DAY 34 - WED 4/3 - Cours de Cuisine

The day started out at our regular cafe near our apartment, Cafe/Bistro Dupleix, where they are starting to recognize us. On the way home we stumble on probably one of the best fromage stores we have seen yet. You have to be there to appreciate it. Wish we could buy something but, with our busy schedule, we won't have time to eat it.

That's cheeeeese!

One of our favorites...and real stinky!

We have a date today for a Cours de Cuisine (cooking course) at the Atelier (studio) of Guy Martin. He is the Grand Chef de Cuisine at Le Grand Vefour, located in the arcades of the Palais Royale, and one of the oldest and best restaurants in Paris (opened in 1784) and he also runs this cooking school.

We arrive at the Atelier early and so browse around the neighborhood, catching some 'uniforms' and a chapeau shop (hat store) with stunning displays.

                

                

Gail meets us there and we are escorted up to the kitchen floor, happily discovering that we are the only ones in the class. It was our friend Stephanie Fray, the PR person for chefs and restaurants who told us about this place, saying that if you go for the lunch course, which takes about an hour, it is about the same price as going out for lunch. She was right. 

                  

                  

Thierry Molinengo, one of the head chefs for Guy Martin, would be our instructor. He is absolutely charming. 

                                                 

We began by de-boning a small fowl, making stock from the bones, ramekins of lavender-thyme infused pommes de terre (not your average mashed potatoes) topped with shaved white and green asperges and leafy lettuce in a vinegrette, adorned with edible pansies and decorated with the reduced stock enhanced with finely julienned lemon rind. OMG!! 

          

            

                                  

          

We then sat on high stools at a little table set just for us, they served us delicious white wine, and then Thierry asked us if we wanted him to make us dessert, which we accepted...lemon curd topped with mint, green apple sorbet, macaroons, and strawberries with a raspberry sauce. The whole experience was beyond!! 

We actually got friendly with Thierry and talked about getting together for dinner at a restaurant of his choice and inviting Stephanie Fray to join us. She's all over it, first because of business and networking, and secondly, because it would be a nice evening for all of us...this could be interesting ...'on sait jamais' (one never knows)!!

We waddle out of there, completely satisfied after one of the best cooking classes we have ever taken. We decided to take Gail over to Rue Montorgeuil, Eglise St. Eustache (an ancient church), Les Halles, Dehillerin (the go-to store for professional cooking and pastry tools since 1820...see Gail checking out the ladles and mixing vats), the Musee Pompidou and the restaurant at the very top for the experience and the view over the rooftops of Paris, and end up at the Place des Vosges.

It's becoming really cold and damp now and we're all tired, so we hop a cab and head over to Gail's Hotel Montalambert where she graciously allows us to warm up and relax.

Dinner was scheduled for Chaumettes in the 16th at 8pm. The restaurant is a small, qiaint bistro where the food and ambiance are just the old world style and manner we like and something we thought Gail would like. She loved it for all the right reasons and dinner (and the Pouilly Fume wine) was wonderful.
                                  

                                              

As we were all tired from the days trekking, we took a taxi home, Gail dropping us off and then snapping a picture of the Tour Eiffel all lit up with strobe lights.

The end of another great day.