Here we go. Behold, the world famous Cordon Bleu culinary school that is Mecca for many a middle class midlife crisis working woman. I’ve got a two hour short-attention span engagement lined up here, and I’m really looking forward to joining in on the cliché. Really.
The demonstration has about 25 people signed up- and many of us are anglophones. We are handed a folder and free pen (!) that will be used for us to take copious notes on tonight’s menu (or we can all just say that we spent 45€ to get a free pen). Waiting for everyone to show up, we make ourselves comfortable in this very tackily tastefully painted salle d’attente.
Soon enough we’re off to a cooking classroom, complete with chairs that have flip-up desk edges. I feel a vague flashback to my 8th grade Home Economics class with Mrs. Sweeney. I remember that class for two reasons: First, Home Ec meant making “recipes” like Pillsbury Cresents with Milky Way minis wrapped inside. Second, in 8th grade I got a straight A report card with one exception…yep, I got a B in Home Ec. I probably am not suited to be the best homemaker, but to this day I remain a little salty about that damn B grade.
Here we have Chef Marc Thivet and sommelier Jean-Michel Deluc. We also have a wickedly funny translator whose name I forget. All I know is that his British upbringing made for some fantastic understated sarcasm. Sitting here, I feel a bit like I’m on a small-scale cooking show.
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t point out the chef’s assistant here on the right- who is doubtless a
Before we even taste our salad, our sommelier walks us through his logic behind the wine that is paired with the dish (a 2010 Val de pays de Loire Gamay). He teaches clueless 30-somethings like me how one observes, smells and finally tastes a wine. (Note: just because a person has lived in France and speaks French with some talent does not mean that she knows anything about wine. At all.) We take our first taste, and then move on to the salad before going back for more wine. On second dégustation, the initial acidity of the wine seems to have lost this property once the vinegar in the salad dressing washes over our palate.
Next we have round two: roast duck with a dry spice rub (coriander, anise, cinnamon, cardomom, szechuan pepper), served with a celery purée of apricots and tender daikon.
The wine that will go with the duck is a 2007 Saint-Joseph selection that was really fantastic. I was excited as the sommelier taught us about this selection because I was actually in these vineyards back in June. Yes, feel free to roll your eyes at this happy coincidence…
Did you know that you should never serve champagne with dessert? It’s true. And speaking of dessert…
Finally, the wine pairing with dessert. Jean-Michel tells us that you have to have sweet wine with sweet food (just like with the acidity of the first wine matched up with the acidity of the salad’s vinaigrette). Maybe you all knew this, but I found this “inside tip” both logical and revelatory. The wine poured here is a Maydie Vignobles Laplace Tannat. At least that’s what my take home sheet calls it. I’m such a neophyte.
Behold the fig tart. It is, of course, délicieuse…I mean, we should expect nothing less from Le Cordon Bleu. Neither the wine nor the dessert is too sweet- and if they are, each is canceled out by the similar properties.
Seeing as how this experience at Le Cordon Blue was a demonstration only, I didn’t go in to the evening having super high expectations. Having cleaned my plate, however, I can honestly say that coming here would make for a great activity for visitors coming to Paris for a week of sightseeing. Skip the evil Louvre- here you get food, humorous commentary and kindess (which can be a rarity in Paris)- all in a historic setting that has you walking out the door with a pretty decent buzz. And a blue Cordon Bleu pen.
As I walked down the steps to depart, they had some neat stuff on the walls- one which is of course have a tribute to (I so wanna say Dan Aykroyd here) Julia Child. Did you know that she worked for the OSS? She was a wicked cool lady.
(Psst: It’s free to go to the park and check out the chicken art!)