Choosing the main dish was quite stressful since France is so renowned for its cuisine. We often cook with wine, which some people might not like, or with specific meats that I couldn’t find in Finland. I initially considered making “quenelles,” but a French friend told me he didn’t like them at all. So, I changed my mind, wanting something more representative that most French people would enjoy. I decided to teach them how to make “tartiflette.” It’s a mountain dish we enjoy in winter, typically served in ski resorts. It’s made of potatoes, bacon, onions cooked in dry white wine, cream, and Reblochon cheese. Reblochon has a strong flavor—full of character. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it in Finland, so I chose a similar cheese, which added to my stress since I was worried the taste wouldn’t be the same.
On top of that, I had to make a vegetarian option for Emese. But serving her only potatoes with cheese felt incomplete and unlike a true tartiflette. I’d never tried it that way, so I was nervous about the flavor. Thankfully, she enjoyed it, which was a relief! What reassured me was knowing that we all went through the same thing—each of us wanting to make our group happy by sharing a piece of our culture. And it was a first-time experience for each of us.
The bread didn’t turn out as well as the tartiflette, which I expected. Bread might seem simple, but it’s a meticulous process with long resting periods and careful handling to let the yeast work. Our loaves turned out a bit too dense. I was disappointed, but for a first try, it wasn’t too bad! We ate the crust with the tartiflette, and the inside will go to the birds, who’ll get a taste of this French specialty.
Beyond the stress of making these dishes, a real challenge was using technical terms related to bread-making. Honestly, I don’t know them in English at all, so explaining the steps and how the dough should look was sometimes tricky. But we managed together, and that’s what counts.
Comments