sandra

Buche de Noel

Try this website: Toptable - you can input your date and number of people and it spits out a list of availability. It's not the end-all of listings, there are many missing, but you will get an idea. I would think hotel restos in general would be open... I just called Ubon, (thought they might be open) but they are closed on the 1st.

The nice lady passing out samples of the guac out front, told me the chef is Venezuelan...

Agreed - I had lunch there yesterday - Gravadlax tacos? Mozzarella, tomato and basil burritos? So Mexican it gave me goose bumps. The corn tortilla tacos were very stiff and folded in half, a la "Old El Paso" and the mole was way too sweet... The guacamole was very good, as was the salsa verde and the habanero salsa... so I might go back for drinks and guacamole. Apparently it is still the same chef from Down Mexico Way days, so that could explain a lot.

In that case I would just say: Donde puedo comer una comida tipo El Bulli? or Donde se come como en El Bulli? If you were to ask in Spain where to go for Alta Cocina Española, I doubt very many people would send you to El Bulli, more likely they would send you to a classical Spanish restaurant...

As a native Spanish speaker, I can tell you English is a bitch to learn, especially when you are already in your teens... too, two, to - bear, bare - its, it's... it's a minefield! And as for borrowing words - everyone does it in every language - looking at this thread alone I see French words used in English context, cuisine, avant garde... Back on topic, I have been trying to think how you would say "Alta Cocina" in English and all I can come up with is High Cuisine - anyone else have any ideas? If I were talking about El Bulli, for example, I would say, La Nueva Cocina Española .

In Spanish: Cocina = Kitchen Cocinar = Cooking Cocinero = Cook Yo Cocino = I Cook Tu Cocinas = You Cook Nosotros Cocinamos = We Cook Ellos Cocinan = They Cook Voy a la cocina = I am going to the kitchen Que tipo de cocina sirven? = what kind of food do they serve Que tipo de cocina tienen? = what kind of kitchen do they have (installed) Alta Cocina is indeed the catchment term for what comes out of the kitchen as well, exactly like cuisine is in french or cucina is in Italian -

Also part of the krispie "glue" would be the butter, which goes in melted, but then solidifies...

But there are no sesame seeds in the mix - just sesame oil... I can't wait to hear the result of this...

Great dinner, and great blog... I'll tell you the OxyClean should do it, I had a similar mess with choc torte and red wine, one on top of the other, and it came right out... let it soak for a few hours and it should come clean...

Walk across Tower Bridge and turn left, walk along Shad Thames, there are several restaurants there including Pont de la Tour... Plus loads of other little restos, cafes and bars... Otherwise, there is a new Wagamama (noodle shop) next to The Tower as well as new Korean which I have not tried...

Every Chinese person eating in that restaurant is not going to like everything that is a "speciality" There are many Mexicans that can't stand huitlacoche, plenty of French that don't eat foie gras, or Scots that don't eat haggis - this does not make a restaurant better or worse... I think the fact that they offer a choice, even when their clientele is mixed or dominantly Chinese, makes them more interesting.

Typical dishes from the North as follows: Baja California = Sopa de Caguama (turtle soup) Sonora = Menudo (tripe stew) Chihuahua = Mochomos (shredded pork with guacamole) Durango = Dulces de Pasta de Almendra (sweet almond paste candies) Nuevo Leon = Cabrito en su sangre (kid goat) Sinaloa = Ostiones en Escabeche (pickled oysters) Here is a map of Mexico so you can take a look at the states mentioned above Mexico Pozole is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, which is in the middle on the west coast, so not technically Northern, but it is very tasty and good for a lot of people... If you like any of the recipes, let me know and I'll post them...

Mexican products in London: http://elazteca.homestead.com/sp_index.html This is as close as you can get for now...

Trattoria Antica Bessetta 1395 S. CROCE 041-721687 Great meat and fish dishes - great spaghetti all'aragosta - mostly Italian clientele (of course they coud have be tourists also!) Also a very very small resto, it was brand new at the time (2001) just across the Ponte Guglie, off Rio Terra S. Leonardo, to the right, a little tiny street, can't remember the name, the sign for the resto is white with the outline fo a blue dove - it's all blonde wood inside, very modern, great food - If I remember name, I will post...

Akiko, I have been using King Edwards here for mash... Usually Waitrose has a good variety around November The baking makes the flavours of the cheese, butter, onion and sour cream meld together and also gives it a golden crust up to - I usually pipe on the top layer. As for the paste issue - it doesn't happen to me with this recipe, I'm not putting in a food prcoessor, just the mixer, and low at that, it whips them up a bit.... I also make mash with waxier potatoes, like desiree, but that's when I smash them up with olive oil and salt only, and leave chunks. Can't wait for the potato class!

Ling, tell us more about the veggies and beer - roast in beer? do they get crispy? what veggies? you have just made me very hungry for Thanksgiving.....

AARRGGHH!!! A tamis!! Hate those things - my hand almost fell off every time we had to use them in school... Anyway... I make mine for Thanksgiving with sour cream and cream cheese - boil them, pass them thru ricer and mix with the dairy stuff, usually in the Kitchenaid - then I bake them before serving them. Surpisingly smooth, but very, very rich, if this is what you are looking for.... No reason why you couldn't use dolcelatte instead of the cream cheese...

One more for me, today at the Columbia Street market, one of the little stores had a 1971 Le Cordon Bleu London book all about eggs! £2, but it's still one more book!

Mcfly, The recipe is in French... I translated the ingredients directly, but instead of the vanilla sugar packet I just pour in a bit if vanilla in with the egg yolks - Preparation: 15 minutes Chilling: 2 hours Cooking: 10 minutes 4 Servings Kiwi Mousse 2 eggs 400 gr kiwis 60 gr sugar 1 packet vanilla sugar Separate the eggs and whip the whites to hold strong peaks. Peel the kiwis, chop roughly and pass through food processor. In a pan over low heat, bet the egg yolks with the sugars until the mixture is light in colour. Add the kiwi pulp and cook 10 minutes, stirring continously. Remove from heat and gently fold in the egg whites. Pipe or spoon into individual ramekins or moulds and chill about 2 hours. Serve decorated with kiwi slices. Iy comes out as a soft mousse, it won't hold up a cake, but it looks nice in a flute or stemmed bowl... As for the ice cream, I just meant ice cream with kiwi puree over it, no specific recipe

Looks to me like they have just created the recipes - I can't find anythng that says they will be served at all- Maybe they served them at the launch party? Too bad if that is the case, they look very good...

tommy, that was NOT part of my issue with them, that is an issue that other people took up with the restaurant. I never even mentioned it to them because it did not affect me. s

I am happy to report that we have received a response to our letter. Mr. Chris Hutcheson, CEO of GRHoldings writes: "I am shocked to hear of the events surrounding the choice of wine with the alternative recommendation of the assisstant sommelier"...."this is not the approach that we would ever as a company, encourage our staff to pursue." They have offered to refund us with a check, or to invite us to dinner, with a menu specially prepared by Chef Wareing and with wines chosen by the Head Sommelier to complement each course. Needless to say, we have accepted the dinner option! As I mentioned before, in countless posts all over the site, Petrus has been of our favourite restaurants in London, and it continues to be.

KFC

We had our rehearsal dinner there some years ago and it was great, been back many times, and it was great... Nice rooms also..