La Pâtisserie!

Today we were baking.  Both in the kitchen…and in the sun.  But we didn’t let France’s current heat wave deter us from turning on the oven and participating in a baking workshop at a local pâtisserie!  Have you ever tried a baguette, crème brûlée, or a crêpe?  If your mouth is watering just reading this sentence, you know very well that France is known for for its cuisine.  Even the word “cuisine” we use in English is the same word in French itself.  Cuisine means kitchen but if you turn it into a verb, it also means “to cook.”

Local chefs taught us how to make a pastry called "sablé breton" that is specific to the region of Brittany, where Rennes is located.  We worked together in pairs to follow the directions in French and watch a demonstration on how to make caramel - the same caramel that we got to sprinkle onto our very own creations!  Check out these photos and video to experience the delicious beauty of our creations! :)

First we got some expert guidance from locals who led us through the steps to make this treat!

We worked together to follow the instructions and all the ingredients...entirely relying on our French skills as we were immersed in the baking experience!

Soon it was time to let the ingredients sit in the oven...and wow did it smell great! :)

Finally we waited patiently to put the finishing touches on the sablé breton.  We were certainly "contente" with the results...and the fact that we were about to taste them ourselves!

After smiles all around, we were ready to dig in!  Get "a taste" of our experience by watching the video below. Bon appétit! ;)