TANTE MARIE: WEEK 2...

Week 2

And this week flew like a jet to a holiday destination...
This whole week just whizzed ....
We started the week with ,again new partners...

This week I worked with Olly...
Lovely, bright, fun and a voracious appetite for food like me...
She loves Sushi and has lived in Hong Kong , so yes loves oriental food...
She was real fun, we tasted more food than we ate , actually no we ate more ha ha ha and had a blast ...
Will miss cooking with  her ..

Started the first day but burning my hand with with hot water, fortunately, it was not very very bad...It got ok in a day...
So lesson to remember , "You play with Hot-Stuff , you can get burnt ...

So this week was great , because we did have a  good menu of oriental food...
We did everything, from sesame chicken to wantons, to ice-cream, scones, learnt how to make pasta, made and ate sticky pudding that I loved..
Did a hygiene course and an exam ...
And ended the week with a fun menu....

Met a few more teachers this week...
I think our class has a whole bunch of really talented and fun guys...

Amanda -who has worked in a kitchen for some time, you can see her ease as she preps and chops, and is always ready to help, she is lovely ...

Thomas or Tom- he has a natural affinity to food and loves to sing, frankly so do I ,  think he he is gonna be a travelling singing chef , and is quite a a charmer ...

Sam- he is quiet and shy , but is always at the sink to help with wiping or anything else...and works quietly and efficiently..and is very sweet and friendly...

Joseph or Joe- he loves to cook , but think at his own time and pace , and loves to chew on plastic glasses, for some reason.... he loves food and loves cooking for his family and with friends ...

Maya- she is lovely, beautiful, good at her work , kind and fun, and lovely to hang with ...
We play cards , and hang in our breaks, she is beautiful inside out...

Martin - he reminds me of a young Justin Timberlake ....he cooks well ... good with his food , and very sincere...

Katie- well she knows what she is doing, don't know her very well yet ,but will know her sooner than later, she is friendly and sweet , and wears glasses like me...

Ally- she is pretty has big eyes and is cute, she does her work quietly and sincerely...

Well then there is Maya from Korea , Georgia from Australia and Ryan from New York , who are doing the4 week essential course, and I meet them during break everyday ,,,they are lovely...
Last week we played cards during one of our breaks...i'm terrible at cards...
Then there  is Maria from the 6 month course from Columbia...
She is a doll and so friendly , and welcoming , have to go live with her at least once before I go back home ....

Then there is Kejanne, who is from my most favourite part of the world , South Africa, she is lovely, friendly warm and just has such great energy ...

I also went for a ballet with my land-lady  Eve... My first ever..
Cleopatra-it was riveting , mesmerising , passionate , heart breaking and simply the most beautiful dancing I have seen ...
When I see dancing like this ...I really feel jealous, but a good wow , you are amazing kinda jealous ...
Gosh ! Dancing is the only thing I truly miss...

Anyway, this week was fabulous and learnt tons of stuff, some I knew some i was taught...

I love cooking with Ally, Al , Vera, Nick, Tim and Kate....
Not only because they are fantastic teachers ...but because I'm in love with food and how it touches the people we feed...

I think the amount of love you put into your food is directly proportionate  to the smiles of satisfaction on the faces of the ones you feed....
Yup that's my theory and I'm sticking to it...

When I go back , what I will miss most is sitting together all the ten of us and the ten more students we cook for, all eating together , sometimes in silence , sometimes in laughter, sometimes in questions...
I love that part of the day the most...
Pure simple hunger and food ...
So so basic and so real ...

Just wonderful is how I would describe my second week here ...
The temperature has dropped by 10 degrees, so for a Bombay girl like me, this is heaven ....
Today I went off to London to indulge in some retail therapy, need to still buy my boots, which are made for walking and dancing , well I found four pairs I like, 1 from Uggs, the furry kind that I love very pocahontas ,and a brown leather too,   then a black from Aldo and a black from Ecco...well will buy at least one tomorrow...
 Went and watched, "Phantom of the opera", because I'm a succour for love stories...
It was goose-flesh amazing....
God the power and intensity of their voices and the emotions that's flowed , just kept me enthralled...
Unrequited love...that's what it was about....it made me cry...which was very embarrassing , because I was the only one wiping my tears while everyone else was clapping....

Went and sat at St.James Park, I love sitting there watching the ducks and geese...and people pass by...
I thought of Zeke so much, because I used to take him there every day to feed him his break-fast ...and play and run..
Was pregnant with Zene at that time....
Well , the park was full of kids running and people hugging and kissing ...
Hmmmm ....You can feel love around you , like the sky round the moon.....not my words, they are from my favourite song from my favourite film, "serendipity "....
So I decided retail therapy is what I need....ha ha ha 
So went and bought more sweaters and jackets that I will never need once I go back to India, and so may have to migrate to a very cold place just to wear my new winter wardrobe....ha ha ha ....

Well tomorrow I'm off to Covent garden...
Did I hear a "why"...
Well because Wagamamma  is calling out to me ...
I'm sure you guys must think I'm crazy .... And maybe you are absolutely right ...
Oh by the way this course is for 9  1/2 weeks like the movie , not 11 weeks, like it was supposed to be ....

But , I'm looking forward to Monday , spending time in the Tante Marie kitchens , with people who are there because of only one reason ...
They love food.....

So till next week ...
Bye ..
Keep in touch ...by writing back ....

P.s.Will load photos as soon as I down load some new programme for uploading photographs onto my blog, after down-loading them from my iPhone on to the iPad ...
So I hope you all understand my plight ...ha ha  ...really wish I was tech savvy or at least had friends who were tech savvy here...