Six months after setting off for France, Joe Cole has proven he's learnt a thing or two. John Foster went to find out more...
Lille loanee Joe Cole has used a brief visit to parent club Liverpool to show off his new culinary repertoire, whipping up an exemplary French toast that is said to have left his former team-mates âÂÂdazzled.âÂÂ
âÂÂThis is a great opportunity to show the gaffer and the lads how much IâÂÂve learnt in FranceâÂÂ, Cole told FourFourTwo.com.
âÂÂI used to think there was only one kind of toast,â he said, âÂÂand you made it by putting bread in a toaster.
âÂÂBut it turns out you can make toast in a pan with an egg and cream batter, a bit of maple syrup, some cinnamon, and a dusting of icing sugar.
âÂÂSmall differences, but itâÂÂs still toast at the end of the day.âÂÂ
The former Chelsea playmaker explained that he felt his breakfasts were stagnating a bit in England.
âÂÂEarlier in my career IâÂÂd do things like try and make a smoked salmon kedgeree with crispy fried shallots and a mustard jus, when the most anybody wanted was a bun.
âÂÂI found myself falling back more and more on pop tarts and supermarket muesli. It does the job, but itâÂÂs not the sort of breakfast you want to serve up to people day in, day out.âÂÂ
Pundits in England have long considered Cole to be more suited to a continental style of breakfast, though the player himself admits to having had some doubts before his move to France.
âÂÂIt was a big step. I had to get a place to live. I had to learn the French word for whisk. I thought it would take me a bit of time to find the eggs, but it turns out thereâÂÂs a special shelf for them in the fridge.âÂÂ
Asked for his opinion on ColeâÂÂs culinary skills, Lille team-mate Pierre Bosquet commented, âÂÂCâÂÂest magnifique, mais ce nâÂÂest pas le toast.âÂÂ
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