I am bragging about my daughter’s pastry skills today.
One of the assignments in her Pastry Chef course was to create a chocolate piece based on the literary classic Tristan and Iseult, the tragic romantic legend made popular during the 12th century by the French writer, Joseph Bedier.
Both Catherine’s father and I are avid readers. As a child we read to her at night-time and put books in her hands. I’m sure you’re familiar with the research that to turn a child into a reader surround her with books and people who read.
Catherine is proof that this theory does not always work. She does not like reading and so rather than read the book for this assignment she browsed the internet and found a marble sculpture of Tristan and Isuelt by Roger Stephens.
Inspired by this sculpture she created her own marble like sculpture made of white and dark chocolate.
Fold your arms round me close and strain me so that our hearts may break and our souls go free at last. Take me to that happy place of which you told me long ago. The fields whence none return, but where great singers sing their songs forever. The Romance of Tristan and Iseult
To view more of Catherine’s Pastries click here.
You can read Tristan and Isuelt free here and here.
Have you read Tristan and Iseult?
Carol Balawyder 
I haven’t read a lot of the classics. Probably because I got hooked on historical romances when I was twelve, and because I usually read my favorites: Shakespeare, and the Bronte sisters.
Your daughter sounds like my husband. He doesn’t like reading; says it just puts him to sleep. 🙂
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Reading puts me to sleep as well but for a different reason.It has to be a good book, one that I’m drawn into. These kinds of books are like my sleeping pills.
I think what happens is that I am so into the story that any worries that might keep me from falling asleep are washed away,
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Carol – How very creative!! I’m quite impressed. And even if your daughter isn’t a reader, the experience of being surrounded by books has been good for her.
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Yes, I think so too. Thank your for reading:)
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I would happily read Tristan and Isuelt if I had a chocolate sculpture to munch on!
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Ha-Ha…Thank you for the laugh:)
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The 2/3 proportion seems to be quite common in our families. 😀
Catherine obviously has other qualities – as does my daughter.
I have to admit that I haven’t read Tristan et Iseult, yet. 😦
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As writers we put a lot of emphasis on the importance of reading and want to share this love with others.
You’re so right that they have other qualities.
Tristan and Isuelt is a very difficult read (for me).Written in poetic form and well….it is 12th Century after all:)
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I would LOVE to see a photo of your daughters cake. 😀
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The sculpture on my post is her chocolate “masterpiece.”
I also posted a link to her pasteries:)
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WOW!!! I thought at first it might be her masterpiece, then concluded it looked to real to be chocolate. She’s a master!
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I think she did a good job. If you click on the Stephens link you’ll see where she got her inspiration.
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I read Tristan and Iseult back in high school, but I must admit, I like the idea of a chocolate version better. 😉
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Another informative post Carol, with more food for thought; no pun intended, lol. What a fabulous creation your daughter has made. Now you know where her creative talents lie. 🙂
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I do indeed. Thanks for commenting:)
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As one who has been placed on the Dukan diet, I was debating whether or not to report the content of this post. Beautiful culinary art.
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I will pass on the compliment to my daughter. Thanks:)
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My pleasure, Carol. The artistic merit of the work is, IMO, laudable. As a courtesy, please request that your daughter and her culinary skills stay away from me until the 2nd half of my 25 lb “arctic survival kit” has been properly disposed of. };-)>
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I will do…good luck with your goals:)
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Thank you. }:-)>
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A sculpture made of white and dark chocolate sounds delicious. I haven’t read the book, to my disappointment, but right now I can’t move past the idea of the cake, and how great it must be. Congrats to your daughter.
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Thanks…I’ll pass on the compliment to her. Thanks for reading and commenting:)
The book is pretty heavy, in my opinion. 12 th century poetry is not something I process easily:)
As one blogger noted, I prefer to eat the chocolate than read the book!
Oh, we’re such literary minded:)
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A Celtic adulterous love triangle expressed in Mexican chocolate and ingested to the tune of romantic (?!?) Wagnerian music. Hmmm… I wonder what would Catherine have done had the assignment been on Abélard and Héloise… 😉
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Thanks for commenting…I don’t know what she’d have done but one thing I’m certain of is that she’d have searched the internet for ways to avoid reading it:)
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Catherine is amazing. Gee, I wish my daughter was a pastry chef! I always read to the kids and had plenty of books and read and brought them to class with me (English class, of course). They aren’t readers. Sigh.
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I know (sigh!)
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Perfer to eat the chocolat than read it as well. I guess the internet has something to do with it. Google teaches me now a days although I am aware you must not believe everything you see/read on the internet. Great subject Carol and the chocolat looked yummy Catherine. Bravo laidies…
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Simone 🙂
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I haven’t, but your sculptures encourage me to. I have read some classics…I sometimes don’t know which ones to pursue. So this would be an inspired start.
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Thanks for reading and commenting:)
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That’s absolutely brilliant! Huge talent there. 🙂
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Thanks. I will pass your comment on to her:)
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Now that’s some classic lit that’s easy to digest! 😉
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So true:)
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I read that as “Tristan and Isolde” but I am sure this is the same story! I love the creativity in looking up the marble sculpture and then, using the chocolates to become a replica of this! Great way to raise a well-rounded daughter who is inventive and unique! I have an artistic daughter and two other who are creative. I am proud when they use their ingenuity! Smiles, Robin
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Thanks…
Yes it is the same story.
Thanks for reading and commenting:)
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Carol, like you, my son could always find me reading a book. I tried my darnedest to buy him books that he would read. I even bought those ones where the reader has a choice of endings and would lead to a second, third, etc. books. He wasn’t interested. And get this — he has a photographic memory. What a waste!
I went to the page that has your daughter’s pastries. Yummm! That apple pie is beautiful. I bet it tastes the same way. 🙂
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Thanks, Glynis for reading and commenting.
I guess not everyone is a reader and we have to acknowledge that there are other talents in this world.
I will pass along your comment to my daughter:)
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Tastefully talented. The sweet romance of chocolate. Very nice.
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What a lovely way of putting it. Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog:)
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I haven’t read the book, but that chocolate looks amazing! Your daughter may not be a reader, but she’s obviously creative in her way!
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It has been quite a while since I read it. I love your daughter’s sculptures. Did they taste as wonderful as they look? Great post.
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I don’t get to taste most of them but the ones she brings home are very delicious 🙂
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Lovely post, Carol. Your daughter is very creative and one day she will pick a book up and get the bug. Too busy when young, but sooner or later, the book bug will bite.
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Thanks. I will pas on the message to her. I hope that your daughter is feeling better.
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The nausea has cleared up. It’s her stomach that is weak and she can’t digest well. But it is much better. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Hugs!
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I haven’t read the book but just love the opera. Would probably be great to listen to with white and dark chocolate and coffee. J’aime beaucoup.
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Merci, very kind of you to say. I am currently listening to this:
So very beautiful. I will then listen to Samson Francois’ interpretation of Faure Nocture no. 4. I love Faure.
I am so grateful that you introduced me to his music 🙂
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I’m glad you’re enjoying listening to Samson Francois. I was just listening to his CD of the same piece this morning! Great minds thinking alike and all that 🙂 He certainly had a way with Ravel. I also recommend his version of ‘Ondine’, the first piece of Gaspard de la nuit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZT0qW5gHIM
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Thank you…He has a tenderness about his music that I really like. 🙂
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What an amazing talent! 2 of my favorites- books and chocolate!
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Thanks for reading. 🙂 I’m with you. I’ll relay your compliment to my daughter. She’ll be happy.
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As an ex-sculptor, an opera fan and a lover of the old stories, this post was a great delight. Not sure I could cope with all that chocolate, but it looks superb.
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Thanks for commenting. What a rich background you have. Glad to know about it. 🙂
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Both of my parents are avid readers, although they both went through periods of time when they didn’t read much. I hope your daughter likes to read YOUR books at least 😀 As for the chocolate sculpture, can I have a piece of it?!
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I’m afraid not. For one thing she was brought up in the French system of education here in Quebec and so, if she does read, it’s in French.
She brought the sculpture as a gift for her father so I didn’t even get to taste it. :C.
Thanks for commenting, Christy! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Carol Balawyder and commented:
Here is something I posted awhile back. I thought maybe you might enjoy it, if you haven’t read it or weren’t on WordPress when I first posted it. In any case it’s just a mother bragging about her daughter.
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Wow that is so impressive and creative. Yes you should really be proud!
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🙂
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Your daughter is very talented. Surprisingly my daughter isn’t much of a reader of fiction either. When she isn’t busy creating pottery and sculptures, she reads nonfiction, usually to learn more about her craft. She has however read most of my books!
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Darlene, your daughter seems to have found her niche. I think that today’s young generation are brought up using social media. Reading takes effort and time. It’s wonderful that your books are reaching so many young people! ❤
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Fantastic, Carol – it looks like a real sculpture.
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My daughter will be happy to hear that. 🙂
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She did a great job 🙂
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What a fabulous creation, Carol, and your daughter is so talented. I read the book decades ago. This was very clever. Thanks for sharing! 🤗
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