“the smile of the Finns”
Hei Hei family, friends, …;
Bet succeeded, we fed about 350 hungry Finns, Last Wednesday in the cafeteria of the University of Haaga Helia, without delay.
Our team of Ghlala / Colombia, Nevil / India, Tawonga / Malawi, Omaka / Nigeria, and myself took up the challenge. Accepted into the African Team, I wear a jacket from the Paul Bocuse Institute with an Algerian flag and a French flag. I will come back to these memberships later.
We prepared the meal on Tuesday, in the kitchen from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the next day from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., you have to tidy up after the feasts!
On the menu, 3 kg of bulgur, 15 kg of onions, 20 kg of tomatoes, 20 green salads; 30 kg of mutton for skinning, 10 kg of French fries for frying, 2kg of herbs for skinning and chopping …
It takes huge vats to cook all this, they are no longer casseroles. The equipment here is incredible, I would like to move the school kitchen and set it up on rue de la table Ronde!
So much for the significant elements, and I admit that I really missed the presence of my beloved usually enlisted for the preparation of herbs! You need little hands in the kitchen, of course.
The menu was a great success, a corn soup, what about a velouté!
A tabbouleh revisited with pomegranate and candied lemon (first “revisitation” of tabbouleh by myself)
As a main course, a “bunny chow”, a South African specialty offered in meat and vegetarian versions.
In Finland all cafeterias and restaurants offer a “vegan” formula.
Fries in vinegar and salt, plantains cooked like fries, for months it was my “first use of a professional fryer” it was cool, and for the 20kg of potatoes went faster than with a stove.
A dessert to die for: the Malva pudding, also a South African specialty served with honey custard, amarula ice cream, all home made, of course, it was dripping with sugar, cream and this alcohol , who looks like the bailey, he gave us great pleasure in the kitchen !!
We are happy, it was really a great time and as usual in these moments nobody takes pictures!
Next steps and challenges: the stadium box, the food truck and the experimental cheese
To return to origins and nationalities. Here we are welcomed as “foreign” students who are part of the exchange program with the Paul Bocuse institute. The more swarthy we are in the kitchen, the happier they are, it makes them travel.
The Finns are a sweet mix of east and west. They are influenced by the Swedes and the Russians in their daily life and their cuisine. In contrast, their language, Suomi, is unique.
I was told be careful, they are cold, do not greet. Well, I am proud to announce that I meet the reception staff, the maintenance staff, the teachers, and we greet each other warmly and with a smile several times a day! It must be said that my progress in Finnish rivals English. I know how to say hello, you too now: Hei Hei, but in addition: Mitacoulo, Kitos, “sorry”.
My colleagues in their twenties are doing well, Friday we celebrated the 25th birthday of Deb, the other Indian in the class. He is buffering, this is the first time he has left his country, in one semester he has successfully integrated some of our codes. I will pass you the details of a 20-year celebration abroad, what I am delivering to you is the reflection of a Finnish guest for this occasion and who told us that it was his first experience in the country of sharing, usually we come with a bottle but we never eat during the holidays.
As for the temperature, we stayed in winter this week, until Monday, but it will be for episode 3: Wapu, Amira and the work shop with chef Pekka Terava you can consult http://ski.ruka.fi/en/chef-pekka-terava-dinners-restaurant -peak
