Cookin' with the Classy!

I could not wait to get up and going this morning, even the anticipation of the cold that would greet me on flipping back the covers did not deter me! Today is our cooking class with Cooking with Class, the same school in which I did classes with in May! I could not wait to see Pino and lean a few new things! Megan was pretty excited too, but when she decided to go for a run, I had to remind her what time we needed to leave. Her own mother is probably less bossy than I! She came back with a croissant for me, declaring the streets slick. They were indeed slush covered and slippery. The metro was packed and I love looking at the faces I see there and wondering what their life is like, are they happy, do they have a similar fascination with the States that the one I have with France. At one point we waited and waited in the Metro car until we were late! Eventually we arrived and all traipsed off to the market area after introductions! It was great to see Pino again and I learned new stuff this time too, even in the cheese shop! The vegetables were certainly different, some just not there, others packaged rather than fresh from local growers. The leeks were magnificent and the radishes lovely. Don’t EVEN ask me what accompanied the radishes in the photo, I have no idea. They do look rather phallic don’t they?

We choose to prepare, with guidance from Pino, Rabbit with vegetables on Mache (Pea Greens - some sort of lettuce) with a sauce from the braising juices for an appetizer, Followed by Scallops (coral and all) and Sander en papillote with julienne vegetables and saffron sauce. Accompanied with Veloute of Jerusalem Artichokes. I am just not a bone girl and am still feeling one of those pesky little bones in the back my throat! The stinker is that Pino let me clean the fish and check for bones, smart man! Still I did my best and it was full of tiny little needle like bones. The Scallops, veggies and Veloute were great though! Making the Veloute, I found yet another toy I think I need in my kitchen, an immersion blender! Next was the cheese course, which this school does and does well! There were about 12 kids of cheese and most of them new to me! My favorite was one flavored with Nocello! For dessert we prepared a Tart Tatain! A new one for me to cook, and it was decidedly good.

There were four other lovely ladies in our class as well, Susan, Susan, Jackie and Donna, and after class Jackie and Donna (daughter and mother) wanted to go to the cooking stores. I was on a mission, I have been fearful about using the rolling pin I inherited from my grandmother. I could just see striking the croissant dough wrong and hitting the granite counter rather than the dough! I could imagine wood splinters and my grief at destroying it. For this reason (among others) a rolling pin was a the top of my list. Also on the “List “ were chocolate sticks for Pain Au Chocolate, not my favorite but of you like it! In addition I had been toying with the idea of a copper pot. I am elated to tell you that it was a successful adventure, at least for today. The pot and chocolate are not lightweight and I am hope I am equally happy with them on the plane ride home! We had toyed with options for the evening, but after experience frozen derrieres, we decided to stay in and relax, maybe even thaw out. Retrospectively we both agree that it was an excellent idea!

Snowfall in Paris

Market day at La Grenelle Piquette is my favorite, I like it better than all the others, even the one near the apartment on Boulevard Richard Lenoir. When we emerged from the Metro today it was snowing, big plump juicy flaked that stuck to our hair. It was lovely!

Once inside the market, which is covered for the most part by the metro which at this point runs above the street, we hardly noticed. I found another pair of lovely red shoes!, just like my green ones. So comfy! Of course I had to purchase a scarf or two and we found these great hair “thingies” that the lady showed us how to use, AND gave us a deal! I bought some more fois gras and we just snooped! My great clothing guy was not there this time, but how can one tell in a market with a coat on what will fit and not anyway? I am curious to know what these lovely blue flowers are, so if anyone has any idea, let me know!

Monoprix was next, I left home with enough room in my suitcase to import some of that wonderfully smelly Peach and Lilac toilet paper. Megan laughed and then decided to purchase some for a friend who is a GI physician. No so funny after all!

There is a store on Rue Cler which had a item I wanted from last May and we walked to it just in case they might still have it. Alas they did not, but the walk took us by the Eiffel tower which was lovely with the Champs du MArs covered in show! There is a lovely flower shop which had all its goods out to be blanketed in the precipitous snow. The roses were draped in show, and someone had taken the time to build a tiny snowman right there! Of course the shop is trying to make sure that they have plenty of opportunities for lovers with Valentines day approaching.

I wanted to see if the pizza tarts from the patisserie around the corner were as good as I remembered and so for lunch I had a pizza tart and salad, Megan had a Salmon and Cucumber Pita sandwich.

Resting led us right back out into the frigid weather and more cold as went to the Cluny . It had snowed more and the streets were actually a little slick! Visiting the Cluny again, gave me the opportunity to find the fine print, small things, expressions you might miss on a first run through. Gazing at the Lady and Unicorn Tapestries are always special, though I think Megan was ready to go long before I. I never fail to be enchanted with the expressions on the faces of the Lady and her maid, the Unicorn, Lion and other animals in the patisseries. To be as old as they are and to have the hughes that are present still in the fabric, the vibrant colors also always amaze me.

We have a mutual friend (that could be a song) whose sister is teaching English here, so we met Julia for dinner at Le Bistro D’Henri. It was a quiet little place where the menu is still on a chalkboard that is carried form table to table. There are about twelve tables, maybe! On the walls I noticed that some of the painting resembled the people who worked there! The amusee bouche (a little goodie one often gets before a meal heres) was some local summer sausage. Julia and I had the Margaret de Canard in a honey sauce, which came with some fabulous potatoes. Megan had Sea Bass and the same potatoes, she reports that it was good. For dessert we shared a compote of pear and plums. A nice way to finish the meal. The price was right, the atmosphere charming and the food good, a successful suggestion, Julia!

Invasion: Golden Arches and St. Valentine's Day!

This morning started with snow! Augh, I thought I escaped it! The weather forecast said 40’s, not 30’s! I did not have the backbone to go out in the snow to get croissants! So we went to a Brioche Doree for a quick bite. I KNOW better than to hit up fast food, French or American, and yet I did it. The whole thing was a hoot, I only wanted water to drink, but with the typical ability of the French to be passive aggressive, no one would refill the empty water pitcher. I stood and stood, and finally decided that maybe if I made myself a big enough pain they would get it for me just to get rid of me, but no! So finally the manager came out and I asked him to fill the pitcher, he did, but once I was seated the pitcher disappeared! LOL

BHV with is by the Hotel Du Ville is a HUGE department store and I like it as much, maybe more than Sanmartine ( I don’t know it is closed for renovation for 5 years and I am beginning to forget......).

What I like about BHV is that I can buy french CD’s there and even more importantly listen to the music prior to purchase. I had seen a female singer advertised in the Metro and thought, maybe? Since I could listen I have been saved from the sounds of a drunk cat who just fell, if you get my drift. I did buy some great stuff, though I am not sure Megan shares my point of view. So far she has not told me that I have to turn it off! We shopped and shopped for quite a while. After investigating each flow with the precision of a good SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) we went on out merry way.

We strolled up the Rue Du Rivoli and ended up in the local C&A, we browsed along the way. Megan noticed the humor of the “Golden Arches” FInally we jumped on the Metro and went to the Laduree near the Madeline for a snack. I had Marie Antoinette Tea and Macarons. Megan had cafe au liat and a eclair. It is a lovely atmosphere. St. Valentines day is everywhere, in the athletic shoe stores, in the patisseries, stationers and even in the Bridal Shoppes. We then strolled back looking at the souvenir shops along the Rue du Rivoli and took the Metro home. After a brief rest we were hungry so we made use of the list Jan left and moseyed to the Blue Elephant. It is a Thai restaurant located very near the apartment. It was rather expensive, i thought, but good. I had Thom Ka Kahi soup and a bowl of rice to mix in, it was very good. The decor was lovely and the people there had gone out of their way to decorate for Valentines day! While we were there I had a birds eye view of a dapper French fellow with 3 beautiful “Women” He reminded me of Hugh Hefner and the “bunnies” out for Thai! On our way out the door we were each handed a lovely stem of orchids! Good food, lovely scenery and entertainment, maybe they charged for it all?

Eating at the Eiffel Tower in New Boots

This morning, late, was another fabulous Parisian breakfast. Cheese, Croissant, Chausson au Pomme, Pear and Orange and Cafe au lait. Finally we got up, moving and walked to the MOno Prix, I think Megan loved it! We bought some groceries that we could not buy at the market, shopped and poked until we had our bellies full. We both bought a pair of boots on the way back, poked and snooped in several shoppes and then came back had some gouda crackers and a glass of the wine we had purchased at the Monoprix. We both had to wear our new boots to dinner at the Tour Eiffel, Megan’s new blue suede and my black leather! We were quite a pair! We got there, with 1800 reservations and to my consternation were sold a ticket for 1630, The two little twits at the gate were pretty unhelpful and finally I asked a young woman in the Eiffel Tower uniform of the day about our ascent and she said she thought we were in the right place and that seating was not until 1900. We waited in the cold a while, and she came back and told me ( Megan had popped into the gift shop) that we were in the correct place that that they would not serve until 1900 anyway, so we were good. She was so kind!

The Eiffel Tower restaurants are newly under the management of Alain Ducasse, and I was a little uncertain about quality. It is better than ever, We had pre purchased our dinner and I was a little concerned about beverages, being nickeled and dimed to death. But no, my fears were nutty! I had Foi Gras with a fabulous grape pear marmalade, and Megan had smoked salmon with a potato waffle, We both had seared scallops with braised endive, and polenta with chestnuts, followed by a ‘’Crousti Eiffel’’ chocolat/praliné for me and a Vacherin poire/marron for Megan. We had a glass of Champagne to start, a free flowing bottle ow wine and when we did not leave in time for the next service they moves us and the bottle of wine to another comfortable accommodation in the restaurant! The waiter was a cutie and he treated us well, very well! All in all a very good expenditure!

On the way out I had to make a honorary visit to the bathroom for Joey and while I was there I found a fabulous new hand dryer, the only one better in the states is the one at Chicago's Pizza. This one, however, did not blow the skin off your face while it is blowing!

After we were going to have a carousel ride, but alas it was closed for the evening. ON the way I found, though, that Jodi could come here and reinvent street repair as they are still painting the cross walks by hand! What? Megan wanted to help! What a fun evening. When we got back here Megan wanted just one tinsey drink more so we went to the place I watched a cute little gray MOuse in May and she bought a princely Gin Fizz. Princely because the bill precipitously made her fall out of her chair! LOL Only in Paris is a fine wine less expensive than a gin drink!

Steak Tartare a la St. Valentin

We arrived, got here uneventfully, are oriented to the apartment, been to the ATM and have been to the market! For lunch Megan had a spinach and salmon quiche and I a pork tenderloin and mushroom dish we got from the guy I call the Deli man at the market!

After Megan took a bath and I prissed around in the apartment and got all my stuff stowed, we went to Notre Dame for the pre-vespers organ concert. On the way there in the Chatelet metro station was the same bunch of musicians from last May playing classical music that fills the tunnels of the metro with glorious classical music. Each week at Notre Dame have a guest organist and the concert is free. To my chagrin, this evening the organist had picked out some rather soothing music and some rather raucous music. So I would get almost soothed to sleep and then the erie, dissonant organ cords would begin again! Megan got a kick out of watching (and participating) people dozing off and then heads shoot to attention over and over with the cadence of the music. We decided to skip vespers rather than sleep through it. We strolled down the street beside the cathedral to one of my favorites places to get coffee or hot chocolate in Paris, Le Fleur en Isle. The place was packed and why not, my hot chocolate was fabulous and it was warm in side!

We set for Monoprix, as there is not a heck of a lot to TP in the house, but it was closed and Megan had to visit the WC and guess what. None available to tourists! So dinner was in store at Bofinger. IT was so fun, they seated us immediately ( the benefit of being here in the winter) and Megan asked where the rest room was. Before I could respond the waiter told her that there was not one. The look on her face was priceless! He flirter with us all evening. Gotta love those French men! Megan was able to live into her dietary preferences as was I. She had Lobster Bisque, Salmon with noodles and shared an apple and hazelnut clafouti. I had Fois Gras, followed by Steak Tartare. My steak tartare was brought to me in the shape of a heart! Just mine too, we watched a dozen other go by and not one was as lovely as mine!

Saturday January 6, 2010 12:00

Thursday evening I drove home from my manicure quite self satisfied. I had had a massage the Friday before, my toes pampered and my hair pinked up on Saturday, and today my fingers are glossily beautiful. I was ready to see my other love, Paris. Self satisfaction NEVER is a good thing for me, things always fall apart after. Always. So a few minutes later when my phone rang and Orbitz TLC was telling me that my flight, that was not due to take off for over 24 hours, was cancelled, I was not surprised. Now about 36 hours later I am sitting in Chicago’s O’Hare airport rather than at the craft market near the apartment in Paris. That 36 hours included a two and a half stint on the phone with an impatient young woman at the Orbitz office, sleeping in ( at least until 6:00 rather than 4:00) in disgust, and a winter snow storm. That storm required shoveling, once, twice and again this morning. Fortunately I am surrounded by angels with the faces of LIsa, JOdi and a couple of neighbor hood kids. THese angels helped, assisted and just did it for me. This morning I did manage in my frustration to take a moment and enjoy the beauty of the quiet pristine blanked of diamonds that covered the earth. And then I scooped them up and threw them aside.

I will believe until I hear it form God’s own voice that our plane was used in another way and not really grounded due to bad weather! I think that it made a trip to Miami instead of Philadelphia. That rather chaps my derriere as I really have no use for football ( yes I have been to a game or two and I do enjoy looking at the gluteal aspect of the players) begin with and to think that is was used to promote drunken revelry ( thanks Laura) rather than to take me any my friend Megan to Philly, Well that adds insult to injury. What really made e angry though was that if I am correct in my thinking the airlines lied to me and that makes me MAD! But Cie la Vie, I am sure that others will lie to me before life if over and we are on our way!

8:32 PM Indianapolis time

The chaos continues! I am in seat 39 J, at the back of the plane, Megan and I are separated, there is no one beside me, but why invite her back to this hell? The “gentlemen” in front of me both have their seats reclining to the max, so I am kissing their seats, and have no way to escape! I would try to sleep lying down a little but there it this large round protuberance stinking out from the arm rest.

I am beginning to wonder whose wheaties I have voided in? Seriously, Jodi promised me this morning that it would all get better from the airport, maybe she meant at Charles De Gaul. The Airline staff were better suited to roles in the US Army than as customer service representatives! And I am amazed at the myriad of ways United Airlines had managed to nickel and dime their customers to death. This all has be bamboozled.