LindaK

I don't see anyone mentioning Wednesday's Boston Globe article about these tasy critters. Not sure how long the article will be available on-line, click while you can.

one of the most unlikely but delicious treatments of baby bok choy I've ever had was when an asian friend (who stocks up on baby bock choy as a matter of course) threw some on top of an outdoor shrimp boil. I think he'd used Old Bay seasoning or another standard seasoning mix. I know it doesn't sound like much but it had us fighting over the last piece. It's now part of our standard shrimp boil repetoire. This probably doesn't help you now (unless you live where the weather is warm in February) but remember it this summer.

Hmmm . . . That is an interesting question. I am not sure that I have ever seen one but I think it would work. I am thinking that when I make a cobbler, my favorite bit is the crusty, gooey stuff in the corners. I am also thinking that you could top it with the crumbly mix. Think an apple crisp but flatter. Add some sharp cheddar maybe? I wonder if it will stick hopelessly to the pan? ← a couple of ideas that hopefully hit on both trains of thought: - a true French fruit gratin is typically a layer of seasonal fruit in individual gratin dishes covered with a layer of sabayon, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and run under the broiler until golden. It's a very easy hot dessert since the sabayon can be made in advance, and it assembles and cooks in minutes. Light in weight if not in calories. If you love fruit desserts, this is yummy. Think strawberries in the spring, raspberries and/or peaches/nectarines in the summer, pears and grapes in fall, assorted citrus in winter. whatever's fresh and available. note: the little gratin dishes aren't expensive and make for a great presentation (and do double duty for brunch with various egg dishes). - closer to what fifi's talking about is a clafouti (also French)--essentially a layer of soft fruit (cherries are traditional) covered in a slightly sweet, egg-y batter. It's cooked in a larger cake pan or skillet. What you end up with is something like a large, fluffy fruit pudding/pancake. this is essentially a home-y dessert, not often seen in a restaurant. Very easy. both are elevated by a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

Let's not forget the Julie/Julia Project. While not a typical blog of the sort listed here, it chronicles a novice cook's efforts to work her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I wish I'd thought of it first.

Lots of different ideas circulating here... Portions of this thread bring to mind some of the early debates in the foodie world when world-class chefs began opening branch restaurants in Las Vegas. I can’t say I’m familiar with that entire history but remember being slightly shocked when Jean-Louis Palladin opened Napa there many years ago. If I’m not mistaken, today chefs such as Thomas Keller, Nobu Matsuhisa, Bradley Ogden, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, et al. have restaurants there, and rumor is that Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse will open restaurants there in the near future. Is it about money? vision? both? In case the comparison shocks anyone, I’m not trying to equate the Louvre or Paris with Las Vegas (where I’ve never been). And as to whether the French would frequent her restaurant in Paris…I don’t know, but my guess is that the French were not the target market, any more than locals were for the Las Vegas branches of the afore-mentioned culinary icons. Otherwise, why at the Louvre?

I love soup but am more in the habit of ordering it in restaurants or even take-out for lunch than making it at home. No good reason why... I always enjoy soups in France. Last fall en vacance, I ordered soupe de potiron (pumpkin soup) at lunch almost every day and had so many variations, I never tired of it. For the basics, Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking has a good line-up of fundamental recipes. I've had excellent luck with James Peterson's Splendid Soups. The latter is hardly devoted to French cuisine but there are probably two dozen recipes for French soups amongst the many other international recipes (all worth trying) and it includes a discussion of general techniques (stocks, etc.) that are essential to making soups of any sort. Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking also has several reliable recipes that are easily made. None of these are en francais, malheuresment, but I don't have access to a FNAC here in the states.

your posting reminds me of how long (too long) it has been since I made crepes. Why? they are so delicious and versatile. the advice I'd echo--(1) let the batter rest before using and (2) brush the pan with buerre noisette or clarified butter before adding the batter. I've made crepes with whatever saute pan I've had on hand, non-stick as well as cast iron, small as well as large. in every instance, always perfect, no need for specialized equipment. In my experience there are two small adjustments that are always required in any crepe-making session: (1) level of heat and (2) amount of batter. Both depend on how thick your batter is, the pan you're using, etc. It always takes a crepe or two to get it right. WHAT?? This is heresy. The first less-than-perfect crepes make a delicious nibble for the toiling cook with her nearby glass of wine... And don't forget, so long as you are making them, make plenty. Crepes freeze beautifully. I let them cool and use wax paper to separate them before wrapping them well. They defrost in no time, just let them sit on the counter a little while.

It was only after planting sage in a small kitchen garden that I grew to love this herb. I keep some dried on hand but find that I use it only when i make stuffing for poultry. What I find interesting about sage is that while its flavor is very strong it can pair well with delicate flavors. One of my favorite early discoveries was how delicious sage is with fresh-water fish such as trout. I like to rub the inside of a whole boned trout with EVOO, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a minced clove of garlic and a light chiffonade of sage, ocassionally diced fried pancetta. For years I thought this combo was my own discovery--until a trip to Piedmont (NW Italy) and found it to be very common. Another typical use for sage in Piedmont is fried, in browned butter, as a sauce for fresh pasta. An almost effortless sauce that is sublime, especially on a handmade stuffed pasta like agnolotti with a sprinkle of parmesan. I can't wait to try some sage in my next grilled cheese sandwich, yum.

My experiences with classes at the Ritz-Escoffier and the instances I've dropped by since: the chefs who teach the courses are French and provide instruction in French. They generally understood English well enough to field questions from English speakers but responded en français. There was always an assistant who translated into English if necessary--side-by-side translation was standard in the demonstrations but not necessarily so in the classes. My French was minimal when I took my first class and it wasn't a huge problem. The student body in the short courses and definitely the demonstrations was very international, they are accustomed to accomodating many languages and English was the backup. Don't let it concern you if their offerings suit your interests.

this thread continues after how many years? I guess bad meals live on forever. mine: while in grad school one of my professors invited a small group of his students to his home for dinner every semester, once with me included. Theoretically quite an honor. The home was lovely, the modern art on the walls collectible even to my inexperienced eyes, the furnishings tasteful. A charming British wife. Plied with cocktails and in an appropriately socially forgiving mood his poor, hungry students were brought to table--and invited to help ourselves from two of the slimiest dishes I've ever forced down: an overcooked, underseasoned oyster stew and a steamed-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life casserole of brussel sprouts, okra, and breadcrumbs. How to understand that anyone could imagine any one of them on a plate, much less the two together...the challenge was second helpings. one could decline both but politeness required taking a small serving of one. Which would you choose?

oh my...those pictures! I picked up on your original thread while new to eGullet, and as it so happens while pondering my own kitchen renovation. I've considered myself fortunate to have a number of architects among my friends, but while I love them, now I'm wondering...your photos will be required viewing before I let them put pen to paper on my kitchen. Though from what I've seen of their work and own abodes, I imagine they will be appropriately horrified. and ditto to Safran's comments, the house seems to have great potential. This renovation seems like a rescue mission.

dodz, I envy you your first "cheese in France" experience. My first visit to a fromagerie in Paris was a semi-religious experience, I almost cried. how pathetic, n'est-ce pas? The advice you're getting here is good, when touring I never made appointments but just followed the signs. More often, I simply bought what was local, especially at the farmers' markets. Though be forewarned, those first few visits before my French improved were a little intimidating--during peak time when the markets were crowded, not everyone was very patient with someone (me) who didn't know the customs for ordering, what she wanted, etc. Still, once I got the hang of it, it became a real pleasure, the kind of experience you always remember fondly. Please, take good notes and report back your favorites. The rest of us need to live vicariously...

Tom, I checked the website for the Ecole Ritz Escoffier , where I took a few classes some years ago. They list some short (Saturday and evening) courses both food and wine related. The web site is really light on information--it doesn't tell you much about the theme (cuisine, vinyard, etc.) of each--but I wouldn't hesitate to send an e-mail, someone there will reply in English. FYI, though it appears the program has changed since I was there (1993-95), I think it is probably safe to assume that the short courses (2-4 hrs) are more demonstration than hands-on--although my recollection is that the groups were small and there was plenty of opportunity to ask questions and taste. The chefs who taught the classes and demonstrations were excellent and really wonderful instructors--though not famous names if that's what you are looking for. The facililities, ingredients, wines, etc. in classes were first-rate. Also, my French is okay but there was often someone available to translate for those who wanted it, esp. at demonstrations. You might also want to check out the wine bar thread. You can get quite an education in a wine bar if you are there when it's a little slow and aren't afraid to ask questions.

That is how we pronounce Auntie up here in Boston...coincidence? I think not.

Yes, ellencho! I found myself in the coq au vin thread before this one, and posted the following: (note: I'm still new to posting and this multiple quoting is a challenge. fingers crossed that it posts correctly...) Also, to the discussion about citrus addition: orange peel is a typical ingredient in a provencial daube, a regional variation of a bourguignon.

A small trick I learned some years ago during a brief stint cooking in France was to blanch the lardons before proceeding with any recipe--coq au vin, salade frisée au lardons, etc. It really does make a difference, especially with American bacon, which tends to be more heavily cured than its French counterpart in my experience. You want it to provide a subtle note in the background, rather than have the other flavors overpowered by the maple/hickory/whatever cured flavor.

Thanks Dana for your comment about the importance of fresh, regional ingredients as central to cajun cooking--I agree wholeheartedly and believe it is true for many other great regional dishes. When I finally got around to making a bouillabaise after so much hesitation (no rascasse or other mediteranean fish, never mind the great fish I can get in New England...) I kicked myself for waiting so long. And to fifi's comment about the infinite variety of gumbo, that is always the fun of discovering a new regional dish, learning the variations on a theme. While reading this thread I noticed that most of the acolades went to home cooks rather than restaurants. Good home cooks always work with what is fresh and least expensive.

I have two fallback desserts, each with its own following. tarts. simple because (1) you can fit the various steps in between other tasks or cooking. The dough takes minutes but must rest afterwards...so get on with the laundry, paying the bills, or beginning the main course. all you need is flour and butter on hand (and maybe sugar and/or eggs, depending on your dough preference). (2) you can use whatever fruit is seasonal, be decadent with chocolate, or rely on a stash of lemons, as I did the other day during a blizzard with no hope of a trip to the store. (3) can be done the same morning or finished in the oven during dinner. depending on your menu and mood, you can finish in a tart pan or make it crostada style, which is more freeform. the latter is nice if you want to make individual tarts quickly--makes it look like you went to a lot of trouble. vanilla ice cream is nice with fruit tarts but hardly essential. profiteroles. unbelievably easy--flour, butter, water, eggs, et voila. fill with good store-bought vanilla ice cream and top with chocolate sauce (homemade takes minutes but maybe you have a fave) and you have a great dessert with about 1/2 hour labor. I'm not much of a dessert fan, to be honest, but others expect one. these always delight guests and leave me time for other things.

bleachboy, it may take me until the weekend to find the time, but I'll do a few trial runs via the traditional method then try the "fast roux" method and will report back. I am a newbie to this particular culinary tradition so may not be the best judge. But I trust you and Brooks not to steer me wrong.

I don't cook with cabbage often but once found myself with a head of cabbage and little else. Made a simpler version of Marcella Hazan's Risotto with Cabbage and Parmesan (Marcella's Italian Kitchen) and was stunned by how delicious it was. Her recipe calls for sauteeing onions and pancetta with oil and butter, then adding shredded savoy cabbage, cooking it down completely--then using this as a base for a standard risotto. I didn't have pancetta and it was still delectable. Having made it many times since, the trick is to (1) cook the onions until golden and (2) cook the cabbage until it is a rich brown--basically, making sure you caramelize both. The version with pancetta is wonderful but by all means try it without. You can streamline things by making the cabbage and risotto separately, as I almost always do, and either stir them together at the end, or top the risotto with the cabbage (makes a nice presentation). This makes a great veggie entree (sans pancetta) but is heavenly as a base for pork--roast, sausages, etc. Big flavor payoff in very little time. I once tried it with an old Alsacian riesling, which turned out to be a match made in heaven, oddly enough.

Susan, thanks for the encouragement. I've already gotten a couple of my sportsfan foodie friends to read through this thread. A couple are southern in origin so as you can imagine have strong opinions on the subject, and they seem quite impressed by the level of detail in the advice offered here (no surprise to us!). I figure I'll practice making the roux well beforehand, since it seems to be both the key element and potentially tricky. If I have any questions that haven't already been answered in ths thread I'll be sure to post them. The biggest dilemma I foresee is deciding which recipe to use. I doubt I'll be able to get the fresh gulf shrimp that some believe are essential, but this time of year fresh Maine shrinp are available up here. They are small and very sweet, only sold fresh with heads on--incredibly tasty. Perhaps not authentic by Bayou standards but I have to imagine are a better substitute than the farmed shrimp otherwise available.

Susan, thanks for report, it gives a northeasterner hope after hours of shovelling a car out from 6' snowdrifts. Your mother-in-law is lucky--she's in warmer climates AND enjoying your excellent etouffee. I'm not sure how I stumbled across this thread (the beauty of eGullet!) but what I'm reading sounds too delicious, so I've bookmarked it for future use. I'm thinking a gumbo or etouffee would be perfect when it is my turn to feed a crowd of hungry college basketball fans during a group viewing March Madness--go LSU? (though I'm a Big East fan and alum). It will be my first. Home-made gumbo that is, not basketball game. I'll post again when I'm there.

I have fond memories of a soup served by some friends on a cold winter evening last year, the Indian Curried Lamb Soup from James Peterson's Splendid Soups. I have no idea if its roots are authentic but it was truly delicious--light but substantial, the layers of spices complex and heady but not overly spicy. It made a lot of people very happy.

just returned from a pot-luck dinner of sorts with friends willing and able to brave the weather on foot or via subway. early grazing: assorted olives, nuts, camembert and blue cheeses, sliced pears main event: wilted spinach and arugula salad with roasted beets and pickled onions brandade de morue with garlic croutons dessert: lemon tart coffee and tea assorted wines (mostly red, southern france or spanish) were poured throughout the evening. currently back home, sipping calvados, listening to the wind, feeling lucky to be inside, warm, and dry.

oh my, I always knew the prices at my local Whole Foods were high but the $s here make it clear. $5.99 lb retail. yet another example of the cost of being a city dweller? but I must admit, these shrimp are the sweetest, tastiest I've had outside of Chinatown. Infinitely superior to their farm-raised relatives.