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An interesting article from Wine Spectator: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives...75,2985,00.html This seems to confirm the conversation I had with the Spanish Ambassador; I just wonder where the outrage is about this situation. The olives are grown and pressed in Spain, shipped to Italy in big barrels, and put in bottles there and marked "made in Italy". Perhaps this calls for its own thread... N.B. If the above link asks for a subscription, go to this link: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=wine+...oil+italy+spain Then go down to the first link and click on that, you should not be asked to login.

Yes, I agree, Ptipois... I have read in several sources that Olive Oil "from Italy" can be actually up to 100% from Spain! Apparently Italian law allows the bottler to say "Italy" on the label as long as the product is packaged there. At a lecture a couple of years ago, I met the Spanish Ambassador to the UN and the subject came up and he wanted to make everyone aware that much of the seemingly Italian olive oil is actually from Spain! (He was proud that it was) His only gripe is that this fact is hidden from the public. I call this practice deceptive and subterfuge...

The Times reported on her because of her celebrity; they didn't decide if she was deserving of it, they left that to the reader. I actually found the article quite interesting. As far as her talent, we often criticize those who have attained success with dubious credentials. Many best-selling authors, for example, churn out books one after another like a factory and they always are on the top of the best-seller list. Whenever they are criticized, they just laugh all the way to the bank, like Ms. Ray is probably now doing.

And sadly, our trip was winding down. Time to hop on the TGV to Paris. After 2 weeks with a car rental, being a pedestrian is also an adjustment. TGV pricing has really increased since we were here 2 years ago. 48 Euros, PP, 2eme classe, from Tours to Paris, a short hop. Sometimes the adjustment from the countryside to Paris takes a while, but this time we adjusted almost from the time we arrived in Montparnasse. The weather was glorious, and, aftrer all, Paris is La plus belle ville du monde!! Just to reinforce that, we took a photo of the Cluny-Sorbonne Métro station: One of our dinners was planned at La Petite Cour on rue Mabillon in the 6th. One of the attractions of the restaurant is the setting, a lovely courtyard set about 15 feet below street level with sculptures, fountains, and decorative lighting. This is not a good photo, but perhaps you can get somewhat of a feeling for it: Highlights of the meal included: Saint-jacques en coquille, éclats de parmesan, Beignet de foie gras, caramel de porto, Homard en bouillon de girolles, and Fondant de joue de boeuf au jus de truffes. Of course, being below ground level, just as we were finishing up, a little "souris" ran through the fountains and really shook up my wife. The french folks all around us just laughed about it. We would up conversing with two gentlemen at the next table from Marseille, in Paris on business. Good thing the mouse showed up at the end of the meal!! The next day found us visiting a little unknown jem, the Musée de Nissim de Comondo. A very rich man, he had his mansion right on the Parc Monceau with state-of-the art kitchen and priceless artwork and furnishings. He left the house to France because his son died in WWI, and his daughter was captured and killed by the Nazis in WWII. This is an example of a top of the line oven from approx 1900 that is exactly the way he left it: Here is a shot of a little sandwich shop, just in case you get hungry between lunch and dinner! Just a little aside; we were walking along the rue Mouffetard, enjoying the market, and came across some huge barricades at the bottom of the hill on a square. A huge commotion. We finally found out that this was the filming of a new film, " Munich" and Steven Spielberg and Roman Polanski were there, but we couldn't spot them. We did get this shot of old cars brought in for the scene: The next day, while strolling in the Marais, we found this shop, just in case you had a Bagel craving!! Our last dinner was at L'Epi Dupin, a renowned bistro. While not a Michelin star, the place is certainly lively, a lot of fun, and the food is terrific. Don't miss the signature dish, the baked endive and goat cheese appetizer. It lives up to its reputation. You need to reserve several days in advance to get in here. While waiting for the limo to pick us up to the airport, a walk over to the Seine can make one quite wistful. There is certainly no city in the world like Paris. A bientot, et Vive la France!!

Scarlet, check out Cafe Angelique further. It has delicious salads, sandwiches, omelettes, and decadent artisanal pastries. The bill should not be more than $20-$25PP. A beautiful environment in the restored RR building as well. This is sit-down, waiter service only. Should meet all of your criteria! It's perfect for a Sunday lunch!

A hidden jewel for fabulous apples is a long time little stand that wraps around the building on the corner of Oradell Avenue and the RR tracks in Oradell. For 6 weeks up until about the 1st wk of November, this stand has some of the best apples I've ever tasted. He has Macs, Gala, Delicious, (Red and Golden) and Winesap. Unlike supermarket apples, these are super-crisp, sweet, and wonderful. Prices are $1.49 and $1.89 for a 3-pound basket. Only about 2-3 more weeks of this, don't miss!!

Pretty strong stuff, Chris, considering you don't know my friend. I couldn't believe that my friend made up the Red Chowder story, nor did I think that for the 25 years he lived there he imagined it. It seems that the New England Egullet has not been what I had hoped in this matter. I have called the Providence Journal and spoke to a lovely person in the Lifestyle/Food department ("Amy"). She told me that the Red Chowder in Providence is known as "Rocky Point Chowder" and differs from the Manhattan style in that there is no thyme and no onions, but does have paprika and tomatoes. It is still quite popular throughout Providence and can be found at numerous restaurants, although not all of them. Since the gentrification and re-birth of the downtown area, she says, the chowders available now vary from the clear, the creamy, the Rocky Point style, and even sometimes the Manhattan style. But the Rocky Point style was the dominant chowder in Providence in the 70s and earlier. I suppose that it was more important to you to correct the FireWater-WaterFire issue, than get the facts right about the chowders!!

Here is a recipe for RI clam chowder. The paprika and the tomatoes would surely make it a red color. http://www.pagesintime.com/ri/seafood.html Perhaps someone here that currently resides in Providence can give us the facts about the Red Chowder!!

In the restored Tenafly RR station building, Café Angelique offers a sublime selection of salads, sandwiches, and omelettes. A really nice environment, if the weather is good they put out about 20 tables for seating outdoors, but the inside of the building is very nice. BYOB. Cafe Angelique In the center of Tenafly, in the restored RR station building.

There is a fabulous plastic bag store in Rochelle Park that also handles Gloves; It is in the little shopping center just 1 block before the ShopRite on Passaic Street. The address is 200 West Passaic Street, Rochelle Park. They sell in bulk, so the prices can't be beat. P.S. I just love the places that make the sandwiches with the gloves, and then collect the money with the same gloves on!! (Paper money is just about the filthiest material going!!) I'm sure you won't be doing that!!

Since my friend spent his first 25 years of life in Providence, I'm sure that the clam chowder there IS red. Could a Providence native kindly address the question I posed? Thanks.

Being from NJ, we always had the Manhattan chowder (red) down here, and all the New England places made the creamy clam chowder. A friend who grew up in Providence has told me that in RI the clam chowder is also red. Is this still true? Is it the same as the Manhattan-type tomato based chowder? What are the best spots to get this chowder now, I will be going up to RI for a weekend soon. (For the Firewater shows). Thanks!

One thing that's very easy to do in Paris is eat! Just a simple stroll and you will pass scores of restaurants. The menu is always posted in the window or on the street, by law. There may also be a "tableau noir" with the plats du jour. (Daily specials). Just observe, look for a place without tourists, no English on the menu, and a cuisine and price and ambience that suits you. About 99% of the time you should have a good meal. This, after all, is Paris.

Next stop was Toulouse, France's 2nd largest university town, with 110,000 students. Talk about feeling old! We did discover two terrific bistros in town, L'Astragale, with some terrific Duck dishes, and a great Plat de jour of "Cailles" (Quail) prepared in a lovely herbed sauce and decorated with lovely vegetables. Very exotic tasting. And the second night was Le Coq Hardi, where we felt we had to do the local Cassoulet which proved to be very tasty and very filling! This is a dish that calls for a nice, hearty, Cahors wine. The "pink city" is that color because of the Toulousian indigenous stone that a large percentage of the buildings are constructed of. The OT is located in the ancient Donjon, now renovated inside and very severe on the outside. Here are a couple of photos of Toulouse, including the Place du Capitole, the center and the heart of the city: Here's the courtyard at the Musée des Jacobins: The Place du Capitole really lights up the night!! A sculpture in the park just outside the Place du Capitole: Next stop, Paris!

Great review, Foodini. I would have been a lot more upset than you seemed to be about the 4/6 table issue; And unfortunately, there is a glut now of these "I feel important being here" restaurants in Bergen, such as 90 Grand and Solaia in Englewood, and Tuscany Trattoria in Westwood, where the food is secondary. Seems we can expect more of the same when the re-named America in Tenafly opens. Have you tried Relish in Sparkill? Much more of a destination place! Also, do you have a review of Harvest?

Most of these delis are not really kosher, but as John points out, "Kosher style". I'm sure if you needed pure kosher you would already know where those places are. But Kosher style, meaning they are open Saturday but have Jewish-style food, gives you a few choices. Tabatchnik's on Vauxhall Road has been there for half a century. Also, Larry's, on South Avenue in Plainfield is a longtime staple. These are within 15 minutes of Union. Just one caution: These NJ delis do not approach the quality of the stuff in NYC. If you're expecting food on the level of Katzs or 2nd Ave, or Zabars, its not there. But for convenience sake, these are acceptable alternatives.

Just click on "ImageGullet" on the very top of the page. Create an album, upload your photo, and then get the URL for the uploaded photo. Copy the URL and then paste it in a reply here after clicking "IMG" in the code buttons box. I think there are more detailed instructions in the Egullet users guide on the main page.

Your wish to do a suburb restaurant without a car could prove to be daunting. The main problem is that after you get off the light rail (RER) it can be quite a long distance to the restaurant from the station. Another suggestion: The Bois de Boulogne is Paris' secret jewel. Once inside the parc, you will feel as if you are in the countryside! Easily accessible by Métro or Bus, there are several noteworthy restaurants inside the park; La Grande Cascade is probably the nicest (and most expensive) restaurant in the park, occupying an historic lodge formerly belonging to Napoleon III. On Allée de Longchamp. A budget-friendlier choice is Chalet des Iles, on the lake. If the weather is good, take a little stroll around the park. It is huge, and you will have a tremendous feeling of serenity and beauty without leaving Paris!! Chalet des Iles WebPage La Grande Cascade Website

John, no stop at Ile de Ré? I've heard that the seafood there is spectacular and very simply prepared. Great time of year there now, as well!

The Zagat Paris to me is even more useless than the American versions; also, I refuse to give them one penny of revenue, as their attitude when challenged is very condescending. That being said, my favorite guide for Paris Restos continues to be the Pudlo. I just love the way Mr. P describes everything from the lighting, the wall coverings, to some biography of the chef and proprietor. He has a gift for prose. I also find myself agreeing with him when I go to the restaurant myself. It is a bit heavy, but you can photocopy it and only carry with you the relevant quartiers for that day. I've never seen the Pudlo in soft cover, either.

What is the address of Les Papilles, please?

John, I'm confused. According to the NathansFamous website, all "Nathan's" use exactly the same hotdog. I have never seen them roller-cooked in NY or NJ, but they do have a lot of locations, although all the ones I've patronized are griddle-cooked. I also haven't noticed any difference in the several Nathan's I've been to in NJ. The days when Coney Island was special are over. I remember the days of clams on the half-shell, real homemade clam chowder with whole clams in it, and no hamburgers! P.S. The Nathan's in Yonkers (I think that's Corporate owned) on Central Ave still has, next to the sauerkraut, a help-yourself tray of grilled onions that are the best ever. I really pile those on when I'm there! I've never seen those at any other Nathan's!

They are good dogs, but its pointless to eat anything else there other than Pastrami and their kasha knishes. You don't schlep down to the LES for hot dogs. The dogs are there basically if you drag a kid with you and they don't want Pastrami. Now if you are going to go on an adventure for hot dogs.. may I suggest the original Nathan's on Coney Island. ← If you wouldn't schlep to the LES for dogs, why in heaven's name would anyone go another hour to Coney Island? Nathan's hot dogs are ubuquitous now, there are Nathan's everywhere, uptown, New Jersey, even on the Turnpike and Thruway rest stops! N.B. I think John, the hot dog expert, has indicated that Marathon makes all of these hot dogs; Papaya King, Gray's, Katz's, and Nathan's. I like PK the best because the hot dogs are really served hot! (temperature) as well as a slightly toasted and very warm bun.

After 4 days on the Côte, it was time to head over to the SouthWest. We drove, 5 hours, becaue the train network in France is really only efficient when you are traveling North-South. East-West doesn't really work by train, unless you take several regional routes and spend an entire day on the trains. So we took the car. Sad to leave this scene, though: However, after many kilometers (and many tolls!) we arrived at this Chambre d'Hote, quite different from the feeling at the coast, but quite a pleasing experience to the senses. Here is our room (all antiques) and the outside of the house: This is before we laid all our clothes out here! The owner said that the vines are over 100 years old, the house is about 200 years old. The hosts here make a terrific Table d'Hote; this is a dinner for us, another 2 guests, and the 2 of them. We all sit at a table together like family! The dinner menu was: Pan-fried foie gras (local) with plums, and parmesan and cabbage. Rotisseried rack of lamb with cêpes (local) and potatoes Cheese platter Pan-fried strawberry crumble coffee And some terrific Bergerac wine, with a white Côtes de Gascogne. Dinner here starts at about 7:30, and ends close to 11. An entire evening's entertainment! Just to make sure the Côte was just a memory, a visit to Monpazier cinched it: To be continued...

They have been operating for years as a small retail seafood store. They expanded to have a lot of prepared food in the past 5 years, and are now expanding to have about 10 tables of restaurant seating. But having only a few things on the menu is sometimes a good thing. You don't want your seafood outlet to get like a diner with 5000 menu items, none any good. With a smaller selection, it insures the freshness standards that Seafood Gourmet has always adhered to.