BREAD AND DESSERTS – THE FINAL DAY IN PARIS

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Today is all about cooking for me; Jerry may go to design shops or may just stay home and pack as we leave for Salzburg in the morning. Jerry is feeling better today and we were both up at 7 ready to start our day.

My first class this morning was bread making. Pino (from Italy) was the instructor both of the other students were doctors both women one from New Zealand the other from Durham North Carolina. The woman from New Zealand is here for 3 years with her husband who has some type of contract job. She hates it here, which I do not understand. They have a nice apartment in a good neighborhood and she just wants to go home. She even went as far as to say she hasn’t had a good meal since they have been here, which tells me she just doesn’t like French food. She also thinks the butter here is very bad. I know she is crazy because the butter here is the best that I have ever had.

Back to bread making. We did a Brioche (turned out 100 times better than anything I have ever done at home) baguettes and focaccia (actually called something else in France, but I didn’t write it down and can’t remember it.) The basics of each are very similar; it is really the technique that is different. The focaccia can be done in one day the other two take at least two as the dough needs time to rise and ferment.

Baguette

I will describe the baguette first. We started with dough that had been made the night before (we also made the dough from the beginning to be used by another class) the baguette is not kneaded at all, in fact you want to be very gentle with the dough from beginning to end. The trick with the baguette is the shaping. You divide the dough in to 8 equal pieces then mold each one into the baguette shape. It is a serious of folds and then a final roll to achieve the desired length. It then proofs for about 30 minutes before baking. The baguette is cooked at a high heat and it is helpful if have terra cotta tiles to help keep the heat in the oven. And the trick I had no idea about was that you place a small pan at the bottom of the oven and dump a cup of water in just as you put the bread in the oven, thus creating some steam to aid in the cooking and trap moisture. Of course now I need to go to Kitchen Kaboodle and get my baguette baking pans.

Fortunately I will get the instructions, because we did all three at the same time so it is very hard to remember what process when with which bread. I will say they all turned out wonderful and the focaccia and brioche were the best ever.

I was going to explain a bit about each, but they are all running together in my head at the moment. Next time you are over for brunch, you may bet both homemade croissants and French toast made with brioche. You all can bring the champagne, and it better be FrenchJ.

I am now back at the apartment resting a bit before my last class, French Desserts, what else would they be I am in Paris. Jerry reaped the beneft of my baking as I brought some of each bread home.

Jerry’s Day

After I left for my second class Jerry headed to the Bastille area to go to Houles, which is a passementerie for trade’s people only. Normally you can only get in with an appointment and have to be a member of the design trade. Jerry was able to get in anyway and one of the designers spent 20 minutes talking with Jerry about the business and their products. He then spent about 30 minutes just looking around the store. It evidently was very expensive, $200 Euros for a tassel kind of expensive.

After that he headed back home and looked at several other furniture and design shops but didn’t go into any more given the time of day. On his metro ride home he went to the Bastille metro stop where there is some of the original Bastille on display with both French and English explanations. He said he needed to go back again to check out more of the furniture stores and other design shops.

French Desserts

While Jerry was in the Bastille I was busy making five different desserts. First, some comments about the participants. There was a mother and daughter from Australia, the 15 year old daughter didn’t really seem to be into the class and certainly not into having her picture taken. I guess Australian Teenagers aren’t any better than US ones. The other couple was from southern California with their not even real tans and very plastic look. The woman didn’t want to do much as she might break her nails. However, Briony would not have any of that; she said it was a full participation class so everyone would participate.

I cannot even begin to explain all of the different techniques learned in this class. I can tell you what we made. We made the following

A Passion Fruit Soufflé
Chocolate Tart
Deconstructed Lemon Tart
Crème Brule
French Tea Cake, I cannot remember the French Name.

In all we spent 4 hours making desserts. After a full day of baking my feet are killing me, certainly not a profession I could make a full time living at. I was able to bring the tea cake and the chocolate tart home so Jerry can have that tonight after dinner.

Last Night in Paris

As is our tradition the last night in any city we have a nice dinner, not that every meal in Paris isn’t nice, but we tend to spend a bit more than other nights. Last night was no different. We went to one of our favorite restaurants in Paris; yes we have been here enough that we have favorite places to eat. For out last dinner in Paris we chose Royale Madeline. It is just off the Pace de Madeline. We discovered this last year and knew a return trip would be well worth it. We were not disappointed. We of course attempted French they spoke English to us. We ate outside, the weather has been amazing, clear and sunny ever day.

We started with our traditional carafe oeu and 2 glasses of champagne. The service was perfect no rush. The amuse buse was sautéed duck with bok choy. It was very flavorful and an interesting combination of French and Chinese cooking. Jerry ordered onion soup and cod cooked in a Basque style. I had Boiled eggs stuffed with shrimp over crisp lettuce. My plat was a perfectly cooked filet with the best pepper corn sauce I have ever ever had. We had a nice burgundy with our dinner. In the past we have always had Bordeaux, but since out trip last year, we are no longer afraid to order wines from all regions for France.

After dinner we hoped the metro and went back home to pack and for dessert. The neighborhood was booming. To the average American (and of course when I say that I mean U.S. as technically those from Canada and Mexico would also be Americans.) you would think that all the French do is drink. At all times of the day and night the brasseries are full. However, what I learned from this trip is that the French work all the time that is why they take a month off. Those in the trades work insane hours; a baker for example works from 1 in the morning until 1 in the afternoon. The Fish monger work from 1 in the morning until 7 at night, hence the four hour lunch break. I am not sure the typical American could really work that schedule.

Staying in the neighborhood that we did was a really good opportunity to experience Parisian living. The apartments are small, In fact, it was about the same size as my apartment in New York, the only difference is I had full kitchen in New York, not just induction hot plates.

There is still much to do in Paris and many many more return trips. After all I still have my battle with the Eifel tour and making it to the top, yes again we were thwarted in our efforts to make it to the third level of the tour. It is clear the French are purposefully keeping me getting to the top so I have to come back over and over.

Today’s Food

Breakfast – Yogurt and strawberries left over pastries from my baking class.

Lunch – Jerry didn’t eat again until dinner and I spent the day eating bread and desserts and drinking champagne from my two classes.

Dinner – Jerry: Soupe a L’Oignon, Cabillaud aux Basque

Chris: Œuf Mimosa, Filet au Poivre

Wine Santenay Clos Mouche (2011)

Dessert – Chocolate tart and French Tea cakes made in my dessert class

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Photos

The Master Bread Maker
Pino

Learning at the feet of Briony
Master Pastry Chef