bushey

We usually steam clams in beer/water mix -- the more full-flavored the brew, the better.

Abount once every couple of months, we drive about 45 minutes to do a Trader Joe's/Whole Foods run. Here are some products that I think are worth buying there, mostly because the quality is excellent and there aren't any comparable substitutes nearby and/or the price is just great: Niman Ranch Bacon; Goat Cheese Log; Frozen Berry Medley and Very Cherry Berries;Unsweetened, unsulphured dried fruit; Mochi (Japanese ice cream balls wrapped in bean pastry); Fruit salsas;Mezzaluna Squash-filled pasta;Nuts.

carswell, mention away! I've a lot to learn about these Italian wines, primarliy this: what types of food go best with these wines. We've picked up a few Barolo and Barbaresco in our travels, and I'm stymied about what to make that would complement them well.

I've tried both making my own almond meal (in a food processor) and purchasing some.....the purchased version was a much finer, more consistent texture. One of the problems I ran into, making it at home, was ending up with a bit of almond paste, or butter, before the rest of the almonds were sufficiently ground. Both made excellent macaroons, however .

Since you're mentioning packaging, I remember something that should please you. Le Diptyque is a forty-year-old, very Parisian perfume company that has one shop in boulevard Saint-Germain (left-hand sidewalk, walking from place Maubert and métro Maubert-Mutualité to the Institut du monde arabe and the river) and recently has begun to sell at other locations in Paris (grands magasins, deco shops). They were the first to launch a line of unisex perfumes and fragrances in the 1960's, with a unique, black-on-white, hand-sketched design. They're still carrying on with a collection of about thirty fragrances, all very original and high quality. They also manufacture the nicest fragrant candles you can find, plus a few soaps and a very rare toilet vinegar. Not much related to cooking but Le Diptyque is well worth a visit. They, and L'Artisan Parfumeur, are the only perfume makers I need. Le Diptyque has wonderful gift packaging, overlapping silk papers of different shades. ← If I recall, LindaK is from Boston............ there's a Diptyque store on Newbury street. One of the things I like least about globalization and internet shopping is that it's harder to find those special little one-off places that give us a reason to keep traveling.

What Follonica said. Really. I happen to love the 1st arrondisement, and I have to confess to doing a google search of apartments on rue Montpensier after reading your post......we're looking for a family vacation idea for February vacation as well (and we have 3 kids). That area looks completely wonderful and is very well situated for walking to everywhere. Unfortunately, my husband thinks we need to branch out and try someplace new . Assuming you might still be looking around, have you checked apartments available in the 7th? The rue Cler area is also very well situated and there are lots of options for food shopping. Similarly, the area around Blvd Raspail is also wonderful.

One of my favorite department store purchases ever was a translucent plastic Waterman pen from La Samaritaine. They also had gorgeous stationery and notebooks, which would make lovely and easy-to-carry-home gifts. Beautiful table linens, even napkins or kitchen towels, make wonderful gifts. There are several stores around rue Jacob that specialize in them. Nice scarves are another item I love to buy in Paris. Even drugstore items would be great -- hand lotions, lip balms, small soaps. Everything looks more chic and elegant in Parisian packaging. Also, look for interesting old books with beautiful illustrations along the quais. Lots of interesting botanical drawings there as well. If the weather outside is really nasty, spend some time shopping and browsing underground near the Louvre. There are all sorts of shops and a wonderful museum store.

You might be able to start by making some relatively healthy home-made pizza at home -- add some whole wheat flour to the dough and focus on really delicious, colorful toppings. Oven-dried plum tomatoes are incredibly seet a good. You could even use pepperoni by broiling it first, on a rack, to get it crispy and render some of the fat. Pasta with sauteed vegetables and chicken might be another option. Add some fresh grated parmigiano and some red pepper flakes for extra flavor. I know how hard it is to get kids moving -- my daughters would rather be glued to the computer than go outside on a gorgeous day, but you could always try the bribing routine: pay additional chore money for raking leaves, taking the dog, if you have one, on a extra-long walk. Even bringing the bottles and cans for returns means doing a little more physical activity. For dessert-type foods, Fudgsicles are rich tasting without a lot of calories or fat, as is sorbet, Italian ice, and sherbet. Good luck!

Tarte Tatin, Sorry you had to endure a miserable first evening in Paris, but after an inauspicious start, I hope the rest of your trip was wonderful! We had a similar, though not quite so dismal, experience once when we entered the restaurant where we had reserved a table and got a distinct "buses welcome here" vibe. But, our friends had already arrived and were having a drink and they liked the menu. There were plenty of other patrons, some French, some American, but I wish I had followed my instinct to say "let's find someplace else". One of my favorite stories is how my friend confronted the owner/manager of a small bistro she felt wasn't up to the quality it should have been -- we're talking canned fruit here. She said in a very loud voice "C'est etait crap!" and used lots of hand motions and indignant looks to make up for her shortcomings in French fluency. I can't quite recall what the remedy was, but I can quite imagine the stunned look on their faces when they encountered her wrath. At the very least, she gained the respect of the other patrons. Would love to hear more about the flat you rented -- I love the rue Cherche Midi area.

I've made an apple tart with puff pastry, and it was delicious, but my favortie is Patricia Wells' recipe for Thin Apple Tart from her Paris cookbook. Fairly easy to make and gets rave reviews. Also delicious, but a bit more time consuming is the Rustic Apple Tart that was in Gourmet a few years ago. (edited to add link)

ulterior, don't be so hard on yourself. We learn from absolutely everything in life, even the mediocre experiences. Sounds like you have the perfect reason to go back to Paris soon. One of these days my husband and I will learn to eat very modestly at most of our meals in Paris and really splurge on one great lunch or dinner. Overall expenditure would probably be the same, but we'd be able to bump ourselves up to the next level of dining (we'd hope).

Mmmmm.....pumpkin sage bread pudding w/paremsan sounds heavenly. Our favorite family stuffing is doctored-up Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing mix. I saute the usual savories with whichever mushrooms are on sale that week, plus some chopped carrots. I always add a few eggs to the mixture as well, to keep it moist. Some of it goes into the bird and the rest in a casserole dish, which I baste frequently with the pan drippings from the turkey. This step is *key* in getting the turkey flavor into the stuffing and helping the top get nicely browned and crispy. If I'm feeling really adventurous I'll throw in some crushed pineapple, which adds a little sweetness.

You should meet my daughter .

Favorite sweet filling: dulce de leche. Top with fresh strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. Yum.

We're spending a few days at the Cape this weekend, but will be in somewhat unfamiliar territory: South Yarmouth. One nice meal out will involve a pilgrimage to Nauset Beach Club in Orleans, but the rest of the time we'll stay local. Friends have recommended Skippy's Pier 1, Roobar, Grill 16, and Clancy's. Any feedback on the above?

Another vote for Atkins Farms in Amherst. These are seriously good cider doughnuts, with just the right touch of crispness on the outside. We had some heavy clunkers over the weekend at Bushy Hill Orchard in Granby, CT. to their credit, however, they're Macoun apples are outstanding. We're split in our family over sugared cider donuts vs. plain. Hubby and youngest daughter prefer the former. Oldest daughter and I, being true purists, prefe the latter. Plain cider dounts allow more of the cidery tang shine through

No problem -- I feel honored to be linked to busboy . I looked through some of the links I've saved as favorites, and here's a site that has some reasonsable studio and 1-bedroom apartments in the 6th, near rues Mazarine and Guenegaud (sp?): Paris Bestlodge. If you do go the hotel route, however, I suggest looking around for a hotel that includes breakfast in their rates. Many times there are special promotions offered for Internet bookings. A wonderful continental breakfast of fresh juice, coffee, breads and croissants and yogurt for 2 can represent a signifcant deal. I can personally vouch for the high quality of breakfast at Hotel de Varenne, on rue Bourgogne in the 7th, near the Rodin Museum.

A good website for discount hotels in Paris is Paris Hotels. You can search by location, stars, etc. I would say that "good location" is entirely subjective -- you may want to start by getting a good map of the city and studying it (cross-referencing addresses from a guide book) to get some idea of where the sights you're most interested in are located. Also, would you rather stay in a quieter, more residential area (my preference) or where you step outside your hotel and be in the thick of the action (some of my friends' preferences)? Another option, depending on how many nights you'll be in the city, and how many people are traveling together, is to rent an apartment. Many require 5-7 nights as the minimum stay. Just do a Google search on Paris apartment rentals and you'll have more than enough to keep you busy for a while :~).

Milton girl here, checking in........we always had apple pie a la mode, and the mode of choice was always vanilla ice cream (Brigham's or Howard Johnson's). I still cringe when my husband puts chocolate ice cream on his pie. It wasn't until I moved to western Mass, and had lunch in the executive dining room at Mass Mutual, that I tried apple pie with cheddar cheese. Man, that was really good! Now I eat apple slices with melted cheddar as a snack.

Pearl's is a great modern steakhouse, and I think it's a much better fall-and-winter place than spring-summer place. The decor is more suited to wintry days and having dinner when it's dark out (hey, maybe it's just me). We usually have the same thing when we go: fresh oysters and a shared porterhouse steak. They spilt the steak in the kitchen, and the sides as well, which is a nice service touch you don't find everywhere. Perfectly cooked, with a decadent side of bearnaise. The food is all well-seasoned, and all of the other grilled items, including fish, look delicious. Decent wine list, not too outrageously priced.

Don't know if they still have it, but their Gazpacho used to be just terrific, and, topped with shrimp it was my favortire summertime lunch.

Cafe Edwige, in P'town not far from the Lobster Pot on Commercial Street, is really delicious. It's up a narrow stairway, but you can see if from the street, where there's a menu posted. I had delicious paella, shared with my daughter and there was more than enough. I'd been hearing about this place for years, and was sorry we hadn't gone sooner. Here's a link that includes other places in P'town as well. In Orleans, the Nauset Beach Club serves excellent food and has an interesting wine list. If you are fussy about particular spices, condiments, oils, you should probably bring them with you. The big Stop & Shop in Orleans has lots of stuff available but you may not find the particular brand of oil or mustard you love. I know that the Friendly Fisherman on rte 6 in Eastham sells a few great gourmet items along with their excellent selection of seafood, and you can find some nice goodies in Wellfleet as well, but if you're driving from home it's easier to save time and pack it up. As for spices, herbs and teas Atlantic Spice in North Truro, is supposed to be fantastic.

In our house we always say "How smart can those chickens be if they got caught"? Our local store carries the regular SmartChicken brand and Organic SmartChicken as well. I usually spring for the organic -- though it's a little pricier overall, it's very delicious and still not bad when you consider that about $13-15 makes a great meal for the five of us. My favorite way to prepare the whole chicken is to use a spice rub and set it on the grill, using indirect heat, for about 1 1/2 hours. Leftover, if they exist, make *excellent* chicken salad.

If you decide to visit Giverny instead of Versailles, you may also want to visit Musee Marmottan, in the 16th, which has a fantastic collection of Monet's Water Lilies in addition to other Impressionist gems. It's a beautiful walk back towards the Eiffel Tower -- a walk that could easily end at Astrance's doorstep . I think it's great your kids are willing to stay with their younger brother in the evening.....when we took our 3 to London a few years ago, that idea would not have been well received. Oh no, no, no....that little pistol would not have wanted to miss out on anything. I agree 100% about planned spontaneity. Some friends consider me nuts, but I always travel with notes on places to eat in several different neighborhoods when we leave the hotel or apartment each day. That way, no matter where we are in our travels around lunchtime we have a few previously researched options to check out.

Couple of thoughts, Doc. The day you spend time at Musee d'Orsay and Eiffel Tower, what about lunch at one of Christian Constant's new places on rue St Dominique -- Cafe Constant or Les Fables de la Fontaine? It would be a shame to have to rush from either site for a reservation somewhere (though Astrance is just across the river from the Tour). Another option to consider is the Eiffel Tower at night, it's just beautiful. Similarly, the Arc de Triomphe is wonderful in the evening around dusk. You can climb the steps and watch the city light up. For a five-day visit to the city you might want to reconsider the trip to Versailles. A friend went a few months ago with a couple for teenagers, and we had given her the same advice, which she wished afterwards she had taken. It's really an all-day visit and with so many other things for the kids to see, they felt the time could have been better spent in the city. As for taxis upon leaving a restaurant, they will call and request one for you, if you like.