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I take back what I said above. I've yet to receive any response whatsoever to my reservation requests through the Internet Restaurant site. I was supposed to hear something within 48 to 72 hours, and it's now been over 5 days (or 120 hours). I guess I'll send some faxes in the morning.

I know that Brian Polcyn (a chef/owner of Five Lakes Grill in Milford, MI) who serves terrines almost every night in his restaurant and teaches charcuterie at a culinary school (Schoolcraft College) is writing a book on charcuterie with Michael Ruhlman. The last I heard it will be published this fall. I have taken some classes with him and he is a very good teacher. Based upon his knowledge and Michael Ruhlman's previous cook books, I'm predicting that it will be a very good. ← I think that the reason there are few recent books on the subject in English is that publishers don't think there's a lot of interest. Ruhlman posted about his forthcoming charcuterie book just the other day: If it was hard for such an established writer as Ruhlman to sell such a book, I imagine it must be pretty much impossible for anybody else.

Beautiful! Wow.

Hit the Shack today about 1:45 only to see a pretty huge line. But hats off to the staff, it moved pretty fast. I made it to the counter in about 15 minutes, then waited a few more minutes for my cheeseburger, fries & shake. Very satisfying lunch. The nearby construction adds a certain dust bowl quality to the seating area. I took my goods to a bench in the park proper.

Last night I was channel surfing through my DirecTV stations and I happened on a program on the Discovery Home channel called Great Chefs of the World. This particular show featured a stunning terrine of summer vegetables and guinea fowl, served in colorful layered slices, with some kind of tomato-based sauce and vegetable chips as a garnish. The show airs twice more today (follow the above link) if anyone wants to catch it. I wish I'd set my VCR to record-- I wouldn't mind tryng that one out! It doesn't seem the recipe is on-line. EDIT: No, wait, I found it! Terrine of Summer Vegetables and Guinea Fowl.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've submitted reservation requests for two restaurants (La Rosetta and Agata e Romeo) through the Internet Restaurant site.

Thank you! I didn't know Peterson had a duck book. My recipe came from Glorious French Food. Your terrine looks great, Elie.

If you'd like to see what caul fat looks like, you could click here, to a short pictorial tour of the duck terrine I made last year. This was part of a sort of blog I did of some cooking projects I undertook while I was home on paternity leave. This year's duck terrine came out just like last years'-- delicious! I may have to try rabbit. I'm surprised caul fat is so hard to find in the UK. I get it here in Brooklyn at Esposito's, a store known for the cured Italian sausages it makes. They don't sell the caul fat retail but they've been pleased to sell it (and some much better fatback than I could get at the grocery store) to me for next to nothing.

Hey, is this all you guys have for me? I hoped for more. Does anyone have an answer on the subject of whether it makes sense to make reservations from the U.S.? Anybody have an opinion about: Agata e Romeo Antico Arco Al Ceppo l'Ortica Il Simposio? Thanks for the replies so far.

Don't know about brandied cherries, but if you want chocolate desserts that impress, you might look here. Some, like the Pave mentioned therein, involve chocolate cakes with syrups that might be along the lines of what you're looking for.

Wendy, thanks so much for this blog. It's been very entertaining and educational for me. And those montages of minis/eclairs-- I think those may be my favorite posts ever on eGullet. I asked a few questions early in the week, but I could see you working late into the night to answer all the questions, and I decided to give it a rest. Please don't feel you became less interesting as the week went on; you're the hardest working blogger in blog business! You deserved a break from all the questions.

Thank you Lucy... but I'm afraid I've got nothing on those pics you posted of Les Halles, or on Adam's work, for that matter. The mention of rabbit makes me wish I'd tried that instead of duck. I don't think I've ever tasted a fish terrine, and I find the subject intriguing. I gather from what I've read here and there that the ratio of fat to meat is the most important single thing about constructing pork- or other meat-based terrines. Getting the right fat content helps it hold together and gain the right kind of mouthfeel. Is that so with fish, and how is the balance achieved? With dairy ingredients, I guess.

It is easy to make terrines/pates in the U.S.! All you really need is pork. I've made twice (including just last night!) a duck terrine from a recipe by James Peterson that requires only ingredients easily found here in New York. Pork shoulder, fatback, duck, chicken liver, pistachios, bread crumbs... no problem!

My better half and I will be in Rome in a few weeks, our first vacation sans kidlets in over three years, and our first time in Rome! We'll be there for four nights, Friday through Monday, leaving very early Tuesday morning. I'm looking for dinner recommendations. I've looked through this thread and a few others, and I've acquired some guidebooks, including the Gambero Rosso, which in book form in English doesn't appear to have been updated since 1999. We aren't looking for cheap eats, really. We only have a few nights and we'd like to splurge a bit if it gets us a truly great experience. I don't think we really want restaurants that focus on Michelin-style service or on more international cuisines-- we'd like to go to places where Romans go when they want a special night out. And we've found in the past that we've had wonderful experiences when we've been sent to neighborhoods off the tourist radar for meals, so we're totally open to that too, and I think we'd like to mix it up a bit and eat in a few different parts of town. I also don't mean to suggest we want only formal restaurants. We'd like to get a flavor too for the wine bar and the trattoria. I don't think we want to truck out to La Pergola, given the length of our stay. But I do think we'll try to go to La Rosetta, perhaps on Monday, since they're open. It's still good, right? Formal places like Il Covivio or Le Sans Souci-- any opinions? Le Sans Souci is very highly recommended in Gambero Rosso (again, from six years ago), but it seems too French for our short Italian visit. I'm thinking Sunday, when most restaurants are closed, might be the perfect night to eat light at the perfect wine bar, and I'm interested in your suggestions. It might be nice to eat one night in Trastevere, since I'm told it's a romantic place to walk around in at night. But I also understand it to be full of touristy bad restaurants. True? Asinocotto is highly recommended in my outdated Gambero Rosso. Any opinions? What's the best restaurant in the San Lorenzo scene? Uno e Bino? Is it worth going there during a short visit like ours, and is the neighborhood a pleasant place to check out? How about in Testaccio? I want to go to Volpetti out there. Is the scene still "happening" at night? Any suggestions? I also want updated opinions on best: bakeries pizza gelato And can I book at a restaurant in advance, from New York? In English? Or am I better off waiting for my arrival and seeking the help of my hotel? Thanks very much for any suggestions.

I'm glad no one disapproved of the gravlax, since I put it up yesterday. I made pate once a year ago, but I must have blocked out what a pain in the butt it is to make. It's a James Peterson duck terrine, and it isn't one of those single-texture blend-it-all-up-and-scoop-it-in deals. It's all about different textures, i.e., more steps for the cook. You make big puree of a bunch of things (mostly pork, pork fat, duck & chicken liver), chop into small pieces a bunch of other things (duck legs, cured pork, pistachios), and marinate strips of other stuff (duck breast and more pork fat). At the end I was faced with the same dilemma as last year-- I reached the target temperature way before Peterson said I would, but the juices are still running pink not clear as he recommends. What to do? I think I let temperature guide me last time and I didn't kill anybody. So that's what I did tonight. If it comes out like it did last year I'll be very happy. I'll have to taste it early in the day so I'll know if it's deadly before our guests arrive. I got the glasses at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Thanks everyone.

I want some of whatever's inside those chocolate boxes with the lids ajar. I found that Payard book on your shelf, Wendy! In the middle, next to the Baker's Dozen. Sorry for the confusion. Have you ever participated in any of those competitions in which incredibly realistic creations-- Eiffel Towers, ships at sea, whole neighborhoods-- are made out of sugar? I often wonder if the taste of these creations is given any consideration in the judging, or is it all about appearance?

Wow. That's pretty impressive, that the chef called you himself to invite you back. I'm glad you didn't pass up the opportunity he gave you, and that you had a good experience!

Wendy, are New Yorkers who don't golf permitted to join your country club? Edit: And a question. Can you tell us the origin of your old user name "Sinclair"? Edit #2: I can't believe I own a pastry book that you don't seem to have. Payard, Simply Sensational Desserts. Do you have any opinion of him?

What a disaster. I'm so sorry. I often wonder what pros do in regard to this risk. Do you have any dried or frozen? Every now and again I take a little bit of my starter, throw it in a baggie, date it and put it in the freezer. I must have a half-dozen in there.

"Epi" is short for "epis de bles," or "sheaf of wheat." An epi loaf is a baguette that is cut so that it has several pointed sections, roughly resembling a wheat stalk and convenient for passing around the table and breaking into dinner rolls. I posted a picture of some epis of mine way back at post #283 of this thread, but I'll post it again here for your convenience and because I'm proud of how they came out! Here's an updated link to the King Arthur tutorial on epis (offering the wisdom of Jeffrey Hamelman). I still make epis a lot for dinner parties, usually using my standard sourdough dough, made a little stiffer so I can cut it more easily.

Hey, let's cut Mel a little slack, okay? This thread has been brilliant because she's let us into her world in an unfiltered way. (Or at least, it seems unfiltered. God knows what she's REALLY thinking!) Part of what she should get from us is the right to blow off steam without getting flack for having a bad attitude. I'm not a pastry chef, and I think many of you guys give excellent advice. Advice is good, but telling her she should stop hating people so much, or that she must be a bad mentor, seems out of line to me.

Yes, I want to see the items you bake. Yes, I want to see what your day is like as a pastry chef. Yes, I want to see your techniques. And yes, I'd love to see your area bakeries! I'm looking forward to this, Wendy.

This link to cateringsupplies.com shows that they sell 8 1/2 oz. wine glasses at $13 for a dozen. These are all great suggestions, and some of them are so obvious I feel a little embarrassed that I had to ask! I looked at Crate & Barrel but didn't think of Linens & Things or Bed, Bath & Beyond. I think with all these choices I'm all set. Thanks people. Now: we're not serving dinner, just cocktails and small bites. I'm thinking about making some pate. We're getting cheese & olives. Would it be weird to make a gravlax, to serve with little slices of pumpernickel? That's appropriate, right? Or is that out of place unless it's part of a larger buffet of real entrees?

I would definitely send a letter. I had a colleague who ate at Daniel with some regularity, and had a very disappointing meal there. Without going into the details of his disappointment (frankly I don't remember them), he wrote to the management and received a very gracious response, including some kind of offer of free food, with special attention to be paid by the chef. It seems to me there may have been some misunderstanding regarding the cheese/dessert issue. I think it's pretty customary to have either and not both; the house may have actually made a concession in giving your table both, Paula, although I find the goat cheese aspect of the service unacceptable. And that oyster thing is just appalling. But if you look at it from their perspective, the staff may think they comped you a course in order to satisfy you. That doesn't excuse the dreadful way in which they handled your eating restrictions/preferences, but it is something to consider. I actually had a delightful meal at Cafe Boulud two weeks ago, on a Saturday night. The wife and I were kind of amused at the Upper East Side crowd and the really quite ugly and cramped decor. But the food blew me away. I started with the handmade fonduta ravioli with chestnut, chervil, fontina cheese and fresh black truffle shavings. This dish was exquisite. The balance of soft creamy cheese and truffles was outstanding. That whole section of the menu (click on "Dinner Menu & Desserts")-- called "Le Potager"-- is pretty inspiring. How many restaurants offer vegetarian options like these? Both my duck main and my wife's lamb main were superb. Like many, I wasn't that impressed with the dessert options. On the service front, I did request that the service slow down after our appetizers came too quickly following the amuse. I find I'm making this request a lot when we eat out lately. They honored it at CB, allowing us a nice period of rest between our apps and our mains, and letting us finish our wine before dessert in peace. We felt pretty well taken care of. I'm sorry your experience wasn't like ours, Paula.

I remember another thread regarding that article. Anyway, I ran over to the Brooklyn location of Two Little Red Hens shortly after Levine's article was published, and I heartily approve of their cheesecake. But even though it didn't make it to Levine's best-of list, for me the quintessential New York Cheesecake remains the one at Junior's, at the original location on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. You can argue about various taste attributes you want in a cheesecake-- but to me such debates are pointless when it comes to Junior's. Their cheesecake just is. It's a part of the firmament. And the scene at the front counter around any major holiday is always fun.