Louisa Chu

I had the exponentially great pleasure of finally going to JP's new shop - called Ter I discovered later from the packaging which I'm guessing refers to terroir as he emphasizes regional products, I'll ask next time - and dangerously realizing it's only an 8 minute walk from my home - 5 if I run - as well as meeting cabrales there! Ter's a modern and minimalist, chocolate brown and acid green space with boxed assortments displayed around, and a floating center island filled with cellophane sacs of single serve chocolates, marron glaces and feuilles/chocolate bark. We lingered over every item, finally decided on a boxed assortment and a large sac of caramelised hazelnut dark chocolate bark. Took it back to my place - via nearby Rue Cler, through the Christmas Eve hustle, past an overflowing Davoli - the ham place - and the boucherie next door decorated festively with still well-feathered capons, pheasants and whole pigs. Over tea and hours of conversation we methodically devoured nearly the entire box but agreed that we quite preferred the feuille/bark with its greater variation of texture as it was sprinkled generously with those caramelised hazelnuts rolled in cocoa powder. Will go back to try the patisserie items when they have them - today they only had one choice, an assorted box of macarons - soon.

Dorie Greenspan will be signing/plugging her new book "Paris Sweets" in Paris at Brentano's (metro Opera) tomorrow/Sunday/22 December 2002 from 15-17h. I'll ask her why no pix.

Maybe on a closed test road but not necessarily in real world traffic. But how can you generalize about European drivers? Autobahn drivers are a completely different animal than Parisian drivers. On the Autobahn they will only pass you in the correct passing lane - even if the adjacent lane is completely free and it means screaming up behind you at 100mph and tailing you inches away. Whereas in Paris roundabouts even city bus drivers have to slam on their brakes because yet another stupid Renault has sharply cut in front expecting a multi-ton vehicle to stop on a dime. As many incidents of road rage as I've experienced in Los Angeles - giving and receiving - I knew of very few serious accidents firsthand. In France alone a friend of mine's husband was almost killed while driving last year in Provence. In Paris, another friend's colleague was hit while walking, broke vertabrae and will be on her back for two months; just yesterday I saw a woman nearly mowed down by a 4x4 backing up full speed down Bourdonnais - a big busy street; and while I was merging onto the quai a couple of weeks ago, had a psycho scooterist ride up next to me and bang on my window - apparently not knowing that my first LA instinct was to try to then smear him into the wall.

I inferred from Jon's original post that the entree was pan fried slices of foie gras - not an entire liver. If that's correct, then a grande maison like Lucas Carton never should have served anyone those end pieces as is. As for what they could have done with them? Well, cabrales made a good suggestion - using it as an ingredient in another dish, but that thought should never have to occur to a diner. And Steve, as for the assessment that imperfect ingredients are treated in an imperfect manner, well I believe that the opposite is usually true - it's the imperfect ingredients that usually require more attention.

Here's a link to a current Pierre Herme article from Bonjour Paris written by a friend of mine. "Signature Pastries to Go?" Klancy did pastry at Cordon Bleu and a stage at Taillevant. Plus we may just have some insider info at Pierre Herme...

Is there any online resource that can tell me the current value or desirability of a bottle of wine? Not very rare or valuable. I have about a dozen bottles that I know need to be drunk very soon - bad shipping and storage - but I'd like to at least try the more valuable bottles with better food - and friends. Thanks very much for any help.

As a current student - and someone who grew up in the restaurant business - this comment truly struck home. This thread is full of frightening and exciting insight. Thank you all.

Now is the time on Sprockets when we cook!!!! I've always said that I want my dream kitchen to look and work like an autopsy room - super functional and so I can just hose it all down. I've also always wanted a kitchen where I can set myself on fire - and not smoke up the rest of the house. What I do not ever want - and don't really understand - are those social kitchens where people stand around and try to talk to you - or worse yet *help* - while I'm friggin' cooking! And ditto my computer - with a high speed connection bien sur - but I've got to figure out someway to keep out - and off - the grease.

Hey magnolia! Le Beau Violet 92 RUE DES ENTREPRENEURS 75015 PARIS Here's the photo link on Les Pages Jaunes. Le Beau Violet - photo/address

No wonder my virtual ears were burning. I hope only good things were said. Actually, that's not true - heated discussions OK too. Yes, yes, please count me in for a dining adventure.

Hey Cabrales, I actually live in Paris now. And yes, I should have posted the link for LTB's website. They absolutely do have a spectacular Second Empire interior - and I'd love to see it sometime, just not after an exhausting day with an early start the next morning. Unless the food's at least decent of course. But the lack or responses has me inclined to believe what an expat friend has told me - that Le Train Bleu was bad 20 years ago, and has gone downhill since then. Le Train Bleu

I've only heard bad things about their food but they've had a new chef for 18 months so maybe it's changed. Maybe. Invited to dinner there Thursday night and just wondering if I should bother. Thanks.

THAT'S what I was missing for a jerkoff chef at school yesterday! I have a question please. How do you pose your tools at your workstation? At school we work elbow to elbow. Thanks.

Hi Rochelle, We made eclairs, salambos and chouquettes today in pastry practical - and this original post ran through my mind! Some tips from our demo chef today - formerly of Dallayou. Start with your choux pastries "face up" on a cooling rack. Prop up the corner of the cooling rack on a #6/smallish-sized pastry tip. Use that tip to pierce holes in the bottoms of your choux pastry. Replace face down on the rack. Fill with a #8/slightly larger pastry tip. Whisk your pastry cream until smooth and sift a layer of cocoa over. Whisk to smooth. Add cocoa again as needed. Whisk again to smooth. Carefully guide the star tips down to the bottoms of disposable bags, using your fingers around the points to guard the bag as well as possible. One last tip for using delicate fresh fruit - like rasberries. Always carefully turn them out of the container onto your work surface or a plate. Don't try to pick them right out of the container with your fingers because if they're nice and ripe the way you want them to be for your pastries you risk bruising or crushing them. And one of our other chefs - formerly of La Tour d'Argent - told us the reason eclairs are called eclairs is because eclair is also the word for lightning and these pastries are so good that they're eaten as fast as lightening.

Gentlemen, I may not write like a girl, but I am. It's Louisa. I understand - as well as anyone can - how Michelin awards stars, but I was asking about the food, not whether or not L'Arpege - the restaurant, the experience - merited their stars. I understand - again, as well as anyone can - the difference between eating and dining, but my question is an attempt to further explore that difference - regardless of Michelin. And specifically as it applies to Passard as he is one of the most challenging fine dining chefs around. Would one consider his signature egg as an inspired creation were it not served within the same setting nor by the same service? And forget about Michelin! You're kidding, right? Rodin haunts me for what he provokes from within me. But for another viewer, he may do nothing. All that guy might see is a life-like sculpture. For me, some food is just food - Michelin starred or not. Other food transports me - Michelin starred or not. I don't know about Passard. I haven't been to L'Arpege yet. Perhaps mine will remain a rhetorical question for now.

Steve, c'mon. Do you believe that all less than 3 Michelin starred restaurants are dirty? To use your analogy, would you enjoy swimming in and of itself in a not quite beautiful though clean pool? Or a pristine Alpine lake? Or a warm tropical ocean? I know as well as one can know about the Michelin rating system. But that's not what I'm asking about. I'm asking fundamentally about the food - for what it's worth. And what it's worth seems to be the million dollar - or 300 euro per person - question. Would we appreciate Rodin or Picasso or Van Gogh or Passard on their own merits? Or do we need the setting and the service? I don't know the answer. I don't think you know the answer for me. I'm just asking for those who've experienced L'Arpege what might the answer be for themselves.

For those of you who have dined at L'Arpege - or any comparable restaurants - would you enjoy the food itself as much without the same setting and service?

pirate, then just eat twice as much.

Margaret, yes, thanks - crise de foie. Not consumption - neither tuberculan nor conspicuous - though a lovely euphamism. Steve, yes, we live in the 7th, near rue Cler. Absurd location. Pinch me. And John, we only went to Benoit because an extravagantly generous friend invited us to dinner there. It was my first Michelin-starred experience and unfortunately less than stellar. I knew the food would be classic, classic French but thought it was tired, while the service was rushed. The only glimmer of genius was the puff pastry with the champignons sauvages - perfectly golden and each ethereal layer distinct and crisp. And speaking of eggs, fat and richness how about oeufs en meurette?

The ham shop/charcuterie is Davoli, 34 Rue Cler. And actually it's Marie-Anne Cantin. I keep making that mistake myself - until I see her delivery trucks parked in the neighborhood. She's around the corner at 12 rue Champ de Mars. We just had dinner a couple of weekends ago at the venerable Restaurant Benoit in the 4th. The meal was so rich in fat that we immediately suffered from what I think was once delicately referred to as consumption. We started with a thick slice of ham rolled around foie gras and champignons sauvages sauteed and generously finished in butter. And then pigeon served with a tiny chou filled with epinards not as much sauteed but I think soaked in butter. And rabbit with more of those buttery mushrooms. Both plats were plated with just jus. My poor sister never made it to dessert and I only had a polite bite of the Sainte-Eve aux fraises.

Rochelle, Speaking of whisks, the day after I'd written to you last about chefs giving hands-on instruction, before I had a chance to ask as I'd intended, one of our chefs took my hand in his and showed me a better way to mount egg whites. I'd always held my whisk with the balloon nearest my pinky whereas I should have held it nearest my thumb, thereby using more wrist strength and momentum than upper arm and shoulder strength which tire much more quickly. Congratulations on the mayo.

Rochelle, Parchment paper! Was not taught that. And time, luxurious time, a luxury we do not have. But I will certainly try the paper next time. Thanks. And no, I'm absolutely not getting harassed at school, but there are definitely cultural differences here in Paris and somewhat ironically I'm the one who's trying to be sensitive to that fact. And yes, I always ask questions. What shocks me are the vast majority of students who do not. I will let you know how the hands-on go at school.

I would love to know if there are any tricks of the trade in rolling out the diamant dough. They were amongst the first things we made in pastry. Could not quite get my rolls even. Thanks. I thought it was very interesting that Chefette put her hands on yours to show you the feel. Do you think you would have felt as comfortable had it been a man? I've been wanting to ask our chefs at school to do the same but so far I've had one who has been a bit too flirtatious and I don't want to encourage him any further.

Hey Rochelle, Just discovered your diary - and egullet as a matter of fact. I'm at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris doing cuisine and pastry - or as they impressively refer to it "Le Grande Diplome". I grew up in the restaurant business - Chinese and Vietnamese - so I'm totally at home with sharp knives, hot stoves and screaming cooks but school is still kicking my ass - sorry ma derriere. Add to the challenges speaking French - and food French which is a whole other animal. Looking forward to reviewing your past entries. From this one post, I'd say sure I like reading about what you're doing in school but how you're feeling makes it more compelling. A great duck recipe is nice but how you recoil from preparing it as a vegetarian but still gamely try makes you human and not a cooking school manual. How do you reconcile preparing meat? Will you ever feel comfortable with it? Will you someday just refuse? You may have answered these questions already in your past posts - and I'm interested now in finding out. Bonne chance on school and your externship. I just survived my second week - and my first puff pastry.