John Talbott

Oh my, there is no Paris or Ile de France food. There are mushrooms called Mushrooms of Paris, and not far away are the great Bries of "M" - Meaux, Melun and Montereau. Hummmm - great Parisien foods; Starbucks, McDo's and Ben & Jerry's. You have a great point. Let us start a new thread. What's Paris food?

Well, 1) There's no sane folks on eGullet.org, so don't worry - doesn't obsession with food define membership? 2) One does have to assert oneself in France or one gets trampled. An elbow to the ribs to the mec creeping the line does it quite well (with ample apologies afterwards of course). 3) And food, especially chocolate, is serious business. 4) Who's Oprah?

For those not lucky enough to live in, was it NW of Toulouse, I can recommend the confit de canard at Galeries Lafayette; but for confit d'oie, I'm stuck. Dave, you do realize that you've got us all drooling, not only over your recipe but your home. (OT -I love that area.)

I've been to huge dinners at La Grande Cascade, le Jules Verne + Fermette Marbeuf 1900, altho' admittedly at the latter, I think my hosts bought it out. As you know, the Red Michelin lists places with private rooms but has stopped listing the number accomodated. I don't have an old one available on my shelves, but maybe your library (in the US) does - I know l'Ebauchoir here does. All the places I listed several posts above do have private rooms, which is why I suggested you figure out what tone you wished to communicate. Another thought is to cater it in a spectacular setting; say the Hotel de Ville, Senat or Opera Garnier (all of which I've had good food at) and the later, in particular, has a stunning caterer, and is where I bumped back-to-back into Madame Chirac, but that's not only OT, it's barely legal.

It's ironic and quite off-topic, but today for the third time in 50 years in France, I was treated rudely, by a civil servant at the Poste, who was thankfully not French French so I maintain my theory and experience that 100% of the rudeness in France is from others who are pretending they know how the French behave.

Of course you're correct and I do have some sense of BC fare (although it's probably more similar to Oregon/Washington product/cooking than elsewhere) or what I'd have in the Maritimes. So I'll ask for region-specific dishes - Toronto, Ontario, that's it. Thanks

Well Pierre, not to minimize our cowardly behavior, but two of us speak letter-perfect French and the other two are quite adequate at remonstrating in French. We did try at least 6 firsts, and when the replacements and the mains were just as bad, this was no longer a workable strategy. There's a time for fight and a time for flight, my father's pal Walter Cannon maintained.

This week, I saw the year's first Noirmoutier potatoes from Bonnotte (apparently they're the best). I steamed them as Clotilde's Chocolate & Zuccini suggests and they were super with a touch of butter and chopped chives. I also had camembert AOC but am waiting for cherries to drop a bit in price. For some reason the celery bottoms are strange now; must be too much or too little rain.

My response is that brasseries are not tacky at all; a place like Bofinger or Marty would be classic; although a place like Papilles is more like funky; Goumard elegant; Mediterranee light and bright; Senderens pricey but neat; Grande Cascade rustic; it seems to me you have to settle on the tone you want. And by the way, happy 20!

I have a hunch this is barely OT but four of us left most of our meal at Helene Darroze's downstairs place on the floor. We were cowardly, granted, but clear. ← John, That is quite a tease...how about the whole story. Pat&I went to her downstairs place not too long after it opened and were underwhelmed to say the least, but discovered that subsequently most of the reviews were spectacular. ← I didn't mean to tease. I've been underwhelmed at both her places and truly stunned at her public relations' success (BTW, there was a photo spread of her in (ex-Paris) Match #2953 in various colored negligees and I can understand why some male critics might fall all over themselves for her - she's a stunner). But as a chef, nah. Full story: I went once to the upstairs place shortly after it opened with my wife Colette and best French eating buddy, whom I've been eating with since 1957 (we usually agree). I found the food banal, he liked it but not enuf to rush back; Colette was in between. (Herself spent the lunchtime talking with a reporter/critic). Then when the downstairs place opened with much fanfare as a lighter, more tapas-y, relaxed place, my buddy talked us into going back, this time with his wife as well. We ordered; the firsts arrived, inedible for all 4 of us; we sent at least one back for adjustment when the shocked waitperson saw us staring at our almost full plates with all our knife/forks fixed at 2 o'clock. The mains were no improvement and not wanting to go thru the whole explanation thing again (you know, it's probably us, Madam, it's just not to our taste, blah blah blah), we collected up the food and put it in plastic bags we all carry for various emergencies and left it were it couldn't be missed under our chairs. We could have carried it out and dumped it but we were so disappointed/angry/shocked we decided jointly to leave it as a message. I have subsequently found out that the reason she got/gets such good reviews/articles/photo-spreads/etc has more to do with her private life than cooking skills. And that's a story I don't intend to tell.

I have a hunch this is barely OT but four of us left most of our meal at Helene Darroze's downstairs place on the floor. We were cowardly, granted, but clear.

I rarely contribute here because I'm seen by some as too negative about Baltimore, because I think similar or smaller size cities simply outclass us, however, I must plunge in. 1st, almost but not always, anything M. Karzai (brother of the Prime Minister of Afghanistan) puts his mind to - eg Helmand + Tapas Teatro comes up smelling like roses. 2nd, for me (granted, jaded by genuine neighborhood bistros), Petit Louis is just not there, nor sadly is the Brasserie Tatin. 3rd however, there's a nifty, relatively new wine bar - called The Wine Market that does seem genuine - for more see here. A place no one has mentioned is Pierpoint where I haven't been in quite a while but is chef'd by a real great female cook Nancy Longo. Finally, hope the surgery goes well - it's a good city for medicine.

My impression is that this is rare these days, what with this whole new 'ketchup' craze seemingly everywhere. But anyway, it must happen other places. Don't they put malt vinegar on their chips in Britain? ← I've been watching this thread spin steadily and delightedly out of control but I must add to the merriment by adding that's it's my impression, confirmed by Wikipedia that the origin of malt vinegar is sadly not Canadian but Brit in origin - however, of course the Belgians claim first usage - just be glad we didn't get Tzatziki or peanut sauce.

Well, I usually muddle through with guides in other languages. Doesn't Michelin publish a Red Guide - I take it it's not that good. How incredibly generous of you. Thanks. OT story; when I was 18 and went by moto from Milan to Istanbul and back, the only place where people insisted I not sleep in fields, come into their houses, sleep in the master BR, share dinner and leave the next day burdened with fresh fruit, wine and oil, was Greece. You're terrific.

Growing up in the States in winter I never saw butter tarts until summers with the relatives in Canada. There must be a definitive source to settle this.

Does a place like the Carousel Bakery take reservations and/or are there communal eating tables. Also what does one traditionally drink with peameal bacon and char sandwiches? A nice Niagara Pinot Noir? Do they sell Ontario wines at the SLM? Naturally, our bunch being Paris-based, we sip a bit of wine at lunch even with sandwiches. Thanks

Thanks Marlene Edited by John Talbott to indicate he's got it.

I appreciate all the help you folks have given me so far and I have just one more challenge. But before, let me specify my bona fides: I know how to pronounce “about,” know how to spell harbour, know the difference between the Governor General and the Prime Minister and have a brother buried near the closest person in Toronto to a saint (at least for those in my age group) – Foster Hewitt. However, in all my time in Toronto and Canada I’ve never heard of “Canadian food.” It’s a tradition for me to treat my French pals by finding a place that serves food “typical” of the area where our meeting is held at lunch before our symposium; crabs in Baltimore, dogs in Chicago, gumbo in New Orleans, well you get the picture. (In return they treat me all year long to French food in Paris so it’s clear who’s getting the better half of the deal.) One of them insists that “Canadian” food is smoked fish and lobster, another that it’s anything with maple syrup and one of the crazier guys suggested moose if I’m not mistaken. Anyway I appreciate your take on where we can have a true “Canadian” meal at lunch, preferably downtown but we'll schlep outside to get the real thing. Thanks.

Hi - I'll be going to Greece, Athens and the Iles - later this year and can find no thread on food guides that are reliable for Greece. Can someone steer me in the right direction? Thanks

The Week of May 1st, 2006 Monday, Le Fooding’s Elvira Masson announced the opening of Chef Claver, ex of Camdeborde’s Comptoir’s new place called Ribouldingue (binge) in the ex-Fogon space at 10, rue St Julien le Pauvre in the 5th, 01.46.33.98.80, closed Sundays that serves a menu-carte at 25 € with such items as a gratin of old comte on endives, Spanish ham, foie gras and good desserts. Tuesday’s A Nous Paris’s entire page on food was devoted to Inaki Aizpitare’s new venture with Fred Peneau – the rejuvenated Chateaubriand, 129, av Parmentier in the 11th, 01.43.57.45.95, closed Sat lunch, Sundays and Mondays, lunch formulas 14 & 18, dinner 30 & 35€ where they especially liked the dorade ceviche, poire mure and bio wines from Chapeau Melon, Wednesday, Sebastien Demorand in Zurban devoted his major space to a review of the renewed Au Bascou, coordinates well known, where he had a so-so meal in this Southwest bastion of a fricassée of snails with ham, an onglet of veal with carrots and orange and duck breast with beans. His casserole reviews included: So Rice, 90, rue Desnouettes in the 15th, 01.45.30.30.45, that he calls a “concept place” that serves nothing but rice and bochettes, a la carte 20€; a “schizo bistrot” Le Charlain, 23, rue Clauzel in the 9th, 01.48.78.74.40, closed Sundays that has a 16 € lunch menu (32€ a la carte) for 60’s décor and food such as a big slice of terrine and warm entrecote and less warm andouillette, served not quite right; and Spoon where he had American chef Angelo Sosa’s cooking. Wednesday, in Le Figaroscope, Emmanuel Rubin’s C’est Nouveau reviewed and gave three hearts to Inaki Aziparte & Fred Peneau’s renovated Chateaubriand, 129, ave Parmentier in the 11th, 01.43.57.45.95, closed Saturday lunch and Sundays with a formula at 14, a la carte 25-35€ for beets, Viet Namese beef noodle (soup), mashed bananas, etc. He awarded two hearts to the Japanese Zen in the 1st and one heart each to a Lebanese place Le Cedre d’Or in the 3rd, an Asiatic resto Mood in the 8th and a French/Lyonnais half-bistro Cote Place, 2, rue des Francs Bourgeois the 3rd, 01.42.71.27.40, open everyday for coldcuts/sausages/pates, beef and apple tart for 30-35€. In their “Dossier” entitled Smoking-No Smoking, Colette Monsat et al cover the waterfront of no smoking places, dividing them into several categories: Gastronomic Atelier de Joël Robuchon Table du Lancaster Spoon Jules Verne Bistros L’Epi Dupin La Cerisaie Florimond Stéphane Martin Mon Vieil Ami Le Temps au temps Le Vin dans les voiles La Table d’Hélène Vegetarian and Bio Aquarius La Bonne Heure Biotifull Place Bioboa Rose Bakery Cojean Eatme Naked Mariage Frères Intermittently Ploum Domaine de Lintillac Francois Simon this week visited Le Pre Verre coordinates well known where he loved the inventive food - a guacamole of peas and scampi, veal liver with ginger and desserts - for 105 € for two and says one must go. Wednesday-Thursday, in Le Monde, Jean Claude Ribaut had two articles on the 50 best chef article already discussed here as well as a piece on the Café de la Paix and its new chef, Laurent Delarbre, 35 years old, exTour d’Argent, Lasserre + Ritz, who was the “meilleur ouvrier de France” in 2004. {All are now pay for view.} You may recall that last week he had an article on the “affair” of adding oak chips. It was amplified on in the April 12th News From France that explained that the impetus for the new law of March 29th allowing wood chips/shavings was to “aid the industry financially at a time when international competition is fierce.” I missed several book reviews and book notices in the 28 April Le Monde of the following that may be of interest to members: Une histoire mondiale de la table : Strategies de bouche Anthony Rowley, Odile Jacob, 29.90€. Dictionnaire universel de cuisine pratique Joseph Favre, Omnibus, 32.50€ La mort du vin Raymond Dumay, La table Ronde « La Petite Vermillion » 8.50 € Dieu est-il gascon ? Christian Millau, Rocher, 20.90€ Rosbifs ! L’Histoire des relations anglaises au travers de la viande de bœuf Benedict Beauge, Textuel, 13€ La cuisine c’est de l’amour, de l’art, de la technique Herve This & Pierre Gagnaire, Odile Jacob, 23.90€. The editors also announce a series by de l’Epure at 9.50€ each on one product, one area, featuring so far: Nyon olive oil, Camargue beef, as well Beaufort and Roquefort cheese. {I apologize for the lateness of this news since I’m aware one must now pay to view them; but amazon.fr has info too.} Thursday in Le Point Gilles Pudlowski reviewed Le Pavillon des lys in Amboise, Chez Ophélia in Cap Ferret, La Verdoyante in Gassin, sea urchins from the Poissonnerie du Dôme in the 14th and a recipe for them - and in Paris: the Viet Nam resto Le Bambou in the 13th, the Italian La Tavola in La Defense; l’Arpege in the 7th, L'Etoile marocaine in the 7th and Chez Flottes in the 1st that he says is in trouble. Thursday in l’Express Jean Luc Petitrenaud reviewed two places: Senderens in Paris and the Hôtel Beauséjour in Calvinet. In addition, Guillaume Crouzet had an article on Fatéma Hal, who for 30 years has had the best couscous in Paris at Le Mansouria, coordinates in the guidebooks. She’s also published Le Grand Livre de la cuisine marocaine, Hachette Pratique, 25 €. Friday, Jean Louis Galesnes in Les Echos, has written an article on the “new” bistros of springtime listing the following: the Bistro Volney, 8, rue Volney in the 2nd, 01.42.61.06.65, closed Saturday and Sundays, formula = 24 and menu 32 € with banal food but lots of wine; Le Chateaubriand, coordinates given before, where it sounds like he loved it all – fresh sardines, chicken, tuna with citrus and dried fruit, brandade and rose ice; Astier, coordinates in the guidebooks, star of the 1990’s, now in the hands of Frédéric Hubig, ex-Café Moderne serving rabbit with mustard sauce, sautéed lamb’s sweetbreads in a Punjab pepper sauce and good wine; and Le Tournesol, 2, avenue de Lamballe in the 16th, 01.45.25.95.94, open everyday for about 40 € where an ex of the Costes has taken over and serves a well-intentioned menu of an excellent rocket salad with parmesan and dried tomatoes, a bacon-cheeseburger with frites, filet with pepper sauce and lamb cocotte with almonds and cinnamon along with a short wine list. Sunday’s New York Times Style Magazine published a brief article called “Try this at home,” by Clotilde Dusoulier on the new “resto-epiceries” in Paris: Da Rosa, Granterroirs, Les Papilles + Les Vivres, coordinates all given before. The April-May GaultMillau has a big piece on Guy Martin of Grand Vefour, who holds a three-toque 18/20 rating; some news events in their new “Zapping” section (reported elsewhere;) five book reviews/notices (ditto); ten places in Biarritz; recipes by Bruno Dulieu, of the R Café and Jean Chauvel of les Magnolias; an article on the Ecole Lenotre; an article on whether one should eat fresh salmon; and ratings of seven Parisian raspberry-colored macaroons, in rank order: Lenotre, Laduree, Dalloyau, Paul, Picard, Fauchon + Gerard Mulot – but also rating those from Herme grandiose and from Hevin excellent. May’s Paris Notes’s “Paris Bites” by Rosa Jackson featured two places; the first La Cerisaie, that she intentionally delayed visiting until the “hysteria” and “hype” died down and Coconnas, 2 bis Place des Vosges in the 4th, 01.42.78.58.16, owned by La Tour d’Argent and heralding a new chef, where she found the food a bit too “fussy and one dish “bland” and another “weird.” GoGo Paris, courtesy of contributor Fresh_a, featured a couple of places this month: Au P’tit Panisse, 35 rue de Montreuil in the 11th, 01.43.71.37.90, open at lunch Mon-Fri and dinner Tue-Sat, where people look morose at their 18.50 € stuffed clams, confit de canard and desserts that aren’t “as good as they sound;” a Colombian place Mukura in the 10th and Dune, a café-bar in the 10th. The May Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List” has listed the following restos: Bound, Citrus Etoile, Gaya Rive Gauche, Le Comptoir + Senderens; “hot nights:” Le Paris Paris; and “hot spas;” l’Institut de Guerlain. There was also a small pice on Dominique Bouchet giving his favorite restos as: Aida + Bistrot Melac. Finally Sunday, Bonjour Paris had an article by Margaret Kemp entitled “Lose 15 Kilos Buzz” about Steak & Lobster + Findi and one by John Talbott entitled “French Food Follies: Update.” Please post comments here and not in the Digest thread.

I assume you've checked out our new compendium on Charcuteries.

Interesting, because Galesne of Les Echos described what he had (which may have been different) as "Thon aux agrumes et fruits secs" and Rubin talked of "betteraves, mimosa." Ah well, Aizpitarte certainly has the inventiveness for all of the above. Details in tomorrow's Digest.

John, I can't get your link to work??? ← Yes, well, herrumph, that's because it had too many characters in it; try it now.

Well, David and Felice, Gilles Pudlowski has just reviewed it quite well as well in this week's Le Point. Well done.

Phyllis, thanks for the review. From it I presume that things seemed settled and polished (as you know the rumors on the street were that Aizpitarte was uncertain of which way to go - a fixed 30 something dinner, a la Comptoir; lunch more mezze-ish or something more complex at both meals, etc.) Is lunch the same three entrees, three plats or is it different, as he did/does at Transvзrsal? And did you see him; i.e., how's he sharing his time between the two. Thanks again, Rubin's three hearts seems merited. I'll try it next week.