Side note. When I'm on road trips with my mom we usually use google maps to get to our destination and our instincts when we are wandering. She always happens to turn on the right street, finding some wonder but I always thought I had yet to develop those instinct (that's odd when I think about it). I guess I've always just had to just cultivate those instincts and go with them. But on Wednesday, my instincts took me in the exact right place, right to Bread and Roses' doorstep.
I had told myself that morning that stopping for treats was absolutely out of the question. That's slightly impossible here. I ordered one pain au chocolat.
At this point, I don't even remember the name of the last best pain au chocolat bakery.
Back up. I hate soggy bread and sometimes croissants have a really, too soft texture or me. At a young age, I was made aware of the food groups by my father: creamy, crunchy, chunky, and chewy. I really like a crunch with my smooth. I'm a crunch peanut butter person.
First, I saw the golden, blistered looking top of it. I inspected it by looking at the first bite spot, the layers were extremely clear and swirled, like brush strokes.
Then I took a bite. It was wonderful and unexpected. I had to bite down, rather than let my teeth slide down into the layers of butter. There was a slight force needed to crack the blistered top to the second layer. It was marvelous, that crunch that is absolutely imperative. The chocolate, with two spears was at least a 65%, just perfect.
As I scarfed down the treat I passed this place. I juggled my ipod, phone and uniform bag to get my camera out for a picture. I shoved the last of the pain au chocolat into my mouth and plunged into my purse. I’m pretty sure the restaurant goers were slightly frightened as to what I was doing.
Wednessday's demo was absolutely hilarious. The translator, a more tan and younger Gordon Ramsey looking fellow was insanely absurd. I think most of us tend to think, after that demo, that he is far passed off his rocker and ADHDx10. He mumbles to himself during the demo and stands with one arm bent, hand by his ear with three of his fingers curled while awkwardly hanging his other arm, also awkwardly placing his finger. The only way to describe it is that he has absolutely no idea what to do with his body. I could try and describe it but I'm not sure anyone outside of that practical would understand. I'm actually pretty sure that 3/4 of the class had no idea why Shibani and I cried for 5 minutes straight from laughing.
After one of our laughing fits, which there were many, he said "translated by ADD limited”. It's been a long time since I've laughed that hard. 2 hours and 30 minutes into the demo he began saying to himself, "I can't do this any more.... I can't do this anymore”. A minute later, he came to the conclusion that “NO, I cant”. At that pint I thought he may Virginia Tech(ed) the place.
Thursday when I woke up, it was all wrong. I had forgotten to get apples and bananas from the store. It was heart breaking. I ate cheerios and yogurt. It was actually a nice balance of sweet and tart.
When I arrived at school I realized that I didn't have the key to my locker lock. Luckily I was early so I had time for the lock breaker to wrench open/ break my lock. I panicked for a bit then realized that I had a lock in my knife kit that technically I'm supposed to use for the kit. Oh well.
Today in practical we made eclairs and choquettes. Choquettes are basically hollow eclais but in the shape of spheres, or Hershey kisses for some others (me). We had the same chef who did the demo who apparently has taken some liking to me because I'm one of the only one he didn't yell at, and the only one who he consistently joked with. The eclairs came out looking far less then perfect and infact, once dipped, one of them looked like Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo from Southpark. Who eats those anyway? They're nasty, filled with pudding like pastry cream and covered on just a small strip of the top with chocolate fondant.
I quite honestly woke up so early Thursday that I had a hard time remembering what I had done that day. What I do know, is that I went to Rose Bakery. I tried to order 4 salads in one bowl but the man said that was too many. Begrudged and yearning for something without butter, I ordered two different bowls with two salads each.
On my way to Rose Bakery I passed a flower shop with the most incredible flowers. I had a mom moment where I couldn’t move, I just had to stop and stare at what seemed like magical flowers. Sometimes when my mom sees something really beautiful, she makes some big thing where she stops all movement, other than her tear ducts and either cant move or speak, or cries, over the things beauty. Today that was me with the flowers. I had initially seen them but walked a few steps past, I stopped and turned back around to take pictures. I’ve never seen flowers so alive and beautiful. Sorry Mr. Orchid, it beats you too.
Since the first time I walked to Rose, I’ve passed the same cute little bakery that I’ve always wanted to go into. I assume it’s the color of the place that jumps out at me.
I’ve never actually gone in because my destination serves amazingly fresh foods. I decided to go in and boy was it a great decision. First I looked in the window for a few minutes wondering what to get. I saw some homemade marshmallows. Some sort of interesting coconut bar that looked quite good and some other less attractive pastries. I decided to go in and boy was it a great decision. I wasn’t sure what to get because I didn’t think any bakery could top Bread and Roses’ pain au chocolat, but then I saw it. There was no question in my mind that I couldn’t get this.
I ordered the pain chocolat banane. I’m pretty sure that this is classified in a whole other category. It wouldn’t be fair to include it into the plain old pain au chocolat category. FINALLY something on my level! It was exquisite. The layers of dough were clear, still looking at me with its two chocolate eyes, asking me, no begging me to eat it, and I did with no time to waste.
There was just the slightest taste of banana that almost disappeared once it melted in your mouth, almost over powered by the chocolate. I think I might need another one to be able to describe it accurately. It doesn’t get much better than that, however I would have added just another sliver of banana. Why aren’t there more of these in bakeries?! Now all I need to find is one with peanut butter (unlikely). Its as if these people have an aversion to the best nut butter in the world (freaks).
I already started to describe my Rose experience. When I arrived, it was around 12:30. It was the first time that I had been there when there were more than 4 other people, let alone a line out the door. I happen to love how they do their seating. Couples of two, share the table with another couple, or one, and the tables are by no means big. It is very Rose, well French.
I sat at Rose for two hours, mostly enjoying my food, but also waiting for Shibani. When she showed up, I ordered a maple scone (not quite as good as the other one) and she had a slice of the orange teacake and some tea. We sat around for a while before we embarked on our walk home. It was so nice to have someone to explore with. I remember when my family would travel, my brother and I would go around the hotel, exploring ever nook and cranny, making sure we missed nothing. Finally I had an exploration partner. We turned down smaller streets stopping into a hat shop for a moment. We tried on berets, how French. We wandered around BHV, a Macy’s like department store. They have EVERYTHING. I gravitated over to the scales. Luckily I don’t “do” the metric system so I wasn’t frightened, or delighted by the number. I figure that if I don’t gain any weight and even lose some in Paris, then I haven’t done my job right. At this point, I’m on the right track.
I got home around 5 and then decided to meet Alexandra for dinner. We met on the corner, now that she lives one street over from me. We had a lovely dinner at an Italian place, Chez (something) on rue Mezarine. I ordered penne al arrabiata. It was delicious. I was a little thrown by the thick slices of jalapeno peppers but it was just as spicy as I like.
After, A ordered la bella vita for dessert. It was quite large. It was a tasting of their desserts, a chocolate mousse cake, tiramisu, strawberry tiramisu (interesting concept and not bad), lemon tart with meringue, and flan (great flavor but AWFUL texture). A and I agreed that the best thing on the plate was the fruit (strawberries and oranges) and the caramel flat sculpture-esque thing.
Today I got up at 1:30 and stayed lazy in bed for a few hours after. I think all of the dairy is finally getting to me.
Bisous
it makes me happy that you are trusting your instincts. i happen to trust them too.
ReplyDeleteloveyou.