Lesley C

Yeah, I'd second that.

I spoke to Ms. Thomson this morning and she told me it is sold at Le Latina on St-Viateur in Montreal. I think 100 ml will set you back around $29. It is a beautiful product. Boy, would I like to try it drizzled on some vanilla ice cream.

Oooh I love the confit of Chef Alain Loirvel at Le P’tit Plateau, a restaurant which may just be the ideal accompaniment to your book

I had the confit cooked sous vide for dinner last night. Delicious! But as Paula mentions in the book, it did lack that husky flavour (or is it musky flavour). Anyway, the melting tenderness made up for the lack of funky flavour. I am wondering, though, if this confit could be treated like the regular confit, that is crisped up in a fry pan before reheating at 400F? Just to give the skin that extra crunch.

You cancelled L'Utopie! where the service and wine pairings are brilliant!

Thanks also for the Basquaise chicken advice. We had the fleur de sel chocolate cake last night with creme anglaise and raspberries. Super delicious! Although, a bit tough on the liver (as the French would say) after an insane raclette feast.

I have made several recipes from the book and most have turned out quite well, like the confit cooked sous vide and the squash soup. Unfortunately, the potatoes Sarladaise really didn't work that well, but that's probably because I used Yukon Golds and I suspect I sliced them too thin, more of 1/16th of an inch instead of the suggested 1/8th. Basically the potatoes did not brown so I jacked up the heat at the end to produce a crust. I also would prefer the potatoes be seasoned during the cooking process instead of just then end. I found by salting and peppering just the top, the dish was a bit bland. My big problem was with the Basquaise chicken I served for dinner tonight. When I finished cooking it, it was still quite raw. So I put in on for another 12 minutes and stuck in my instead read thermometer. Once it hit 170, I turned off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes (basically, I repeated the cooking sequence twice, making the complete cooking time 42 minutes instead of the suggested 20). To my dismay, some of the chicken meat was still pink at the bone. Paula if you're reading this please help (I want to get this recipe right because the sauce is delicious). When you say chicken legs, do you just mean drumsticks or the leg including the thigh? I used just over 4 lbs of thighs and drumsticks, which equaled six thighs and four drumsticks. Also, a red flag went up in my mind when I saw that 20 minute cooking time when originally reading through the recipe. Is that correct? Also, I'm assuming all the cooking is still done on low heat. Is that correct also?

I would think that Jean-Philippe is focusing on the restaurants he reviewed this year, 2005, only.

Oh please...that was so obviously deliberate

As I said to Mr. Tastet this morning, I cannot agree with Spaghettata. I had probably my worst restaurant meal there this summer, and I used to like the place. I also wouldn't agree with XO, but, whatever, to each his own I guess.

My wish for 2006: that Cocagne finally finds its restaurant legs.

If Bruni ends up having to pan this place, won't he look like a bit of a dolt for playing it so big before it opened? I still think it's a conflict of interest -- his interest!

All those restaurants have merit, but I would say if you're kind of wild go for Laurie, if you're conservative you'll like L'Initiale, and if you're up for something rather Zen and innovative try L'Utopie. It's tough to recommend one over another because they are all so different. My fav was L'Utopie -- by far.

The more I read this book the more I like it. It takes me back to the Italian restaurants I used to visit in the eighties, where they served profiteroles and the waiters wore tuxedoes. What people tend to forget is how French Northern Italian food is, or certainly was. It's so old-fashioned! But in this very appealing way, I think, because the recipes are quite simple. The tiramisu is exactly what a tiramisu should be. The bolognese is a straight up bolognese, and the bruschetta is pure as the driven snow. And I love the fact that they tell you not to sprinkle the spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce with cheese. Only an Italian cookbook would tell you NOT to do something. That said, I agree with those who say the food isn't all that tempting or inspirational. I would only recommend this book to someone who already has a knack for Italian cooking. If I had to start my risotto Milanese with bone marrow every time, I might never make it. But after reading the SS recipe, I'm interested to try out the marrow method. The food also looks a bit drab, and the photos have a lot to do with that. I see the kind of no-nonsense style they were after, but I'm not too sure it worked. Anyway, I say thumbs up. And really, considering the amount of information here, the price is more than fair.

Yes, I think you can access the Gazette reviews now through www.canada.com. and then click on the Montreal Gazette and then the link to the Weekend Life section. They changed the format of the site and I think the reviews are now viewable free of charge. (is viewable a word?)

I disagree. Laloux is better than Pop and the wine list is more extensive. At least that was the case last fall and I haven't heard anything goo about Pop since. In fact, quite the opposite. I don't think there is a tasting menu at Laloux, but I would highly recommend the tourte de gibier, the liver with raspberry vinegar (if available but it might be a lunch thing) and fish is always good (Besson is a fish specialist). The lamb was excellent when I was last there and we had a wicked Spanish wine to go with. And have Le Grand Dessert. It's really old-fshioned and lovely.

Sadly, this is far from the moto at APdC. Can you imagine how great this restaurant would be if they did focus on getting everything right all the time and for everyone?

Boy, that web site is a mess. I can't even read the English text because I find that kind of sloppy translation completely offensive. Thing is, it would be so simple for them to clean that up, which makes me wonder whether they even care. Considering all the American media attention they are getting of late (thanks mostly to Mr. Bourdain), you think they would clean up their act. My suggestion: Carswell or Sensorial (or anyone else who loves the place) why not offer to correct the English text in exchange for a meal or two (or three!). They might not even know how terrible that text is. I would offer to do it, but ever since my last negative review of the place, I'm persona non grata with Picard et co.

I don't think any one has yet mentioned the original new book, BONES by Jennifer McLagan (Harper Collins, 2005). The book was the focus of a NY Times feature just before Halloween. I read it cover to cover this week and couldn't put it down. It is just the kind of food we need in cold weather. I have marrow bones in my fridge right now soaking in salt water ready for roasting, and I bought lamb shanks to braise in Guiness, ox tails to braise with roast vegetables, and ribs galore. Any carnivore out there with access to a good butcher should have a look at this book.

I was there today and it really is one great store. I found tons of interesting products there. And the store itself is beautiful. Saw the Le Creuset pots there and yes the basic dutch oven still costs $300.

Hey Ziggy, Thanks for the recs. I'm always looking out for new restaurants. I whizzed past MB months ago and am not quite sure it's fine dining, though Sarah Musgrave says yes. It seems trapped between casual and fancy. As for Del Canale I walked in last September and had a look. It's very pretty. I hear the chefs are ex-Lucca guys. Please keep the new restaurants coming. I haven't heard of anything since the Baron place.

Le Cafe du Clocher Penche is excellent. But you know, I had good food at Cafe du Monde as well.

OK, I'll get the ball rolling...chocolate and vanilla. On a more serious note... pistachio and cherry chocolate and passion fruit rum and praline white chocolate and bitter orange peanut and gingerbread and, who could forget the classic pear and caramel

Hey, at least he's not working as Martha Stewart's personal chef like Pierre Schaedelin. Robert 40 I see where you're coming from. But Mr. Cutlets has a point. For a three-macaron ex-Ducasse chef to be making bistro food is a step down. Or a step sideways. Or a step in some direction. You can't read about that without thinking "get out of town...Gras at a bistro???" Still, like rob said, he might be tired, the money might be good, or hey, he might just be into exploring the bistro genre. Maybe he just likes Batali. Who knows.

It was also reviewed in Le Devoir on Friday. Boy, don't you just love it when critics review a place a full fifteen minutes after the opening.