This morning I woke up at 7, and went to the boulangerie across the street, as the sun was struggling to drag itself up, scarring florescent rose against the soft blanket blue. My hair was disgusting, as it always is after sleep, and I had just thrown on the same clothes from yesterday, still smelling of garlic & noodles & an evening meal spent with friends.
I picked out the perfect pain au chocolat, and bought a croissant à l'abricot before I could stop myself, then headed back to my little French kitchen for a quiet breakfast while the rest of the lycée slept.
After a bit of cleaning up in my room, and a long, hot, shower, I watched some Julia Child episodes online, did a massive search for recipes involving "chocolat" and then headed out to the discount supermarket for missing ingredients. Seven euros and one shopping bag later, I was back in the hospital-green kitchen, pouring over recipes. Eggs, milk jugs, packages of butter, flour, sugar, salt jars, measuring devices, bowls, spoons, a cereal box, and various mixing tools were spread all across the table, artfully askew, ready for action.
I decided on two recipes: a chocolate yogurt cake, and cornflake cookies. It was a tough call between the banana-oatmeal cookies and the peanut butter ones, but I was too afraid that my lack of powdered sugar would seriously ruin it all and I would just be upset. So those will be for plus tard.
In other news, this afternoon I'm going to see a film with some of my friends and then tonight is home-made crêpe night -- finally!
My cooking last night was a success... Sarah and I went to the grocery store at 5 and, thanks to previous experience, I found everything I needed almost immediately. I left the store with only one superfluous item -- a bottle of Coke Zero -- but I felt it was well-deserved.
With Sarah's help, the tomatoes, aubergines (eggplant), champignons (mushrooms), and courgettes (zuccini) were peeled and thinly slice, the ruffly noodles boiled to perfection, the cheeses, crackers, and eggs all blended into a smooth consistency, and then the tout was put together in careful layers. After an hour of baking, the lasagna came out thick, rich, and bursting with vegetables. The bread sticks were nicely seasoned and golden brown, and a bottle of red finished everything off perfectly.
Between 11 international friends, around a table covered in pink and blue tea lights, two pans of pasta were devoured in the space of an hour, and best of all, I received a "chapeau!" the highest of all culinary compliments.
Progress exists! C'est la preuve.
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