Brandee's European Adventure - Part 8

A week of Ice Cream and a day in Provence



As part of the Ice Cream week Chef Jocelyn wanted to do more traditional American style ice cream and ice cream cakes. It was not as impressive as the Perfecting class. Personally I prefer the French style of ice cream making that was made by the perfecting class just a week ago. What a difference in taste. French ice cream recipes are much more creamier then American style ice cream recipes. It has this grittiness when I taste it, and french-made ice cream is cooked before it goes into the machine. The main thing to remember when making your glace (ice cream) is to make sure you have a clean and sanitized ice cream machine to churn all that wonderful goodness.


Another thing about being in a pastry school is we get spoiled by all the good quality ingredients we use in the kitchen that it is hard to go back to Hagen Daz, and Dreyer’s ice creams. Even the bread, every morning we are given a lovely array of pastries to choose from, like fresh croissants, danish, and brioche that have been prepared by Chef Damian's class. If there are baguettes that were made yesterday or two days ago, we are all like that’s not good enough, how can I eat day old bread and croissants. Once I go home to Hawaii I will miss all that while I eat my stale old bread that has probably been in the freezer for six month.


The same week my classmate Roz’s (from Canada) mother Robin came to visit, and stayed for two weeks at the Chateau. They invited me to go with them for the day to Provence. What a beautiful drive along the coast. We stopped at a famous Abby called “Abbaye de Senanque” known for their growing acres of lavender. It is still occupied by priests and nuns. Not much lavender during the summer, but still impressive. We also went to this village that is named after this family that built the whole town. It is interesting to see how people lived back in the 1800’s. We also went to Rouissalon where it is red rock or red stone mountain everywhere. It was great hanging out with Roz, and her mom Robin. It made me miss my own mom. I also tried to take some Jalna shots of beautiful butterflies resting on some lavender plants.


Brandee


Ice cream week


My pink and white cake


Our ice cream display


Manu showing off her creation


More ice cream cakes


Provence scene


Me in front of the abbey


The abbey and rows of lavendar


Roz and grapevines


Roz, me and Robin


Roz in 18th century town door


So beautiful and the smell


Rouissalon, Province


Black and white butterfly


Butterfly