Tuesday, June 10, 2008

A SIN!

We spent the entire afternoon at the college getting registered for the fall. Piglet has signed up for the hardest load of classes I have ever seen a freshman take. Biology, Western Civilizations, English Comp 1, Spanish, and Intermediate Algebra. What is worse, she signed up for classes back to back with 10 minutes between class, wham wham wham!
Then she was upset with me, for being very vocal about her being totally nuts to schedule herself like that. For Pete's sake I may be the only person who ever went to a junior college for 6 stinkin years; it's true, I am ashamed. What can I say? I never could make up my mind what to do and everything was so interesting. I just kept signing up for classes. I did get a Liberal Arts degree, which did save my royal bo hiney when I finally, in my late 30's, decided to get my nursing degree.
I could've been a doctor with a little encouragement, I certainly went to school for long enough.
But I do digress! The point is, Piglet doesn't think I know anything about college. I am scared to death she is going to sizzle and burn with a schedule like that. BUT she is going to have to learn this one on her own. She doesn't want to listen to me, the professional student. My Uncle used to greet me with the same three words, "GET A JOB!" Who wants to work when life can be so fun in college? It really wasn't hard, read a little, write a little, how tough is that? But this HOME schooled, kid who has never known sleep deprivation; has signed up for 5, count them FIVE, hard core,no nonsense classes; without even a break in between.
I am definitely going to have to spend this fall on my knees prayin.

After we had this panic filled afternoon of registering for a buster of a first semester, I was ravenous. Was it panic? One bowl of Raisin Bran had long since disappeared. We were right by the Fresh Market, our fancy new, very expensive store. NEVER go shopping in an expensive, trendy food market, with a hungry, ravenous, foodie. NEVER!
It was a sin. We spent $50 real bucks, on a couple of bags of nibbles, a sandwich, and our choice of deserts, one each. I couldn't believe it. Really we could've gone out to lunch at some great Italian restaurant for that. But it gets worse, really it does, because my desert was an absolute bomb. I chose a Napoleon. does anyone out there KNOW how to make a good Napoleon? I should've known better. The granddaughter of real Danish immigrant bakers; born and raised on the finest pastry. This thing that I actually paid two dollars for, was so tough you needed a knife to cut it. In between the tough dough was nothing but whipped cream, topped with frosting made with shortening,,,,,arghhhhh hideous. To be a good granddaughter I put it in the trash. It would be a sin to eat it. I tell you the truth, they should be ashamed to sell something that nasty. From my memory, my childhood memory, I can tell you what should be in a Napoleon. First of all, the pastry should be crispy and tender, flaky and fall apart with a fork. There is a layer of custard, homemade of course, and a layer of raspberry seedless jam. Layers of whipped cream are in ADDITION to these other lovely delights. The top is a deep dark chocolate granache of the finest bittersweet chocolate and thinly applied not to overwhelm and drown out the other flavors. It is a work of art, a delight to the palate, it is magical. This thing that I purchased was no such thing, not even close, which is why, even though it was whipped cream it went into the trash. A sin, a sin, not to even know what a good pastry is. Maybe I'll have to try and make one.

10 comments:

Laura ~Peach~ said...

I would have taken it back... LOUDLY...
I can't recall the comment i was gonna comment on but year 16 is up... its long... and Ohhh It wont be too long now... but its a twisted route to find HIM :D
HUGS Laura

Grandma Tillie's Bakery said...

Oh I hear you loud and clear. A sin indeed. I went to a bakery in WA state that has been there since time began. A Danish bakery with a windmill and everything. The ladies were all dressed authentic and signs everywhere bragged up the pastries made "like the old country"

I took one bite of my $3.50 pastry and dropped kicked it out onto the sidewalk where I noticed a crow picked it up and spit it back out. Tough, dry, tasteless and horror of all horrors: FAKE WHIPPED CREAM. pppffftttt.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Ok, confession. This is my first time here (after your nice comments at my place) and I have found so many wonderful posts, I didn't know where to begin commenting. So, to keep from being thrown out for verbosity-- I LOVED being a college student. And I can sense your excitement, doing this with your girl. My oldest son is starting Nursing school this fall. Because he likes Scrubs so much. Yeah, well, it's a start.

Brenda said...

I hope she loves college as much as you did! Bummer about the expensive lunch though.

Kathy said...

College time is exciting. Maybe she wants to get through in 3 years instead of 4?
I bet you are an excellent baker. I want you to make me a Napoleon, just like you described. YUM

Karen Deborah said...

Noble Pig can do it. She make us all die from excess salivation. I may try, we'll see.

Debbie in CA : ) said...

My one and only experience with "napoleons" happened in my early married days. We had invited another couple over for "dessert." I plunked down a wad of cash at a swanky "Old Worlde" bakery in Los Altos, CA and took my fluffy confections home with delight. I served them that eve and met with disaster. The crust was so tough that the forks failed to cut them. One "pastry" took flight and hit the floor. We laughed ourselves silly. No Napoleons for me, unless they're from your kitchen dear one.

Anonymous said...

Make one and send the link with picture and recipe to this place.

Karen Deborah said...

I'm being held hostage; whew that's a lot to say,..WELCOME and no one is ever kicked out for being verbose, you just spit it all out. I am really enjoying your blog!

Susiewearsthepants said...

Lord, that sounds absolutely heavenly. Guess you shouldn't read about food when you are hungry either.