J – Supermarkets are not permitted in Paris … thank goodness.
At home I do plenty of advance planning for food. We must with the Be Mindful. Be Human. kitchen cranking out at least five dishes a week. When I stay in Paris, I let go of all that and cook like a Parisian. This trip, I also took a private French-techniques class with Chef Constance of Cookin’ with Class.
Le Petit Kitchen
This apartment has the typical petit Parisian kitchen. Everything is there … the space has just been compressed. It’s workable. I did two really nice dinners and breakfast everyday.
Shopping is a daily activity. What’s fresh this morning? Afternoon is too late … besides, the really good markets close mid-afternoon. Of course, you have staples on hand. But, the main part of dinner you get each day … or two.
Christina asked me to check out French eggs. They’re bigger, with less white and a richer yolk. Of course, they were from the butcher at Les Halles de Montmartre.
I made a great scramble, with some chanterelles, spring onion, sage and morbier cheese. Yum!
Class with Chef Constance
Me and my big mouth. I asked for advanced techniques and I got it.
In a three-hour class, Chef Constance delivered a seasonally themed, three-course menu.
Veloute of Potimarron with speck, porcini mushrooms, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and chestnuts
A hard-to-get Blue Lobster from Brittany served with chanterelles, walnuts and a light lobster bisque sauce
Fresh Figs roasted with vanilla-infused rum and served over a fine crumble with a Greek Yogurt Sorbet.
I worked! Chef Constance does not let you slack off.
I was impressed and learned a bunch. I also needed a nap. What a meal!
We will follow up in later posts with the full recipes, when we recreate them.
Admittedly, I did eat in restaurants for a lot of lunches … that was my assignment.
But, having a quite functional kitchen and sources for super fresh ingredients really made life easy.
Humm … would I want to live in Paris part time?
It’s an intriguing idea.