Kneading a break from dough

Sometimes, the puns, they are irresistible. I blame my father.


But anyway.

Last week was dough week in Cuisine de Base here at LCB ... and as exciting as it was to find that my doughs miraculously worked (!!!), I am glad to be back to cooking and not baking. I prefer cooking by feel, without precise measurements and with the ability to taste and correct as I go. Baking still seems like magic to me ... with cooking, I feel far more in control.

Not that I'm a control freak, or anything.

So I think for now I'll leave the baking to my friends in the pastry courses here who always let me sample their wares, and to my friend Melina back at home, of whom I remain in awe. Of course, a couple of the dishes we made last week would make a fantastic brunch, so if I am convinced to host such a brunch when I get back, perhaps I'll break out the baking skills ...

Pissaladiere
(onion tart with tomatoes, olives, anchovies, and capers)

Quiche Lorraine

Feuilletee de Poireaux et Oeuf Poche, Sauce Albufera
(puff pastry filled with leeks, topped with a poached egg and Albufera sauce)

Seriously! Homemade puff pastry! Can you believe it? (I couldn't...)

In demonstration, the chefs made a few more dishes with doughs that I'm excited to try out at home, a tarte aux abricots (apricot tart), canneloni aux epinards et sauce tomate (spinach canneloni in tomato sauce), and a quiche aux champignons (mushroom quiche). Yum!