French For A Day

  Although it had been only nine months since our first trip, my daughter and I were returning to Paris. We had visited most of the top “tourist” sites and were now interested in delving beneath the surface for more interaction with people rather than buildings–difficult to do without fluency in the language. So, we thought “cooking class;” we needn’t talk to cook and eat. Both of us are quite adequate cooks, but we were not looking for a chef-level or chef-priced multiple-day course. Intimate and casual would fit our needs. I had seen a mention of Sue Young as an (English speaking) cooking instructor and found the “French for a Day” program operated by Ms. Young and Irene Adamian. As their website explains, they met in 1995 and decided to combine their cooking and shopping services into a one-day program with several hours devoted to each specialty. A little bit of “this and that” sounded ideal—a generalized taste to whet our appetites and encourage us to return again. At 185 Euros (at that time $160) each, it was a bit of a splurge but, after all, we were on vacation! On our assigned day, we met our guide, Christine, a warm, delightful doctor’s wife with excellent English to offset our nearly non-existent French, at the Hotel Lutetia. Although not officially part of the day’s tour, the hotel was well worth seeing, and I encourage you to walk through the public areas. Our group consisted of six American women (below the stated minimum of eight); we rather naturally broke into “threes” and were led down rue de Sevres toward the Bon Marché la Grand Epicerie where we were free for a brief period to buy to our heart’s content. Most of what appealed to me was in heavy glass containers (mustards, jams, olive oils) so I sadly left those items on the shelves and consoled myself with boxed sweets! Our next stop was the Poilane boulangerie at 8 rue du Cherche-Midi. After a brief and convincing chat with the manager, Christine was able to gain us access to the basement ovens. This entré alone would have made the day memorable. All that wonderful bread is kneaded by hand, set aside in wicker baskets to rise, and then baked in a brick, wood stoked oven. One drying rack was filled with loaves shaped as feet with ankles. If there was an explanation, I missed it – bread feet? Does one eat it toe by toe? Is it an honor to be given one toe rather than another? Dragging ourselves away from the calorie-laden bakery shelves, we shopped several of the wonderful stores in the area: Mis en Demeure for beautiful quilts and linens and its private brand perfume, Diners en Ville for flat- and table-ware, and a garden supply and ornament shop (Parisians love their flowers, even if they need to be potted). Upon special request, we made an unscheduled stop at La Tuile a’loup, which is crowded with handmade artisan-quality pottery, baskets, textiles and the like. All the while, Christine cheerfully answered questions and chatted about her own travel and visits to the U.S. After a quick Métro ride, we strolled the length of the market on Rue Mouffetard, a feast for both the palate and the eyes–tomatoes sold on their stems, every conceivable herb, and cuts of meat seldom seen in the U.S. Lunch would not be for several hours–we first had to prepare and cook it–so we stopped for coffee and cake (included in the program cost) while being serenaded by a street violinist standing under a trompe l‘oeil vine-covered storefront. Finally, it was time to go to nearby rue Censier, and settle into the demonstration kitchen of Laurence Guarneri, our chef for the day since Sue Young had been unexpectedly detained in the south of France. Laurence (visit her site) explained that she’d spent months finding just the right location for her custom-designed cooking school; the kitchen was well lit, planned for optimum efficiency, with every conceivable gadget and appliance. I enviously thought, “If I had a kitchen like this, I too could be a French chef.” Although it was not her home, she had included a bathroom and sleeping area on the second level for use after late evening sessions. Our six were joined around the extensive cooking island by a lone Frenchman and two young French television videographers who taped the kitchen and cooking demonstration as a test for future commercial use. Laurence, both herself and through our interpreter, explained the recipes as she chopped and cut the vegetables and lamb for our braised lamb with pickled tomato and gremolata with lemon soufflé with Banvuls cherries for dessert. Recipes were provided in both French and English. We were allowed to do as much or as little of the preparation as we wished. Most of us opted to chop some of the vegetables and then peel and squeeze the lemons for both the gremolata (parsley, garlic and lemon peel) and the soufflé. During this, we all shared what we had done and planned to do during the rest of our stays, traded notes on hotels and apartments, took home addresses, and settled down for the final presentation of lunch, which needless to say was delectable. The day was a delight–the shops were elegant but affordable; our guide a chic, friendly woman; our chef superb; and the food fresh and delicious. There were, however, some minor deviations from (our interpretation of) the advertised schedule, in that our shopping was prior to the lunch (of no major consequence); we didn’t actually shop for the luncheon ingredients–the marketing was just a leisurely walk through the street; and no wine was served with the meal as stated (a disappointment). But, for me, the bakery tour will remain unique and special (Poilane died just months later), and the camaraderie and food shared in Laurence’s kitchen an experience not to be duplicated. Your “French for a Day” will most likely be different in its “ingredients,” but it will certainly be a day to remember. Sated with food, good cheer, conversation and new personal contacts (three of us walked the city together the following day), we were escorted by Christine…