lizziee

The first two restaurants are suggestions from a trip in 1999 - the first about 30 minutes from Beaune and the second about 20 minutes from Beaune. I had posted them earlier on another thread. Restaurant Greuze in Tournus was wonderful. We were there in 1999 and had a wonderful lunch. We were the only Americans in the room, but Jean Ducloux, the chef and his wife couldn't have been more cordial. It is traditional Burgundian food, beautifully prepared with the finest ingredients. We had the menu Epicurien. I had the cold foie gras en gelee and my husband had the marinated salmon. We both had the Blanquette de ris de veau Grand-Mere Ducloux. As the name suggests it is a homey dish from the chef's grandmother of stewed sweetbreads. There was then a sorbet marc de Bourgogne and then lamb with vegetables and cheese. I don't remember what we had for dessert. Again, it is straight-forward cooking with a warm and friendly staff. The wines were Clos des Mouche 97 and a 93 Chambolle Musigny from Faiveley - we do love Burgundian wines! I would definitely go back again. Another find for us on this 1999 trip was Moulin de Marterey.. This is a little old house on a stream that used to be a gate/lock house. The old gears and wheels are still in place. This little restaurant was also warm and inviting. The chef, Jean-Pierre Gillot is very talented and came out of the kitchen to introduce himself as we were so delighted with his food. Two memorable dishes: 3 preparations of snails - one in a confit of wine, one with wild celery or water parsley (in French ache) and one with tomato confit. The other remarkable dish was Bresse chicken done 3 different ways - an extraordinary and innovative dish. As you can see, the chef likes to take an ingredient and do different preparations of the main ingredient. Wines were more than reasonable - a Raveneau Chablis and a 95 Monthelie ( both $40.00.) Moulin de Martorey is in Saint-Remy - 71100 Chalon-sur-Saone. In 1997, we ate at Hostellerie de Levernois when it still had 2 stars. We predicted that after our horrible meal, they would lose a star in 1998 and they did. The meal was a "French Fire Drill" from the start ... service was abominable. The escargot in puff pastry was a gluey mess and the rack of lamb was so over-cooked, and tough that even a sharp Laguiole knife wouldn't cut it. (Before 1999, my husband took notes and he was brief on his food notes so I don't have full descriptions.) We ate at Jardin des Remparts but my husband (the ex-note taker) only says, "pretty restaurant - lunch was nice, nothing memorable with a couple of cheap local wines." Now you know why he is the ex-note taker. Again my notes for Lameloise are sketchy at best. It is in a spectacular old house/tavern. We were worried at first as there was a large group in a private room next to us. It turned out it was one of the Negotiants celebrating his 50th birthday ... in style.... 1997 Drouhin Clos de la Mouche, 1970 La Lagune for 30. Again my husband's notes on the food, "we had a wonderful meal... everything perfect.... the degustation menu." One thing to mention, make a point of being in Beaune during Market Day. Just wandering through the streets, stopping at each stall -- the smells and sights are extraordinary.

Did you ever take the Wonder Bread, tear off pieces and then roll them into balls? Beats eating paste as I used to do in Kindergarten.

Cabrales, I think Gagnaire's own words best describe how people react to his cuisine,"You like it, you don't like it. It's good, it's not good." I know you are in the camp that doesn't like it and I am in the camp that does. It is very hard to describe Gagnaire's food. Reading his menu is useless for his descriptions don't really translate to the plate. My own notes are somewhat useless as they don't seem to convey the marriage of flavors that he is able to create. The last time we were there we found his food more controlled and restrained, but equally as exciting. From the article I gather Sketch will be a number of restaurants under one roof. The 45-seat fine dining restaurant called the Lecture Room and Library will be the expensive one and most likely the one that "will attempt to re-create, in spirit at least, Gagnaire's Paris restaurant."

Andy, The article you cited asks the question is London ready for Gagnaire? I would be interested in everyone's reaction to that. How will Londoners view Gagnaire's style of cooking?

How about peanut butter and marshmallow fluff from 2nd to 6th grade?

Cabrales, For the record I completely agree with your take on Rostang although the truffle sandwich 3 years ago was good. The cigar dessert is a direct "steal" from Trama. I talked about that in the thread about oysters and pearls in the UK thread.

I am quoting myself in the hopes that someone can fill me in on the details re Chartreuse Tarragona.

Art Culinaire is a wonderful source for researching "humor in dishes." In Volume #45, there is a section featuring David Burke and his interpretation of sandwiches. For example he does a "smoked salmon hero with egg salad" - the hero is actually made up of salmon skin which is the "bread", filled with mascarpone cheese, salmon slices, cucumber and lettuce. In Volume #54, Michel Richard is featured with a number of whimsical desserts such as "Sugar Coil with Pistachio Tuiles"(it looks like a holder for napkins - the sugar coil - with the tuiles in between the coils). Another is Michel's Bag of Apple Fries with Apricot-Ginger Sauce." The bag is made of won ton wrappers and the apples are cut to look like French Fries. Trama at Puymirol likes to add a surprise element to his food. I have mentioned elsewhere (France - Puymirol) about his duck pot au feu served in a foie gras glass container. Rostang does a take on a grilled cheese sandwich - instead of cheese it is filled with black truffles, but you eat it like a sandwich. (As an aside, I am not a fan of Rostang, but this dish was extraordinary). Of course, I agree that Thomas Keller is a master of this - fun without being too cute.

Actually, Julia Child's recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol 1 is the one I use, when I make home-made mayonnaise which is not very often and not, so far, for potato salad.

There is nothing like discussing potato salad at a "Dad's Day" brunch. In any case, my husband insists that the best potato salad is made with homemade mayonnaise because that is the way Cassell's (his favorite hamburger joint)makes it. The recipe I use most often is Sorosky's. 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/2 " pieces 3 pounds new potatoes 3 tsp. salt 6 hard boiled eggs sliced 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles 1 1/2 tsp. celery seed 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 tsp garlic salt 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup hot water 3 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard In a medium skillet, cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove to paper towels; reserve 1/2 cup drippings and set aside. Scrub potatoes and place in large saucepan.Cover with water, add 2 tsp. salt, and bring to boil. Lower heat and boil gently until pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Drain, peel, and cut into 1/2 " cubes. Place in a large bowl; add eggs, green onions, pickles, celery seed, 1 tsp. salt, pepper, garlic salt, bacon and mayonnaise. In small saucepan, heat reserved 1/2 cup bacon drippings, vinegar, hot water, sugar and mustard. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil for 2 minutes. Pour over salad; toss gently. Serve warm or at room temp. (Sorosky, pg. 176 Year-round Holiday cookbook)

I use Marelene Sorosky's recipe from her "Year-round Holiday Cookbook." It is definitely high cal as it uses a 1/2 pound of bacon. I will post it later.

My absolute favorite Chartreuse is Chartreuse S.A.E. Tarragona. I don't know my history well enough, but at one time the French monks had to go to Spain and thus the Chartreuse Tarragona. If any one can fill in the details, I would appreciate it. I have never been able to locate any in the States and there is only one wine shop in Paris that I know sells it. Unfortunately, it is very, very expensive. It was a favorite of Alain Chapel (that is where I first had it). F. Point at La Pyramide was also a lover of this Chartreuse Tarragona and there are some bottles there.

I am blaming this mistake on e-gullet. I put 2 eggs in my favorite all-clad pan to boil - went into the other room to see what was happening on e-gullet, started responding, completely forgetting about the eggs and 25 minutes later went back into the kitchen. Needless to say, I need another pan.

Go to their site at: http://www.vinexpo.fr/

Steve, We will often bring a white and a red, but also buy one from the list(most notably champagne). Have you ever done that?

Friedclams posted this on the Southwest board: "I'm drawing a complete blank for any restaurant, stand, shack which serves new england style whole belly fried clams within 50 miles of Dallas ... price is no object... I need a fix... clam strips won't do... whole belly "piss" clams (steamer clams) are required... Can anyone recommend a location ???" Now, does anyone know of a place in Los Angeles? I have tried them at Jars and they were not good.

Fat Guy, When you say a weaker crew at lunch, are you talking about New York or Paris?

Jason, Is this your first time doing this? I hate to agree, but you always hold back money. I am sitting here sighing -

Jason, It will cost twice what you thought and take longer than 2 months. Where will you eat?

I also think Thomas keller is extraordinary, but would appreciate it if you would go into more detail.

In fact, I would invite Steve P. for dinner in the hope that he would bring some wine.

My least favorite hostess gift is a big bunch of flowers. I'm watching what is going on in the kitchen and all of a sudden, I have to stop what I'm doing, find a vase, arrange them somewhat so I don't hurt the guests, find a place to put them etc. I do love the flowers, but it is much nicer if they are arranged or in a pot or anything that doesn't need last minute attention.

Thanks, Steve

The French seem to treat lunch differently than we do in the States. My son, who worked at a now 3* star in Paris, reported that at lunch the clientele was almost exclusively French, while at dinner, it was predominately Americans, Japanese and English. At Ducasse in Paris (at his old restaurant in the 16th), we have been there for both lunch and dinner. The menu was the same, but the clientele was much as I described above. For example, the couple sitting across from us were celebrating their anniversary at lunch. (Around 4:30, with just the 2 tables occupied, my husband and the other gentleman got to talking about cigars. Of course, out came the cigars and they drove us to our hotel around 5:30.) When we are celebrating a special occasion, it rarely would be at lunch.

Steve, You were going to post the why's of decanting white wine. In the current issue of Food Arts, Roger Dagorn, sommelier at Chanterelle, is quoted as saying that "he particularly likes Savennieres from Anjou that he pours by the glass.... Sometimes, 'I'll decant it and treat it like a red wine. It has lots of nuance and character, and decanting it can bring out those qualities.'" Recently, we had dinner at Aqua in San Francisco and had a white Burgundy that the sommelier also felt needed to be decanted. What are your thoughts?