French Dinner Party For Three

Last night I recreated the meal Katy and I learned at our cooking class in Paris for my friends Clara and Alex.  It started off a bit American though with a cheese board before dinner (quel horreur!) with smuggled products from Paris.  Then I served cauliflower soup with Roquefort (smuggled as well).  Dinner was leek and mushroom stuffed lamb with snap peas and roasted baby potatoes.  All very simple and hearty.  Just the thing for a cold winter evening in Botswana.  For desert I served lemon and orange curd over rounds of pate brise.  We had a lovely time.

View from our apartment

Katy and I shared a very sweet little pied à terre for the week.

Paris, je t'aime

I've had a lovely week in Paris.  Every time I come back I discover new places and never tire of revisiting the old and familiar ones.

Morning Croissant

This morning our corner boulangerie was closed and Katy had to run around Montmartre looking for another one to satisfy our croissant habit.  Katy and I enjoy all good croissants but what she brought back today was quite special.  It's a chocolate croissant filled with almond paste and then doused in some kind of alcohol.  You'd think butter, chocolate, and almonds would be enough for most Parisians in the morning but I suppose even that can come to seem normal.

Cooking with Rebeka

Today Katy and I took a French cooking class.  We met up with a small group of people and Rebeka, our teacher for the day.  She led us to the market where we bought all our ingredients for lunch.  One of our fellow students let a vegetable vender get a bit flirtatious with her and a cucumber.  

I just can't get over how fresh and perfect market food is in Paris.  I would buy fish and seafood like this every week.  

Once we got to the kitchen we started working straight away on a fennel and herb stuffing for our jambon cru wrapped lamb shoulder.  We threw fingerling potatoes around the roast and let it cook.  Then we made a gently seasoned cauliflower and Roquefort soup.  

We finished cooking and sat down to eat our lunch.  We had a really nice group of fellow cooks.  Some were younger, some were older.  They were French, Australian, and American.  After lunch we had cheese accompanied by a cheese appreciation course (which was unnecessary pour moi).  

After lunch Katy and I said our goodbyes and went straight to Le Bon Marche for a mini-shopping spree.  I actually held myself back from one dangerous purchase.  Katy says she doesn't see my restraint but I hope after this afternoon I proved to her that I am able to walk away from a lovely and lively floral print dress and keep my Mastercard firmly in my wallet.  

Tomorrow is our last day in Paris.  

Deyrolle

Last night Katy and I had dinner at Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier.  On the way we walked past the famous Deyrolle which sells all sorts of taxidermy.  A few years ago I bought a beautiful mounted moth for my father.  If you look closely, you can see the giraffe from the open window on the second floor.

Day Trip to Reims

Today Katy and I hopped on the TGV and went to Reims where all kings in France were coronated.  Straight off the train we strolled to the majestic cathedral and tried to remember all our art history classes on French gothic architecture.  Behind the altar Katy gasped and then squeaked out, "Is that Chagall?"  Before us were three Chagall stained glass windows with imagery connecting the New and Old Testament, the holy spirit, and Christ, all in an otherworldly, ancient blue.  I don't think I've ever stumbled upon anything so special.

We then took a taxi to Les Crayeres for a lovely lunch.