A Fine Saturday in Normandy

Nov 6th. Day 2 11am
Morning

Waking up to tranquil,quiet and cows moo-ing ibreaking up the silence is definitely better than the sirens and the rush hour traffic horns I wake up to from my 5th floor apartment and also the bell of the bus I seem to constantly miss on my way to school... Sigh

Yes waking up this morning had a real holiday feel to it... No 8am class to rush to or even a 3pm class to consider... At 7:04am I was the first to get up... After strolling to the kitchen and having 2 glasses of orange juice I go back to my room to pray and commit myself to God and the remainder of the trip. And I read my Bible... Good stuff!

Eventually everyone gets up... I run to Zoe's in particular to see what she looked like first thing in the morning because she usually is all prim and pretty in her black ensemble and her Sarah-Jessica Parker Shades and coffee in her hand with her cigarette that always makes her look like a movie star! Any ways she refused that I see her especially as she was hungover! But after much pleading I catch a glimspe she still looked beautiful I thought....

After much do we are on our way to the fish market that we suspect we. Are extremely late for! As I type this I'm starting to feel sick. Maybe it was the pasta I ate before we left... Sigh. I'm looking out to the mountains and hills with the dramatic art of autumn. Gosh! its beautiful the country side! For me this was what I read in enid blyton novels or scenery out of a semi-medival movie of pictures from classic english movies that invoved mountains, small farm houses, cows grazing, I even saw some white goats...they looked exremely cute! Check out the black version we have in Nigeria...*sigh*

Evening 4:26pm
I still feel terribly constipated with a couple headache... I feel blue and bloated..I won't lie too much to eat and drink...sigh...
However the market trip was fun! First of all though we missed the fish market! But It was still great to walk down an almost endless aisle of fresh produce and other artisians selling other. Regular items like clothes and DVD for example. Tonight was Brazilian Night so Leonardo was cooking but finding prawns was proving quite difficult but eventually we found the "Possionerie" aka Fish Shop that was next to this old cathedral it looked abandned but good dramtic looks. My friends picked up like 2million Oysters and all d shellfish they needed..Then I picked up some red onions for my jollof rice and Leo got the rest of the stuff he needed then we headed to the supermarket then home to start cooking.
At this point I must say I really loved the way all of us "Chef" are in one house cooking... Even though its Leos Night everyone put in a hand to help with e cooking, Hitomi (the Japanese girl who I'm convinced has in built steroid reserves as she is just way too efficient!) She was. Chopping something, I was drinking something, Zoe was shucking the Oysters, and Inigo was making us a spanish Tortilla (Eggs and Potatoes, Mayonnaise...yes not a waist friendly dish) but sadly it didn't work out but in it mushy state it was delicious! His mayonaise was light and tasty! Hmmm!

Most people starting with me took a nap and everyone except me went to the cheese makers next door and when they returned the couldn't hold the excitemrnt on how amazing the experience was milking cows themsleves and seeing how their cheese was made. Too bad I missed. Anyway after much ado in the kitchen Brazilan food is served! "Camarão na Moranga" "Prwans in Pumpkin.... All I can say... I have to make that dish again!!!!!!! What! That food was DELICIOUS! Ahan!!! Leo made "" a pumkin and seafood cream sauce with vegetables and with basmati rice that had parsley and olives in it! Before bed we played this funny hand game and one by one we signed out to our respective bed rooms. Well that was before we dozed of to "No Reservations- Anthony Bourdain"

So I'm about to pass out now...some gas is getting out of my constipated self... I'm looking forward to cooking my Jollof rice tomorrow... Sucks I can't go to church or even church online... Oh well...

Before I sign out I would like to Thank God for Life to be able to experience this and also for provding for the trip! I don't work but I have more than enough...Jesus you are to much!

Normandy

As I type this I'm on the metro to a friends place from which the group of us from school would go to Normandy...

Wow... So 8months gone like that.... I still feel Numb and no feeling of anything... I think I'm still worried about my mishaps at d last minute in my exam...or that I finished and nothing more....don't even know

Last night I decided to just spoil myself a friend and I went to have Breakfast at 8pm! Saw 2 movies while I was half asleep in them...then at midnight I decided to induldge in MacDonalds! Yes me the weight loss activist... Sigh Actually what I bought was small and it suprisngly tasted good! Anyway is was an indian spiced thing.... I had being craving. Sprite so had a medium one... And a small bag of fries (pls don't judge me! I was celebrating)

Waking up this morning was like conquering mount Everest... I felt like I had to much to drink and was suffering the reverse consequences simply termed "hangover" yes I felt heavy... Drained...
But I had to get up and get ready for my trip...and I had to clean up my kitchen a bit....and my room... But time went so fast! And I had to hop in and out of the shower like a hurdle athlete rushing to the finish line. I make to my friends house just in time for the meet up to go the the house in Normandy

Anyway I as I type I'm in my friends car driving through the beautiful near endless green vastness of vegetation and fields. Seeing helthy cow calmly grazing was actually beautiful...
It was like a real road trip you see in movies...not like sleeping through the bad roads and boring vegetation on Ibadan express or the highways to Osun state or Onishta while the poor driver endures endless hours of driving. Anyways I slept and I don't mind putting up a picture my friend took of me with my phone! Beacuse we had run out of gist and games to play!
After much checking of Google maps and finally figuring the house address... About two and a half hours to be precise...

We arrive at the house... Its an endless vastness of hectares with a pool, the main house a horse stable, a table teniis and garden area, an like 10 apple trees! Apples were all over the floor! There was also a horse chilling in its zones...

Stepping into the house was amazing! The owner Paul and his wife had done nothing short of an amazing job to what used to be an old stable and created a fine balance between old and new. The outer part of the house were old brick walls and the interior was well furnished with updated furniture, flat screen TV, sound system... THE KITCHEN!!!! I can't even start to do justice with a description! Its was spacy with a huge centre wood top that doubled as shelves for plates and all which aslo could double as a dining table, it also had. Chopping board fitted into it...had everything we needed tho the knives were a bit blunt but oh well!
The dining room proper was just superb! We all were starting to feel like we are at some fancy mansion/hotel! The rooms too were just simple but great. I got a room that had this huge fire place but its wasn't too cold to light any fire and I didn't want to stand the risk of committing arson anyway.

Our spanish friend Inigo cooked his grandmothers pasta with creamed courgette soup for us... Delicious! And we are still looking forward to Paella! And all the other themed nights we going to have. And Yes my own theme is Jollof with Stew and dodo. I think if I wanted to do Eba or poundo they would curse me!

By dinner I had had a bit too much to drink and resorted to drowning out the alcohol with water I felt like a walrus! Heavy! Oh well...

Its about 2am by now... I didn't mention I have been banned from using my Blackberry when I'm around everyone... I can only use it now because I said I was going to bed and I just needed to blog about this....I've already been teased about not having my crack and if I'm twitching yet? If I also needed my fix... Well honestly it felt like that.... One hour without my BB I felt like my shares at the stock exchange were crahsing and if I didn't chat or check my twitter I wouldn't be able to save them! *sigh* God bless RIM all the same!

So this is day One.. Four more days to go... Graduation next week and also my IT....

Le Finale......

LE FINALE….

Its 12:07am and i just finished ironing my uniforms that i would wear officially for the least time as I cook my final dish at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute, Paris France.

As I type this…I won’t lie I'm somewhat emotionless…. I don’t know whether I feeling like I'm at my ninth month and I'm about to drop the baby or if I'm contestant on a live reality TV show and I'm waiting for the announcement to be made that would crown me the winner or the taker of some prize or as my friend Bolaltito Ladoja would think “maybe I'm about to told I'm “Top Chef” by Padma Lakshimi and given agreement nods from Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio” *sigh*

All these run through my mind….. but nothing …. still….

However, as I consciously look back… I see I have come a long way! Referring to the Facebook message I got from my sister 20mins ago… she asked if I was up to standard now and if I was better than when I arrived Paris…. My answer “MOST DEFINITELY I have learnt soooo much!!!!!” so yes I'm definitely a better cook and my skills have been pointed in the right direction. And again I look back and see how blessed and fortunate I am to have had this experience… like we would say in Nigeria “ it’s not a beans or a poraro”  aka it not easy to live and study in Paris… it’s the sweet and good Lords doing and I'm so grateful

And if your thinking and wondering “ermmm so you are a chef proper right?” errr NO!!!

Cordon Bleu isn’t your paid stamp to being a Chef…. But I'm in transition… all I have learnt from Cordon Bleu usually take other years to learn… but what I have learnt in *months I still have to practice it daily and improve and with time (5 years plus I guess…) metamorphosis would take place and voila….. “CHEF!!!”  but I know many people aren’t going to give it a rest…. And so would I ???!!!

 I am “Chef Fregz!!!!”  LOL! Yes so know who I am!!

I'm looking forward to my Trip to Normandy…. (Its another region, north of France) 5 days in the country side in the middle of the “woods” with friends….. it should be fun I hope… because it was quite the pocket driller….

As I stop to type and end this post I would like to apprieciate my Father in Heaven and Jesus the lover of my soul… I'm not worthy at all of what I have… but all the same… daily I'm loaded with His benefits… then my grandfather… Prof A.B  Kasunmu…. I don’t know how to thank you! Uncle Segun who sparked this Paris thing… my awesome Aunty Toyin … you really fought for me…  Aunty Tosin…. Hmmmm God bless you… happy I could always talk to you… Aunty Bola…. I saw another side of you I never knew….youre so loving and awesome… also Aunty Bola Odukale…. Infact… your own is just too much!!! God will bless you!! 

Ok….im having brain freeze now… erm Uncle Tunde Kasunmu and Odukale….silent but very supportive!! Thank you… ohhh!lest i forget! My darling grandma!!! If anything… you always pray for me! And thanks for the support too! love you much!

To my Mother… I can’t but thank God daily for you… (though we almost want to annoy each other to oblivion) you’re special to me….  I will make you and everyone so proud!

Daddy thanks for doing what you could…. I appreciate it so much!!! I know would do much more if you could! Thanks!

Toju… I love how we loved each other more when I moved far…. So proud of you

Ok now… if you’ve ever supported me in anyway prayers, calls, BBMs, what have you…. Thank you…

Funny thing is as I end this journey another begins…. So this is to better and brighter days ahead…

I shall work with the best and be the best…. My life from here just has to be more awesome…

so im gonna cook my life out tomorrow!! i hope to make time and just be on point! i go in with my Father's blessing and help....

A Finale…. Je Prend La Victorie!

A Bientot!