LE CORDON BLEU........Lunch With The Ladies...

When Joyce suggested we try another culinary school restaurant for lunch

I have to say I was a bit apprehensive....

But then again it would the be world renowned

Le Cordon Bleu School.....

and with it's stellar reputation I said "Sign Me Up!!"

Getting together some of our wacky crew of bloggers..... today was the day we had our

reservation to both tour the school then have lunch.....

Joyce....Rose....and Myself drove over to Tucker Georgia with Joyce being my

Co-Pilot....

with MapQuest Directions in hand we got lost......

a half hour later and much arguing about who made the mistake (ME)

We found our way over to the school where we met up with Sandie and Neighbor Necie...... Our first stop was watching a class in session.....Unlike last month's fiasco at the

Art Institute of Atlanta and their Culinary School......and I use that term loosely....

The place was packed with professional looking "Chefs in Training"......

Real looking chefs not the rag tag bunch we saw roaming the hallways at the other school....

We were standing outside another classroom when in a split second they all turned around in

unison and waved.....

Very unexpected and very fun.....

We were greeted everywhere by friendly welcoming people.....

Sure just like the reception we got at the other school.....

If you missed that stellar review you can find it

Here

Our tour guide even took us right into classrooms where today was test day....

Here are future chefs cutting carrots into various shapes.....

each little piece has to be exactly the same size....

No burnt carrots coming out of this kitchen....

The baking/pastry kitchen.....

I was very impressed to see students of all ages....

Here is the computer lab where they learn the more technical
business end such as recipes.... menu planning......and budgets.......

There a library filled with cook books.....
Oh I could spend hours....
But only if I could wear one of those little hats!

The school's Wall of Fame

Here we are.....behaving I might add.....

No I haven't gained weight I was standing at a bad angle......Honest.....

and that's Joyce.....Necie....Norman our gracious guide and Sandie

Rose was our photographer....

Norman who is getting ready to graduate was not only our tour guide but he was our

server in the restaurant....

He will begin an internship up in Alaska in a few months.....

A personable young man he made our afternoon a delight....

No security guards throwing us out at this place...

The restaurant was lovely....not just a classroom with some tables and chairs

like at the Art Institute...

Here is Joyce thinking my camera skills were unable to get all the ladies in the frame....

That's better....

We had the whole place to ourselves....we felt like celebrities....

Our table was right in front of the kitchen just like the fancy restaurants have when you can

have your dinner and watch them cook it.......

the view from our table towards the door....

After we were there for about a half hour a party of twelve came in and sat

at that big table you see towards the back of the picture.....

So we still had the place to ourselves....

So your saying.....

"So what did you eat?".............

Fabulous Food that's what!!

Three of us got the

baby lamb chops over butternut squash with french green beans.....

in a fig demi glaze....

Joyce also started with grits and shrimp in a Cajun sauce.....

It was half eaten before she realized she forgot to take a picture.....

It was passed all around the table so we all had a taste....

We did get some strange looks at that point..

Necie had the

Grilled Brown Sugar and Bourbon Marinade Ribeye Steak

with sweet potato hash in a red wine demi glace....

Another look at some real food.....I know I know....it's not the beef stew that

Joyce barked about at the AIOA but what can I say....

This is French....and the French know their food...

And let's not forget dessert....

Sandie got this magnificent looking

Chocolate Dome with Coffee Mouse and Berry Coulis.....

It's Perfection!

Here is our resident Santamaker never wanting me to take her picture.....

Here she is holding a little afternoon treat that I brought for the ladies...

to Joyce's surprise I actually made Orange Poppy Seed Shortbread

By Scratch....

I don't always want to be known as the "Sandra-Lee Wannabe".....

So it was a wonderful lunch....

This is what was left of the shrimp and grits....Joyce was tempted to lick the plate

But like I said we behaved ourselves....

The restaurant called

Lumiere
serves both lunch and dinner with reservations needed...

I thought it was very nice that they accept tips but the money goes into

a scholarship fund....

Now that's a class act....

What now.....the day can't end this early.....

So let's get lost again....

Joyce.....will you read me directions to our next stop.....

I had to pull over twice and get out of the car to let the other ladies know we were lost and had to turn around.....

They were all so patient....

And we eventually made it to here.....

Cake Art

Everything you need to bake cakes and make candy....

Walls and walls of gadgets....

offset spatulas....

"Miss Flour Power"

in the flesh....

She Loves to pose....
Can you say Big Ham!!

Cake Pans.......they had every size of pans you could think of......

and more pans.....

big rings....small rings.....triangles....

What For?.......I have no idea.

More Gadgets....

But here's what you really come for.....

Candy Molds!!!!!!!!!!

Around the corner.....More Molds!

And ofcourse to go with the molds....a whole wall of bags...labels....lolly pop sticks...

and every kind of melting chocolate you can think of.....

We all left with a big bag of stuff.....even Sandie who has never made candy before

is trying her hand at it....Go Sandie!!

And as usual a Good Time Was Had By All....

We all commented over lunch that Blogging is fun but being able to meet and become

real live "in person friends" is the best reward.....

We are all lucky to have met each other....

Thank You guys for accepting me and my zaniness....

Don't worry next month it's the Tea Room up in Woodstock....

we are waiting for Linda from A La Carte to get back from Texas so she can join us....

And I have to have a Big Shout Out to Rose

Who explained to me in Basic English in three words or less how to do links....

Thanks Rose....