Two posts in one day! Who'd a thunk it. WELLLLLLLLL I realized I set out to make this blog not completely food related, so let me tell you about one of my comic book obsessions: Fables by Bill Willingham.
 **Warning may contain vague spoilers**I find it only fitting seeing that my first comic book class is TOMORROW! 
Fables is one of my favorite series. It's a long ongoing story, with twists and turns, lovable characters, and yes, MAGIC! It's about our lovable (and not so lovable) fairy tale/folk lore characters living in our world. New York to be exact. They come over to our world after being run out of their own. The story chronicles characters such as the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, King Cole, Pinocchio, Boy Blue, and so many more. Because I'm not a writer or a critic let me share with you a broad blurp from Vertigo's cite, giving you a quick overview of the series:

"Fables chronicles the world’s most beloved fairy tale characters hiding out in a magically hidden neighborhood within Manhattan. Run out of their happily-ever-after homeworlds by a mighty conqueror known only as The Adversary, these universally recognized princes, princesses, talking animals, heroes, and villains now face a new challenge: adapting to a modern world filled with sex, violence, and lots of moral ambiguity."


I own 15 of the bound volumes and I'm not even caught up yet. There are a few spin-offs including JACK OF FABLES! He is Jack the nimble, Jack frost, Jack the giant killer, and many other Jacks you've heard of. He gets himself into trouble everywhere he goes, and although he may be obnoxious in person, he is one of the most fun characters to read about. SO I AM! I just finished with his escapades in in Las Vegas where he runs into Lady Luck and learns first hand how the city can bring you up and then crashing right back down. I've started the next installment called "The Bad Prince" and so far all I know is that he has some dealings with Excalibur and some chest pains. ;)  This story is a saga and can't even be put into words how much I love it! So be sure to check it out from your local comic book store. (That's Star Clipper for me!)


Okay so there you have it a peek at what I'm reading. 
Some of the new baking photos are up!
And don't forget to check out the grapefruit vinaigrette! 

Yesterday was the first day of Garde Manger! For those of you who have sent in questions Garde Manger is the art of the "cold kitchen". For example making things like salad dressings, meat and veggie trays, and sooooooo much more. We learned that when kitchens were actually ran brigade style Garde Manger was in charge of making use from the scraps from the rest of the kitchen. Like meat scraps from butchering and turning it into a pate. It was only later that it turned into the cold kitchen.
Well the first day we started off with dressings for salads. Needless to say there were a lot of emulsions to make! We took a trip down to the garden here at SLU and picked lovely herbs and greens to use in the recipes for that day. Dressings made were balsamic vinaigrette, grapefruit vinaigrette, some different variations of a beet vinaigrette, fat free Italian dressing, remoulade sauce, Mayo, and a green goddess dressing! Top it off with edible flowers to make one of the healthiest lunches not from a box I've had in a while. Which is so very sad. But delicious! 

It's been a while... a LOOOONNNNNGGG while since I updated anything! Well Summer has hit and its freed up a lot of spare time! I am currently working and taking Garde Manger. That's it! So I have concocted a Summer to-do/goals list! So here is a little glimpse:

1. Blog regularly! I think this is good for me so I just need to keep it up!
2. Read 10 books for FUN! Coming to college has wrecked my recreational reading habits.
3. Attend Star Clipper's comic book courses! You can find out more about those here.
4. Ride my bike in Forest Park. Well I really want to actually GET my bike up here!
5. Go to some Twilight Tuesday's at the History Museum.
6. See a Play at the Muny and the Fox.
7. Go canoeing. 
8. Collect all the capes from Six Flags St. Louis (I already have the sequined Batman cape)
9. Work on my cook book collection. (Will share more as that project progresses)
10. More St. Louis day trips!

Those are the top ten. If you have any suggestions on things to do in St. Louis this Summer comment or email them to [email protected]! Today we do have a recipe for Salmon lettuce wraps, which were AMAZING.  Also new is the photo galleries. I will be adding a new one so that all of the pictures I had from Baking Class are in a easy to find place! All these things will be up in a few days so keep an eye out!