Lesley C

Pouring shields are for sissies! Just pour from a height and aim for the small ridge between the beater and the side of the bowl. And when you pour, pour the first third on high speed, the next two thirds on medium speed, and pour very slowly in as thin a stream as you can manage. I cook it to 121 C, and I usually start beating my whites when the sugar reaches 115 C. Also, once all your hot syrup is incorporated, remove the whisk in favour of the paddle. The meringue cools down much faster this way (especially when you're making large quantities). Just make sure to maintain medium speed. Then change back to the whisk to beat in the butter. God, we could do an entire thread on the ins and out of Italian meringue.

Hmmm, not to take sides on this (I find both these men's reactions over the top), but Les Halles really isn't the kind of place where they bring garlic cloves to the table. It isn't a bistro.

Good review. Nice. But I thought it read like three stars. She didn't seem to dislike anything, so why two stars? Is it too casual for three? And what about the service? Not mentioned at all. Hmm, I just don't get The Times star system. Every week I'm surprised. Does this place not have three-star potential? If so, I don't see -- according to that write-up -- how it could be better.

Gee, I love it when you have to order dessert at the outset of the meal. I hate starting the whole ordering process over again after my main course. Also, if they just bring it, I eat it. If I stop and think about it, I might just skip on dessert altogether. That's why I like set menus so much. It all just flows.

Excellent point.

Hey, it got a three-star rating from The Times. Also, it looks like fun. I'm just starting to see all this ultra high-end dining as a bit of a bore. I remember asking a high-ranked magazine food editor what she thought of the French Laundry and she said she wasn't interested in spending four hours over dinner anymore. I was surprised, but I can understand what she means. A four hour meal at La Bastide des Moutiers outside on a sunny day in Provence is one thing, but four hours at a table in an New York highrise is quite another.

Frankly, the whole Thomas Keller deal leaves me cold, and the name is just the icing on the cake, albeit a perfect cake. I would choose a dozen places to dine at over the FL or Per Se. If I had $1000 in my pocket and access to any New York restaurant tomorrow I would choose Ducasse, Masa or even Spice Market over Per Se. Hell, even a Cuban sandwich at Schiller's Liquor Bar seems more appealing than a four-hour parade of endless perfection.

Did anyone here say that? I think not. As for an upset, well was there an audible gasp in the room followed by a hundred swift glances in Pepin's direction? That would be an upset reaction. Guess it didn't happen or you didn't see it. And btw, I highly recommend The Apprentice. It's an interesting read for anyone in the food business, especially Americans. I just saw it out in paperback.

Mr. Picard is the best. Not only is he one of the only CERTIFIED affineurs in Quebec (or for that matter Canada) he's also surprisingly young, very professional and pretty cute. My kind of cheesemonger .

Yes (2 1/2 stars) better than expected and very charming host. Still, for me, not in the same league -- food-wise -- as Les Infideles and Christophe.

I feel completely stupid and petty for interjecting with this kind of comment on this thread, but I just can't get past the STUPID name of the restaurant. I see pictures, I read food descriptions, but that name is like nails on a chalk board. I mean what the hell image does Per Se conjure up? I hate everything about it, it's cold, it's pretentious, it's meaningless. I will never be tempted to dine there just because of that name. It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Ug. Per Se. Ug. Ug. Ug. (sorry, I just had to get that off my chest)

Cooking for Mr. Latte beat out The Apprentice book by Jacques Pepin in this category, which is a tad surprising because Pepin has been a long standing darling of the IACP, or even a founding member (not sure?). I liked Pepin's book better (his life makes for a great read), but I'm not surprised it didn't win. Suzanne F, do you know if this was an upset at the book awards?

Hey bleudauvergne, thanks for the translation. I have had trouble getting on the board lately.

I'm picturing "Scrubs" goes to the CIA

Didn't Tad Friend (aka Mr. Latte) just write a profile of Reitman for the New Yorker? Maybe he slipped him a copy of Cooking for Mr. Latte in between interviews.

I just heard back from Mr. Picard of Fromagerie Hamel regarding Vivremanger's epoisse. Mr. Picard is a very charming and gracious young man and I think his answer is honest, and his offer to reimburse the customer is admirable. When I have a minute I'll translate, but for now, here's his response in French. Merci Ian! Cher Monsieur, Un de nos clients a eu la gentillesse de nous faire part de l'insatisfaction que vous avez témoignée face à l'Époisses que vous avez acheté dans notre commerce en mars dernier. Nous en sommes vraiment désolés. Vous mentionnez que votre fromage était trop avancé en maturité et, sans vouloir mettre en doute vos affirmations, je vous avoue que cela m'étonne pour deux raisons: dans un premier temps en raison du soin que nous déployons à assurer un contrôle très serré de la qualité de nos produits et dans un deuxième temps parce que nos conseillers ont l'habitude de veiller à ce que le client reçoive un fromage adapté à ses goûts. Il faut savoir aussi que l'Époisses Gaugry se distingue de l'Époisses Berthault par certaines particularités. D'abord l'Époisses Berthault est fabriqué avec du lait pasteurisé alors que l'époisses Gaugry est au lait cru. Celui-ci révèle aussi une croûte plus foncée et plus humide ainsi qu'une saveur plus relevée que le Berthault que vous aviez l'habitude de consommer. Je pense toutefois, à en juger par votre description, que votre Époisses a malheureusement échappé à notre vigilance et qu'il a été victime d'une mauvaise rotation. Mais quoiqu'il en soit, cela m'excuse pas le fait que vous ayez été insatisfait. Nous vous présentons donc tous nos regrets et vous prions de bien vouloir communiquer avec nous pour obtenir un remboursement. Voici mes coordonnées: Ian Picard, vice-président et affineur FROMAGERIE HAMEL 515 272-1161

When you volunteer, you do it free of charge, no? At least he's getting paid to look like an ass. And considering how hard it is to make it to the three-star level in NYC, I respect him even less for destroying his hard-earned repuation so quickly.

I read that review on the net and didn't see the star rating until the end. I practically fell off my chair when I saw one star. That review just didn't merit a one-star rating. She seemed to love the food. I just don't get it.

Well you know Tim, for those of us who didn’t toil alongside Rocco and soak up his former magnificence, it looks like this guy spends more time scratching his ass, pouting, complaining and flirting with the ladies than running a restaurant with his name on the awning. Worse, though, is that he seems ready and willing to perpetuate this image week in week out. If integrity were the name of his game, why would he let this train wreck go on? Does he care? Is he in it for the money or the celebrity? There hasn't been one second on that show where Rocco comes off like a seasoned pro -- not one. Cooks may rule, but this cook’s looking less and less like a chef and more and more like a sell out.

No, salt in pasta water a good thing, an essential thing.

For anyone who caught Jamie Oliver's restaurant reality show Jamie's Kitchen a while back, it's interesting to compare it to The Restaurant. Jamie worked with a bunch of slackers while continuing to tape his own show, promote his books (in the UK, US and Japan), make breakfast for his child, be there to oversee construction of his restaurant (and pour much of his own cash into the project) and get to the hospital when his wife gave birth both times. He's also a hell of a lot more appealing than Rocco and, unlike DiSpirito who I’ve only seen pour salt into pasta water thus far, Oliver seems quite passionate about his craft. The man was at his restaurant behind the counter more often than not and the food he was churning out was a whole lot more appealing than that red-sauce nightmare at Rocco's. Oh, and I think Jamie Oliver is a good decade younger than Rocco. I went in watching the Oliver show thinking of JO as a pampered British TV chef with a massive ego, and came out at the end of the show thinking he was a pretty OK kind of guy. Rocco on the other hand, had this great reputation of one of New York's top chefs. After this show, I really wonder whether they'll ask him to pose on the cover of Gourmet with a fish over his shoulder again. So my advice now to Chodorow is to get in touch with Oliver (apparently he's looking to move to the States) and get him at the masthead of Rocco's -- fast. He's cuter, younger, a better cook, and far more responsible.

I think I'm watching too much of this show because I'm starting to get the hots for Jeffrey Chodorow. Then again, that might just be an adverse reaction to Rocco's ego, unpressed shirts, bad hair, and spare tire. And, boy, Mamma, isn't looking so nice anymore.

I didn't say tell them you're a restaurant critic, I said tell them you're a food writer, a chroniqueur gastronomique, not a critique de restaurant. I mean, what the hell, it just might work. And if you have to, if your feel guilty or something, find an outlet to write a story about the place, say your local neighborhood paper.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. You just cannot compare the top EVOOs to supermarket brands. If you use olive oil as a condiment (for pouring on pasta or drizzling on bruschetta) you need the good stuff -- or I wouldn't even bother. Sorry Marlene but I just can't agree. I have had side by side tastings of brownies made with Baker's unsweetened and Valrhona pur pate de cacao and no one noticed a difference. For something like a chocolate mousse, yes, but for baked goods it's a toss up.

Tell them you're a food writer. That's chroniquer gastronomique in French.