zeitoun

So, if i follow you, what makes the ice cream french is the preparation, not the vanilla. This theory might stand, however I don't think it was the intention...Then how do you explain french vanilla coffee, or french vanilla candy? Having called france home for 20 something years, I can assure you that there is no such thing as french vanilla in france. The vanilla you find in france most likely comes from madagascar or polynesia where it is harvested. ← I'm with Toliver on this one. So-called "french vanilla" ice cream in the U.S. is distinguished from typical (american) vanilla ice cream by its rich, custardy consistency, and pale yellow color; the term has been around since at least the 50s, probably longer. I suppose more accuately it would be called "vanilla French-Style ice cream" or "French-style vanilla ice cream" since it isn't made with vanilla from France, after all. I suspect that the term was adopted by marketing types as an adjective for other things (like coffee; I have never have heard of F.V. candy!) to imply the same sort of richness. And it sounds a lot better than "vanilla coffee" ~Anita edited to add: I'm not surprised to hear that there's no French Vanilla in France, much as there is no French toast, French fries, French dressing... ← Ok, that makes sense, thanks for the clarification

So, if i follow you, what makes the ice cream french is the preparation, not the vanilla. This theory might stand, however I don't think it was the intention... Then how do you explain french vanilla coffee, or french vanilla candy? Having called france home for 20 something years, I can assure you that there is no such thing as french vanilla in france. The vanilla you find in france most likely comes from madagascar or polynesia where it is harvested.

I came across an amazing baklava from Syria. A friend who came back from Lebanon brought me a box back. Mrs zeitoun and I ate the whole box in 3 days. Fortunately, they have a website: http://www.alfaisalsweets.com/ Even more fortunate, they ship abroad!!! They specialize in all sorts of Middle eastern pastries, not just baklava. Is anyone familiar with them?

Been to any French restaurant lately? A menu I read one day wandering the streets of Manhattan had the following to offer: App: Masculine Salad Entree: Bauf Bourguignon (In french slang: "brother in law from Burgundy") Dessert: French Vanilla Ice Cream (In english, but what the heck is french vanilla?) And to properly finish the kill, right at the bottom of the menu: Bon Appetite!! (This, sadly, is ubiquitous)

Molokhiah is just one of those dishes that you can't eat enough. In my eyes, it is the absolute paradigm of middle eastern comfort food (with the simple but oh so good laban ou riz). You will feel comatose if you ingest too much of it!! Thanks for the cooking tip, I’ll try that next time.

Thanks for the info jackal10, it is very helpful. I would have never know that "Mallow" was the title for the molokhieh thread! I like my molokhieh gooey, but i just can't achieve the desired consistency. Is it because I use frozen leaves? Also, what should the ratio of molokhieh to cilantro be and at what stage is the cilantro added? I have heard that broth added in stages (almost like risotto) instead of all at once helps make the soup more cohesive. I tried it and was not happy with the result. Obviously, I am doing something wrong!!!!!

This is one of my absolute favorites. Although the origin of molokhieh as i understand it is Egyptian, we make our own incredible version of it in Lebanon. I have tried to make it at home but cannot quite replicate the phenomenal ones I've had growing up. Molokhieh (any translation in English?) is a type of leaf that is stewed in broth with lots of cilantro and boiled onions. It is normally served with rice and topped with shredded chicken and a minced onion/ lemon or vinegar mixture. I tend to use frozen Molokhieh leafs which you can find at some Middle Eastern groceries here in NY. I one time (and one time only) found it fresh at the green market. I could not believe it!?!? Any good recipes or tips out there?

As Robert pointed out, the Foie Gras or Hearts of Palm comes as a choice for the second course. The only choice we had to make on the chef's tasting menu. It just happened that we decided to order this way. Was I being so negative in my report? The disappointment I might have conveyed comes from my over-the-top expectation for perfection. But this was a bit naïve on my part, I should have known better. I feel almost relieved to know that Chef Keller is human after all and not perfect. It does justice to all the other American chefs out there who are equally talented (Trotter, Kinch, Achatz, Bouley amongst many others). I am sure Chef Keller would be the first to recognize that. Now that I had time to reflect, my experience at Per Se reminded me of one essential principle. What matters with food is taste, personal taste. What did not impress me might impress others, and vice versa. Eating is such a personal experience after all, it cannot be influenced or dictated. In an age where NYT or Michelin stars and Zagat ratings (okay maybe not) have become barometers of excellence and success, it is something we unfortunately forget too often.

I know this is a Manhattan bistro thread however, I felt compelled to drop one in for all the Brooklynites out there. It is interesting to note that the French bistros you frequent in Manhattan most likely employ young French hopefuls who now call Brooklyn their home. This slow and massive exodus to the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge is now accountable for the flock of little French bistros that have suddenly dotted the Brooklyn map. These little French neighborhood joints are mostly located in the Fort Green and Cobble Hill areas, with some making their appearance in Red Hook. To name a few: A Table, Ici, Bacchus, Cafe Lulu, Banania Cafe, Bar Tabac, Quercy (thanks jogoode), 360, and the list goes on...The chef who was at the helm of Demarcheliers on Houston St. just opened a bistro on Atlantic Ave, can't remember the name though. I tried most of them and my favorites are 360 (chef worked at Lespinasse and Le Cirque) and Ici (chef spent several years at Daniel). Bacchus is not bad either. I would recommend them to anyone willing to make the trip from Manhattan.

Thanks Wolfert, I did not expect such an erudite response! This is great! I have to say that the Smen(s) I have tried in the past have all tasted different. Some better than others obviously. It seems that its preparation differs drastically not only from country to country but from one household to another. Thanks again for the helpful explanation.

Hi Everyone, I am new to the forum and since this is my first post, I thought I might start with a grand occasion. Last week I had dinner at Per Se with my significant other and some friends. We all had the 9 course tasting menu. We had a 9pm reservation and left the restaurant at 1am. Some wines we had were paired with our dishes by the sommelier, on other instances we did the pairing ourselves with half bottles we selected off the list. I will not venture into detailed descriptions for the wines since frankly I am not a real expert. I have to note though that Per Se has an incredible selection of half bottles in the $60 to $100 range. You might want to opt for this if you want to avoid the $150 (per head) wine pairing the restaurant offers. The wine list went as follows: - Yves Cuilleron Condrieu 2002 - Viognier - Glasses of Tokay from Hungary & Ribola from Slovenia (paired by the sommelier) - Javillier Meursault "Les Tillets" 2002 - Chardonnay - Brovia Barolo 1997 - Nebbiolo - Neiman Cellars "John Caldwell Vineyard" 2000 - Cabernet Sauvignon Before I begin going into details about food, I should remark that I've had a profound respect for Thomas Keller ever since I was introduced to his cuisine. I have never eaten at the FL but had food at Bouchon in Napa (a satisfying consolation for those who cannot get a table at the FL). My experience with Chef Keller's food stems mainly from the numerous readings I have done about him and his culinary philosophy, and more importantly, from his FL and more recent Bouchon publications which I have read close to a dozen times. Needless is to say, Keller in my eyes has a culinary vision and approach superior to anything else I have seen in the US. I believe it is Eric Ripert who said he thought Thomas Keller was today probably the best chef in America, if not the world. I would dispute the latter but would perhaps agree on the first part. Knowing this, I was evidently looking forward to my dinner at Per Se. The service, which matters to me but not as much as food, was impeccable. Case in point: Through 9 changes of silverware, not one time did I notice it being done (all the wine consumed might have exacerbated that feeling towards the end though). The wait staff was unobtrusive and alert. They knew when to interpose and when not to. Just looking at them placing our plates on the table was a pleasure, it was polished and graceful. Here is a brief description of the food we had: - Cornets of Salmon Tartare with Red Onion Crème Fraiche. No need to elaborate on this, a FL classic which I savored with gusto. - Oysters and Pearls Same as above, I enjoyed the balance of flavors in this dish For the men: - Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras en Terrine with Pickled Huckleberries, Celery Branch and Brioche Melba. I did not like this dish, I did not particularly care for the foie gras which was airy and creamy but lacked in flavors of…foie gras. The brioche was way too salty and I did not notice any tones of pickling in the huckleberries (it tasted like a good jam at best). For the ladies: - Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Peach Palm with Confit of Ruby Red Grapefruit and Shaved Macademia Nuts with Cilantro Vinaigrette. I had a few bites of this and did not quite care for this dish. I simply found it dull. - Carnaloni Risotto with Shaved White Truffles from Alba (we ordered this as a supplement) Aha! What a pleasure! The beauty of this dish did not lie essentially in the generous shavings of truffle (shaved on premise) which covered the risotto. The rice was simply perfect, creamy and airy, balanced in flavor. Unlike any other risotto I have had before. - Sautéed Filet of Gulf Coast Pompano with Honey Crisp Apples, Braised Belgian Endive, and Sauce Beurre Noisette. The sauce was almost absent in this dish, and I do not mean this figuratively. I felt the pompano was a tad too cooked, some of the moist quality of this fish had clearly been lost during the cooking process. The bitter endive was braised to perfection and the apples offset the overall dish with a touch of sweetness and acidity. - Novia Scotia Lobster “Cuit Sous Vide” with Fondue of Savoy Cabbage, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Chestnuts, Sugar Pie Pumpkin Puree and Black Truffle Coulis. Each element of this dish when tasted separately was good, bring them together and the overall experience of the dish turns into chaos. I have to note though that it is rare for me to actually enjoy lobster. I often find it too dry and bland, even when prepared at high end establishments. The tail only was served and the sous vide technique of cooking perfectly retains the delicate texture and aroma of the lobster. I wasn’t too fond of the combination of chestnuts and pumpkin puree. The chestnut was served whole and braised. The black truffle coulis, which was insipid to my palate, had no place in this dish. The bacon was an overwhelming match for the lobster. And then, there was the cabbage…Too much. - Saucisson de Lapins with Roasted Hen of the Woods Mushroom, Slow Poached French Prunes and Garden Tarragon. I thought each ingredient worked well as an ensemble. The rabbit was splendidly accompanied by the tarragon sauce which was pungent and delightful. The prune added sweetness while the slightly crisped mushroom brought texture and earthiness to the overall dish. I thought that the rabbit sausage was a little too dry to my taste though. - Snake River Farm’s Calotte de Boeuf Grillee with Fricassée of Fingerling Potatoes, Pearl Onions, Sweet Carrots and Savoyard Spinach with Crispy Bone Marrow and Sauce Bordelaise. This dish was a knock out. The beef was grilled to perfection, retaining all its juices and tenderness. The fricassee was flawless. The marrow, crispy outside and soft inside, brought richness to the dish. - Ossau Vielle with Plumped Royal Blenheim Apricots, Pistachio Tuile, and Sicilian Pistachio-Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Emulsion. I would normally kill for cheese, but this dish was disappointing. - Lemongrass Ice Cream with Passion Fruit Curd, Soy Caramel Syrup and Szechuan Pepper Sablé. I tend to find desserts on this side of the Atlantic (I grew up in good ol’ Europe) generally too sweet and intense. Fortunately, this was a complete contradiction of that tenet. The curd was creamy yet not too heavy and the ice cream had, as expected, beautiful hints of lemongrass. I normally despise caramel in my desserts, but this was by far acceptable. - Tentation au Chocolat Noisette et Lait. Milk Chocolate Cremeux, Hazelnut Streusel with Condensed Milk Sorbet, Pain au Lait Sauce and Sweetened Salty Hazelnuts. This was less of a success than the previous dessert. Too much in one plate. I just could not finish it. - Mignardises Overall, I would describe my experience as more than satisfactory. But this is what troubles me, I was expected to be blown away and I was not. Where more than half of my dishes had elements of excellence, I felt at times that they did not always work as composed dishes. That is, some elements of my various dishes were technically perfect alone, however I felt at times that they had lost some of their appeal in the context of the overall dish (The lobster dish for example). In addition, I did not expect to be so overwhelmingly unimpressed with some of our courses, such was the case with the Foie Gras and the Hearts of Palm. There were moments of culinary bewilderment of course, the White Truffle Risotto (I just love fresh truffles) and the Calotte de Boeuf being primary examples of this. The FL classics of Cornets of Salmon and Oysters and Pearls were well executed. One complaint I frequently have at fine dining establishments throughout the country is that chefs, more often than not, “try too hard”. The result can be profoundly disappointing. Recent instances of this in my case were at the Fifth floor in SF (On a tasting menu of 6 dishes, I was eating my 3rd foam of something in 3 dishes) or 71 Clinton Fresh Food in NY (not quite fine dining yes, but still a complete debacle). I was expecting Per Se to be a notch above anything else I’ve had in the past, I wanted to be enthralled by chefs Keller and Benno’s preparations. They obviously show a serious display of skill and artistry in every dish, but on some dishes, I felt there was sometimes too much restraint on flavors. Although that night, perfection was close to being accomplished on some dishes, it was not a towering accomplishment during my overall meal.

I have never tried Samen as a garnish for a laban emmo, will sure do next time!! I have seen people top the dish with drops of olive oil and fried parsley. Pretty good too. Going back to Samen, I know it is also used as a garnish for couscous in some North African countries, particularly with moroccan couscous. Their Samen though is incredibly pungent, and soooo good. Does anyone know if it is prepared any differently from regular clarified butter or is it the type of butter used that imparts that flavor?

Elie, Thanks for the recipe, it looks great! I will definitely try your version of laban emmo, may i suggest another way for the yogurt? A trick i learned from my dad: instead of thickening the yogurt with starch he beats in one egg white - while the yogurt is still cold of course. He also uses the infamous "maggi" powder to add flavor, but i despise that. I find that a clear homemade stock (i prefer veal), reduced a little to intensify the aroma, does a better job. Another idea as a garnish for the yogurt, one teaspoon of beurre noisette on top, mmmmmh...