Our class today was baking, bread products specifically. We got to pound out butter, until it was very thin for the croissants we were going to make. Interestingly the French can buy flat layers of butter specifically to make the croissant, but one still has to beat it thin. (Two pounds about 12 x 18 x 1 inches) The next time my neighbors have a late night party, well, I am making pain au chocolate the next morning! (One uses croissant dough to make them). Look out partiers, here I come. I may even offer them some! Justice is sweet. We made regular croissants, pain au chocolate (the chocolate for these comes in little 4 inch logs ready to be placed in the dough!) and Palmiers (sort of) and a savory cheese and sausage roll. In addition I finally learned to make foccacia bread, which will be great for my pizza addiction. Class was fun, full and we got to drink wine! Pino sent me home with some left over dough to make my own in the AM, There is not a rolling pin in the apt, and I will have to purchase a silicone one anyway, might as well be VERY soon! Pino said that is something I should purchase here. He also said this is not work for your great-grand-mothers rolling pin. I think he is absolutely right, as I cannot even find an example to put in as a link. Simon, here I come. Simon is a cooking store for professionals here in Paris. But for tomorrow, there are some empty bottles available in the apartment. I might just try to work with, one has to be resourceful! Good thing the pounding is done, well, most of it anyway.
So I had to get right home to place the dough in the fridge, but then I bounced back out to visit the Grand and Petit Palais. I had to laugh because after I was there I realized that they were built for the 1900 worlds fair, not the 1889 fair. So I did not get to do any real research done for my book today. Which I guess I need to mention that blogging has taken up most of my writing time. Mindy (my writing instructor) says that sharing our writing is a gift. Well let me tell you…….. Though I think I may take my computer with me to the Champs du Mars soon and just loll there and write. Hmmm…..
I did walk over to the Eiffel tower. On the way (I had been warned by my buddies on line about this) a young white male approached me, leaned over and dallied with a gold ring on the ground. I rolled my eyes at him; he rolled his back and left me alone. What a boob, my father did better with coins on the ground when I was a kid! Then not ten minutes later a young, dark skinned woman near the Eiffel Tower did the same thing, she was pushier, but nurse ratchet kicked in and she got my message quickly. I had not personally seen this trick before, but had heard plenty about it. Too bad for them I did not even bring any gold with me, so I would not even consider the ring mine. That is the idea, to let them divert your attention with the ring so they can pick your pocket while you are looking at it.
Today I finished my current book and knitted sitting in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. My intent was to leave the dishrag I am knitting here in the apartment, but with all these memories, I may have to take it home. There were lots of people there on the grass in the Chaps du Mars, a few of them really needed to get a room, but where could you get one with a view like that? I eventually decided that it was time to try Courtney and Joe’s trick and get a photo of myself. Not bad, what do you think?
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