Earlene & I are together-taking a class on this right NOW...and sharing with you." I'm at her house right this minute. Such fun! We are doing the chat this week, on her laptop and big computer using 2 phone lines. We are almost finished with our class with Nicholas Lodge. It's a real sacrifice but - may as well take one class from the best rather than a dozen others! My daughter Sue is here too. This is her first experience with a professional class or working with gumpaste either one. We're having a blast, working really hard (9-5 all day for 5 days!) and learning SO much. Sorry we can't share Nicholas' GP recipe. But it is available in his books. We do carry his books. Or my recipe is always available online. I really like it - smells like lemon! Or, try the ready-mix. It is quick to make.

We've been trying to explain what cold porcelain is in previous chats. But its like gumpaste. It's a little easier to work with and the flowers or other items aren't as fragile. No one eats gumpaste anyway, so it may be better to make the flowers with cold porcelain that will be easier to keep.

EARLENE'S PART

We've been trying to explain what cold porcelain is in previous chats. But its like gumpaste. It's a little easier to work with and the flowers or other items aren't as fragile. No one eats gumpaste anyway, so it may be better to make the flowers with cold porcelain that will be easier to keep.

This is quite an experience. I have learned so much, Of all the classes I have ever taken, this one tops them all. Nicholas Lodge is one great teacher. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve ever worked with gumpaste before at all. My daughter Sue had never touched it. But her flowers are just as good as mine - and she gets finished before me sometimes. Nicholas’ directions are very easy to understand. His method works and his gumpaste recipe works better than mine. Pwd sugar will be sharing the recipe with you as Nicholas so graciously gave her his permission.
 
We’ve now worked 4 days 9 to 5 PM --- welll a little later than that sometimes too LOL. So far we’ve made magnolias, dogwood, azaleas, tulips, roses, irises etc. And the only flower I broke was my azalea (one petal) when I dropped it on the floor. Not only have we learned all these flowers, but we’ve also made buds and the leaves and wired them into bouquets. My favorite is the iris I think. But I also loved his all-in-one rose. So quick and just as nice. Oh - we also made an all-in-one tulip.

DOS was last Sunday in Lu7bbock...There were over 100 decorators there. Nicholas demoed a full size lilly and sunflower - for 2 whole hours!  More from Earlene on this subject.

   If you [ever] have the opportunity, I sure do recommend Nicholas’ classes to you. They are expensive, but really all you’ll ever need. Its SO worth it. You end up spending that much at mini classes and the instructions aren’t nearly so thorough.

Today we started classes on C0LD PORCELAIN. More about that next week.

You should see Earlene’s shop! Everything is so handy.  She certainly has been a gracious hostess. We are having our classes in a catering hall right next to our hotel. It is called Taste Buds Catering. They fix lunch for us each day. They are the most creative caterers I have had the experience with. Yesterday we had sherbet with peaches and Macadamian nuts topped with a sauce and garnished with a candy buckeye & orange zest. That’s just a sample of our wonderful week. We’ll both be sharing more tips and hints we learned in weeks to come. Now over to Earlene to give you her news.
experience. I have learned so
much

We had a day of sharing this last weekend and it was fantastic.  Dolores was here with her daughter and iced and decorated a cake in less than one hour.  We were all amazed.  That electric turntable she uses is great.   You can find that in her online catalog at http://w3.one.net/~proicer/index.html
With that electric turntable her hands were free to decorate . Another trick she used was a big decorating bag with a coupler and she decorated that whole cake with the one bag of icing.  She really had some time saving tips.  If you ever have the chance to watch her do this demo do take advantage.
Nicholas demonstrated the huge sunflower, an Easter lily and daffodil  beautiful flowers and presented to us beautifully.

He demonstrated for a two full hours and we all sat enthralled at his abilities and organization.  Such an artist and yet very sharing with our group.  It has been quite a treat for Dolores and I to be in a class together with him this week.  We have made gumpaste pansies, azaleas, wisteria, magnolias, dogwood and tulips.  Beautiful flowers and wonderful techniques he has shared with us this week.  He did give me permission to put his recipe on this chat tonight for his gumpaste.

The following recipe will make approx. 2 pounds of gumpaste

Ingredients are as follows
4   large egg whites or approx 1/2 cup
2 lb. Bag of 10x powdered sugar  (if you can only buy 6x then you just need to sift it a couple of times to be sure there are no lumps)
12 level teaspoons Tylose (cat # tp100)
4 teaspoons shortening (Crisco)
1.   Place the egg whites in a kitchen aid mixer bowl, fitted with the flat paddle.
2.  Turn the mixer on high speed for 10 seconds to break up the egg whites.
3.   Reserve 2/3 cup of the powdered sugar and set aside.
4.   Turn the mixer to the lowest speed, slowly add the remaining sugar.  This will make a soft consistency royal icing.
5.   Turn up the speed to setting 3 or 4 for about two minutes.  During this time measure the Tylose into a small container.
6.  Make sure the mixture is at the soft-peak stage.  It should look shiny, like meringue and the peaks fall over.  (if coloring the entire batch, add the paste color at this stage, making it a shade darker than the desired color.)
7.  Turn the mixer to the slow setting and sprinkle the Tylose in over a 5 second time period.  Next, turn the spped up to the high setting for a few seconds, (this will thicken the mixture.)
8.  Scrape the mixture out of the bowl onto a work surface that has been sprinkled with the reserved 2/3 cup powdered sugar.  Place the shortening on your hands and knead the paste, adding enough of the powdered sugar to form a soft but not sticky dough.  Usually I check by pinching with my fingers and they should come away clean.  Place the finished paste in a zip-top bag, then place the bagged paste in a second bag and seal well.
9. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours if possible before use to mature the paste.
10.  Before use, remove from refrigerator and allow the paste to come to room temperature.  Take a small amount of shortening on the end of  your finger and knead this into the paste before using.
11.  Always store the paste in the zip-top bags and return to the refrigerator when you are not using the paste.  Will keep under refrigeration for approximately 6 months.  You can keep the paste longer by freezing.  Be sure to use zip-top freezer bags.  If you will be freezing a batch of paste, allow it to mature for 24 hours in the refrigerator first before placing in to the freezer.  I have kept the paste in the freezer for up to 3 years with no problems.  Copyright 1998 by Nicholas Lodge

We had another demonstration by Wyn Grisham from Albuquerque, NM. She graciously showed us a few techniques using pulled sugar.  Our weather wasn’t cooperative that day - no rain in months and that day it decided to be humid.  She did show us how to make those hollow blown sugar balls that have been on a couple of the wedding cakes recently.  They looked so easy that many of us now have a desire to learn to do those ourselves.  Hope we can convince her to teach us.

Then as a close for the day Kelly pinion (I do cakes) and I did puffy gumpaste and chocolate bows to show them how easy these are to make and assemble.

One of the people at the DOS shared this with me in the e-mail this week.
I tried a product called Citra clean to rinse my acrylic stands and they came out spotless with out drying by hand.  It is also good to run through your dishwasher  to clean it up.  It is sold in the grocery stores and you should be able to find it with the dish detergents.  It comes in a plastic bottle  with a green and white label.
Thanks Gayle for sharing that with all of us.

Today was a new adventure for most of us in this class.  Learning how to do the cold porcelain.  From what nick has already told us I do know that we must work with larger cutters than usual because of the shrinkage.  I am excited about the possibilities of this new medium and using the gumpaste skills in a new and different medium

About Nick’s Easter lily demo at DOS:
L2jlu2: Nicholas Lodge?  wish I was there
GOOO8: How timely to learn the Easter lily.
Icing Wiz: were they made out of gumpaste Pwd?
CarolA5238: Those flowers were beautiful!!
CCChefPwd: Right - gumpaste flowers

Icing Wiz: How fast does the turntable go Pwd?
CCChefPwd: The turntable is variable in speeds and will go left or right.  Pretty neat
GOOO8: I think having a variable speed table like that would be Fabulous!!!!
Icing Wiz: who is the one that did the demo?
CCChefPwd: Dolores (with Earlene’s turntable…a wedding cake)

GOOO8: Can you purchase Tylose at cake supply stores?
L2jlu2: I have been looking for Tylose, but its hard to find
CCChefPwd: At some of the supply stores - you can get it from Dolores if your local store doesn't carry Tylose. It is $4.00 for the tylose and it will make about 3 lbs of gumpaste
<We now have Tylose in stock at http://www.sugarcraft.com>

About Nick’s Gumpaste recipe:
Dose57104: Is 10X finer than the sugar you buy in the grocery stores?
CCChefPwd: 6X is what you can buy in most stores.  Nick says that means it has been sifted six times
GOOO8: room temperature or does it matter?
CCChefPwd: So if you just sift it a couple of times it will work better.
CCChefPwd: Eggs ???  Goo
Icing Wiz: Dose 10x is powdered sugar
GOOO8: yes, eggs
CCChefPwd: He said it didn't really matter on the eggs temperature

THE ICES CONVENTION IN KC
Nadgabjoe: I'm glad i found a chat room that where others are interested in cake decorating
Bridal1: You got the right place Nad
CCChefPwd: Nadgabjoe that is the love of our lives.
Nadgabjoe: How long have you been decorating
CCChefPwd: Cake decorating sharing is what keeps us coming back here
Lulugarden: what is your web page address?
CCChefPwd: http://hometown.aol.com/pwdsugar/index.html
CCChefPwd: Dolores also has a message board on her web site that you can ask about a club in your area http://w3.one.net/`proicer/index.html
CCChefPwd: Nadgabjoe are you an ICES member.
Nadgabjoe: What exactly is Ices
Bridal1: International Cake Exploration societe'
Bridal1: We are having the ICES Convention in Kansas City, Missouri July 29-August 1  Please come.
DorlaAH: It's a ways out, but ICES will be in Portland, OR in 2001
MMoore7605: ICES is a great group of decorators, teachers, etc, etc, from around the world!! Great bunch
Arw32553: Is it just for cakes, or ice sculpting also, MM?
Dose57104: I am looking forward to Convention this year, will be my first !  Can't wait
MMoore7605: from a to z...
Bridal1: glad you are coming Dose
CCChefPwd: It is for anyone who loves the sugar arts in any form
GOOO8: Dee and Earlene, we look forward to all the new material you have to share in the upcoming weeks. There's just SO much to learn.
Icing Wiz: Dol and Pwd are you doing demos at convention?
CCChefPwd: Yes we are both Demoing at convention.
GOOO8: Expect to my see face then   LOL
Icing Wiz: what are you demoing?
CCChefPwd: Mine is early on Thursday morning.
Icing Wiz: awesome!
CarolA5238: It was a wonderful honor and pleasure in meeting Dee and Nick
Bridal1: Dol, I looked and yours is at 4 on Thursday, if I remember right!
CCChefPwd: I am doing a two hour groom demo.  LOL    I am supposed to Groom's cakes but they have me listed to do a groom.   LOL   Carolyn you might want to check that out
Swtelegnt: Pwd my copy says you are doing Grooms cakes
CCChefPwd: My copy came last Saturday and we had a real laugh when we read I was doing a groom.
Bridal1: Well, Edith must have sent stuff without proofing - what can I say?
CCChefPwd: Dee is going to do the wedding cake - start to finish in one hour
SCSOHIO: a wedding cake when?
CCChefPwd: Dolores's is at 4 on Thursday
GOOO8: I called the airlines tonight to see what time I might fly in on Wed. for ICES
Kak decor1: think I'm gonna go!
MHohimer: Kak, look me up when you get to KC
Kak decor1: I will
PjW10: Bonnie, you have no choice, you're going!!!
GOOO8: Anyone looking to bunk up 4 in a room?
Bridal1: You might have an overflowing room to see what you were doing!!  LOL
SweeteJstc: she has 2 spots open too
Kak decor1: ok, if you must
MHohimer: All you coming to KC, please look me up so I can become familiar w/your names.
SweeteJstc: She's very nice, tell her Ruth told you about her.
Kak decor1: has everyone already made reservations?
PjW10: Hey Goo?
Dose57104: Can't get there till Friday a.m., how much will I miss?
Bridal1: I would think you and Swtelegant would have the same paper PWD???
Bridal1: General Meeting Friday morning!
GOOO8: Since this is my first trip arriving Wed is a good thing so I can start fresh Thursday for
the 4 day run. I meant that as a question really.
Dose57104: Bridal1, I should be there by 7 a.m. on Friday, will that be in time for the general meeting
CCChefPwd: We always go on Tuesday to just have a little fun.
Bridal1: We have had to block more rooms for Monday because we had already sold out for Monday
GOOO8: Is there an indication that rooms are already tight?
Bridal1: Well, they are taking look to see if they can block more for us at Marriott.
Kak decor1: does everyone already have their reservations?
Icing Wiz: is the Mariott where the convention is at?
Bridal1: Doubletree is backup hotel, but little higher in price.
Bridal1: Marriott is headquarters Icing.
Icing Wiz: so Bridal, Mariott is already booked? are there a lot of hotels on that street?
Bridal1: Several Icing
Bridal1: No, just was for Monday night so we added rooms for that night.  Rest are o.k. so far Icing
GOOO8: I'm in the process of nailing things down Kak.
Kak decor1: do I just contact the hotel?, and new to this
GOOO8: cake decorators annual convention in Kansas City Missouri in July
Kak decor1: this is my first time
GOOO8: mine too Kak
SweeteJstc: last year was my first Kak, you'll love it...
Kak decor1: so, don't know anything about it
Bridal1: Kak, do you have a packet of registration info??
PjW10: mine too Kak
SCSOHIO: are you going ?
SweeteJstc: yes
Kak decor1: yes, mh sent me one, got it yesterday
Kak decor1: yes, scs, my hubby wants me to go
SCSOHIO: kak when ? have a good time
GOOO8: Whew!  LOL
Kak decor1: end of July
CCChefPwd: Do you have an 800 number for the back up hotel
Kak decor1: pj, got your room?
Bridal1: No, I'll try to get it, but probably could call any Doubletree to find out.
PjW10: I hope so . I think my friend took care of it already, guess I better check!
Bridal1: There is also a Holiday Inn and a Radisson Inn
Kak decor1: hopefully will get a lot of cake order so I can pay for my room!
Bridal1: Marriott then is the place to be GOOO
SweeteJstc: me too...last year I stayed away from the site...won't do it again
Icing Wiz: Ok Janice I guess we better get that out of the way at least
MHohimer: DOUBLETREE hotels reservations center  800-528-0444
GOOO8: We'll have to get together soon.

CCChefPwd: You can Log the chats and share then with your friends but they will be posted in delayed. That will take some of the pressure off of Dolores in her busy schedule

STILL AT OUR CLASSES…
CCChefPwd: Today we started classes on C0LD PORCELAIN. More about that next week.

Bridal1: bye everyone in Texas!!!

Thursday March 18, 1999 at 9 PM ET in  the Kitchen  Conference Room -- With CCChefDol & CCChefPwd --  "Easter cake and candy ideas...good money making tips too"  ." I know only those attending this chat will get to read this. But I am going to keeping about 1-2 months behind in posting the chats online for some time. Be sure to join us if you want to find out what we are talking about sooner.