I was on TV!

So a few weeks ago, a camera crew came over to the pastry lab, and filmed... I wasn't too conftable around the cameras, it was actually annoying, but now I'm happy they were there, I was on TV! haha! Not for long, and we don't really see my face, but I know it's me! I'm putting the PH sign on the Mont-Blancs. It passed on France 5 today and it will be on TV5 sometime soon I guess, so mom and dad, you can tape it! It's called Carte Postale Gourmande, and it was all about Pierre Hermé, pâtisserties. Anyway, just a tiny moment of fame for me here... hehe

it's really getting cold here... I know it's nthing compare to home, but it's a different cold, I don't know, it's weired. Anyway, so not doing much today, probably buy some nice wool at La Droguerie to make a nice scarf for this weather! hard to get dressed and go out to buy food! I'm hungry, I want fresh baguette! going going gone

For Matthew

I was also confused when I first saw a Kaki(Persimmon). A fruit, first grown in China, but now found in many other countries, like Partugal, the reason I had some in my appartment. My roomate's father(portuguese), brought a bunch about 1 month ago, and they were good! They have to be really soft, they feel so fragile when thay are ripe enough to eat, they feel like a water balloon that's about to explode...There are other variations, where the skin and flesh are firmer, but I prefer the slimmy ones. Carefull, they are messy when you take the skin off! You can make eat them like that, make fools, puddings, or many other things can be done. They can be found around fall time, september-october usually. They look like tomatoes, a little more orange and the leafs look like the ones that would be on a giant strawberry like a little hat. Anyway, they are not my favorite, but a different fruit is you want to try something new!

Tartiflette

The first time I had tartiflette, was in Val d'Isère, almost 2 years ago. Potatoes, oignons, lardons, crème fraîche and Roblechon cheese... perfect on a cold rainy night with some white wine and friends. I invited Julien and Aurélie and it was just nice. It's a heavy meal, so for dessert, some caramelized pinneaple with vanilla. Tartiflette is from Savoie, a region in France in the Alps, perfect after a day of skiing... I,m going to bed happy.

Châtaignes

No chaos in levallois-perret. no worries, everythiing is fine. Not writting much because not much is happening right now. Work is going very well. The TV came on wednesday, and I'll be on tv probably making the Mont-Blanc*, and it will be on TV5! so you'll be able to see it at home! I'll check when it's on and let you know. So the Mont-Blanc the Pierre Hermé façon is a almond paste tartelette, some eglantine compote, meringue, chantilly, and crème de Marron. Very good and very popular to the japanese(don,t ask me why!) The crème de marron must be one of my favorite things, and in terms of condimants, it's definetly my favorite. I buy it a lot here(much cheaper and better quality). It's actually not 'marrons' but 'châtaignes' that are used to makes the paste, or the cream. It's weired how they still call it 'marrons' when it's not... anyway, disapointment because we have a 'marronnier' in our frontyard, but only squirels will think they are good... Crème de marron is great on toast, and I love it right now on my Laitière vanilla yogourt! You can also buy them raw, and boil them then cook them in the oven. It has a very pasty texture, and can be used in cakes, and they are really good candied. They are called 'le caviar de la pâtisserie' by La Maison du Chocolat, but I still prefer the cream, c'est bien plus cochon!