Louisa Chu

Rose only applies to game and organ meat doneness. It's more cooked than rare - when the meat's still pink - as the name implies.

Chef, congratulations. And thank you again for allowing me the privilege to stage in your kitchen - it was an honour and a pleasure. Bon courage to you, John, Curtis, and Joe. I'm looking forward to what comes next from your new team's hands, hearts, and minds. Will you have the controversial Kitchen Table? And what kitchens worldwide are you drawing upon for design?

The next step up is bien cuit - or French medium - which is probably closer to American rare. In France, meat done-ness is ordered bleu, saignant, a point, or bien cuit - any orders we get beyond that are typically called "bien, bien, bien cuit!" - or something to that effect.

Surely this Spoon book is NOT in response to the El Bulli books. It's been in the works for years. If there has to be an Ali-Frazier - and I'm NOT saying there should be - it might be better to match Les Grandes Livres against the El Bulli volumes. And Les Editions d'Alain Ducasse is M. Ducasse's own publishing house in Paris. And this book was mentioned on the France board. The Spoon website's missing Tokyo - so there are at least eight worldwide. BUT they're all VERY different - in terms of setting, service, and cuisine - each reflects - and sometimes deflects - local cuisine. Paris is more Asian than Tokyo - and Hong Kong is more French than Gstaad - etc. And M. Bellin left Spoon Tokyo to take over at Spoon Paris when M. Moret took over at the Plaza when my chef, Jean-François Piège, took over at the Crillon. Got it?? I don't know who's the new chef in Tokyo. I'll be very interested to see how home cooks do with this book. While Les Grandes Livres and Los Libros get me hyperventilating with mise en place panic, I think these recipes might actually be accessible.

I just read this term last night - from its description it's a pain de mie - a French, white bread with a dense crumb. I'm not in your area but try any good French boulangerie. Otherwise it's fairly easy to make and the pans seem to be pretty available in the States.

Jason, thanks. That "good" article was written by the great Mort Rosenblum - author extraordinaire of James Beard award-winning Olives : The Life and Lore of a Noble Fruit and A Goose in Toulouse and other Culinary Adventures in France and The Secret Life of the Seine - just a few of I've lost count of how many books he's written. Mort is an incredible man - legendary war correspondent and former editor of the International Herald Tribune - and a good friend. He's now working on a book about that other essential of civilised culinary life - chocolate. I travelled through Normandy pretty extensively when I first moved to France a couple of years ago - and like Mort - I adore Honfleur. My favourite food has got to be the salted caramel ice cream from the little glacier right on the old port. My second favourite - maybe their calvados ice cream. Bonheur.

There's a certain French gesture - not that one - that suits the kind of funny/kind of interesting American outrage against Starbucks in Paris. You shrug your shoulders, purse your lips, and exhale. It's kind of a gesture of resignation - it's not that big of a deal. You live in Paris long enough and you realise that the city - and the citoyens - have lived through a lot worse - a LOT. The thing is - bad iconic American junk food has not overrun Paris - we are not the Land of the Inflated People. And if we want one 3000 calorie Gigantico Caramel Frappucino every six months or so - it's nice to have that option. Not many people are going to go there for their daily cafe - and those who do I don't want to know.

You have got to love a "diet" with tete de veau. Lucy - felicitations - on starting this - on making it public - on your beautiful and thoughtful journal. I predict that you will soon discover hordes of American Atkins refugees on your doorstep in Lyon - begging for your warm, moist, bio breadcrumbs!

Sadly there will be no reciprocal cross-cultural cheeseburger with the now retired 280 gram cheeseburger - le deux cent quatre-vingt.

Oh please - at McDo's in Paris? They'd be just as happy if you didn't bother them by actually ordering food - and then making a mess with it. There's a guy who hangs out at one of them who just brings in the food he's collected from the Monoprix dumpster. BUT having said all that - I can't fault McDo's TOO much - they do allow Karli in - and off-leash at that. Soluble coffee?? Like INSTANT?? It's real ground coffee.

Those Nespresso machines are GREAT. The different coloured capsules are different coffees - NOT flavours. There's no wine at McDo's in France - just beer. And really - DON'T get the espresso - it SUCKS. I think the only reason I bothered once was because I was in the middle of a roadtrip - desperate.

They do have WiFi. I've lived in Paris without coming back to the States for two years and I like having Starbucks around - McDo's too. I may not go often - if ever - but it's nice to have the choice - and there's no danger of them running my neighborhood cafe out of business. If only we could get some better Mexican food than Chichi's - even Chipotle seems good.

At a three-star there will be someone who speaks English who can translate the menu. At a popular bistro - maybe - and maybe a translated menu. Patricia Wells has a glossary.

The Australian Finger Limes and Sugar were the sophisticated lollipops served in a clear bud vase - two small delicate disks of sugar, sandwiching pink cells of the finger limes, barely heated under the salamander - so the sugar just embraces the lime cells. Like most of the other courses it's a one-bite experience - the brittle breakthrough of sugar sweetness to the juicy tartness of lime. One of the hidden components of the chocolate dessert is a disk of Sierra Nevada Porter Stout gelee - under the flaxseed nougatine. Personally I loved that dish - but when I sampled it they were using the Ocumare - both chocolates from Chocovic. The concept behind the dish was simply a chocolate bar left in a hot car - that state of chocolate when it still barely holds its form - when you can still read "Hershey" on the bar itself - but is nearly liquid to the touch - a seductive and elusive concept I think. To achieve that effect, the chocolate is heated through with light bulbs - but carefully monitored and turned as needed. As simple as that sounds - the light bulb breakthrough - literally and figuratively speaking - came from trial and error experiments over the course of two weeks. The accompanying elements were added to enhance the other perceived undertones of the chocolate - primarily an earthiness. The pistachio puree I especially liked simply because it had no added colour - it's usually a pale green in France that I dislike. The sprouts are grown in-house - quite successfully from the sun that pours into the pastry kitchen. Bruce, I can completely respect that it did not appeal to you - but I don't understand it as an deconstructed pain au chocolat at all. mnfoodie, rest assured that both sous-chefs are officers and gentlemen - and the fact that they might reprimand the crew with just a look is a testament to their professionalism. And EVERYONE in that kitchen cares about the food. Next time - go ahead - jump in their arms - cooks need a LITTLE extra excitement sometimes - but maybe AFTER service.

So there are TWO - maybe three - good places to dine with your dog in your town?? Bistrot du Coin, Red Dog Cafe, and - God help us - a Holiday Inn?? For good dog goods in Paris go to Samaritaine - big new pet department; Colette - small but stylish selection - but watch out for their ill-behaved choco Lab; and of course Louis Vuitton - best selection on the Champs-Elysees. There's also a cool little shop in the Marais - right around the corner from Jo Goldenberg - I forget the name - the last time I saw they had cammouflage covered dog beds in the window.

Says who? And if that's what it takes to get a good review in New York by Zagat then all the more reason to go by - and buy - the Michelin guide.

There's no price limit for Bib Gourmand restaurants in France. They do average about 30 euros per person - food only - but there are little North African places for as little as 15 - for lunch - up to French regionals at about 50. And Bib is the nickname for the Michelin Man in France - short for Bibendum - those kooky French.

Oh my God - my friend Grace needs to seriously backhand bitchslap JG.

You know what will really suck? Is if Michelin starts CHARGING on their website. I don't own my own Guide Rouge but I use their website all the time. And again - as usual - the focus is on the three-stars - what's a discovery - even in Paris - where people are - uh - kind of known to care about food/dining - are the Bib Gourmand listings. What I like about Michelin is that it's written in a consistent but not overly personal voice. Not too many "quotes with exclamation points!" - but not so "well, personally, I don't care for this dish, but if you like that sort of thing" or "I don't like the room/service/crowd" etc. How about a culinary Celebrity Death Match between Tim Zagat and the Michelin Man?

I have not heard good things about Hiramatsu lately - sad to say - friends just went a couple of times in the past few months. There's a GREAT thread started by Picaman with La Regalade price/quality bistros.

Essex House/ADNY might be in a class ALMOST by itself but it is NOT regarded within the organization as a BRANCH of anything - it is its own restaurant. Who else thinks it would be fun if Le Guide Rouge - New York et Environs - were first published only in French?

Thanks all for your input. SuzanneF - I could have sworn that I saw that nutmeg grater on their site too. Maybe I just WISHED that another model would be somehow easier to use for big projects - I used to weekly do about 30 oranges, 30 lemons, and 30 limes. Nero - any problems popping that screen in or out? And anyone else use any of the other graters/screens? Thanks again.

Savour Chef - no problem - just about every OTHER kind of batter is better after resting in the fridge - crepes, American pancakes, etc. Bond Girl - how much were those 8 blossoms? And you can tell they're fresh just like any other kind of flower - nice-looking petals. The ones in Rome are NOT using a tempura batter - and the blossoms are just going to be different. Hey - but at least they're crispy - and tasty? And again - for tempura in general - ICE water - not just cold water. Emily - they're usually not stuffed on the street - just fried.

Of the restaurants mentioned - Guy Savoy falls somewhere between ADPA and L'Arpege. Have you seen the website? It's pretty comprehensive. Bon voyage.

I have the 35002 - Fine Grater with Black Handle - but for some reason I don't like it. I'm thinking of getting the original 40001 or maybe the 37000 Series - but not all the screens - with the wire handle. I don't like the black/Santaprene handles - but should I? What do you think? What do you like? And THIS scared the hell out of me. Thanks for your help.