Steve Martin

compared to whom? Compared to me, the Italians, the Spanish and my British compatriots, in that order. I regard as inept, dressing for dinner as if you are going to watch, or even play, a tennis match. I'm often the only man smarter than the waiters.

I dined at Roellinger in September and I agree with two stars. So, not so ridiculous to me.

One of our favourite restaurants is in La Rochelle. Richard Coutanceau http://www.coutanceauonline.com I find the French to be inept dressers who don't wear ties either. So no worries, especially at a friendly place like Coutanceau. I nearly always book gites from here I've heard the Dordogne is full of Dutch, who don't wear ties either

The big and well proven danger is raw garlic in oil. The water content of the garlic in the airless, low acid environment of the oil leads to rampant botulism. Dry products reduce this water activity and can be considered safe. I would say that as you heat and strain the oil it will keep very well. The higher acidity of vinegar will not support botulism and indeed kills some strains of E-coli. However, there are acid resistant strains of E-coli and Salmonella just waiting to catch us out. I always preserve my garlic in concentrated bleach and bury it in the garden. The neighbour's garden actually.

I've seen somewhere that garlic in vinegar is a good home for E-coli. I would keep it for a few days in the fridge though. Take more than a few microbes to frighten me ;-)

Sounds like a Spaniard's attempt to say Valencay. Valencay description Perhaps it was Spanish, but he was telling you it was like Valencay.

Cook a half lemon in it for 30 mins then discard the lemon. An old indian trick.

Cheers Gary, £14 is a choker, but compared to taxi and train for two people........ We'll probably do a reccy during the day. My wife want's to take me to Livebait for lunch, though not on the same day.

Thanks Gary, My wife goes there for lunch quite a bit, but I simply haven't had the chance. We are going for dinner next month though. I think Martel has massive potential and the Yorkies had better use it or lose it. Did you notice any possible car parking nearby, perhaps in the street at night?

I had no idea he was trying to do this. As you said, there aren't many vegetables in the dishes, and the only "land" that I remember was the lamb chops. We stayed at Les Rimains, the smaller of the 2. Are they at the Richeux? That room was worth every penny, especially after staying at 45 Euro/night hotels everywhere else! Yes, sorry, the animals are at the Richeux, which has some lovely grounds. Rolly is one of three chefs on a recent French DVD and he wonders aloud whether he is going far enough in presenting the marriage of land, shore and sea in Cancale. I say he isn't. I find his closest contemporary in matching a French coastal and spice trade terroir to be Coutanceau, in La Rochelle. He lacks Rolly's discipline and clarity, but his meals are better overall. Apart from the artichoke, which is a classic 'terre et mer' device, our 'land' was a perfectly cooked veal sweetbread (ris de veau). This was in a dish of stock with no significant vegetation. Our morsel of red mullet was perfectly cooked. We have had bass paired with rich or oily ingredients like olive oil or mushrooms several times now and we don't think it works. Gagnaire saved a similar John Dory and mushroom combination by using green apple and serving the mushrooms on a separate plate. A rich fish such as bass needs even more care. I'm afraid the chefs are just tasting and not ploughing through a plateful of it. Though Rolly can not be accused of overloading the plates He also states that his presentation mirrors the perpendicularity of sea and posts or masts. This was true, but we thought it too simple for this level of dining. It's that seafood restaurant creativity vacuum again. We thought the bread was marvellous though. Lucky ducks.

We have just dined at Roelllinger as well. We found dessert lacking and indicative of a general lack of generosity. Did you just have the chocolate dessert? We had a fig with a spiced port wine poured over, beside ginger ice cream and a tiny disc of his famous caramel first. We thought our chocolate micro-bun had basil and the choc-chip ice cream had too much mint. What did you think of the bass? Ours was overcooked and presented grey side up, swimming in oil. The lobster was spoiled by a sauce that was very rich and sweet. It was presented with a small square of liquorice marshmallow that we were told might not go with it and could be eaten at the end. It would have gone well with the lobster if not for the sauce. I don't understand the appeal of lobster The red mullet and artichoke was the best dish and the only one what that went someway towards his professed claim to marry land and sea. I think he is a great chef that has painted himself into a corner of seafood and spice tapas. Until he broadens out and maybe even uses some vegetables, he should not get his third star. Less young waitresses simply going through the motions (and pouring wine into the water glass and over the table) will also help in that quest. It is a lovely hotel, isn't it. Did you see the pig and the donkey?

I have hardly been at home in my kitchen, so I only have this to show you. A fillet of organic farmed trout seared with a very thin slice of parma ham. New potatoes bashed with rocket and a roast red spring onion. Dressed with a freshly made parsley oil and plenty of fleur de sel.

Hi all, Back from France and I thought I would show you the spherical courgette (zucchini) we found there. I never see them in UK. Saddle of farmed rabbit saute in butter. The skirt trimmings boiled in fowl stock with some dried herbes de Provence I found in the cupboard. Bashed new potatoes and parsley.

sarah, It's not on the clubchef website, but if you email them they will help you. They told me they have it in the quantities I mentioned.

Shucks. Fun?! We are not going there for fun! Oh no. We will be in training.

You cook. My wife and I will show you how professionals eat. Hmm... bit scared to on the basis of your pictures. Im a bit scared because youre a self proclaimed professional. Professional eater. I coulda been a contender.

You cook. My wife and I will show you how professionals eat. BTW. We are off to Burgundy next week. Can't afford to go to Troisgros for lunch, so we definitely won't.

It's a great method for cooking those daft little limbs from pigeon, partridge et al and shredding into rillettes.

Wouldn't a single reservation have a table that could feasibly sit two people?

These people will sell you an 850 gram tin of pistachio paste. http://www.chefclubdirect.co.uk/

No problem, Paul. I noticed your 'Has to be butter' had a question mark. Leaving the particular recipe aside, one of the most satisfying, yet elusive, ways to thicken a fish dish is by the natural action of the albumin in the fish bones. Poach fish steaks on the bone in the sauce. Remove and cover the fish, then reduce the sauce down in a shallow, straight sided pan. A little butter could well be added, if the sauce suggests it. The fish is returned to the pan over a miniscule heat and the pan gently shaken (rocked) to and fro. The lapping against the side of the pan forms a viscous sauce, by the emulsifying effect of the fish bones. Any garlic or onion in the sauce also provides some albumin. Another alternative to butter is to reduce down very well and whisk in olive oil, over a very low heat. On two occasions, I have reduced too far and actually formed a robust mayonnaise, without any egg. Not intended, but gob-smacking nevertheless. Many chefs will use arrowroot or potato flour (the default fecule) rather than over-reduce and many are using less butter, to keep the flavours 'clean'. Anyone mixing some butter into their glass of wine? I thought not.

Ahh. Has to be butter. NO need for thickeners. How silly of me.

One of the best ways of thickening without compromising the colour too much is a fecule of arrowroot. Only a little is needed and it is clear when warm. I think this sauce will need butter as well, but wine sauces can get a bit grey looking with too much. Reducing well will help the colour as well as thickness.

Well, you can, optionally, keep it under its fat, in the fridge, for several weeks to mature it. It is very traditional in a cassoulet, so I tend to pair it with beans. It is never heavily sauced, but any saucing should be intense. Check for saltiness before you serve it. I hope everyone is using a coarse salt in the preparation. Here with cannellini beans and courgettes. I have dressed it with balsamic. Here with puy lentils. Faisan au paysan.

Thanks very much, Adam. Now I wonder if this is a bad thing. It would seem less than authentic.