Guest Butcher and Day 1 of Croquembouche

Today during cuisine demo, we had a guest butcher come in and cut up an entire lamb.  It was very interesting and I feel like I learned a lot.  Granted, I probably won't ever need to butcher an entire lamb, but I'm still excited to know how.  I took a few pictures in case I wasn't the only person interested.

After a few hours of the bonesaw, we went upstairs to work on the nougatine bases for our croquembouches.  For storage purposes, we weren't allowed to make ours as tall as the chef's, but it was still very fun.  I made a base and a piece to add to the top.  Working with burning hot caramel was a little challenging, especially since my hand has just started healing from last week's burn.  I found that if I just worked quickly, dunking my hands in ice water when it started to hurt too badly, I managed just fine.  I escaped with only 2 small blisters, and I didn't even have to use the hot pink rubber gloves I bought in case of emergencies.  On Thursday, we will complete the towers; if anyone has any suggestions about how to get the completed work back to my apartment, please let me know!

Sweet Dreams!

Crawfish and Wedding Cakes

Yesterday was a long but fun day.  Pretty much this entire week in pastry, we are working on croquembouches, which are the French version of wedding cakes, since the French can't do anything the same way as everyone else.  Here, pastry chefs create wedding cakes with a nougatine base and a giant pile of profiteroles (choux buns stuffed with pastry cream, sort of like a ball shaped eclair).  The entire thing is put together with caramel as glue, sometimes completely covered in caramel afterwards.  It can be decorated with chocolate, flowers, candied almonds and spun sugar netting.  Instead of a cake-cutting ceremony, couples can crack the caramel with a spoon.  Usually each guest gets about 3 profiteroles and the croquembouches can cost thousands of euros. 

In class yesterday, we all watched chef assemble a HUGE nougatine base.  Ours will be much smaller.  The nougatine is kept in the oven while you work piece by piece, grabbing a chunk as you need it.  You must work the nougatine while the caramel is still burning hot, so I'm sure we will all have severe burns by the end of class today.

In cuisine practical, we made fish quenelles (dumplings) and baked them in a Sauce Nantua, which is made of crawfish.  We didn't get to plate the dishes, but I tried to jazz up my aluminum baking pan as much as I could.

Off to start my croquembouche!

My Lesson In Burn Treatment

On Thursday, I had a late afternoon cuisine practical of seared steaks, celery root flan and turned potatoes sauteed in goose fat.  I was really excited about the steaks and had planned my plating perfectly.  For the flan, we cooked it in a water bath and removed it right before starting on the meat.  I had just taken the flan out of the oven and had a million things going and for one reason or another needed to move the pan.  Since I wasn't thinking, I grabbed the handle without my towel and am still regretting it.  Then, instead of going to the first aid kit, I tried to finish the rest of class without treating the horrific burn.  Huge mistake.  My hand is still blistered and I couldn't go to my next practical on Friday.  

My wonderful classmates noticed how badly I was doing and helped me with everything, from cleaning my station to helping with my "chef's assistant" duties.  Above are pictures of the hand and a one of the chef's platings.

The Fattest Tuesday Ever

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday and the chefs at Le Cordon Bleu were in the celebrating mood.  They made all sorts of fried pastries and a mountain of crepes.  I also had two very tasty practicals; in pastry we made passionfruit-raspberry mousse cakes and in cuisine we made cassoulet with sausages and duck leg confit.  It was all delicious, but I left my creations at school to avoid having to schlep everything on the metro.  

After all that, a bunch of us went out to dinner at Odori, a wonderful Korean barbeque place near La Motte-Picquet.  It was a veritable feast, with lots of bibimbap and kimchi.  Since being in Paris, Korean has become one of my favorite cuisines.  All of us at school need regular breaks from the French fare.  

Today, during a cuisine practical, we made bacon-wrapped monkfish, braised artichoke hearts and a cauliflower gratin in Mornay sauce  It was my first time working with monkfish, which was very exciting.  I also got a chance to try out my new ring molds and the chef was very pleased.  

Bon Appetit!

Refuge Des Fondue

After a great Friday at school, Katherine and Austin and I decided to go to Refuges des Fondue for dinner and wine.  Located in Montmartre, this place is very popular with study abroaders.  The waiters are loveably rude and there are only 2 long tables.  When you get there, you think there won't be any room but the waiters have people smush together and make half of your party climb over the tables into the booth.  Then he brings everyone Kir cocktails and a plate of antipasto.  You can choose either red wine or white wine, both served in glass baby bottles.  Not only is it totally fun to drink out of a baby bottle, but it prevents the inevitable spilling that occurs when people climb over the tables. Then comes the tasty fondue; either meat and potatoes in oil or crusty baguette in cheese.  Writing on the walls in strongly encouraged.  

I love making fondue at home, Whole Foods has a great selection of cheese that are perfect for fondue, and there is usually a helpful cheese expert.  

Eating Tuna By The Kilo

Today we had by far the most modern cuisine dish we have created at school. We made puff pastry crackers (putting a baking sheet on top of the pastry keeps it from puffing), marinated tuna and made a delicious tomato, confited garlic, olive and onion garnish. The results were amazing and this is a dish that I cannot wait to make at home.

Tomorrow we make stuffed rabbit and a strawberry "treasure" cake. Not as good at the tuna, but I'm still very excited.

My Favorite Homeless Man

After having a wonderful day at school, I had an even better surprise. Usually, whenever I go to Champion (a supermarket by my apartment), I see the same homeless man and I buy him an extra baguette or sandwich, or sometimes I would give him something I made at school. For the past month, he has been absent and I have sort of missed our little ritual. Today on my way home from school, I saw him all dressed up and on his way somewhere, looking very cleaned up. He saw me and gave me a HUGE smile and thumbs up. I think he must have found somewhere to live and that's why I haven't seen him at our regular spot.

So uplifting!