Schneier

We're compensating by voting Bush out of office.

Actually, you need reservations or you're not going. There are several small hotels and guest houses in the area that cater to people who eat at the French Laundry. I don't know about any of them, but after you make your reservation the restaurant can send you a list. The getting there was the only sucky part of the night. We landed at SFO in the afternoon and rented a car. What was supposed to be a 90-minute drive ended up being a 150-minute drive in the rain and dark, and we were an hour late for dinner. The drive to our hotel was only 90 minutes. I don't recommend doing it that way, but we had no choice. Bruce

Our options were the 9-course Chef's Menu, the 9-course Vegetarian Menu, or the 9-course Truffle Menu. There was no 5-course menu. Bruce

Saturday night description is here. Bruce

Yeah; I kind of felt that way, too. I wanted to go once more before they close for a few months.

Dinner at the French Laundry Thursday night. I'm not going to post as extensive review as last time, but here's the menu with some highlights. Amuse Bouche 1: A cornet cone of salmon, creme fraiche, chives, red pepper, and sesame seeds I had a version of this last time, and it was just as good this time. Amuse Bouche 2: A gougere. Fine, but nothing special. "Black and White" Truffle Menu December 4, 2003 Course 1. Scrambled Liberty Valley Duck Eggs with Perigord Truffles and Toasted "Brioche" We were served the eggs, and then the waiter grated some black truffle on top of it. Very tasty. The truffles went very well with the eggs. Course 2. "Soupe de Musquee de Provence aux Truffes Blances d'Alba" Pumpkin soup with pumpkin-seed vinaigrette drizzled tableside. The white truffle presentation was over the top. It came in a sold-looking wooden box. Inside was a white truffle, which was presented for our inspection. One waiter held the box open, and another waiter shaved the white truffle on our dish. It was an amazing dish. The soup was too sweet, but when mixed with the vinaigrette and truffle it was perfect. Course 3. Perigord Truffle "Wellington"," "Fondue" of Walla Walla Shallots and Sauce "Perigourdine" The best truffle dish I have ever eaten. It was a piece of black truffle wrapped in a pastry. It was served with sweet onions and veal stock. Perfect in every way. Course 4. "Seafood Newburg": "Fricassee of Main Lobster "Mitts," Nantucket Bay Scallops, Celery Branch, Jacobseen's Farms Crosnes and White Truffles from Alba This came with another white-truffle box presentation. Very good. The flavors all melded together. Course 5. "Soup and Salad": Wolfe Ranch Breast of Squab "En Crepinette," "Sa Cuisse en Confit" Frisee Lettuce, Double "Consomme" and Perigord Truffles Delicious delicious delicious. The squab was wrapped in truffles. Course 6. All-Day Braised Marcho Farms Veal Breast, "Mille Feuilles" of Granny Smith Apples Crusted with Italian Hazelnuts, Cipollini Onions "Fracie a la Moelle" and Shaved White Alba Truffles The prettiest dish. It was three round towers: the veal, the apples, and the onions. Delicious in every way. The waiter shaved white truffles on top, which didn't really add much. Not a complaint, mind you, just an observation. Course 7. "L'Edel de cleron" and a "Stew" of Dried Apricots, Fennel Bulb and Perigord Truffles The cheese course. Very good. Course 8. White Truffle Infused Custard with Shaved White Truffles from Alba and a Truffle "Financier" Okay, now we're getting silly. Course 9. White Chocolate "Velours" Dark Chocolate "Sabayon," Black Truffle Liquid Center, Perigord Truffle "Syrup" and Ruby Red Grapefruit" Sorbet Super delicious. "Mignardises" Don't know. We were too full. Bruce

Swans are mean, though. And I think rabbits are prettier animals.

Thank you. I called for February 18th; they're booked. Bruce

I couldn't find the review on the Toronto Life website. Can someone post the phone number. Bruce

I have...for years...wanted to cook a swan.

I order steak, but make the table share the bacon as an appetizer.

I think a photo would help.

Maybe it's one of those decanter/vase hybrids that were so popular after the war.

Yes, honeycrisps are grand. The U of Minn develops all sorts of plants for this climate. It's one of their jobs. Bruce

Wednesday Night Dinner I cooked for six. First course: Duck rilettes on crostini. Snail pate on crostini. I wanted to serve onion confiture with it, but it didn't look good on the plate. Second course: Coquilles St. Jacques. Third course: Pasta with wild boar tomato sauce. Fourth course: Cassoulet. Fifth course: Cheese, two kinds. The onion confiture just didn't go. Sixth course: Black walnut pie. Three wines: a NV sparking Loire, an 85 Cote Rotie, and an 88 Ruissec. A successful meal overall. Bruce

Looks like a dacanter, but for spirits and not wine.

Our 7th review. Bruce ************ Classic Chinese dining, American style Published December 3, 2003 The most familiar Chinese food across America is actually Cantonese cuisine, from the Canton province in southern China. These dishes are characterized by their mild flavors and fresh ingredients cooked with very little oil. Common Cantonese seasonings are ginger, onion, sugar, salt, soy sauce, rice wine, and corn starch. Sometimes you'll see garlic and the peppery mixture called 'five spice powder.' Cantonese dishes include meat, fowl, or seafood, and most dishes are either steamed or stir-fried -- cooking techniques designed to bring out the flavors inherent in the ingredients. Szechuan food is America's other common Chinese cuisine. The Szechuan province is in the west of China, and isolated from the rest of the country. As such, Szechuan cuisine developed independently, with very flavorful, often fiery dishes. The key ingredient is the hot chili pepper, probably introduced along the Silk Road. You can order the spicier dishes toned down, of course. Chicken, pork, and fish are common in Szechuan food. The House of Wu in Burnsville serves both Cantonese and Szechuan dishes -- which means it's a standard American-style Chinese restaurant, with a familiar menu. If there's a basic Chinese dish you're looking for, they probably serve it. Located in a nondescript building on the frontage road of Hwy. 13, the restaurant has been open since 1994 and the decor looks even older. Although we didn't care for the pop music over the PA system, we considered these signs of promise. Restaurateurs should spend money on the food first. That's why we're there. Skip the uninspiring appetizers. The egg rolls and such were just a little too greasy for us. Have the soups instead. The won ton soup was a perfect light delicate broth, rich with the fresh flavor of pea pods. The won tons were big and meaty, too. We can't think of a better won ton soup anywhere in town. The hot and sour soup was nicely piquant. It had no tofu to speak of but lots of ground pork and, unusually, chopped pickled vegetable. This was delicious, though by no means the standard soup one gets elsewhere. Black bean sauce is a Cantonese creation, and you can order it with chicken, beef, and shrimp. We tried the chicken, which was wonderfully pungent with garlic and ginger. We also liked the scallops with oyster sauce. This came with huge sea scallops, perfectly seared. A few water chestnuts generally add desirable crispness to this dish. Here, brightly steamed broccoli added that welcome crunch. Classic dishes like General Tso's chicken, with its slightly sweet batter-fried chunks of chicken, are terrific. Moo shu pork is quite good. You'll probably want a few extra pancakes with the moo shu; we never seem to have enough. There's a lot to choose from on the menu; you're sure to find something you like. House of Wu serves an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $5.50, which is one of the best meal deals for miles. They also have a 'secret' menu of more exotic Chinese dishes that are less likely to appeal to American palates. Karen Cooper and Bruce Schneier are constantly on the lookout for good places to eat. If you have a favorite restaurant south of the Minnesota River, please write us at diningsouth@startribune.com.

I'm going on the 18th. I'll let you all know.... Bruce

I'm also going to Portland in January. Is Wildwood still worth going to? What about the restaurant in the Avalon Hotel? What about the Avalon Hotel in general? Bruce

That looks like it could work. Thanks.

My guess is that you'll end up sipping from someone else's glass.

So, how was it? Maybe he's still there.

I have just been handed four fresh-shot wild pheasant breasts, legs attached. (They're vacuum packed at the moment, so I don't have any more information.) I'm looking for recipe suggestions. There are some ideas here. Bruce

Got my reservation today! For the end of June. Bruce

Isn't there some rule about using too many of those?