Sarabeth

I usually do mine, plain, in the oven... and then I had"Elizabeth's" bacon in New Orleans. Sadly, I don't think they reopened after Katrina (I hope I'm wrong) She served thick cut bacon that had been liberally covered in brown sugar and pecans before going in the oven. Just thinking about it is going to keep me awake and hungry tonight.

Thank you Toliver! I should learn to search before I ask And really, I love Ho Hos.. as a matter of fact, my husband's favorite concoction of mine is Chocolate Ho Ho (or Swiss Cake Roll) Ice Cream.

Jason, you are the man for starting this little game. I can't wait to try it out! Katie, the mimosa poster may have to go on my wall.

Another school year is right around the corner. For those of us in Georgia, some kids went back to school this past week. Even if it's 90+ degrees, we're back into the routine. I'm a teacher, and like the kids, can either buy my lunch or bring it from home. Now, my school has a fairly decent kitchen and I do sometimes buy lunch. The problem is time. I have 23 minutes (bell to bell) to eat my lunch and getting down to the cafeteria on the other side of the building is not always an option. And frankly, I'm tired of only heating up leftovers (no matter how good those leftovers might be), so... I'm taking suggestions. Be creative, people. Remember being a kid and pulling something great out of the lunchbox? That's what I'm looking for... only this time I'm not trading up for a Ho Ho.

As my UGA obsessed, er, devoted husband says on game mornings, "It is time to let the Big Dawg eat!" I wasn't a member of this board last year when you posted, and I'm not sure how we've missed you at all the games, but we'd love to get in on the fun. While I admit that our tailgating over near the baseball field isn't nearly as culinary, my husband does smoke one hell of a boston butt. We don't tend to cook much when we go to the away games (relying instead on local restaurant selections)but I have to say that your menu for the upcoming year sounds divine. We would love to contribute to the tailgating merriment!

That "barbecue type place" next to the seafood market is very good, too. There is also a nice, though small, farmers market on St. Simons Island just to the north of Jekyll. It is right next to the airport. Your children might enjoy looking for the "man in the tree" across the street. There are a bunch of these carvings around the island.. a fun little hunt. Have fun! S.

We had dinner tonight at SPOON, which is on Marietta St., not far from the CNN Center. It would be a relatively short cab ride from the game and your hotel. It's a storefront Thai restaurant, but it has something of a clubby vibe. The food is awesome (if you like Thai food) and very fresh. Plus, after dinner you aren't very far (although I probably wouldn't walk) from Northside Tavern which is a hole-in-wall dive that has some of the coldest cheapest drinks in Atlanta and the best blues music anywhere. Hope that's helpful... I'll keep thinking. S.

Beautiful photos. On the simpler side, I made a peach clafoutis for dessert tonight. Inspired by an apricot clafoutis I had a few weeks ago in France and the mounds of peaches that my Mother-in-law gave me last weekend, I thought I would give it a shot. I am a good cook, but an historically not-so-hot baker. I always seem to have an issue with measurements.... Anyway, I have to say that it came out very well; a little cakey, a little custardy, just like it should be. Maybe there is hope for me after all.

You just made me very very jealous.... I grew up on the East Side and we used to go to Corky and Lenny's almost every weekend. Now that I live in Atlanta, I dream about their mishmash soup and corned beef and latkes. Sigh.

I'm so glad I found this thread! In France this summer I bought some apricot vinegar after having it as part of an excellent vinaigrette the night before. I hadn't even thought about using it in a drink.

Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio has the best corn dogs I've ever had. They were a special "summer only" treat as a child, and they are still tasty as an adult. Their frozen bananas aren't too bad either. It is the Roller Coaster Capital of the World... the food is just an added bonus.

Here are few pictures... (Amazing how a grown woman, who believes herself to be fairly techno-savvy can feel so accomplished by uploading a few pictures!)

Here are (hopefully) some pictures from the trip... Ah, fromage...this is how I know I am in France! As mentioned, this was the girls' favorite place to dine.. as much for the food as for the attention. Be careful walking if you go now because the road is completely torn up. Berthillon speaks for itself, I think. The stuffed chicken at Mas des Grand'Terres. Sorry the quality isn't the best.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but I figured that an hour and a half drive would be more than worth it if it was good, and if it was bad, well, Aix is only about 10 minutes away. It turned out to be an incredible experience. You could easily miss Chateauneuf-le-Rouge since it is literally a speck on the N7 just east of Aix. You could drive right by while looking at the magnificent cliffs out of the driver’s side window. It would seem, though, that this is no hidden secret as the place was packed with people from all over southern France: Marseille, Montpellier, Arles, etc. Everything was arranged in a concentric U shape (wow, I hope that makes sense), except for the communal tables which were tented and placed squarely down the main street of the town. The outer U was reserved for the kitchens and booths of the “Maitres Cuisiniers de France” and the inner U was for “Les Proprietaires Récoltants” and “Produits du Terroir”. There was also a space reserved for Slow Food France (they are one of the sponsors), where demonstrations and tastings were held throughout the day. The restaurateurs were: Francis Robin, Le Mas Du Soleil, Salon-de-Provence René Berges, Le Relais Sainte-Victoire, Beaurecueil Serge Peuzin, L’Auberge Du Luberon, Apt Alfredo Faiola, La Goccia D’Olio, Cassis Michel Meissonnier, L’Ermitage Meissonnier, Les Angles Pierre Paumel, La Sommellerie, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Christian Ernst, Le Charles Livon, Marseille René Bérard, L’Hostellerie Berard, La Cadière d’Azur (Michelin starred) Jean Sébastian Gentil, Les Sarments, Puyloubier Frédéric Lacave, La Flamant Rose, Arles Florent Saugeron, La Sardine De Marseille, Marseille And how much did it cost to eat their wonderful offerings? Every dish was between 3 and 4 Euros, and each chef offered at least 4 or 5 choices. It amazed me that here were fabulous chefs (they were all present) cooking real food in portable kitchens, not just serving up cold entrées or “ideas” of what they normally served. The few that I spoke with were genuinely happy to be there… even though it was sweltering outside, so I can’t image it what it was like under their tents. I ate a cold pressed rabbit terrine with red onion jam from Francis Robin. I have to say that I am not normally a terrine fan because I cannot stand the texture of aspic. This was fantastic, however, as there was more tender, not mushy, meat than aspic and it was a perfect hot weather dish. The onion jam was an excellent accompaniment, just sweet enough to complement the seasoned rabbit. I also ate what was billed as “Marbre de poireaux a la mousse de canard”. You might see a trend here… I couldn’t bring myself to eat anything hot, since it was around 100F. This was offered from René Bérard. I expected the kitchen with the Michelin star to be more mobbed than the others, but the crowd seemed to appreciate each chef equally. This was a lovely presentation and the contrasting texture of the leeks with the creaminess of the mousse was perfect. The mousse was incredibly smooth and honest. You knew you were eating duck. I finished my meal with a “candy bar” from Christian Ernst. It was a somewhat ingenious idea: take a thin slice of almond bread and toast it. Spread it with a fig jam. Top that with fresh chevre and roll the entire thing in a mix of nuts. It was, quite literally, finger licking good. The wineries represented both Cote de Provence Sainte Victoire AOC and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOC. There were 20 altogether, all offering tastings and selling bottles to take home or to enjoy with your meal. I tasted some very nice rosés, but knowing that I had to drive back to Avignon (and did I mention that it was hot?!) I went easy on the wine. In the “Produits du terroir” section, I had a great time. I ate a raspberry mousse tartelette with lime gelée from Sylvain Depuychaffray (Marseille) that was out of this world. From Jean Jaques Malet (Fuveau) I bought ‘Guimauve au miel”, which has to be the best marshmallow I have ever eaten. I bought very earthy and rich olive oil from the Moulin d’Auriol. Ginger flavored chocolates from Joel Durand (St. Remy) actually made it home without melting or being eaten. There was a lovely organic fruit stand (Miramas) selling cold cherry soup in a melon half; a cheese monger from Trets; a calisson maker from Aix; a honey producer with about 30 varieties and a vender of herbs, also from Trets; a biscuiterie from Rognes; a fisherie selling bouillabaisse out of Marseille. The boulanger was local and had a gorgeous display of decorative breads. It was a fantastic experience. The food was beautiful and delicious. The crowd was quite clearly enjoying themselves and the communal tables led to much wine sharing and conversation. The Festival is annually held the first Sunday of July. I fully expect to return. I will try to post pictures.

Did someone mention gefilte fish and I missed it?

We’re back! Thank you again to all of you for your suggestions. It was a wonderful trip and I think that girls really enjoyed themselves. Due to flight issues (we flew standby) we only had three dinners in Paris. First of all, the dining highlight in Paris had to be L’As du Fallafel. It was cheap (and believe me, the girls had some serious Euro-sticker-shock since the exchange rate continues to plummet) and delicious. A completely new experience for them and they loved every bite. They also enjoyed the constant flirtation from the waiters. What could have been a quickie meal turned into hours of entertainment. Also, nobody mentioned that they serve the best lemonade I think I’ve ever had. On our first night we ate at Le Royal Tour on the Avenue de la Bourdonnais. How did we find it? Basically, the girls decided they were hungry, didn't want to travel to any of the places on my list, walked up to the first place we saw, looked at the menu, and decided it looked good. It was a very good introduction to a “typical” brasserie experience: the busy waiters, the traditional décor, etc.The four of us ate for under 50 E and relatively well. Two of the girls ordered steak-frites (it’s in their text books, after all) and one ate a very honest and tender boeuf bourgignon. I ordered the Salade Signon… salad topped with toasted chevre with magret and dried apples. The apples made for a very interesting contrast, but I would have preferred a little more magret. Our other dinner was at restaurant just off the rue Cler on the rue Champ du Mars. We referred to it as the “purple chair restaurant”, as the small bar area was filled with very comfortable plush purple armchairs. The outside of the restaurant is painted in a lovely chocolate color and “le chocolat” is written above the door. However, I don’t think that is the name of the place. Again, two of the girls ordered steak-frites (much better than the first place and served with a wonderful sauce au poivre), the third ordered an enormous croque-monsieur which she devoured before offering any bites. It looked very good. The entire menu here looked very interesting, and the dishes at other tables looked very appetizing and seemed to be well received. Again, we ate for under 50 E. The girls claim that they ate their weight in crepes between stores on the rue Rivoli. For three girls who complained about how expensive Paris was, they sure did a lot of shopping. We did have an ice cream lunch one afternoon at Berthillon. Hey, we were on vacation. Who says you can’t have ice cream for lunch?! Drinks at Les Philosophes were a big hit, as was the evening we hit both big cafés on Place Ecole Militaire. Again, the girls were as seduced by the atmosphere as by the large crowd of French men they attracted. Did I mention that these were three very lovely girls? We managed very lovely picnics for ourselves to take on the TGV to Avignon, and I really do have to rave about the pasta salad that I bought at Oliai on rue Cler: little shell pasta tossed in a creamy pesto with grilled eggplant, zucchini and marinated mozzarella. Very simple, very fresh, and very very good. Our meals in Provence were outstanding. There was, of course, the Festival de la Gastronomie Provencale in Chateauneuf-le-Rouge. I will write about that under its proper heading. All I will say here is that I fully intend to return to Provence the 1st Sunday in July next year, and the next, and the next… We stayed at the Mas des Grand’Terres in Rognonas. I highly recommend it. The accommodations are lovely, and the food is divine. Lindsay and Guy Butters, the owners, are very capable cooks who use local ingredients (most from their own garden) to create memorable meals. Every night we were treated to a three course meal preceded by what they humbly called “nibbles”. To recount: Nibbles: bowls of pistachios, fresh chevre rolled in either paprika, herbes de Provence, sesame seeds or chives, lovely local saucisson sec and tapenades, anchoides and confit de figues. Always bottles of cool rosé. First courses: What could have been a ubiquitous salad of ham and melon was brightened by an apricot vinaigrette; artichoke fritters with a balsamic reduction; a cold cucumber, garlic and mint soup (the girls’ favorite); a cherry tomato tartlette Main courses: a chicken breast stuffed with pain de mie, lemons and zucchinis served on a bed of new potatoes, spring onions and yellow squash; a pork cutlet with a lemon sauce on a mound of olive oil mashed potatoes; moussaka, which had a lovely hint of cinnamon, and was a great mid-stay changeup; and perhaps the best leg of duck I have ever eaten. It was crispy and tender. The cherry glaze was not too sweet and it was served with perfectly roasted vegetables from the garden. Desserts: Not their strongest point, however, there was one standout: fresh apricot ice cream (made from the neighbor’s apricots) served with homemade lavender sables. Truly a remarkable combination and finish to the evening. I do not think that they take reservations for just meals, but on top of the lovely company and accommodations, the food alone merits a stay. Again, thank you all for your time and ideas. I took a lot of pictures, and will attempt to post them soon.

We are finally off tomorrow. Thanks to all who gave their advice.. it has been invaluable. We return 8 July and I'll give a full report. I will also be sure to report back on the Festival de la Gastronomie Provencale (under it's proper heading, of course) Have a great week! S.

This 2 July will be the 15th annual festival in tiny Chateauneuf-le-Rouge. Has anyone been before? You can see part of last year's program on the town's website, but I can't seem to find this year's program anywhere online. It looks fantastic though and I think we'll definitely try to make it.

Thank you for the Balzar rec! That sounds like it could be a great idea.

Food photos... absolutely!! I am actually (humbly) proud of my photography skills. The olive picture under my name is a picture I took at the Apt market a few summers ago. Too bad we won't be able to hit that market... it is one of my favorites!

We really enjoyed dinner at Los Mayas in Santa Fe. It's on West Water St. They have an incredible appetizer called Chile en Nogada. It is a poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, ground pork, plantain, peach, pear, pinon and almonds and topped with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. You aren't quite sure what is going on, but your tongue knows that it is good!!!! It was a Taste of Santa Fe winner in 2005. For an entree I had the shrimp sautéed in a chipotle cream sauce was fantastic. Enjoy!

You are all fantastique! I was already thinking "market" lunches. I spend so much time in class talking about the wonderful things for sale, that it would be a sin NOT to have a picnic! We'll also be hitting a lot of markets in Provence, so it will be a great introduction. I love the merguez idea, and really, with the changing face of France I think it qualifies for "French" food. One of you asked where we are staying: We are staying in a hotel near the Ecole Militaire. I gave the girls three options and this is where they picked. I like it because it is in a safe area (for four women alone) and convenient to everything. We are very close to the Rue Cler, so I fully expect to grab croissants there in the morning (and NOT for 9 E at the hotel!). I also love the market at Richard-Lenoir and we'll be heading there, too. Reading those responses which made reference to "early days" in Paris it was hard not to think of my own first time in the city. I remember the smell of bread and water in the mornings. I remember my first crepe on Montmartre (you know, the place with the red windows and doors). I collided with a guy I had a crush on because we were both staring straight up in Notre Dame instead of watching where we were walking. I ate a terrine of foie gras for the first time. It was simple. It was puppy love. And it reminds me, that the girls have to experience Paris for themselves. I can't walk them around and say, "And here is where we will experience crepes with Nutella and bananas!" Magic moments don't arrive because I say, "abracadabra": Paris IS magic. Oh how excited I am for them. It is one of the perks of being a teacher and taking students abroad. Each time I travel, everything, including those first bites of crepe or rillettes, is new again.

Chocolate Swiss cake roll ice cream. Which I am guessing is not on my diet....

Hello all, After reading the eGullet reports for so long, I decided to ask John to help me with a current conundrum. He agreed to face the task, but only if I posted it here, too, so that others could chime in. I am taking three 18 year olds (from semi-rural Georgia, no less) to France for ten days. We're spending three full days in Paris before heading to Provence for a week. I've spent a lot of time in France, but oddly enough, not a whole lot in Paris. I lived in Toulouse and spent whole summers in Avignon. I know where I'D go eat in Paris, but with the girls it is a little different. They are all very willing eaters and want authentic meals. They've promised me they will not eat at McDo and I am so excited to be giving them this experience. The challenge: They are all on very very tight budgets. I'm thinking about 10 Euro a dinner, 15 tops. I'm thinking we could splurge one night... to 20. I've been doing some research and have a big list of possibilites.. including the cafes/bistros of Xavier Denamur. I'm also thinking of heading for ethnic one night.. like pho, maybe. Lunches are not a problem.. we'll be heading to markets and picnicing or maybe La Tartine, or Le Pain Quotidien. I have fun memories of Le Refuge aux Fondues when I was in college.. but I don't think their parents would appreciate me taking their daughter to drink wine out of baby bottles! We're staying in the 7th, but I'm not adverse to going anywhere in the city for a good meal. And, I promise to report back on our luck and our adventures in Provence, as well. Thanks so much for your time and I am very happy to turn my voyeurism here into participation, Sara