Rabbit anatomy and Lapin a la Moutarde

My notes for tomorrow's cooking session start with: 1) cut head off at the base of the shoulders. As I reviewed my notes for my first rabbit dish, I consider my anatomy courses--we never covered rabbit physiology--but this step is quite clear since I can identify the head. The rest of the rabbit body annihilation involves cleaving off rib cages, loins and making sure to preserve kidneys and livers for a rosemary skewer saute garnish. Everyday eat'n back home in Arizona. Our lapin a la moutarde (mustard) dish tasted a bit like...you know chicken...from the piece I tasted which prompted me to review the nutrition content of this popular French meat.

A moderate serving of chicken breast meat (4 ounces or 113 g) has 124 calories vs 154 for rabbit. The chicken has 26 of protein--3 more than the rabbit. Your basic domestic raised rabbit though has 4.9 grams of fat versus 3.5 for chicken breast. However, in terms of saturated fats there is not much difference with chicken breast at 27% and rabbit at 30%. Dark chicken meat is actually closer physiologically to rabbit meat since rabbits tend to be lean and have alot of "fast twitch" dark meat. 113 grams of dark chicken meat has 141 calories, 23 grams of protein and 24% saturated fat.

After I practice my cleaving techniques tomorrow and cook my first whole rabbit, I'll report on how it's done, recipes and more on the culture of eating "pet" food.

Blood bath and bloody meats

This week we begin to "turn" vegetables. This tricky technique involves sliding a razor sharp knife towards your thumb (aren't you supposed to slice away from fleshy body parts?) to make 7-sided veggies. After watching the chef demonstrate this much despised and dreaded French technique, a fellow student proclaimed to the chef "it's going to be a blood bath in the kitchen".

On the topic of blood, we reviewed how the French prefer their red meats: Grade 1: still mooing, Grade 2: a faint moo; Grade 3: bright red and lastly...why would you eat meat cooked?

Seriously, there are 4 levels our chef described:

1. Bleu--basically a minute each side on a very hot grill--about 52 C/ 126 F to center


2. Saignant (translates to bleeding)--very rare, cooked just a bit longer than bleu--55-56 C / 131-133 F


3. A point ("a pwan") just a bit more cooking than saignant but still pinkish colored--62 C/ 144 F


4. Bien cuit or ‘well cooked’ which is still juicy but lacking color--65 C / 149 F


5. Last category which was not even mentioned as a grade is Très bien cuit which would probably get you the lowest quality of selected beef, afterall, supposedly you are ruining it anyway by ordering it cooked.

A French Pinch of Salt

54 hours at LCB and my primary culinary failure in the French kitchen is moderation—of salt. Apparently, I’m salt-phobic by French standards. The only dish this week passing the chef’s taste test was my Quiche Lorraine with salt-cured lardons of pork. It passed the salt taste because by day four, I was intent on using the maximum amount of salt just to avoid the “plus sel” comments from the chefs. Apparently, I don’t know what a French “pinch” of salt is.

A pinch is generally close to 1/8 teaspoon measure. Julia Childs said a pinch is the amount you can pinch up between your thumb and two fingers. Check out the pictures of a French “pinch” per my copying the Chef’s example—over ½ a teaspoon compared to my usual "pinch". So, as a nutritionist I have to ask myself, do I worry the French are a hypertensive lot with salt-aggravated cardiac/stroke tendencies and possible excessive bloating? Given that most salt consumption studies indicate that about 75% of excess salt consumption is from restaurant foods or prepackaged convenience foods, as long as most of the French public is cooking at home, they should be safe (this is another whole blog—my vision of the French public as frequent home cooks is being dashed).

Apparently, the French government and several policy organizations are concerned about salt consumption in France. In 2002, the French Food Standard Agency recommended a 20% reduction in salt consumption from 10 grams per day to 7-8 grams per day over five years. The US dietary salt consumption guidelines are 2.3 grams per day maximum with current average salt consumption estimated at 4 grams per day. OK, so perhaps this explains my taste bud sensitivity to salt with the French population at well over twice what the typical American is consuming.

Overall, as a food freak and one who wants to taste the food and not the salt, I’m more concerned about excess salt masking food flavors. Salt can enhance flavors but at some point it diminishes other flavors. Salt is an acquired taste, the opposite of sugar which infants naturally are drawn to. And with salt, the more you add, the more you get used to and prefer higher levels of salt. So, the bottom culinary line is that to pass LCB tests and the program, one must Pinch French when salt is concerned.

Cooking Intensively and a dishwashing nightmare

So much for keeping up with this blog thing. First, the allure of visiting Paris again was a distraction. Second, massive strikes that make every thing take twice as long shortened each day. Lastly, cooking school--12 hours the first day and 11 the second with a continued level of intensity through the week. I now get what the intensive Cordon Bleu program means.

A quick note before I conk out...in the 23 hours at the school, I explored veal stock, chicken stock, fish stock, cheese fondue, supreme sauces, bechemel sauces, vegetable potage, common thickeners, trussing chickens and fish fillet techniques (I'm pretty good at removing eyes fast--would someone invite me fishing so I can use this skill again?). But mostly what I've done is dirty an amazing number of dishes. For tomorrow's dish, I counted 18 different dishes/pots that will be used (plus a blow torch to remove pin feathers from the chicken I will have). This dish consists of rice, whole chicken and a supreme sauce and 30 minutes of a dishwasher's time per student. I will only make this dish again if I can have a paid dishwasher in my home.

No shoes, No entry?

Ok, I just finished reading the 11 pages of single-spaced size 7 font rules for students of Le Cordon Bleu (LCB). And, apparently, I'm joining the French version of a culinary army. Many rules include CAPITALIZED WORDS and Bold-faced highlights with threats of being marked ABSENT for many number of actions or inactions or the word NOT appearing frequently--I'd have preferred NON as the French version sounds softer and more forgiving. Now I'm wondering if my inability to obtain my required steel-toed rubber kitchen shoes (THANKs- a-bunch to the transportation strikers here in Paris) will earn me an ABSENCE. So we'll see what tomorrow brings at LCB.

Winkles--a negative calorie food

If you’re hungry in a seaport town of Normandy (St. Malo for example), don’t order winkles as your main meal. The common periwinkle is an edible sea snail of the mollusc family littorina littorea (to be geek factoid about it). With the typical size of dime when rolled up, you won’t win an eating contest unless given 2-3 days to consume a pound or so.

These Normandy varieties are harvested locally and are also found commonly in Ireland and Britain. Listed on the menu as Bigorneaux, ours came simply on a bed of ice.

Check out mon mari with his main meal of winkles, his winkle capturing and his taste test look. In addition to burning calories to eat (1 hour to consume a cup of winkles) each one is about 80% water and 15% protein—practically a negative calorie food.

If you're anxious to start cooking these diet tidbits, next time you’re near winkle territory check out http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/action=ingredientshow&id=65&lg=enaction=ingredient_show&id=65&lg=enaction=ingredient_show&id=65&lg=en.

Food Porn and Tagines

Ok, so it's been 32 hours in Paris. This equates to:

3 pastries (1200 calorie estimate--but one had a fruit serving of apples...) Please note, my food pictures do not rank as "Food Porn" as evidenced from slightly blurry shots from my point and shoot. For more info on the nature of food porn and examples see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_porn and http://www.chocolatechipped.com/

27,486 steps per my fancy digital pedometer OR 11.3 miles (didn't I mention I was a geek?)

And a couple of great meals including a tagine of chicken with figs and onions. What's a tagine? A one-pot dish that derives its name from the terra cotta pot used to cook the meal. This is a traditional dish of North Africa. In addition to lovely presentation, the tagine's clay allows for more concentrated development of spices and liquids and its enclosed environment creates a moist sauna for your meats, poultry, fish and vegetables. See this site for more information: http://www.treasuresofmorocco.com/moroccan-pottery-ceramics-tagine-c-21_89.html

Food and Cooking Inspirations

Before I start serious eating and cooking in Paris, 3 quick comments on food and cooking inspirations.

Mom, of course must top the list. While more fathers are now beginning to own the influentual role as their children's cooking mentor, the traditional "Mom as Chef" role mostly rules.

Thanks Helen R. for inspiring those around you to love the savory, sweet and comforting nature of cooking and sharing good food.

Also, Here's me and Julia C hanging out in her kitchen in our black and white print tops. You can visit Julia Child's kitchen at the American History museum--visit it at: http://americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/

Lastly, but not least, The "Swedish Chef" must not be forgotten. How many foodies and chefs owe their success to this most venerable cooking icon? Check him out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY_Yf4zz-yo

Food, Nutrition and Cooking in Paris with a Food Geek

This blog will include comments and photos related to my Paris Food Sabbatical. I live in Paris as a culinary student at the Cordon Bleu, but I have an alias--a food and nutrition geek.

As a food geek (one fascinated with all aspects of food) and a professional nutrition geek (Registered Dietitian), I will eat my way around Paris. While eating, planning to eat and observing others eat, I will consider the following: how can one have balance eating in the motherland of boulangeries, patisseries, cheese, chocolate, butter and other caloric dense temptations.

I will also share recipes, food and eating tips and updates about what it's like to study French cuisine at the Cordon Bleu.