The practice run for our cuisine exam went really well. All of us were very laid back and cool. I was pleased that I was done in four hours (the time we have for the exam) and that everything turned out exactly as I had imagined it (except that I did imagine the meat cooked to medium well, not rare as shown in the photo). The chef gave me some suggestions, so, if by chance I am calm enough to take pictures of my plates on Monday, things will look slightly different. I feel much more calm about the exam now- I know I can do it.

Oh yeah, on the plate you have a pesto roulade of veal atop a celery root and potato purée, served with ratatouille stuffed artichokes, spinach flan en croute, glazed zucchini, and a mushroom jus.

So tonight I had dinner with the de Brettevilles, the family whom I lived with when I studied abroad here. I hadn’t seen them in since May, so it was about time. I was happily surprised to find lots of the cousins there for dinner as well. They’re all very cool, witty people and they were all around often when I lived there. We were sitting around waiting for Diane (the younger daughter) and drinking our aperitifs, when Aude (the older daughter) said, “Oh, and just so you all know, Benoit (her boyfriend who was sitting right there) and I decided to get married next year.” I though she said this for my benefit and maybe for one or two other people’s who didn’t already know. Her announcement was met with, “Gee, that’s great,” and a mild discussion about when and where. I suddenly realized that was news to everyone, including her parents, and what I consider exciting and major event was treated SO nonchalantly. A few bisous, but that’s about it. That is how that family works: calm and cool, no ruffles. My family can’t even talk about breakfast cereal without a major emotional outpouring.