Rodfog

Hello, I must apoligize in advance I did not read all the responses before posting this and I will go back and read them when I am done here. I was aboard Three submarines one boomer and two fast attacks, the USS Sea Devil (SSN 664) the USS Lewis and Clark (SSBN 644) and the USS Jacksonville (SSN 699). I was in the navy from sept 1988 to sept 1996. I have not eaten any food but from a sub or a land based mess hall. All I can say is sub food is head and shoulders better than the rest. Some of my food memories of subs some good some bad. The bug juice (a kool aid like drink) we drank and we also used it to clean the toliets because of its acidity. Powdered milk is the worse thing with UDT milk being not much better, Regular milk only lasted about two weeks on a long deployment due to storage issues. Once while doing a stores load a package of chicken came across that was labeled "REJECTED BY USAF". I used to help the night baker and the Captain we occassionally do "angles and Dangles" (putting the ship into a series of huigh angle dives and rises) right when we put the sheetcakes in so the sheet cakes would be extremely thin on one end. The worse part of it was that we were always told to even it out with icing. Now the good memories Halfway night (on a major deployment the night you are half done) we were always served prime rib and lobster tail. I grew up in the midwest and the navy began my love of ocean fish in particular Hailbut. We always took on local product when we pulled into foreign ports and once when pulling into Bergen, Norway we got some of the best smoked salmon I have ever had and the best part the MS chief, myself and a coule of officers were the only ones who would eat it. By the way I was not a mess specialist but a nuke Machinist mate but I did my time cranking and I also enjoyed cooking so I also did some cooking and not just on pizza night. thanks for the time MM2 (SS) Rodfog

Tan, I can tell you that he does not have cakes made in his s. He does have chocolates readily available but for cakes you come in look at a book make your selection and come back and get it the next day. He has a photo ablum with pictures of 8 to 10 cakes and it shows what they look like and the flavor. Rodney

I bought the first two tapes on VHS. They are great. I went to Lenny Henrys site last year and they had said they were in the process of working out all the licensing agreements to release the whole collection on DVD. Well I just hope I can wait that long. Speaking of Ramsey there is the episode where Chef Blackstock goes off on Everton in front of the camera. This show is what a kitchen comedy should be modeled after the writers know and understand food and kitchen life. Rodney

I remember as a younger man drinking Boones farm simply because it had a screw top and I had no corkscrew. Wine was a primer. Well luckily that phase did not last long. I have since tried to become as knowledgeable as possible. I knew I crossed the line when friends started coming to me to ask about varitals. A friend of mine calls me his sommelier. I try to explain as best as I can what grapes goe into certain wines. I have also had the good fortune to come to taste some very good wines through a local KC resturant that has a quite extensive wine list. I do air cond and refrigeration work and was working on their wine cooler pro bono as a favor. The guy felt bad about me doing it for free and I said hey give me the 67 Petrus and will call it even. He didn't feel that bad. I have had the 2001 Rieussec and believe me that wine is perfect. You do not want to drink anything to keep the taste in your mouth. I have also truted the judgement of a local wine merchant that led me to have a 2001 Hewitt that I thought was exceptional especially as it is young. See there like all wine people I tend to ramble on the wines I have loved and drank. Rodney

His retail shop is fairly small but it is clean lines and well organized. The shop is a little off the beaten track. I only talked briefly with him we mostly discussed flavor ideas. I do have some pics but they are pics that are on his web site. I will try to get the few pics I have posted in the near future. Oh yeah they were extremely nice as I mentioned and did not mind me taking pics here or Enric Rovira or Cacao. My friend went to Paris and they throw a hissy fit. He was trying to get pics of entremets and shop layouts and they basically said no pictures.

Balaguer's flavors were very good. He also does unique things with texture as in the pop rocks in the chocolate. I did find a chocolate I did not like which usually you will find one that is not great. All of his were good. Also He and his staff were extremely friendly and took time to answer my questions and discuss flavors and their business.

well I am back from Barcelona and it was great. The metro system is awesome and extremely easy to navigate. My hotel was located well I could get to metro easily with little walking. My experience was chocolate left me somewhat disillusioned. I only see three great chocolatiers and lots of others the three great are Oriol Balanguer, Enric Rovira, and Cacoa Sampaka. While not impressed by some of Cacoa's work I have to give credit to their ingenuinty. I thought Oriols was the best and did get to chat with him for a short while. I ate in several resturants noteably Santa Maria, Espai Sucre, Origins 99%, Bar Pinoxo, Comerc 24 and Abac. The whole food experince was great with the Boqueria being a high point it is so intersting so see. Espai Sucre was very good and I got to go back into the kitchen as a professional courtesy. I also gave them a box of chocolates. All of the fgood atr every resturant was very good. Overall extremely satisfied with trip. Now just trying to decide where to go next year.

Hello, Thanks again everyone. The list is getting long. I will have to eat several more meals than normal to fit all of them in. I am excited about the visit. I will let evryone know how it goes. I just got a new digital camera a couple of months ago and can store 750 pictures in the highest res. I sure hope 750 is enough. I plan on taking a lot of shop layout pics and product pics. Thanks again! Rodney

Thanks for all the help so far. Its unfortunate news about the hotel ah well you live you learn. I did send off an email to Oriol Balaguer, I would just be happy to show him what we do and tour his shop and bounce ideas off of him. I do have a growing list of resturants and shops. It looks like I will be busy. I just found out today that I will not be leaving Barcelona until 2030 on Sat because it is the only train going to Milan that day. Its actually good it gives me one more day to play with and may go to Girona. Well again thanks for all your help!

Hello all, I know this ahs been a post in the past. I am currently working for a chocolate shoppe in Kansas city and am going to Barcelona will be there Mon Mar 7 and I am looking for places to visit to learn more and do research. I will be going by myself and will be staying at the Barcelo Hotel Sants (very convient to the train station) this is my first time in Spain. I of course know of a few places from reading here and also in Bon appetit. I know Oriol Balanguer has a place and Enric Rovira, and Cacao Sampaka. Looking for few more places to visit. I also will need to eat obviously. I want to eat in one really good resturant maybe two. BTW I will be there until Sat morn. Any and all suggustions are helpful. Thank you in advance for all of your help.