Day 26 of 60 | Bonjour, Paris! 🇫🇷✨
Today might just be the day I officially stopped looking like a confused extra in a French cooking documentary. 🎬🍳
Something clicked at École Ducasse. For weeks, I’ve felt like I was lost in a culinary forest, armed only with a whisk and false confidence. But today? The fog lifted, the kitchen gods smiled, and suddenly things made sense.
Case in point: oyster shucking. 🦪
Last week, the oysters won. I tried, I slipped, I muttered a few words that were definitely not in the French curriculum. But today? I shucked a half dozen like a slightly clumsy pro! Was it graceful? No. Was it victorious? Absolutely. Small wins taste delicious, especially when they come with lemon and pride.
And then - drumroll - I finally made a proper French jus. That glossy, rich, deeply flavorful sauce that’s equal parts magic and patience. After many near misses (and one batch that could’ve doubled as shoe polish), today I nailed it. The chef tasted it, looked at me with solemn approval (and maybe a dash of surprise), and said, “That’s good jus.” I briefly considered taking a bow right there by the stove. 🫡🍷
We also made two fancy egg-based French dishes today. Don’t ask me to pronounce their names unless you want to watch me butcher French harder than my first jus attempt. Let’s just say they involved more butter than should be legal and turned out chef’s kiss magnifique. 👩🍳✨
It’s funny how one day you’re questioning all your life choices, and the next you’re out here conquering oysters and eggs like Julia Child’s enthusiastic cousin.
Here’s to progress, patience, and remembering that every masterpiece starts with a mess, preferably one that smells like butter. It’s wild how, in just a few days, the impossible becomes doable and the doable starts to feel fun.
Here’s to more “aha” moments, small victories, and the magic of learning!
By the way, if you’re thinking, these dishes looked easy to create, check out the recipes below! 😎
