Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #8; Practical #8

The best part of lesson #8 was my parents. They sat with me as Chef Clergue cooked, talked, and prepared the final dishes. They both were enthralled with the complexity and busyness of the kitchen.

Instruction #8

• Shortbread with crab, lime and lemon balm, green mango and lemon grass sauce
• Squab breast wrapped in cabbage, legs stuffed, tartlets with wild mushrooms
• Coconut meringue, yogurt sauce, wild blackberries and parsley coulis

At the beginning of tasting any dish. I try each component by itself. First the sauce. Then the garnish. And finally the center ingredient.

Segregated I didn’t like the entrée. The crab was fishy. The sauce too tart. And the shortbread was overly dry. Together – as an ensemble. It was quite good. Delicious in fact.

This poses the conundrum that some chefs have. Chefs compose plates with the intention that it will be eaten in a particular way. Most of the time this is true. Because of the positioning of items on a plate. Sometimes, though. The diner will look at the dish from a completely different angle. And potentially changing the flavor of the meal.

In honor of Dad’s recent Holland-pigeon visit. We made squab – baby pigeon – for the main course.

This was a great representation of the recipes at Le Cordon Bleu. Mom and Dad were able to see how a jus is made from bones, a few vegetables, water, and a lot of time. They experienced the hallmark farce stuffing that was piped into boned squab legs. And above all. Wrapping meat and stuffing in cabbage leaves just to be steamed was also witnessed.

The final dish was mediocre. Not a big squab fan I passed my liking on the meat and jus. The garnish of shallot, butter sautéed chanterelle and oyster mushrooms was good. Presented in golden baked brik pasty shells.

We were one of the last people out of the demonstration room. As we were waiting for dessert. Meringue has been a common dessert plate item on this trip for Mom and Dad. From corner boulangerie meringue to the famous Pierre Herme macaroons. These were no expectation.

My parents fully enjoyed the slight coconut flavor. Quickly cooled by the yogurt sorbet. and enhanced – not diminished as I suspected – by parsley coulis.

As Mom and Dad wandered Paris I handled the practical. Chef Tivet was pleased with my end results. And if he’s happy. I’m happy.

My Dogs are Barkin'

We have been going non-stop.

Mom and Dad have done a great job on adjusting to local time. Jet-lag has been minimal. A short nap on their arrival. And staying up late the first night. Are all to thank.

Their initial evening was rather simple. French café and a walk through the Champs de Mars. To gawk at the Eiffel Tower. And slurp up some ice cream.

Our first full day included the open air, double-decker bus tour. A great way to see the city. Get a grasp on the layout. And enjoy the beautiful Parisian air. Dotted throughout the tour we hit some of the major sites. Notre Dame and Arc de Triomphe to name a couple.

The next day they took advantage of the tour bus’ second day while I was in class. Riding around Paris hoping on and off wherever looked interesting, was the name of the game. They had a lovely day. Great lunch. And a bit of adventure.

After class I picked them up and we headed to the Netherlands. Via train. Departing Gare du Nord. And Transferring in Rotterdam. This was great fun.

As you’ve read. Holland was all in the name of the pigeon. Check out Holland's blog HERE.

Once we returned to Paris. We turned up the speed. Sunday was a full day. Starting with laundry. From there. Mass. Louvre. Lunch at good ‘ole Bar du Central – best pomme frits in town. Montmartre. Sacré Coeur. Macaroons at Pierre Herme. Soirée to meet my friends. And dinner. Whew!

We dubbed yesterday as, the day of education. This was an exciting day for me. Mom and Dad came to LCB for an instruction. After a tour of the school we sat and watched Chef Clergue demonstrate class #8. It is so much fun for me to have visitors with me. Especially on the, now tedious, walk to and from school.

Our education didn’t end there. We made our way near the Louvre in the first arrondissements. For a two hour, guided wine tasting. Focusing on the wines of France. Since our time to travel to each of France’s wine regions was limited, we thought this would be a good way to explore.

Tasting wines from Champagne, Loire, Rhone, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the South-West. A great representation.

We capped the day with a stroll through the Marais. Dinner at an Israeli restaurant. And some homemade gelato.

Worry not. Our trip is far from over. Stay tuned.

Le Cordon Bleu - Practical #7

Getting back to school. Practical #7 went much better than the previous. No, near emergencies, due to the stomach flu.

We had Chef Clergue, same Chef as practical #6. I wanted to redeem my work ethic. So I paid extra attention.

I started with preparing the fish. First fin, scale, gut, and fillet sea bream.

Squid. Pull off the head, cut and reserve the tentacles. Fish out the feather – long cartilage that helps it keep its shape. Gut. And remove outer skin.

Langoustines. Disengaged arms/claws reserved for sauce. Shelled tail meat cut into brunoise. Mixed with carrot, celery and stirred into cooked risotto.

A simple vegetable bouillon was prepared with thinly sliced onions, carrots, celery. Saffron and langoustines carcasses were added for flavor.

Final stage was stuffing squid with risotto. Quickly pan-frying just like the sea bream. And shallow frying tentacles for decoration.

Chef liked my presentation. Commented that the sea bream was cooked at the maximum. And the bouillon could have used a bit more seasoning. Squid, risotto were to his liking.

Another day in the kitchen.

Fly Home Duif

He races pigeons – homing pigeons. Much like the type used in WWII.

Duif to the Dutch. These birds can fly home up to 1100 miles. More normal distances are between 200 and 500 miles.

We traveled to the Netherlands for Dad. To discover big game racing. The American Racing Pigeon Union’s 15,000 membership is small potatoes. Compared to Belgium and Holland’s impressive 90,000 roster. Dad engrossed himself into fowl. While Mom and I discovered southern Holland.

Beginning our journey in Breda, the nearest town to our hotel. We were surprisingly delighted. Full of squares, cafés, restaurants, shops, and parks.

We arrived around 9:30 a.m. and there wasn’t a soul around. As if a tour bus stopped. People started filing into the city by 11 a.m.. Filling it to its brim.

After some shopping and a good walk around town. We stopped for a nice, long lunch. Situated in the middle of the main square. My lamb croquettes were one of the best things I have ever tasted.

The outside was perfectly crisp. Not oily. Or soggy. The center was a heavenly mixture of potatoes, lamb, cream, and spices. Served on fresh Dutch bread and mayonnaise spreads. Mom’s club sandwich with local cured bacon was equally divine.

Flinstering Cafe
Grote Markt 23
4811 XL Breda, Nederland
06 25271398

After a full day of Breda we journeyed onward to Rotterdam – Holland’s second largest city – the destination that we eventually met back up with Dad.

A city in its own right. After walking the wrong direction from the train station – we were going on instinct – we found the typical European setting. People congregated around water. Cafés lined up as though they were one establishment. And shops sporting all types for sale.

We spent most of the day walking and talking. Resting for a bit at a café before catching the train back to Paris.

A quick trip indeed. Dad was more than in heaven. An adventure I surely never thought I’d have.

Travel Time

Mom. Dad. And I. Are off to the Netherlands for the weekend. Dad's big opportunity to soak in some pigeon knowledge - I'll explain later. I am sure they'll be more than handful of stories to tell upon our return.

Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #7

Immediately following practical #6 was Instruction #7. It was a long day. And a difficult one to get through with the stomach flu. I was never quite sure if I was going to make it. The thought of going home and taking a zero was always on my mind. I was physically there. Not so much mentally.

Chef Clergue gave a great demonstration. Chef only prepared two recipes this time. Because he took time to present the foie gras terrine from lesson #5. Foie gras is one of my favorite ingredients, sadly I wasn’t feeling good enough to taste.

Instruction #7

• Pan-fries sea bream, squid stuffed with langoustine risotto and cilantro
• Lemon grass cream, citrus jelly and rhubarb crisps

The main course was actually rather stimulating. Cooked risotto mixed with brunoise carrot, celery, and langoustine – large shrimp. Finished with Parmesan and butter. Then stuffed inside squid. Then quickly pan-fried to give a crispy-tenderness.

Plated with pan-fried pink sea bream and a bouillon – vegetable sauce of carrot, celery, onion, shallot, and saffron. Finished. Of course. With butter.

Practical is tomorrow. I’ll report then.

Cream and milk infused with lemon grass. Mixed into blanch egg yolks – yolks whisked with sugar. Filled the bottom two-thirds of serving dishes. Baked in a bain-marie at 130 degree Celsius oven for about 30 minutes.

Next a citrus jelly was prepared. Juice from oranges, grapefruit, and kumquats was slightly reduced. Sugar, agar-agar, and grenadine syrup dissolved in next. And set in the refrigerator for setting. A bit was used to top off the bake cream dishes.

Finally passed with rhubarb crisps – blanched strips of rhubarb that were dried in a 60 degree Celsius oven for about two hours. And a layer of rhubarb compote. Simply. Rhubarb slices melted down to a compote with a bit of sugar syrup.

Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #6; Practical #6

Instruction #6

• Smoked and fresh salmon terrine with leek, shallot vinaigrette
• Provencal-style crisp wrapped lamb fillet, vegetable tian
• Strawberry and rosemary “brochettes,” rhubarb sorbet, balsamic jus

Led by Chef Terrien. Our fist demonstration with him. He is quite amazing, a bit messy, but amazing. He’s off for a four week vacation so it might be a while before we see him again in the kitchen.

Without flaw or panic Chef prepared today’s menu. Starting with the entrée.

Thin slices of salmon layered with baby leeks, and smoked salmon. Rolled into a log. Cut into small, round wedges. Passed with mimosa – capers, chives, hard-boiled eggs and olive oil. Topped with shallot vinaigrette. And decorated with salmon roe and reduced balsamic vinegar.

I have a bit of the stomach flu. Or at least something nasty in my gut. So I passed on all tastings today. This looked great and pleased many of my fellow students.

Lightly seared lamb roast – trimmed from a rack – was wrapped in phyllo-type dough. Along with a forcemeat of pine nuts, pistachios, garlic cloves, parsley, cilantro, basil, and chicken mousse. Browned to help crisp. And baked until cooked.

Served along with breaded and fried garlic cloves. Vegetable tian – montage of onion, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. And lamb jus.

My jus was a little too light in color. So Chef Clergue suggested browning some more vegetables to help darken it. That worked. Everything came out good, except my lamb was a bit overcooked.

Trying to survive the day from my flu, I was just happy I made it to the end.

Dessert was interesting all around. First rosemary sprigs skewered strawberries. Next fresh rhubarb, sugar, water, and strawberries were combined for a sorbet. And finally a tuile of blackberry purée, flour, sugar, syrup, and melted butter was created.

The end result was stunning. In fact all of Chef Terrines’ plating was fantastic.

Goodbye and Hello.

The goodbyes never get easier. You would think after six months of saying goodbye to James I would be use to it. Well, I’m not. Each moment ends in tears.

I just dropped him off at the airport in Paris. We had over three weeks together. It was glorious. We kept saying how special it was. What a treat for us. Then I thought. No it’s not. Spending three weeks with your spouse shouldn’t be a treat. It’s a right.

After some grumbling about how we didn’t want to return to our separate lives. We embraced in the terminal. Gathered some strength. And each returned home.

Only two more months. Our separation will be over. International traveling will be finished. Le Cordon Bleu will wrap up. And life in New York will permanently begin. Finally.

One great bit of news is that my parents are arriving from the US for eight days tomorrow. Just like I rushed home to see James, I will rush home to greet my parents.

I haven’t seen either one since just before New Year’s. My anticipation to see them is great. Our agenda is packed. Including a Holland trip this weekend – a chance for Dad to do some pigeon investigation.

So stay close as I travel, explore, and live in Europe with my parents. I’m sure there will be plenty of stories to share.

Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #5; Practical #5

Already into the second week of Superior. I can’t believe it. I booked my return flight to the US this morning. The reality that the end is nearer than the beginning is starting to settle in.

For the last time in Superior, Chef Lesourd guided us through demonstration. Lesson #5 was tagged, contemporary cuisine. Hinting toward the candied orange peel and lobster foam.

Instruction #5

• Foie grad and oven roasted vegetable terrine
• Lobster chartreuse with candied orange and lemon, frothy jus
• Light tiramisu-style mousse and sugared raspberries

Most terrines bake for around one to two hours. Then are pressed overnight. Before serving. We watch Chef prepare and assembly layers of eggplant, cognac and port macerated foie gras, artichokes, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Drizzling gelatin glazed chicken stock from time to time – this is what binds the loaf together.

We’ll get to see the final project and taste the terrine in our next demonstration.

Lobster chartreuse is not the lime-green color of the dish. But rather. A ramekin-molded layered mousse. Layers of boiled lobster and leek rounds sat between whiting mousse – bonded by egg white and cream. Decorative daikon radish and carrot lined the mold.

Sautéed spinach and candied orange and lemon peel accompanied the plate. The contemporary aspect was clearly the lobster foam. Jus made of lobster carcass, shallot, tomato, tomato paste, garlic, white wine, fumet, onion, milk, whipping cream, and soy lecithin – a foam stabilizer. Was boiled, reduced, drained, and finally whipped with a hand mixer. Creating crustacean-flavored foam.

Pretty cool I must say. This opens lots of ideas for the final exam. Foam. Hmmm.

I suppose it was the mascarpone in the dessert that suggests tiramisu. Italian meringue – 118 degree Celsius sugar mixed with egg whites – was folded into mascarpone, sugar, yolks, gelatin, and cream. Piped into a martini glass. And flavored with layers of raspberry coulis and fresh, whole raspberries.

Practical came on James’ last night in Paris. I was eager to get finished and home to him. Apart from burning some decorative orange peels, everything went great. In fact, Chef Stril looked up from my plate and gave me a confident, superb. Très, très bonne. All along practical I was thinking that my focus was too pulled to James. I guess not.

Vegetarianism. Parisian-Style

Vegetarianism isn’t easy in Paris. Luckily James is a pesco – one that eats fish. Even so. We’ve had difficulty finding some accommodating menu items.

Most restaurants have at least one vegetarian option. It’s usually unappealing. Or not that good. Vegetarianism and other eating restrictions however, are becoming more common throughout France. Slowly, but surely.

We found a little gem in the third arrondissement, Le Potager du Marais. One hundred percent vegetarian, there was no issue navigating the menu. Offering two dining rooms – it looked like the second was a recent acquisition of the space next door – this place was more than accommodating. We didn’t need reservations for a Monday night, but I would suggest it for nights later in the week. The décor was dated and slightly run down, but the staff was attentive, patient, and spoke English.

Started with seaweed tartare. More commonly known in Asian cuisines, Atlantic seaweed has been making its way into French food for centuries. In spite of the vitamin-B12 pack, the dish was a bit too sea-y. Luckily we split it – just the right amount of algue.

My main course was much better. Tofu and quinoa burger. With a slice of heavenly goat cheese. Served with pine nut-crunchy pesto. Passed with cabbage purée. I would have dumped a bit more salt in the purée, but everything else was well worth the trip. Refreshing in fact, from the typical fries, ham, and baguette dominate French meals.

Le Potager du Marais
22, rue Rambuteau
75003 Paris

Breakfast. Lunch. Or just a spot of coffee. Any will do at Rose Bakery. Introduced to us by Gill and E’Lane, this spot is a must visit for any Parisian visitor.

English owned and operated. Tucked on a small side street of the Marias. This is a perfect Sunday brunch with friends-type of place.

While the burger looked good, I opted for poached tofu with chilled dashi and mushrooms. Amazingly good. The tofu was firm, yet saturated with dashi – kelp based Japanese stock. Served with slightly crunchy wheat berry and buttery mushrooms. A perfect end to our three mile walk.

Carrot, sunflower seed salad, cucumber curry, homemade muesli, and a mushroom, cheese tarte studded our table. Everyone smiled happily as we consumed our feast.

Rose Bakery
30, rue Debeylleme
75003 Paris

There have been some dishes. Here and there. That James has found to love. Thai is a great example. Always vegetarian friendly.

Palace Thai
23 Avenue Duquesne
75007 Paris

Let’s not forget the tomato, mozzarella, pesto sandwich at Bar du Central that he’s been raving about. Loved it so much he’s had it four times. So far!

Bar du Central
99 Rue Saint Dominique
75007 Paris

For all those diet-restricted people, fear not. Paris offers something for everyone. You just may have to travel a bit farther than your corner café.

Le Cordon Bleu Instruction #4; Practical #4

I don’t know what is with these baked, stuffed creations. But they are making it difficult to plate. In a way that is modern, attractive, and appetizing.

This time. Phyllo pastry was stuffed with quail, shiitake mushrooms, offal, and sweetbreads.

Offal and sweetbreads? Organs and glands. More specific. Offal refers to the heart and liver. Whereas, sweetbreads means the thymus and pancreas glands.

It is important to blanch sweetbreads to help remove the outer membrane. Luckily if you forget to do this, like I did in Practical, it’s hardly noticeable.

Sweetbreads, quail breast, and offal were given a quick pan-sear – leaving the center raw. Once each ingredient was codified – preventing flavor to escape – they made their way to the pastry. And baked until properly cooked in a 170 degree Celsius oven for about 30 minutes.

Cream, salt, pepper, shallots, and parsley flavored the stuffing. While breadcrumbs and eggs bonded the entire mass together.

I have been a stuffed bread fan up until this point. Surprisingly enjoy them. This one didn’t make the top of my list. Too bland and dry – not enough fat. Nonetheless Chef Lesourd – instruction and practical chef – gave me two thumbs up on my pastry and accompanying pepper flavored jus.

Practical was at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night. Immediately following the 3:30 p.m. instruction. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue. But James is here. I was bummed that I had to spend part of Friday night in class.

As always. It worked out for the best. He came to instruction with me. Talk about a treat. Here I am in Paris. At Le Cordon Bleu. And my husband is on my left! He was more than amazed about the process. Cooking. Chefs. And, of course, me in my uniform.

After instruction James went wandering Paris with some of my friends. And once I banged out my sweetbread pastry. I jumped on a bike. And met up with them for dinner and drinks. We had the best time ever. I was even able to catch a picture with him and all my friends.

In addition to the odd pastry, James also witnessed the entrée and dessert in demo.

Smoked surf and turf misguided me. I was expecting lobster and steak. LCB’s version is diced smoked eel, trout, and salmon – surf. And parsnips, beets, celery root – turf. Smoked fish trimming based sauce, shallot, onion, and cream mixed with the diced confetti. And topped with a wine vinegar, hazelnut oil vinaigrette.

The end result was heavy on the smoke and light on other flavorings.

A frozen concoction of chocolate, cream, candied fruit, sour cherries, Kirsch, nougatine – caramel, almond mixture – and meringue constituted dessert. Simply prepare all ingredients. Mix together. Freeze. And serve.

James said he liked the dish. Some where in between of ice cream and chilled milk.

Instruction #4

• Smoked surf and turf duo
• Quail and veal sweetbread pastries with shiitake mushrooms, pepper flavored jus
• Frozen chocolate nougat with sour cherry coulis

Le Cordon Bleu Instruction #3; Practical #3

Now that you’re in Superior…

A common phrase meant to motivate us from the chefs. This term is still proving to be a chance to develop our creativity and focus on presentation.

Lesson number three’s sea bass in a crust made it partially difficult to plate. A pie, or loaf or sorts, stuffed with sea bass, rice, salmon, onions, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh tarragon was hardly attractive.

Beurre-blanc – shallots, white vinegar, white wine reduction finished with cream and butter – ran along our baked creation. Garnished with broccio – ewe’s milk cheese from Corsica - stuffed cocktail tomatoes.

My stuffing could have used a bit more salt. Chef Cotte also would have liked to see a little more cooking on the stuffed tomatoes. A misunderstanding on my part. I thought we were to just heat them through. Not actually cook the tomatoes. Overall, a good practical. Happy for my third Superior experience.

Most students enjoyed the entrée. The citrus pungency was too overwhelming for my taste. Orange, grapefruit, and lemon juice seared throughout the dish. Slightly tamed by the sweetest of lobster and attempted to be rounded out by fresh herbs. But, unsuccessful in my opinion.

Interestingly Chef Poupard grated some Tonka bean over the final dish. The fruit found in teak trees. Unknown to Americans due to its USDA restriction. Banned in the US because of its carcinogenic characteristics.

A Moroccan nod. Dessert was wonderfully presented. Bonbons – almond paste stuffed dates wrapped in phyllo pastry – were rolled to look like old-fashioned candies. Passed along saffron ice cream. Flavored with saffron and ground gingerbread. A true treat.

Instruction #3

• Lobster salad with citrus fruits
• Sea bass in a crust coulibiac style, tomatoes stuffed with broccio cheese
• Dates stuffed with almond cream wrapped in phyllo pastry, saffron ice cream

James has been hanging out with me this week in Paris. Talk about a true treat. It is wild to finish class and get home to see him sitting here in my apartment. To tell you the truth. Once class is finished I can not walk home fast enough. Excited to see him and play. I’m a happy husband these days…

Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #2; Practical #2

Graced by Basic Cuisine Chef Lesourd. Instruction number two was equally progressive as the first.

Instruction #2

• Frog legs with garlic puree and green jus
• Pan-fried double lamb loin chops, French green beans with bacon and purple potato crisps
• Fresh fruit minestrone, tomato cappuccino and basil

My first introduction to frog legs. All snickering aside. They do. Taste like chicken.

Small drumstick-like morsels of meat sat atop garlic cream. Dressed with green jus – parsley, basil, and chervil. Excited about this discovery – borrowing from chicken recipes – possibilities are endless. If you haven’t had the chance. I highly suggest frog legs, or grenouilles to the French.

I tend to say this about LCB’s lamb recipes. But the main course may have been the best recipe yet. Luscious lamb loin chops topped with béchamel, duxelles, ham, and truffles. Lightly broiled. And served with lamb jus. Amazingly good.

The potato crisps seemed like a lot of work for the result. Boil purple potatoes. Skin. Mash with butter and salt. Spread onto a sil-pat. Cut into desired shapes. And baked at 110 degree Celsius for twenty minutes. Voilà! Purple potato chips. Why not just thinly slice and fry?

Dessert terminology confused me. Minestrone. And cappuccino. Former refers to the fruit size. Whereas cappuccino hints to the tomato foam top – supposedly. A fellow student said that it was surprisingly delicious. Who knew? Tomatoes glazed with vinegar, basil, and fresh fruit marinated in vanilla, star anise, sugar, lemon syrup.

Le Cordon Bleu - Instruction #1; Practical #1

Bananas. Mangos. Tandoori, satay, and turmeric spices. All greeted us.

I could tell right of way that Superior was going to be different.

Chef Clergue welcomed us to the final term. Encouraged us to work harder than ever. And opened the door for flexibility. He mentioned now that we’re in Superior we have the right to interpret the recipes our own way.

Practical Chef Frederick expanded. Superior is all about your creativity – how you see things. What you make of it.

We are still required to make specific recipes. It’s the how – and to some degree, the what – that we have free-reigns.

Instruction #1

• Cauliflower and shrimp tabouleh, cilantro and peppermint
• John Dory fillets with red spices, wild rice with tropical fruit
• Banana baked in its skin, sorbet, hibiscus and rum sauce

The entrée was straightforward, but delicious. Couscous mixed with cauliflower, broccoli, shrimp and cucumber. Tossed with cilantro, parsley, peppermint vinaigrette that found its acid from lime juice. Finished with sun-dried tomatoes, mint leaves, and whole shrimp.

I’ve never had wild rice with tropical fruit before. I was pleasantly surprised. Brunoise mango popped throughout the red riz sauvage.

Tandoori and satay spices perfumed the kitchen as the sauce got underway. Started with a typical fumet. Brought exotic with spices, mango trimmings, and lime zest. Foreign as the sauce may have seemed. It was returned to France with a butter heap in the end.

I enjoyed the hot-spicy, spice-ful flavor of the fish. The sauce was still a bit too buttery for my taste. Here, for example, is where my creativity can step in. I can create – or discover – an alternative to finishing the sauce with butter. A method that would still give velvety volume.

Final example. The first example is Chef’s traditional plate. The second, my plate. Alternatively finished with fresh spinach salad and lime vinaigrette.

Bananas seasoned with brown sugar – cooked in their skin. Accompained banana sorbet. Finished with dried bananas – thin slices baked for one hour per side at 90 degree Celsius.

I was motivated by today’s work. And the direction Superior has promised us. Part delivered by LCB. Relying more on our creativity. It is going to be all about what I make it. Where I allow my imagination to go. How involved I keep myself. And most of all, the amount of fun that I create in the kitchen.

This is going to be a lot of fun!

Restarting Le Cordon Bleu

The distractions. 8x10 verses 9x12 area rugs. Reconnecting with James. And job-hunting. Obviously. Pulled my focus the past two weeks.

Two weeks of living in America. How strange? I worked my way through this new life – at least, soon-to-be – new life. Surrounded with bliss, time was still stressful. Happiness accompanied panic. And love was balanced with regularity. Nonetheless, I relished every minute of it.

The apartment foundation has been laid. It’s the details that need filling now. Those come with time.

Sitting in the Paris apartment last night with James on the computer was a trip. Surreal. For all this time. He only filled my apartment on the other end of the phone. Now – here in the flesh – I’m not quite sure what to make of it. One week of being husbands. Paris-style.

Superior Cuisine starts this afternoon. The third – and final – term of Le Cordon Bleu. Just under three months from today I will be writing a farewell LCB post. There are clichés about how time has flown by. But I’ll save them. For now.

Yes. For now. Today’s focus is on the beginning of a new term. A term that promises worldly ingredients. Modern techniques. And personal creativity. A term that has been long coming.

My hope is that the traditional, French methods of Basic and Intermediate will be left behind. Embedded in our hands, but no longer needing classroom attention. Now it’s time for real-world work. I’ll report the validity of my expectation after today’s initial class.