chuchelo

Popeye's!! Where else can you order mild breasts and spicy thighs?

Ummm, I don't really understand this. How is the restaurant doing me a favour by allowing me to patronize it? And how am I (your customer) supposed to know if the place is normally busy or if it is fully booked? It seems to me that there are two situations here. The first is people who are done eating and drinking and are just sitting there. I think you can employ many of the techniques cited earlier. The second is trickier but as a customer, I believe that as long as I am continuing to eat my dessert, drink my bottle of wine, linger over coffee, order after-dinner drinks etc., I'm entitled to take my time and enjoy the company of those with whom I am dining. Am I wrong?

Oh, the cheese from l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Cîteaux is superb!!! Happy to find another fan.

How can I forget this one?? Scraping/stacking plates rather than simply removing them. Shudder!!!

Hmmm, let's see... 1. Servers who say they will be right back with something they have forgotten (half the order, a clean fork, a glass of wine) and who then never return. 2. Servers who are overly familiar, joining in one's conversation, etc. 3. Servers who do not know the menu well and cannot provide information about how a particular dish is prepared.

Well, since you rely on word of mouth (and I accept my friend's recommendation) and because I've made a special effort to be there, I'd be pleased not to see the place heaving. Assuming I enjoy a delicious meal and excellent service, I'd talk it up to anyone who would listen just so it wouldn't close!

First let me say that I don't work in a restaurant but I don't understand why working in a kitchen is different from working anywhere else. What other working environment would tolerate a joke such as the one you describe? Why is it permitted in a restaurant? I'm not trying to be difficult; I just want to understand why restaurant kitchens are as you describe and why this is (apparently) acceptable.

My breakfasts have never been the same since I learned how to freeze bacon one slice at a time! I admit to being a bit slow on the uptake. Now I can have a piece of bacon whenever I want which is very nice for me. Yummy!!

My latest purchase is Chocolate & Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier who also did the food photos. For those who don't know, Clotilde lives in Paris and has a very helpful and well written blog (in English) which is as delicious as her recipes. This one is a keeper!!!

My husband and I saw the movie today and both of us really enjoyed it. Really fun & foodie! For another take on the filmmaking process, see this blog entry from a former stagiaire at Guy Savoy: http://msglaze.typepad.com/paris/2007/06/r...ouille-pre.html

I'm with those who usually use it as a reference and idea book. Love all the sidebars. That said, the last recipe I tried was for cornbread and it was, err, odd.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Pretty formal. Every meal had at least three courses and we were expected to dress for dinner. (I mean, we weren't wearing dinner jackets, etc. but we had to clean up and change from school/play clothes.) Guests were frequent. Our food ranged widely from Midwestern family to "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" to a variety of Eastern European favourites. One thing was certain. There had to be excellent bread and always dessert and to quote my father, "Fruit is not dessert." Was meal time important? Very! No one missed dinner without permission which was not readily granted. Family meals were essential, the center of the day. Conversation was as important as the meal itself. And of course, no one was permitted to leave the table until after asking for and receiving permission to do so. Was cooking important? Yes. My father in particular had very high standards. We had an extensive garden and ate our own vegetables much of the time. We also gathered food by picking berries, harvesting wild asparagus and water cress, etc. My father was a naturalist by avocation. He spent a good deal of time out of doors, fishing and hunting, etc. when he was growing up and he was eager to initiate us to the delights of wild food. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? A severe look from my mother and, if there were no guests, a telling off as well. My parents were strict with us about manners because we had frequent guests. In retrospect, it was excellent training which allowed us to be comfortable in all kinds of situations. When I was in college, I received an invitation to luncheon at the White House to receive an award and knowing that I would not be anxious about the meal definitely helped to put me at ease. Who cooked in the family? My grandmother, father, mother and me. None of my brothers ever cooked, as I recall. My father always made breakfast. My grandmother was a fabulous cook, apart from beef which she always overcooked when the rest of us ate our meat rare. Frequently, my mother cooked the beef and my grandmother prepared the rest of the meal, then cooked her own portion of beef until it was as dry as a bone. I learned to cook from my grandmother, mother, and father but mostly my job was to bake. During the summer, I baked all our bread. The rest of the year, my grandmother did so. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occasions? My father thought nothing of driving 200 miles for lunch if there was a special restaurant he wanted to try. Another reason why we had manners drilled into us was that my parents wanted us to be prepared to dine out in formal restaurants without any anxiety or confusion. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? Our table seated 12 and that allowed five guests to join us at a moment's notice. There were times when my parents had adult dinner parties and in that case, we ate early. My brothers and I appeared at the start of the party to be introduced, and sometimes to pass hors d'oeuvre, before spending the rest of the evening upstairs. When did you get that first sip of wine? I really don't remember. Neither my father nor grandmother drank any alcohol so wine was not a part of our every day meals. Was there a pre-meal prayer? Yes. Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Was there a rotating menu? Not that I recall. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? It's pretty similar. I even inherited the dining room table!

Our local market is Eastern Market on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. It's an old city market -- butchers, baker, cheese monger, fishmongers, fruiterer, poulterers, green grocers, etc. as well as a florist and tiny breakfast/lunch place. On the weekend, it's also a farmer's market outdoors. There's also a flea market on the weekend and an arts space. It's a weekend tourist destination on a small scale and it also has a good deal of support from the neighborhood. There is a tension between "sanitizing" and meeting the expectations of those who shop there and for years, everything was deteriorating because no one could agree with "what to do about the market..." It seems to have found a middle way forward. Eastern Market food hall

Here is my secret for GORGEOUS stew: 1. parboil, then cut salt pork in large dice and render over low heat in a cast iron dutch oven or similar. Remove it once well rendered. 2. brown the stew meat (without flour) in the rendered pork fat on high heat. 3. proceed with your recipe and the other variations mentioned Really. I was stunned also. Nothing beats it!

Thanks for the tip! I used it to meet a friend who was passing through DC with a 6 hour layover. It's rather difficult to find (no signs!) and once we arrived it was a perfect fit. Thanks again!!

Sounds like sour grapes! (Couldn't resist the pun!)

Why is it that Our Nation's Capitol lacks good, readily available bread for the masses? To the barricades!!!

I tried the Parisian baguette today at the newly opened Marvelous Market on Capitol Hill. Not bad, given the other available options within walking distance.

And I agree that Mark is a major part of why I like Citronelle so much, even if he has personally assisted me only a couple of times, his influence on their cellar and wine service is under appreciated. ← Err, (distinctly feeling out of the loop) why on Earth isn't Mark Slater getting his due? Surely his position speaks for itself.

Err, presumably the sommelier has selected the house wine so why wouldn't he be prepared to serve it?

Great question. I think you might want to post a query on the "Elsewhere in Europe" Forum, since I think it's more celebrated in Eastern Europe and the ex-USSR, eg Orthodox countries. ← Actually, it's quite big in Spain as well and in New Orleans (both Catholic outposts), EVERYONE makes/buys a King Cake for Epiphany.

Let's see. Off the top of my head I think I've got... Amy's Tofu Lasagne All manner of frozen fruit Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs haricot verts TJ's organic broccoli

My favourite US company is Harneys, though I also buy tea from local Indian stores. V. good and v. inexpensive!

20% discount on the quail. ← LOL!!!

Boo hoo. I miss Le Rivage. It was on the waterfront, above the DC Yacht Club. Lovely French food and wine with lovely service. Then the Yacht Club decided to expand and booted them out.