Pas de bourrée-dy or Not!

Last Tuesday night I went to an Adult Ballet class with my friend Marion. We decide to go several weeks ago and my excitement grew everyday as we waited for the summer session to start. I ordered a leotard, tights and ballet shoes and eagerly awaited the first day of ballet class. I was ready for this adventure, or so I thought.........

I was on Dance team in High School and I like to think I have a substantial amount of rhythm. And I have always been able to hold my own on any dance floor. I have never felt like dancing was one of my weak points and I figured ballet would be a breeze. However, I quickly learned that being a good dancer when dancing to songs that reference 'boots with the fur" and "pimp juice" have nothing to do with ballet. On Tuesday night it mattered none how many choreographed routines I had in my back pocket to "Proud Mary" as I immediately realized that I was out of my element. I knew I was in trouble when the teacher defined the class as an "intermediate" level. Intermediate? I was a beginner! Weren't we going to start with the five ballet positions? I had spent the hour before the class studying them on the Internet after all. The teacher didn't only skip over first through fifth position but she conducted the class mainly in French and at a very fast pace. I spent an hour and a half missing steps, sweating my butt off and having to do turns across the floor in front of strangers who probably thought I was mildly retarded. As I drove home from the class I felt defeated. I had no idea what I had gotten myself in to. I don't like being bad at things and I certainly wasn't comfortable feeling like a failure.

I had to do something and I had to do it quick. I couldn't wallow in this catastrophe any longer. I arrived home, rushed through the door, shed my leotard, tights and failed attempts and hurried into the kitchen. I needed to cook - I was good at that! I prepared a meal I had been wanting to try for a long time. And it was really good! A success - finally! And being back home with Forrest was just what I needed - I knew that he could care less if I knew what a tendu was or if I could pirouette. As long as I could put delicious food on the table he would always be proud of me!


Herbed Goat Cheese and Proscuitto Shrimp
Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

12 tablespoons Goat cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chervil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt and pepper
12 large shrimp, peeled, tail-on and butterflied
12 thin slices of proscuitto (I used six slices and cut them vertically down the middle to make 12 strips and I was glad I did because it would have been too salty otherwise)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Drizzle of white truffle oil

In a mixing bowl, blend the cheese, herbs and garlic together. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. ****( I used Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese from Trader Joe's and skipped this step and saved on the fresh herb ingredients)*** Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Press one tablespoon of the filling in the cavity of each shrimp.

Wrap each shrimp tightly with one piece of proscuitto.

In a saute pan heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the stuffed shrimp and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp turn pink and their tails curl in towards their body.


Remove from the pan and place on a large plate. Drizzle the shrimp with truffle oil. Garnish with parsley.
This meal was very delicious although I wouldn't serve it as a main course again. The flavor of the goat cheese and the proscuitto where both very strong. They were very rich and after two of them they became overpowering. They would be a perfect h'orderve or an appetizer at a dinner party.