The pig trotter excursion, or; our first day in Paris

On our last day there, I was pretty sad to be leaving Lyon. The hospitality of its people, the richness of the food, and the charm of the city had fully pulled me into its embrace. After the visit to the vineyard, and the antique bookstore, I really felt like the place had everything a girl could hope for, though the as yet un-materialized promise of Parisian glamor beckoned me to depart.

Wednesday morning, we had our final class at the Bocuse Institute. We were excited to cook, and I think that no one in the group wanted to leave. We started right away, to be ready for an early lunch, because we had a train to catch right after class.

We started by making these elegant quail egg and artichoke filled raviolis. This was a really great process, as the dish utilized the artichokes in several ways.

The pasta dough got its elegant color from a spinach puree that we incorporated into the dough. For the artichokes, we trimmed them down to the tender hearts, then cooked cooked them suer, a method where you basically slowly sweat and steam vegetables or meat in their own released juices. We then pureed the hearts until they became silky smooth, with a little chicken stock.

We saved the artichoke leaves, and sauteed them with garlic, and olive oil, then added water to the pan to make a "stock". Usually the inedible leaves get thrown away, so it was really cool to use them for another purpose. The finished liquid was reduced, and then mixed with some veal demi-glace to make the pasta sauce. We also thinly sliced some baby artichokes and tossed them with olive oil and salt for the garnish.

When we rolled out the pasta, we made a well in the center of the spooned on puree, then placed the quail egg yolks in the center of the well. When the ravioli was sealed and cooked, the yolks remained runny, and added to the luxuriousness of the sauce.

I got to fabricate the fish; John Dory! This type of fish is rare to see in the U.S., and it's pretty expensive in Europe as well, so it was something I had never gotten the chance to work with before. The chef complimented my fish fabrication skills, which was really nice, (I've done many fish, but never one shaped like this) and I was glad to impress someone. The filets were sauteed in brown butter, and topped with bits of sun-dried tomato and Jamon.

We made a macaroni with mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots to go with the fish, but we cooked the noodles with the risotto method, using chicken stock in place of water. The result was super flavorful and creamy, and I'm definitely going to be making this recipe again for weeknight dinners.

Dessert was a citrus parfait, which I decided not to eat because of my allergy to oranges. It's not a terrible allergy, (the juice gives me hives, and eating oranges makes my lips swell a little) but I had had a couple dishes with orange the day before, and my stomach was still recovering with the aid of some Benadryl. I try not to eat them unless I feel like I must try the dish or I will regret it.

After class, we received our certificates, and a book of Paul Bocuse's most famous recipes as a gift from the institute. Our hosts seemed genuinely sorry to see us go, invited us back, and asked for copies of all the pictures we took.

We left, sadly, then went directly to the train station so we could head to Paris.

The train ride was only a couple of hours, which most of us used to nap and relax. When we arrived in Paris, we checked into our respective hotels. My hotel was across the street from the rest of our group, as I had signed up for the trip at the very last moment. It was nice to have my own room, even though I really did love my room mates. (I already miss them.)

But it's okay, behind my hotel, there were the ruins of a Roman amphitheater, now a public park!

And when I stepped out onto my balcony (from which I could see Notre Dame) I noticed that all my friends were out on theirs too!

A few minutes to change clothes, then we went to dinner. We were dining at Au Pied de Cochon, famous for their pig's feet. I really, really loved the opulent, very old-fashioned interior of this place, it looked like it hadn't changed since the beginning of the last century!

And anyplace that serves creamy pork rilette in place of butter for your bread is fine by me.

Our appetizer: a deep bowl of fresh goat cheese. Seemed a little much at first, but I had to stop myself from consuming all of it. The cheese was so fresh and fragrant, with the bits of sun dried tomato and artichoke hearts, it made a really great starter smeared on extra-crusty baguette.

And the piece de resistance: pig trotter! Braised until the fat and skin were silky smooth and gelatinous, and little bits of the tenderest meat barely clung to the knuckle. Excellent pommes frites, and a spicy dijon mustard made this the tastiest (and only-est) foot I've ever had the pleasure of munching on. I was at an Asian market earlier today, and was tempted to buy the pig's feet I saw there for dinner, but I was pretty sure something like this might have freaked out my boyfriend a tad too much...

Dessert was... strong. Like, "straight-shot-of-brandy-with-a-scoop-of-sorbet-plopped-into-it" strong. The foil wrapped biscuit did little to temper the alcohol in this one, and I had to check to make sure I hadn't grown a little chest hair after eating it. Ouch.

After dinner, there was a brief period of sleep. Alas, still no rest for the weary, as tomorrow was another full day. However, I shall have to write about it another time, as I have stock to skim and duck legs to cure for confit tonight. (I like to slow-cook a bunch of stuff on my slow days, so when I come home from class tired, all I have to do is re-heat delicious, love-filled food.)

I have some good news from earlier today, though... I have stages (try-outs, basically) on both Thursday and Saturday, at Robuchon (3 Michelin Stars) and Thomas Keller's Bouchon (1 Michelin Star)! Even if I don't get the jobs (they may not even have positions open) just being in such highly acclaimed kitchens will be amazing. I can't wait, though I'm very, very nervous.

Ciao!

Lyon, day three

Our second day of classes was just as educational as the first. We got to work with ingredients that are fairly rare in the States, which was a real pleasure.

The first course we made was glazed, seared foie gras, with a citrus puree, fresh figs, veal reduction, dressed frisee and arugula. It was as delicious as it looks.

We then made a rich risotto of asparagus, spinach, morels, and parmegiano reggiano cheese. Of course, there was a ton of butter in there too.

Dessert was a fried bananas coated in coconut, layered between vanilla cake and white chocolate, with lemon mousse and a passion fruit coulis.

We then drove to a very small vineyard south of Lyon, a tiny appelation. They weren't used to anyone but locals visiting, and were so thrilled to have us that they even brought someone from the local chamber of commerce to translate for us (even though we had our own with us).

It was a beautiful place.

It was harvest season, and there was wine fermenting in the tanks when we arrived. He showed us some of the pressed grapes that were adding their pigment and tannins to the juice.

Then his wife drew off some of the days-old wine into a plastic pitcher for us to try. Usually, this is a special treat for the vingerons and their friends during harvest parties. It tasted fresh and juicy, like alcoholic fruit punch. We tried at least six other of their wines as well, and they showered us with cured meats, local cheeses, and home-made pate en croute. It was a really special experience, their hospitality and pride were so authentic, and they put so much love into their endeavor.

We then went to a fresh foods market in the city, an indoor hall filled with amazing things. Above were juicy, tart red currants, rarely seen in the markets here.

A very small sampling of the local cheeses, so much variety. I wish I could have tried them all!

Fresh meats of many kinds, including the Bresse hens. The chickens are fed a mixture of cornmeal and fresh milk, and they are supposedly the best tasting chickens in France. The heads and the feet are left on, so that the buyer can be assured of authenticity.

We changed quickly, then returned to Saisons, the student restaurant at the Bocuse Institute. The chef in charge of the restaurant held a Michelin Star before becoming an instructor, and his influence was strongly felt. We were seated in an ornate and lovely private room, done in a very classical decorative theme.

Our amuse bouche; cantaloupe soup made with champagne, a ham madeline, and cheese grougere.

A delicious, savory pumpkin creme brulee, with chestnuts in veal demi-glace on top.

Macaroni timbale, with crayfish mousse quenelles, sauteed shrimp, and baby vegetables. The shellfish flavor was so fresh, and this presentation was really pretty.

A duo of pork, with a braised then crisped belly, and the roasted loin. This was served with a small potato gratin and glazed vegetables. The belly was really great, but I found the loin just a tad dry. It was still flavorful, though.

The cheese course. From the top: Sainte Maure de Tourraine, a Loire Valley goat milk cheese, Lavort, from Auvergne, sheep's milk, and Livarot, a cow's milk cheese from Normandy.

And the rich chocolate mousse cake from the day before. With a cup of espresso, this was a nice finish to an excellent meal.

Again, by the time we got back to our hotel, we were completely exhausted. There was one more class left, which will be the subject of my next entry.

Ciao!

Day two in Lyon, very delayed posting

I know this blog is a couple of days late, and I apologize for the delay, but we've been very busy since we arrived. It's a short trip, but we're really doing a lot, so nearly every minute of the day is taken up with activities. I had one quiet moment about 10 hours ago, and now I'm finally relaxing in my hotel room with a glass of wine and a millefuille, prepared to do some hard-core blogging.

Our hotel in Lyon was called the "College", because the building used to be a high school. (The nomenclature works a little differently here.) The interior was really quaint, and decked out in a primary school theme, with desks, chalkboards, and books everywhere. It was a nice place, but the rooms themselves were STARK white, and I mean, the floors, walls, furniture, sheets... you get the picture. It was a bit... institutional, but charming, in a weird kind of way.

Anyway, we took our breakfast in the hotel while we were in Lyon, which was quite good. We sat on benches by old desks and were served an excellent petit dejuner of brioche, croissants, cured meats, cheese, yogurt and jams. The coffee was brought to us in thermoses, which I found adorable.

We took the metro and city buses to get to the Bocuse Institute, a pretty interesting experience, considering how many in our group had never used public transportation before. Sometimes it's a little difficult for people to understand that Europeans have a much smaller personal space "bubble" than Americans do, so some of the girls wouldn't shove into the bus, and were really uncomfortable riding shoulder to shoulder. So we got off at a much earlier stop and walked a few miles to get to the school. I was fine with this, but those who hated the bus ride soon changed their minds and decided that the crowding on the bus would be okay for just a couple of days.

The school is staggeringly beautiful, part of it is an old castle retrofitted to become a culinary school. The grounds are expansive and well maintained, and the interior of the buildings is posh, yet stately. I have pictures of the exterior, but I will have to show those to you at a later time.

The school is funded by the state and many sponsors, which makes it more affordable for the students. Their sponsors are the "who's who" of French gastronomy; Dom Perignon, Georges Duebouf, Perrier, Hennessey, Valhrona... the hall pictured above has displays of all their fancy wares. I wanted to take all of them home!

We took a brief tour and then met our chef instructor, who happened to be a very funny and irreverent guy whose name I can't remember, I'll be sure to find out tomorrow. He was also an amazing chef- I learned so much from him in only three days I can't possibly do him justice.

We cooked an entree (appetizer/2nd course in France) and a plat principeaux (main course) and the school prepared dessert for us.

I was thrilled to see sweetbreads on the menu, as they may just be my favorite bovine organ. They're the veal's thymus gland, located in the vicinity of the lower neck area. When properly prepared, they have an unctuous creamy texture, and the outside can be crisped up to create a crunchy, caramelly crust.

I was very happy to be able to practice cleaning them, as they're not something one sees every day in the states outside of Michelin-Starred menus. They're fairly expensive, and hard to find. To properly prepare them, you must carefully remove the translucent outer membrane and the extraneous fat from the organ, and then poach them briefly. Some people also prefer to soak them overnight in milk, (it's not necessary, but it does improve the texture) but we didn't do that. They were still awesome.

Our first course was a deep-fried soft boiled egg on a dungeness crab and wild mushroom ragout. A ragout (or ragu) in Italian is essentially a thick, chunky sauce, but the concept is so much more than that. Ours was made with veal stock, thyme, onions, sauteed mushrooms, and pulled crab meat. We topped it with some delicately dressed greens, and yes, I have all of these recipes for future use.

When you cut open the egg, the yolk oozed out to play with the woodsy mushrooms. The crust and the greens added a crisp texture to the dish. It was really good.

The sweetbreads were pan-fried, and then served as a part of our veal dish. We glazed the carrots and young onions in extra virgin olive oil, butter, and a hint of stock with garlic and thyme. The veal was trussed, then seared and finished in the oven. The sauce is a veal jus (juice), made by carefully extracting all the great flavorful liquid from the meat, then reducing and emulsifying it with added butter. The spinach was sauteed in buerre noisette (brown butter) and topped with a thickened creme fraiche. Yes, this dish was also amazing.

For dessert, the school's pastry chef made us a rich chocolate cake topped with a light milk chocolate mousse, then served with caramel sauce. Yum. There was also abundant wine, and coffee.

Later that night, some of us decided to assemble a buffet in our room from delicious looking things we found around the city. This required a mad dash to the stores, as by the time we got back to the city proper, we had about 10 minutes left. Somehow, we made it to the antique bookstore in town, where I found a 1935 first edition of Larousse Gastronomique in the basement. It's a truly remarkable find, quite the collector's item, and I got it at a great price. It's going to be a star of my cookbook collection, they didn't translate this tome to English until the late 1960's so it's pretty remarkable, and in astonishingly good condition. Everyone was jealous of my book, and wanted to take pictures of it. I was just thrilled to get it.

Above is a giant meringue we got, topped with pralines, various flavors of macarons, a crisp tuille, and some strangely delicious, gelatinous cake whose name I have forgotten.

Tiny, thimble-sized hard cheeses, tasted a lot like Pecorino from Italy, but with a distinctly Lyonnaise aura.

And a gooey, spreadable, super stinky cheese. It was really good, and was worth the pervasive "old foot" aroma it permeated our small room with.

We also had wine, salumi, several stuffed crepes with chestnut cream, strawberries, and ham and cheese, and baguettes, a haul which was made even more impressive when you consider that all of these things were gathered by a bunch of food-obsessed American girls in a ten-minute window from different stores. But when in Lyon... eat, a lot.

I'll try to write again tomorrow about day three, but I cannot promise anything. Many of these may have be post-France entries, strictly because of our packed schedules.

So for tonight, I shall bid you au revoir, as I finish this glass of wine and try to get the puff pastry crumbs out of my bed before I pass out.

Ciao!

Sorry!

I'm trying to write, but I'm always either out of time, or without internet connection. I'm in Paris now, and I have connection, but the bandwidth is so low I can't upload any pictures.

France has been overwhelmingly cool thus far, and I want to make sure I dignify my incredible experiences with good blogs, but it just seems like that isn't going to happen tonight. I will most definitely try again tomorrow to blog about Lyon, I apologize for the delay! But I will make them good ones when I can get them done.

I'm also still completely exhausted, as we're still going full speed ahead into our activities, cramming as much as possible into this short trip. This is definitely a place I want to return to!

If you're not following me on Twitter yet, maybe you should, as I've been able to update that quite quickly. My username on twitter.com is AthenaThickstun, look me up.

Until then, ciao!

Lyon, day one.

Yesterday was our first full day in Lyon, and it was pretty non-stop from the time we arrived until the time we finally crashed into our beds. We arrived in the morning, after several flight transfers and a bus ride, dropped off our bags, and ran to lunch.

We ate at a little bistro a block or two away from our hotel. They served very traditional Lyonnaise cuisine.

The salad Lyonnaise is fresh mixed greens with lardons, (a kind of un-smoked bacon cut into little batons) croutons, and a poached egg. I love poached eggs, with a runny yolk and barely set white. Breaking the egg open dresses the greens in happy, fatty yolk, marrying the flavors together.

Our plat principeaux was chicken fricassee with gratinee potatoes, very warm and filling. The potatoes were quite satisfying.

The dessert may have been the best part of the meal here. There was a pear sorbet, a flourless chocolate cake, and a pistachio parfait (kind of like a semifreddo) and some poached fruit. The pear sorbet was intensely fruity, and very balanced without too much acidity, I would have been happy with just a scoop of that!

Lyon is beautiful, stately. It's been so rushed that I really haven't gotten a feel for it yet, though. The history centers around silk and food, and involves Roman and Celtic influences. The cathedral above has an older structure to the right, a cloister, and part of the cloister walls were built with marble from a Roman temple. Being back in Europe really puts history into perspective; seeing more Italian elements is making me feel a bit nostalgic for my time there. The parallels are really interesting, and the contrasts even more so.

I'm still trying to write through a haze of jet lag and exhaustion, so this is a bit excruciating at the moment, but if I don't keep up (with a one-day delay for reflection) then I fear I'll fall to far behind.

We had dinner at another typical Bouchon, this one named after the city's traboules, a unique feature of Lyon. They're a little hard to describe, walkways from the main streets that are closed off by normal-looking doors, that lead to apartments that were built in the courtyard of the larger buildings when the city's population started to expand. When we took our walking tour we got to slip through some of the lesser known traboules, which were very cool. During the French resistance during the Nazi invasion, the traboules were used for covert meeting places because there were many exits, and they were very unassuming from street level.

But I digress. We started with a communal cup of pork cracklings (fried pig skin) which seems a merry way to start any meal. This is a good sign.

One of my room mates had this great dish of poached eggs in a red wine sauce with caramelized onions, lardons, and toasted bread. This may be my new "comfort food" when I get back home, it was a really nice dish.

I had awesome, fresh goat cheese (chevre) on crusty bread with fresh greens. The cheese had a beautiful nutty flavor to it, and a more complex compilation of flavors than most domestic goat cheeses. I really enjoyed this as well, sometimes you need nothing more than a great cheese on crusty bread...

The above dish was a regional specialty, and caused a bit of a stir at the dinner table. I had read about this before I came, and knew full well what I was getting into, but our chef described it as a "pork sausage" to the rest of the table, which is only a partial truth...

Andoilette is made of pork, yes, but this includes the chitterlings, or intestines. There's a special process of washing and drying the chitterlings, and it's a much loved treat for locals, but the bane of unsuspecting tourists. There was a bit of... miscommunication as to the nature of the dish, and pretty much everyone other than myself and the chef was a bit surprised by what they got.

The flavor can best be described as... barn with a hint of pork. It's most assuredly an acquired taste, and it did have some merits. I tend to enjoy farm-y flavors, and I've had prior experience with organ meats so I knew what to expect. I ordered it out of a sense of adventure and the innate need to try the local dish. I'm glad I did, and I really, really liked the strong mustard that came with it, it was a nice, spicy counterpoint to the intense earthiness of the sausage. There's many things I enjoy more, but I am happy that I tried it (and enjoyed it far better than its unsuspecting victims).

My room mate had this absurdly moist and tender white fish with crayfish sauce. The fish was so fresh, and the sauce had a really great balance of acidity and herbiness.

My other roomie had a braised leg of lamb with red wine and mint, also very good.

Good ol' fashioned creme brulee. Always a hit.

Tart au poivre, with pears and figs, creme anglais. Also yummy, but creme brulee always makes me smile.

Again, I am very sleepy so I will have to leave you here. Bon nuit, Au revoir. Tomorrow, I shall write about today's class the the Bocuse Institute!