Vivi, Tired, Reports on Lesson #7

Another 5-hour day of cooking. Am I slow or are these dishes over-prepared?

The Profiteroles. At least they tasted good. The choux puffs -- of which we had very many -- were excellent. The children, surprisingly, did not like them, but the adults liked them very much. I wish there was some way to keep them warm, because they definitely lost that special edge after they cooled, and they will be hard to serve at a party because my style is not to be cooking as people arrive.

(An interjection, as I remember the last two parties we've hosted, in which I was cooking until an hour or two after the party started. Okay, maybe profiteroles will work just fine at parties.)

I am looking forward to making cream puffs and eclairs, now -- these were surprisingly easy. The shorter Sous-chef (Boy-child) piped all but the first couple of puffs, even. The taller Sous-chef (the Texan) filled them, and learned that the method is to put holes in all the puffs first, and then start stuffing them. It also helps if you have a small tip on your pastry bag (we had only a mid-size tip).

The Pintadeaux. The dish was tasty, but -- as cooked this time -- not worth cooking again. The Polish Sausage was excellent. But the cabbage was too soggy (my fault? or plain cabbage, not Savoy -- it was, again, blanched and then boiled for an hour). And the hen was fine, but generally bland. We all agreed that with a more gamey bird (as called for in the recipe) the flavors might all work together better. I'm interested to hear how the poultry comparison came out Chez Bride.

A question for the better-travelled: Have you ever had lardons, that you knew (which we made for this dish)? Is French bacon different from American? I used simple center-cut bacon (not even thick cut, because I was using what was in the fridge). We boil the little bacon cubes -- which made sense to me, removing extra fat. But then you fry the things in butter and oil! Huh? I fried them, but with just enough fat to keep them from sticking to the pan at first. Does someone have a background explanation?

I have become an object of compassion to my house-mates, giving up virtually my whole Sunday, every week, to cooking this meal. I am so glad I didn't save the dessert for today, too. I think for a while, I am going to make the first course on another day from the main course, and possibly the dessert on a third.