an american in paris interview part 1...

Woah, what a week! How was everyone's holiday? Scrumptious I hope! I have so much good news for you that I don't know where to start. While I catch my bearings, no place better to start than the beginning right? Well, I have a real treat for you. Shelley, of Franish Nonspeaker, one of my fave foodie blogs, has been gracious enough to let me interview her. This is something I have wanted to do for months, but like I told her, the timing couldn't have been better. I am waist-deep in planning my future, and I have a hunch that attending the prestigious world famous Le Cordon Bleu might be in the stars so that I have a real classical training to my name before I go on with this tea part business. Shelley has been there and back, and will indulge us in all the adventures. Below is part one, and look forward to part deux on Monday. Tomorrow will be all about me and the goodies I've got for you!

xoxo

1. What were you like growing up? What did you do, dream of becoming, and will be remembered for by friends and family?
As a child I was a total book worm- always with my head in a book. I’ve never been very sporty or team oriented so reading was the perfect hobby for me. Still is! I would read anything I could get my hands on. After I tired of the youth selections at my school and local libraries, I started making my way through my Dad’s books. I was probably the only middle school kid in my town who had read the entire Leon Uris collection.

I guess all those books I read on various and sundry matters formed impressions. My Mom says I was the perfect child until I turned 13 and developed opinions! That might be my most defining characteristic- for better or worse, I usually have an opinion on a matter and am more than willing to share it. Aside from being remembered for being vocal, I think I’d be remembered as a loyal friend and a good listener (when I’m not running my mouth) who always lends a shoulder to cry on.

This may sound a little crazy, but I picked my occupation from a book. I was in a Robin Cook phase in high school and became fascinated by a story about an epidemiologist who tracks down a killer who is infecting people with a fatal disease. It was the first time I had ever heard of epidemiology and I found it so intriguing. Still do. After finishing up a BS in Biology I immediately started grad school and completed a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology. I’ve worked in public health since and while I have to admit working for a large bureaucratic machine (I work for the State of Texas) isn’t nearly as thrilling as stalking a disease spreading killer, I do find it rewarding. I don’t work as an epidemiologist now but the background helps with my current focus on program planning and coordination. I found that my real love in public health is finding a gap and helping to develop and implement a program to address the need.

2. When did food enter the picture? In what capacity?
Food was always in the picture. I grew up in a Southern family amongst women who were either in the kitchen cooking or at the table eating.

3. What are some of the career paths you've had in life?
I’ve always worked in public health but I’ve worked in a few different capacities. I started out in a research lab in CA working on clinical trails. That wasn’t a good fit for me so I changed directions when we moved back to FL and for a short time actually worked in epidemiology tracking HIV infections. I loved the intensity and passion of the people I worked with in HIV and soon I was hooked and became just as passionate. So much of HIV prevention and care is about advocacy and I loved that the spectrum was so broad- it covers health systems, politics, sociology, psychology. The work was invigorating and exhausting. After 8 years, during which time I went from an entry level field epidemiologist to managing a 4 county HIV service system, I was burnt out and needed a change. So we packed up and moved to TX where I currently work with programs that provide services to the child Medicaid population. I work on special projects and help to coordinate activities across programs.

4. Did you go to cooking school, or study something else only to realize you wanted to learn about baking later on?
Yep, exactly. I didn’t get bit by the baking bug until I was in my early 30’s. I was always interested in food and had married a chef but I was more interested in eating food than in making it. I always had a killer sweet tooth though, and one day I decided to make a cake. Ever since then, I’ve been baking up a storm.

5. Tell us about how you chose LCB in Paris, as opposed to CIA here in the US or any other local program.
I went to a one week Intro to Baking and Pastry class at the CIA campus in Napa, CA. CIA is amazing and I would have loved to have attended their program. Le Cordon Bleu won out for practical reasons. Well, practical reasons and Paris!!! The CIA pastry program is a 9 month program that you must complete from start to finish. I would have loved to drop everything to move (back) to CA but that just wasn’t financially feasible. LCB is structured into basic, intermediate, and superior patisserie sessions - once all three are completed, you’re awarded the Patisserie Certificate. I was able to take 5 weeks off from my job to attend an accelerated, intensive course at LCB - that way I got to keep the job that allowed me to pay for the training. I’ve finished the Basic session and, as God is my witness, even if it takes until retirement, I will finish Intermediate and Superior one day!

I looked briefly at a local program but came away with sticker shock. Pastry or culinary school is an expensive proposition, no matter where you go but if you’re going to spend that kind of money, go to a good school with a decent reputation. Having a pastry certificate or culinary degree barely gets your foot in the door of a kitchen these days so choose wisely if you plan to make the investment.

6. Did you go alone? What was the experience like prepping to leave?
I did go alone. I didn’t know a soul in Paris or at the school and had never even been to France. Prepping to leave, other than trying to tie up loose ends at work, was a breeze because I was so excited. I thought I was going on a 5 week vacay to Paris and would do a little baking on the side. Man, I was so woefully unprepared for the rigor of LCB’s training. Besides not being mentally or physically prepared, I arrived two days before classes began and had heinous, hallucinatory jet lag for a good week or so.

7. What was the first day like in Paris?
I had been traveling for almost 24 hours before I arrived in Paris so my first day was emotionally and physically exhausting. But also exhilarating- here’s a recap.

8. What did you notice right away about Paris compared to the many stories and hype us Americans are used to?
First and foremost, Paris is a large city and in many ways is like any other large city.

And yet… it’s also so many other things. It’s an ancient (well, really old, at least) city and yet a modern, bustling, crowded metropolis. It’s crazy diverse and yet still manages to retain that old world, stereotypically French feeling Francophiles long for. Basically, it’s a total contradiction. I could be on a busy street and easily forget I was in Paris- many parts of the city one could totally mistake for NYC. And then I’d round a corner and see a church that was built almost a thousand years ago and there’s just nothing like that in the US. I remember getting caught in a crowd attending a parade in the Bastille District. The marchers were dressed in bright feathers and headdress and there was a brass band playing. Could have sworn I was in New Orleans at a Mardi Gras parade.

9. How did you spend the little free time you had? Was Paris easy to navigate as a tourist speaking little French?
Sadly, I seemed to spend a lot of my free time doing mundane things like running to the market or the endless laundry required to have a clean uniform every day. I also spent a bit of time commiserating over LCB’s rigor with my fellow classmates over wine in cafes. But I did try to get out and explore as much possible when I wasn’t bone tired from long days in the kitchen. I really wanted to get out in the neighborhoods of Paris to see how Parisians actually live. I think I did a decent job. I saved up all the touristy spots for when my Mom came to visit.

The Metro and bus system make it really easy to navigate the city. In the touristy areas, almost everything is in English as well as French so no problems navigating or communicating there. Even out in the neighborhoods, I found that many Parisians spoke English much better than I speak French. Once I would make a pained attempt to communicate in French, they would generally take pity on me and respond in English. I can’t say I had any real communication issues. Besides, you bump into Americans everywhere in Paris in the summer and they’re a great source of information.

11. What is the food like in Paris?
Amazing to mediocre. Mostly amazing but you have to be judicious. Stay away from tourist area food joints and don’t hesitate to stop at the small ethnic eateries that line many neighborhood streets. Also, take advantage of the grocery stores and markets. Even supermarket brand French butter is to die for… beurre de sel is totally not to be missed. I didn’t cook much and was usually too tired to stop in a café after school so I lived on baguettes from my local bakery (Arnaud Delmontel makes fabulous bread) with cheese and beurre de sel. But, as much as possible, do get out and explore the cafés and restaurants and especially the bakeries and patisseries!