Submitted by Julia Scott the 2024 Spring program in Paris, France…
If I could recommend one activity in a country defined by its gastronomy, it would be to take a cooking class. At home, I love to cook – I get called at least once a week from home telling me that my mom misses how I make dinner every night. In fact, my dedication to good food decided where I would study abroad; when I had to decide between studying art history in Paris or graphic design in London, there was no question: Parisian food. While taking this cooking class, it made me appreciate the luxury of a culture that values food and has a high respect for taking time to do it right. My tour guide was a chef that retired from cooking in high-end Parisian restaurants, so he followed his passion for teaching in private schools where he makes a new dish every day. Since my mom booked this class, I had no idea what we would be getting into and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we would be going to different types of food markets to create a menu on our own. In the end, we chose an appetizer of roasted leeks and cauliflower with Dover trout in a butter and caper sauce, a main course of wagyu prime rib with a side of bearnaise sauce and a side of potatoes etouffee, a cheese board with five varieties, and ending with a lemon-lavender macaron. The class ran for about five hours, and in that time I had a wonderful time and learned just how much the French love butter. Food is religion here, and it was incredibly gratifying to be let in on their rituals. If you love life, do a cooking class. (Submitted on April 8,2024)