Five days in.

Look what you can make in just five days. At the end of each week, Chef Sebastian wants us to gather our selected projects and display them in a buffet. Then we'll compare from first to last. Here is our first.


The first week seemed much longer than just five days. Most likely because everything was new. New people, new country, new food, new daily routines, new kitchen, etc. Plus, it's difficult to be speedy in the kitchen when you don't know where anything is, but we're getting it. Labeling the drawers has helped. It was a good long week, but come Saturday morning I was happy to sleep in.

My favorite learning: how to make vanilla butter. Did you know that if you take cream, add a bit of sugar and real vanilla bean, and then whisk until you're absolutely positive you've injured your arm and shoulder beyond repair for even the best physio therapist, you can make butter? Yep. Sure can. Have a look.

(Have you ever seen so many beautiful vanilla beans?)

So about five minutes after your arm muscles set flame, keep whisking and you'll eventually knock the water right out of that cream.

And, voila! Yummy, fluffy, sweet vanilla butter, that is totally worth the pain.

I think this will be my new dinner party thank you gift. Homemade butter with homemade scones for brekky the next morning? Sounds pretty good to me. But I am SO not doing it by hand. Heavy duty Kitchen Aid is officially on my wish list.

Besides baking, I've started running again. Given that I'm required to eat cake all day long, and participate in butter tastings, running is the least I can do. And because I can't exercise without a goal, I found a 10K on May 29. It's in a near by town called Le Puy-En-Velay. I also found an outdoor track down the street from the school. I don't usually enjoy running in circles, but because there aren't really sidewalks in the area, running circles seems better than dodging cars.
I did a slow two miles last night and felt great.

I think France has put my whole body in shock. For the last few years, I've pretty much eliminated dairy all together. I love it, but dairy really doesn't love me. And I never eat white bread. Like, ever. But all rules are off in France. They have to be or I'd starve. Baguettes are served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. And cheese. Oh the cheese. Come on, how can I say no? Here I thought pastries would be my downfall. But after just three days in the lab my sweet tooth was satisfied. It's cheese that's gonna bring me down. Or make me wider.

Oh well. I'll run a few more laps. Plus, hopefully I'll regain control when I move into my apartment on the 29th. Just a week and a half and I'll be cooking for myself. I've never craved steamed veggies this much.

Mmm. With that thought, I'm off to bed. Bonsoir!