vivelafrance

WOW, we have a real Bourdain fan club going here. I hope he appreciates your dedication, because obviously there is nothing Mr Bourdain can do wrong in some people's book. I still like him, his books and his shows, but I am not going to defend everything he does, no matter what. A little criticism has never hurt anyone....And a little distance on some people's part wouldn't hurt either....

Have you read Tony's commentary on the Top Chef contestants on Michael ruhlman's blog- It's been up for a while but I just found it- hilarious. ← What's the link to that commentary? I'd love to read it.

Thanks busboy...you've restored my faith....

Maybe you're right. I am hooked on the old Tony, the one from the beginning, when he wasn't as famous...But could he really have changed that much? As you can guess, I am not a big fan of Oprah. She is all about self promotion and has a great sense of self importance. He could have picked a different media. That's all.

It's no secret that Tony Bourdain is my hero. I have the biggest crush on him and even my BF knows that and I think accepts it with grace. I think Tony has class, defies conventions and follows his own rules. In my book, those are qualities rare to find these days. I still want to hold out hope that Tony wouldn't sell out in the name of money or fame. So, I ask you, WHY,WHY is he featured in Oprah's Magazine O? the link: http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200702/omag..._firsts_b.jhtml Tony, if you read this, I beg you to reassure me and tell me that there is good explanation for this.... Bourdain and Oprah. That does not make sense.....Does anybody get it?

I don't know how they do it but you can find flan in a clear plastic cup in France. I grew up on them, and still love them whenever I go home. Have you tried them?

Hey Menon, that was a great video of Soltner making a tarte flambee. I think I might have to try to make his version of the traditional dish.

Pepin is only one source on freezing pates ... there are other opinions as well ...if you do decide to freeze it however, don't add hard boiled eggs .. they get rubbery ... and if you do freeze, the fat in it may help keep it in good shape upon thawing .. wrap tightly so that the pate doesn't pick up other smells ... and remember to scrape the gray from the top layer when serving it ... ← I found a recipe that suggested canning the pates. I think that might be the way to go. Thanks for the suggestions. ← Is the Pepin quote from the complete technique?

Pepin is only one source on freezing pates ... there are other opinions as well ...if you do decide to freeze it however, don't add hard boiled eggs .. they get rubbery ... and if you do freeze, the fat in it may help keep it in good shape upon thawing .. wrap tightly so that the pate doesn't pick up other smells ... and remember to scrape the gray from the top layer when serving it ... ← I found a recipe that suggested canning the pates. I think that might be the way to go. Thanks for the suggestions.

.. I personally prefer not to freeze pate lest it become grainy upon thawing ... ← Thanks...I guess that answers my question

We're thinking about making our own pates, but we are not sure if we can or should freeze them. If freezing is an option, should we freeze before cooking or after. What's the result once it's thawed out? If anybody has any experience in that, we are very curious about it. Thanks.

My sweetie surprised me one day (he had is shipped to my house) with a set of Sitram cookware. Admittingly I had been cooking with really subpar equipment, but I had no idea what a difference good cookware could make. Let me tell you, I love my sitram pans...they cook quickly and evenly. I would completely endorse the stuff. Best of luck!

What s the name of this french flour?

In the end I just love cooking with my SO. I think we make a great team. Does that make me weak and pathetic?

I would tend to agree that American food culture is diverse, but that not everyone participates in this diversity. In reference to Mr Hayward's piece British food is diverse as well, due to the influence of the colonial period, with many Brits seeking refuge in Indian, West Indian, and Chinese fare. True, but the market is driven by people's experiences and dispositions concerning novelty. The Cuban food in Miami is excellent, but I was a minority the cafeterias I visited. I still contend that the consciousness and perception of eGulleteers is not that of many who walk among us. Perhaps a survey is in order. Am I being to judgmental here? ← The best food you'll get in England is Indian...That leaves me wondering aobut british food....

So much hatred, so much spite...or is it envy...I find that these feelings are often interconnected. You may not think that French cuisine deserves all the glory it has gotten, but you fail to, at least, recognize its historical and culinary influence. The brits glorified french gastronomy not because it was the fashion of the day but because it was inventive and flavorful. British food has its merits -I can enjoy a good meat pie, sheperd's pie, even bangles and mash- but historically it is not the most flavorful of cuisine and even you can not deny that. I am angered that you call yourself a lover of food but can not find anything better to do that bash french food. Our influence and our heritage is undeniable and I am sorry that you can not appreciate your "sweet enemy" and as a gentleman recognize a worthy opponent when you see one...

All in all I think Lars had one of the most thorough, yet simple version of us all... Truth is it seems that there is just not one answer and different countries have their own idea of what a pea and what a bean is. I am happy about everyones take on it. Thanks, Ya'll, as Paula Deen would say.

I disagree with Petitpois...Pain de mie is wonderful with Foie Gra. Not the grocery store kind but the one you buy fresh from your boulanger....Toasted with foie gras is in my opinion heaven.....

Well I never thought the pea thing would take on, yet here we are my friends discussing peas and beans. How about split peas? What's up with them?

Accordind to Wikipedia a pea is a bean: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peas

What is a droop?

I am now deeply confused....Nuts aren't beans. Are they???

Thanks. That does help a bit...I was just curious really. It seems people don't have any ideas or the topic is just not interesting.... I guess a site on horticulture might help...

CASSOULET Serves 8 as Main Dish. Growing up in France, I remember the taste of cassoulet from my childhood. Not easy to find cassoulet in small town Virginia....so we took some local products and made our own cassoulet and the result was fabulous. I encourage everyone to use local ingredients, just like the people of the south west of France did, and as such follow the spirit of traditional cassoulet as opposed to reproducing a dish from far away France. For all of you out there...Menon1971 was my partner in crime... cassoulet lb navy beans confit of duck legs lb smoked surry sausage (or anything local) lb pork ribs strips of bacon chopped (surry bacon in our case) c dry white wine fl oz 1 can of roma tomatoes chopped with liquid reserved yellow onion chopped red onion chopped shallots chopped cloves of garlic chopped bay leaves 4 sprigs of thyme T italian parsley chopped T duck fat tsp salt (add to taste) tsp black pepper (add to taste) Confit T fresh thyme leaves T Kosher salt T freshly ground pepper c duck fat Stock duck carcass cut into pieces carrots chopped stalks of celery chopped yellow onion quartered sprigs thyme sprigs parsley tsp salt whole peppercorns Making the confit: You can either bone out the duck yourself or you can have you butcher do it for you. If you do it yourself, remove the legs and the breasts from the duck. Set them aside. Remove the skin and the fat from the remaining duck. That's what you are going to render to make the duck fat. You can then trim the breast and leg fat (keep the skin on though). Salt the duck legs with coarse salt. Approx. 1Tbsp per duck. Sprinkle the pepper and thyme. Set in covered dish and refrigerate for 6-12 hours. Chop coarsely the fat and the skin and add them to a sauce pan. Add half a cup of water to the pan. Simmer over low heat until water has evaporated and fat has melted. The skin should turn a light brown. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside. Preheat oven to 375F. Brush off excess salt, pepper and thyme from the confit. Place legs in oven proof dish, and cover with duck fat. Place in oven for 45 min. to 1 hour until skin is lightly brown. Remove the legs, set them aside. Strain the fat again and save for future use. Duck Stock: Roast the duck carcass pieces for 20 minutes at 375F. Place roasted bones in stock pot with all the ingredients. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, skimming occasionally. Strain the liquid and let cool in order to remove the excess fat. Set aside 4 cups for cassoulet. You can freeze the rest for future use. Cassoulet: Add 1 Tbsp of duck fat in a cast iron dutch oven, bring to medium heat and add chopped bacon. When bacon is lightly brown, remove and set aside. Add the sausages to fat, and brown lightly. Set aside. Brown pork on the bone. Set aside. Saute onions, garlic and shallots until transluscent. Deglaze with a cup of white wine. Add rinsed beans, herbs, roma tomatoes (chopped)and liquid from the can, duck stock, salt, pepper, layer your meat on top of beans. Add water in order to cover the beans and meat. Set in a 300F oven for 3-4 hours. Check periodically to insure that the liquids are appropriate. Add water along the way if needed. Voila....You can refrigerate overnight if you want. It tastes even better the next day! The duck confit and the duck stock can be made ahead of time and frozen. As for wine, we recommend a nice Rose D'anjou or a light red like a Beaujolais (Not nouveau!) Bon Appetit! Keywords: Beans, Duck, Main Dish, French, Pork ( RG1911 )

Bofinger is a classic brasseric I would recommend.