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That's where the quote comes from, their official dealer in Spain.

How much does a BGE cost? I've been asked more than $2.7K for the XL model in Spain and I'd like to get a sense of the price range in other places.

People not meeting that criteria is very --even by elBulli's terms-- unlikely that would have gotten a table this last season. Usual meals at elBulli --I know that's a contradiction-- fare in the high thirties, low forties. But this being their farewell season Adria's stated goal is that everyone who makes it there leaves with the feeling "this is my best/uniquest elBulli's meal ever". And they manage to achieve it. PS: I kind of remember the hare blood not having blood at all but some sort of elaborate hibiscus juice. I may be wrong.

That is, the kitchen table.

Ask for another key and leave it inserted when you leave the room. Or use the minibar fridge. That said, there used to be at least two great chocolate shops at El Prat airport.

You can see it in the photo set uptopic. Thanks, Chris. I didn't miss it then, simply thought it was a very good packaging to prevent damages on the long journey home --mine, I mean-- but not a permanent case. I was surprised too that it didn't fit in the acrylic box, until "well, the kitchen manual should probably be in the kitchen" occurred to me. I'd rather it'd come with a "proper" and permanent case but I concede that it's a very minor flaw, at least to me.

I missed that throne. How does it look like?

Arrived!!!! Finally!!!

I hope we could get Iuzzini's feedback on Roca's desserts. Jordi Roca, the youngest brother, is one of the most talented pastry chefs I know. He, Alex Stupak and then perhaps Albert Adria as a distant third, when he was still playing this game. But then the same can be said about Stupak, I guess... Chances are that on a first visit elBulli will rock your socks off. Don't underrate Can Roca, easily the most solid restaurant in Spain right now --and for several years!

Shipment notice from Amazon.ca a few minutes ago. What can I say? There've been times when I seriously doubted that Amazon.ca would get any copies at all.

Updated shipping date (April 5 - April 6) and even better: I've just been charged from Amazon.ca the CDN $390. They "are preparing these items for shipment and this portion of your order cannot be canceled or changed."

On a side note, any updates on that train to Canada?

I'd argue that it was something that altered for good the menus and the structure of a meal --in Occident-- as we knew them. Also, you can still find it at elBulli as recent as barely a month ago, not to mention places like Klein's or Roca's. It is certainly remarked in one of elBulli's books --one of the first was Albert's "Los postres de El Bulli" (El Bulli desserts)-- in the evolutive analysis section. I agree that it's one of the many things that occurred in the cuisine. Certainly not the main one, which to me would be the new look at food, bringing playfulness as well as intellectuality to the plate, being technique a necessary development --and a new degree of freedom too. No, it did not simply appropriate traditional pastry technique. And probably the transition from pastry to modernist pastry has been as remarkable as the savory. Jordi Roca's or Stupak's creations rapidly come to my mind. "Genuinely" is --definitely-- a poor choice of word. Originated in Europe and with more followers in Europe would have been a better way to express what I intended. Nonetheless, Europe not being a nation, it's also strange to describe the idea as a "strangely nationalistic way to look at this". Not more nationalistic way than saying that Nouvelle Cuisine started in France. Which I'd say is relevant when talking of history. I wasn't referring to European as something directly traceable in the dishes or giving some sort of common background to them, purely a geographical reference. I'm curious about the modernist developments which were done first in the States. Not challenging your assertion, it's simply that I don't know them. PS: congratulations on the deal with Taschen!

A question that's been going around my mind for a few days. One of the main characteristics of modernist cuisine, from Adriá to Blumenthal, is the use of pastry techniques in the savory realm, and generally speaking, the blurring of well defined borders separating the world of desserts and the savory courses. I haven't received --YET!!!-- my copy, so I can't determine for myself how much this may have caused a negative impact on the perspective offered of modernist cuisine practitioners. Also curious about whether the History chapter, specifically its section on "The modernist revolution", portraits this movement as genuinely European. PS: Nathan, no PR events in Spain, the craddle of Modernist Cuisine? Shame on you! :-P

Pierre Hermé served Coca-Cola chicken at his restaurant Korova in Paris. A short-lived restaurant.