Blog #16: 2 Hour Meeting Answer #2

1. My essential question is:
 What is the best way to create a decorative art themed wedding cake?

2. What I have decided to make my second answer to be is color.

3. The reason I believe that color is so significant to my essential question is because of three main reasons. The first reason that color is so important is that color can define what is going on, for example, when you typically think of elegant colors, like white, black, or silver, you would think of a wedding, not typically a birthday or Valentine's day. Another reason that color is so significant is that color can bring life to what can be a possibly dull cake. Just like in any art, not only is the way the artist does his or her painting or photography, without the use of color, it can possibly be a dull and boring image or sculpture. The last reason that color is my answer is because during my research, I had found an article that I plan on using (Click here), it had said the color cannot only add unity and contrast to a design, but the colors we use can actually affect the emphasis you piece has.

4. Like I had said, the link I had mentioned before has definitely helped my realize that color should be my answer, but also from talking to mentor, Ashley, about the topic while working in the bakery.

5. I plan to continue my study on my answer 2 by finding my articles on why color is useful in art, and asking more questions during mentorship to get more information from an expert in the field.

Blog #15: Independent Component 2 Approval

Content:

1. What I am planning on doing for my independent component is working at the same bakery, Cake Mama's, with all the orders that we have each week.

2. My plan to complete the 30 hour requirement will work because I usually work from 2:30 PM - 7:00 PM, which is a 4 hour and 30 minute time frame of work, so if I keep that up for a week and a half, then I would have completed my 30 hours of Independent Component.

3. Since my topic is Pastry art, and I do a lot of cake decorating at the bakery, then the work at the bakery will definitely help me seek the knowledge I need for my 2 hour presentation.

BLog #14: Independant Component 1

Literal:

A) I, JD Pabon, affirm that I have completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.

B) Janelle Copemen/ Cake Mama's #: (626) 335-4999
 Ask to speak with my advisor, Ashley.

C) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgvBrtYSqMR6dEUyMjZZWDZJTzlBWXpuNmVqaTBjQkE&usp=sharing

D) I have helped the bakery with close to 10 orders since I have started, learned how to make some of the batters and buttercreams, how to properly use gum paste and fondant, and also acquired the knowledge of new techniques and technologies in baking.

Interpretive:

The fondant discs I had to separate on my first day. 

 This is just one of about 6 trays of fondant discs I had to cut out.

This is a side view of my mentor Ashley teaching me how to use a new piece of tech that I had never seen before.

This is just the first week of my working log. I still need to obtain the newer week log.

This is the Somerset, which we use to reconstitute fondant to a more pliable form.

Applied:

- I feel like this first Independent component had helped me tremendously because i know get an understanding of how Cake artist work, the amount of work that they do for the variety of orders, and the complicated works that they have to create. I have actually had hands on experience with how fondant works and how long it takes to make the certain shape that we have to make almost every single order. I have felt the pressure their is because the bakery is so poplar, their are always people coming in with event orders, and the expectations they have the workers because of the title we had obtained at Cupcake Wars as champions. So I now have a bigger appreciation of Cake Artist than I had before.

First Day to a New Beginning

Total Hours worked: 7 hours

    Today, I had marked the beginning of my independent component, which is actually getting hands-on training at a bakery. When I first walked into Cake Mama's, they had automatically given me the duty to unstack dried fondant, which was probably the hardest and most painful things I ad done today. I had done this for about 30 minutes until my actually trainer, Ashley, had arrived due to traffic. 

   
    When she had first walked in, she had gave quick introductions, then put me straight to work. She first had me cut our different colored discs of fondant for cupcake toppers. This took about most of my time, being about 2 hours 30 minutes. After I had finished making about 5 trays of different discs of fondant, she put me on another project with gum paste, and putting printed images on them, which was really cool and interesting because it is something I have always be curious about how to do.


    I had made about some many fondant "toppers", that I was about to crack, until they gave me the chance to work with the fondant roller, which was so amazing! after that bit of excitement, I had gotten to work on the other orders that we had due this week, starting with the closest orders, to the later dated.

I had worked on all the decorations for the orders for another 3 hours because of the amount of orders there were and they amount of decorations we had to produce, and while I was at it, Ashley has taught me a lot new techniques and how to work with certain pieces of equipment.

When it was about 2 hours before closing, we had just finished with the decorations for the cupcakes, and I had started to clean up, and soon after, help with the incoming customers for another hour.

Ashley teaching me how to use a new tool for a laces.

Blog #13: Rough Draft of 30 Minute Presentation

Link: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgvBrtYSqMR6dGlkdVo5VUhpdzFXLUVyLVQ0bWhtbFE

Blog #12: Third Interview Questions

The questions that I want to ask is:

1. What is the best way to create a decorative art themed wedding cake? (This is my Working EQ because it has not been approved yet.)
2. Did you take any special classes before becoming a cake artist/ baker?
3. What would say is best tip you can give to an aspiring baker?
4. What is the biggest milestone in your career and why?
5. Why did you go into this profession in the first place?
6. Are their any helpful college majors that could possibly help a baker in the future?
7. What sets you apart from other pastry shops?
8. What is one of the most difficult parts about owning your own pastry shop?
9. Can you tell me one of the best and most fun projects you have done?
10. Who inspires you to keep baking and owning your business?

Blog #11: Mentorship 10 hours Check

1. As of right now, I am doing my mentorship with my cousin, Kim Crus, who owns her own catering business, but I have just gotten a chance to work with a place called Cake Mama's in Glendora, but still not sure I will be able to work with this certain place.

2. My current mentor:
 Name: Kim Cruz
Contact #:  (626)589-0162

My new possible  mentor:
Business name: Cake Mama's
Contact #: (626)335-4999

3. I have only acquired the 10 hours from the summer because my mentor has not given me any notice on when I can come in and help out or learn from her, even though I have messages her asking when I can come over.

4. Right now, I cannot explain the 10 hours I have done since the summer because I have not gotten any notice from Kim about being able to come in and help out with her orders, or learn from her.

5.  I have sent Mr. Ogden the contact #s of both my current mentor, and my possible new mentor.