Here I Go Again.

Hello from Paris.  Time has flown by again and here I am back in the city of Food, and most particularly PASTRY!.   I was quite busy leading up to my departure from the US.  Packing for 3 months abroad is not easy.  My cookware and other belongings that could not come with me had to be sent off to storage or loaned out to eager friends. 

Before packing everything up, I did a fair amount of baking.  I made a lovely Lemon Raspberry Charlotte for my good friend Chef Chudy.  It was a surprise birthday cake for his girlfriend.  I've made this cake on a few other occassions for him, and he is quite a fan.  I'm really loving making my own Lady Fingers (or Biscuit a cuillere as the French call them) and my love affair with the Charlotte continues...

I spent the last few months living with a lovely lady and her 7 year old son as a kind of live-in babysitter and all around helper.  There was no keeping a secret of what my day job was from her friends, and so it was requested that we have a dessert party.  I gladly agreed; it would give me a chance to practice a few desserts I hadn't made in a while before I departed for Paris.  I went all out and with inspiration from JJ, I hand rolled all the apples for the Brown Butter Apple Tart to look like little roses.  I thought it turned out looking a little like worms instead, but everyone seemed impressed. 

The menu for the evening also included: Tarte au Citron, Rum Pastry Creme filled Cream Puffs, Moelleux au Chocolat, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and my favorite savory tart of Tomatoes, Olives, Brie and fresh herbes.   There were not many leftovers, and I was feeling very over sugared, but very pleased with my execution of the desserts and delivery. 

After the party, I hosted a small bake sale to raise some extra money for my plane ticket to Paris.  I made over 100 Buckeyes, 100 Whiskey Truffles, 12 dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies and 3 Dozen Madeleines.  I think I may have a calling for the mail order business.  Or next time if I have more time, I'll open the sale up to more people.  With one week left in Boston, I took a break from cooking and focused on my summer.

I arrived in Paris last Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning Romain and I headed to the south of France for a little vacation.  A few days to help me adjust to the 6 hour time change and prepare myself for my exciting internship. We drank Rose, ate lots of fresh seafood and lots of specialties of Provence, (some really yummy Olive Tapenade) and I got to see the Mediterannean Sea for the first time and dip my toes in too.

So after about two weeks break from the kitchen, I'm ready to dive in.  Tomorrow morning I start my internship at Laduree.  I have my uniform, my shoes, my notebook, sharpie and my French Dictionary.....am I forgetting anything?   Wish me luck!