We've wrapped up in Paris and here's what I got for ya:
A broken camera (maybe now a fixed camera!?)
Some really lovely people
Alotta rain
My favorite cooking supply store in Paris (E. Dehillerin) - the same store where my classmates and I bought our tools for the Cordon Bleu final exam. (The only two things I bought were a fish spatula—truly the most important thing besides a good knife!—and a modest, thin metal skewer-like pin to help me detect if a piece of meat or fish was hot inside.)
A visit to Le Cordon Bleu (that was cancelled then rescheduled because of our camera situation) and the new rooftop gardens their students use! Plus a secret surprise visit from one of the chefs who taught our classes.
And a dazzling quiet moment in the Tuileries.
But most important . . . we are just three girls determined to get you the most dazzling cookbook shots you could ever imagine. Thanks for being here, friends. It's so very fun to do this for you.
(Click below to catch up on the behind the scenes!)
FIVE MORE THINGS WE LEARNED THIS WEEK:
If you need to get something done, never take no for an answer. Sometimes, no is just not an option. A pinch of courage and a fistful of (very gracious 😂) insistence got our camera fixed.
French people are so kind. I know there's a stereotype, but in all my time in France I've encountered only a few prickly people (and they were probably just having a bad day!)
You don't need tons of fancy coking equipment. Visiting E. Dehillerin was such a great reminder of owning just a few basics (and splurging on a few special pieces you’ll keep for your whole life).
We already knew this but French people are innately connected to their food. It's something I'm really excited to talk about and share in this book.
The three keys to beautiful photos: get great light (cloudy days, not direct sun!), take 300 shots to get a single “that's it!!” shot, find a great location (which never needs to be fancy - my favorite location so far was just a tiny little patch of grass near the Eiffel Tower . . .everybody else was standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, but Erica found this one magical little corner!)
Next up: we're heading up to Normandy to spend some time with my favorite vegetable farmer in all the land (You're gonna love him too; his favorite song is Cindy Lauper's Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun).
à tout l'heure
