This was our last cooking day. We met Denis and Eric at the market to shop for lunch today. They are very nice guys, very helpful. It is amazing what is at the markets here in Paris. The fruits and vegetables are beautiful as are the fresh meats and seafood. Amazing! Why can't we get produce like this in the States? I don't know!
After that, it was back to the school to separate and each group make their portion of lunch. I was in the group that was making the first course. We had gotten four kinds of mushrooms at the market: Chanterelles, Shitake, Oyster and Portabello mushrooms. We also stopped to get some sherry and creme fraiche. We cleaned and chopped the mushrooms then cooked them separately to remove their water. Then we tossed them together and sauteed them in butter and salt and pepper. We then added the mushrooms, vegetable stock, butter, cream and a little sherry to a stock pot and let it simmer. After about an hour or so, we pureed the soup and let it sit for a while. We mixed up a savory Zabaglione using egg yokes and sherry and cooked it over the stove. We added the Zabaglione to the soup right before serving. To garnish then soup, we made whipped egg white and mushroom quenelles and poached them in water, drained hem and set them aside. We chopped some watercress into a chiffonade. We also made little toasts of a baguette topped with olive oil and baked. When it came time top plate, two ladles of soup, one quenelle, a dollop of creme fraiche, two small mushroom caps, chopped watercress and the toast at the top. It turned out quite well! The main course was two tone pasta with shrimp, scallops and muscles. Also good. Dessert was a fruit tart made with orange pastry cream and a large variety of fresh fruit. Figs were also on the plate next to the tart as well as a raspberry coullis.
We gave gifts to the chefs and we got a booklet of the last week's recipes as well as a Chef Martial apron that had our name embroidered on it. Very nice!
Last night we had our celebratory dinner at Brasserie Flo so thAt people could take Saturday night to pack and get ready to leave on Sunday. Brasserie Flo has been around for about 100 years. Lots of old wood, stained glass, chandeliers, painted plaster, etc. The food was excellent. I had French Onion Soup, as did several other people (how can you be in Paris and not try French onion soup?!). I had Escargot as a second course with bread to sop up the garlic butter that the snails had been cooked in. Yum! The wine both in Italy and France has been wonderful. Great wine at a fraction of the cost in America. This as been a wonderful time, with a few ups and downs. I stay another day in Paris then leave on Monday. Alta is also staying until Monday. We are going to try to see at least one museum and the Eiffel Tower. Going to take it easy though. Bon Soir!
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