cheeseandchocolate

Oooh, yummy. For me, it's stewed cabbage, anything Brussels sprouts (how about a Le Pichet chicken with chestnuts and Brussels sprouts?), lentil-chestnut soup, raclette with potatoes and pearl onions and ham, winter squash gratin...

I've always been a bit weirded out by the idea of a "tete de negre" (negro's head), which is a hollow sphere of crispy sweet meringue (or two half-spheres sandwiched together?) coated in chocolate buttercream and rolled in chocolate sprinkles.

Re: your ethnic food question-- You MUST go to L'As du Fallafel (34, rue des Rosiers, in the heart of the Marais). I know I've written about it somewhere else on eGullet, but oh my, it is heavenly--and ridiculously cheap, especially if you just order at the take-out window and eat on the street like everyone else. A terrific, filling lunch--and very authentic Israeli-style, from what I understand. Go for the fallafel speciale, which features a lovely soft pita stuffed with two kinds of cabbage slaw, Turkish salad, hummus, fresh crispy balls of fallafel, slices of eggplant, and tahini sauce. Don't forget the sauce piquante too! Oh, I dream of fallafel at L'As. L'As, you are so far away.

Larb have mercy! Larb, I love thee. Snowangel, your recipe was absolutely delicious...

Laksa, you make morning so much more exciting! By the way, the "innards" of the durian look a bit foie gras-ish...what is the texture like?

I am preparing to surrender my larb virginity, and I've got a question for you exuberant larbers: When you say that you chop/grind your pork in the food processor, are you using a special attachment, or just the steel blade? Thank you kindly.

Ok, I'm asking the dreaded stupid question: what *is* a vinegar mother?

I love most of the iffy ones on this thread: beer, most sushi, sashimi, olives, caviar (I was started on this early ), liver (oooooh, chopped liver! on a spoon!), Brussels sprouts, eggplant, mayonnaise, bleu, etc. Currently learning to love radishes, getting braver with husky red wines. I wouldn't go out of my way for truffles, but they're okay. Just okay. I do struggle, though, with melons (I can sometimes do those little round striped cantaloupe-like melons in France, but they have to be reeeeally ripe), papaya, gelatinous things (bits of fat or connective tissue in meat, etc...I want to try oxtails but am a little afraid), snails (I can hardly even look at a live one, much less contemplate eating a dead one). I also hate hate hate those little yellow pickled radish things in Japanese restaurants...oshinko, I believe? What is that? Oh, and re: embarrassment--I just want to feel capable of trying everything and being an at least somewhat fearless adventurer. Therefore, I find it annoying (and not so much embarrassing) that I have these hang-ups. Any advice on the oxtails? Should I try?

Wow, what a beautiful summer meal, Abra! Those cornmeal cakes look and sound lovely. Did you wing it, or did you work from a recipe?

Here's to the power of temptation, plus heyjude's convincing description! I've officially made a reservation for the Bourdain dinner at Brasa. One eG table of 10 is already full, and I'm the first at the second eG table, both for 6:30. Can't wait!

Well, I'm *supremely* tempted by the Pepin and Bourdain dinners, but the poor grad student in me is saying, "Molly, hellooooo! $150, honey!" I am really, really tempted. Plus, it would be really fun to sit with fellow eGulleteers--I've only been to one eG event (seawakim and dave's chocolate tasting last winter), and my boyfriend at the time (now former boyfriend) was being a bit of a grump that night. Bah. At any rate, can anyone tell me what these dinners have been like in the past? Is that an answerable question? Tasting menu-ish, or just multi-course? I assume the food would be outstanding, but can anyone tell me about previous experiences at these events?

Tonight's dinner for one: Cacio e pepe Romano green beans blanched, then tossed in a hot skillet with olive oil, minced garlic, and bread crumbs 85% dark chocolate with a cold glass of milk

I tried David Rosengarten's Frosty Plymouth Gin & Tonic last night, and oooh my, it was tasty. Nice and strong and clean, with plenty of lime, and the idea of making tonic water ice cubes is a great innovation. On a hot Seattle evening, it almost went down too easily, but oh, was it refreshing. Being a bit of a lightweight, though, I'll have to temper it next time--I think my head was floating about four feet above my shoulders when I attempted to start making dinner about a half hour later. [Disclaimer: I suppose I should admit that I'm a newcomer to the gin and tonic scene, having only been initiated into the circle a month or so ago. But nonetheless I can say with confidence that David Rosengarten has got himself a nice little formula here.]

Thanks, trillium, for helping me try to figure out what is going on with my jam. I think it might just be oxidation, since the jars are stored in a warm place. I don't have air conditioning, so there's just no good place to store them in my apartment. [On the other hand, I suppose I could keep them in a box in the parking garage, next to my car...but hmm, I think it's a bit late for that. Plus, one never knows what might happen to unguarded strawberry jam.] On a side note, does jam sometimes thicken after sitting for a bit like this? Mine was loose at first, but now it seems more viscous when I turn or invert a jar from the pantry... I suppose I could solve all this by just opening a jar of the stuff when I get home later, and giving it a thorough checking-over myself, hmm?

I'm jumping into the conversation midstream and spoiling the flow, I know, but I have a question for you jam-makers: About two months ago I made about a dozen jars of strawberry jam--just strawberries, about 50% sugar, and some fresh lemon juice. Sealed the jars and stored them in the pantry. I ate a jar or two shortly after making it, and then I went out of town for a bit, and now I see that the jars in the pantry have discolored a bit. The jam looks a less vibrant and shiny, and up at the top it almost looks purply-gray and a touch cloudy. Is something wrong? Is this normal? [Note that I haven't opened any of these jars yet...and I guess that would be the next step, hmm? I wanted to ask you guys first.]

I love meat meat meat. Tonight's dinner for one: --Lamb sausage with fennel seeds, feta, kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts, seared in my beloved cast-iron skillet...this was so delicious that I was saying "Oh my God!" aloud --Salad of baby oakleaf lettuce (red and green) with shaved fennel and thinly sliced cukes, with mustard vinaigrette --Tall Grass Bakery pain au levain --And for dessert, 85% dark chocolate from A la Petite Fabrique in Paris, along with a few Barbara's honey grahams So very happy.

Gorgeous photos, Dejah. Very much looking forward to the next installment...

Oh, ExtraMSG, that photo is pure evil. I can't believe you'd post that without first arranging to charter a bus down to Portland for all of us Seattle E-Gulleteers. I'm dying here.

Does falafel count? The best I've ever had (and please do note that I have never been to the Middle East, so say what you will) is at L'As du Fallafel on rue des Rosiers in Paris. A soft but sturdy pita stuffed to overflow with fabulously fresh and crispy knobs of falafel, green and purple cabbage slaws, julienned cucumber, chopped tomatoes (I believe), and hummus, the whole liberally doused with tahini sauce. "Sauce piquante" is essential. Oh, it's so lovely.

I'm currently renting a little apartment in the 11th, on rue du Chemin Vert, so I'm a nice little walk from the Bastille and the Marais. I definitely second the votes for le Repaire de Cartouche--absolutely fantastic food, wonderfully rustic interior --and I'd also add Au C'Amelot, which is about a block south of le Repaire on rue Amelot. Au C'Amelot offers one set four-course menu per day at 32 euros, and it's tiny and always packed. I have been to Swann et Vincent, which was mentioned above, but wouldn't write home about it. As for the Marais, I second the mention of Le Loir dans la theiere, which is a really lovely, funky tea spot with enormous and delicious tarts. A mile-high lemon meringue pie comes to mind--be not afraid of its size! Also on rue des Rosiers, don't miss L'As du Fallafel--the best fallafel in Paris, hands-down. I'm headed there tomorrow night myself. Don't be led astray by the other fallafel joints in the neighborhood. As for a good local boulangerie, don't miss Au Levain du Marais. It has three outposts, two of them being right in this neck of the woods: one is at blvd. Beaumarchais and rue du Pasteur Wagner, and the other is just north of la Place des Vosges, at rue de Turenne and rue du Foin Verlomme, I believe. Mmmm, pain de campagne!

I think you're referring to Amorino gelato, which has a few outposts around town. There's one on rue de Buci in th 6th, one on rue Vieille du Temple in the 4th (in the Marais, across from Au Petit Fer a Cheval), and hmmm...not sure about others. It's quite tasty, and they'll load you up with as many flavors as you like. I've tried the strachiatella (sp?), the nocciola, and the nutella. Mmmm, nutella.

As I recall, the Marche Richard Lenoir is open on Sundays. It runs up blvd. Richard Lenoir from Bastille, so you'll want to take the Metro to Bastille and get started from there. It is a terrific market--quite large, with all sorts of produce/flowers/cheeses/meats/fish/the works. When I was in Paris from 2001-2002, I worked at that market for a fancy oils vendor called Mille et Une Huiles.

Thank you, rcaffelle and I82Much, for your replies...but unfortunately my computer died on me before I could read them! Arg, technology. It was a computerless weekend. I'm now at school/work, using the computers here... At any rate, having not been able to read your replies to my query, I trudged on with my 8x8 pan...and it went just fine! Like I82Much, I was worried that the brownies would rise too much--there was a lot of batter in the bowl--but when I poured the batter into the pan, it really didn't come very far up the sides. The brownies did indeed rise, but they stayed well below the top of the pan. I baked them a little longer than the recipe called for, since they were thicker, and they turned out marvelously. We whipped up some cream with a bit of vanilla and a dash of powdered sugar, and then we moved in for the kill. Mmmmm.

To I82Much and anyone else who has made the "Best Ever Brownies" from BWJ: I'm planning on trying these out on Sunday night, to cap off a little potluck dinner with friends. I know the recipe calls for an unbuttered ceramic or glass 9x9 square pan, but what do you think would happen if I used (what I think of as) a traditional brownie pan: 8x8 medium-weight (Williams-Sonoma brand) nonstick metal? I imagine I might have to bake them a bit longer if I use an 8x8, but do you think that using a metal pan (and a darkish one at that) would cause them to cook faster than with glass or ceramic?

Ooooh, thank you to whoever mentioned sauerkraut...ahhhh, how could I have forgotten? Kraut cooked with gin and caraway seeds...so tasty. It's a staple of Thanksgiving dinners in my family, and I have a great memory of going out with my father for choucroute garni in Paris and eating mountains and mountains of the stuff.