#53 - Tea Party (then pigeons)

Or - In which more dramas ensue but no one killed anyone else (we left our knives back in our lockers)
Too tired for much commentary. Long day yesterday (but not as long as scheduled). We started early in the morning - everything was more or less made so it was a matter of getting the decorations done (and in my case, cutting straight). Occasionally felt like too many cooks in the kitchen. I suppose that's bound to happen when you have almost 30 people (including our teaching chefs) crammed into a couple of kitchens normally meant to hold 11.

A friend from Masters (law school) days in town for work - got to come to the Tea Party (yippee!) and his office was very glad for the goody box he got to take with him. We caught up for dinner after all the cleaning up at school - and his office got more treats because they needed homes. After all the sugar, butter, flour and chocolate, was a relief to have savory food - really yummy Indian food down near the egg-shaped faceted thing somewhere near Bank / Leadenhall. May have finally found the time to take up the standing invitation to visit Cologne to see him and meet his family, of whom I have heard so much but never met.
So - photos...done fighting with the formatting...

Pigeons
We then had an 8am practical on the following morning.  Pigeon wrapped in cabbage (breasts), stuffed legs and a mushroom tartelette.  I am not a big fan of the whole butchering small birds (or anything, actually) first thing in the morning.  The thing about the pigeon is that it has a strong smell, the skin doesn't come off as easily as with quail or chicken and it has a lot of gross things inside.  Like the heart.  And the liver (maybe I should have cooked its liver too!)  and various other spongy bits and pieces.  I forgot to put on gloves - don't think I'll forget again.  Yes, I should be used to it by now.  Is it indicative that I'm not yet used to having blood and guts on my hands first thing in the morning?

Anyway - long practical.  Tomorrow morning at 8am:  St Pierre en Croute de Chorizo, Mille-Feuille de Grenouilles aux Amandes (John Dory with chorizo crust, frog legs mille feuille with almonds).  Photos then.

We had our cheese lecture today after a demo for tomorrow.  It is late and I have to review my notes, so must go.

Until next time - good night, sleep tight.