I have a bone to pick with the FCI. Ron Ben Israel--the famous chef and cake designer--was supposed to teach us two lessons on sugar paste flowers (as the admissions officers were all to happy to tell me when I was considering applying), but apparently he doesn't teach the class any more. We were the first batch of students to not get him and no one really told us this until the unit started...so we all were expecting Ron Ben Israel and we just didn't get him. That said, the lesson was still really interesting and I learnt a ton. Actually, it was probably a lot more fun and relaxed than it would have been if we had all been trying to impress the chef.
We made three roses (a big one, a medium one, and a bud), rose leaves, tulip centers and petals (enough for two tulips), and calla lily centers. Next class we will finish putting the roses and tulips together and make the calla lilies. Sugar paste--also known as gum paste--is difficult to work with, but the results can be pretty darn amazing. I can't wait to finish the roses, which already look beautiful without their leaves, and put together the tulips, which look pretty interesting as just petals.
It's not easy to work with sugar paste, but then again it's not too hard. You have to be careful not to let it dry out too much as you are working with it...but on the other hand you do occasionally want it to dry a little. It's a hard balance to strike. But it's definitely worth it!
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