PCL

Where are you thinking of visiting? Cities? Countryside? There are restaurants that serve Emu steaks, crocodile salads, and the kangaroo steak is pretty easy to find. Do you have a thing for 'wild' meats? As for macadamia nuts etc you'll find them in most supermarkets, grocers, chocolatiers etc. For the other stuff, check out www.maggiebeer.com.au they have an online shop for those sorts of things, although I'm not too sure about spice berries etc.

Ham-yue-kei-lup-chow-fan.... 'nuff said. Or fried salted fish with plain rice... little chunks you can bite off and then shovel loads of rice after with...

Someone asked about cassoulet in Melbourne, I think, in some other thread. In any case, it might be good to start a little poll, survey, of cassoulet in this town. Of course, other cities should add in their two bob's worth! After all, winter's coming, judging by the weather outside today! We can all make it at home, with patience and love. However, we have a fine city/country for dining, and there must be decent restaurant/bistro renditions of the great dish out there. Maybe even plan a cassoulet crawl... So I'll kick this off... Paris Go Rathdowne St, Carlton, near the corner of Elgin. Good cassoulet. Permanent fixture on the menu. $22. A little too tomatoey, but you get a sausage, a rasher of pork belly, and 2, get this, 2 confit duck legs. Beans well cooked, served hot, crust not a big feature, with breadcrumbs and parmesan.

helen, for the locals, we're very very city centric. for instance, here in melbourne, The Age newspaper's epicure section on Tuesdays is highly regarded, which is the general concensus, not necessarily the view of this author.

Oh no... what I do is chop up the body into little chunks and mix it through the pork mince like burger patties and then steam them. Mind you, they're about 7 inches across... keeps well in freezer for last minute steaming... And the head... I think there's a Teo-Chiew (chiu-chow) dish with tofu, preserved veg etc... and tomato? Shoot me if I'm wrong.

THIS IS NOT FAIR!!!!! :-( Won't be back on 'tanah air' for a while man... got to make do with this Singaporean run Nasi Lemak place, and a subway stop in Sydney for Laksa and roti, but NEVER EVER CKT man!!!! And COCKLES!!! SEE-HUM!!! Sorry for yelling, but this has gone too far!!!!!!! Will start looking for cheap package deals tomorrow for a month's advance departure... I'm so serious this thread has me compromising a month's mortage payment to go EAT!!!! But seriously, now that I've calmed down a bit, I really won't be compromising much. Will only have airfare to worry about, 'cos mum and dad should take care of the rest. All is good in the world!

Strange, because when I have a cold, I crave salted fish steamed pork cakes... with ginger, and lots of fluffy rice, and some chilli in soy sauce. Not sure if I'm on topic there LOL but salted fish, now I'm thinking...

Might need to rethink strategy for LA, one night ain't 'nuff is it?? The whole thing's being postponed for a couple weeks, which is great. Means I can have lunch with Tony Bourdain while he's here in Melbourne, enjoy a decent Easter, camping et al, then head over to your great State for B I G F U N.... and work of curse..

I share similar sentiments wiht canucklehead. And I don't have high BTU burners... yet... Chinese here too, but I don't think Chinese when I cook. It's a saute this, braise that, roast, grill, deglaze, reduce all the way. Italian, French... been doing offal recently. But I digess. I agree with Chufi et al. I can do Chinese, but I need to THINK about it. I've worked in a Japanese kitchen, was profficient, but NEVER do it at home. Must also say that I found it uncomfortable in that kitchen. I love Japanese food, but couldn't cook it without hesitation. Made work tough, but it was character building.

I've only got one night left up to my own devices in LA really. I've been known to spend over $150 a day on cabs in other strange towns. But thanks again. The Tadich is on the list as is the Swan Oyster Depot, for SF. Will try to check out the smaller funky joints. I'm going to give pho and stuff a miss, 'cos my mother-in-law is pretty much unbeatable, hands down, no fuss. The markets sound like fun, but are they open at night and is it possible to get inebriated there?? Hole in the wall restos are great fun, but grungy drinking dives? Surely the bohemian population of SF would provide?

I drive a turbo diesel swb Toyota Landcruiser. 'nuff said. Dives are good... prefer grunge to 'beautiful' as there is usually no cover charge... Mr Wong... very swift! What's the tipping situation in LA/SF?... for bars and restos...? Over in NY, I usually tip a dollar a drink, 2 if ahem, the view's good... man I'm cheap. For food, 15%, 20% if superlative service.

I'm gonna hire a cab for the night... wear a grey suit... visit 5 restaurants... ...you guys drive on the wrong side of the road dude... takes me a couple days to adjust and for a short trip, jet lag, like i'm going to be a day behind when i get over, so safety first!... The bbq place is on the list, much obliged. And touareg, how's about a good Korean BBQ place?? do you drive a VW by the way? And while I'm thinking straight, how's about good places to get inebriated/plastered in both LA & SF? No tourist traps please, I'm thinking hole in the wall again, cool funky low-key loungy type places... like where chef's go to hangout after work...

I am completely overwhelmed. Thanks to all you dudes/dudettes!! Where I'm staying in either town is yet to be determined. I'm waiting to hear from our sister office in SF. I'm doing all I can to score the weekend in the SF area due to the presence of friends with car and favours owing, and this pressing need to go Napa myself. Budget will be a combo of hanging with friends (they're not quite local, moved to SF to study at Berkeley) and expense account. As for getting around LA, cabs will do just fine so long as they issue receipts! A bit daunting especially after watching Collateral and reading Michael Connelly, but I'm game, BRING IT ON!!! Holes in the wall, as per rjwong's suggestion, are good. I come from a city full of nice holes in walls serving up EVERYTHING, but its nice to know these sorts of eateries are available elsewhere. Now, this might be sacreligious, but what about BBQ? Maybe I could plan a side trip to TX... Once I get more info on the trip, dates and locations I'll post back. Thought I should mention that on the 22 March, when I might be in CA, I'm booked for a Tony Bourdain dinner here in Melbourne, so will need to Launder it or Bouchon it or whatever to make up for missing out on something I booked months in advance. Thanks again for the warm welcome's and help. Might see some of you in the bars!

Forte dei Marmi - small boutique seaside town, 20mins north of Pisa on the freeway (autostrada) on the road to Genova. In the summer, you can spot Giorgio Armani, Mr Moretti (owner of Inter-Milan), the Ferrari Boss etc. on the beaches/town center etc... 3 places for this town: Madeo Add: V. Giovan Battista Vico, 75 Phone: 0584-84068 It's on the road from the autostrada turn-off for La Versilia. As you head into Forte dei Marmi, it's on your right, almost opposite a service station. It's also closed on Wednesdays. The mandatory service of flat crisp foccacina is to die for. The raw fish platter, a specialty of the Tuscan seaside, is to go to heaven for. They will show you fresh fish and crusty's on a platter. Or the meat is also very good, tagliata con rucola is a trademark. Keep an eye on the menu for price checks, but order from the waiter, either Gabriele, or Lulio. Next is... Lorenzo V. Carducci n. 61 0584-84030 They have 1 star, and have had it for years. Degustation always worthwhile, and do book. High-end Tuscan, classical influences. Expensive, but great for people watching and, the food, yeah, the food. And on the seaside itself... BISTROT Viale Franceschi, 14 Tel 0584 89879 Brilliant place to eat and romance and whatever else. Degustation starters always good. Assagini they call it. Tasters. Go for grilled scampi for mains, maybe with a nice wild sea bass on the grill. Desserts, bloody good. Call ahead. Ask for David, he speaks English. Just. No, he's very good, as he's the owner's son. I like this place very much. Lots of fond memories. And Pietrasanta... a town in the hills behind Forte dei Marmi... old Roman wall still exists. This place, is where all the stone carvers used to live. Apparently most of the statues and ornamental buildings in the old Roman Forum were made here, with stone from Carrara, still further North up the coast. In Pietrasanta, you want to visit Gato Nero, in the town center. Just ask. No reservations necessary. It's a trattoria, serving up hearty country food. Not so much seafood, but meat is good in all forms, offal also for the brave and righteous. Feel at home at Gato Nero. Then the Enoteca Marchucci is also very good. They are wine sellers during the day, a grill room (in American parlance) at night. Bistecca Fiorentina is the way to go, to share of course!! Starters are small dishes from the home style kitchen, anchovy-stuffed peppers a specialty, and duck liver pate too. Tuscan bean soup, always a soother. The ambience and all-stone environment... sublime. go on a week night. Weekends are good for people watching, really beautiful people, but the kitchen would be slow.

Greetings. This is my virgin post on the California board, and is one I have anticipated making for some now. I have an upcoming whirlwind visit encompassing LA and SF and it looks like there would be a weekend involved. It will be a long way from home, and of course, it would be nice to eat well and in some cases, see what the fuss is all about. The Bouchon book came via Santa so that's question #1: Is it hard to get a booking there, even if they offer continuous service from opening to closing? I'm not going to bother with even trying to get into the French Laundry, unless advised otherwise. Question #2 is more general: Is there good Mexican in either LA or SF that would be worth trying? That's it for now, but if I think of more, I'll be sure to post. Trying to plan food and trip (which is work-related) is not easy!! Thanks in advance!!

As are the yeasts used to make the wines. ← There's a difference, winesonoma. The milk doesn't taste like anything close to what the cheeses end up tasting like after the yeast is added. you don't use specific milk for specific cheeses (well, ok, goat milk for goat cheese, but you see the same cow's milk for Cheddar, Stilton, Exploratoir [personal favorite of mine], etc.) I'm asking here if the grapes do taste like the finished products. Since the varietal plays such an important factor in how a wine tastes, it would seem there'd be more of a sensory relationship between the two. And actually, I might even say that the yeast isn't as influencial in the taste of the final product in winemaking as it is in cheesemaking. Clearly the yeast is necessary, but does it take precedence over the varietal? If it did, we'd be reading about yeast varieties on wine labels. CTGM, you consider the yeasts to be the most important factors in what exactly? winemaking? or the taste relationship of the grape and the wine? ← Parmigiano can and does taste according to the areas where the cattle have been grazing. Freshly cracked barrels of parmigiano are full of little 'crystals' almost like salt crystals and sucking on a few of them can yield wonderful results. Wet grass vs hay vs dry grass from higher up the hill etc etc. Cold season? Mushy. dry season? perhaps pungency is higher, just right? Well, close to perfection in balance, but still, you should be able to sense the terroir. Also, different types of cattle are used in different parts of the world to create the diverse species of cheeses we enjoy. In my mind, there is a strong relationship between milk and cheese and grapes and wine. Maybe if you fed the cow grapes of the wine you intend to pair with the cheese, now let's see if that can work!

We down here in Australia are divided over old Wolfie. Marketing's been aggressive, and maybe a little dumbed down. Even the local airlines don't seem to carry them any more. But, they're a great standby. You really can't go wrong with their tried and tested 'formula' wines. I wouldn't put too much salt on their proportions, sometimes, I think they'd do anything to get the consistency in. On the whole, they're fair to good food wines. Wolf Blass is considered table wine down here to a degree. I do like their Cab/Merlot. Don't think much of their Shirazes, but its just me, and I'm glad to see you Canadians enjoying them. Just wanna get me hands on some of that ice-wine!!!

The yu-sheng or 'yue-sang' dish originated with ex-patriate Chinese tin miners in Malaysia, something which obviously made its way to Singapore with the Chinese given the extreme proximity of the two countries. Should note that the raw fish is traditionally a freshwater type, either a form of carp or perch, tropical of course! The fish is generally briefly marinated with 5-spice and lime juice to 'kill' nasties. Modern day variations may do it with salmon even. On another note, lobster/crayfish sashimi has really taken off in Australia, and among the Chinese in Hongkong, Malaysia, Singapore etc. It's a luxury item of course, but very very good. Some say best when the thing's still wriggling. Live abalone sliced thinly is also popular at 'steamboat' places, sometimes known as Chinese Fondue, not to be confused with Fondue Chinois.

One town sticks out in my mind. Pietrasanta & Forte dei Marmi. Won't post the restaurants just yet till I get the addresses and stuff correct. I know where they are, but it would be easier if you had the addresses. We're talking seafood baby! We're talking bistecca fiorentina!! We're talking, clean air!!

is100: the royal china in london do the clams with the 'bread stick' as a filler at the bottom of the service plate/bowl so that the clams don't saturate in the sauce. the post-clam/pippy devouring of the 'yau-tew' with xo is divine. gastro-mui/yuki/hzrt8w: i had gotten the whole thing mixed up between donuts, shrimp noodles... 'lup-lup-luen'... story of my life.

Are you going anywhere near the coast in Tuscany, such as Viareggio, Pisa, Pietrasanta, Porto Venire, Cinque Terre etc?? I know of some nice 'hidden' places along the way...

Ngau lei so... ARRGGHHH... must go dim sum for lunch today... Gastro-mui, they're not noodles lah.... doughy things! So precious!

Here in Aussie-land everyone knows Chinese donuts to be 'yau-cha-gwei'. There are other things in the same family no? Like 'ham-sui-kok', 'mah-kiok' (trans. horse's foot) all of which can be eaten as savoury or dessert, and if the former, would work well with dollops of XO.

is100: as a London resident, you'd be able to get decent XO sauce at the Royal China chain of restaurants. Personally, I think the Canary Wharf branch and the Queensway branch are exceptional. Baker St is good too. When I was last there in mid-2004, they did have take away jars of the stuff available. Cooking it at home, unless you have good ventilation etc and industrial rangehood, be prepared for long lasting XO perfumes.

Off topic, but maybe we should start a steaming fish thread along with pics so that worldwide, we can try to have some consistency in what we're describing, or attempting to describe. So why don't I start the thread? Cos I'm lazy, and at work.