I took it even though I knew what it meant. So much for my famous self control, a fib I reassure myself I possess. Stripping off my stained chef's jacket last Friday evening after a long day in the kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu, I bumped elbows with the girl behind me.
I said excusez moi and she offered me a cake. Just like that. I took a glance at the masterpiece in her hands and saw immediately that it was the dreaded mocha cake from Basic Patisserie. I had already done battle with that one last term and lost. Would I really allow myself to be drawn back into a battle I knew I would lose again?
Of course I would. What do you think I am? Crazy?
When I was a girl my mom was addicted to the Mocha Cake sold at Vicente Foods Bakery. It tasted like heaven to both of us. On that one, creamy mocha frosting topped light chocolaty cake layers that held between them the precious middle - airy mocha whipped cream. My mom and I had to restrain ourselves from eating the whole thing in one sitting. Though we did our damnedest to replicate this cake on our own or find another bakery after we had moved away that captured the same magic in a pink box, we never were successful. That flavor from childhood was a distant memory.
Until last December that is.
Attending Basic Cuisine in the Intensive Session means you cook or attend class 9 hours a day for 5 weeks along side the Basic Patisserie students doing the same thing. While we in Cuisine cook the likes of chickens and fish, the Patisserie students are emerging with cakes and pastries and all manner of incredible desserts after their 9 hours in the kitchens. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. No matter how scrumptious all of these cakes, etc are, one can only eat so much of this stuff 2 or 3 times a day, day after day, week after week. The patisserie students quickly became incredibly generous with their day's handiwork.
That spelled trouble for all of us over salted cuisine students. One day, I was presented with the Mocha Cake in the gathering spot all the students share between classes called the Jardin d'Hiver. One taste and I knew at long last that I had FOUND it! That elusive taste combination from my childhood. I couldn't help myself, I sneak back repeatedly for another slice, I was without shame. Having consumed way more than my share, I felt sugar shock coming on, but I didn't care. I had been searching for this same taste off and on since about 1976. Who knew that I would have to come all the way to Paris to finally find it again!
The combination of Intensive Cuisine and Intensive Patisserie going on side by side results in the addition of a good 2 - 3 kilos hidden (hopefully) underneath our chef's jackets. I use kilos rather than pounds because it doesn't sound as scary to me, but it is, you can do the math.
I breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over and I could finally stop being FORCED to consume all of these slices of calories on a twice or thrice daily basis.
And now this sweet and well meaning student was offering me the whole damn cake. On a Friday night, after a long week. I knew what it meant if I took it. A long weekend battling its temptation, sneaking a sliver, so no one would know.......Did I really want to subject myself to all of this again? After all my rediscovered self discipline of Intermediate Cuisine, eschewing the Patisserie students offerings and running home to my carrots?
I may never have this chance again. After all, its been almost 30 years since faced with another whole cake. Let the battle begin - just wish my mom was here to help me.
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