Karla's First Day of School
First day of classes were amazing and inspiring! My first class was Petits Gateaux(mini cakes) & Tartlets. With Laurent LeDaniel,MOF 97. He owns 3 very successful & personal pastry shops in and around Rennes, France, a part of Brittany. His assistant/interpreter, Michele was quite the compliment to Laurent. We Learned how to make 4 different mini desserts, all with a different type of chocolate mousse, and all are ones he makes and sells in his store. Brittany, composed of Dark chocolate creme brulee, milk chocolate mousse, hazelnut biscuit & salted caramel.Lagune, composed of Tropical fruit compote,tropical cream, chocolate mousse and a crunchie crumble. Matcha, composed of Green tea Matcha creme brulee, Dark chocolate mousse, Raspberries Biscuit macaron.Sakura, composed of a compote of morello cherrie, cherrie chocolate mousse,cacao biscuit,hazelnut crumble. They were all wonderful & I hope to make some in the future for ya'll. Laurent was extremely informative and I look at it as an honor to be his student. His time is quite devoted to his shops and he does not plan to come back to the states again. His knowledge and demonstration that he provided will prove to be invaluable to myself and the other chefs. Next class was Alain Roby's, Creative Sugar Artistry for Production. Alain is the Senior Corporate Pastry Chef for the Hyatt Regency Hotels and has worked at the Hyatt Regency Chicago for over 20 years, which is the largest hotel in Chicago and the Corporations flagship hotel. He demonstrated all kinds of sugar work. Even in our humidity I will be able to do much of what I learned when I have the opportunity....so give me the oppourtunity, let me WOW you!! :-) So Classes were great, sitting for that length of time was a bit straining, being used to standing all the time but sooo worth it! I have gotten to see several of the chefs that I met last year and previously, but there are many new and that is exciting. An hour after class rafting around the lazy river and back to the room for a quick change for dinner and a jazz concert. We went to an Italian restaurant The Tuscany, quite possibly the best most authenic Italian food I have ever ate! This restorante is rated AAA Four Diamond, with a modern italian menu.We did the 4 course chef tasting menu along with the 4 course wine flight. I started out with their signature cocktail the Golden Apple, vanilla vodka,Disaronno, apple and lime juice in a grahm cracker rim. Quite yummy. Antipasti was a trio of Bruschetta- Pomodoro-Basil,Chickpea Puree, & Robiola cheese & organic apple. Oven baked Potato Gnocchis with a smoked tomato cream pecorino & Basil sauce(Absolutely amazing!!!)Handmade campenelle pasta Bolognese, Veal Osso Bucco with creamy polenta, chantrelle mushrooms on a bed of Tuscan Kale. I am salivating just thinking about it again!!! Sous Chef Ryan Lamkin then presented us with a trio of desserts that made the tastebuds sing soprano!!!. I was so stuffed that I was really looking forward to a long walk and the concert. Then to bed. Well, I have to finish getting ready for class today, Bread and special diet desserts are on the agenda for today. Hope everyone back home is doing great. Miss ya'll
Sincerely,
Me :-)