VivreManger

I assume the border in question is the US-Canadian. As for fruit, my experience is that fresh fruit and vegetables are always treated as contraband, coming into the US, so I never try. (John's clementines just slipped through. Had he showed them to customs in Dulles, they would have been confiscated. On the other hand if he brought them on board and ate them before entering the US, no problem. Customs officials have yet to perform colonoscopies, though given the current paranoia, that day may not yet be nigh) As for printing the regulations, FORGET IT. For instance, the US import regulations are incredibly complicated and furthermore are subject to regular updates that few can follow. I actually once downloaded them and gave up trying to figure them out. They run to hundreds of pages. For instance, technically raw milk cheese younger than 60 days is forbidden entry to the US, but that is rarely if ever enforced. On the other hand mad cow disease has effectively blocked the import of beef, lamb, goat, game and other ruminants, but pig is kosher (as it were). All it takes is some high profile health scare to get them to enforce the letter of some regulation or another. All of that said, I still don't buy the contraband Laduree macaron story. Someone is fibbing. Or perhaps some petit fonctionnaire in Paris was having a bad hair day. The regulations do NOT vary from airport to airport, but they can vary from enforcer to enforcer. In such a situation, the only recourse might be to the inspector's superior. Good luck!

I thought our posts crossed since my latest anticipated the problem and explained the original story.

I wonder if the original story is of the dog ate my paper variety. My source is the hostess of the traveler from Paris whose macarons were supposedly confiscated. Perhaps she merely forgot to bring them!

I just heard that for flights from Paris to NY they are confiscating any carry-on food board not purchased in the airport. Someone arrive from Paris on Tuesday carrying a box of Laduree macarons and was told by French security that extra-airport food is banned from the cabin. Before she had a chance to eat them, they threw them into the rubbish. She would have been allowed to bring what she had purchased within the airport. Because I have not traveled overseas since these insane regulations were imposed, I have had not first hand experience. Normally I steel myself against airline food by buying and making something edible for the trip. Coming back from Paris I was minimally counting on a baguette and cheese, perhaps some pate -- yes I would have finished the meat before dealing with the US Department of Agriculture. I am aware of all the liquid restrictions, but on domestic flights within the US solid food over the past few months has not been a problem. I had assumed the same practice prevailed on international flights. The airports I will be using are Logan, Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt. Does anyone have recent first-hand experience with current security practices?

While in Paris I hope to try one of the Ducasse-ified old fashion bistros, either Aux Lyonnaise or Benoit. From what I have gathered Aux Lyonnaise has fared better than Benoit, but a Sunday dinner at Benoit (AL closed on weekends) would suit my schedule, particularly since I will be staying 10 minutes away on foot. Any recent reports on Benoit? I have checked this site and elsewhere without much useful information. The resto does not seem to have generated much recent traffic, other than the announcements of sale and new staffing.

Steve, Thanks for the heads-upon Falk. i will check that out. In the meanwhile, has anyone recently seen those great Chinese-made stock pots that Target had a few years ago? I bought the set and they have held up well, but I would like to find the same set as a present. Last I checked Target they did not have them in stock, but if anyone has seen them let me know. They were stainless steal with aluminum botton, glass lids. The three sizes were about 6, 8,and 12 quarts, with no brand nameexcept "Premium Cookware".

Thanks. It was Bridge in NYC. By first checking the Bridge website I can have a basis for comparison for what Dehillerin offers in Paris. I am curious about Inox which does not seem widely available in the States.

But I think it is closed on Saturday & Sunday, so only on Friday.

Is there anything available at, for example, E. DEHILLERIN (www.e-dehillerin.fr) that one cannot find in NYC or order on-line in the States? I suspect that with the Euro being what it is, piled on top of VAT and the trouble of shlepping the stuff back, it may not be worth the bother. I have browsed the website and am looking forward to browsing the shop in reality, but, bottom line, I suspect I can find similar quality in the States. I intend to help supply pots and pans for the kitchen of newly-weds. Since I am going to Paris just before the wedding I though it worthwhile to check out the stores there. Dehillerin offers a variety of stainless steel clad aluminum Chef Inox and Extra Strength Inox Copper. Quickly googling Chef Inox I did not find the same variety in the States. For some reason Australian sites kept popping up. I think I will get them a variety of copper clad, stainless steel clad aluminum, and iron pots and pans. Years ago I remember a store near Union Square in Manhattan that had a tremendous selection of professional cook-ware. Does anyone know its name and if it still exists?

I am considering Le Comptoire. The only difficulty is that it is famously difficult to get reservations, though at 23:15 or so, it may be possible

Planning a trip for next month, I have come across a series of exceptional concerts. For example on the same evening I have the amusing choice of HAYDN - LA CREATION EGLISE SAINT-SULPICE 33, rue Saint-Sulpice 75006 PARIS or TELEMANN : DES TAG DES GERICHTS (LE JUGEMENT DERNIER) The Last Judgment THEATRE DES CHAMPS-ELYSEES 15, avenue Montaigne 75008 PARIS Unfortunately the concerts begin respectively at 8:30 and 8. Neither start gives much of a chance to have a good meal, since the best good value restos don't start serving until about 7 at the earliest and quit around 10:30 or 11. Assuming the concerts last about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, that does not give much time to get to a la Biche au Bois, 45, avenue Ledru Rollin 12 ème near the Gare de Lyon for example. I am not a fan of Bofingers and the rest of that chain which is open late. Any suggestions on good, non-chain, places, that would be serving something good around 6:30 in either of those respective neighborhoods or around 10:30 - 11:00 closer to the Marais-Beaubourg area where I will be staying? And I don't mean l'as du falafel.

Report has it that Jacques Genin, creater of the most amazing caramels in the world, allows the occasional visitor in his studio. What else to call the site of such a product? Last spring I called him to learn if I could arrange a visit. The only day I had free was Saturday and that did not work out. This spring I have a better schedule and I hope to arrange a better day. Although he normally sells his sweets only to retailers, restaurants, and hotels, he has been known to sell to his visitors. Has anyone visited him over this past year? Does anyone have any information that might be useful in setting a visit in the future?

On Xmas Day we will be landing in Fort Lauderdale airport on our way to Boca, via I-95 around noon. Travelling with two adolescents we will probably need to stop for food somewhere on the drive. Can anyone recommend anything interesting within five minutes or so off the road? For this purpose, we are hoping to do better than the standard issue chains. The likeliest places to be open are probably Chinese restaurants. Is there anything decent in that category? We would rather eat closer to FLL than to Boca. We will be passing by Coconut Creek, Highland Beach, Pompano Beach, Deerfield, on the way north. If that helps rouse any suggestions. If it has to be a chain, any recommendations for something NOT available in the northeast.

Is there anything edible in the Hilton Atlanta on 255 Courtland Street NE? How far is it from the Ritz? By taxi, about how much does a ride to Midtown cost? Is there a reliable public transport alternative on a Friday night?

Actually I will be in Boston regularly starting next week so any specific suggestions would be helpful. I know a Brazilian market in Union Square, Somerville, but last time I checked I do not think they had them. Any other names and places?

After being directed to Amazon I established that two companies still offer canned Kadota Figs, Oregon and Roland. At the moment the only retail outets I have found overcharge for shipping and handling so I will ignore them. But with a brand name I should be able to track down a local market that will have them. In NYC Gristede's carries them, but no trips planned in the near future.

While I would hate to see the workers loose their jobs, I would not mourn the permanent closing of Ben's, a pox upon the noble reputation of smoked meat.

Thanks, but fig preserves are not what I am looking for. My search is for whole figs canned in light syrup. The preserves undoubtedly will have more sugar than I need.

Has anyone seen canned figs on the grocery shelves in the last few years? They seem to have disappeared. I tried googling the product to see if anyone on-line is selling them, but nothing useful appeared. I am on the look-out for them in the Middle Eastern and Asian food markets I regularly visit in Massachusetts, but I have had no luck.

So the consensus seems to be the bones have shot their wad. Now the question remains, has anyone worked with frozen bone marrow in cooking (not surgery)? I doubt that they can be used as originally intended, a dish on their own, but can they be added to something else. For instance, once defrosted to intensify the flavor and fatiness of fresh ground beef in a hamburger with foie gras. Or would that be guilding the lily?

If you are going to Atwater Market, be sure to pick up some maple taffy (tire d'erable) from the stands on the north side (furthest from the river). At this season it is sold frozen and should be kept cold. I am sure it is also available at Jean-Talon, but I know where to find it at Atwater. By now le Bilboquet is probably no longer carrying maple taffy ice cream, but if you mix some of this into a rich maple-syruped ice cream of your own creation, you can approximate the taste of the original. As for Schwartz's, I recommend getting there on the early side of Saturday lunch. The best smoked meat I ever had there was at about 10:00 on a Saturday AM before the crowds hit. The service was almost three-star and they cut the meat by hand beautifully. When they are busy, they pull out the automatic slicer. Actually I think Schwartz's is a great place for a late breakfast. Who needs eggs?

Last week I made a stock from some marrow bones which I had roasted. After roasting I removed and froze the marrow and then boiled the bones with herbs and vegetables to create a stock to which I later added a chicken, making a modified pot au feu. At this moment the bones are sitting in my fridge. I am planning to freeze them and reuse them at some point in the future. Any suggestions as to how best they might be reboiled? Next time I plan to use when I have more time and so I might roast them a good deal longer before putting them in the stock pot. Any suggestions as to how they might best be re-roasted and re-boiled, if in fact they still have much left in them. The first time I probably roasted them for about one to two hours in a 350 oven and then boiled them for another two hours or so. BTW I froze the marrow since I had too much of it to eat right away. How well does marrow freeze? Any suggestions as to how to use it once frozen? I am thinking of throwing it into the mix of home-ground sirloin which, DB style, I will then stuff with foie gras for a special hamburger. Any better ideas?

Pate is a problem if it contains ruminants, but apparently pig and bird pate is, at least for the moment, not a problem. As for raw potatoes, if uncooked, they might get confiscated, but I have never tried to bring spuds so I cannot respond.

Yesterday I arrived in Boston's Logan Airport after a trip to the UK, Italy, and France. I declared over $900 worth of goods (in excess of the nominal maximum of 800). In addition to clothing, books, and CDs, I listed food including cheese. I highlighted the cooked and canned duck and goose liver. No attention was paid to the cheese. The customs agent noted the liver and said I would have to speak to agriculture, as I expected. As we were kibbitizing another customs agent said that he did not know the regulations since they change from day to day, but he thought that the liver would be banned. He called it pate, but I said it was not that, but merely liver, with nothing else added. He then said it was pate de foie gras, but again I said it was simply foie gras. None of this actually affected the decision since he said that it was not his, since the agriculture inspectors had to make the call. As I was gathering my bags the friendly beagel were sniffing around. They got interested in a few bags belonging to some Asian visitors, but the epoisses cryovaced in my luggage aroused no interest. A few minutes later at the agriculture inspection, the agent looked at the cans of foie gras, noted that it was only goose and duck liver, with no ruminant additives, and pronounced it acceptable. The beagle was back in the neighborhood, but still ignored my cheese. In addition to the raw milk epoisses, I also had two camemberts, a gaperon, cantal, and one gruyere, all raw milk. What is clear is that, avian flu scare notwithstanding, the inspection still focusses on ruminants, that is beef, lamb, bison, buffalo and wild game such as deer, I believe. I think the pig is still kosher, since it is not a ruminant (?) but I did not inquire. BTW despite my statement that I exceeded the limit, no customs duty was declared. I also had slightly more than the maximum wine/alcohol limit. Two bottles at 20 cl. each of armagnac, one at 50 cl. of grappa, and one bottle of wine. None of that interested them. While I had plenty of chocolates, bread, pastry, cookies, cakes, and crackers, I had no fresh fruits or vegetables and clearly so stated. The freshly baked tarte tatin and the lemon tarts got no interest either.

Thanks for the suggestion, but the advantage of the Ritz - - perhqps the sole advantage - - was that brunch started at 11, time enough to eat and catch my flight. Any proper Parisian lunch starting at 1 or even a bit earlier would be too pressed to enjoy.