Today was glorious. I am in Paris, seeing the sights, eating amazing food, going out every night with all my friends…okay-that’s all lies. I am in Paris, true, but it has rained every day, it’s cold and dark and I haven’t seen any sights or gone to any great restaurants and so far I really don’t have any new friends-but that is another story.
However, today still ranks as a great day. Why, you ask, well, I will tell you. Today I made a soufflé that defied gravity, tasted delicious and I barely had to chop one thing. I suddenly remembered why I love cooking—it’s not all chopping! Today we actually baked something and I loved it!
Oh, it’s true. I was beaten down and crawling into my bed at 6pm (on nights I wasn’t still at school) and generally feeling a little ‘woe is me’. Which is dumb and selfish, I know, but it was how I was feeling. Then, yesterday a great light shone upon me and Lesson Four came like a Christmas (non-chopping) Miracle. How to make an orange liqueur soufflé. Who doesn’t love that? Of course it was very early this morning but did that dampen my enthusiasm? Heck no!
We assembled in the kitchen at 7am, armed to the teeth with our usual coterie of weaponry— zesters, whisks, spatulas and many bowls. I zested oranges and squeezed them dry. I whipped egg whites till they threatened to call protective services and I used enough Cointreau that the fumes alone might get you arrested for drinking and driving— but no matter— I Had A Ball! Finally, something in my wheelhouse. I was so proud of that soufflé that I literally chased Chef around the kitchen to get him to look at it and acknowledge how outstanding, how unique, how utterly delightful, this particular soufflé really was. Chef’s lack of verbal praise notwithstanding, he was impressed —I could tell.
I, myself, just floated along after that. Sure, we made some other things-an omelette and poached eggs etc. and that was good too, but not like the grandeur of The Soufflé! I have always wanted to throw a dinner party and just whip out a soufflé for dessert-that I actually made. That is the stuff of dreams people. Maybe not everyone’s— but it was a pretty high-ranking fantasy of mine-so I am going with it.
The only negative on the whole experience is that after Chef looked at it, I couldn’t wait to have a taste, so I got my trusty tasting spoon out and dipped it in that gorgeousness and brought it right into--my mask-covered mouth. Which, for obvious reasons, did not work and made a mess of my mask and consequently my chef’s jacket. Oh well. Suffering the indignity of trying to stuff food in my face whilst forgetting I was wearing a mask still cannot ruin the joy I felt in that moment.
I could die happy tonight. But if I do I hope it’s after my Thai massage because I have a terrible crick in my neck from all the hours of chopping and I do not want to enter the afterlife with neck pain. And I might need a little celebratory wine too…
Ain’t she a beauty!
Definitely second to the soufflé!
Nice work Puddin!
Bravo!!