TarteTatin

One of my favorite foods in the world is Coquille avec Roe! For some reason, you can't get the roe attached in the States. Whenever I ask anyone, they say its because it doesn't sell, that people don't like it. Well, every time we go to Canada or France, I can't wait! Does anyone have any inside info on this?

Strangely enough, we get a lot of Brit stuff at Shoprite on Aramingo. Hubby spent 10 years in the UK, so he HAS to have Typhoo tea, which they have in teabags, not loose. They also have a full isle of International food, including Marmite, HP, etc. etc. Oh, and Malteasers! How could we live without that? Shoprite at the Cherry Hill Racetrack circle has the same thing. Cork gin, however, from Cork, Ireland, is a different kettle of fish. Can't find that anywhere in Philly. Dickens Inn used to have it. Very juniper berry taste, I want to say Bergamot? Love it.

Caramel butterscotch vanilla malt on carmelized apples

Bleu D'Bresse. Similar to, but tastier than Bleu D'Auvergne. Haven't found it in the states anywhere. Outrageous!

We had a wonderful meal at Mandoline on Thursday night. 24 of us filled the restaurant for a private party. We were probably the only Philly people, the rest were wine lovers from Haddonfield, etc.-a wine group we sort of belong to, with some wine importers and wine shop people. Sort of a tasting dinner... We really enjoyed the dinnner. We started out with a duck breast and cherry amuse. It wasn't sweet at all, very delightful, over bruschetta. I had that goat cheese/pistachio dish, loved it! Hubby had a wasabi tuna app, delicious and very summery and light. Then he had the coriander crusted lamb chops with mash and green beans. Despite it being a winter type dish, it was great. Tasty, cooked perfectly med rare to rare, and, I think, 9 small chops, way too much (but it made a great lunch the next day). I had a scrumptuous Halibut with truffle sauce. So thick and moist, I love Halibut when its done right. Desserts were Miel pastries. I had an apple/caramel thingy that was tasty, and he had a lemon tart. The wines we all brought were excellent. A good time was had by all!

Yes, off topic. But Sal was Claudio's brother. Sal named his son after Claudio even when he was alive. Claudio loved motorcycles, he loved the TV business, he loved waiting on Jews and Wasps (we were both), and I truly loved him. Sal still likes the TV business, but its just so very sad...

Yeah, D'artagnan's French Kisses! Foie gras mousse stuffed inside prunes, soaked in Armangac! (They sell them on-line, but they are sometimes frozen and expensive, and nothing near as good as in the restaurant)

I also went yesterday, Saturday, 3rd. I, too, keep trying, and not sure why I go back... The service just doesn't do it. They keep trying, and are ALWAYS in the weeds. Carbs needed. Ordered one pancake with banana and a side of homemade buttermilk bisquit. Waited forever again. Got two pancakes, with maybe a piece or two of banana. They said it was okay that I only ordered one, they would only charge me for one. Buttermilk bisquit was okay, dry...I needed jam and she couldn't find any (I was at the counter), and she told me to take it off the table behind me. I think it was some sort of berry jam, good. Such potential, I keep trying. Hubby refuses to go back. People were waiting 10-15 minutes for their check, I was watching the register, and there was a stack of about 15 checks and money stacked up, hadn't been rung in, they were too busy... I thing they need another couple of servers!

We're already planning a trip to the Route de Calvados between Christmas and New Year's. (I know, I know, most everything is closed that week, but that's the only time for our vacation) We emailed the Calvados tourist board and they sent us a bunch of brochures. However, we would be interested not only in the responses you get from other egulleters; but please let us know everything when you come back!!

Well, I don't think its secret, but Studio Kitchen sounds similar. A chef, in a house, cooking great food, in West Philly... As far as the one in Paris, I read about it in the NY Times, I think. Chien Lunatique. A chef from Alice Waters' place spends half the year in Paris and cooks for guests in his dining room in his house a few nights a week. A Mystery door helps you find the place!

We go to Chincoteague in the winter, usually, off season....We really like AJ's. Not that much else is open, but we find it to be consistent, good seafood, not a half bad wine list for the area... Upstairs at Don's seafood (definitely NOT downstairs), they have good pulled pork BBQ sandwiches. And, its a fisherman's bar for the local fisherman! They come in around 2 or 3 p.m. when they are done work with fresh oysters, clams, local stone crab claws...just ask what's fresh that day. It's a dive bar, don't play darts with anyone who asks...and there is absolutely no presentation-the raw stuff is served on a tray- but its fresh, and not that expensive! (Sometimes I wish the oysters, etc. were served on ice, colder) Anyway, do not eat downstairs, I think I got sick there once. Otherwise, we get fresh seafood from a house on the island (can't think of the name, but its in the Chincoteague phone book), and cook it in our little kitchen. Bring your own veg from the road, the supermarkets don't have any fresh veg. Oh, we usually bring back fresh crabmeat and canned local crab/clam soups...Bring a cooler to bring the fresh fish back in! And don't forget your mosquito repellent!

We've been to one in Philly, and I've read about one in Paris. Not sure how "secret" they are, but a Chef cooks for private parties in their house...

Was working in NY not far from Les Halles today, had about 30 minutes for lunch before getting back...Ran in and sat at the bar. The place has been expanded since I'd been there last. Looks good! At least double the size that it was previously. I was a single woman, sitting at the bar, having lunch. Not a problem at all. No one looked at me funny when I ordered a half bottle of Guigal Rhone ($16, but two glasses would have been $17). Decided to get the Duck Confit appetizer salad ($10.50). When it arrived, it looked rather small, just a drumstick without much meat on it at all. It was served over frisee, which I love, but it looked like a bit of mesclun was stuck in there. On the side was a square of toast with, I believe, foie gras mousse on it. Well, the tastes were outrageous! Both the duck and the mousse were so tasty, not greasy, delicious...the salad wasn't over dressed, I hate that, this had hardly a touch, if anything on it. It was plenty, although it looked small. The bartender that served me was pleasant, and they rushed and got me my check when I realized the time...

Han Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House (I think that's the name..). It's on Race St. on the North side between 9th and 10th. Up a couple of steps... Great to watch the noodles being made, right in front of you! He puts on a little discreet show, stretching the noodles, so quickly, he rolls it and then he separates it into noodles with a flick of his hand! Kids love to watch it, but so do I! Once, we talked to a guy taking pictures. He said he was in town for a math convention, from LA. He was Asian, and was told to go to this place, that they didn't have anything like it in LA...He was taking the pictures for his math students, to use as a lesson (I guess about making the noodles?) Get the Noodles with fried soy sauce with extra scallions... Or the Peanut sauce noodles...also they have snow pea shoots sauteed (in season), delicious! A friend once got their seafood noodle soup, fresh noodles made right in front of you, and clams in the shell, etc. All for $6! The regular noodle dishes are $4 or $4.50! Not a lot of atmosphere, I don't think they have a liquor license, but boy is the food delicious!

Four of us went to Lacroix for Brunch today. Last time hubby and I went for Valentine's Day. Delicious. I meant to take a menu with the descriptions, but forgot! I love the cold appetizers the best. I think cold food is very difficult to make. The little spoons with individual items on it are great...I had fresh sardines, clam something, quail egg over ratatouille, gosh, what else on those little spoons. Sorry I can't remember the things that went with them! The tastes all went together though...there was a pot au creme with apricots that was good...a tiny taste of cold vidalia onion soup that doesn't sound half as good as it tasted...carrots with garlic and summer truffle (barely distinguishable, if at all), marinated eggplant, haricot verts with yoghurt and mint, little jambon croissant, salmon tartare that melted in your mouth, beets ala greque, fresh oysters, large tasteless shrimp, American caviars... Entrees in the kitchen... Chef had already said hello to our table and then he actually served us in the kitchen, happened to be walking by the fish station and cut my bass for me (I think, maybe it was halibut? I get overwhelmed with everything and just taste and enjoy and sometimes forget!) Tender beef cheeks, Lobster risotto in a pot, tender lamb chops, delicious wild mushroom mixture, veal wrapped in chard, ouefs-I had a pot of something ouefs with roasted peppers, so rich, I think it was brouille??....there was polenta with the beef cheeks...lots of stuff I didn't have-waffles, french toast, etc...all sorts of vegetables and potatoes... crab dumpling was insipid... OHHH! There was a fig wrapped in the tiniest amount of thin bacon that was delicious! Desserts, also overwhelming. Hubby loved the bourbon baba au rum with cardomom, the BANANA CHEESECAKE was to die for...coffee profiterole, tons of other little cakes, oh, a drink of gin, grapefruit and passion fruit-topped with white chocolate, just a sip in a glass...there was homemade chocolate and vanilla ice cream and strawberry ice, with gorgeous fresh raspberries and blackberries...chocolate mollieux (sp?) with pistachio, candied fruits...the kitchen had the chocolate fountain, but this time there was also a caramel fountain. I love caramel, this wasn't as good as it sounds...You take strawberries, pineapple, super marinated cherries, this time they had mini doughnuts, rice Krispie cakes-put whatever you want on a skewer and run it as long as you want under the fountain. Sounds much better than it is, the chocolate and caramel didn't have much taste, they almost tasted watered down. We had a bottle of champagne to start, hubby had a cucumber martini, then we had a nice bottle of Viognier. Both bottles were under $50. Brunch for four with tip came to just under $400. Not cheap. Yes, an indulgence. Yes, worth it. The only thing I want to repeat that I wrote in a previous piece...The flavors are good, but on the whole, I find them very bland...I want the tastes to be bolder. Not just spicier. Okay, its nice and subtle, and herbs or spices that are too bold would take away from the flavor of that fresh clam, for example. But everything is subtle and bland. Maybe some items they could take some more flavor risks with...?

We stayed with friends at Bethany last weekend. They took us to their new favorite place in Rehobeth, Nage Restaurant... It's trying to be a trendy, better than just seasonal place to dine. Very noisy, our party of six couldn't even talk. I found the appetizers to be very expensive, salads, $14...okay, it was haricot verts and chicken liver and lardon (really just basic bacon), topped with an egg-- and it should have been over frisee instead of basic salad mix...but I think its that expensive only for the semi imaginative ingredients. We had truffle fries to start. Really, just take potato and sweet potato, and add a tiny bit of truffle oil, they weren't crisp enough, and slightly greasy, but they really were good! Others had baked oysters, good...empanadas they said were good, "frogs legs-too large: meaty, but the capers and broccoli, tomatoes were oversalted, and it was obvious they were using frozen frog's legs but where do you get fresh ones, but whoever is in the kitchen has a very heavy hand with salt." That was the exact phrase with no breath taken. "The same problem with the soft shell crabs. Oversalted, breading good, crabs meaty, salad with it was kind of superfluous, didn't make sense really, avocados were tasty, but, as a whole..." I had the seafood sort of lobster saffron soup. Good, a tiny lobster tail, tasty scallops, clams, mussels, fish, interesting haricot verts and frisee thrown on the top, lobster saffron broth good! The veal chop looked okay, and the breaded bass did too. But it looked like a big fish stick but it was very moist, and tasty. We found their wine list extremely expensive for nothing wines, knowing this in advance, our party of six ordered a lovely Mumm's rose for a good price of $28, and then brought our own bottle, for which we knew we would be charged a $15 corkage fee. Worth it when we know the price of the wine is about $10, and the restaurant was charging $36 minimum... We usually go to Big Fish, and this is of a different class. We saw an arguement about a reservation, the guy was getting really heated. We're wondering about the management, whether they need help. Anyway, I'd say try it, but its not inexpensive! In a strip mall at: 19730 Coastal Highway #2 www.nage.bz (which we haven't gone to; but its on their card)

We love going to Vietnam Palace and ordering the "seven courses of beef" appetizer. It's plenty big for entrees, not apps, for 2, literally seven courses of beef... not expensive either. Raw beef you cook yourself at the table with a little fire thingy and lots of fresh mint, daikon, carrots, basil, etc. to roll in rice paper... That's one of the courses, delicious! Others? Grape leaves stuffed with beef, beef soup, gosh, I can't remember what else, beef meatballs, really good grub.

Aromatic, between Front and Chestnut, is right near my office. I know the owner, Helen (who used to own Helena's at Front and Chestnut, who also used to bartend at Brasil's years ago). Anyway, her mother cooks these outrageous specials. Order one of those. Homemade Persian food. And, I love the Hummus. Better than my own... They have a Hookah too.

Shacke- It was a '96, and no we didn't drink that one! We all brought probably 20 bottles, and thank goodness brought some home!

Thank you, Philadining, for the explanation on posting pictures; which we'll endeavor to do in the near future. However, my hubby took it upon himself to, instead, post a temporary link to the pictures, below: http://homepage.mac.com/susangish/PhotoAlbum3.html The food was incroyable! Creamy, without being rich, it was all very Moreish. I.E.-I want more of that taste, and I want it now! Give me more! His tastes all go together, and they all work, and they all are so creative... Who would ever think of foie gras ravioli topped with a white bean soup! It was delicious! That was probably my favorite dish. Or maybe the prawns. Or maybe the polenta, whatever was in the polenta was outrageous...or maybe the mushroom marmalade... Well, the quail was delectable..the lemon brie ice cream! AAARRRGGHHH! We can't wait to go back. The wine pairings? Don't do as we did, I think it was overwhelming. Some of it went better than others with his food, but its too much to taste 3 different wines with a course. You want to taste the food, and have wine go with it, not be overwhelmed. I do think the Vourvray was a good choice with the white bean soup, foie gras...the Riesling was too gasoliney for the prawns...then we had too many tastes with the quail and the beef. I remember the Beaucastel and the St. Emilion went well...the Botrytis Semillion with the peaches was good, as was the Madeira.. The highlight of the evening was the food, and Shola. Just incredible tastes, that I can taste right now. We've eaten at some top places all over the world, and this is one of my top five meals. I kind of wish there was a tiny bit more, however....maybe a cheese course would have been nice.

Thank you, Philadining, for the personal note about posting pictures. We should be able to show pictures and expound a bit about the food---hopefully tonight! Also, for those of you that counted our bottles: We had two each of the Vouvray and the Riesling, and the Lehman was a half bottle. Totaling 13 1/2 bottles....I think it really was too much. The problem was narrowing down what each of us wanted to bring, and then all of us wanting to open what we each brought. It was interesting tasting 3 wines each with the Quail and Beef, and then discussing which went best with the course.

Okay, all! Last night was our first time at Studio Kitchen! YES, IT WAS SUPER! 8 of us drank 13 1/2 bottles of wine, I think that's a record! (No, we didn't drive home...) Shola is so cute! He's not as intense as I thought he would be. Yes, passionate, but he smiles a lot, and seems to really enjoy what he's doing... The wine menu is below, and below that, the food menu we had. We took pictures, but we haven't learned how to post them yet, so if anyone can send us a personal email to tell us how? We didn't get an amuse bouche, or a cheese course, or bread (would have liked it to soak up some of the wine!), but the food was very, very, very good! Moet Chandon Brut Marquis de la Tour 1990 Poniatowski Vouvray (that we brought back from visiting there last January) 2003 St. Urbans Kabinett-Ockfener Bockstein (very gasoline) Martinelli Three Sisters Pinot 2001 Cosme Palacio y Hermanos Cosecha Rioja 2001 Dehlinger Pinot 1999 Buehler Cab Sauv 2001 Beaucastel Du Pape 1989 Cht. Chapelle Aux Moines St. Emilion 1996 A California Madeira 1979 Lehman's Botrytis Semillon 1998 Menu: White Bean Soup Foie Gras Ravioli Truffle Glaze Spiced Prawns Carrot- Miso Puree Cardamon Emulsion Roasted Quail Corn Polenta Glazed Figs Fig Jus Braised Wagyu Beef Sweet parsnips Madiera Jus Mushroom Marmalade Poached Peaches Ginger Infused Peach Broth Lemon-Brie Ice Cream Caramelized Puffed Rice

The town of Intercourse (yes, you read that right), has a nice family style restaurant at the end of the touristy mall there. (They also have a real interesting quilting museum) Homemade root beer and semi adventurous food... The roadside stands should be great. Bring a cooler, and carry back corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, etc.!

If anyone would know, Jamaican Jerk Hut would. The owner (I forgot her name) is easy to talk to. It's on South St. between Broad and 15th.

I wish I would have asked Bubby before I was around 20 when she died, about the recipes.... My mom, instead of Bubby, was a lousy cook, so if I ask her, who knows what answer I'll get! I think she did stuff her own kishka, though! And the mameliga was incredible! Also, stuffed cabbage, not really polish galumpka's (sp?), but a Russian Jewish dish, WHAT IS THE NAME OF IT???? OHHHH, Perakas (sp?)-----as are all the other dishes I mentioned, for those who asked. Kiev, Moscow, Jewish, around early 1900's. During the Pograms. Also, cold and hot borscht to die for. Hot with brisket and cold with a big glob of sour cream. Homemade horseradish! Homemade gefilte fish! Why then, does my mom make asparagus for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker until limp, and a brisket for 24 hours that isn't even nicely soft, but incredibly overcooked? What happened to her, with a mother like that??? Ok, mom makes chicken soup with matza balls okay. That's it.