pornographic, etc) tasteful piercings (if I can fit a Pepsi can in the holes in your ears, it's not "tasteful"), etc. You have a nose ring? cool! Keep the small stud in at work. Tongue ring? fine, but I better be able to hear you speak clearly without a lot of clacking. Your arms have sleeves of tattoos? Neat, but I don't want to be looking at naked women and bloody gore while I'm trying to eat. The thing is, if I'm eating somewhere where the body art, etc. could ruin the atmosphere, the uniform you have on will probably cover the majority of it. I'm not sure about bright colors for the hair (outrageous styles are out) if they're well groomed and styled like most of the other servers, but it would be an easy way to figure out where my waitress went. FYI, I'm 25, have a single hole in each ear for earrings, and a small tattoo on my shoulder.

I think it's going to be a looooooooooong time before the hot line and the pastry side merge, if ever. Diners are becoming more open to crossover dishes but they still like what they like. For my money, I'll try savory desserts and maybe even like them, but I probably would never make them for myself. Food is food, dessert is dessert, and only seldom the twain shall meet in my tummy.

Heh, I used chopsticks sometimes growing up with Asian food, but I didn't really learn how to use them until college. I lost all the forks in my dorm room (I kept giving them to other people) and all I had left were a nice wooden pair of chopsticks I bought off ebay. Man, I was so broke at the time I ate everything for about 3 months or so with just chopsticks because I couldn't afford to buy plastic forks and I was having too much fun anyway. I started off with all sorts of food and ended up eating a whole lot of rice. Oh, and you should eat with the utensils given, or that are native to the cusine. If you can't manage it and haven't had the practice, then the host should be gracious enough to let you be comfortable. But it's always a good sign when I'm on a date and I see the guy I'm with can use chopsticks.

It seems like it would be easy enough to make big pans of cherry cobbler or, if you want to be neater, smaller individual servings. Also? *LOVE* the cherry blossom idea... they are so pretty! (they would look wonderful on the cake too)

Banana Nut Crunch and I don't eat it with milk. yum!

I like Bakin'. It's short, to the point, and most important, easy to say and remember. It's also one of those things that will strike people as clever and would be more likely to stick in thier minds because of that. Just my opinion.

Again, thanks to everyone for the advice. Don't think I'm not writing it down. Another question I have... How are the chefs over there? Are they really old-school style (hard-ass, screamy etc.) or a little more laid back?

I was going to bring over about 1,500 pounds for starter money... (to get an apartment, etc. on top of what I need to get over there) Is that a good start?

That's so true... A friend of mine's husband entered (I think) the Patis France competition at the NY Food Show a few years ago. He had a wonderful showpiece but it was different. Less big arcs and height than almost everyone there. Also, his show cake wasn't covered in high shine chocolate, and he didn't have those little chocolate squares around the side of it that you see so often at these things. You guessed it, he didn't even come close to placing. It's just not what the judges are looking for. On another note, the Spanish dessert could be a showpiece in and of itself. It's just so... lovely.

Metric I can do. I think I can work in the *other* measurements as long as they don't make me convert too often. Well, sometimes better, sometimes worse... I'm most worried about the British themselves really. I've worked with French, Spanish, Flemish, and English all spoken in the same kitchen (some, like Spanish, I understand more than say, Flemish) but I'm really worried about the different English dialect the British speak. It sounds so much like what I'm used to hearing but I know it's not, really. Woot! I'm a woman, should I be worried, or am I more protected there? I haven't signed up yet, I've got at least a year before I can afford to move anywhere, if not more. The company is HRC International. They've got all sorts of info on thier website. (www.hrc-international.com) I'm checking into them though... no way am I going to hand over the cash before I find out if they're a scam. The reason I'm posting now is because I like to know as many facts about the big things I do before I do them. Actually, I'm looking foward to that... I figure coming *back* I'll benefit! Heh, I'm from NJ, how much more expensive could it be? Thank you so much for sharing... This only makes me more excited. It'll be quite a few months before I get going, but man, I can't wait! I'll bring over a laptop and post many many times.

I think I forgot some info. I have never been outside of the US for work or pleasure. I just never got around to it yet. Also, this would be far from my first job. I've been in pastry for about 9 years now. I went to school, but I've spent more time working in high end bakeries and restaurants than I spent there by far. I expect to be in a fairly large city if not London but I don't know in what region. Like I said, I'm just seeing if anyone knows not so much about techincal things (like how taxes work and whatnot) but more about quirks of UK kitchen culture or things to watch out for, or just anything they think I might need to know. Thanks.

I have recently started to entertain the idea of working in the UK. I'm from the US and in the pastry business. I found a company that does all the bother of getting you the job, appropriate visa, health insurance and whatnot and seems to deal mostly in setting people up in pretty fancy hotels. Does anyone on here know what it's like to work in a UK hotel kitchen? Anything special I should know?

We happened to have chili, potato soup, and chicken soup on hand at home so all of that just got reheated and we had a soup buffet. Plenty of cracker variety too. Tomorrow it's French toast for breakfast before the dig out begins.

How about (for the sweet side) A big ice cream spinner (you know, 3-4 qts at a time kind) Refrigerator and freezer drawers under the all the prep and service stations a tempering machine for chocolate (or a marble table) And an always good accessory, a pastry staff. (if you're not planning on one already) I know you said you wanted your staff to be more well rounded; they could get trained very well on pastry that way. It's not equipment, but it'll still take your money!

Watching Iron Chef America was almost a completely different experience than watching the original. For one thing I didn't realize what a difference it would make having the show in English. I understand everything! With the original, I listenend to what the translators did. In this one, you got to hear all the banter between the chefs, the sous, Alton Brown, everybody. I always suspected that the chefs and announcers could hear each other in Kitchen Stadium, I guess I was right. Also, I'm really excited not so much about the Iron Chefs themselves, but to see the challengers. Come on, raise your hand if you want to see Tony Bourdain vs. Flay. Besides their choice of Iron Chefs (which I understand, they need Food Network people) the only things I had a problem with were: 1. Get Alton an assistant. The poor man needs help! 2. Where's the audience? I didn't hear any partisan cheering and I really missed that.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...biotech_pirates This is another side of the agribusiness/genetic modification story. Apparently you have to buy the seeds every year. It's strange how the big business is changing the way people farm.

If I remember my high school art (and I probably don't) blue and orange are opposite colors so I think if you add orange to the blue you'll get a deeper blue. I wouldn't try it without a test run first though. I remember it worked once for me with yellow and purple but that's my only real experience with this method.