Lunch with the BOSS

Standard day today. I’m happy with my work and my improvement.

For the past week we’ve had a Lebanese book writer and her son with us in the bakery. She wants to write a book on bread next and was trying to get some pictures and info while she and Albert (the son) spent the week observing and helping with some things.

Alexandre started making a levain with apple and one with grapes but contrary to what I learnt before, he actually just leaves the fruit in some water for about 3 days until it starts to ferment and then removes the fruit and makes the levain with the water. This way you have more activity sooner and after making the levain on the morning, he leaves it for about 2-3 hours until it’s about 50% fermented and then uses it as it has more boost or energy for the bread and gives it a lovely cell structure and flavour.

Barbara (the lady) brought a liqueur from Lebanon which is similar to Greece’s Ouzo or the French Pastis...it’s called Arak. Very nice flavour and like most aniseed flavours, would go well with something orange flavoured...the last few days we’ve been having an apero after work and its strong but pretty good.

After work, Mr and Mrs Pozzoli, Alexandre and Pauline along with Gabriel and Martin their 19 and 3 month old boys and Barbara and Albert and I all went for lunch at a nearby cafe called “Perl”. It still amazes me how here in France the food is served in less than 10 min...It’s like people don’t like waiting and everywhere it’s the same. 

Food pumps! Except for the “fast food” places which I really find ironic and a pain in the ass.

I had beef tartare a l’italienne which was ok. Tartare was mixed with herbs, semi dried tomatoes and mozzarella served with mesculin and chips. 

Everyone else had fiocchetti which is some form of pasta with loads of veggies and salad and looked awesome.

Afterwards everyone was going to see some architecture in Croix Rousse but I was so exhausted I declined to join and went home and slept from about 4:30pm all the way until 1am.