Friday, July 29, 2016

Final Week at Colorado State University

I can't believe my time at CSU is over!  The past 8 weeks have gone by incredibly fast and I will really miss Fort Collins.  This last week was relatively light, which gave me ample time to work on my presentation, pack, and spend time with friends.

Saturday, July 23: Savoring my last weekend in Fort Collins, I decided to explore a different Fort Collins farmers’ market where Tina and her husband, Steve, the production chef at Corbett/Parmelee were selling bracelets.  It was a nice change to see different vendors, including one with homemade nut butters, and Tina’s bracelets were gorgeous.  After the market and the last class of the yoga workshop I’ve been doing, I hit the road to the Shambhala Mountain Center about an hour away.  The destination was the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, a Buddhist monument in the valley of the center.  It is a gorgeous piece of architecture and the surrounding area was extremely peaceful.  It was a very calming and relaxing way to spend the afternoon. 
The Great Stupa
Sunday, July 24: I met a few of my teammates for a run on the famous Magnolia Road in Boulder.  It is a dirt road with rolling hills and views of the Rockies at some points.  Although a difficult run, it was absolutely spectacular and well worth the challenge.  We grabbed brunch after and then I spent the rest of the day working on my final presentation.  

Monday, July 25: Today marks my 50th day of the internship!  I spent the day in Ram’s Horn at the Pantry, cutting and plating desserts, and re-testing veggie burgers with Ann.  We used the deep fryer and only tested burgers made with avocado and potato flakes.  She still needs to make a few adjustments, but they certainly turned out better than last time.

Tuesday, July 26: Lori and I planned to spend the day in Grand Lake, about a 2.5-hour drive away.  Unfortunately, we had some car troubles that caused us to turn around about 1 hour into the drive.  We stopped at Vern’s for lunch, a popular country-style restaurant in Laporte, and I spent the rest of the day working on my presentation.
Outside of Vern's
Wednesday, July 27: The Bakeshop had a wonderful potluck for me in the morning.  They made fantastic sweet and savory pastries.  I really appreciate all of the time they put into this and I enjoyed eating their delicious treats while spending time with them.  For dinner, I decided to treat myself to a fancy-ish dinner in Old Town at the Kitchen, followed by dessert at the Waffle Lab.
Treats at the Bakeshop
Dinner at The Kitchen





















Thursday, July 28: I gave my final presentation today to many of the general managers, a few Bakeshop employees, and most of the Palmer (administrative) staff.  As a grand finale, the Bakeshop made a wonderful spread of delicious pastries and desserts, including my favorite, apple feuillete made by Janet.  It was very bittersweet to say goodbye to everyone, but I know I will be back at CSU to visit!  I’ve made incredible friendships and professional relationships here.  This experience has helped me grow tremendously and learn more than I ever thought I would about the foodservice industry.  I wouldn’t change it for anything and I am extremely grateful to have been a NACUFS intern this summer.
The bounty of desserts at my presentation
Apple Feuilletes!
Kendy, me, and Janet - some of my Bakeshop family

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