Too much butter in France, mais non!

First day cooking in the kitchen! We made Soupe a la Culvitateur (Harvester's Soup) today - veggies and bacon, can't beat that. First, we had to manually light the gas stoves and burners, which is a sight to see when they haven't been turned on in two months. Yes, the entire school was closed for two whole months for holiday. Ridiculously long vacations are one of the many reasons to live in France.

After that, the chef demoed the recipe and then we got to work. The only negative comment I had today was that I used too much butter. Personally, I thought that was impossible in France and believe Julia Child (as well as Chef Katy Hume at Sur La Table would agree)! Otherwise, everything else was either no comment (which is good) or positive (which is better).

After cutting my carrots, leeks, potatoes, celery and cabbage a la paysanne (into 1 millimeter by 3 millimeter squares), Chef came creeping by to check that everyone had done it correctly. It's weird how my stomach jumped and my pulse raced as he walked behind me, grabbed a handful of carrots and lightly tossed them around in his hand. With a guttural noise only the French can make, he showed his approval, and I suddenly realized I was breathing again. When it was time to present the soup, mine was one of the first he tasted. He said and I quote in a southern French male accent, "It's ok. It's good. Seasoning good." Thank the good Lord I didn't get the response of the person before me which was, "Did you taste this before plating it and bringing it to me?" Ouch. So, here is the infamous photo of the first thing I made in culinary school. Not too exciting, but they have to start us somewhere!



So, while I do not have tons of experience cooking compared to those who have done it for 10 and 20 years, I do actually have more experience than a lot of people in the class. I cannot yet figure out if it is this lack of experience that makes it seem as though people move so slowly in the kitchen or simply the fact that I was trying to move as quickly as possible so I could get home to see my husband who is leaving in less than two days. I'll let you decide, but I have a hunch it is the latter.

I'll leave you with this little bit of 'education' - when someone in France tells you that class starts at 9 am, but seems even the least bit hesitant; confirm the time with as many people as possible. According to someone in charge, class was to start at 9 am today. Too bad it was actually at 10 am and we all sat in the hall like a bunch of English speaking morons while the young French kids stared at us as they passed, making comments in quickly spoken Parisian slang that might as well be Japanese to my classically French-trained ears. A one hour wait isn't bad, you say? Well, you must not have read the previous paragraph where I mentioned that my adorable husband will be leaving for six weeks in less than two days. An hour makes a difference, ok!

More photos from our first day in the kitchen cooking:



Kitchen



Fellow chefs-in-training awaiting the cold hard judgment of Chef Stephane. Don't even think for a minute that those hats are the same kind as the one that graces my head. Oh no, these lucky girls simply haven't gotten the real hats yet which happen to be even more hideous than the ones on their heads if you dare to imagine that.



My 'mise en place'