5th Weekend Off (Part 2)

The final exam practical is looming ahead, like an annoying headache preventing me from having fun this weekend. Every attempt I have made to do something fun this weekend has left me feeling guilty that I am not studying. Yesterday I ventured out for a short walk on a very brisk morning. With the aid of my Paris walking guide and the urging of my friend Chris, I chose to explore the St. Martin canal. This canal was used as a means for transporting goods from the Seine into the Northern parts of Paris. It was constructed in the early 1800's. A portion of it from Rue Du Faubourge Du Temple to Place De a Bastille is now covered. It was not the typical touristy spot, so it was refreshing to see another side to Paris. The canal has many locks and quaint foot bridges. The walk finally brought me back to my home turf near Republique.

Back in the apartment I could not ignore this exam any longer. A large pot of coffee brewing and my bag of assorted pastries were my fuel. So I began sifting through my 10 recipes. Unlike the written exam, which constituted such a small portion of the total grade, this practical exam is 45% of the total. My approach is, rather than being bogged down with details, to view each recipe from a "big picture" perspective. Visualizing the final product is a key to how each dish is made. I then look at the ingredient list and prioritize my tasks. We have made almost 30 recipes, so many of the  techniques or methods are now second nature. If there is a tomato in the ingredient list, I know that it needs to be skinned, so I need to get some water boiling to perform an émonder. If there is a veal or chicken stock, I need to warm it and begin skimming. If there is a sauce reduction, I need to be aware of keeping the butter or cream cold. Roasting requires to get the oven going. What requires the longest time? If I need to make a stock to use later for other tasks, then I need to make the stock first. Although each of the above are elementary tasks, when they all exist in one recipe, then organization of the tasks can make or break the event.

Sauce making has become more routine thanks to repetition. When a sauce is made and there is a laundry list of ingredients, it's now natural to know the sequence of events. It's almost always browning of some meat or trimmings in oil, degrease, shallots/onions/garlic are sweated, tomato/tomato paste added and acidity burned off, deglaze with white wine or other alcohol, add stock, bouquet garni/other spices, and reduce. Usually a strain is required depending on the sauce (this is where visualizing the final product is helpful) followed by a final touch with butter or cream.

I'll just keep going through the recipes again and again until I feel good about visualizing the entire process. Only 2 days to go! It's bitter sweet...I am a bit homesick, don't like the pressure of an exam over my head, but I am also enjoying the school, and my new friends.

4th Weekend Off

Saturday

With my days numbered in Paris, I decided to explore a little on a rainy Saturday. I took the #3 Metro to the "sentier" station with 4 cookware stores as my destination. I was elated to see the scene on the right as I emerged from the Metro stairs. The rain had given way to a crisp blue day. Parfait!

The cookware stores allow LCB students a 10% discount with the school ID, so I was armed and ready to buy. 3 of these stores are on Rue Montmartre. My first stop was a no frills but as it turned out, one of my favorite stores called A. Simon . The store was basic, not very big, but had some very nice cookware mostly aimed at baking. I roamed around a bit and finally left empty handed waiting to see all the stores before buying anything.

Mostly Bakeware, no frills but nicely supplied

Next I went to the famous and very touristy La Bovida. I ran into 2 very rude American couples here and cringed at their behavior. If my French was better I would have apologized to the employees. The store is very nice filled with upscale products showcased like a William-Sonoma.

The 3rd on Rue Montmartre was anther touristy store called Mora. Once again nice, lots of glitz and glamour. There was one other store on the same street that I visited but I forget the name. All of these stores were fun to see, but I saved the best for last.





Once again, this relates to Julia Child. Her favorite cookware store when she lived here wasthe venerable E. Dehillerin (E.Dehillerin :COOKWARE - STOCK POT & COOKER - SAUCEPAN - KNIVES - DEHILLERIN) which has been operating since the 1820's. She was a sucker for copper ware and this is where she fed her fetish for anything copper. Often described as "the greatest cookware store in the world", this store is unique in many respects. It displays its goods in a no frills warehouse style fashion with things hanging and piled everywhere in disarray. There are no price tags and the only way to shop is to use their salesmen who walk around with you as you point out the items that you want. If one is interested in cookware, this is a must see when in Paris.

At the end of the day I left empty handed because with the Dollar/Euro exchange rate I can do much better back home, and the thought of lugging more stuff home is unpleasant. Frankly, I wanted everything and couldn't really choose one small item over another to buy. Hopefully I won't regret it.

After leaving E. Dehillerin, I ran in to a global warming demonstration. I hung around for a while, listened to some French protesting ,and took in some evocative tambourine music. Having gotten my fix, I headed back home.

Saturday Night

I decided on a quiet night at home with my leftover steak fillets when I received a text from Alan to meet up in St Germain for some oysters and beer with Will, Jennifer, and Kelsey. So, I headed out on a drizzly night. Walking across Pont Neuf to get to Alan's place, I paused to take in the scene below of the Seine and the Eiffel in the background. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am actually living in Paris.

View Standing on Pont Neuf

It's oyster season here and Parisans's love and celebrate their oysters in a grand style. Wewalked to a restaurant near Alan's place where we had awful service, but the food was decent. Here is Alan with the fashion queens after dinner en route to an ice cream shop.

Afterward it was off to Jorge and Eduardo's place to their party for one drink. The guys have a cool pad on the top floor of a high rise along the Seine right next to the mini statue of liberty. Both of the guys will continue on after Basic Cuisine for the entire diploma program, so I think many more parties will follow at this apartment.

Carnage of oysters, prawns, sea urchins,

crabs, and a few other creatures

The Kids

The view from the apartment of Pont Grenelle

and the mini Statue of Liberty

Jennifer and her roommate Nancy

Eduardo and Yolanda

I stuck to my one drink program despite lots of pressure to get "the old guy" to do tequila shots! Been there, done that...not a pretty sight! The party decided to relocate to a bar at which time I chose to part ways with the group. I was running out of steam and could not keep up with the "kids". It was another great weekend.

3rd Weekend Off

SATURDAY

Dinner at Il Gusto Sardo

It was a great weekend for socializing despite the intermittent drizzle. On Saturday night Julia and her husband Steve invited a few of us for a very welcomed Italian meal at il gusto SARDO, a great little restaurant in the 16th Arrondissement. It was a nice change to see one another in regular clothes after almost 3 weeks of looking at each other in white. Besides Steve and Julia, the group consisted of the inseparable Asian contingent (Jennifer, Yuka, and Kelsey),  Alan, Will, and myself. As any other like-minded group, every

conversation regardless of topic would eventually morph into a Cordon Bleu story. Poor Steve was a good sport taking in an earful of our stories the entire night. We ordered 8 plates of various meat plates, and salads for Antipasti and shared them family style. Then for the main course we were presented with an array of pastas of all shapes and colors. I had a black pasta dish with shrimp and tomatoes pictured to the right. It was delicious! Classic Italian desserts followed for I Dolci. The wine of choice for the night, selected by Steve, was a Chianti Classico with the trademark rooster label. It was truly a feast. What a nice way to celebrate the mid-point of our time in Paris. Thanks Steve and Julia for a wonderful night.

A good thing must not end. So, we all took the metro and came over to my place for a little more wine and of course more LCB stories. We managed a quick photo shoot in the Metro as the train pulled in to the station. It would be easy to underestimate these innocently pretty faces, but collectively they pack an impressive resume. Represented here is an MBA from Cornell, Statistics major from Berkley, Finance major from USC, and a Systems Engineer from Japan. WOW! And they can cook too :)

The Girls at the Metro

SUNDAY

On Sunday, Alan, determined to have a Holiday meal, invited a bunch of us to his apartment in the 6th Arr. for a belated Thanksgiving meal. He spent most of Saturday buying and prepping a turkey and hunting down ingredients for the side dishes. Finding some of the traditional ingredients in Paris proved to be challenging. We all brought some breads, cheeses, and wine to add to the loot. Sjoerd, Who had just dropped Jayne off at the train station, was able to join us as well. He was like the Senior star dropping in to impart his wisdom to the Freshmen.

Apps

The Big Guy proudly posing by his spread before

being run down by the mob

The big guy Chef Alan assisted by Chef Will put together a very impressive feast. We were wowing the entire night. This Thanksgiving meal rivaled any past Thanksgiving meal I have ever had. The guys put together a Turkey, 2 kinds of stuffing, mac and cheese, gravy, spinach, and a pumpkin pie. Excellent! We were ALL impressed and very satiated. Steve even got the skin. I'll spare the rhetoric because the pictures capture the night more accurately. Thanks Alan and Will for hosting this event and all of your effort.

Jorge showing how it's done in Peru

Steve, Julia, Jorge, Will, Me, Kelsey, Jennifer, Sjoerd, and Eduardo.Picture taken by the Big Guy himself

What a great weekend. Isn't it amazing that none of us knew one another 3 weeks ago!

2nd Weekend Off

It can hardly be called a weekend with only Sunday off, but I am finding that after only 8 days of school my body is becoming very resilient and able to recover quickly from fatigue. So, today Sunday I put on my tourist hat again and headed out for some exploration of Paris.


My first stop was the Latin Quarter which is mostly in the 5th Arrondissement (and part in the 6th). It's noted for being the center of education and a hub of student social activity. I decided to loosely follow one of my "city walk" cards. I have a set of 50 different walking cards for Paris which Lynn was kind enough to loan me before I left CA. The cards are really convenient because they are so easy to carry, they contain a map, and also depict the metro stops for that area. Also, on the back of the card there is info on the major sights along the walk. My main goal was to see the Sorbonne. Where else can one see a University that was established in the 1200's! My other reason for visiting the University is that my grandfather, one aunt ,and my uncle (both my mom's siblings) are Sorbonne graduates. I also walked along Rue St Jacques to see if I could "feel" its rich history amid the modern bustle. Rue St Jaque was built by the Romans and was the first main road that led in and out of Paris. No luck with feeling the "rich history"! Too many years of modernization; however, there are preserved remnants of Roman Baths one block from the St. Michel Metro.  From there I headed to the Pantheon and spent some time admiring the architecture, seeing the crypt where French notables such as Voltaire and Madam Curie are encrypted, and finished by walking the nearby streets. I then jumped on the metro and headed for the 7th Arrondissement.

Sorbonne

81 Rue De Loo

My second destination was more about satisfying a personal quest. I have read Julia Child's

"My life in France" three times. This book is so inspirational to me for Julia Child really exemplifies the zest for life that we should all strive toward. In her book she discusses in detail her initial arrival in Paris and the first apartment she and her husband Paul rented on 81 Rue de L'Université. Prior to coming to Paris, I had promised myself that I would find her apartment and take a picture of it. So, like a pious worshiper making his pilgrimage toward some holy ground, I set off to find "81 Rue de Loo" as Julia referred to it. This is where it all began for Julia Child. She had never really cooked until she moved here and began to discover her fascination with French cuisine. It was also here where she began experimenting with her new found skills to eventually develop recipes for her first book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Sadly, there is no placard on the building commemorating the fact the Julia Child had once resided at the apartment, nor, from reading a previous article, are most of the building's residents even aware of that fact. After staring at the building long enough to absorb some of Julia's Karma to get me successfully through the next 4 weeks of school, I began to head home. Mission accomplished. (I know Sjoerd's wife jayne is smiling right now).

I stopped off at my local market along Rue de Bretagne and picked up some fruit and vegetables.

I am one of the assistants for the upcoming week which will add some difficulty to my routine. As the assistant, I have to arrive 30 minutes early for every practical to round up the ingredients for my group from the basement. Kelsey will also be an assistant.

My Naval Academy classmate Chris, a Delta pilot, has a Paris layover tomorrow night. We're planning to meet up in St-Germain-De-prés for a couple of drinks after my 10 hour day! I haven't seen Chris in 10 years, so I am really looking forward to seeing him.

1st Weekend Off

I have only had class for 2 days but I was happy for the weekend to arrive. Laundry was top priority. This is something I'll be doing a lot since I only have 3 uniform tops, 3 aprons, and 3 dish towels. They need to be kept clean because appearance and uniform cleanliness are part of the grading. The washer in this apartment is unlike any I have ever seen before. The knobs and dials on it were a complete mystery. Luckily the instructions are here in the apartment. Unluckily, they are in French. Thanks to cartoon drawings and about 30 minutes of translating, I was able to figure out how to use it for the first time a week ago. The wash cycle takes 2 to 3 hours depending on your temperature selection! Another peculiar aspect of many French apartments is their lack of a dryer! Don't ask me why. If I come back for the next course, I'll make sure to get a place with a dryer. So, my place resembles a shack in the barrios with clothes hanging all over the place.

Unrelated side note:  When I moved in here 2 weeks ago, I heard the sound of Opera from the apartment above. It was a mixture of Opera played on a stereo and the apartment resident actually singing along. I am no expert and opera is not my cup of tea, but they guy sounded pretty good... like a professional. At first I thought..this could be charming...European...a taste of Italy in France...Now, 2 weeks later, I want to KILL him! Luckily for me, I think he is employed, because I only seem to get the opera on a limited schedule. Now that I have vented.....

Sjoerd and Jayne invited me over for dinner last night (Saturday) along with Sjoerd's Intermediate Cuisine classmate Cristina from Spain. The dinner was focussed around Vacherin cheese. I researched the cheese before dinner so that I could match a nice wine with it and discovered a fascinating story on this cheese.  What makes the cheese special is that it's only available in the winter months. Additionally, since we are all intrigued by the forbidden, a tantalizing fact about Vacherin is that it was banned in the USA. Here is the history of the cheese if you're interested Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club - Cheese Club. Jayne placed the cheese in the oven to soften it and served it along with an array of veggies and fruits. We just drizzled it on the food. It was very tasty. The wine I brought was a White Burgundy which was recommended by my local wine shop as a match for the cheese. Cristina brought a delicious mixed berry tart to finish off the meal. Yum. Thanks for a nice dinner guys.  By the way, if you're interested in following Sjoerd's Intermediate Cuisine adventures you can visit his blog at Sjoerd's adventures @ Le Cordon Bleu Intermediate Cuisine Paris 2009 . He also has a link for his blog from his time in the Basic course last year which has a great assessment and summation of LCB.

Today I took a walk to the Sunday Bastille Market famed for being the largest street market in Paris. The market is located at Place de la Bastille where it runs along one of the streets that spoke out of the circle. As I neared the Bastille, I could see many people with their personal shopping carts in tow,  walking from all different directions toward the center of the  circle as if we were all being drawn by some magnet to the same spot. This was the place to be! It was enormous (think Seattle's Pike Street market times 10 or 20) with a dizzying selection of produce, fish, meats, herbs, etc...It was fun walking around and seeing the displays. I walked for about an hour and I am not sure that I actually saw the entire thing. I managed to load up on some goods for the week. I liked the look of this mushroom stand. Very cool! Below is a cheese vendor. I tasted some cheese from him, but did not buy any.

Musée d'Orsay

We had a fun day yesterday exploring a new section of Paris. We decided to roam the area of St-Germain-Des-Prés also known as the 6th Arrondissement. Beth had a craving for a museum so we decided to go to Musée d'Orsay which displays art between the periods of 1848-1914. Specifically we were interested in the impressionists which included Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, etc...The highlight of the museum was seeing the famous Van Gogh self-portrait seen on the right through Beth's camera.

We left the museum, and unknown to us, we were about to have our worst dining experience in Paris. We decided to eat at an Indian restaurant that we had seen on the way to the museum. We have had such great Indian food lately both in Montclair and during our visit to the UK, that we had high expectations for more. This place had a posh interior full of very authentic Indian art and decorations...it all hinted toward great food. WRONG! The waiter was coughing, wheezing, snorting, and wiping his nose. All the while he was handling our drinks, silverware, and food. I was squirming in my seat and wanted to run. Our food didn't resemble any Indian dish we have ever had, and my chicken was pink (raw). I saw myself contracting some grotesque mutation of Salmonella H1N1. The waiter saw my distress with the chicken and he took it away and brought the dish that I had actually ordered. Any way.. $75, later we left. Oh well!

We found a cafe and sat outside with drinks and took in some people watching at the base of Pont Royal. Feeling like Parisian veterans, Beth reminded me of our cafe experience on the first day....We were at a cafe and had finished our drinks. When the waiter brought our check, in my best and most confident French, I asked him for a pen. He looked at me confused..so I repeated "Avez vous La plume?" as I motioned writing with a pen to get my point across. Irritated he said "Le Stylo"!!!  and walked away. I quickly pulled out my dictionary to discover that I had asked for a "feather" instead of a "pen"! Ouch!....  Back to the present. After the cafe, we walked along the Seine under 9 bridges from St-Germain all the way to Ile St-Louis, across the small Ile St-Louis and then took the metro back home.

After some down time we went out to meet Sjoerd and Jayne back in the 6th Arr. The place was transformed at night into a lively and hip area full of cafes and restaurants. If felt as if it was Saturday night. We went to a great restaurant "La Jacobine". It was great fun meeting Sjoerd and Jayne. Sjoerd's stories about his LCB experiences last year had us laughing. The food, drinks, and company were all excellent.

Petit Déjeuner en français (Breakfast in French)

It's no secret that the French have a love affair with their pastries....and so do I. I have a boulangerie downstairs from the apartment that I have visited almost daily. It is run by a woman who is there every day diligently stocking her shelves with fresh goodies. She greets every person who enters her store with a "bonjour". She is neither cordial nor is she cold...she is just professional and serious about her pastries. "bonjour Madam, trois pain du chocolat et un baguette, s'il vous plaît" was my order this morning. It's quite possible that I will return home a tad heavier than when I left.

Le Marais

Sunday, a day to let my feet and body heal from all of the walking the last few days. That was the plan, but you can go a little stir crazy in such a small apartment. So, an hour before dusk I decided on a short walk to explore what is nearby my apartment. I am located in the northern tip of the 3rd Arrondisement or Le Marais on Rue De Temple. I decided on Place Des Vosges as my destination which is famed for its perfectly symmetrical four sided square of buildings which encloses a park as well as the location of Victor Hugo's house. I was surprised to find it a lively place with cafes and galleries on all four sides. This is a picture of one of the corners as viewed from the center of the park.

I decided to walk back along Rue des Francs Bourgeois

which turned out to be THE street to walk on a Sunday with all of its trendy shops and boutiques. It was a street to see and be seen. LOTS of people were on this narrow street...so much so that cars could not access the street. All of this was a 15 minute walk from my apartment. Below is a picture of this street (click on the picture for a blown up view to get the full effect of the mob scene).  An easy walk for an easy day. I hope to hit the Louvre tomorrow.

Bois De Boulogne

Today I spent the afternoon in Bois De Boulogne which is a park 2.5 times the size of NY's Central Park and is located on the western edge of Paris. I discovered this park by chance while I was viewing the entire city from atop the Eiffel tower yesterday. The green expanse was immediately noticeable amongst the sprawl of Paris. My guide books had not really mentioned this park as a destination, so it was a nice accidental discovery.  Every reference I did find on this park mentioned that the park transforms into a haven for prostitutes at night!

So off I went for a hike. It was a day of changing light and mood as the clouds and sun traded places. The park has many hiking routes, but I chose a short hike around one of its lakes "lac Inferior . In the middle of the lake is an island with a restaurant called "Chalet Des Iles" reachable by a small ferry that shuttles back and forth (the ride is only one minute long). I took the ferry and explored the trails on the small island. All in all it was a nice hike with the changing fall colors and was refreshing to have a nature experience right in the midst of bustling Paris. As the light faded, so did I in fear of being caught in the shift change from a peaceful park to a seedy brothel.

Not the Eiffel Tower!

Quick entry and picture before we head to bed. LOTS of walking and waiting today as we toured the Invalides and Eiffel areas. Despite the cliches and being a tourist mecca, there is something awe-inspiring and majestic about the Eiffel tower. It always brings forth a "wow" every time I get my first close-up glance. Today was no different as we approached it from the South. We managed to time our ascent of the tower perfectly with dusk. It was dark by the time we descended and the tower was all lit up. (no we did not go there on Harleys...reference the leather).

We also took in the military museum and the Dome Church where Napoleon's tomb is located. We wanted to see musee Rodin, but just did not have the time to fit it in today. We're both completely wiped out after today. Planning on a light day tomorrow.

Montmartre

Another fun day exploring. I spent the day in the Montmartre which sits at the highest point in Paris providing spectacular views of the entire city. It was also the bohemian hangout for many artists in the day. Although quite touristy, it's a quaint and charming area to stroll. I managed to take in a museum, toured Sacre'-Coeur, and watched the artists paint at PLace du Tetre. It started raining early afternoon, so I cut the day short and came back to the pad for the rest of the day. Here are a couple of pictures for the day.

The Show must go on, even in the rain at Place du Tetre

The only vineyard in Montmartre and maybe all of Paris

Paris!

I’m in Paris! After a bit of airline misfortune, I finally arrived to a foggy and drizzly Paris on Tuesday 3rd. I was met by the landlord’s nephew who was kind enough to greet me with some badly needed pastries and juice. I spent the first day just getting settled and sleeping. My first “ real" day is today and was spent exploring Ile De La Cite' and its noteworthy sights (Notre-Dame, Conciergeire, and Saint-Chapelle). I also managed a nice walk through Tulileries and Place De La Concorde since it was a rare sunny day. 

Can you find me?

I ended the day with a grocery shopping spree at the Monoprix. It was an experience since all of the products are so different from what we have at home. The French labels, unfamiliar products, store layout.....all of it will become my new normal but will take some time to acclimate. It took me a while to find all of the things I needed. I am trying my best to use my French without being embarrassed.

Apartment Hunting in Paris

I have finally settled on a place. My Annapolis classmate Dave & his wife Randi came to my rescue with a great apartment recommendation. They suggested a place where they had stayed last year on their Paris vacation. I contacted the owner and secured the place for my trip. It's actually a 1BR with all of the amenities and is located in the desirable Marais district (Arrondissement #4). The only real downside will be my daily 45 minute metro ride to get to school. This is a picture of the building.

I wanted to answer some questions that have been asked regarding the school and the curriculum. Le Cordon Bleu offers many courses but the heart of their curriculum are the pastry and cuisine programs. I am in the Cuisine program. The cuisine program consists of 3 courses (Basic, Intermediate, and Superior). Each course is 2 1/2 months long. Upon completion of all three, a student is awarded the prestigious "Diplome de Cuisine". Twice a year the Basic and the Intermediate courses are offered as "intensive" courses which essentially cram the same 10 weeks of info into 5 weeks. In the intensive course, classes are held 5 days a week instead of the normal 3 or 4 days a week. This format is designed for people like me who don't have the luxury of time to saunter through the program. I am enrolled in the intensive Basic Cuisine!!! (not a lot of free time) The routine is the same every day. The first 3 hours are spent watching a chef demonstrate in French (translated to English by a translator) several recipes and/or techniques followed by a 3 hour practical session (French only, no translator) where the students go to a kitchen and perform what they have just been taught. The session ends with the student presenting his/her plated "product" to the chef for tasting and a grade. The grading is very subjective and takes into account use of technique, presentation, sanitation, uniform cleanliness, etc.. Each student gets to bring home what they have made. This could help with the food bill:) The course ends with a final exam where the students cook one of the 30 or so taught recipes from memory as well as demonstrate a technique (like filleting a fish, or a rabbit). I know my friends Allen and Leslie who are strict vegetarians and huge animal lovers will disapprove of me hacking a bunny rabbit. Sorry guys...C'est la vie en France.

That's a lot of info for one day. Thanks for tuning in.

Apartment Hunt

The search for a suitable place to stay in Paris has been VERY time consuming. Given my budget, my need for a washer (2 chef uniforms that will need to be washed continuously), a stove and oven, cool location, and metro friendly area, etc...I have had to spend lots of hours scouring rental agency, Vacation by Owner, and Craigs List sites. I have been amazed at how many of my friends have friends or relatives that own a place in Paris! I had originally found a cool place in the Latin Quarter on the left bank, but unfortunately, it fell through. I have secured a new place, not as cool or hip, but it will do. It's in the 1st arrondissement which is near the Louvre and Les Halles on the right bank. In the process of scouring the ads I have discovered many pitfalls, so if anyone needs help in the future let me know. As an example, one of the confusing things about French building nomenclature is the floor numbering system. All the ads refer to the "French 1st floor", or the "French 2nd floor". This one is on the French 4th floor which apparantly means the 5th floor in the U.S. System (I hope). As my prospective guests can see, there's not a lot of room here (hint), so my ability to accomodate is very limited:)