Paris : Regional Cuisine

After my first (well, technically second) class at La Cuisine, I had high expectations for the next class and even more so at the idea of trying regional French cuisine. Even though Emilie told us that she wouldn't be teaching this class, there she was. And like the last class, the class was in complete disarray. In fact, I really think it was even worse.

The menu du jour was:

Seasonal vegetables (asparagus, radishes and cauliflower) with aïoli (from Provence)

Basque-style chicken (from the Basque country)

Mashed potatoes with Espelette pepper (also from the Basque country)

Nancy's macarons and roasted fruit (from Lorraine)

Ever since an unfortunate incident with asparagus when I was little (I chose them in the lunch line when I was in elementary school, thinking that they were a different type of broccoli. I was never the same afterwards), I have never liked them. But I gave them another chance (plus, I hate looking picky in front of strangers). I didn't really need to. I still dislike asparagus ... and radishes apparently.

I preferred the duck that we made last time, but this Basque-style chicken was also delicious. I would have eaten more, except that last time, I ate way too much and was almost sick during the cheese plate and dessert. So I ate less in expectation.

"I should have eaten more chicken", I said to myself a little later during the cheese course. I am not afraid of pungent, European cheese, but I did not like these. They just weren't my style.

Usually, we plated our own plates, but for dessert, Emilie whipped these macarons up for us (we made them - just didn't put them together). I don't know which I liked better - the "floating island" or these macarons of Nancy. Yes, they were macarons, but they are quite different from the ones that you see in the pastry shops of Paris. According to Emilie, these were actually the ancestor of those Parisian macarons.

In general, this class disappointed me. The recipes were not as good as the previous class's, and maybe it's because the class did not come together in unity like the other one, despite three of us knowing each other from the last one. I guess it was a matter of chance. Next time, I hope it will be more successful. If there is a next time.