byrdhouse

Good evening. We are newcomers to this forum. Our question does not address Mexico per se, but we hope it will engender responses from fellow tamale enthusiasts. We live in an isolated community on the far northern California coast (Eureka is the largest town). There is virtually no good Mexican cuisine in local restaurants, although the Chicano community is sizeable. A couple of the multitude of cheap restaurants provide decent tapa-style tacos, but little else; the vegetarians have intimidated them. Our own home is the only place we can expect such routine fare as frijoles de olla, refritos, carnitas, chile verde, etc. [We render our own lard, whereas local restaurants use only vegetable oil; accordingly, their food is overwhelmingly bland.] Recently I bonded with a couple of Spanish language teachers at the local college where I teach. We agreed that we are starved for real tamales, since all we can get is tasteless, dense, and flavorless. So we decided to do a "tamale project" in January, after all the holiday stress is over; we booked a small "boutique" bakery that has an industrial mixer for the masa/lard/broth, and we've agree that we're going to bring our own fillings, and conduct a Tamale Assembly that will produce freezable and delicious tamales. And if we run out of fillings, we'll generate a bunch of "tamales de casa," fillingless dumplings that can be used to make the Mexican version of "tamale pie." The last time my wife and I made tamales, we were totally successful, except that we struck out on corn husks: our "Achilles Heel" was the husks, which were Safeway, hence small and old (prolonged soaking tended to have little effect - they remained stiff, and using 2-3 husks per tamal was tedious and time-consuming). The supermarket stuff doesn't cut it. Since so much quality will be going into this project, does anyone have a source for high-quality corn husks? (I'd welcome ideas for fillings too, although one of our 5 participants is a visiting Guatamalan mama, who has some entirely different recipes.)

It is a pleasure to see so much activity regarding Bourbon, the most distinguished of American spirits. Not to be a pedant, but as a teacher of American popular music, one of our lessons is that Bourbon whiskey began as a Federally sanctioned brew, taking its name from Bourbon County, Virginia (now in Kentucky, a county which has disgraced itself by voting to be dry!), with rules about the proportion of grains (+50% corn, which means that George Dickle breaks no law in smoothing its whiskey with other grains). It was not until the 1820s that the Scottish chemist James Crow arrived, and began to apply science to what had theretofore been attributed to phases of the moon, or a menstruating woman visiting the still. That was also the beginning of "proof" as a measure of alcohol. As to all the "boutique" bourbons that are found below, if you truly love this whiskey, nearly all are so expensive (Please! $80 a bottle?) as to render this a contest among Very Rich People. We don't need that. So simply don't go there. The two that I enjoy are George Dickle (a bit more potency, but less smooth: thus a perfect vehicle for a mint julep - which, according to my Calhoun, Kentucky mama, should consist of "not too much sugar, nor too little whiskey"), and Maker's Mark (yes, I'm bothered by their marketing, but they make the best sipping Bourbon you can buy...for less than outrageous prices). Friends, can we back up here a bit? These wild prices are not helping anyone. Yes, there is a high quality product available at $70-80 a bottle (well, don't count me among their victims). Why should anyone pay such an elevated price? If you are not rich, just don't do this. The good news is that regular people can enjoy what only the elite could formerly.

Yes, Master Jason, but it's been a few years, because we bought 6 cases to save on shipping, and we don't drink it that often. Personally, I'd be happy with half again that much, but perhaps others want something with a lower cost-per-bottle. I don't disagree with your remark about not wanting a soft drink to be too intense, but that's not how soft drinks are around our house: we rarely drink them as a casual beverage, and in such cases I wouldn't recommend the "hot" Blenheims. That said, we've had great success serving it with everything from Sezchuan to Thai, Turkish to Morrocan. Even when culinary flavors are subtle, there seems to be a need for a beverage that is neither beer, wine, or tea. (Well, intense, chilled, mint tea is another matter, but it's a project to be added to the already considerable work of making a Mid-Eastern meal.) For those who find the "hot" too much, I'd suggest what we often do - serve a chilled mug and let guests pour from bottles of "Hot" and "Less Hot." (Likewise, I'd consider it rude to go to India and order milk-toast.) One caution about any of the Blenheim ginger ales: whatever you do, do not, repeat NOT, inhale while you are sipping. The resultant rush of ginger into the nasal membranes is intense. I, for one, do not subscribe to the "macho" philosophy of dining; food should not be obstructed by spice, whether chile, ginger, or other. Many people who claim to adore the habanero chile level of heat I suspect are those who've never come to enjoy a catholiciity of flavors. I don't think Blenheim needs to be treated as a challenge; it is simply a singular, very pure product which should be used with discretion. Try it diluted with club soda, or perhaps sip it as you would cognac.

I've known about this mail-order company for ten years. They principally make ginger ale, a product totally unlike anything what's available in stores. There are 4 varieties, hot, not-so-hot, diet, and ginger beer. The latter is nice but rather tame. (I've not tried the diet, but it would be nice to know, if someone else has.) After my original few orders (which, with shipping, came to $1 a bottle), I tried their orange, strawberry, and grape sodas. The strawberry is simply delicious, with a good flavor, and nice sweet-tart balance. But all their stuff is superior, because they use beet sugar (maybe cane in the ginger beer). Here is a link that tells more, and gives their phone number: Blenheim Ginger Ale For those who are wondering what to do with "hot" ginger ale, we serve it with Indian food. It has the perfect bite to stand up to a vindaloo or other intense flavor. BTW, if you have ever considered buying one of those "health food" ginger ales or beers, I can save you a lot of disappointment. But these folks in South Carolina do a great job.

eGullet has been a wonderful source to help us make plans for our first visit to France in late December and early January. We will have four days in Paris, but we plan on a couple of days each in Chinon and Bordeaux (where we'll be on the New Year), with travel days in between. As we were advised, Marseilles and the Basque coast are too ambitious for this trip. Traveling in rainy weather on country back roads is not a hardship; we reside in Humboldt County. Warnings of slim pickings after the 1st have been duly heeded; we'll have bread, cheese, and paté, and perhaps a flask of Marc. Our thanks to Bux, Pan, Loufood, Busboy, Menton1, and everyone who has assisted us in defining and refining our precious 10 days, and for the many resources they've helpfully recommended.

One of the hazzards of spontaneity is absence of research. In light of Bux's comments, we did some of the latter, discovering that we'd planned a "casual" journey of over 3,000 kilometers in a little over a week! Of course we'd never have kept to such a frenetic schedule, but now we can plan more effectively. We've decided to limit the trip to the Bordeaux-Narbonne route. We may make a foray to the Biscay coast (one of my favorite broadside ballads, The Raggle-Taggle Gypsies, refers to "bonny, bonny Briskey-oh"). Yes, we are aware that many establishments may be closed, the downside of traveling off-off-season. Loufood has gotten us started out with recommendations for charcuterie and cassoulet in Paris. If anyone else has suggestions in light of our amended itinerary, we'd be grateful.

Here in the far reaches of rural northern California, we are embarrassed to intrude on so august a discussion. But, taking advantage of a bargain airfare from our tiny community direct to Paris, we're flying on Christmas Day. Whatever money's left, we have to make count. Accordingly, we're planning to spend the next week or so discovering rural France, Orleans to Bordeaux to Marseilles and back via Burgundy. It will be very much off-season, which is fine with us, as we want to experience France without a lot of fellow tourists. We are very serious about food, of course. But we will find ourselves in Paris on Friday the 26th, having to wait until the 29th (budget car rentals seem not to function on weekends) until we can head south to less expensive territory. We fully expect that we can find wonderful food that is less than Michelin-starred in the country, but how can we survive Paris without blowing our budget? For example, in Chinon (thank you, Pan) we can look forward to a charming room at a hotel or chateau for 60-70€, and interesting regional meals that max out at 30€ per person. That's happily within our budget. So how can we make Paris as cost-effective as possible? No Michelin hotels or restaurants, but if we DID go a bit over budget one night, where would it be?

For several years, we've been lucky enough to have a local (Humboldt County, CA) purveyor of old-fashioned franks, Premiere Meats. Suddenly, probably because they've been very successful, their product has become leaner and very bland. Surely there is out there a mail-order frank that has a skin, no corn-syrup or fillers, and good spiciness. If you are as old as me, and ever lived in New York, you may remember the street-corner hot dogs under the blue and yellow umbrella that said "Sabrettes." There's nothing close to that in supermarkets, particularly brands like Hebrew National and Nathans. Help! byrd_house@cox.net

"Chez panisse was pretty clear as to what they're about. In a nutshell: It is what it is." Well, it was not always "is what it is." Twenty-five years ago, when Ms. Waters was still trying to succeed, it was truly wonderful. Not living in the Bay area, I've only been there 4 times, but it has gone downhill since my first visit. I remember a cassoulet with goose confit that opened my eyes to new possibilities. By contrast, our last visit had a very unspecial menu featuring lentils with lamb sausage. Nothing I couldn't have made myself for a routine weekday supper, except a pureed soup "drizzled with truffle oil" (am I the only person who can't taste the subtleties of truffle oil? And not to change the subject, but how does one get enough truffles to actually taste them? Even at FL I've felt shorted on truffles. However, at Blue Hour in Portland last month, there was gnocchi with Reggiano Parmesan and sliced white truffles: spectacular!). Anyway, the Myth is alive and well. Michael Bauer of The Chronicle will hear no evil about Alice Waters; when I wrote about the above meal, he responded that I was simply unable to appreciate great food that didn't have "bells and whistles." Having been to all three restaurants being discussed in this forum, I have to say that CP no longer belongs in the category. The Herb Farm is an odd duck of a fine restaurant: imagine telling your life story every night, or presenting the kitchen staff in review! But the food makes up for the eccentricity: Wagyu beef tenderloin, for example. Nothing, however, anywhere we've been, can match FL. Keller is simply amazing. Read Tony Bourdain's "Cooks Tour," and then realize that he does this level of perfection every night, for every customer, and every dish! At her best - a decade or more ago - Alice Waters was not even close to that level of culinary perfection, and HF has miles to go before it should be compared. One final comment. There have been a few postings complaining about the absence of choices at CP and HF. I don't share those feelings, because I actually enjoy being in the hands of a competent chef. But for those who don't, Thomas Keller LOVES to be given difficult requests. You're allergic to a primary ingredient in one of his dishes? He'll find a way to make it without that ingredient. You don't like oysters (or pigs trotters or snails)? He takes that as a challenge, and makes you something not on the menu! This is not just for pampered celebrities. He will do virtually anything to please his guests. And this attitude filters down through the entire staff. An extraordinary chef, and a restaurant like no other.

Rose Pistola isn't what a lot of people consider "Italian," but it is totally wonderful. They have a seafood "frito misto" that when we were there included whole baby octopus, prawn, and crab/potato pillows: a burst of flavor in every bite. Also, a combination of marinated raw fish - salmon, swordfish and sardine. I first had Arctic char there, grilled whole. The only pasta I recall is gorganzola ravioli with wild mushrooms. The style is Adriatic food, which is not really close to the Neapolitan model, like lumping together New England and New Orleans and calling it "American." Expensive, and worth it.