mogsob

It has been my experience that formal dining in France is more comfortable than in the US or Britain. Perhaps this is because dining is so central to French culture that they expect to draw patrons from all age/social groups, while formal restaurants in other countries expect a certain elevated clientele. I have also found that the key to unlocking a great experience in France is enthusiasm. Nowhere is this more true than in their restaurants. The fact is that most of the diners in formal restaurants are business clients, who have become, in large, jaded to the experience. I have found that the staff responds to those diners who are as enthusiastic about their establishment as they are. Have Fun!

Not only that, but unless the restaurant was going to provide accommodation and serve dinner to you in the morning, it is unlikely that these wines would have had enough exposure to sufficiently open. This reminds me of some advice I got regarding a young Chambolle. I was instructed to open the bottle in the morning, decant into a wide base decanter and stopper until an hour before dinner. It worked, and the wine was wonderful.

Tommy asked this question on the UK board (which, to be fair, related only to morels). But I was curious about mushroom cleaning techniques. Too much water seems to affect the mushroom's smell and texture and the mushroom brush takes off too much "skin". I know that some of my French friends don't wash their mushrooms at all. Help!

Oh no! I LOVE asparagus and morel rissoto! Another good way to enjoy morels is to make a morel sauce for veal -- another classic combination. And since you are making it at home, you can use nice large chunks of morel instead of the paltry servings most restaurants dish out!

Steve P -- great call on L'Alsaco. L'Alsaco 10, rue Condorcet 10e 45-26-44-31 Enjoy!

Where to begin? A list of some of the best bistros in Paris with a few notes. As the 4th is not one of my favorite dining areas and the Paris metro is one of the most comprehensive in the world (and extremely reasonable), I have taken the liberty not to limit myself to the Marais. As a caveat, my tastes run to traditional bistros so no cutting edge modern bistros here. Allard 41 rue St-André-des-Arts (6e) 43-26-48-23 One of the most famous Parisian bistros. Allard's signature dish is Canard aux Olives, duck roasted with olives. The Coq au Vin, chicken in a dark, thick wine sauce, is also superb, as is the simply roasted Bresse chicken. The escargot starter is considered to be one of the best in Paris. A Sousceyrac 35 rue Faidherbe (11e) 43-71-65-30 Classic southwestern cuisine. Auberge D'Chez Eux 2 av. de Lowendal (7e) 47-05-52-55 Also a classic southwestern bistro. Perhaps the friendliest restaurant in Paris and supposedly a favorite with Chirac. Au Moulin A Vent (Chez Henri) 20 rue des Fosses-Saint-Bernard (5e) 43-54-99-37 THE bistro for beef, including a divine boeuf a la ficelle, a fillet of beef that is tied with a string, then cooked quickly in boiling water. I also love their entrecôte with shallots. For non-meat eaters, they also make a classic sole meuniere. Benoit 20 rue Saint-Martin (4e) 42-72-25-76 Best dishes are the beef salad, blood sausage with apples, tongue with herb sauce, and the dense cassoulet. Very expensive. Chez Catherine 65 rue de Provence (9e) 45-26-72-88 Perhaps a bit far, but may be the best frites in Paris. Chez Georges 1 rue de Mail (2e) 42-60-07-11 This is what everyone pictures a Parisian bistro to look and taste like. Chez Gramond 5 rue de Fleuris (6e) 42-22-28-89 Only 10 tables in this tiny bistro, serviced by only the Gramonds themselves. Unflinchingly traditional, and boasting a wine list full of well-aged Bordeaux and Burgundy, Jean-Louis Gramond makes two weekly trips to the Parisian markets before settling on his nightly menu. Game in the fall is a speciality, especailly the hare stew. The Grand Marnier souffle is the best in class. If I had one meal in Paris, this would be it. Chez L'Ami Louis 32 rue de Vertbois (2e) 48-87-77-48 This world-famous bistro offers great foie gras, snails, beef, lamb, chicken, and game. Extremely expensive, as you could just as easily go to a two star restaurant for the money. Chez Michel 10 rue de Belzunce (10e) 44-53-06-20 One of the best, and the most reasonable. Classic Brittany cuisine (veal chop pan fried in fresh Brittany butter and served with a potato gratin, cod served on a bed of tomatoes and onions and tapenade, unbelievably good turbot etc.) Don't miss the rich koug-amman for dessert. Josphine (Chez Dumonet) 117 rue du Cherche-Midi (6e) 45-48-52-40 Another classic bistro with great souffles. Le Petit Marguery 9 bd. de Port-Royal (13e) 43-31-58-59 THE place for game. Note the imminent ownership change will likely have a major impact here.

I've never been overly impressed with the selection at Italian Wine Merchants. I prefer I Trulli's wine shop (I forget the name). I guess the Burgundy Wine Co. should be added to the NYC list as well.

1. I have more difficulty navigating a progressive wine list than a traditional regional list because the headings are not standard. I find myself bogged down in these lists, and often feel that some wines are mischaracterized by the list-maker. I have a good understanding of most major wine regions and can narrow down my choices on a traditional list a lot faster. 2. As Steve P correctly points out, a progressive list is no help whatsoever in deciding what to drink. The less you know, the more you need the sommelier. Indeed, when I was first learning about wine, I rarely consulted the list at all, putting myself entirely in the restaurant's hands. Now that I know more about what I like (and, more importantly, what my wife likes), I tend to look for good value wines that appeal to our tastes. Then I ask the sommelier's advice. Sometimes they agree with me and sometimes they steer me to a better bottle (and sometimes I ignore them altogether). But the fact remains that a progressive list is confusing and ponderous at best, and misleading at worst.

Talk about an outrageous markup. I've bought that bottle for 7.99.

NYC -- Rosenthal Wine Merchants London -- La Vigneronne

My vote for the best cuts at the majors: Frank's -- T-Bone Gallagher's -- double sirloin ("kingloin") Keen's -- mutton chop Old Holmstead -- rib steak Palm -- double sirloin Peter Luger -- porterhouse Smith & Wollensky -- Colorado ribeye Sparks -- sirloin

Robin, I cannot agree with you more, especially on this point. Cooking duck is a bit difficult because of the fat content -- you need to have the heat high enough to render the fat and crisp the skin, but low enough to avoid overcooking the meat or burning the skin. I find that the best way to do this is by sound. The best temp is the highest possible sizzle, without the fat "popping." If the pan gets to hot, you can raise it off the heat and saute a bit until it cools down and adjust the heat accordingly.

Fail to use the safety cover on my mandolin -- let's just say that I am luck to still have middle finger on my right hand.

Thanks Adam. I will try both, as I am also a big fan of Taylors.

Indeed. I had the HSB at the Wyckham Arms in Winchester. But an hour is a long way to go for a beer.

I discovered Gales HSB this weekend on a trip to Hampshire. I know Gales' is pretty much a regional company and does not own any pubs in London, but I was wondering if any London eGulleters have encountered HSB as a guest anywhere? For my 2 quid it was vastly superior to most of the more common bitters served in London.

True enough. I have yet to encounter anything other than the hand pump, but your point is well taken.

Real cask conditioned ales are not dispensed with nitro pumps. Thus, Boddington's et al. as consummed stateside are not real ales. The pubs I referred to are in London, but there are a few NY bars that serve real ale, most notably dba.

On a purely beef basis, Sparks is likely the best. However, I am not a fan of boneless cuts of beef, so I rarely go to Sparks. I have to say that my one time to Nebraska was the best Manhattan steak I have had in some time.

Does this mean that as someone who is opposed to the imminent violation of international law in Iraq, I should exclusively drink French wine, eat French cheese, and dine in French restaurants? I'm finding it hard to see a downside here.

The sad truth is that Cafe Sacher no longer has the best Sacher Torte in Vienna. Lovely setting, though.

Has anyone been to Pappagalo in the last year or so? Any comments welcome.

I used to go to Casa Bella in Little Italy now and again for cheese . . . and the food was pretty good also. I would strongly caution against Il Giglio, which is both poor and expensive at the same time. Instead, I would recommend Scalinatella on E60th or its sister restaurant Il Postino in midtown. There used to be an old school Italian restaurant in Cobble Hill, complete with piano player and guest singing opera now and again. Can't recall the name or the location, but the food was really good.

OK, so only Macrosan got my little joke . . . that's ok, I'm not offended. And if anyone was offended by the lack of smilies . . . mea culpa. And, just like Pittsburgh is another name for black & blue, memphis is a lesser known name for black and rare . . . or so I thought.