Last Cookery Club Lesson at LY's

Pièce Montée

I am going to sound like a broken record, but I am really fortunate to have made a few wonderful friends here in Modena and it breaks my heart to leave them behind. My only consolation is that there is email and Skype, and since they all have husbands who travel alot for business, maybe they'll have enough miles to get themselves on a plane soon to visit me in Shanghai.

Stuffing choux pastry

LY held her cookery class last Wednesday - though we didn't get to see much cooking, she has prepared almost everything in advance and singlehandedly - and we were busy chatting away anyway to be working much.

Foie gras and champagne - potent combination

It was a feast. We had champagne, foie gras, smoked salmon, bread from France, baked lamb, home-made mashed potatoes, chocolate swiss roll...and a pièce montée! The kind you usually get at weddings. I felt so honoured...

It was lovely seeing everyone again (probably for the last time in Modena) and be able to hug them goodbye one last time. They've also offered me a nice parting gift, something to remember our common love for cooking/baking by.

Very tasty lamb with garlic sauce and mashed potatoes

JW has cooked me a farewell lunch (photos pending as not all turned out), JoW and LS have brought me out to lunch and last Friday I was surprised with a lovely trilogy of presents from MB, CB and JoW...These ladies are really not making it easy for me to leave, preferably without breaking down. But I will be strong - because if you see the casino that is my house at the moment, and just a few days from the move, you know that I cannot spend my day weeping and feeling sorry for leaving.

LY's famous chocolate swiss roll

But I will miss you all. Please promise to keep the club going after my departure.