BAKING AND MONTMARTE

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We slept well, but as is the norm, Jerry was wide awake and up and about at 5:00 am (now this is only normal when we are on vacation, at home you can’t get him out of bed before 10 if you’re lucky. I on the other hand slept soundly until 7:30, which is 90 minutes later than when I normally get up.

The day started with coffee and a shower. We then headed for the market to do the shopping we did not get to yesterday. Our first stop was the Fromagerie where we purchased some camembert, brie, jamon, and butter (the best butter in the world). From there it was on to the la charcuterie for foie gras and duck pate. Our final stop on this market street Rue Ordnare was the produce market, where we picked up some fresh fruit, including strawberries (and they are almost as good as Oregon berries).

After the specialty markets we went to a regular grocery store to buy milk, yogurt and of course wine at prices to good to pass up. We returned to the apartment and enjoyed the croissants from yesterday.

My first cooking class was not until 2 pm, so I spent the time doing some work while Jerry mapped out his walking tour of Montmartre. Jerry left for his tour around 1 I made a quick fromage and jamon baguette sandwich and then changed for my baking class. The school is 3 minutes from our apartment so I didn’t have to worry about metro’s etc.

Baking

The class had 5 students and was taught by the same instructor who taught my macaroon class last year. The name of the cooking school is Cook’n with class; they have a very wide range of offerings including some classes just for kids. The participants were literally from all over the world, I don’t remember their names just where they are from. A woman who was born in Portugal but lives in Angola, two from Canada and one from Australia, Briony the instructor is also originally from Australia.

Today’s class was a baking class, we made croissants, croissants aux chocolate, Danish (with pastry cream and fresh raspberries, and finally a pastry with pastry cream and raisins. They all use the same dough. The croissant dough takes 24 hours to prepare. While we did every stage, we did not do it from start to finish. We in fact, started at the end rolling out the final dough and forming the various pastries. We then baked them and, then went to the first step, the making of the actual dough. This is done in two stages; the first is just the making of the basic dough a mixture of flour, sugar, salt, milk and yeast. This makes a very stick dough which is then patted with butter and dusted with flour. After the dough is wrapped in plastic it goes in to the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours (twelve is ideal). The second step is the pounding and rolling of the butter. This is done with cold butter, not room temperature and must be one large piece so you can make a sheet of butter that is 2/3 the size of the dough when it is rolled out. After the butter is rolled out you roll out the dough (cut in two equal pieces). You form a rectangle by a mixture of pounding and rolling the dough. The butter is then placed on top of the dough and you begin the making of layers. Layer one is done by doing an envelope fold. This is then sealed at all of the edges; pounded and rolled back out (gently you do not want the butter incorporated into the dough but to remain a distinct layer. Once rolled back out you do a book fold then repeat and make another book fold. The dough is a gain wrapped in plastic and placed in the refrigerator for another 8 to 24 hours (again 12 is ideal). The final stage is the actual making of the pastry. An interesting note is that croissants were not invented in France but rather Austria. The chef was French, but the Austrian King ordered something special to celebrate the Austrian victory over the Ottoman’s whose symbol was a crescent. Hence the croissant was born in the shape of a crescent.

At the end of the class we enjoyed our labor with some wine and of course a croissant. Most of the pastries made were taken home so we have breakfast for a couple of days.

Montmartre

Meanwhile, Jerry was busy exploring the depths of Butte Montmartre and beyond. He started his journey with a walk up the steps. When he reached the top, he found yet another set about half as long that took him to the back of Sacre-Coeur. From here he found the original Moulin’s (windmills), the Montmartre Vineyards, the former homes of Van Gough, Renoir and others. The highlight was the Montmartre Cemetery where he spent some time exploring. His pictures today were taken with his old camera from his Uncle Norm, so they will not be able to be posted on the blog.

Unfortunately, while I am sure he saw much more, I can only tell you about it second hand as I was only given the high lights of his day.

It is clear that we both are getting old as yet another afternoon nap was needed before we dressed for dinner. It was only a 30 minute nap, but it was a nap none the less.

Dinner in Montmartre.

After our naps, we dressed and headed to the heart of Montmartre for dinner. Earlier in the day we found a great app on the I phone that makes dinner reservations for us. This avoids us having to call, try to speak French and maybe get a table for dinner. Instead we type in the name of the restaurant and as long as it is on the service we get a table easily. Tonight we used the reservation system to reserve a table a Café Burq at 6 Rue Burq. When we arrived the staff was very friendly and asked us if we spoke French or English. They were very helpful and friendly. The best part was that we were basically the only non-French in the restaurant; it is truly a place where the locals go to eat.

We of course started with our traditional glass of champagne while we looked at the menu. The nice thing about this was that the menu and wine list were on a large black board on one wall, so you could easily peruse the menu. The only option here was the menu du jour (two or three courses). I made a vow that on this trip I would not eat lamb every dinner and tonight I stuck to that vow.

Jerry started with a baked camembert in a honey sauce. I had a Cucumber Gazpacho with grab meat. We had a nice bottle of Burgundy. Jerry’s plat (entrée in America) was a duck confit over potatoes. The duck was shredded and cooked so long that it just melted in your mouth. I had wild back of Cod in a great white wine sauce, with a hint of dill. The fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce was amazing. For dessert Jerry had a French version of Tiramisu and I had a baked pear filled with chocolate and pistachios.

After dinner we strolled back to our apartment. And just to be sure you think we are not taking in the sights we walked home via Sacre-Coeur. No we did not walk up the 199 stairs, but took the funicular up the hill and walked around the back to the stairs down to our apartment.

Tomorrow Jerry is off to a museum and I am off to the kitchen store where Julia Child liked to shop then to shop for dinner and cooking in our very small kitchen.

Today’s Food

Breakfast – French press coffee and croissants

Lunch – Both had Fromage and Jamon, but I made one at home Jerry had his out and about.

Dinner:

Jerry: Camembert Roti au Miel; Canard Confit and Tiramisu au coulis de framboise

Chris: Gaspacho de concombre et chair de crabe; Dos de cabillaud sauvage “Skrei” suasse vin Blanc; Poire Rot au chocolaté noir et pictacios.

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Photos

Baking
I need this oven

Comments

[Shari]

Fattening
I think I gained 4 pounds and two inches around my waist just reading about all the butter in those croissants. Sounds like a lot of work, but if I'm invited for breakfast...;)

[AJ]

Seasoned tourist
yes, that's how you feel, like you been there, done that. Great flics of beautiful food. Give us a pic of Jer eating, please. Know he probably doesn't like this but just this once?? Carry on. Have the best time ever!!