Veronica Volny

Although I have not been to Aspen myself, I remembered this short list published last summer in Food & Wine: Where To Go Next - Aspen. I am fortunate enough to live in the same town as Chef Mackinnon-Patterson's Frasca. Judging by his excellent restaurant, his recommendations for Aspen are well worth a visit. V.

Hi all, Thank you so much for the responses! Sad to hear about the lawsuit - what a mess... One more question about the photo: I thought Poujauran had only the pink store, which is 20 Rue Jean Nicot, right? But now there is also the white facade with Secco on the awning. Did Secco expand, and get the place next door, too? Is it a separate store, or connected to the pink store? And Poujauran's wholesale lab would be to the right of the pink shop in the photo, right? (no awning) What do you all think of Secco's offerings? Do you still go? During a recent trip I stopped by thinking it was Poujauran, so I didn't pay attention to these details. And I found many of the things Poujauran had become known for, including the loaves of fruit breads. Is Secco continuing in the same vein? Thanks again, I really appreciate it. Wish I were there to go see for myself... V.

Hello, France Forum, I'm wondering if someone could clarify the status of what used to be Jean-Luc Poujauran's bakery in the Rue Jean Nicot in Paris (7th). I understand, from previous threads and other websites, that Jean-Luc sold it to Stephane Secco, and now only sells wholesale. Does anyone know approximately when this occurred? And, what confuses me is this photograph I found online on this site. It shows the old Boulangerie Poujauran with its pink facade, but then to the left is the Patisserie Secco. I thought Secco took over Poujauran... And if this is correct, did he keep the "Poujauran" name? Are there really still two places side by side like this, or is this photo outdated? Thank you for your help (I am writing a tiny piece for a local publication, and am hoping to get this straight). V.

Hi Geoff, The most influential book I read this year was The Omnivore's Dilemma (Michael Pollan). I highly recommend it. Why? I think it would behoove us all to think a little beyond our plates, and cultivate a better understanding of where our food comes from, how it is produced, and what effects these processes have on our communities and on the environment. I learned so much from the Omnivore's Dilemma, and even though I had already considered myself a fairly conscientious consumer, I realized how much I didn't know. The book has really changed how I eat, and has thereby made my eating a more rewarding and fulfilling experience. A must read, I think, and very engaging—Pollan is a beautiful writer. As for cookbooks, I got Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques earlier this year, and I have really enjoyed cooking from it. She cooked here in Boulder last summer, as a guest chef at Frasca. It was a fantastic meal, and that is what prompted me to purchase her book. I enjoy simply reading it, too. Hopefully I'll make it to Lucques in LA one day... I recently read Heat—I enjoyed it. It was very entertaining. What is The End of Food?? Thanks for starting the new thread - I'm excited to see what folks have been reading... V.

Foie Gras Poêlé is seared foie gras. I had this as an accompaniment to my main course. As an appetizer, I found terrine de foie gras to be more common (cold, served only with fleur de sel, or maybe with a fruit compote of some sort) - and it was usually so good it did not really need anything to go with it. Enjoy!!

Le Dome, 108 Blvd du Montparnasse; open daily; there is a fishmonger attached, so they have very, very fresh seafood; the plateau de fruits de mer includes oysters, it's amazing - or you can get just oysters, of course; 43 35 25 81 - make a reservation for dinner (they are open till 1). this is a very Parisian brasserie, opulent interior, very beautiful. The oysters I had there a couple of weeks ago were among the best and I have ever tasted.

In Paris (with my impressions, in brief): Ambassade d'Auvergne - very nice Le Grand Vefour (lunch) - just what one would expect, perfect Le Dome (the seafood place in Montparnasse) - absolutely enjoyable, probably our most exciting meal in Paris this trip; would go back in a heart beat Le P'tit Troquet - charming, simple, just what we were looking for at the time Au Trou Gascon - it was nice, but I would not go back given so much else to explore in Paris Aux Lyonnais - wonderful space, great service, loved the sommelier; straight forward bistro fare (good, but not terribly exciting) there were so many more interesting suggestions on eGullet, I wish we would have had more time... we were there on one Sunday and two Mondays - poor planning on our part, so our selections were somewhat limited on those days. We had some wonderful meals in Burgundy/Jura - the best at Jean Paul Jeunet in Arbois; not just the best meal this trip, but one of our best meals ever, I'd say; it was such a pleasure, the food, the people, everything. thank you, John, and others who are active on the France forum - we benefited greatly from the wisdom you have shared, and now that we are back, I follow the forum daily with great nostalgia. V.

Hi everyone, I just returned from 12 days in Paris/Burgundy/Jura, and, thanks to the advice from many here on eGullet, had some wonderful lunches and dinners. Thank you! I'm curious about other recent experiences at L'Os a Moelle. We went there following advice from eGullet, friends and several books, and I have to admit that it was the least memorable meal. I was really surprised, because so many sources recommended it. The six course menu sounded exciting at first, but when (finally!) the courses arrived, they were lacking something... and the cut of beef was even unappetizing. The service, although charming, was incredibly slow and confused. Our waitress would inevitably arrive with one plate we did not order, and so we would wait for several minutes for the other to arrive. This was happening at all the tables around us, too. The only truly memorable item was the mousse au chocolat (which we did not order, but there was no other table to take it at the late hour, so we were left with the extra dessert!). We thought perhaps the chef was out of town, but were surprised when he made an appearance at the end of the night. What's going on? Was this really simply an off-night, or is L'Os a Moelle going downhill? Just curious... Thanks, V.

I agree with hosinmigs - the milk plays a large role. I just got back form Paris 3 days ago, and really miss French coffee. I think people who appreciate black coffee or espresso have better experiences in Italy, but those of us who like cafe au lait (or cafe creme, as they seem to call it in Paris), find the Parisian versions so fulfilling. And I think it is the taste fo the whole milk. I realized this when I happened to have a glass of pure milk - it tastes different. It tastes like it's from a cow. It tastes like something, like milk! And it wasn't the UHT taste (at least the fresh milk I had wasn't). Since I returned, I have been looking into sources for raw milk around my hometown. I'm hoping that this will come closer to replicating a cafe creme at home. By the way, I am confused about coffee terminology in France. Whenever I ordered cafe au lait in Paris, I was asked "Cafe Creme?" And I was brought coffee with hot milk, either separately, or already mixed. So I learned to ask for cafe creme. But when I did this on an excursion into the Jura, I was brought black coffee with a side of cold creme... cafe creme. Is anyone familiar with the conventions in different parts of the country? Thanks, V.

Indeed! White truffle macarons are in at Pierre Herme - unbelievable! I enjoyed some just last Wednesday... Rue Bonaparte in the 6th.

While living in Palo Alto, my husband and I would often take our dogs to the beach in Half Moon Bay. Needless to say, after spending a couple of hours in the cold wind, our clothes damp with sea spray and shoes filled with sand, we opted for less formal venues - places to warm up and enjoy some local fare. One of our favorite spots was Duarte's Tavern (pronounced Doo-ert) in Pescadero, just south of HMB. The interior is somewhat dark and rather spare, but that's OK - this place is all about the food. The creamy atichoke soup warmed us right up. Then, local seafood was prepared simply, but was always fresh. Oysters were good, as was the cioppino. Leave some room for the olallieberry pie with vanilla ice cream. This place is a favorite among locals, and is usually packed for lunch and dinner (make a reservation), but accessible in the mid afternoon. Another option for us was Main Street Sushi in downtown HMB - not on Main Street, as you might assume, but on a cross street. After a hot bowl of miso soup and a cup of green tea, we stuck to the sushi basics rather than exploring the myriad of invented rolls. The standards were always fresh and satisying (and relatively inexpensive). Enjoy. Veronica

What about "dish"? As in "I really love this dish." I say it, since I don't know what to say instead, but I always notice how bland, non-descriptive, it is.... And it's an ugly word, I think, to describe something that is potentially very appealing. Seems we're missing a word here.

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions. I'm familiar with Bob's Red Mill, but did not know there was so much more online. And I am so excited about Rancho Gordo - what great varieties! Thanks to all. V.

My local Whole Foods seems to have old cannellini beans, arborio rice, etc... lots of the bulk foods seem old. I soak my beans overnight and can boil them for hours and hours, and they are still crunchy! And other items I have been looking for, such as borlotti/cranberry beans and farro, are not available. Would anyone know of a good online source for these products? Thank you! Veronica