Big Day in Paris

April 30.

A very relaxing morning in our apartment, feeling like we're home, catching up on blogging, having breakfast, and deciding on our approach to public transport.

Once we got going we made a beeline for the nearby Auchan grocery store to finish stocking up on food for the remainder of the trip. After dropping our groceries off at the apartment we then headed off to the Metro, heading up to Place Nation where we bought our 3-day transport passes and hopped on line 1 to Saint-Paul.

Saint-Paul stop

near Saint-Paul

It's strawberry season!

From Saint-Paul we made our way on foot to Place des Vosges for coffee and a pastry at Carette, a popular spot for pastries, coffee, lunch and more.

Place des Vosges

Carette

Susie had fraiser and I had a chocolate éclair

By the time we left the cafe it was getting on to the meet up time for our cooking class. We walked to the Bastille and took the no. 5 to Gare d'Austerlitz thinking we would connect to the 10 which would take us right to our meeting point at Mabillon Metro station. Well, as is sometimes the case with the Paris Metro, things didn't quite work out that way -- we got stymied by the ongoing major renovation of the train station and ended up returned to the 5 back to the 1 to the 4. Unusually convoluted and a bit frustrating but hey we have the passes!

We arrived at the meetup point early so we strolled around the nearby Marché Saint-Germain. Built some two centuries ago and renovated numerous times since, this large square building with porticos on all four sides hosts a variety of shops, including a florist, an Apple store, an Epic grocery store and an indoor market with a variety of food stalls including fishmongers, cheesemongers, butchers and a couple of cafes with casual fare (Lebanese in one for example).

under a portico at the Marché

fishmonger

butcher shop

Eventually we met our group and chef for the evening, an engaging fellow named Paolo. Off we went for our market tour, which was not surprisingly at the Marché Saint-German. 

For the next forty minutes or so Paolo gave his presentation on French cheeses followed by a brief discussion of beef and then fish. He also informed us of the menu for the evening: starter of cauliflower-leek soup, followed by a duck variant of beef Bourguignon (in a pressure cooker) with potato Dauphinois, and ending with floating islands (meringues in crème Anglaise).

From the market we all made our way to the Metro (line 10) getting off at Cardinal Lemoine and walking the few short meters to Le Foodist school.

Once settled in Paolo explained the mise en place for each course and we were given tasks, generally working in teams. Peeling carrots, chopping leeks, shallots, onions and garlic, prepping cauliflower by separating some florets for roasting and chopping the rest, prepping the duck legs for searing, peeling and slicing potatoes then layering in the roasting pans. 

We were also responsible for preparing our own meringue quenelles for poaching, sliding them atop the team prepared crème Anglaise. The desserts were assembled ahead, able to be held in the fridge until it was their turn to be enjoyed.

Lots of fun and easy going banter as we all went about our jobs, some finishing a little early and then pitching in to help others who were tasked with a bit more involved work. 

roasted cauliflower for the soup and the just-out-of-oven potato Dauphinois

Anyway, a little after 9:00 pm the puréed cauliflower leek soup was heated and waiting on the stove top, the potatoes and duck were ready and it was time to plate the food.

duck, carrots from the pot and Dauphinois

The wine poured freely ("red or white?") and we spent the rest of the night learning about the lives of folks who just a few hours before were total strangers. A grand evening cooking and eating out!

The evening was fast slipping away so we all said our goodbyes and went our separate ways - ships passing in the night literally. . . off we went to the Metro and back home.

Next: May Day in Père-Lachaise!