It's tough to talk about a first day at a new place. Usually, not a lot goes on. You try to familiarize yourself with your surroundings and keep the names straight of all the new people you meet. As for me, I answered "Ca va, merci" a bunch of times and watched a lot of pastries get made.Day two is when things start happening.
I found out today that the two pastry cooks I will be working with, David and Alexi, are very territorial. They want to do everything themselves. The few things they let me try today, I basically had one shot at. If I didn't do it correctly the first time, they grabbed the spatula or
I brought back a "Madison" pastry to take a pic of, but the top got crushed in transit. A Madison is a round of chocolate mousse with a core of vanilla creme brulee that sits on a piece of chocolate genoise coated in praline feuillantine (crumbled up puff pastry coated in praline paste---so delicious). The whole thing is coated in chocolate glaze and garnished with a tiny bit of gold leaf. I am impressed with all the pastries and tarts they do at the bakery. I've sampled things from four other bakeries in town (it still amazes me how there seems to be a patisserie on every other block in France) and none came close to what I've tried at Carratie.
The pic above was part of my dinner, courtesy of the bakery. It's broccoli, bacon, and goat cheese quiche in pate brisee, or basic, buttery pie crust. Scrumptious.
give alexi the finger and tell him it's from me. that was tasty with the exception of the glob of goat cheese on top.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet make a brownie but use ex-lax for the chunks
ReplyDeleteAnt, I would like nothing better.
ReplyDeleteThe day started out poorly, then halfway through the day, chef came in and said that I wasn't here to do dishes and I should go help Alexi upstairs. He must have then had a talk with David, because David actually gave me stuff to do after I finished helping Alexi.