Daniel Rogov

Newspapers or magazines with such a policy and journalists who agree to work under such conditions are known as "whores".

I agree with Mimi that receiving a modicum of hate mail means we're hitting the mark. It also means that we are being read. When I receive letters like that I judge them much as I do a meal or a wine....that is to say, is it well composed and intelligent or simply a kind of mad (literally or figuratively) rant. If intelligent, the letter gets a personal response. After all, if the critic is not open to criticism, nobody should be! If simply a rant with no basis in logic other than someone hates me, the letter goes into the trash basket. One important thing to keep in mind, not so much with true hate mail but with letters criticizing our work is that no critic can visit as many restaurants as often as he/she wants to and intelligent feedback from readers can give us clues as to places to which we really must return because they may have shifted up or down in quality in a major way. I just saw Mimi's second post and it made me smile. The critic that needs to be loved within his/her field of endeavor is a fool indeed. Respect will do quite nicely......

Indeed......from Brillat-Savarin: "Animals eat Men and women dine Men and women of good taste dine well"

In much of France it is fairly well taken for granted that to finish off a sauce: (a) In a working person's restaurant, you simply break off a chunk of bread and use your fingers to dip it into the sauce and then pop it into your mouth (b) In a bourgeois restaurant, you break off the chunk of bread, impale it on a fork and use that to dip into the sauce © In a haute-bourgeois restaurant, you cut the bread with a knife, impale it on a fork and only then use that to dip into the sauce (d) In a pretentious restaurant and when pretentious people you behave as the haute-bourgeois do (e) In a truly fine restaurant you break off a chunk of bread and use your fingers to dip it into the sauce and then pop it into your mouth. Now there must be a moral to that, but I'm sure it's far too socio-political for a culinary forum. As to actually licking the plate, well, that is best left to your dog who is resting quietly on the floor near your feet.

Well, let's put it this way, if anyone is foolish enough to put any of the usual toppings on, it's abominable. On the other hand, served in a pita with nothing but the aioli, as my daughter might have said, it's "far out and funky". Actually sort of nice in its own perverse way, especially if you do it with a crisp unoaked Chablis or a nice Muscadet de Sevre et Maine.

Much depends on the shwarma joint into which you have wandered. At many, the condiments added by the counterman will be tchina, sliced eggplant, what we in Israel call Israeli salad (very finely chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, etc) and Turkish salad. Then, standing in a row for you to add yourself will be any combination of: medium-hot whole jalapeno peppers super-hot whole Ethiopian peppers (only the most heroic eat them with the seeds) sliced onions sprinkled over with sumac sliced pickled cucumberss, cauliflower florettes, carrots, celery, radishes sliced unpickled radishes amba sauce three - to four levels of hot sauce (zhug, etc) turkish salad slices of fried eggplant chunks of deep fried pita bread a mixture of finely chopped coriander and parsley in the most upswing of joints, aioli sauce more tchina humous (which is a mistake because humous and shwarma really don't go well together) And, if you're foolish enough to wander into McDonald's for what they call McShwarma, ketchup and mustard. Let it be kown however that ketchup and/or mustard and shwarma combined yields something far worse than the bubonic plague!!!

The several points about farmed fish are well made. Let us please not forget though that farmed fish rarely have the qualities (especially of taste and texture, muscle tone and fat-levels) of fish from the wild. Compare, for example, a fresh Irish or Scottish salmon to one that is farmed in either Ireland or Scotland; a fresh sea bream from the Red Sea to the ones farmed in that same sea; or (lord forgive me) pond raised oysters to those that are found in Brittany. As to raising fish in our basements, do read Alice B. Toklas' little essay on "Murder in the Bathtub"

The tradition of the trou is indeed an old and highly esteemed one, that followed largely by the favored eau-de-vie of region in which it originated. While the true trou Normande is indeed a small glass of Calvados, that of Gascony is of Armagnac, and that in Bordeaux almost invariably of Cognac. Such beverages served in the midst of a meal are indeed not meant so much as palate refreshers but in order to "clear the digestive tract" so that one continue with the meal, many French men and women beleving (and I agree with them) that a small dosage will indeed re-stimulate the appetite. Mexicans, of course, have known about this for far longer than Europeans, and at least since the time of Cortez have sipped a bit of tequila in between courses of a heavy meal. Somewhat later on the famous (or, if we prefer, infamous) Rasputin credited his ability to consume huge quantities of food to the fact that he drank as much as half a bottle of vodka between courses. While one does credit the Mexicans with good sense, one has no choice but to wonder about dear old Rasputin. The concept of serving a liqueur or eau-de-vie flavored sorbet or a fruit sorbet in a bit of a particular eau-de-vie originated probably with Fernand Point (the teacher of Paul Bocuse and the true founder of what we today consider the best of Nouvelle Cuisine) and has become popular not only in France but in the USA and the UK as well.

Would it be greedy on my part to request an artisanal gift of a 1990 Contach Lambhorgini as my Christmas gift?

I can't resist inserting a bit of humor here but if you want to come as close as possible to a Pilgrim Tthanksgiving, first thing you've got to do is locate a tribe of Native Americans and steal a few turkeys from them. Well....historians will forgive you if you actually buy your turkey. Here's one of my own favorite recipes..... and if you want to know what to do with the leftover turkey carcass a second recipe as well Turkey in Raspberry Sauce Adapted from a recipe by Chef Alice Waters 1 turkey, about 3 1/2 - 4 kilos chestnut stuffing (see recipe immediately following) 1/2 cup butter, softened salt and pepper to taste 2 large onions, quartered 1 1/4 cups beef stock 1/2 cup Madeira wine or port wine 1/4 cup raspberry jam 2 Tbsp. lemon juice rind of 1/2 lemon 1 piece orange rind about 2 1/2 x 5 cm. Prepare the chestnut stuffing (see the following recipe) Wash the turkey, wipe dry inside and out and fill the body cavity with the chestnut stuffing. Tie the bird, spread with half the butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the bird in a greased roasting pan. Melt the remaining butter and into this dip a large double piece of muslin cloth and spread this over the bird. Add the onions to the pan and roast in a medium-hot oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to medium and roast for 1 1/2 hours longer, basting frequently with the drippings. In a saucepan simmer together 1/4 cup of the beef stock, the wine, raspberry jam, lemon juice and the lemon and orange rinds until the jam is melted. Remove the cheesecloth from the bird, pour over the raspberry sauce and continue roasting until the bird is cooked (about 1 hour longer) basting frequently. Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving. While the turkey is standing, skim off the fat from the liquids in the roasting pan, add the remaining stock and deglaze the pan by heating gently and scraping the bottom and sides well. Strain the gravy into a sauceboat and serve together with the turkey. (Serves 10 - 12). Chestnut Stuffing A traditional New England Recipe 1 kilo chestnuts 1/4 cup corn oil 3 cups beef stock 1/4 cup butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 1/4 cups farina 225 gr. seedless raisins 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme and dried marjoram salt and pepper to taste With a sharply pointed knife carefully cut slits in the flat side of the chestnuts. In a heavy skillet heat the oil and, over a high flame, cook the chestnuts for 5 - 6 minutes, shaking the skillet constantly. Cool and peel the chestnuts, removing and discarding the shells and inner skins. Transfer the chestnuts into a saucepan with the beef stock and simmer for 20 minutes. In a skillet heat the butter and in this saute the onion until translucent. Add the farina and brown lightly. Add the raisins and prunes, season with the thyme, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste. Crumble the chestnuts and mix into the flour mixture. Use the mixture as directed in other recipes. (Yields stuffing for one 4 - 5 kilo turkey or 3 large chickens). Split Pea Soup 2 cups split peas the carcass of 1 turkey or two chickens 1 cup celery with leaves, chopped 1/2 cup each carrots and onions, both chopped 1 clove garlic 1 bay leaf dash or two of Tabasco salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. each butter and flour toasted bread croutons for serving Wash the spit peas thoroughly and let stand in 2- 3 cups of cold water for 1 hour. Drain the peas, reserving the liquids and add enough cold water to make 10 cups. In the liquid put the peas and turkey carcass. Cook, covered, on a low to medium flame for 3 hours. Add the celery, carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaf, Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste and simmer, covered, for another 1/2 hour. Remove the carcass, skim off whatever foam is on the surface and strain the soup through a sieve. Chill and then remove the grease. Reheat the soup. In a small skillet melt the butter and stir in the flour until blended. To this add a small amount of the soup. Cook and stir continuously until this mixture just boils and then stir into the rest of the now reheated soup. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve with croutons. (Serves 6 - 8).

I concur that many of the things we human beings are doing to our planet and its life forms is a horror. There is, however, an upside to all of this. In 1968 the most highly respected Jean-Jacques Cousteau concluded from his researches that "...in the last half century we have managed to kill off no less than half of everything that lives in the sea". Frankly, I had heard no statistic that so frightened me about the ecology of our planet. Thirty six years have passed and many respected research institutes have concluded that Cousteau was correct but that in the intervening years other forms of life in the sea have thrived, thrived to the point where the sea is now richer in potential protein bearing life than ever before in this history of our planet. Not all that long ago, I feasted (quite literally) on a meal consisting largely of plankton, seaweed, young coral beads, and of fish and eels that I had never even dreamed existed before. I agree...I would hate to give up oysters, lobsters and fresh tuna but my guess is that those too will find new forms for us, many of which will be true delicacies. I am not at all dismissing the harm we are doing to our planet. What I am dismissing are many of the relatively unfounded doomsday theories that abound these days. Let us keep in mind that about 2,000 years ago, Lucullus (from whose name the term Lucillian feast has derived) predicted that by the time of his grandchildren there would be no more fish left on the planet.

The correct term is entremets du palatine but that has not been in use since the 16th century, current practice being simply to serve the sorbet between the first and the main course. Oddly enough, even in the magnificent language of Descartes, there is no term that has been recognized by the Academie Francaise to describe what the English and Americans call "a palate cleanser". As to the difference between amuse bouche and amuse geule, simply ask any Parisian or Lyonnaise lady of the night. For many years the two terms were used interchangeably until it suddenly dawned on French chefs that the amuse geule had come to be synonymous with "une pipe". Should anyone not know what "une pipe" is best to send me a private message. On that smiling note....

Right. But the word "original" implies a link between the two. The Montreal Au Pied de Cochon is an entirely different animal from the Paris restaurant of the same name. And by entirely different animal I mean, way, way, better and cooler. ← You are correct of course in that these are two different animals, but (and I am smiling as I write this) let us keep in mind Mark Twain's dictum to the effect that “To create man was a quaint and original idea, but to add the sheep was tautology” As to which of the two is "best", perhaps we can agree to disagree. I have adored the Paris Au Pied de Cochon since the days of my youth. I have only enjoyed the Canadian version for 5 years.

Much of the advice given here is quite sound but I would question the desirability of gaining catering experience before opening a restaurant. There are huge differences between catering and the restaurant industries. As one example - in catering you have to serve x meals, all basically the same, with a few options perhaps, and as close to possible all of the meals have to be served at the same time. In restaurants the trick is a la minute preparation, responding to many different orders, some coming simultaneously, some hours after the other. There are huge differences between the well-run catering business and the well-run restaurant. Different traiining requirements on in-the-field demands on chefs, sous-chefs, cooks of various kinds, service staff, etc.\ It is true that at times restaurants are asked to "cater meals" to a group. In nearly all such cases even the finest restaurants fail to live up to their usual high standards.

Need anyone be reminded, the original Au Pied de Cochon opened in Paris not five but sixty years ago in 1946.

The very best mature Brunello di Montalcino that you can afford!!!!!! If not that, certainly Sassicaia.

Spanish fly is not a "true" aphrodisiac. It is, however, poisonous. ←

Curious..... There are so few true aphrodisiacs (Spanish fly probably the best known) that I wonder what they are using in such cocktails????

Among consistent good bets are the wines from Te Mata, Mills Reef, Schubert and Babich.

If I may ask, Busboy.....what are the conditions in your basement? Three-five years in a too warm and not humid enough basement can do irrevocable harm to many wines.....

With all due respect to the CIA (for which I have great respect), I would suggest that the first place to look for truly professional wine education is the British Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). As you will see at their internet site at http://www.wset.co.uk their courses are offered in many locations around the world and, depending on one's needs can lead to one, two or three stages and perhaps even finallly to the coveted MW (Master of Wine). No less important to whatever formal educational choice you make, start now to do three things (1) taste wines wherever and whenever possible, always making tasting notes; (2) taste wines wherever and whenever possible, always making tasting notes; and (3) taste wines wherever and whenever possible, always making tasting notes.

Katey put her finger on it. Torrontes wines tend to be very floral on the nose and palate. They also tend to have up-front fruitiness. The combination may well be mis-interpreted as a kind of sweetness.

Melissa, Hi..... As to kosher Port, keeping in mind that the only true Port wines come from Portugal and the others, although they may be called "Port" or "Port-Style" are merely imitations and almost always inferior invitations. Until six months ago there were no true kosher Port wines made. Finally, after hundreds of years of the Port industry, a kosher Port and, much to my happy surprise one far better than I might have hoped for. For those just getting into Port wine, wines such as this one are best when served lightly chilled (half an hour in a regular refrigerator will do nicely), should be served in relatively small glasses (ideal is a standard INAO tasting glass). The most traditional accompaniment to Port is Stilton or other blue cheeses. Don't hesitate though to serve aged Cheddar with your Port (not the kind you buy in most supermarkets but true aged New York State, English or Wisconsin Cheddar) Other traditional accompaniments are walnuts or during the winter hot chestnuts. If you want to serve your Port with a dessert, go for desserts based on berries or cherries (strawberry shortcake is a marvel with Port). As to storing, best as with all other wines (about 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit and 65% or higher humidity), on their sides until opened. Port bottles are easy to reseal and after that should be stored standing up and with a wine such as this one you can count on 2 – 3 weeks of comfortable sipping so long as you re-seal the bottle carefully and store it at a cool temperature. For a bit more information on Port wines in general see my little piece at http://www.stratsplace.com/rog....html After all of that, to the tasting note. By the way, very few Ruby Ports receive scores as high as 88! Oh yes, and a bit of good news…..a second kosher Port is soon to be released. News on that after the announcement has been officially made. Those in the USA may want to know that the wine is being made especially for Royal Wines and should soon be available in better wine shops throughout the country. For those in Israel, the wine is scheduled to appear in December. Porto Cordovero, Fine Ruby Port, n.v. (Kosher): To the best of my knowledge, the first kosher Port wine produced and this one a joint effort between Royal Wines in New York and the highly respected Port lodge of Taylor Fladgate. Darker garnet in color than most Ruby Ports and on the palate and nose one might think this a higher-level Tawny. Ripe and spicy, with well integrated tannin and good balancing acidity, showing generous prune, black cherry, caramel and vanilla along with a firm structure and a generous finish on which you will find a hint of cinnamon. A very well-made Ruby! Drink now or in the next year or two. Score 88. K (Tasted 2 Sep 2006)

Melissa, Hi.... Lovely photographs and lovely sentiments but as I saw the bottle Kedem New York State Port on the table, I could not help but grimace. With all due respect to the Herzog family (that actually produces some superb wines under their Herzog Special Reserve series and some very good ones under the Baron Herzog label), why in the world do some of us continue to drink things like Kedem"Port", Manischewitz and Mogen David? Nowhere in the wisdom of our forefathers or foremothers is it written that one has to drink bad wine to celebrate either holidays or kiddush. All that is required for the observant is that the wine be kosher and there are some truly excellent kosher wines out there these days. Ah well.....with regard to myself, once a curmudgeon, always a curmudgeon I suppose.

Michelle, Hi.... Your mention of the Flam winery calls to mind a somewhat amusing/somewhat pathetic little story perhaps displaying the dangers of being a wine-critic. One day, about three years ago, on an Israel internet forum someone posted (anonymously of course) that I had recently visited the Carmel Winery in Zichron Ya'akov. According to that person's malicious (and fully fabricated) story, the winery had sent a stretch limosine to pick me up from my home, flew in a French chef to prepare lunch for me and, on leaving the winery I did so with three or four cases of wine for my personal cellar. I never respond on other forums to such nonsense but by chance that day I had visited the Flam winery and when writing up my reactions to the visit and my tasting notes on my own forum I could not resist writing: "This morning at 8 a.m. Gilad Flam came to pick me up to drive to the winery. He arrived in an eight year old car, so beat up and so full of left over mud from the recent harvest that it was difficult to even find a place to sit comfortably. When finally we arrived at the winery, what awaited me but a cup of Elite Instant Coffee and that despite the well known fact that I have a flying purple passion against instant coffee of any kind. ..... All is fine though and I forgive the Flam brothers all of their sins because these two guys do, by heaven, know how to make fine wine" I must report that in the intervening three years the Flam brothers continue to make fine wine. They have not yet (dammit) purchased an espresso machine!!!