oscubic

Sweet green onion taste with a rich creamy foie texture.

Haven't tried the tea place yet as I had been out of the country for a few months now. Am headed up to Berkeley tomorrow so there's a slight chance I'll hit up the tea place. While it was in construction I had the impression that it might end up being one of the many bad student targeted Pan-Asian establishments on the south side.

I think Wall Berlin has been closed for a year or two now, replaced by a tea house that may have opened recently. I haven't been around for a few months so I can't say for sure. As far as cafes there's a place on Ashby and College that's always crowded if you're in the Elmwood neighborhood.

A taxi costs around 16 euros to Mugaritz from the Parte Vieja of San Sebastian, depending on traffic, or about 9 from the center of Errenteria. It's pretty far up the rural hillsides, with more lambs than people in the surrounding area. I have a few pics and will post a detailed report in a week or so about my experience eating there, doing a 3 day stage, their housing for stages, Lo Mejor de la Gastronomia, 80 cent glasses of wine, talking to Andoni about hot women in SF that eat weird things, and all sorts of other tidbits

There is a bus that runs from SF and drops you off less than a block away from the restaurant. I think it takes around 90-120 minutes, but I'm not sure. And they do use cooked maple syrup. I once asked the chef de cuisine if it was possible to make maple syrup using the dehydrators they use for the cookies, crisps, etc, and she replied, "Yeah, in about a thousand years."

I recall a few years ago when I was working in a famous raw vegan place coming to work and being quite certain smelling that somebody had snuck a side of bacon into the kitchen. However it turned out to be smoked salt. What dish it was used for I can't recall although I suspect the chefs may have been experimenting with flavoring the spicy tortilla soup with it. Now the uses of a baconifying seasoning for times when using bacon fat or bits aren't practical could be numerous. Has anyone used any of the different kinds available on the web? What are your opinions and favorites?

Bux, I suspect that you may be correct about this. Most of the cheese vendors I saw were of the larger manufacturers and wholesalers and not individual cheesemakers specializing in one variety. Even so, they still had a fairly large selection of seemingly high quality fresh cheeses as well as the aged, dry giant wheels. I suspect some of those wheels must have weighed 300 lbs or so. I really wonder what the smell must have been like during this past summer. If I'm not mistaken the RER closes after midnight?

Anchovy chocolate is damn good. They managed to capture its flavor and an appealing dose of salinity without the harsh saltiness and intense fishiness. There were thankfully no fish chunks in the chocolate either. Slightly bitter, creamy, finishes long and savory, quite delectable. Goes quite nicely with their chocolate flavored jasmine tea. Unfortunately I had the stomach flu (I suspect via a bad langoustine at Cal Pep) through most of my stay in Barcelona and couldn't sample more of the places I wanted to. But Cacao Sampaka is definitely worth hitting up while in BCN for breakfast or afternoon choco-tea.

While I was in Italy my host said that mentioned using Vialone Nano rice as well. As I was a bit hesitant to carry additional weight I didn't buy any while there. Are there places to find it in the states? Berkeley Bowl carries a million kinds of carnaroli and arborio, but I don't recall having seen our V. nano there. And Adrober, congrats on your dish, rizzo was among my first and still one of my favorite things to cook.

I was in Rungis a few weeks ago, took the earliest metro out to the southeasternmost stop (forget the name) and then took the bus out to the market, which was relatively full of people headed in that direction. There is also a night bus from Chatelet that leaves earlier. Many of them did not appear to be professionals, a few even seemed to be people scavenging throwaway fish and such. I attempted to contact the English tour number listed in the Food Lover's Guide to Paris book, but that number appears to have been disconnected, so I went alone. Although I arrived towards the closing of the fish market, I had no problems perusing any of the twentysome buildings, and many of the merchants allowed me to take pictures of their displays after I asked permission. I didn't attempt to buy anything, as realistically I couldn't expect to eat entire flats of produce without access to a kitchen. It's quite an amazing experience, akin to Tsukiji, albeit for produce; however I felt the quantity was more impressive than the variety of produce. The cheese buildings also are quite amazing and pungent, even at below 0 degrees. Once I get back to the states in December I'll post some pics.

Il Ritrovo was almost full, but able to accomidate a single diner (myself) without a wait for a somewhat late lunch last week. I was also the only non-Italian. Possibly due to the communication barrier, they were reluctant to sell me a bistecca below 1 kg, not even at the 600g mark that seems to be the standard for most Florentine restaurants. I politely insisted, and although they seemed doubtful of my ability to finish it (and said "no primi for you" or something to that effect), they relented and served me my 2.2 lb steak. I sense that being of somewhat less than imposing stature and asian suggested to them that I was one of the many Japanese tourists in the area that happened to wander in by mistake. Evidently they have never seen footage the skinny hot dog eating champion. At any rate I finished my steak with much gusto and satisfaction (delicious, as reviewed earlier), they seemed happy and relieved, comped my wine, and I didn't need to eat for the next 22 hours or so, except some gelato to ease it all down. Bravo to the bistecca!

"like crossing mushrooms with the best sex you ever had" what kind of mushrooms? Sounds like Bill had a good time at burning man this year...

Suzanne was my server as well when I ate there last December, and the service was wonderful. Even had a tour of the kitchen, although as a cook I usually find it a little annoying to be gawked at.

As my visit to FL was back in February I don't think I could write out an appropriately detailed review (nor do I need to with the extremely well written ones already on this thread) however I did have one very minor qualm about the service. Our waitress, an attractive young lady possibly from a scandinavian country, had the oddest habit of saying "you're welcome" even before we had said thank you. Thus there was at times a race to say thank you even as she approached the table. A little awkward and truly bizarre. Did anyone else have that experience? ps Yes the foie supplement is worth it. oh yes.

bratt23, kudos on having your trip to Europe better planned out than I I'm actually changing my itinerary at this moment to something pretty similar to what's been mentioned on this thread (throw in a little Alba even with the bad truffle season, Provence and Madrid). I think it's a great idea to increase your food exposure and perspective before heading into school (or at any stage of one's career for that matter). It seems like you're already pretty set on going to culinary school though. I trust you've read the debates in these forums about going vs. not going already. Also, have you had a chance to trail any shifts in a restaurant yet? It's a good learning experience and I think it's a good idea to have a taste of restaurant work before putting down the money for school. Oh and if you want I can lend you the various Europe travel books I've accumulated when I get back to the bay area this winter.