Lesley C

I don't think it's a matter of better, it's really more about quantity. Quebec produces more maple syrup than anyone else. Though you can get maple syrup in places as far south as Virginia, Quebec has the ideal climate. I like Grade B syrup, but agree with Steven about the pure flavour of A syrup. Maple syrup is just one of those things I absolutely love to eat. I can drink the stuff.

A friend of mine just got back from Morimoto and handed me the menu. I wasn't there so I can't go into details, but he said the meal was amazing and that Morimoto was very kind and happy to be there. Maybe someone can fill in the blanks on this one. Glace Phily: a cream cheese sorbet topped with caviar Carpaccio Kamo liburi: duck on a custard flan Sashimi salad Japanese oysters with foie gras Spicy lobster: Cajun style Kobe Yakishabu Sushi Dessert: maple creme brulee

You guys could add pancakes to Rosalie's dessert menu. I love pancakes

I think you people are dismissing DGF too quickly. The Les Louis couverture has a deep, somewhat fruity flavour. And Steve, TONS of French chefs use it and a lot of MOFs work at the DGF school (at least they used to). It's certainly a lot better than any of the Barry low-end stuff (I will not touch favourites mi-amer) and even some Valrhona like Caraibes.

I was smiling throughout. Thanks Janet, I enjoyed that.

Bingo! Try http://www.knifemerchant.com/products.asp?...cturerID=34#142. and click onto item # Y10821 for a bigger picture.

These pots make all the difference, and they are totally cool. When I wrote this article I found two sources for mussel pots, one place in Maine (they mainly sold mussels) and another Belgian cookware shop. The Maine one was black and the Belgian one was stainless steel like the one I found here. They are quite lightweight and have a deep lid, which you flip over and use to store the shells. To find them locally, I called a Belgian restaurant and asked them where they bought theirs. You get a generous individual serving in each. I'll keep looking for those sites. The original story is here http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id...73-cbd278b95dbb, but they seem to have ditched the picture of the mussel pot. Too bad the frites recipe is gone as well.

I just wrote a story on this and worked with a Belgian chef on these recipes. For great mussels, you need the right pot. Cast iron is too heavy. To be really authentic, you need individual mussel pots, a black, one-serving pot designed to increase the space for shaking during the cooking process. It’s deep, round lid is also ideal for storing the empty shells during the eating process. Look for them in restaurant supply stores. Moules Casserole Serves 2 This recipe is written for two individual mussel pots, It can also be doubled or tripled, and you can add ingredients like extra herbs, peppers or cream if desired. Just be sure respect the cooking times and temperatures listed. 2 kg fresh mussels 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled 1 branch celery, rinsed 2 medium carrots, peeled and rinsed The white of 1 leek, washed 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced A handful of fresh parsley, chopped 2 wine glasses (about 400 ml) of dry white wine Salt and pepper to taste Rinse the mussels in cold water and discard any with cracked shells or that are open. Chop the onion, celery, carrots and leek into large pieces (about one inch). Place a tablespoon of butter and oil in each pot over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, divide the vegetables and garlic into the two pots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the mussels and half the white wine, cover, and turn the heat to high. Cook for 7-9 minutes (depending on the size of the mussels) shaking gently every so often. Just before the cooking time is up, pour over the remaining wine, sprinkle with chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and toss one last time. Keep covered until ready to serve. Mayonnaise Dipping Sauce Serves 2 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Dijon mustard 2 tablespoon (30 ml) Mayonnaise (Hellman's works well) Approximately 2 tablespoon (30 ml) 35% cream Salt and white pepper A few spoonfuls cooked mussel juices* (optional) In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise and enough cream to soften the consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Just before eating, stir in the mussel juices. Serve with mussels and frites.

Moules Casserole Serves 2 as Main Dish. For great mussels, you need the right pot. Cast iron is too heavy. To be really authentic, you need individual mussel pots, a black, one-serving pot designed to increase the space for shaking during the cooking process. It’s deep, round lid is also ideal for storing the empty shells during the eating process. Look for them in restaurant supply stores. This recipe is written for two individual mussel pots, It can also be doubled or tripled, and you can add ingredients like extra herbs, peppers or cream if desired. Just be sure respect the cooking times and temperatures listed. Moules Casserole 2 kg fresh mussels 2 T butter 2 T vegetable oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled 1 branch celery, rinsed 2 medium carrots, peeled and rinsed 1 leek, white part only, washed 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced A handful of fresh parsley, chopped 400 ml dry white wine salt and pepper to taste Mayonnaise Dipping Sauce 2 T Dijon mustard 2 T Mayonnaise (Hellman's works well) 2 T (approx) 35% cream salt and white pepper A few spoonfuls cooked mussel juices* (optional) For the Mussels Rinse the mussels in cold water and discard any with cracked shells or that are open. Chop the onion, celery, carrots and leek into large pieces (about one inch). Place a tablespoon of butter and oil in each pot over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, divide the vegetables and garlic into the two pots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the mussels and half the white wine, cover, and turn the heat to high. Cook for 7-9 minutes (depending on the size of the mussels) shaking gently every so often. Just before the cooking time is up, pour over the remaining wine, sprinkle with chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and toss one last time. Keep covered until ready to serve. For the Mayonnaise Dipping Sauce In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise and enough cream to soften the consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Just before eating, stir in the mussel juices. Serve with mussels and frites. Keywords: Main Dish, Seafood ( RG211 )

Les Louis by DGF is an excellent chocolate for the price. I like the taste and it's easy to temper. When I worked at Thuries in France, we used DGF everything -- even though everyone was under the impression we used Valrhona. This was in the days before he was making his own chocolate.

There were twenty cheeses there! I've often been there when the choice was limited to about 7 or 10. I'll have to go back soon.

Wow, I liked Lipp but I understand where all this is coming from. I did have a salad there for lunch with a Perrier. The waiter was rude, but in that miserable kind of Parisian way I don't find offensive. A man who looked just like Thierry Ardisson was sitting next to us writing away like crazy in a notebook and getting loads of attention. My salad was great. It's a lunch salad, a salade compose, not a salade verte. I was back there last summer. Our waiter was nice and the food was great. The back room was full of tourists and the front room was full of locals. I had a nice time. Not great, but nice. I just think it's a very cool place.

Waht about this Pate a Chou place in Rosedale?

Well if that was Rahier, I'll tell you, he didn't do much smiling on that show either.

That cheese shop is next door to my grocery store and I get there at least once a week. I like the service style and the prices are fair. My only problem is that they only carry their cheeses and a few imports. It's just too limited for the curious cheese lover.

Wow, it's great to read so many interesting comments about the festival. KM I'm dying to hear your comments about the Passe-Partout. about the Patterson desserts. I thought they lacked a bit of fun. I hate to use this word but I thought they were too anal -- verging on bleak. That said, I liked the slightly chewy texture of the espresso cake. It was really four bites wasn't it? And the pre-dessert quince sorbet was one. And innocente Welcome to eGullet! Keep posting. Are you planning on getting to any more Festival dinners?

No, he was French. Young guy, brown hair. I'll try to track down the article.

Brasserie Lipp is pretty hard to beat. http://www.brasserie-lipp.fr/ For lunch, try the beet, mache, walnut and chevre salad.

Grapefruit, tons of it, and steak. Not together.

Time to move to Toronto and open a pastry shop! Explorer, do you know if this was the fellow featured on Martha Stewart making brioche?

I went to Villa Del Lupo years ago and loved it. Sorry to hear it has gone down hill. Has anyone else been disappointed there lately?

I made it to the Trotter dinner. Guess I'm not important enough for Godbout. -- which is really too bad because I was planning on bringing a couple excellent pastry chef with me who were dying to go. I'm starting to see some of these events as more of an opportunity for a chef to plug his restaurant and use these "name" chefs to boost his reputation than a Montreal festival where chefs are invited by the festival committee and subsidized to a certain extent by taxpayer dollars.

Hi Stelio, Hmmm...the bass...I enjoyed it as well, but if you commit to a description like lobster jus, shouldn't the jus taste of lobster? I heard that about Patterson as well, and it's a shame because the people at Anise really bent over backwards to show is food off in the best possible manner (all those different beautiful plates....) and there are many talented hands in that kitchen. Stelio, are you going to any other dinners?

Dinner #3 Daniel Patterson, of San Francisco restaurant Elisabeth Daniel at Anise Amuse bouche: Foie gras truffles, vegetable emincé with ginger and basil Amuse 2: Chilled carrot soup with pickled mango and cilantro Seared rare ahi suspended in lemon/black pepper jelly Wine: Champagne brut, R de Ruinart Foie gras crisped in cornmeal with lavender infused onions and 25-year old balsamico “tradizionale” Wine: Gewurtraminer Heimbour 1998, Domaine Zind Humbretcht Herb-scented loup de mer in a lobster jus Wine: Viognier, Calera Mt- Harlan 1997 Seared duck breast with baby bok choy, black “forbidden” rice and lapsang souchong infusion Wine: Russian Valley Pinot Noir 2000, Patz and Hall Aged goat cheese with roasted beets and arugula salad Fume Blanc Reserve 1999, Mondavi Quince sorbet with citrus Miniature espresso cakes flavoured with kumquat, date and cardamom Wine: Muscat du Cap Corse 2001, Domaine Leccia This was a superb dinner -- a study in perfection. Not a grain of rice was out of place. High lights included the foie gras truffles, which were rolled in something similar to crackled praline. The ahi tuna is a signature dish. The jelly was just barely gelatinized and the pepper and lemon flavour was so fresh. Both the tuna and jelly had this melting texture. Really nice. The rest was very good. Patterson’s presentations are modern and pared-down. My only complaint was that some of the promised flavours were too subtle (the lobster jus tasted only of herbs etc). I think he could push the flavour envelope to better effect. The service staff at Anise outdid themselves. I haven’t been to Elisabeth Daniel, but I can’t imagine he was lacking for much at Anise. They were great hosts.

Excellent point Dave!