onward and upward!

The sun was barely coming up when our day started at Tante Marie's Cooking School this morning--it was graduation day for the professional pastry students.

Everyone started trickling in around 7:15am... even with daylight savings time starting a few hours earlier.

Coffee on... laminated doughs pulled from the freezer... looking for the perfect radio station for our mood (Prince?! Not Cat Stevens!!)

Students were focused, intense, happy. They had been working on their final project concepts, recipes and production schedules for weeks. They had been baking for a few days. Now, by 2:00 they had to finish their final projects, decorate their displays... and be ready to greet their families and friends.

Of course there was craziness... a napoleon that summersaulted to the floor... gumpaste flowers that weren't dry... the clock reading 1:30 when there was so much left to do... but what amazing presentations they all did. I want to share a photo album like a proud parent!

Jenn's Half Moon Bay Farmer's Market Pie Stand drew crowds.. it was complete with modelling chocolate bees with almond wings!

Amie's coffee theme included an antique samovar, coffee pots de cremes in espresso cups and B-52 mousses with caramel swizzle sticks!

Amelia's springtime wedding cake had gorgeous flowers.. and each tier had a different syrup and filling.

Sheryl's study of teas included infused panna cotta, caramels, tartlets, cupcakes, poundcake and truffles!

Ellen turned her Washington DC roots into an amazing display of presidental desserts--with cakes and confections from Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Eisenhower (or their wives!)....and the inaugural dessert of President Obama.. a delicious apple charlotte with caramel sauce.

Kathleen's Southern cakes display also reflected her roots and was mouthwatering.... especially the 4 layer coconut cake and the red velvet petit fours!

Matthew discovered his love of all things laminated, and made orange bouchees, caramelized banana danish, and chocolate and caramel croissants.

Kate went for the bite-sized desserts, with petit fours glace, mini cream puffs and cupcakes.

Kara wanted to show a small town boutique bakery. Her display was perfect, with tiny creme caramels, lavender cookies, scones and cupcakes... all presented in unique ways.

Jessica's love of her German mother and grandmother prompted her German Christmas display... complete with a Black Forest Cake, Zuger Kirschtorte, and stollen. There were even German Christmas ornaments!

Siobhan's "tipsy tea party" included a chocolate mousse with port-macerated figs... an olive oil cake with drunken grapes... and s'mores with Lillet marshmallows.

Ashlee's garden party was beautiful in pink, white and yellow... with tiny cupcakes and tarts in gum paste flowers, a lemon mascarpone cake and tiny ice cream cones!

Kat made a black-and-white wedding cake--the layer I fell for was chocolate with coffee buttercream. We joked that she was making her own wedding cake since she's getting married in the fall!

And speaking of weddings... Liz wanted to make her sister's memorable by designing an incredible croquembuche wedding cake filled with assorted berry pastry creams. And did I mention it was sitting on a chocolate gluten-free sphere cake with gum paste sea shells.. garnished with a mini adirondack chair sitting on graham cracker sand?

Whew! What a day! I am so proud of each of you for what you have accomplished in the past six months... may you have many happy days up to your elbows in flour, butter and sugar!