violetfox

Thank you, Maggie, for your brilliant and entertaining essay! My dad used to say that he didn't think that I really liked eggs. I love eggs, and I love the warm, runny yolks. I truly hate the snotty raw egg white. He actually appeared to like it. Weird. I also use a push pin to prick the egg - seems to work better than anything else I've tried. I don't know whether I read or heard that somewhere, or if I happened to have a push pin in the "miscellaneous," aka junk, drawer which is next to the stove. I'm also really relieved to know that I'm not the only person who has purchased at least two sets of cute egg cups on sale because they were SO adorable - and I think I've used them once in about a decade.

I had my eyes on the Plogue a Champlain since seeing the menu online. The Melting Pot also sounds delicious. Watch right when I think I'm decided the server will throw a line of tempting specials at me. Thanks all. I'll be sure to report back. ← Well, I seriously doubt that you can go wrong with ANY of the specials - but the Ploque is really fantastic and totally unique. Have fun!

Heh heh, I did too. I'm just wondering if anyone here knows more - but thanks!

Can anyone provide more information the rumored APdC cabane a sucre? Thanks in advance!

Hi, jenc! I'd certainly agree with a number of your choices. Au Pied de Cochon - sublime La Banquaise - poutine at 3 AM, what could be better? seriously, it's a great place. I like the poutine with chicken and peas, the original, and the poutine with bacon. I really liked l'Anecdote on Rachel better than l'Avenue. I think it's a little cheaper, and the food is wonderful. Jean-Talon Market is an absolute must - even in March. Les Chocolats de Chloe is fabulous, and if you're there on the weekend, she makes hot chocolate. I haven't had it, but it sounds amazing. Do not miss the brownies! The blog an endless banquet is incredibly helpful - if somewhat overwhelming. Enjoy!!!

I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen anyone else mention this - maybe I didn't look back far enough - but I mainly like it for the equipment reviews and would just as soon have it only online because I have plenty of food-porn magazine subscriptions. I don't think that anyone could call Cook's "food porn." Hence, I don't need the actual magazine. I don't know if it should be scary if others understand my "reasoning."

Thanks, FG, for this very interesting and informative thread! I just glanced at the Top 100 website and saw a restaurant in Maine that I've driven past without trying many times - now I know better.

Hi Daisy, I completely agree. I just wanted to hop a plane for some of those tacos! The doll head thing was beyond weird, but I'm glad that they showed it. I'm a big fan of the Weird USA books, which probably explains my interest. I thought it was an excellent show.

Really good question, and I'm glad the thread got bumped. This happened probably ten years ago, perhaps more, and I don't see these people anymore. At the time, this couple had a totally spoiled and obnoxious daughter of around five years old. Now, I adore children and will put up with a lot, but this was a child who threw a full-on, flinging self on the ground, pounding hands and feet, wailing and screaming fit literally every time anything displeased her in the least. Her father tried to reason with her, her mother thought it was a battle of wills that she could win. Not pretty. Anyway, we were out for someone's birthday dinner at an indifferent chain restaurant with 11 people. The couple had invited everyone to dinner - "please come and help us celebrate!"Several people in the group were late, so we didn't order for at least an hour. This was a teetotaling crowd, so everyone was having soda or even water while waiting - after an hour, the table hadn't spent $10. This was also a busy Friday night. Eventually, we ordered. It was a complicated order, with lots of special requests like "I'd like the taco salad, but no tomatoes and I'd like some sliced green olives on it" The couple was careful to tell the waitress "oh, we want separate checks - these three together, those two, those two, this one is a single..." At this point, I was more than a little suspicious of the "invitation." We must have spent three hours there, maybe more. The daughter was exhausted (understandably) and getting crankier by the second. The separate checks were sorted out. "Oh, we'll get the tip!" said the "hosting" couple. They proceeded to add all the checks together, and unapologetically placed 5% of the total on the table. I was horrified and disgusted. After everyone else had left the parking lot, I went back in and gave the manager an adiitional 25% and apologized for the shameful omission. I don't know that I ever had dinner with them again, but I don't believe that I did. I've never been back to that restaurant. What was interesting and also disturbing was that I was the only one who did anything about it. Another person from that crowd would habitually invite someone out for dinner "I'd like to take you to dinner!" and after the check arrived, would look in her purse and declare "I left all my cash at home!" What can I say? I was young(er) and feckless, This stuff doesn't happen to me much now, because I'm a known curmudgeon about restaurant behavior. I also dislike, almost to the point of lecturing strangers, loud and usually unpleasant cell phone conversations, and people who while dining in one restaurant loudly extol the virtues of other restaurants, usually famous ones. Blech!

Wild mushroom and chestnut stuffing/bread pudding with gravy! Curried onions, cranberry chutney, too.

It's probably a bit of both, I would guess, but I suspect that the breed of sheep would make a lot of difference in the gamey taste. I've had some very young lamb that was extremely strong-flavored, and some much older that was relatively mild. Just checked this agricultural article: http://livestocktopics.wsu.edu/Presentatio...ty/sduckett.pdf Apparently, the breeds with finer wool (Merino etc) have stronger-flavored meat. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it, but in addition to the breed and what the sheep are eating, the flavor can be affected quite a lot if they are finished on grain. I think the idea of lamb bacon is brilliant! Good for you! I'm anxious to hear how it worked.

Let me preface this by saying that while it bothered me personally, I'm not saying that anyone can't or shouldn't get what they want. I just wasn't at all sure if he wanted the shirt, got pleasure out of the shirt, or it was merely a case of "look how much I can pay for a shirt!" I don't know, I suppose that food matters more to me than fashion, but a meal is something that I can enjoy on a deep level, and as he said about dining at Masa, the experience is something that will be with me for a very long time. I value experience more than stuff. I think the question of how much any of us are willing to spend on anything and why is far from trite or easily dismissed, especially right now. It's a question that I'm asking myself a lot lately.

Uh, no. I have not bought products from his store, but almost every product he recommends has been excellent, and there are some fine recipes. Yes, the tone is rather glowing, but so what? He provides useful information.

It mostly jumped tbe shark for me. Ted Allen and Tony were fine, but Amy Sacco "I don't eat street food, I'm a diva", Bill Buford and the other guy (with his absurd comments at the end) were all equally pointless. I'm probably one of few people here who found "Heat" nearly unreadable for the level of bombast and breathless celebrity idolizing - don't get me wrong, I think Batali is wonderful, I just found Buford's writing overblown. I disliked how little it was about the clearly wonderful food that was in front of them. The one good thing that I took away from it was that I really want to go to WD50. Fascinating stuff, and it made snese to me. I've also seen Daniel Boulud's "After Hours" and agree that it is much better. Yeah, the Hawaiian Shirt thing bothered me, too. I think maybe that the great shows raise our expectations, as they should. Spain, pretty much anything in Asia. Perhaps anything that producers "think" - to use the word in its loosest sense - would be "great television!!!" is best avoided. Let Tony do what he does best.

I like Mike's Pastry a lot. Neptune Oyster is terrific, though not cheap. I have occasionally had decent meals at Legal Seafoods, but as often I've had very overcooked - dried and hard - fish and shellfish, and I've never been pleased with the service. I did try Top of the Hub, though I figured it would be a bad idea for a meal. I had some fries - adequate - and a big, silly-looking, not very well-made Cosmopolitan. It might be OK for a glass of wine, period. The view is really wonderful. Hamersley's Bistro is great, something I wouldn't miss. I don't usually do Sunday brunch, but at Aujourd'hui, it was delicious and lots of fun. I like Durgin Park for the same reasons that Jackal mentioned.

Thanks Violet. Our hosts' call is the Gramercy Bistro (and next noon the Cafe Latino which we liked last year). Any advice? ← Sorry, John! There's been an intervening change of jobs, homes, and internet service - I lost track! I haven't tried Gramercy Bistro. I loved Fin very much. I don't think it takes reservations, so you need to go very early or be prepared for a long wait. They are very forthright about what fish is best. I found it a lot more friendly than Bizen.

[bump!] Fresh corn has been amazing, but it's almost gone now. Jasper Hill has what I believe is a new cheese - Winnowmere. A wonderful soft, Camembert-related large round wrapped with birch bark! I had it first at Hen of the Woods in Waterbury about a month ago, and it's in stores. A fabulous and truly unique cheese!

I'm here now. Excellent dinner last night at John Andrews in South Egremont - crispy sweetbreads app, special grilled cantaloupe salad, roast chicken, ice cream for dessert. I've only been here a couple of times, but it is very fine indeed! I'm surprised that no one has mentioned a few of my favorites: Martin's in GB for breakfast Homer's in Lenox for FABULOUS homemade, old-fashioned donuts! I may get yelled at for this (wait, I'm HERE - maybe not :-) -but I went to the Mexican restaurant in GB a couple of times last year - Xicohtencatl I think - and liked it just fine. I had chicken mole and a damn nice margarita. Funny guy at the next table complained loudly (drunkenly) to the waitress - "this mole isn't spicy enough! I can't taste the chocolate in this mole!" *rolleyez* I shared this little exchange with the hostess, who was VERY upset - "it's not supposed to be spicy! it's not supposed to taste like chocolate!" I assured her that I was aware of both facts. I haven't been to Wheatleigh since Chef Whittlesey left. I've always liked Bistro Zinc and have always had a good meal and good service there. 2007 I wanted to like Bizen and tried four times - just OK sushi and truly awful "service." 2008 I went to Lenox 218 once with my mom and liked it a lot. 2006 I found the Red Lion pretty poor. 2005? I LOVE The Mill on the Floss in New Ashford - truly classic French, warm and professional service! 2007 The former restaurant in The Orchards hotel in Williamstown was VERY weird - the stiffest service I've ever seen in any restaurant. 2005 I think that picnics are an excellent option in the Berkshires - lots of good sources. I like Nejaimes' in Lenox. Hope this helps! I'm planning to try Fin tonight.

As someone who felt wholly indulged by APdC, I'm fascinated by this. What exactly was indigent about it? Or are you being hyperbolic for some reason? ← Oh good, it's not just me - I was about to ask essentially the same thing. I've read where Picard said something like you either get it or you don't, and I understand that - it isn't necessarily everyone's kind of place. It is very specific, unabashedly so, but even if I didn't like it (OK, love it), I think I'd appreciate the intent. I'venever had the pleasure of dining in a more sincere restaurant, and I mean that in the best possible way. I found the whole staff to be extremely professional, sweet and thoughtful, and the food inspired. I'm completely fine with everyone liking different things, but I'm baffled that APdC could seem to merit such scorn.

I don't know, I haven't been to Blue Ginger in just over a year, but I've enjoyed dining there many times, often for my birthday, and I've always found it a thoroughly wonderful experience. I especially love the foie gras shumai in a shallot and Sauternes broth, and the garlic-black pepper lobster with friend rice and pea shoots. The Soy-miso fish is great, too, and desserts are heavenly. I've always found it very friendly, warm, excellent service, whether Ming is there or not. Paula, the manager-hostess, is an absolute sweetheart. I'm not at all a fan of fusion cuisine done mindlessly - Ming is one of very few chefs I've encountered who succeeds at it, consistently. It is not a formal restaurant, and if someone is expecting that, they'd likely be disappointed. Also, Blue Ginger is one of those restaurants that Those People love to hate - I take their loathes and raves with a very large grain of salt, and would always check it out for myself.

So on Thursday, I got reasonably early. had the good and healthy continental breakfast at the auberge, and went down to Vieux Montreal. I went to the Basilica Notre Dame,. which was quite fascinating, and the Pont Calliere museum, which I found less so. I walked up to Place Jacques Cartier - nice and sunny, lots of people, didn't look too promising for food. I took the metro back to Sherbrooke and walked over to Maestro SVP, where I had a nice glass of Sancerre, a dozen Beau Soleils from New Brunswick, and 6 others - 3 from Nova Scotia, 3 others from New Brunswick. I stopped at les Chocolats de Chloe and bought the triple box - some for me, some for friends - as well as a brownie to eat on the spot. It was really fudgy, with pecans and caramel flavors, just delicious. I took a nap before getting ready for dinner, and watched some of the playoff game (yes, I did get Habs souvenirs - go Habs!!!). The night before, when it was so hot, it really looked like storms, and I was a bit worried about getting caught in a storm walking to or from dinner. I needn't have worried - it did storm after I got to dinner, and stopped when I got out. Very considerate! Thursday night was really nice, a bit cooler. When I checked in with the hostess, she led me to - YES! - the bar stool with the antlers! Too much fun! What a great place to sit - you can see everything. I switched to red wine, and had two different glasses in the evening, both excellent. I decided on two cromesquis, and the waitress again explained how to eat them. They are one of the very best things I've ever eaten, just an inspired idea. I asked about specials, and was intrigued by the "pattes de rattes" - a fabulously rich, smooth, potato puree on a crouton, with flaked sweet codfish - was it really salt cod? - and a delicious, creamy sauce - finnan haddie on steroids, utterly simple, beautiful! I had already decided that I needed to try the "duck in a can" so ordered that WITH the PDC mashed potatoes. The chef standing right there ( a little older than most of the crew, with glasses) asked if I knew what I was getting into - I laughed and said I wasn't sure. I'd never had celeriac before, but the puree that goes on the crouton (have to love a place that uses croutons this often!) is delicious. The opening of the can is both dramatic and homey in the best way - the fragrance is terrific! And al of that duck-and cabbage goodness upended on the plate! It is extremely rich, but stunningly good. Again, just a great idea, totally unique, made perfect sense. No, I did not finish the duck or the wonderful, coma-inducing PDC mashed spuds, but they DID make a spectacular breakfats warmed up the next morning! Yum! I'm frankly in love with the whole experience. I've been in many, many of the top restaurants in the US, and APdC is so much better in so many ways than lots of really expensive, swanky, snooty joints that ooze attitude. Its warmth and cheerfulness, generosity, conviviality are the greatest I've ever seen in any restaurant, and the food is perfect, completely straightforward, thoughtfully imagined and executed with extreme care. I think that the album is a great introduction - looking at it, you'd either get it or not. If you didn't get it, if your expectations were for a conventional dining experience, it wouldn't be the right place. If you DO get it, you need to get there as soon as possible. Thanks to the entire lovely, wacky, beautiful operation! I was leaving on Friday, and really wanted to visit the Jean Talon market. After my substantial breakfast of duck, foie, cabbage and potatoes, I walked up to Mont-Royal station and took the metro to Jean-Talon. What an amazing place! The variety, the richness, the quality are all superb. There were lots of veggie, herb and flower seedlings, beautiful fish, meats, cheeses...and of course, the splendid Havre aux Glaces. I enjoyed a cup with grapefruit and blood orange sorbet while walking around the market, and it was wonderful. (Sadly, I didn't make it to Bilboquet - but I'll be there for my next trip!) It would be a delight to spend a full day at the market, but I needed to get on the road. I took the metro back to Sherbrooke, walked up St Denis, got a gorgeous and not very expensive picnic hamper at Arthur Quentin (NICE store!), then on to La Banquaise for a last dose of poutine. I strongly recomment the poutine with BACON - what a good idea! It was perfect. It was hard to leave this beautiful city with all of its amazing food, I will be back SOON! Thanks to all for your recommendations- all worked out well!

Hi all, I'm reporting back after my all-too-brief visit to Montreal. What a fabulous city! Those of you who live there are truly fortunate! Thank you to all of you for your recommendations -I didn't get to everything, but your recommendations were excellent! I don't remember just when I saw the Quebec episode of Tony Bourdain's show, but it made me immediately think "I need to go there NOW!" - then I bought the APdC album and watched the DVD, and it was clear that it needed to happen very, very soon. I arrived Wednesday about 1 PM - my room at Auberge de la Fontaine wouldn't be ready until about 2, so I took a walk. It was a gorgeous day, actually hot, and the parc was really green, lots of daffodils, people enjoying the day. I wanted to see how far it was from the auberge to APdC, so I walked across the parc to Duluth E. I walked all the way down to st Denis without seeing APdC, then walked back. I'd forgotten - though I had heard it somewhere, that there's no sign. Well, it didn't much matter, because halfway back down the street, there was this fellow with wild hair and a couple of days growth of beard unloading stuff from his car - I said "Bonjour" and he smiled back and said "Bonjour!" - and I had, obviously, found APdC! That was fun. I'd had a big (big) breakfast in the morning at the excellent Libby's Blue Line Diner in Colchester, Vermont - if you're dwn that way, don't miss it! I pointedly did not eat lunch. I had a cup of coffee and a slice of tea bread at the auberge when I parked my car. I walked around a bit more, and then checked in. It is a lovely inn, and I was on the third floor, with a view of the parc. I took a short nap and a shower, then changed and went to dinner. Au Pied du Cochon is not a quiet restaurant. The windows in the front were open to the street, and it was clear from better than a block away that a lot of people were having a really good time. I spoke to the very nice hostess, but there was a problem with my reservation - likely because of my less-than-perfect French. She said "just a moment" and literally two minutes later showed my to a nice table in the middle of the room, with a good view of the kitchen. Chef Martin was everywhere, greeting people. I've never seen a staff so earnest in the best possible way, and cheerful, so genuinely helpful, so clearly aware of the value of what they are doing. Great people! First experience - that great bread. I had to be careful not to devour the whole bowl at once. I started with a foie gras cromesquis. Foie for $3.50? had to be a good idea. Wow! I was drinking a mug of the fine house draft, and my waiter brought a little cork trivet with a small white china dish holding a single dark-brown cube. He gave me specific instructions on how to eat it. Now, I'm not a big fan of eating instructions, but this is the clear exception. Without instruction, you would either burn your face off, or spurt molten foie all over the table, or more likely, both. If you do follow the instructions, though, you do indeed get an "explosion" of foie inside your mouth, one of the best food ideas EVER. Wow. (Did I say that already?) Extraordinary. Next I had the apple and blue cheese salad, which was just terrific - a very large portion of greens, julienned apple, tons of fantastic blue cheese, walnuts, a simple vinaigrette. Simple and perfect. Phillipe, who was aparently everywhere in the restaurant at the same time, brought me another APdC draft. Ah, the main event! Foie gras poutine! Truly a crazed and wonderful idea, one that makes total sense to me in a sort of demented way. (hmmm) It is indeed delicious, and feels so wantonly decadent. The portion, I must say, is not as immense as I'd feared. I wouldn't want it with a lot of other course, for sure. I'd been anticipating it for months, and it met all of my expectations. I had the poached pear with vanilla ice cream for dessert, and it was very good, but I think I'd rather have had another (small!) savory course. A tremendously great meal, and a very good time indeed. I spoke to the hostess on the way out and made a reservation for 9 PM the next night, and thanked her for a wonderful evening. (to be continued...)

Here's my question - is Ramsay the new Rocco? I get the impression that Ramsay is indeed a competent chef, but both his TV shows are absolutely ridiculous. I am not generally much bothered by profanity, but Ramsay can't get through a sentence without saying the "f-word" (can I say it here?) at least three times. He makes Ozzy look like a skilled linguist. It's not camp, it's not clever, it is simply ignorant, and it makes it impossible to take him seriously.

I bought the book package with the Flavor Shaker and recommend it highly - I find it way easier than a mortar and pestle (at least for some things). The baked sqaush recipe with coriander and chili flakes (which uses the shaker for the spice mixture) is one of the best things I've ever eaten.

Maybe I'm just feeling waggish, but to me, "passive endorsement" sounds a whole lot like an oxymoron. I'm not defending Mr. Bourdain particularly, but I don't know that it's reasonable to suggest that for him to not quit Bravo to protest the awfulness of Michelob makes him a "pitchman" for Michelob. I'm pretty sure that employees of a network don't get to approve or disapprove network sponsors.