My heart is pounding out of my chest as I sit here on the shuttle bus to Beauvais airport and the the bus turn signal which actually sounds like a failing heart monitor isn't helping. First, I just took a taxi ride through the roundabout of the Arc de Triomphe. The driver actually turned the car perpendicular to the rest of traffic at one point--talk about a once in a lifetime experience. Second, I'm on my next leg of the journey to an airport I've never been to (I eased myself into this adventure with London & Paris having been to both before), to a country I've never been to, speaking a language I don't even know how to say "hello" in, yet.
Back to the duck fat...last night we attended an evening market and cooking class taught by a professional chef, Constance. We received a lovely overview of French cheeses while standing in a fromage or cheese shop.
Did you know...
~Goat cheese from the south of France was rolled in ash to protect it from birds and humidity (now it's tradition).
~There are 2 traditional kinds of brie named for the towns where they are made. Meaux - produced in a large wheel so you find this in long skinny slices. Melun - a smaller wheel with a browner crust that has a stronger flavor.
~Double cream Brie is 70% fat as opposed to all other cheeses that are 45% fat.
~That cheese with a wet looking rind has been regularly washed or coated in wine or alcohol specific to the region.
So there is your little cheese lesson for the day. After visiting the butcher, the fish monger, the grocer and the boulangerie we went off to cook.
We shucked our own scallops, cleaned and seasoned duck breast, tried to put too much butter into the potato foam, turned a perfect circle of pastry into something resembling the USA, enjoyed wonderful company and ate like royalty.
Le Menu
Scallops with leeks and onions
Duck breast on potato foam with parsnips in orange sauce
Beautiful butter with beautiful bread
Cheese course (the one covered in black ash was the class favorite)
Chocolate tart
Voila! Tres Bon!
And now......I'm in Norway!
That is chef Constance next to me. She will soon be posting videos to YouTube with cooking demonstrations. I will so be watching. And I would recommend this company for Paris cooking classes. Small, great info and great food: cook'n with class.
How fun! And the food sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteHave fun in Norway!
This sounds amazing! So jealous of the cooking class. Your taxi ride reminds me of when I drove a rental car in paris. We actually had to drive perpendicular to get through and I thought my mom was going to cry! It was some intense driving!
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