So no one knew about the big surprise I had in store for my mom over Easter. Seeing as Mom has had a run of bad luck lately I decided to take my 4 days off and surprise her. Now before you get all offended I really only had time for family. In 4 days I spent 17 hours on a plane, 6 hours in the airport, 5 hours on a train, and 4 hours in a car. So of my four day break almost a day and a half were spent traveling in some sort of way. So I do not want to hear any of you whining about how I didn't make time for you. With all that being said I have one a announcement... PEPE IS IN PARIS!!! A Pepe blog to follow, in short he is loving being among his people.
Mom was very surprised, surprised to the point of speechless. And for thoes of you who know Pam Brewster it is not easy to render her speechless. Sylvie was smart enough to video the reveal and as soon as I receive the video I will post it.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
A bunny's demise
**Disclaimer** Do not read if you are a fan of the Easter bunny or do not have a twisted sense of humor. If you happen to fall in the latter category we need to seriously think about our friendship...
That being said let me tell you all about the braised rabbit with mustard sauce I made on Friday. The recipe is very basic, once the rabbit is broken down you have to season the meat, lightly flour and then brown the meat in a saute pan, braise in liquid made froma jus of browned rabbit bones, veal stock, and assorted vegtable.
But it is the breaking down that adds humor to the story. A bit of background, rabbits in France are sold with their lungs, liver, kidneys in the body cavity and the rabbits also still have their heads. This is not done just so French chefs can take their aggression out on the poor bunny; it is actually done because in the 1960's disease swept through the rabbits of France causing the organs and the head to become enlarged. Rabbits are sold with heads and organs intact to prove that the rabbit is not diseased.
This being said at 8:30 on Friday morning my basket of ingredients included this alien looking rabbit, without the cute tail and floppy ears the rabbit resembles the killer rabbit from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" The rabbit remised of his fuzzy bunny like qualities looked rather evil, don't you think....
Anyway step one is take the meat cleaver and remove the rabbits head, this may sound like an easy task but cleavers are heavy so that you don't have to use a large back swing, well it being so early after a late night my neighbor forgot this fact and hacked at his rabbit causing blood to spatter all over Chef's jacket, not a way to beginning the day, we don't think his presentation grades will be good. And on the other side of me my friend Carter was whistling "Little Bunny Foo Foo". So after the head ios gone the legs come off and saddle is removed and cooked. The rest of the rabbit, minus the head are chopped up to make the base of the sauce. So needless to say: "Little bunny foo-foo hopping thought the Cordon Bleu, scooped up by students who are whacking off his head"
This is not a story you want to tell your children the week before easter, this week I also stuffed chicken breast with an egg mousse, I am being to think that the lesson planners at Le Cordon Bleu have as sick a sense of humor as I do, this could be a dangerous relationship.
That being said let me tell you all about the braised rabbit with mustard sauce I made on Friday. The recipe is very basic, once the rabbit is broken down you have to season the meat, lightly flour and then brown the meat in a saute pan, braise in liquid made froma jus of browned rabbit bones, veal stock, and assorted vegtable.
But it is the breaking down that adds humor to the story. A bit of background, rabbits in France are sold with their lungs, liver, kidneys in the body cavity and the rabbits also still have their heads. This is not done just so French chefs can take their aggression out on the poor bunny; it is actually done because in the 1960's disease swept through the rabbits of France causing the organs and the head to become enlarged. Rabbits are sold with heads and organs intact to prove that the rabbit is not diseased.
This being said at 8:30 on Friday morning my basket of ingredients included this alien looking rabbit, without the cute tail and floppy ears the rabbit resembles the killer rabbit from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" The rabbit remised of his fuzzy bunny like qualities looked rather evil, don't you think....
This is not a story you want to tell your children the week before easter, this week I also stuffed chicken breast with an egg mousse, I am being to think that the lesson planners at Le Cordon Bleu have as sick a sense of humor as I do, this could be a dangerous relationship.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
A potpourri of thoughts
Well you all have been asking what class is like, so here are some pictures of Chef Bruno teaching us how to make duck terrine
I know you all also wanted to see me in uniform so this is all you are going to get
Even thought I swore that I would never use the bike rental system here in Paris I have used them and I actually really like the system. I have defied all odds and offially ridden the bikes, ejoyed it, and most importantly lived to tell the story.
We biked to the Rodin museum, art never ceases to amazing me
Last thought is, it is really mean when your elevator looks like the elevator of horror and the placard for floor 3 and floor 5 look very similar. I mean seriously would you get in this elevator?
I know you all also wanted to see me in uniform so this is all you are going to get
Even thought I swore that I would never use the bike rental system here in Paris I have used them and I actually really like the system. I have defied all odds and offially ridden the bikes, ejoyed it, and most importantly lived to tell the story.
We biked to the Rodin museum, art never ceases to amazing me
Last thought is, it is really mean when your elevator looks like the elevator of horror and the placard for floor 3 and floor 5 look very similar. I mean seriously would you get in this elevator?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Versailles
There is an amazing, awe inspiring aura created by the gardens at Versailles. Even with all the tourists the gardens and the fountains are still close to unbelievable. I will let the pictures speak for themselves...
Friday, April 8, 2011
Domestication
I don't know whether it is cooking school, or Paris but something this side of the Atlantic is domesticating me. I know many of you won't believe it but I now iron on a regular basis. Well that is purely out of nessecity, if my favortie Chinese dry-cleaning brothers where here in Paris and could gaurengtee my pants and chef's coat would be cleaned, pressed, and delivered on time I may never have bought the iron. But alas they are not here in Paris with me and I have gotten very adept at ironing my things.
Today I also completed my window boxes, yes I infact successful planted 3 window boxes and 4 pots of geraniums all by myself, now while my apartment floor did not fair so well the flowers look lovely. And seeing as it is about 70 degrees here in Paris my newly traspalted flowers sould bloom wonderfully.
Did I happen to mention that I also roasted a chicken this morning, accompanied by a lovely turned artichoke filled with garden vegetables sauteed with butter.
I am not claiming any domestic goddess title but without Gramercy Park Cleaners, and Rosa around I have managed to become quite the self sufficient girl.
Today I also completed my window boxes, yes I infact successful planted 3 window boxes and 4 pots of geraniums all by myself, now while my apartment floor did not fair so well the flowers look lovely. And seeing as it is about 70 degrees here in Paris my newly traspalted flowers sould bloom wonderfully.
Did I happen to mention that I also roasted a chicken this morning, accompanied by a lovely turned artichoke filled with garden vegetables sauteed with butter.
I am not claiming any domestic goddess title but without Gramercy Park Cleaners, and Rosa around I have managed to become quite the self sufficient girl.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Crab Bisque
Yesterday I made crab bisque, I had no idea crab bisque was such a violent soup. Bet you didn't either, well let me explain the process...
First you have to tackle your ingredients, the crabs do not come cooked and red, these little guys are actually alive. Once you have decided to cook this lovely soup you have to gather your ingredients, seems pretty simple until you watch a dozen or so Cordon Bleu culinary students chasing after these crabs all over the kitchen. I never thought I would come to Paris and work so hard to catch crabs, lol. I kid you not my crabs were trying to commit suicide by jumping off the counter, a few latched on to other ingredients, one had a death grip on my celery and sadly lost an appendage as a result. It is as if these crabs knew what their fate would be.
Now the crabs have to be cooked, having grown up in New England I have seen my fair share of seafood go into pots of boiling water, and as some of you know I have also saved by share of lobsters. However in order to rid the crabs of their impurities they must be blanched, blanched mean brought to a boil from cold water, so yes I put my lovey little crabs into a pot that slowly became the hot tub of death, probably best seeing as what comes next.
After the crabs have been brought to a boil, they are now that lovely red color we all know means dead for crustaceans. Now the crabs are cut in half and tossed in a saute pan with hot butter and pan fried. See the little guys are not fairing well, the crabs are then crushed using a mortar and pestle, primitive unh? Crushed crabs are then put back in the saute pan, add cognac, they could probably use liquor at this point, and then I flambe the little suckers, yes the French trust me with a bagful of knives, liquor, and fire all in the same room. Silly french people. Well the crabs are almost at the end of their painful journey, add some white wine, some fish stock, season and blend in blender. A few more steps and you have crab bisque, the crabs have been sufficiently pulverized.
Just to recap the violence, scare crabs enough they want to commit suicide, put them in hot tub of death, guillotine them in half, pan fry, crush barbarically, light on fire, and finally blend into a liquid.
I would like to take this moment to thank the crabs for going through all that to make a delicious soup.
First you have to tackle your ingredients, the crabs do not come cooked and red, these little guys are actually alive. Once you have decided to cook this lovely soup you have to gather your ingredients, seems pretty simple until you watch a dozen or so Cordon Bleu culinary students chasing after these crabs all over the kitchen. I never thought I would come to Paris and work so hard to catch crabs, lol. I kid you not my crabs were trying to commit suicide by jumping off the counter, a few latched on to other ingredients, one had a death grip on my celery and sadly lost an appendage as a result. It is as if these crabs knew what their fate would be.
Now the crabs have to be cooked, having grown up in New England I have seen my fair share of seafood go into pots of boiling water, and as some of you know I have also saved by share of lobsters. However in order to rid the crabs of their impurities they must be blanched, blanched mean brought to a boil from cold water, so yes I put my lovey little crabs into a pot that slowly became the hot tub of death, probably best seeing as what comes next.
After the crabs have been brought to a boil, they are now that lovely red color we all know means dead for crustaceans. Now the crabs are cut in half and tossed in a saute pan with hot butter and pan fried. See the little guys are not fairing well, the crabs are then crushed using a mortar and pestle, primitive unh? Crushed crabs are then put back in the saute pan, add cognac, they could probably use liquor at this point, and then I flambe the little suckers, yes the French trust me with a bagful of knives, liquor, and fire all in the same room. Silly french people. Well the crabs are almost at the end of their painful journey, add some white wine, some fish stock, season and blend in blender. A few more steps and you have crab bisque, the crabs have been sufficiently pulverized.
Just to recap the violence, scare crabs enough they want to commit suicide, put them in hot tub of death, guillotine them in half, pan fry, crush barbarically, light on fire, and finally blend into a liquid.
I would like to take this moment to thank the crabs for going through all that to make a delicious soup.
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