Pumpkin and Spice

Tonight at work we had some extra bread dough, so I was able to get a little creative and make some decorative bread. Decorative bread (or deco bread, as we call it) is just a simple dough (or extra dough) that is shaped into elaborate braids, wreaths, or other designs. Then its egg washed for color and gloss, and baked. It's a lot of fun to make, because you can't really do it "wrong". I really like octopi, plus our lodge has a seafood restaurant, so I decided to make a big bread octopus. I had two types of dough, a dark rye and a white bread, so I was able to use some contrasting colors on his eyes and the suckers on his tentacles. I used flour to give him speckles on his head.

I had some extra dough, so I made him a fish friend. I made the fish's scales by clipping the dough with the tips of a pair of scissors.

I was very pleased with how they both turned out- I loved them so much! Even my co-worker, who tends to be kinda jerky and sarcastic (not in a genuinely mean way, but sort of in the way siblings antagonize each other) said that they were really beautiful. He even re-arranged the front bakery counter to make a little display for them, with greenery and flowers to make them look like they were underwater.

Today was my last night on the midnight shift! (Hooray!) As much as I like making bread, and as nice as it is to be in the kitchen when it's so still and quiet, I'm glad to be getting back to a normal sleeping/eating schedule. After I got home from work, and after a good sleep, I "celebrated" by going to the gym for a good hour, and then had a Lean Cuisine pizza (yum!) and a Diet Dr. Pepper for dinner while watching the Golden Globes. I looooove award shows! I love to ooh and ahh over all the dresses and jewelry (and the handsome actors in tuxedos!) This year, I loved Drew Barrymore's floaty ice blue dress- it was so elegant and feminine. I can't wait for all the fashion shows tomorrow!