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Oops. I am the least qualified here when there are names like vserna and pedro in this thread. I was alluding to Donostian tapas scene. I also had very good tapas in Sevilla. Never been in Granada. In Madrid, I tried 2 tapa bars, liked them very much so did not investigate further. For seafood, Jose Luis, Serrano 89. Very chic place in an expensive neighorhood but they had some rare to find items(such as angulas) and everything was exquisite. For charcuterie we tried Taberno Almendro, Almendro 13, not far from Julian de Tolosa. High quality jamon iberico. lomo, rosco sopresada, los huevas rotas and anchovy-tomato salad + a few manzanillas to wash down. 25 Euros for two and I recall some very friendly young clientele who went out of their way to help us order. Intimate and very satisfactory. I am sure there are dozens of places at this level and price range in Madrid. Enjoy.

For EUR 10 to 15 my hangout is Cafe de la Nouvelle Mairie, near Pantheon. I know it instinctively but I guess it is Rue St. Jacques. They have very good non filtered Beaujolais and Brouilly by glass, 3 or so appetizers and 3 or so main dishes which vary day to day(home made saucisson with aligot is outstanding and so is the charcuterie plate and fromages) and good coffee for French standards. Skip desserts. The clientele is typically Sorbonne professors and student couples. You will witness animated conversations and sit elbow to elbow with regulars. No English spoken but it is not needed. Be aware that French, esp. ladies, are smokers.

Thanks vserna. The pictures as well as your remarks clarify too many things for me. Merina is what we call merinos in Turkey. Used primarily for wool. Turcs typically slaughter it at 6 months of age and I prefer it for shoulder or leg rather than chops. It is strongly flavored and in this sense I guess you compare it with "pre-sale". On a side note I was surprised that Cenador de Salvador at Muralzarzal(I do not have my books so excuse for spelling errors) served French pre sale when there is outstanding lamb in Spain. Churra is what we call "kivircik" or curly. To my taste, when it is milk-fed at 6 weeks, it can be outstanding in terms of subtlety and range of flavors. I believe the wonderful baby chops I had at Zalacain came from this breed. In Istanbul you have to go to top butchers and specifically ask for this and it is expensive. The best meat resturant in Istanbul, Beyti, uses only this breed which comes from the mountains of Trakia--just north of Istanbul. I wonder what happened to Basque shepherds in the US. As far as I am concerned eating lamb in the States is the functional equivalent of, say, drinking a wine made from cabernet grapes in Vosne Romanee. It does not exist or should not be allowed to be marketed under the name "lamb"

How do you compare churra with merino breed? I had the latter in Posada de Javier which was also memorable and they told me they prefer it over churra but we did not have a common language to explore further.

Bux, I could not agree more. And I hope things will stay the way they are. If one single percebes makes its welcome appearance in a 2 stars Parisian restaurant, as an appetizer offerings(say combined with scallops and squid) the price is 50 to 60 Euros. Now when I eat half pounds of pristine quality Percebes in Spain the price is only half as much and I do understand what they taste like and why they are not given away. By the same token 40 Euros blue lobster at Casa Troya is a value and I am sure they are perfectionist. Even FL or the Fifth Floor in the States serve farmed baby lobsters which do not taste like Galician Blue Lobster. And prices are much higher. CFW, I also eat too many meals under $100. Mostly adequate. The issue is that in Madrid, Donostia, Sevilla, etc., when I splurged in tapa bars, eating real wild mushrooms picked early in the morning, 2 cigalas(I believe langostinos is not langoustine--I was also confused at first) a la plancha, gambas a la plancha, omelette with truffles and tidbits + very pleasant Txakolin to quaff we are paying something like 50 Euros for two. And the raw materials are superior to what I find in the very high temples of eating in the States. I also fully agree with you on the wine pricing. American restaurants are simply punishing us, the wine drinkers. So your 100 for 2 without wine is easily $200 with a couple glasses of champagne and a bottle of decent wine. I mean for a nice, well rounded meal with your significant other. In Italy and Spain the proseccos and cavas are very fine and there are plenty of choices for 20 Euro which are medium+ to very fine wines. For 50 or 60 Euro I am able to find old Riojas and some very good Ribera wines and I rated quite a few low to mid 90s(and I am a harsh grader when it comes to wine) and in the US restaurants, if they do not accept BYO, I can not find what I consider a high quality(90+) wine for under $200. My simple solution is that I am boycotting the place if they do not have corkage and I would have done this even if I were very wealthy as it bothers me that the wine loving public is subsidizing the teetotallers.

I was just kidding as I am Turkish. We are so similar in many ways and --except for the Muslim prohibition on pork I do not follow--Spain is like a second country to me in terms of operating on similar wavelenghts. Childhood experiences and what you have been exposed to do matter. And I understand you very well when, acting with noble intentions, you want to spare people spending 300 euros for two when they can get away with less for almost the same quality--maybe in a more casual surrounding. It is a matter of perspective and comparison. Tourists spend 1200 for two at Veyrat and worship the place head over hill. If you look at the quality of what they ate it will be pedestrian fish(say lake trout), truffle foam(not a full one), jerusalem artichoke, one single cigalas artistically presented, etc. So when Combarro makes me sit in an exquisite room with 4 tables, offers outstanding service, and brings some of the most rare and flavorful fish and shellfish present on earth, I do not think prices are exaggerated. You know, in New York, a middling restaurant will easily cost north of $ 200 for two and very average places in the States mimicking 'HAUTE CUISINE" will cost at least $400 for two. It is like a universal hierarchical order where we apply different standards to the States and French for reasons that are more cultural and historical than rational. But this is a long discussion.

Paco, How can you trust the opinion of friends from TURKEY on Spanish cuisine? This said, the cochinillo roasted suckling pig at Coques, in Humanes, closer to Madrid than Segovia, was not bad really. At least the best I have tried. JoseMaria in Segovia is on my radar screen. One truth is that, Casa Botin or what not in Madrid, the ingredients/raw materials are so much superior in Spain than the States so that you will think you are in heaven and then hear from Spanish that there are better places in the same category. There is no contradiction. One can spend less than 200 Euros at Combarro but, for those of us who do not live in Madrid, it makes sense to order Galician scallops, camarones, female cigalas, blue lobster, and turbot. Really splurge and with a very fine bottle of Albarinho and some digestives, spend 300 Euro for 2. The price of a one star in France, much cheaper than New York temples and much much better in quality and value.

Robert, this restaurant never had 2 stars. Maybe you mistook it for Moulin de Lourmarin which has 2 stars. We have eaten at La Feniere 5 years ago or so and this is one of Robert Parker's favorite spots. I can see why because the wine list is filled with gems at incredibly fair prices. I actually had a 90 Rayas there and Monsieur Sammut, who is of Egyptian origin I believe, was very kind but a tad obsequious. The 90 Rayas had a star and en viellissement note but he was willing to uncork it. I forgot asking him about the price but he did not take advantage. As to cooking I found it to be at the very upper end of 1 stars. Pieds et Pacquets was wonderful and when she succeeds the highs are quite high. But I remember some less good dishes. I guess one should stick there to regional specialties. Very uplifting cuisine in a wonderful setting. Jonathan, I am truly dismayed that you went all the way there but did not try the Moulin. The chef is related to Veyrat and apparently he is one of the up and coming stars in France. ( Maybe because you were traveling with a very young boy?? How old is he by the way? ) Jellybean, who is a perfectionist, had interesting comments on the Mouline and I would be most interested in hearing your opinion if you go there in the future.

Paula, Thanks for the information. Even the best restaurants can have off days but one starts wondering if there are too many reports which are consistently negative. Darrozze is a case in point. Gagnaire is just too unorthodox and most people have strong feelings one way or another. I am very interested in trying Relais d'Auteuil. You said you tried it recently. If you have time I would appreciate if you expound on it . What is the style of the chef? Are there dishes he is particularly good at? What is the ambience like? Is the wine list fairly priced?

Paula, I will go to Meurice in 3 weeks. I have some questions: 1. I gathered you were with your husband. Are there tables for 2 where you can eat next to each other? I hate to face the wall or the mirror. 2. Truffles are variable quality this year. Did you like the ones in Meurice? Were they firm and smoky and dark black? 3. Have you seen anybody ordering a main course for 2? Usually they are better bets. Darrozze is the weakest 2 stars in Paris, a joke actually. Meurice is the other extreme. A potential three stars candidates. May I ask which other 2 stars you have tried? Have you tried Les Elysees in Hotel du Vernet?

I thougt that in some dishes Arola had sacrificed taste in favor of texture but I rather eat there than many very highly regarded New York temples. The quality of raw ingredients in Madrid is just phenomenal, both seafood and meat. Against this background Arola is trying to distinguish himself. He is a force to reckon with and although I have some qualms I will look forward to a return visit. If money is no object, I recommend that you attend the dinner in Chicago, esp. if the proceeds are going for a worthy cause, and then take a one week trip to Madrid for some of the best lamb, pig and steak and fish and shellish---and you may also visit La Broche one night. His baby duckling was phenomenal and Ms. Arola is a very charming hostess.

Good for Trama. Everybody else is recapturing the lost stars and they are receiving what was long overdue. His cuisine actually was at its most daring phase in the second part of the 80s. But better late than never. Also notice that Alleno at Meurice got a second star immediately. No surprise that Muses lost one. Alleno is supposed to be one of the very best among young chefs and a candidate for a third star in a few years. Also noticed that Les Crayeres has been relegated to two following Boyer's retirement. Personally I was never impressed by Cote St. Jacques. L'Esperance, on the other hand is interesting. When Meneau is on, he is capable of turning some to the best examples of Burgundy/traditional cooking with intelligent twists. Lets hope that he is really coming back as he is also a passionate person who transmits his joy of life to the patrons. Watch out for Cussac who left Beaulieu for Monaco. I have not had his cuisine but Robert Brown did and Cussac is an ex-Robuchon. Robuchon will be a consultant in the new venture at hotel Metropole. This is the last Michelin with the British Derek Brown. Expect more changes next year.

Near Agen, at Puymirol there is a very interesting hotel/restaurant which is known by the chef's name, Trama. The hotel is called Les Loges de l'Aubergade. The rooms are minimalistic with great taste and when Trama is on, his cooking is very unique. As far as I know the only restaurant in France, or kind of in France, that requires a necktie is Louis Quinze in Monte Carlo. This is more a New York thing. I symphatize with your boyfriend in that when your necktie gets a spot dry cleaning does not help--silk neck ties get wrinkled. Out of 4 haute cuisine nights, I end up with a spot on my tie 75% of the time. Others can do better but I will honestly doubt the passion of a gourmet who says they never get a spot on the tie in exciting restaurants. I believe the so called French restaurants in New York are in cahoots with the necktie industry and it used to be one of my favorite sports to show up at Bernardin or what not without a tie, and them have them give me one so I would eat with no prohibition. In old times, at least in France, it used to be perfectly acceptable to tuck your napkin in your shirt but with the demise of old traditional cuisine I only see this practice in some blue collar neighbourhood bistrots--where the food can be very good indeed. At any rate in the hottest addresses nowdays, in France or Spain or Italy, wearing a nectie is a negative which conveys the wrong signal. All black and casual chic is the norm...

We have eaten there in June 2002. It is interesting that about 75% of the dishes were identical with the notes posted above, although the season is very different. Veyrat and Adria are similar in that both chefs are trying to "create" a type of cuisine oblivious to seasonal variations and they lead the gastrotech trend. I find this normal as most reviewers want to be dazzled by technique and are not particularly attentive to(or knowledgeable about) ingredient quality. I had also dined and stayed at Veyrat in the mid 90s and had a fantastic meal. His cooking was very intense but harmonious at the same time. In 2002 the earlier magical experience did not repeat. Veyrat's interest in extracting flavor from mountain herbs and flowers had reached ludicrious heights, and the endless infusions numbed the palate and beyond a certain point I lost interest in his experimentations. He somehow made different dishes taste too similar. To me this is a sin. The negative highlight was steak frites where the steak was literally uncooked and the frites had an uncanny resemblance to reconstituted potatoes. The positive highlight was ultrafresh omble chevalier whose flavor was enhanced with its citrus infusion. I did not choose expensive bottles, we had a Condrieu and a local red and paid about 1000 Euro. I remember rating the first meal 19.5/20 and the second 13/20. Interestingly El Bulli is also inconsistent, my 2 meals there may rank 14/20 and 19/20. Veyrat is capable of greatness but maybe because he is self thought the very qualities that made him a cutting edge chef also threaten to undermine him as his vision is blurry about when innovation ends and absurdity begins. Please go and see for yourself and report back as to where he stands right now. I may be convinced going back.

Translation of Atlantic and Mediterranean fish to English is tricky business. Turkish make bottarga from kefal. I thought it is gray mullet in English but have never seen kefal in the States. In English the translation of rouget is red mullet. Can anybody with a straight face claim any resemblance? The closest to tuna in Turkey is called orkinos. When I asked the question of why its roe is discarded I have never gotten a satisfactory answer. I guess there is some path dependency at work... This thread is generating new knowledge, at least for me. Thanks for the notes on the Japanese practice too. It came on the heels of watching some masterpiece movies from Yosijuro Ozu(made mostly in the 50s) and now I am dying with the desire to visit this great country.

I will gladly admit that I am no more than an enthusiastic amateur. When I am in Turkey and in the island near Istanbul I reside in summer I sometimes hang out with non professional fishermen--mostly writers, journalists. The seafood knowledge of these people is simply stunning. The main drawback is to wake up at 4 am to go fishing with them which prevents me from further deepening my knowledge I was intrigued to learn about grey mullet roe in Spain. Turkish love pressed grey mullet roe. As far as I know, Italian bottarga is from the tuna fish. I like them equally well. I had very good bottarga in Sardegna as well as Blu Lanterna in Imperia. If you want to buy high quality bottarga in Istanbul I can tell you where and how to appraise the quality. Just drop an email if anybody is planning a trip to Istanbul. Last August in Giglio island, in a non Michelin mentioned restaurant favored by locals, Arcobalena, I had a memorable seafood pasta dish combining generous serving of monkfish liver, hot pepper flakes and sweet pears. To be honest, had I not known that I was eating monkfish liver, I would have been confused and may have mistaken them for some internal organs from something else. If you like, say lamb brain, you will love monkfish liver. Turbot liver is popular and eaten in Turkey but we simply prepare them in meuniere style. US is catching up too. We had a dinner on December 20th at the French Laundry which is a good restaurant. The chef served the Atlantic Cod fish with the sperm sacs in a light cream sauce. Otherwise US is lagging far behind in making use of internal organs of either fish or meat. I would be most interested to hear from MiguelCardoso about his favorite Lisbon seafood restaurants. I suspect Portugal should rank very high in the quality and variety of seafood available anywhere.

I don't know what Italy you are talking about, but I assure you the industrial revolution has spread through even Italy. Maybe John chose a different term(pre-industrial) but he is essentially correct. Substitute this with pre-capitalist It is not that France and Italy are not capitalist. Of course they are. But different forms of capitalisms or political economies in terms of State-economy and government-business groups links. The big historical difference is that capitalism found a very fertile ground on this soil and, unimpeded with other traditions, it ran amok and shaped the land according to its own image. In continental Europe, on the other hand, the market forces had to make many compromises and not only with the working groups but with the non-capitalist elite too. As a consequence certain traditions, forms of production, and eating habits were preserved. Not only academic historians but also some brilliant artists captured the difference between the US and Europe. Goethe has a great poem but I do not have access to it right now. One implication of the historical difference we are talking about here related to food and ingredients is that, although it is possible to find non-scaleable stuff here you have to make a gargantuan effort and pray that people like Alice Waters will fall from the tree. It is just easier in France and Italy and Spain to shop well. Craig, I believe, though you may disagree, consumer preferences are the symptom and not the consequence of the malaise. Americans, genetically speaking, are as able as other human beings to tell the difference between rubbery egg and the farm raised egg when they taste it. The problem is that, good things are either unavailable or unaffordable for the average consumer.

Personally I look forward to European travels for the quality of ingredients and the difference between the US and European restaurants lies less in technique than ingredients. Happily I have not been brought up in a religious(Turkish)family but had I been, chances are that, after tasting Cinta Senese pork spit roast at Cracco Peck and suckling pork at restaurant Coque, near Madrid in Humanes, I would have converted to the religion of gastronomy or humanism. Whenever the issue of Italy and ingredients is discussed white truffles occupy a salient role in the discussion. In a way this begs the question because good Alba truffles are available here and cheaper. Today I found out that with 2 days notice at Atlanta in Star Provisions you can get Alba truffles for 160$ an ounce. This is cheaper than in Alba restaurants given that 1oz=28.47 grams and 160/oz comes to 4.68 euro per gram and we paid 5 to 6 euro per gram in Alba. There is no reason to assume a quality difference and, in a different thread, Jellybean made very good points re. this issue. Rather the difference lies in so called non luxury ingredients and not only cheese, salumi and the like. Take eggs, leeks(of Cervere), spinach, brain, sweetbreads(used in Finanziera), different species of fish not available here, etc. There are so many permutations and combinations as, say, eggs are used in dessert or pasta. It is just not possible to replicate Italy here. Enjoy a great steak(top in the States) and good cuisine making best use of VA and northern CA ingredients in the meantime.

Good points. Then one should look at the models in the States which, more or less, approximate the values and ideal types outlined by Giovanni. Add to this Marcus' observation about life style and regionality. Putting the 2 toghether I conclude that the most authentic Italian in the States is not an Italian restaurant at all, It is Chez Panisse at Berkeley.

One possible misunderstanding I would like to correct. I meant professional "restaurant reviewers" when I mistakenly used the term " food writer". In the ranks of leading gourmet websites there are quite a few non professional reporters whose judgments, IMO, are more rigorous than many reviewers. Michelin's strength is the anonymity of the reviewers. The phenomenon of capture of a regulatory/supervisory agency by the industry is a fact. Some political economists explain this by invoking venality and rent seeking alone. I do not go along with this 100%. I think there are other relationship based and very human factors at work. I do not think that we should limit our judgment on the simple versus complex presentation of ingredients in judging a restaurant. Simplicity is in the eye of the beholder. Ingredient quality is not. I think it was Jellybean who had told me that a chef with no lesser status than Ducasse had once confided that there was very little a chef could do to improve on the quality of the ingredients. But this very little, say 10 to 20% is very important and is the hallmark of a great chef. A bit like winemaking really. Excessive meddling is often resulting in a "complex" product whereby"creative" chefs are ruining good material they have started with. This is market driven behavior because chefs are often rewarded when they make things too complicated in a search to be different and original than when they start out by respecting the good material available to them. This is the tragedy or priviledge of Madrid depending on how you look at it. If my 5 days stay is a measure then Madrid is bestowed by MORE high quality products encompassing all categories than any big city I am aware of. On the basis of casual observation I will also say that there are quite a few people from all ranks and income levels that can appreciate good things there. This really contrasts with the US, where, even many attorneys in elite firms feel uncomfortable in chic addresses. Consequently, a search for originality in a city like this should be no nonsense. The gourmets there will not let the chef get away with non sense. On the downside this may mean less stars and less international accolade. On the upside this means that one will continue to eat very well there and a new Adria may be in the offing.

I share these observations, Perhaps the failure of the guides are symptomatic of an age where raw materials with integrity are getting scarce and scarcer and the overwhelming majority of the dining population is moved more by razzle-dazzle and theater than by pure taste in unadulturated form. There is a minority gourmet population in countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Turkey(in the US a very very tiny minority) who are more sophisticated about food than the majority of food writers. These men and women will not give a damn to scores and hype and will follow their instincts. They(like the gentleman whom I met by chance)are the true guaranteurs of continuing good quality in places such as Combarro. They are the ones who cry foul if the turbot is not fresh or the seabass is not wild. The main difference between the US and continental Europe lies less in creativity and technique than in the quality of ingredients available. Coming to Europe to eat only and only in the highest starred temples is an infantile error we--certainly myself--have all committed. A well meaning American, though, is more likely to commit this mistake as even some of the most celebrated chefs in this country display less of an understanding of raw materials and ingredients than a mastery of gastro-techniques. What looks like "simple" food in places such as Combarro, Goizeko Kabi, Lorenzo, etc., is actually the product of a long historical process as certain preparations have been selected over others for good reasons and after many trials, errors and tribulations. It is very hard to make justice to these restaurants without some knowledge of the respectable(Galician, Basque, Versilian)traditions. Some "creative" chefs try to trascend these regional traditions and seek an international audience. This is not an easy task. More often than not one gets dishes in these high temples of gastronomy which are just made too bizarre and/or complicated in a search to be original. True creativity exists but it is rarer than guides let us believe. It is also harder to sustain than attain. Once celebrities most chefs step out of the kitchen and codify their cuisine. Fortunately there are exceptions to this rule: Adria, Santamaria, Arbelaitz, Pacaud, Gagnaire, Massimiliano(Le Calandre), Tom Keller.... When in Madrid and visiting the Museum of Decorative Arts(which display a very interesting Valencien kitchen), I saw an exhibit of a recently deceased silversmith whose name I noted but I do not have access to it now. His "simple" looking modern pieces were extraordinary. I read that he had first mastered the techniques and traditions of the late renaissance style before he embarked on his creative journey. Unfortunately we can not make a similar statement for quite a few chefs nowdays and if the market is the ultimate arbiter they are right and I am wrong!

I am generally quite reluctant to praise a restaurant I have only been once and esp. a seafood restaurant. Some of the best seafood is perishable and usually regulars eat better. More than once I have been very disappointed in some seafood temples praised by people I trust, such as Carletto in Bordighera Italy. They simply did not serve me their best. This said, I will go out on a limb and heap praise on this place. IMO they tie with Lorenzo of Forte dei Marmi in terms of quality and execution of fish and shellfish. They have 2 locations in Madrid and I tried the one on Ortega Gasset. I doubt there is a difference in quality though. I ran into this place accidentally. We were on our way to La Trainera and noticed the display of angulas, percebes, camarones, aragosta, sea bass and hake on the display window. We started a heated conversation with my wife about the excellence of Galician seafood and the unfortunate accident of the tanker spill (I should rather say, me heated and she calm), and a passerby, a rotund very friendly looking middle aged man accompanied by a younger person(who turned out to be his son), intervened to ask if he could be of some help. I first thought he was an American because to my ear he did not have an accent--at any rate he did not have as a strong accent in English as I do. It turned out that he was a Galician who lived in Puerto Rico but was a regular visitor to Madrid. And the man knew his fish. He even had tasted Turkish black sea turbot in the right season(which is different and at least as good as Atlantic turbot) and he explained to me some fine points on Galician shellfish that I did not know. Under the bewildered gaze of my wife and his son we exchanged stories and talked about the merits of various seafood for at least 30 minutes. Then somehow one of us awoke from the dream and noticed that we were not alone. "Well, I said, we were on our way to Trainera and I noticed the display here. But I know the trick. This is the bait and the frozen stuff is inside, is not it?". Well, he said, Trainera is very good but I like Combarro even more. He added: I don't think they are tricky and they are my favorite in Madrid. Coming from this gentleman this was high praise, more important for me than Mr. RGS rating(which, I learned later that gives 7) or a Michelin rosette which tends to underrate seafood places. And he--I still do not know his name--was right on target. The camarones I had there were the best I had ever tried, very firm and almost sweet without the sharp iode taste that prawns develop 2 or 3 days after they have been caught. I knew that scallops were good this year and they had liked the summer heat but nothing had prepared me for the deep sweetness and firmness of the big scallops served in their shells a la gallega(with sweet braised onions, bits of bacon and a little tomato). The percebes had the pure taste of rocks and ocean. The 2 cigalas(langostines) we ordered, two thirds of a pound each, prepared a la plancha, made me think that I liked this better than the superlative preparation at ADPA with caviar and a light lemon infused cream sauce. It is just that only Pacaud has access to this quality langoustines in Paris but then Pacaud is a Breton and he charges 3 times or so more. I committed one error. Since we had a La Broche app. the same night I did not want to try the wild rock sea bass recommended by very friendly and professional maitre d' Senor Alvaro Lopez Garcia. But I had a peek at the belon oysters, angulas, and whole fish preparations going to the other 3 tables in the small room that we ate. I could not help but fake going to toilet to have a closer look at the dishes and plan future feasts. I should also mention that the pacing of the service was perfect and the small rooms are exquisitely decorated. In retrospect, I am quite angry with myself that I did not fully splurge there as La Broche turned out to be disappointing, and Arola is certainly not in the same league with Santamaria, Berasategui and Arbelaitz. More on this in a future posting...

Fiascheterra Toscana Very near Rialto bridge. They run out of most seafood as the night progresses because they buy fresh things in limited quantities. Besides they have a good and fairly priced wine list. Last meal there: 23 november 2003.

This is certainly no reason to apologize. This is a remarkable thread so far. I'm only disappointed to learn that I would have to give up my beard of some forty odd years to fully appreciate Turkey. You SHOULD give up your beard in Turkey Bux. With the beard you will be mistaken either as a religious bigot(bad) or a leftist intellectual(good but dangerous in the current climate). I know there is no politics allowed but I could not help it after a most zesty lunch with bellota jamon(from jabugo) and galician style scallops(special really) and pulpo gallega and bacalao pil pil. Now I am looking forward to churrasco and suckling pig and becada asado en salmis for dinner at or around 11 PM! Guess where I am?

How did you do this Bux? We keep hearing that as our daughter(who is now 20 months old) starts pre school she will acquire bad taste and habits from classmates(you know how Americans eat---even upper middle classes) and we will have only minor impact. So I am truly alarmed to the prospects of her devouring badly fried southern food and disgusting pizzas. Please tell me the strategies that worked for you and your wife. Thanks.