TarteTatin

Try her beet and tomato soup recipe. YUM.

La Bonne Table by Bemelman. Great stories-- about the old days of the food service industry... (Not only is he a good food/service writer, but he did the children books and drawings of "Madeline"). Also found Michel Guerard, Cuisine Minceur at a flea market. Old fashioned, not well written (due to translation?), but interesting.

So, where did you go, Katie?

The Urban Girl is also at the Wed afternoon market in Northern Liberties, right across from Tap. She's great. The best okra I've seen around, for three years running. (among other things). She likes to grow interesting and unique items.

Six of us had dinner last Friday night. We were seated at the back round booth, very nice table. It was pretty good. I had two apps and split an entree. Langoustine with ricotta cream, exquisite, I wouldn't let anyone taste it cause it was too small. Then risotto with summer truffles. Then I shared the poularde. Others had the fricasee of sweetbreads, tortelloni with blueberry and thyme, lamb (which hubby didn't love-wasn't cooked the way he asked and just wasn't super. Very salty). Lots of other dishes... Yes, as stated before, the portions are small and pricey. However, most of it was quite tasty and creative, for a change. The sommelier from Italy was good, we had some recommendations from someone at Winebow before we went, plus he helped a lot. Wasn't overbearing, just always there when we wanted him to be. Had an Italian white-Friolino? Can't remember....the red was Argiolas from Sardinia. There was a bottle of Muscat for dessert that was tasty, and nice and low in alcohol. My sorbets sounded interesting, but the three I ordered were so miniscule, it was hard to taste. Nice evening, dinner was pricey, plus it was $11 each for pre dinner cocktails. But, we all enjoyed ourselves.

OHHHHH, remember Silveri's? You brought back such good memories, JM! YUM.

Had lunch at Buddies. I ordered two large crabs, very meaty, not real large....the seasoning was good, not old bay, but good. He had the rib and crab cake combo. I didn't like the taste of ribs I tried, but he did, so that's all that counts. We had a bottle of New Zealand screw top sauvignon and his meal started with a very basic, not worth it salad. Overlooked the water though, and it wasn't too crazy for a Tuesday lunch. Annapolis was good, went to Pusser's for a cocktail, walked around... Drove back to Philly via Galena/Sassafras river...went to our old stand by in Chesapeake City for dinner: Bayard Canal House. Sat on the canal, outside, lots of neat boat activity, including a big huge tanker that we didn't think would make it under the bridge, but did. Bottle of Gruet rose, we love Gruet, a New Mexico winery, I believe it's a French winemaker. Good value for a restaurant at $25. He had their special award winning Maryland crab soup, REALLY good, and I don't usually go for tomato based seafood soups. Delicious. Took a pint home and had it tonight. Great. I had their special crab cakes. You think: $29 for an entree, it had better be good! It was. It was totally worth it. Not just the size (two huge cakes, one would have been enough). But the taste was delicious. Really good. The broccoli side tasted fresh, it was the usual overcooked, but, oh, well. A little dollop of some potato... He had buttermilk soft shell crabs over salad. Again, the size was huge, two large ones, and it was definitely FRIED food. But, I have to say, just delicious! It was a special...the remoulade/mayonnaise/sauce was very spicy and delicious. It was on a bed of a large amount of salad, not wilted by the crabs, just very tasty, with all sorts of mushrooms, cucumbers, etc, etc. We both ended with this locally made Hockessin, Delaware ice cream, which we've had there before. Butterscotchy, caramel, a bit of fudge, very vanilla and decadent. Besides going there about once a year, we've had stuff two years running from both Bayard House and this Hockessin, Delaware ice cream place - at the Meals with the Masters at the Chase Center. Very good Eastern Shore seafood place.

I just found the Western Shore thread, and am thinking about Mike's, if we can find it...or Buddy's, I guess.

Any recent reports of anything in Annapolis? Or anything on the way to/from Philly? We're doing a quick day trip tomorrow, (Tuesday). Thanks!

Amy is so not fake. She is normal. She is warm. She has an asymettrical side smile. She truly is a Mom that likes to cook. Gourmet next door. Very watchable and real. Rory is fake, trying to be a personality, but cannot cook. Like I said: Texas will win over France. Merkin. Amerkin. America. But, it's not right. Egg cocotte vs. grilled steak? C'mon! No comparison. No creativity for Rory. Grill some steak, serve it with asparagus. America swoons. Even Ratatouille has more creativity than that.

There's a great kitchen shop sort of across the street from Dehillerin, that we discovered on our last trip in April. Verrerie des halles, in a back courtyard. Excellent. Bought a lot of items there.

I'm just really upset because Amy is by far the best. She knows her stuff, she's warm, she's normal, and she's getting played with by the Reality TV world. Back and forth. And, you know she won't win. BIG TEETH Rory, who doesn't have a clue how to cook, and has proved that time and again, will win because the Texas/American mentality will identify more with her (whether she can cook or not), rather than a Gourmet/French woman. What a shame. Reality TV. Crazy.

If your place falls through to stay, for some reason: We had a lovely time at the Mas De La Regalade, a B&B right on the edge of Gordes. The couple used to work for Alain Ducasse in Monaco, and it's very high class.

I totally agree, darn it! Where's the liver, heart, etc.? Why are we deprived of it all when we buy the whole bird? What can we do to change it? I think little protest signs, going through the market, "Give us your heart, your liver, your innards"! "We deserve the offal!"

We spent about $50. I don't know how. But, it all looked so good! Had a little Poussin for dinner tonight from the market. $5, really tiny, but big enough for two with lots of other veg. Sam made it with a sour cherry and tarragon sauce. It was fresh, not frozen, as was the duck breast we bought, and the turkey thighs. Got tons of cherries, all kinds,- and blueberries, apricots, plums, peaches, wonderful... Gorgeous dark long, thin eggplant. Fresh spring garlic. Some cheese (which doesn't thrill me half as much as Hendrick's). Lots of other stuff. Went crazy. I love Fresh local Farmer's markets!!

Well, we spent 9 hours traveling (including our brief appetizers) from Philly to Tupper Lake. Wonderful, Friday night traffic. Coming back on Monday- it was a mere 7 hours, so, it's all about timing. We called Bistro Beekman and they were "closing early for the night". We then called Chez Sophie from 15 minutes away, and found out they were only serving at the bar after 9 p.m. until 10 p.m. We arrived at 9:25, to a very packed bar, very hungry after driving in traffic. The restauran is very pretty, however the restaurant and hotel aren't very well marked. ( Saratoga Springs seemed to be full of young guys in cars honking at women- and getting pulled over by cops.) After waiting a long time, we were able to order from the bar menu. I simply ordered the charcuterie, and hubby ordered Raclette. Two glasses of Muscadet. My charcuterie was good. Homemade pate, they said, and the typical other meats. Not large, but ok, with a little micro greens. They served a white bean spread to start, with some bread. Very garlicky, and good. Sam had the Raclette, little potatoes with cheese that had little bits of cornichon in it. The bill came to $35. The strange thing about the evening: Sam went to the bathroom, and these guys that we had seen a few minutes ago at the bar-they were ordering shots-were there...Sam entered the bathroom and went to do his thing---the two guys stared at him. When he finished and turned around-they were doing lines on the bathroom sink area. Now, we used to do that in the 80's, but I have to say, haven't seen it that blatantly in a bathroom area since then. These guys just seemed to be dressed and straight out of the 80's. Very retro experience...he saw them go back to the table and their ladies' - after doing shots and whatever in the bathroom. Really a 20 year old deja vu experience! Funny, that.

Oh, we bought two pints at Livingood's today, of those sour cherries. Can we eat them as snacks, or do we have to make things with them?

Actually, that's been bothering us for some time now. We get all our whole chickens from either Fair Food or Winter Harvest/Farm to City, or at the Farmer's markets. All local chickens. And, not a one has the innards still in them! I love the liver too! Sam usually cooks it up while the smells of the chicken cooking are tormenting us. To all you local chicken farmers out there! Let us have our innards! I protest!

Fork has a beautiful back room.

Thank you, docsconz!

One "chicken" lobster for 7.95 and two for 8.95 in Groton, Connecticut. About 37 years ago. Right by EB/General Dynamics. Dad said I could order two if I ate them both. I did, at 9 or 10 years old. Every morsel. Didn't leave anything.

We're hoping to leave on Friday, June 22nd in the afternoon, and about halfway through- somewhere- have dinner. Price is not a problem, although we're big wine drinkers, but hate to drink and drive. Therefore, if it's too tempting, we'll be frustrated! On the other hand, we're big local area- help the farmers- food people. We like good creative, nice places, and also like down home diners, and everything inbetween! Just like good food! I have a note into the people we're meeting up there, to see about the route. I think it's 287 to the New York State Thruway to I-87 North. US9 to NY 73N. Mapquest says just under 7 hours.

We're traveling from Philadelphia to Tupper Lake in a few weeks. I think it's about a 7 hr. drive. Anyone have any dinner ideas on the way?

Wow. Gorgeous.

Chez Janou by the back of the Place des Vosges is a good bistro.... There's a super boulangerie also off the back of the Place des Vosges with the best pain au chocolat I've ever had. Have to ask Mr. Tarte Tatin for the name of it...can't remember.