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Don't know where you heard about A Shucks, but I would skip it - touristy and mediocre. Bowen's is not limited to oysters, but it sounds as if you may not want to venture out of the historic district, and Bowen's is about a 25 minute drive from downtown. Check out the Hominy Grill for down-home inspired cuisine. Or, if you are willing to drive to Mt Pleasant, you can visit The Wreck - a local favorite. It is a bit hard to find, but you will get real local color right down to the boiled peanuts they give you when seated. Here's what Holly Moore has to say The Wreck

Are you staying in Islamorada the entire trip? We have been to Islamorada and Marathon every year for the past four years. You will be in the keys during stone crab season, so crab claws are a must. You can get great claws with wonderful bayside views at Islamorada Fish Company at mile marker 81.5. For Cuban, make your way to Manny and Isa's Kitchen at mm 81.6 - oceanside. Their Key Lime pie is an award winner. Islamorada Fish Company also has a fish market so you can buy what you want to take home to eat/cook. The Key West pink shrimp are tasty! There are plenty of grocery stores in the Marathon/Islamorada area. In Key Largo, you can get a wonderful breakfast at Harrietta's at mm 95.7 bayside. We also like the Crak'd Conch for fritters and conch chowder (mm 105 Key largo- oceanside) In Marathon, gor to Herbie's MM 50 bayside for great conch chowder, very good mahi mahi or even a fish sandwich. Key's Fisheries is another place to buy either fresh or prepared seafood. We mail order our crab claws every year from here as well. marathon, mm 49 bayside at the end of 35th street. Key West is close to a 2 hour drive from Islamorada, but it is certainly worth a trip down. There is a thread with restaurant reviews there.

How long will prepared harissa last in the fridge?

Banana chutneys are found in both African and Caribbean cuisines. Here's a link AfriChef's banana chutney I am in love with salty/sweet/hot combos. My two all time favorite hot sauces are Jump Up and Kiss Me and Goin' Bananas - the Hot Sauce with a-Peel! Use the banana chutney to compliment curries - especially island curries. I bet it would be great on top of cream cheese, too!

Does it have to be dessert? How about a banana chutney?

If you opt for Charleston, beware. The annual Spoleto Festival will be in full swing. Though this is a wonderful time to be in Charleston, you must get hopping if you want reservations. Within a day's drive of Durham, I really can't think of a better location if your main focus will be dining destinations. There are numerous charming inns and some very good restaurants. Plus, you can make a trip to Bowen's Island (a hole-in-the-wall spot) for a great evening sitting on the deck overlooking the salt marshes.

How about the historic district of Charleston, SC? The town features a fabulous walking district and a slew of wonderful restaurants to boot.

Thank you Debbie! That is exactly what I have been looking for. Sadly, there seem to be far fewer CFSA farms in the Charlotte vicinity, but I did manage to find two that I plan on investigating. Now - how do I get the local Fresh Market or Dean and Deluca to start carrying North Carolina cheese?

It's been a tough day here with nasty cold rain, temps in the upper 30's. The hubby slipped and stepped in a puddle up to his knees and the daughter's car broke down in the rain This kind of day calls for comforting, and the vote was Wisconsin Beer Cheese soup with pumpernickle croutons. It's warmed up and ready to go for dinner by the fire.

The party was a big success and I have to say the barbecue from Black's was the big winner. After we brought in the meat from the grill, my house smelled liked a Texas smokehouse (a good thing!) The baked beans were also a big hit - used a recipe from epicurious (hot and smoky baked beans) as was the potato salad. I ended up making a peach cobbler, though sadly everyone was so full of brisket and Shiner beer, I only had one person even try it! I have enough cobbler to satisfy my sweet tooth for the week.

It is a nasty, rainy day here in Charlotte, and I am craving my mother-in-law's Middle Eastern lentil soup. She made hers with spinach, onions and lots of lemon. It is a simple, Lenten dish. I would love to here from FoodMan or Chefzadi on this - do you have a recipe for this soup?

Okay = getting from Goncourt to the Bastille is pretty easy and would require only one transfer. Take the Goncourt to the Metro Republique, then change and go to the Metro Bastille. The Richard Lenoir market is rated a 5 out of 5 by Patricia Wells, and I have to concur. You will find the foie gras, the butter, the cheeses, the produce, as well as the aforementioned "pain au thyme." Chefzadi might know this as manaish. The are a couple of Lebanese men who have a stall selling this, plus falafel, baba ganoush, etc. Excellent - my husband, who lived in Beirut in the 60's, said theirs is exactly what he remembered having as a child. Further down the same metro line is the Metro Ledru Rollin which is not far from 4-star (Well's assessmednt) Place d'Aligre which holds a covered market, an open market and a flea market. This is open every day except Monday and is also worth a visit. There is much to do not far from Metro Bastille, including the famous Place du Voges (a great place for the kids to play - how old are they?), the historic Jewish quarter (visit Las du Falafel for lunch - excellent falafel and shawarma avec frite!). The Bastille itself is really nothing now. The Marais is the old Paris and is wonderful to wander through. Plus, you are near Ma Bourgone and Brasserie Bofinger for atmospheric (albeit touristy) meals. Take a long walk or hitch a cab to the Pompidou museum. Though you may not be into modern art (I am not), the Strasbourg Fountain outside the museum coupled with the museum's architecture is worth a visit and the kids will love it. Grab a crepe and have a picnic. If you like duck (as I like duck), then you may want to visit the restaurant le Chistera in the 11th e. Metro Saint-Maur. tel Tel : 01 47 00 46 87. We dined here on the firse trip. I would not call this fine cuisine, but good, simple fare - the chef and his wife are from the Southwest of France. I had a fabulous pate de foie gras and confit here. Good service, reasonably priced set menu. Oh - and I can't forget the most important thing! Make sure to visit the chocolate shop of Denise Acabo in the 9th (not far from the Sacre Coeur) called "etoile d'or" We bought a selection of chocolates (she does not make it - she gets it from the best sources in the country) and ate them on the plane ride home. Well worth a visit and fun! Here's a weblog Denise Acabo's l'Etoile D'or

I will not profess to be an expert here, but on the two trips I have made to Paris, my family rented an apartment in the Marais (the 4th near the place du Voges) and we ate in for breakfast and dinner often in order to save money. I suggest you check out these books for guides to shopping: Boulangerie: A Pocket Guide to Paris's Famous Bakeries Paris in a Basket: Markets : The Food and the People Food Lover's Guide to Paris, 4th edition The open air markets are open on various days of the week, so you should try to plan ahead to make sure you get to visit the markets that top your list. Here is a scedule: Food markets You need to shop early for the best selection, plus most markets close around mid day. The food markets are wonderful places to shop for fresh produce, eggs, cheeses, seafood and more. My favorite was the Richard Lenior market in the 11th near Metro Bastille. We would arrive early and buy fresh pan au thyme (the Middle Eastern flat bad with zatar) to nibble on while we shopped. Of course, this market was within walking distance of our flat. For the more routine shopping, the Monoprix grocery chain offered a great selection and better prices than the small, local shops. Monoprix in the 10th When in France, do as the French do. Buy a fresh baguette daily. Shop for what appeals daily as well. Your apartment will likely have a mini fridge as opposed to the full sized "American" fridge. Stock up at the Monoprix for butter, coffee, bottled water, yogurt. We loved the rotisserie chickens with potatos that are sold at bucheries all over the city. Lunch for us was often out, as many boulangeries sell lovely sandwiches one can take away for a nice picnic lunch. I have the name of a fabulous guide in Paris - an American art student who moved there several years ago. He knows the city well, and will even take you on a foodie tour to check out food stores, bakeries, kitchenware stores. He is better, however, as a museum guide as his knowledge of art is outstanding and he is full of interesting details. Send me a PM if you want his name and contact info.

Here are some photos of Girona and Cadaques to get you ready for your trip - I am very jealous! We were in Girona last summer - did not get to Can Roca either, but it is highly regarded.

That's already on the menu, jsolomon - just forgot to mention it. As for the potato salad: I cut up and boiled about 7 medium white potatos (not russets) as well as 4 eggs. I took about 1/2 cup chopped white onion and 4 stalks of cut up celery and put them in the food processor and chopped very fine. To that I added 1 1/2 c mayo (Hellmans) and 1/2 c sour cream, as well as the mashed yolks from the hard boiled eggs and mixed well. Then I chopped up the whites and mixed it all together - adding liberal amounts of salt. I always have to play around with the flavor to get it as close to Neilsen's as possible. I know that the onion and celery in their salad is barely noticeable, but you can taste them in there. That's the way my mom makes hers. Finding those dumpling like pieces of dough in the middle of the cobbler is sooooo good! Cobbler it will be, then - especially since we can now get Bluebell ice cream to go with. So - who has the award winning cobbler recipe? And should I use canned or frozen peaches?

I ordered brisket, smoked sausage and ribs from Black's barbecue. We will be hosting a party to introduce out North Carolina friends to Texas cue. I have made baked beans, potato salad (ala Neilsen's deli in Houston), jalapeno cornbread and slaw. What should I make for dessert? Suggestions (and recipes, too) are appreciated!

It's almost easier to ask what seafood IS available in Charlotte Actually, we can get Hog Island and Malpeque oysters at one or two restaurants on occassion. And, of course, we can get oysters from the Carolina coast in season (which is now). But we do not have access to the variety of oysters I saw on the menu at SSOH. Thanks, Ms. Loeb - I will tell him that. He actually leaves a couple of days before the Book and the Cook event - he was a bit bummed by that. I am jealous - wish I could go to Philly, too!

The California wild mushroom issue is most likely being driven by cultivated mushroom growers. The foie gras issue by animal rghts advocates. I was going to mention previously that I would love to start a duck farm (I love all things duck - including the liver) but omitted that b/c of the controversy. That being said, California still has a wealth of local products, and I hope North Carolinians embrace the terroir concept. We need to encourage more local famers - especially the organic growers. It only makes sense that these foods are fresher and better than those trucked in from California. Our climate prevents us from growing the variety of produce California grows year rond. However, Europe is faced with the same issues. European cooks now how to cook with what is in season. We need to do the same.

This egullet thread is about an article that appeared in the Washington Post. The article is about a North Carolina farmer who has successfully raised decent truffles in Roseville, NC (outside of Raleigh). I am very excited about the prospect of NC becoming a "foodie" destination Whether it's truffles or caviar, goat cheese or wine. I have long envied Californians and their access to a wide variety of local products, and I look forward to more "terroir" products in the future. Do any of you egulleteers have a list of NC farm-raised products?

We're in Charlotte, NC, and while we don't have scrapple on the menu here, we do have livermush! Thanks for the suggestions. He is a BIG oyster fan, so Sansoms is probaby worth a stop.

Is there a decent Moroccan resto in Philly?

MY SO will be in Philly next month (for 3 nights) and wants some restaurant suggestions. Right now, I am looking at Django, Le Bec-Fin and Morimoto. He would also appreciate some not-too-expensive suggestions as well as he will be on a per diem. What do you e-gulleteers recommend? Where is THE best cheese steak?

While perusing my copy of Keller's Bouchon, I came upon his section "The Importance of the Egg:"

Elie, there is a recipe in Sheila Lukin's cookbook U.S.A. Cookbook for a potato salad that is as close to Neilsen's I have ever come. It's nothing more than potatos, boiled eggs and chopped celery, mayo and sour cream. I don't remember onions in the mix. It has been more than 10 years since I have had Neilsen's, though. One of the ingredients in the potato salad is celery - but a very subtle flavor at that. The last time I made the recipe, I chopped the celery very fine before adding it to the salad. I also mashed the boiled egg yolks and chopped the whites. I blended the mayo with sour cream until it tasted as close to Neilsen's as I could get. Also, since the Neilsen's are Dutch, I would suggest a white potato, but a waxy white. I thnk Finnish white potatos if you can get them. I use Hellman's mayo, but I know Neilsen's makes their own.

Though Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease is not pretty, I would also consider the fact that eating a great deal of beef will lead to a much higher risk of heart disease and colon cancer. To date, only 155 cases of vCJD have been confirmed worldwide. In contrast, 1 in 3 Americans die from heart disease every year. My motto - eat whatever you like in moderation.