Lesley C

There's a terrific Art Deco diner in Cincinnati, I think on the ground floor of the Omni hotel. Does anyone know this place? It's all done up in black and white and the waitresses wear the outfits and the whole shebang.

Catherine thank you. Welcome to eGullet. That was inspiring. I agree with you completely. Humility is a rare quality in chefs these days, but it's there in spades with many of the greats. I hope many members will read your post.

So there's never any Scotch involved? Why not deglaze your brown-sugar caramel with butter, cream and a shot of Scotch? Hmm...I might have something there.

I would think Rocco's Italian is pretty good as well. Looks, brains, charm and knife skills... Why is this man still single?

I wonder if the celeb crowd will follow Dave over to Rosalie? Every visiting movie star has been sighted at Globe at one time or another. I think Globe -- beeing cushier -- will maintain that cachet. Perhaps the tables are too close together at Rosalie.

Porkpa, hate to jump in with this but Milos is now miles ahead of Faros and Faros isn't that much less expensive. Have you been to Vegera on Bernard? One great thing about Faros though: free valet parking!!!

Munster St-Maure and the third is a toss up between an authentic raw milk Camembert and a Pont-l'eveque Quebec cheeses: Le Migneron de Charlevoix, Victor et Bertholde and Chevre Noir

Good thinking. It has changed quite a bit. I recommend the beef tartare and the veal chop.

Les Caprices de Nicolas is open seven days a week. Start saving up.

Also, take your tuna out of the fridge a bit before searing. I hate getting a piece of tuna that's seared on the outside and cold on the inside. It happens in restaurants all the time.

I think I mentioned this possibility just after Christmas but I thought it would happen in February if at all. Apparently he's drowning in debt. I was happy to hear no reports of his stores closing. If it happens, it will be a very sad day for pastry.

Montreal is a horrible city for pizza and it keeps getting worse. I only go to Pizzeria Napolitana on Dante in Little Italy. Otherwise, I make it at home.

Wow, I find that very, very sad. But you know Shiv there is life in Canada outside the hockey arenas. We'll forgive Americans for the South Park Movie if you forgive us for the booing.

You might also want to look into Anise, just up the street from Le Club des Pins at 104 Laurier Ave. O. (near St-Urbain St.) Phone: (514) 276-6999. They have a room on the top level of the resto that is ideal for groups, not totally secluded but quiet enough for coversation. The food is getting better and better at Anise, think sophisticated French with Middle Eastern accents. It's also a very sophisticated setting. Service is great, the wine list is interesting. They do lovely tasting menus for groups. It was one of my top picks from the recent Montreal High Lights Festival. You can have a look at their Web site at www.anise.ca.

Monica, put half the sugar needed for your recipe into the milk when you get it going (for something like custard). It's an old pastry chef's trick and it totally works .

This is just off the top of my head by memory... Remove the legs and braise them. Sear the breast on the bone, then roast at high temperature for about 15 minutes. I think that's right. Can anyone confirm this?

Eeer... I'm a bit less enthusiastic about California Dream, although I think the chef José is talented. I'd recommend Bice. Could you give a bit more information about what kind of food you would like?

I reviewed this book for the Montreal Gazette and met Pepin here the day after it was published. The publisher introduced us and Pepin gave me a big kiss. He was wearing a summer suit with a bow tie. He was as charming as expected, but maybe a bit shorter. He gave me some great quotes in the interview. I'd post the link but it seems to have expired.

I started writing while still a working pastry chef. I couldn't imagine writing any other way but the first person back then because I was commissioned to write as an expert. Today as a restaurant critic, I slip the "I" in there at least once per review. The me-itis stylings of A.A. Gill may be a bit much, but harsh criticism needs the “I” to hold it up. An effective restaurant review is more than just a dinner report. Anecdotal food writing is appealing in small doses. Though I enjoyed most of Hesser’s food diary in bi-monthly entries, I did start asking “why should I care” when faced with chapter after chapter of her life in book form. Funny, I never had this feeling with books by Ruth Reichl. The "I" can also get you into trouble. I was just writing a feature on Languedoc wines and I started out by saying I often served them at dinner parties. I then called a terrific wine importer for a quote and he said he'd never serve such cheap, boring wines to guests. I thought about it and decided to change my opening. With one honest comment, I could have dug my grave with all the high-end wine readers.

Yeah, we have excellent espresso in Montreal. Don't know why. I think the customer here demands it and the espresso makers listen. And here, the espresso makers are either French or Italian so they care. Varmint, I've seen those espresso packs made by Illy. I have a friend who has one of those cute-but-expensive retro espresso machines (the ones you can stack cups on top and come in a range of sherbet colours), and she just pops one of those packs in the machine and out comes perfect expresso. I don't buy the water theory. I think it has to do with coffee grind and temperature.

I've never been much of a St-Emilion fan. Are comments -- good or bad -- on this Grand Cru?

This summer I'll be drinking two Greek white wines, Asprolithi and Harlaftis Chardonnay -- both under $20 and great with grilled fish.

I found the recipe in the February 1999 issue of Gourmet mag. It's actually a buttermilk sherbet with egg yolks. You'll find the recipe at epicurious.com

Technically, the Krispy Kream is an impressive donut. The glaze is magnificent. I was sent a sample box a month ago (they are opening a Krispy Kream in Montreal next month) and I had to force myself not to finish off the dozen. My picky, French, pastry chef husband polished off the last six in about 15 minutes. Unlike Dunkin Donuts, these donuts are light in texture and the glaze doesn't clump. I loved them and I thought the packaging style was quite brilliant.