Louisa Chu

Thanks for your offer to help. It's not necessary to freeze a finished "sfer" but it can be more efficient as a step in the process - for example, for a large quantity or for much larger "spheres". This of course depends on your base product - if it contains alcohol - your means of freezing - standard freezer, liquid nitrogen, etc. - a number of factors. I've done numerous experiments over the last two years with various flavors and products, as well as factors such as sizes, textures, temperatures, layers, viscosities, carbonation, etc. I think it's important to be open to novel ideas and to explore them.

Freezing as a step in spherification is simply another method to make spheres bigger than caviar. Bigger spheres can sometimes get unruly. Rather than having to carefully drop a liquid - even a viscous liquid - into another liquid to create a desired form, it's easier to just drop in a frozen solid. And you can use a warm gelling bath.

So based on the Chicago City Council's "reasoning" - and I use that term as loosely as aldermanic bookkeeping - all parts of the foie gras bird should be banned - not just the offending liver. That means no more duck breasts, legs confit, trimmings in sausage - and don't forget the fat. Alderman Joe Moore, sponsor of the ordinance, claims that it won't cost the taxpayers a nickel or affect city services. And how's that going to work? Are there going to be vigilantes confiscating your duck fat fries?

Let me add that Cantada II not only serves absinthes by the glass but also fine artisanal beers, wines and even fruit juices - as well as Corsican charcuterie and even what they call "Medieval Cuisine" - stewed chicken with prunes, etc.

The absinthe shop in the Marais: Vert d’Absinthe 11 rue d’Ormesson 75004 Paris 01 42 71 69 73 Another excellent shop: Caves du Roy 31 rue Simart 75018 Paris 01 42 23 99 11 Caves du Roy and Cantada II were locations for Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Tony's absinthe guide was Peter Schaf of Liqueurs de France, online absinthe shop and the exclusive worldwide distributeurs of Ted Breaux's absinthes. Liqueurs de France

You are not required to get a work visa to stage in France - paid/unpaid is irrelevant. You are however required by the French government to get a stage visa - legally/officially. The French government does not require insurance - but the work establishment may. Language requirements vary - depending on the kitchen, section, day - you may have a co-worker who speaks your language on given days. Of course speaking the native language of the kitchen helps - working and bullshitting - but having said that, I've communicated better with some chefs in some kitchens with whom I've shared no common verbal language. As far as where to stage in Avignon or Marseille, that's a pretty broad question. There is not a norm - despite what everyone else might tell you. Prospective stagiaires, contact your desired work establishments for their requirements. http://www.consulfrance-washington.org/art...?id_article=400

...Ben Roche, Pastry Chef at Moto!

Louisa, I have to ask if you've been to Brittany. Admittedly, I've not spent much time searching for a good creperie in Paris, but I've found all I've tired to be lacking in recent years. On the other hand, creperies in Brittany are not what they used to be either. In the sixties, there were a number of creperies to the east of the old Gare Montparnasse. Our favorite was a family place with a view of the streetwalkers on the rue du Montparnasse. It appears to be long gone. ← Bux - yes, I've been to Brittany.

Come on now - that would be La Cave de L'Os a Moelle.

Creperie - Ty Breiz Hot Bread - Maison Kayser (rue Monge), 8AM/5PM "Quiche" - Maison Kayser Afternoon Tea - Plaza Athenee Hot Chocolate - Delicabar

Take taxis on your dining nights. The local drivers are well aware of the hours of the destination restaurants. If you find a driver you especially like, ask for his card to call him directly. If you were to ask the staff at El Bulli where you should stay, Mas Pauwould be one of the few hotels they'd recommend. They're considered part of the extended family. They're so close that when El Bulli closes for the season, their extra goods go to Mas Pau. You can only reserve at Rafa's as early as the day before - by phone or in person. He will only open if he has same-day fresh fish - but the dish to really get is his fleeting fideua. Rafa's Sant Sebastia, 56 972 254 003

Felice - I actually started this thread three years ago. Can that be right? And you may remember that Pain et Passion's Francois Vacavant was the underdog who won last year's galettes des rois competition in Paris - the NYT article covering the event by Elaine Sciolino is still available on the IHT site for free. Lucy - thank you as always for your beautiful photos. John - thanks so much for posting the rankings from the Madame Figaro article. They don't seem to have the rankings online. They do however have a sidebar piece on this year's feves - and a notable new trend - the jewelry favour - a porcelain ring at Poilane and Swarovski pendants at Lenotre. They also mention Fauchon's engraved miniature Bernardaud plates and Laduree's "j'aime Laduree" inscribed on pastel favours. I tasted all of Pierre Herme's galettes for this season during his professional Holiday Cakes class back in October. This year he's again offering Almond, Roasted and Caramelised Pineapple (with a coconut almond cream), and Ispahan (rose petal, lychee, and raspberry almond cream). For the purists up in arms about the tampering done to their classic filling - or having any filling at all - relax. The flavourings are really quite subtle - it's still mostly almond cream in there.

They're not just in Spring/Summer - nor only at Printemps. Printemps hosted a Fall restaurant ephemere with Pierre Gagnaire in 04. And Le Fooding created their first one in Winter 04 with Yves Camdeborde - post La Regalade/pre-Le Comptoir - it was a weeklong nocturnal temporary restaurant in a butcher shop. They're usually announced to the public about a month in advance.

John - that was my first question. I really like Au Bon Accueil - had a wonderful dinner there recently - and one of my friends who worked with me at Les Ambassadeurs is the sous-chef there now. Their dining room is rather modern and the lunch crowd is local office people but the food is solid and they have an excellent cheese tray from Quatrehomme - one of my favourites in the city. greenwich st - I think I know your MIL. I used to live in the 7th right around the corner from La Fontaine de Mars and Nabuchodonosor and saw many women like the woman you describe. Let me guess - she has a good green wool coat, a favourite brown leather handbag, and wears sensible yet sturdily heeled shoes? And if you're considering a weekend lunch, then I think brunch at Les Ambassadeurs would be perfect - in fact that was my first thought. Pim - you are of course right about everything - but in this case I have to vote for brunch at Les Ambassadeurs.

Senderens is now a hip, modern scene. Food's minimalist - plating and quantity. Where does she like to go?

I really have to strongly disagree - I think the new Senderens would not at all please a finicky older French mother-in-law.

Druckenbrodt - really good friends understand when one must partake in a rare feast. anil - my thanks goes to the chefs and cooks at La Mamounia who let me in their kitchens. AngloCelt - tragic - how could you not have had a decent tagine in an entire week in the land of great tagines? And yes, please, I'd love to hear more about your dinners at Casa Lalla and Riad El Fenn - Richard Branson's sister's place. I made it up to his new place for lunch - the Kasbah Tamadot - absolutely stunning - food, setting, views - nestled in the Atlas mountains. This is where I had the most vibrant harira served with thick slices of bread slathered with honey and luscious dates - on a sun-drenched terrace overlooking an ancient Berber village. Before he opened the retreat, Branson offered free English lessons to the neighboring villagers so he could hire locally.

I want to clarify that the Cala Montjoi is not a hotel - it's a family resort. It is not at all luxurious - NO A/C. And El Bulli will serve the same menu - lunch and dinner.

Rafa's will be open - theoretically - remember that he only opens for the night if he gets fresh fish. And I recommend the Cala Montjoi "City of Vacations" for an interesting and truly local time. I stayed there at the beginning of my stage. It was great walking the beach to and from the restaurant - you climb up the back path. Meals are included - nothing great but it's convenient - and the chef Pepe was also the magician - as in rabbits out of hats. Plus they have a dive center - and mini golf. Did you know El Bulli used to have a mini-golf course on its roof? This was when they catered to mostly German tourists - grilling steaks out back.

Cala Montjoi - "The City of Vacations".

Nathan - I used them at restaurants in Paris. I'm in Chicago now - I'll post the info when I can.

atlanta cook - just plastic film. Lay two livers - facing and inverse - on a squared piece of film. Roll tightly then prick. Place that roll on a second piece of film and roll again - do not prick unless necessary for a tight finish. Finally seal in a shrink wrap bag. No need to cut off the excess.

I have a lot of experience cooking foie gras sous-vide - literally thousands - in and out of molds/terrines - but in combi-ovens. If you do it "torchon" double roll it and prick the first layer with a pin to release air and get a tighter roll. If you use a mold/terrine know your machine - do not seal it too tightly - and you can double bag. The golden fat will surround the surface - but work with it - either serve it with - which is beautiful - or peel it off and melt it for cooking - you will not miss this fat in the final product. Nathan - with the shrink wrap bags you were right the first time around - a quick dunk is all you need - 10 seconds is way too long - and then straight into the ice bath. Why don't you use them?

Corinna - it's just that sometimes I want the person who has no expectations. Just extreme curiosity. Bux - sez you. And that's just it - merits based on what??

Bux - you deserve a slap for that. Corinna - it's almost pure lottery. But the odds aren't quite that bad - the 400,000 requests means that number of seats requested - not the number of communiques - and a lot of people who've been once will never go back.