Vamos por os pontos nos “is”. Um cozinheiro que não tenha “o lodo” enraizado no ser, não é de facto um cozinheiro que se preze. Pronto…sou má. Pode ser considerado como alguém com grande talento para fazer “omelletes” e um molho “hollandaise”. Mas não é um cozinheiro.

Possuímos uma característica de que a língua inglesa define como “temper” (em português, bem que pense como um eufemismo, é um género de humor sensível). Queremos responder, berrar, atirar com os sautées, as tigelas de inox, e até as formas de madeleines à cara do Chef. Mas o Chef quer, pode, e normalmente cai na tendência de o fazer.

Se não existe esta fúria (mesmo quando se está de folga), não se trata, pura e simplesmente, de um cozinheiro.

Digam o que disserem (especialmente dirigido à categoria do salgados), os pasteleiros têm um “temper” perigoso. Não é só o Marco Pierre White que o tem (não haja enganos, é um dos melhores cozinheiros do nosso tempo), ficam já a saber. Fazes merda e não dá para juntar mais vinho branco, demi-glace ou reduzir não sei que mais. Fizeste merda e pronto. Acontece que o Chef fica decididamente na merda. E agora além de a teres feito, vais recambiado para a sua incontornável fonte: a merda.

A partir de agora és considerado como catastrophe. Sou um deles. Até acho que seja um nome bastante cómico e respeitável. Existe uma palavra em ídiche que encaixa perfeitamente nestes parâmetros: klutz.

E depois existe o terroriste. Isso quer dizer que não só fizeste merda, mas insultaste a honra da pastelaria (deixa estar que na cozinha também já lá anda). A versão mais familiar é, como por exemplo, estares-te a cagar. Do género fazer à pressa porque estás com uma alta ressaca ou andaste a fumar umas antes de entrar em serviço. Sou apoiante de ambas as actividades. Por essa razão, levo TEMPO a fazer TODAS bem. Quem não o faz, merece outro nome em ídiche que utilizo com muito apreço: schmuck.

Vejam isto como um 101, tutorial, ou uma anedota. Ou então tenham medo e não se aproximem, porque vem aí uma panela de caramelo a voar (geralmente a 165 graus centígrados)…

Os prédios parecem mais limpos, o que faz esta cidade realmente “áurea”, como aparece nos livros de história. Considerando a carga de chatices com que tive que lidar esta semana, sinto-me calma e relaxada. E agradeço por poder desfrutar esta tarde em paz.

Esta cidade muda de cara quando há luz. Só assim dá para apreciar a beleza das suas constucções, e o espírito romântico de que tanto se fala.

Não me arrependi disto. Agora começo a perceber que a vida vai ser sempre assim, cheia de chatices. Mas se nos concentrarmos somente nesses aspectos, seremos criaturas no expoente da infelicidade e do desespero.

Dias como este curam meses, dias e horas de frustração, e tornam os icebergues num mar azul, fresco com sabor a sal… e ondas vespertinas.

Começou o novo ciclo. Agora é adaptação.

Chocolate Cream Chouquettes with Caramel and Fleur de Sel

Pâte à Choux

250ml water

100g unsalted butter

pinch of salt

pinch of sugar

150g flour

4 eggs

Chocolate Pastry Cream

250ml milk

125g sugar

3 tablespoons flour

pinch of salt

2 egg yolks

vanilla

60g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Caramel Glaze with Fleur de Sel

125ml water

125g sugar

pinch of fleur de sel

Method:

To make the chouquettes: Prepare a pan lined with a baking sheet, and a pastry bag with a simple 8-12 opening. Set aside.

In a medium pot place the water, butter, salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil and immediately add the flour, mixing vigorously on low heat with a wooden spoon. Be careful that the dough doesn’t burn! Stop only when the dough doesn’t stick to your spoon.  Transfer to a bowl and add the eggs one by one until you create a soft and elastic paste. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Fill the pastry bag with the dough, without making a big mess and make little balls about the size of a small strawberry. These will grow in the oven!  Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until nice and golden. Place in a rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate pastry cream: In a bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar. Add the flour and salt and mix well until pale. In a medium pot heat the milk with the chocolate until just simmering. Pass  half the milk to the egg bowl and whisk to combine. Return all the mixture to the pot and keep whisking to thicken. Let it boil a minute or so and transfer to a stainless steel tray. If you want to cool it quickly, stick some film over the cream and refrigerate. This prevents the cream from making a crust on the outside too.

Assembly: Fill a new pastry bag with the chocolate cream (with the smallest tip possible, like a 6) and set aside. With a “bic” pen or pencil, pierce each chouquettes in the bottom. Turn these upside down to be sure they’ve got a hole. Fill each chouquettes with the cream. Don’t overdose them, they’ll pop!

To glaze: In a medium pot place the water, then the sugar and fleur de sel and boil until you get a lightly brown colour. While you wait, oil a tray with vegetable oil and set aside. When the caramel is done, place the pot slightly askew with a kitchen cloth underneath. Dip each chouquette in the caramel. Don’t let them go in there, and please don’t burn your fingers! Place the glazed side upside down on the tray. Just like in the “Gateau St.Honoré”!

Wait until the caramel has set and remove your chouquettes to plate. They should look amazing, unfortunately not my case…

Today was our written exam at the Cordon Bleu, and no, I’m not going to start minding on how it was. For the obvious reasons I suppose, because I’ve had the bad fortune of considering all tests easy until the results came floating unto my desk. I think the possibilities of failing are slim, but one can never be too confident on these matters. And I’m beginning to feel somewhat superstitious about it.

I tried making a batch of madeleines today. There’s a microwave-oven here, and I gave it a try. This time (not the first time) with a different kind of recipe. That is, substituting cookies for tea-cakes. If you think they burned, you’re wrong, because they didn’t have time for that. The madeleine mould wouldn’t fit in the oven by, let’s say, one centimeter? I just thought that was too hilarious to let pass… Bummer I didn’t remember to take a picture.

I like to walk around everyday though, and find good stores with very reasonable prices. For those who are tired of clubbing in the Louvre, here’s a short list of interesting spots to hand around, pass by, etc… “resident-style”:

Late Lunch and Hanging Around

Jean Bernard- This little bistro has the best mediterranean vegetable salad that I have ever tried. It’s a dish so simple, that it’s difficult to find an excellent version of it. But this one is tremendously good. Same goes for the beer which is artisanal. So if you’re into it,  couple it with the chèvre and veggies. It’s delicious, not expensive and unpretentious. The café is not in a very calm area, but if you’re walking around the Pompidou Center or checking out the stores around the Rambuteau area this is definitely a must for lunch. Actually, it’s right at the entrance of a little passage (Passage Molière) and sometimes you’re able to sit outside right under the arches. And that’s slightly more quaint.

Passage Molière, 75003 (Mº Rambuteau)

Le Petit Café- Typical “Quartier Latin” Café with good and casual food. It’s situated right above rue des Ecoles and makes a good continuation for those who are checking out the area. Located in the top of a steep uphill street, this makes a good reward for the mountain-climbers. The area is calm, sunny and very friendly. As for the dishes, Salmon Tartare is quite generous and appetizing and their salads are also rich and tasty. This is a specially good spot to study with your friends or hang around for beer, opposing to the classic and noisy Brasseries off the main streets.

6 rue Descartes 75005 (Mº Maubert-Mutualité)

PARTY!

Le Bar du Marché- Perfect example of a place where the good-looking St.Germain crowd hangs about. The people are varied and the ambience is warm and energetic, like a bar from the Ramblas or Bairro Alto. The usual sounds are world music, much of it in the “Manu Chao” style rhythm. If you’re looking for a place where you can actually sit, this is not it for sure! It gets abusively packed and crowded, but then again, that’s what makes it warm and familiar. Cocktails and beer is the best off the menu, and the Caipirinhas are a thumbs up too. Don’t expect to get quick service or the cheapest drinks. Waiters are limited, and bartenders even more. So plan on getting as fast as possible to the counter. And staying there.

75 rue de Seine 75006 (Mº Ódeon)

Le Caveau des Oubliettes- This one’s a dancer. If you’re a student, you like blues and rock n’roll, loud music and St.Michel…here you go. A classic pub with a secret basement where you can hear live music almost any day, right in the center of St.Michel.The walls are arched and made of ancient stone, which gives a real underground feel to it. The entrance is free, but the drinks aren’t unfortunately. It’s quite expensive for a pub, but in the end you’re actually paying for the concert. Beer is the best choice in these cases. The bands are usually good and, very curiously, so is the acoustic. Excellent bar to stop with a large group of people so you can start the chaos downstairs.

52 rue Galande 75005 (Mº St.Michel)

La Féline- For those who are into rock-a-billy, garage rock, punk and other sub-genres (or whatever you call it) this is of the best I’ve been to. The area slightly different from your usual Paris, and not a common location haunted by tourists. I’d consider it more of a punky residential “quartier” with gas on full. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch some concerts on Saturdays. So if this is your genre of music and you love motorcycles than welcome home. It’s not dangerous either, so it’s just fine to take the metro alone. The best of the bar is obviously on the street curb, where you can make conversation, drink your whiskey and smoke your cigarette in peace. Prices are standard…

6, rue Victor Letalle 75011 (Mº Ménilmontant)

La Butte aux Cailles, in general- It’s hard to simply land here unless you’re a resident in Paris. It’s almost a “quartier” inside a “quartier” where you can have good laughs, and compared to some places in Paris, be treated like a human being. This is the first of Parisian nightlife that I experienced, and continue to enjoy. The streets are cobblestoned, the walls have cool graphic designs and the people are very artsie-fartsie. It’s a place you can go if you want to see the same face by the bar and have a drink by yourself. I usually stop by when it’s too late to go somewhere else, or I just want to run away from the downtown Parisian chaos. Definitely of the few places where I can chill out, draw in my sketchbook and not feel any pressure from the waiters. There’s no rush, and that’s good sometimes. Some bars on this street can get very crowded on weekends though. Such is the case with La Folie en Tête, Taverne de la Butte and Chez Michel (which are the best ones too). Even then it maintains it’s welcoming ambience, and it’s easy to make conversation. The funny thing about these places is how the french strive to speak english when they know you’re not french. The french speak english, and I answer french. The result is magnificent.
La Butte ax Cailles is not expensive at all as you can imagine. It’s typically residential, and in the middle of the 13th “arrondissement” (not a very rich area). Next to it, la rue Des Cinq Diamants which has the best restaurant in the “village”, Chez Gladines.

rue de La Butte aux Cailles 75013
rue des Cinq Diamants 75013
(Mº Corvisart)

OTHERS: Music/Dvd’s

O’CD – This is just a simple second-hand store with a very good selection of films, categorized by genres, directors, actors. There’s just no way of not finding what you’re looking for, unless it’s not really there. The cd’s section is also good to explore, and you can encounter some gems once in a while  if you’ve got the patience to search. It’s quite organized too, and the staff is very helpful. They currently have four addresses in the center of Paris, along with others in the suburbs. Become a usual costumer, complete they’re fidelity card with purchases and you’ll have 10€ off your next buy. There’s very few things over 15€, so you can buy something nice!
All this with no deadlines, no rush.

PARIS 1e 24 rue Pierre  Lescot 75001 (Mº Les Halles)
PARIS 4e 12 rue St. Antoine 75004 (Mº Bastille)
PARIS 5e 25 rue des Ecoles 75005 (Mº Maubert-Mutualité)
PARIS 15e 46 rue du Commerce 75015 (Mº Commerce)
Hang around, because I’ll be adding more info to the page! Coming up: books, curious shops, and dinning out!

Days are busy with usual walking around and everyday tasks. It’s funny to analyse the difference between living with your parents and living by yourself. I get to my room so tired, that taking my clothes off becomes a burden almost unbearable! I know that this simply cannot be used as an excuse for disappearing, but it’s the truth.

School is fun, challenging and intense. Everyday is a new recipe, a new surprise! It’s amazing to feel how much I wasn’t absorbing before. It has never been so important to learn from other cultures as now I think. So it’s impossible to leave class without a smile, even if your cake was the “catastrophe” of the day (and trust me, eventually everyone gets their turn at it). Being with schoolmates is amazing, even if we don’t speak the same language. We all share the same passion, so there’s always a conversation. My favorite part of the day at school, is when we’re all packed into the Winter Garden tasting each other’s cakes.
“Oh, Your’s got too much rum on it”
“I know. I was serving from the bottle, and it tipped over! Is this supposed to be so creamy?”
“Yeah, that’s what the Chef said.”
Perfect example of one of our very. very intellectually profound kitchen observations. I’m not joking. Honest.
As for the student’s specialty (that would be to party), it doesn’t get much better than this, regardless of any transportation obstacle (what I like to call “The Metro Kerfew”). The best part of all is that you just can’t stop meeting new people. They really make the world go round, and there’s a good piece of it in Paris. I believe to have entered in conversation with people whose nationalities I thought I would never encounter (like Kazakhstan, to start with). It’s almost like rebuilding everything you know, because you’re basically alone.
Big news for the last day of September though: tomorrow is the day that we’ll learn to make Macaroons! I cannot, in my biggest efforts, produce in writing the excitement that I feel. For an amateur cook like me (just you wait though), this truly stands as a turning point in my kitchen life. I’ll have the demonstration in the morning, and the afternoon is left for our practical. All in one day.

Ladies and Gentleman, when I make the last step of my school entrance, at exactly 18:30 in the afternoon, I will know the secret to making Macaroons.

À Poizé.

There are some photos I took on my way home from my walk in Montmartre. This is the street that I have to take everyday to the metro station of Corvisart.

Since the amount of people reduced so drastically, some of the dishes were left apart. I didn’t plate the smoked salmon. The best choice ever, because the turkey meatloaf was just to the count and everyone seemed to have preference in a hot dish, opposed to the “tapa” styled dinner. The chocolate cake was definitely a killer, and really made us sit back on our chairs! It was great…

Thank You.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Glaze

(adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)

3/4 ounce (1/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; more for the pan

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (2 1/4 cups)

6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces; more for the pan

5 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar (I used caster sugar)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 300ºF (150ºC). Lightly butter the bottom of a 9×2-inch round cake pan and line it with a round of parchment. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan and dust with cocoa. Tap out any excess cocoa.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl and let cool slightly. With a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the cocoa and mix on medium-low just until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, 40 to 45 minutes. Don’t overbake. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Let cool completely and transfer to a plate. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Glaze the cake: Melt 1/4 pound of bittersweet chocolate with 1 1/2 ounces (2 tablespoons) of butter in a medium bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Pour the glaze over the chilled cake, using an offset spatula and spread out evenly. Refrigerate until set (20 to 40 minutes). Before serving, leave the cake at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

To Serve: Cut very, very, very small slices using a sharp hot knife. I served this with simple “créme fraiche” and mint, but it’s also great with various ice-creams, custards, etc…

We’re about seven people, so I decided not to make a main dish, just a few things. A cold plate with smoked salmon, cream cheese, herbs and lemon; a turkey meatloaf with spinach; raw carrot and zucchini salad; and some home-fried olive oil potatoes. Bread, crackers, cheese, fruits and chorizo always come in of course! As for dessert, that’s always a different story with old Sugarbilly. I haven’t made any desserts with chocolate lately, so I made a flourless chocolate cake (magnificent recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine) and some créme fraiche with mint to cut the richness. Imagine making a career out of giving dinners to friends… Isn’t that just too alluring?

Photos will be taken later and some recipes posted, so stick around!

As I’m climbing the steep street that goes from the Armazéns do Chiado to the Praça de Camões a recent pregnant lady comes up to me, and asks if I want to take a picture for a magazine. This is not very uncommon in the middle of the city. A quick shoot in the middle of the street, and we continue our lives in peace. But no, this one I surely didn’t expect! They actually gathered a bunch of people from the crowd and led us straight to their little atelier (or all-purpose studio) in the Rua da Trindade: &SoWhat. This is an alternative beauty salon, which makes the productions for most of Edit Mag‘s fashion magazine (I suppose).  The magazine’s anniversary will be in September, and their idea was to make cover photographs of different people found in the centre Lisbon. This might seem like an everyday happening for most, but I have to admit to being absolutely surprised with the production they organized. I even got to take the picture home! How cool is that?

Sesame Seed Shortbread Triangles

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/2 lb.-1 cup good quality butter (I used an Italian,)

2 cups all-purpouse flour

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Vanilla essence

lime zest

Method

Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC), and have a round baking tin ready.

Cream the butter with the sugar, until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the lime zest (this is to taste, so feel free to put any amount).

Mix the flour with the sesame seeds and add to the first mixture. Blend well! Transfer the dough by pieces unto your baking tin and gently press all through the base, making it all even. Prick the dough all over with a fork, and place in the oven for 50 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cut into triangles while it’s still warm, and cool in a rack. Tea-Time!

(thanks for the help Jamie!)