Cooking class #1--Sept. 24, 2011

It is 8:30, Saturday morning and I walk from the tram stop up through the town of Gières where my cooking class takes place. Gières is a bit like a suburb of Grenoble; it takes me about 20 minutes on the tram and about 15 minutes of walking. I like walking here because it feels a little bit like the country and in the morning it is very quiet. Fog is still rolling off the hillside so the house looks like it is in a hazy mist. It is an old farmhouse now divided up into apartments. The cooking class takes place on back side of the house. This is an advanced course; three hours every Saturday morning.


Atelier Culinaire = Culinary Workshop
Les Tilleuls = lime trees (no limes in her yard as far as I can tell); there is a reason why she chose this as the name of her workshop but I can't remember.

Exterieur of the apartment/workshop

Emily Feltracco (pictured) is the instructor. Her kitchen space can have up to 6 students, but today there were only 2 of us. Almost one on one is such a treat! As is having the class in French. Emily worked in a restaurant for about 7 years but got tired of the very long hours and poor pay. This is a new business venture for her (last year was her first year) and when her classes are not full, she supplements her teaching with catering services.



This morning's theme was summer's last vegtables--zucchini, peppers, egg plant, and tomatoes. Isabelle (the other "student") and I each made a terrine de légumes grillées or grilled vegetable terrine. We didn't use a grill but the oven (and with a grill, I think the flavor would be quite different). Peppers, zucchini, and eggplant are thinly sliced and grilled. They are layered in a "terrine", sort of like a loaf pan. Between each layer is a tomato/garlic/onion/pine nut/basil sauce that has gelatine in it. When all layered, it solidifies after 4 hours in the fridge. You can then pop it out of the pan.


So this is a cold dish, perfect for a summer meal with some grilled meat, or to take along on a picnic. Otto an I had some for supper and really liked it. The kids are not at all keen on these veggies, although Isabelle did try it and said it was okay.


When the terrine was made we made a crumble du soleil--literally, a crumble from the sun (vegetables that love the sun--the same ones used in the terrine). Onions, peppers, garlic, eggplant, and zucchini all diced and sautéed. A crumble consisting of equal parts flour and butter, plus grated parmesan makes the topping.



The veggies are placed in a shallow dish or individual shallow dishes, topped with some sliced coppa (a type of cured pork--bacon or prosciutto could also be used), and some fresh sliced mozzarella. The crumble then goes on top and is baked for 30 minutes.

Baked versions--we had them for Sunday lunch. Very nice!