Ocean_islands

Are you talking about how people are served in restaurants in France, or how French people eat at home?

Whose that tanned Italian looking guy with the weird teeth I see from time to time while flipping channels?

Those sugar-covered bismarcks look positively revolting and the plastic-chocolate covered "strawberries" look even worse.

I just got back from Paris. Yes, la Tartine has changed. But it's still great. They took all the nicotine and tar off the walls and opened up the back to make room for cafe/restau tables. The only thing I really miss are the wise-cracking saucy dames who used to run the place.

What about a sugar omelette? Devilled eggs for 100? Souffles? How about some ice cream? Poached eggs are awesome on toast, and they need hollandaise sauce (more eggs). In the end you could become a painter (egg tempura).

I think they need to come out with a whole-wheat twinkie with organic soy cream filling, don't you?

A lot of places in Florida serve half-size portions for seniors. Unfortunately it's often only up until 6.30 pm. Portions are definitely out of control.

I have to say that I feel vindicated about my review of 'The Restaurant' on realitynewsonline.com when it originally opened (at Realty News Online) -- I predicted he would end up hawking cookware in infomercials. But really, if you have a low-brow food concept and try to charge high-brow prices, something is rotten in Denmark. I never ate there but never felt the need to.

How about a glass of tonic with lemon? There's always Perrier or a Perrier menthe.

Ouf, the macaron wars. Well suffice it to say that macaron are so overwhelmingly bad for you that the whole lot should be shipped out to sea and sunk. Eat one and you're sure to gain a pound on your waist and clog up at least a few hundred capillaries. They truly are the French equivalent of the American hamburger and of course just as good. LeNotre is better than Fauchon, that's all I know -- really I just stay far away from them. The mini macaron are worth a mention because one has the illusion that they are better for you, like a low tar cigarette. And the macaron fanatics are just insufferable people, I really suggest you just invite someone else to dinner and forget they even exist. lol

How about miniature hot dogs on toothpicks with ketchup. Also tiny meatballs in a ketchup/grape jam sauce served on toothpicks are a real hit! lol

You know what's really good? See below: Wonder bread with the crusts cut off, spread with Miracle Whip and then a layer of liverwurst with more Miracle Whip and bread to top off a little sandwich. That's really good but bad!

I can't believe no one has mentioned Au Pied de Cochon 6, rue Coquillière / 75001 Paris Les Halles Famous restaurant for market people in the old days. Never eaten there, but they say it's an experience. Les Halles is not known for good restaurants, by the way.

This sounds like a truly disgusting perversion. Well, it's a free country. Just don't invite me for dinner.

It's unclear about whether you are asking about 'rice recipes' or 'cooking rice'. A rice recipe would have a bunch of stuff added, like chicken stock, or scallions, or bits of onion. Cooking basmati rice is simple. I was confounded for quite some time by being invited by my friend Ansu from Bhopal (by way of Manchester) who always cooked basmati with no trouble nor fuss. One day I watched carefully and noted everything he did. Since then, no worries! Basmati should ALWAYS be rinsed -- especially that bought in Indian or Pakistani grocers. Just put a cup (or however much) in the pot, fill it with water, stir, and pour it out. Then do the same again. That's all. In proportions of two-to-one (minus a tablespoon), put the rice and water in the pot on HIGH. Put on a COVER. In some minutes time you will see STEAM pouring out all over the place. REMOVE the rice from the burner and set it aside. Note: the BOIL should be achieved with the LID ON. Go about and cook your main dish. When it is done, your rice will be done! By the way, NEVER lift the lid. If you do, you deserve whatever befalls you.

I will never again trip while carrying my hard-won Italian sautee dish to the tv room!

I don't know about commercials, but Hamburger Helper I find in incredibly bad taste. Should be outlawed. God help the child who finds it on his or her plate!

Fleur de sel is sea salt. It simply is the salt crystals which form on the top of the sea water in the evaporating pans which are then skimmed off, so the benefit is in the purity or size of the crystal. I've found the most fascinating salts are the seasoned salts of France. You can find some at Williams Sonoma sometimes -- salts from the l'Ile de Re, for example, are awesome for seafood.

I've found the best value at Agata & Valentina. Lots of smoked salmon in NYC is this hideous flourescent Jewish or kosher brand which is full of sodium nitrites. Steer clear of it.

Bux Posted on Aug 30 2004, 05:41 AM Oh, but it's so much more fun!

Well Chez Clement is a chain just like Hippopotamus; that said, I've eaten at Chez Clement probably 3-4 times over the years and I've never had a bad meal there. It's obviously not gourmet food. One complaint would be that it is a bit overpriced for what it is. For chain restuarants, I don't think I've ever had a bad meal at Bistro Romain, for instance. It's not gourmet food either but then I'm not a food snob.

The true French paradox is this: If they have such a low rate of heart disease, why don't the French live significantly longer lives as do the Japanese? "Average lifespan around the world is around double what it was 200 years ago. It is now around 65 for men and 70 for women. Japanese women are currently the likeliest to live long lives, on average reaching 84.6 years of age. Japanese men are the second longest male survivors, reaching an average age of 77.6 years old. The British rank well down the list. Men come in at 14th in the world table, living to an average age of 75 while women are in 18th place, living on average to 79.9. In France, there is a big difference between men and women's life expectancy. Men came 16th in the world table, with an average lifespan of 74.9, with French women in fourth place with a life expectancy of 82.4 years. " article

Who has had a bad meal in Paris? I thought it would be more efficient to talk about restaurants that had bad food and should be avoided rather than those that are good, since there are so many good ones. I guess I mean 'bad food' as opposed to 'bad experience' because one of the waiters did something seen as rude in America. I ate at Hippopotamus (ok, I was in a hurry) at Convention in the rue de Vaugirard a while back and I had to complain about the bad food. The waitress said, "If you wanted to eat a good meal you shouldn't have come here!"

Here's the quick list: Walk down an attractive street at 8:45 pm. Go into the restaurant that has the most people in it. You will have a great evening.

Why don't you whip up a chocolate souffle? Whip the egg whites until they stick, then fold in some melted chocolate, then bake in oven until it pops.