Pastry Prom

Last night, we had Pastry Prom (well, actually our class dinner for the semester) at Le Petit Bordelaise, a great small restaurant near the Eiffel Tower. Slow start, with no champagne, water or cocktails served until we sat down for dinner almost an hour after our arrival, it was awkward to have cocktail hour without any drinks! Worth the wait, because the champagne was great with little choux paste and cheese dollops called gougeres. Then a roll of smoked salmon with beet sauce - maybe some horseradish in the sauce, which is amazing because I can't find it anywhere in Paris. Paired with a delicious white wine, the next dish was porcini mushrooms with demi-glaze and a mushroom-based ice cream mixture - I could have eaten just that dish and been happy. Next, a fish dish on risotto (soaked in butter), then pheasant with cabbage and an adorable heart shaped biscuit. Dessert followed - a poached pear with caramel and tiny ice cream cone filled with tonka (like vanilla, but illegal in the US) flavored whipped cream.

It was a great evening, Chef JJ joined our table and the French was flowing almost as fast as the wine! We did a little photo shoot a les japanaises to round off the evening. As we left for the night, with a great wine-induced flush, JJ kissed all of us goodbye, and some of the lucky ones (including me) received multiple farewell kisses!

It was one of those nights that we didn't want to end, so we headed out for a night cap, but as Paris closes down on Monday nights, there wasn't much to find, so four of us came back to my apartment for a slumber party - it is difficult to explain teenage girl antics to people from other countries - Ouiji Board, Light as a Feather, etc. They are also fascinated with American celebrity magazines - Us, People, Star. I always think they are going to be interested with my issues of Food and Wine or Gourmet, but I guess Jennifer Anniston's latest breakup and Jessica Simpson's dog heartbreak are more interesting reads?