24 - Week 4 1iere: La Chance des Irlandais - Geneve

Monday, March 17

I don't know why but I was simply mentally exhausted this morning: my French was coming slower and I couldn't focus.  Even a coffee only helped briefly, though it was fun to chit chat with the other engineers and learn about their weekends.  Fortunately, I encountered my colleague who'd previously asked to do a footing; and it turns out a footing was exactly what I needed!  Sure, it was cold outside and my lungs were burning, but boy did running through some vineyards reset my brain.  We went 3 miles at a pace of 10km/h, I'll just say that I was pleased with being able to keep up without vomiting 😂

I had another great discussion in one the labs and ended up staying late to finish taking my notes; fortunately, I don't have much planned for the evening aside from laundry.  I decided to make it a night in and cook that stuffed quail I'd picked up on Saturday.  I'm also looking ahead a little at this upcoming weekend: the first of my pre-planned weekends.  With the travel tickets already booked and the Saturday hotel in Zermatt already reserved; it was just a matter of digging around for where I'd want to stay Friday night.  In theory, if I leave the office early on Friday, I could travel 2 hours and arrive in a Valaisanne town before sunset!  

For Saint Patrick's day, the cafeteria boasted a very creamy Irish Flag panna cota!

I needed a few ingredients to round out dinner, so I swung by Migro and discovered the American shelf for sliced bread.  I didn't check the list of ingredients, but it ain't American bread if it ain't got no corn syrup, I tell ya h'what.

While waiting for the quail to roast, I tucked into my entrée course, a pâté en croute I'd picked up Saturday.  I'm unsure of the flesh used for this but it also featured pistachios and mushrooms and was simply sublime.

I had to pick it up at the store, I didn't get around to drinking it tonight but I'm curious if it's the same Capri-Sun who's liquid metal commercials still haunt my dreams.  

Et voila: un quail farci avec des asperges et du chou rôti.  Seasoned with fleur de sel and a friendly offering of piment d'Espelette.

For dessert: a carac.  Apparently this is a classic dish for Swiss childhood.  I don't know why the top is supposed to be green if it's all chocolate underneath, but it was tasty all the same.


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