Christmas in November PART III

I definitely feel the Christmas Spirit after spending the week at the Jasper Park Lodge!  It was beautiful, festive, refreshing (and exhausting at the same time, if that's possible) and definitely inspiring.  Am feeling really grateful for this opportunity.

Kenna & Daddy

As promised in PART II of Christmas in November, here are some photos of the SWEETS from my sessions.

SnickerDoodle Cupcakes: vanilla cupcake baked with apple pie filling, topped with vanilla buttercream and a snickerdoodle cookie!

Coconut Macaroons: sweetened coconut baked with a little flour, condensed milk, whipping cream and sour cream...TOTALLY FAT FREE!

Chocolate cake Truffle Lollipops: crumbled up chocolate cake with a touch of cream cheese frosting, dipped in chocolate and coconut.  These were quite popular at the lodge, people were sneaking into my sessions just to grab one or two...or three!

Finally, my demos were on how to decorate your own

Personalized Mini Cakes & Cupcake Ornaments

 

Here I am with my assistant for the week, Valerie!  She was so much help and I can't believe I had an assistant...definitely need to find someone for back home!! (excuse my bad hair this morning, haha!)

The ever awesome Chefs who prepared all my cakes, icings and samples!  Man, I love having stuff ready to go!

Chef Martin

Chef Dimuth...so sweet!

Finally, a couple more of my favourite moments of the experience.

Family photo with Santa :)...sorry for the quality...it's a picture of a picture!

Watching Bal teach Michael Smith to belly dance!  Funny!

The awesome friends we made!

Thanks to the Edmonton Journal and Liane Faulder, in particular, for recommending me for this wonderful event...and thanks to the fabulous folks at the JPL for an unforgettable experience!

Last shot of the mountains as we bid Jasper adieux.
(I did have some time to practice my photography)!

Christmas in November PART II

We've been in Jasper since last Friday and yesterday was the end of the mid-week package for Christmas in November at the Jasper Park Lodge. One more weekend package to go and our stay at JPL will be over.

We feel so blessed to part of this event.  The presenters (you can see all of them by clicking here) that we've had a chance to meet and get to know in the past few days have been awesome (to say the least). We've been having a lot of fun with these folks.

With Michael and Anna Olson.

Micah Dew...I'm waiting to take a photo of him showing off his Flair Bartending skills!

 

Joanne Blake: Style for Success!

Sushi Chef Brett Yasukawa teaches a hands on class on making sushi!

  

Chef at Home, Michael Smith:  Caramelizer!

Wolfgang Stamp: Wine and Cheese sessions

Dennis Yurkiwsky from Chocolate Exquistite samples 12 different single origin chocolates

Food Network Star Anna Olson with husband Michael Olson talk cheese!

 

My sessions have been so much fun.  In 75 minutes, I teach some basic fondant techniques and make a personalized mini cake (oops, photo to come!), a couple of cute cupcake ornaments and how to make the most delicious chocolate cake truffle lollipops.  Since Friday, I've had 8 sessions and I have 4 more to go for the last package this coming weekend.

Showing everyone how to create our DELICIOUS cake truffles. Mmmmm....

I've had wonderful reviews and some kind words from the guests over the week and the best one so far?
"You should have your own show!  You have great charisma and are super cute!"  Thanks, Marilyn.


And the funniest comment so far?
"Oh!  You're the cake lady. I would rather see you than Michael Smith!"  I kid you not...and no offense to the Chef because I snuck into one of his sessions and it was great! This lovely lady had already met Michael Smith and joined one of his sessions last year, so that is why she said that...but it was too cute.


Here's some fun from the mid-week package.

12 days of Christmas has the entire Ballroom having fun!

The Spice Goddess, Bal Arneson teaches us some Bollywood style moves!

Kenna dances with a new friend!

Ken partying it up with Brett.

Great capture of Terry and Joanne!

There's Dawn from Bikini Boot Camp pulling everyone to the dance floor!

...And of course, some food we got to enjoy!

Breakfast at Cavell's...I could only eat 1/4 if the waffles!

...but I could take down MANY of these.  Candy Cane Martinis (recipe below)!

Herb crusted Mahi Mahi with coconut couscous and a mango pineapple salsa.

Fresh Berries 3 Ways: berry gelee, berry mousse and berry compote.

As I mentioned in my PART I blog, Kenna has become the most famous guest here!  She's been nearly kidnapped by the lovely ladies staying at the Lodge for being so stinkin' cute!  Everyone has been giving her so much attention that her confidence levels have gone sky high! Before we came to Jasper, Kenna was just learning to walk, now she has been walking around all by herself, socializing with guests and dancing the night away at the Galas.It's been amazing to see her confidence grow!

Trying to steal the stage from the Host.

She walks to greet the bears in the main lodge everyday!

Enjoying some fresh mountain air with mama!

Last (but certainly not least), I have to mention that the ladies have loving my hubby Ken.  He's been helping guests with their cameras and showing them how to use their cameras to take some wonderful scenery shots.  Here are a couple of Ken's shots from this week that I just LOVE!

View of the Main Lodge at dusk.

Canadian Geese are abundant here!  Here one is posing for Ken.

Rams playing on the side of Highway 16.

 

Elk are everywhere on the property.  Usually out in groups early a.m. to greet me as I walk to the main lodge.

Ken had an afternoon photo session with Dawn and Lindsay.  So many great shots to choose from.  This is only one of many fabulous photos!  Good job Kenny!

 3 more days of fun fun fun, then it's back to REALITY! Oh boy...

RECIPE FOR CANDY CANE MARTINI 

1.5 oz. Russian Standard Vodka

0.5 oz. BOLS Peppermint

2 oz. White Cranberry Juice

shaken over ice, served in a grenadine-rimmed martini glass.

Christmas in November PART I

The Gorgeous view from our room! Photo taken by Ken and he's pretty damn proud of this shot!

Where to begin!  Ken and I got invited over the summer to participate in Christmas in November at the Jasper Park Lodge.  The Edmonton Journal and the lodge host packages where guests can join seminars to watch and learn from folks like Chef Michael Smith, Anna and Michael Oslon and Bal Arneson.

2010 Christmas in November Presenters.  Yes, that is Kenna...she has become quite popular here!

Could it be?  Could I be the next food network star! HAHA.  Yah right...but so far it has been a blast teaching guests cake decorating.  Next week, I will have a a couple minutes to sneak some time in with some of the wonderful presenters here.  Ken and I will be posting photos of the presentations we get to see. It's so difficult to decide which presenters I can sneak into my schedule as we have heard rave reviews from many guests!

Mama and Kenna with Bal Arneson. She's a beautiful lady and guests are loving her Indian Food sessions.

These ladies have been attending Christmas in November for 5 years now!  What a great tradition.

Christmas Carolling with Chef Michael Smith as the choir director!

First on my list to attend will be Bikini Boot Camp inc. with Lindsay and Dawn.  SERIOUSLY!  With all the food we have been spoiled with so far, it's the LEAST I can do for myself.  The chef's at JPL are simply amazing. In fact, everyone here has been so kind and helpful.

...and because Christmas in November involves so much delicious and delectable food...here is some FOOD for THOUGHT!  Don't worry, we're hitting the gym for sure. HAHA

mini chocolate cheesecakes

Bison Meat

Ham from Sunday Brunch

Kenna loved the mango smoothie for brunch.

 The Main from the Gala Dinner: BC Sable fish and Spring Creek organic Beef Tenderloin. The fish was absolutely DIVINE!

Sour Cherry chocolate mousse with shaved ice mint (REFESHED)!