Oh my, today I woke up hungry and I had intended to not eat breakfast. I needed to go to the market and I thought it wise not to go there when hungry. I had a pain au chocolate and coffee crème at a local patessierie and then off to the market. It is so fun how it is located right behind the apartment. I do not believe that I have ever stayed in a more convenient place. All this, and charm as well; I am not sure it can get any better than this. The market this morning was a blast! I found a new pair of lime green shoes immediately, and I adore them! They are leather, comfy and cute, and at twenty Euros, a steal! Later, I found a cheese slicer for the apartment and one of the soft cheese ones to take home. I don’t think I have ever seen one in the U.S. so I am pretty excited to have my own goat cheese slicer!
I was having a great time people watching, buying goodies for Jodi and Kids, and photographing and all of a sudden I realized that I needed to get dressed for my big lunch! Pino, from Cooking with Class, advised me that it is worth the money to have a lunch at Le Grand Vefour. I made reservations right away after that because it can take weeks to get one. Then one of the women in my class, Tracy, thought she might like to go and so she did. I called and asked in my astoundingly good French for the reservation to be changed and they graciously accommodated me. We met at the Place du Palais Royal. I was a bit early so I stepped in Marionaude, to my great pleasure they had a product that I thought to never see again. It is a Lavender product that bath & Body Works used to sell.
Then we wandered through the Palais grounds, looked as some outdoor art, admired the roses, met this fat pigeon and then went to the restaurant.
You know the movies where the hero or heroine enters a restaurant any shopping bags and coat are taken and hung. Those movies where, on the way to the table every employee encountered says, “Hello Madame Fisher” or at least “Bonjour Madame”? Well today I lived it! It was a thrill! The Matrie D pulled out our chars for us and with great flourish placed menus in our hands. Our wait staff graciously allowed me to practice my French but spoke English to Tracy. The room was fabulous and the place setting was great, the dishes even have the name of the restaurant on it as part of the design. We both desperately wanted to take photos of everything, but were too shy, until a bottle of good Sancerre and others taking the lead. First they brought an Amusee Bouche (just a little goodie to start, literally a mouth pleaser or amuser), I am not sure what it all was, part was a green gazpacho (About a good tablespoon in a big shot glass) and a little piece of fish. I think. Then they brought bread, either little twists of French bread or black and white sesame covered roll. I had Fois Gras, with a carrot and pea puree and toast. This was followed by Monkfish on a bed of zucchini with a fabulous sauce. They then offered a cheese course and lastly (I do have a photo of this) a tomato marmalade, strawberry terrine and basil sorbet. This may not sound that great, but ……. Yea I am sighing just remembering. Any way they also brought a little long tray of five goodies, one is this gold-topped mini cream puff; there was a tiny chocolate tart with gold leaf, and a cherry macaron. And THEN they brought caramels, marshmallow or another goodie (I forget) followed by an offering of chocolate. We ordered coffee and they brought a slice of cake, maybe an angel food, I do not know I couldn’t even begin to think about eating it. I have to admit I slipped my caramel into my pocket for Jodi! What an experience. Pino says Napoleon the III, Colette, and other famous people dined there. I believe it. All I can say is, “Thank you Uncle Leonard!” (It is a family thing)
Tracy and I walked a bit, but I had to get back and get changed for my last cooking class. So I rushed home, changed, (It was almost like being at work because I was multi tasking!), started a load of laundry and left again. Some poor guy tried to pick me up in the Metro, funny how that: “Je n comprend pas” works in that situation. I speak excellent pig Latin too, so I can always rely on that in a pinch to make sure the poor person does not understand “my native language”. O.K. Seriously I told this poor guy that I was sorry, I did not understand everything he was saying. I told him that I had a class and could not play with him tonight. I got there a couple of minutes late, and class had already started. Tonight Pino had a helper. Her name was Bernadette and she was a peach too. We made (Actually in this class we did a lot less work!) Fried Dorade on a bed of______ (You tell me, I saw it in the market this morning and wondered why they were selling wheat, which it is not.) with a leek sauce, Pork tenderloin stuffed with Raisins, almonds and Cherries and a side of onion and fennel confit, for dessert we had cherry clafoutis. For someone who likes to eat as much as I do I think I died and went to gourmand Heaven!
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