When I cook, I rarely make more than eight servings. I think the largest group I've ever cooked for is 20, but that was just simple appetizers for a baby shower. But in my pastry internship, it's all about production on a grand scale - something I'm just not used to.

For the next two weeks, I'm working at our store in the 6th arrondisement (district). Although it's the smallest of the two stores, it's also the busiest and has the smallest kitchen that is divided into four levels. One level one, we have all the freezers and refrigerators. This is where we put all the finished cakes and pastries for the store staff to line the pastry cases. On the second level, we have a single oven where we bake all the pre-made croissants, tart shells, and pate feuilletee (puff pastry). There's usually just one person who works in this space because there's not much room for anyone else.

On the third level, this is where all the excitement is - at least in my opinion. This is where we decorate all the pastries and cakes. The great thing is, everything is already made for us - the cake bases, pastry cream, jellies, chocolate, and macarons - by the morning team at the second store. All we have to do (usually just three or four of us) is put everything together. Yeah, I make it sound simple, but it requires a lot of work.

Buried on the fourth level is the chocolaterie. They require an enclosed space because chocolate is very temperamental and must be worked at the right temperature. Plus it's extremely messy, so it's good to keep it as far away from the rest of the production as possible.

I'm in heaven here. I finally found my niche. As the only intern at the moment, it's my responsibility to make all the Ispahans. They come in four sizes: individual, 3/4 people, 6/8 people, or 10/12 people. Rumor has it that the chef who opened this pastry shop invented the Ispahan when he was working at Laudree in his early years. The combination of flavors is nicely balanced: rose, raspberry, and lychee. It is also the most popular item in the store.

Each morning I arrive just before 6:00 AM and begin the complicated assembly process. I begin by whipping the rose butter cream until soft and supple. This is piped in a small circle onto one half of a rose-flavored macaron. Next I sort through pounds and pounds of raspberries to find the most beautiful ones. The best looking ones are placed around the outside, enclosing the cream inside. Next come the chopped lychees. A small amount is added to the center, inside the raspberry circle. Another dab of rose cream will hold the second half of the macaron in place.

Once assembled, the decoration begins. I pick the heads off several long stem red roses and sort through the petals to find the right size. Then taking a petal in my hand, I put a small drop pf glucose on the bottom to hold the petal in place once it's placed on top of the macaron. Then very carefully, I add another tiny drop of glucose to the other side of the petal, in effect creating a drop of dew. The effect is quite elegant and beautiful. The petal is secured to the Ispahan with a perfect raspberry, and voila, the decoration is done.

Last week, I made over 550 individual Ispahans and 25 larger sizes, called entremets. That's what I call major production. As I do more and more of them, I become faster and the movements become instinctual. I've found an easy rhythm now, and I can usually finish 80 or so within three hours.

Although we don't have a service to worry about, like in a restaurant, we do have to keep our eye on the clock. Since the store opens at 10 AM each morning, we need to have a majority of the decoration completed and in the refrigerator. If I have more than 100 Ispahans to make, sometimes I'll finish decorating only half so I can focus on decorating the other desserts needing attention. I love this part. I've discovered that it's not the making of the elements that I enjoy, but the decoration.

I love the atmosphere at this store. Instead of being serious all day long, the staff talks and laughs. They enjoy working together and talk about the most absurd, and sometimes disgusting, things. But I enjoy it because I feel more at ease, I don't have to worry about laughing out loud, and I genuinely enjoy their company.

I also have a very good teacher here. He's a spritely 21 years old, but he teaches me the greatest techniques. When I make mistakes, he doesn't make me feel like an idiot. When I apologize, he tells me not to. He reminds me I'm here to learn, and making mistakes is part of that process. Working together we make a great team. I'm even teaching him English while our hands fly. He dreams of going to America one day, but doesn't feel confident with the language.

We're quite a mix of nationalities. While I'm the only female, together we represent France, US, Japan, Germany, and Canada. During work, a mix of languages files around the kitchen. A bit of English here, a bit of Japanese there. Some German sneaks in, but only in bad words, but mostly it's French.

Working here is truly the highlight of my internship. Too bad I can't stay here for the remainder of my five weeks!!

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