TarteTatin

$7.95 a pound at The Lobster House in Cape May, New Jersey- yesterday. For any size. I got a two pound one and we split it with lots of vegetables and it was tasty and sweet and plenty. Not even $16.

I agree with George Blanc as my favorite chicken... La Tour D'argent has a bistro right next to it (same owners, same suppliers-I would think). It's called Rotisserie Beaujolais. A bit touristy, and you need a reservation, but we like it. The chicken and duck are very good. Stay with the basics like that, they handle that more than when they try to be too creative.

I know you are all going to balk and say, "What, the Tarte Tatin's have never been to Osteria?" Well, we hadn't. So, tonight, early, we did. For the first time. Sat at the bar bar. Mr. Tarte Tatin was sick on cold medicine, so he didn't drink. I had a very nice martini and then a cheap glass of rosso, which tasted high in alcohol, but once it blew off it was adequate. We shared the famous margherita pizza. Great crust, good tasting mozzarella. I had the salumi plate. He had the Octopus. Then we shared the cinghiale pasta. The bread was good, especially the fig bread. Everything was good... I think we need to go back and have a full meal, when himself is feeling a bit better... The couple next to us had the pasta special with lots of alba truffles. The description sounded good, but the (probably well worth it) price of $100 for a small plate was the deterrent.

Truffade recipe from Saveur. It's a potato and cheese dish from the Auvergne. Just outrageous.

Hey, Felice! Sorry you are in town under not good circumstances... My vote is Taco Rienda in NoLib. Real, not tex-mex. (Although I too, like Dos Segundos!) Oh, and if you are here on Sunday, don't miss the Headhouse Farmer's Market starting at 10:00 a.m. It's the closest to the marches in France...although, last Sunday there weren't as many stalls since it was getting cold. And, tomorrow (Tues), there's a small one at South & Passyunk starting at 3 or 4 p.m., can't remember. Fair Food in Reading Terminal has local dried blueberries and cranberries, which is something my friends in France really appreciate me taking them back.

Careful, Capitol One sucks you in because of that, but they charge outrageous fees for late payment and if you don't pay everything all at once.

I agree, we have friends in France that ask us for dried cranberries every time. Also, Macademia nuts from Hawaii they ask for. And, interesting wild rice combinations from the American Indians. How about chocolate covered pretzels from Pennsylvania? (Pa General Store ships)

It's funny, because when we go to tastings at very good wineries in France; they always have their own boxed wine available. We've seen this at numerous places. They have their really good wines, and lots of tourists, including us buy different wines. However, the locals stop in and help themselves to either boxed wines---or---we've seen sort of gas station pumping areas. Instead of plus, etc, it's one for white, one for red, etc. The locals eat it up (or drink it up). They bring their own containers and everything. So, I guess if you find a winery you like, you can get their vin ordinaire - "filled up" please! I wish we had that here. We haven't found any boxed we really like. Sometimes, we have found liter and a half bottles of "plonk". And, believe me, we've searched. Hardy's was just ok (the white). The red gave me severe acid. Lindeman's 1.5 is ok. There's a Languedoc 1.5 that's not bad...

OMG, its my favorite thing to eat in France!-- (one of my favorites, anyway) We absolutely cannot get scallops with the roe on here in the States. I've asked everywhere. They always say, "sure" and then get back to me and say "no". I dream about it. Have had it years ago in Canada, and in Europe, but NEVER in the States, anywhere. It's soooo delicious. Especially with a bite of scallop.

Bump. I know this may sound ridiculous to some, but we are planning a trip to Sherry country sometime between Nov '09 and March '10. Okay, it's over a year away, but part of my fun is dreaming! It will be for a combination 50th for me and my best girlfriend, along with our husbands. My husband and I have been to France about 25 times, mainly to study wine...and eat a lot. We've also been to Madeira and Italy, and California, etc. BUT, believe it or not, we've never been to Spain! SO, our first place to visit will be to Sherry. Jerez, Seville, etc. If you have any advice regarding food, wine, or wine routes, we'd love it! Gracias in advance! (My girlfriend's husband speaks fluent Spanish, but the rest of us do not)

Y'know, we used to love that Raspail market, weinoo. But in January, we were underwhelmed. Maybe because it was off season? We'd been there before and liked it. But last time, we thought it to be touristy and not as clean/fresh ingredients as some of the other markets. Go to Motte Picquet - Grenelle on Sunday in the 15th near the Eiffel Tower and La Gauloise restaurant (old fashioned and not cheap but good) and also La Villa Corse, a Corsican place - http://www.lavillacorse.com/ At Place d'Italie in the 13th is Marche Blvd Auguste Blanqui (and another marche right there near Chinatown that's good too). These are where the locals go, not a lot of tourists at all. Good fun. And, you can buy those fantastic scarves for so much cheaper than out front of Galerie Lafayette or even Raspail. Good gifts to bring back.

Any new good places in Santa Rosa or the area to eat?

Anything new on the General's Daughter's food now? Also, is there a new place in the area with the old Chef?

Yes, sorry, we are in Santa Rosa staying with friends, but travel both sides for food. Always have one of us as a designated. Darn. But works...

Anything new in dim sum in San Francisco? We'll be there for lunch December 26th. Or, could be any other interesting ethnic foods that we might not have in Philadelphia. (staying a week in Santa Rosa, so recommendations up there (not necessarily ethnic)-including Napa, etc. are good too! Years ago went to Jeanty and loved it, maybe Bouchon this time?) Thanks!

We were there two weeks ago: Buddha Bodai in Flushing. We are not vegetarians and our veggie friends took us there for dim sum. First time in Flushing. I distinctly remember the "pork" dish. Delicious, as was a lot of the food... Edited to say: And the next day we went to a Dosa Indian vegetarian restaurant in Manhattan. I think it was around 27th & Lex? Sort of caddy corner across the street from Kaluystan's. That also was very good. I don't think we have dosa places in Philly, (that I'm aware of).

Ulterior: The greens at Dinic's change all the time. I love it also when they use broccoli rabe. Also, Salumeria's vegetarian hoagie is to die for! Although we're not vegetarians, we often order this for lunch. Just great. And, if r&d are on vacation again, Basset's plain vanilla is what they are known for. Brilliant.

We ate there in January (again, not a destination place, but happened to be starving while shopping...poor planning). It was packed, just packed with tourists. All the places had lines. We basically chose the shortest line, which was an Italian place with pastas. It really was just ok, and very expensive for what we got. The couple next to us had a dessert, a tiramisu it looked like, that was huge enough to serve a family of six. About six months earlier, we went mid morning and had a lovely hot chocolate at the coffee bar. Real chocolate served in a pitcher, with a separate pitcher of milk/cream-I believe. I think I mixed the two myself. Another time we had a split of champagne at the champagne caviar bar. So, I guess it depends on what you want, and what time/day you go. EDITED TO SAY: SHOOOT! I'm talking about the wrong place! Disregard this post or delete it! How funny! I'm talking about Printemps or Galerie Lafayette. Je suis desolee!

We went to Cafe Sabarsky on Saturday about 5:30, after going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (started at the Bronx Zoo, had lunch on Arthur Ave.-- attended a few short films at a festival in Manhattan... before the museum... After, had Dosa at an Indian at 27 and Park, and then went to a party in the Village; long day!) Anyway, four of us had desserts and a bottle of wine. There was a pianist and it was just lovely. I had apple strudel, others had linzer torte, rehrucken (choc, orange confiture, marzipan), and schwarzwalder kirschtorte- a chocolate and cherry cake. Mine and the chocolate were the winners! The pastry on mine was so light and buttery! We had a bottle of riesling. Nice afternoon "tea".

We were in the Bronx for the first time this weekend. Saturday, we had lunch off of Arthur Ave. at an indoor market. It had a few vegetable stalls and a few lunch/take out places. Also there was a cool handmade cigar making place where you could watch them making the cigars. Arthur Ave. Retail Food Center. The Mercato cafe, I think it was called. We had fresh fried zucchini flowers, two for a $1.00. Hubby had an already made delicious sandwich. Vegetarian friends had a freshly made eggplant, raddichio, endive sandwich. I asked for the pastrami, broccoli rabe sandwich, which sounded wonderful and unique! They didn't have pastrami. So the gentleman recommended a prosciutto, broccoli rabe, red roasted pepper and mozzarella sandwich. Very good! The night before we ate at an Italian place called Patricia's. I don't think it's near Arthur Ave? More likely near a hospital? It was a good family run Italian place. The type that gives you a big old fashioned salad for our table of five...and lots of bread and garlic oil to dip it in. Then we had a small margherita pizza for an app. I had Rotini with broccoli rabe (love it) and shrimp. Hubby had gnocchi, very light. Others had puttanesca, pasta with beans and broccoli rabe, another had mushroom ravioli that was delicious. House carafes of wine, all was good.

Today we were in Flushing for the first time, our vegetarian friends took us to the Buddha Bodai for dim sum. I know that we were at the "quiet end" as they said of Chinatown, on the main street. The dim sum was pretty good, even though we are not vegetarians. There was a lot of soft rice wrapped dishes, with spinach and other things-also a sort of spring roll, a fake BBQ meat, something sesame...other tasty tidbits. I really don't know what we had, but it was pretty good. Later we went up the main street a bit and off on a side street shopped at a large-ish Asian supermarket. I bought cilantro for 2 for $1.00 and some soft ginger root, which I'd never seen before. I must admit we missed some of the tasty looking meat dishes we saw - or rather smelled- while walking around...

Gout de terroir. Taste of the earth.

Between the ones I brought over to Paris last year, and the ones that I've had here in Philly/New Jersey (from the farmer's markets) this year, I have to say I'm not overwhelmingly impressed! They truly have acquired that "ugly" heirloom look, but the taste just isn't as incredible as I've had. Perhaps it has to do with season to season, as opposed to Jersey vs. French, vs terroir, etc.? I mean, the stone fruit this year from the farmer's markets here in Philly are the best I've had in years! The best apricots, peaches, cherries, even non stone: blackberries, etc. What a great fruit season I feel we've had. And, yet, I'm not overwhelmed with the tomato tastes. They're good, very good, but not GREAT.

On the way to Cochon last Tuesday, we passed by La Minette, and it, indeed, looks very pretty from the outside. And, the pictures you took, make the inside look great too! WE HAVE BEEN DYING for a good flammekuche (sp) since we've been to Alsace, many years ago. Alas, not Olivier St. Martin, nor the Alsatian place in Manhattan on the east side-, nor even places in Paris make it as incroyable as those few weeks on the wine route in Alsace!! Even Paris makes it as sort of a touristy version... It's really a thin crusted onion and lardon pie, very little cheese, and definitely not boursin. Maybe it was creme fraiche? Just to die for, especially the night we watched the "Fete des Vendages". They were crowning the Queen of the Grapes in Molsheim, I believe, and the pretty girls who were the runners up were part of the local beauty contest. Unfortunately, the girl who won was the Mayor's daughter or something and wasn't very pretty. ANYWAY, the homemade flammekuche that night kept flowing and the local young red wine (OH, our heads the next day!) was flowing too. We were the only tourists in the town hall where the local MC had the young teens gaga over him. I need to write it up into a story, it was a trip out of Twin Peaks. ANYWAY, yes, the memory of those pies were amazing. I love going off on a tangent.

Our favorite ground beef (I think that's all he sells at Fair Food), is Dr. Elkins Angusburger. This stuff is so tasty, I can eat a very rare burger and actually TASTE the wonderful meat. So tired of tasteless meat, not just beef, but lamb. There's a definite difference between lamb and mutton taste, but where is the nice lamby taste lately?