The baking and pastry department teamed up with a group of first year baking and pastry students to run The A.P. Smith’s Bakery at The VIC for The annual Adirondack Rural Skills and Homesteading Festival.
The students – Olivia Orlando, Kalei Fenn, Skyler Lyons, Katie Aupperle, Alyssa Capocci and Rachel Rhea – helped Chefs Lee Ann Adams, Kader Temkkit and me prepare baked goods using local ingredients, including Paul Smith’s College maple syrup, flour from Champlain Valley Milling , apples from Banker Orchards, carrots from Gould’s garden, local pears and fresh local ginger. We made blueberry muffins, pear and ginger madelines, apple crumb pies, pain au chocolate, cinnamon rolls, carrot cake and cupcakes with maple buttercream. The students came in on their own time and worked the event on a Saturday. Learning outside the classroom is so important for students in this field. The students who take part in these special events gain more knowledge of the industry through real experience, and they get to see a chef in a different setting and learn to understand how to work along side them.