RandyB

I tried the chocolate framboise (raspberry) whatever - sort of a log shape sliced perpendicular to the axis. Sorry to say, it was awful. I couldn't tell anything about the chocloate quality (heavy, liquidy mousse texture rather than a ganache) because if felt like someone had slipped with the sugar and poured so much I could feel the crystals. The actual raspberry in the middle would have been a nice touch otherwise.

After reading this thread a couple of days ago, I made my first trip to BE on 4th Ave today. I had a croissant immediately, took a ham and cheese in pastry for my lunch, and a chocolate something for dessert tonight. They weren't too sure of what some things were called or had some mixed up labels. The chocolate torte was labeled Chocolate Boca Framboise. That is english, italian, and french, but the server said the sign referred to some other pastry. In any case, the croissant gets a B+. To give you a scale, I give Cafe Besalu an A+ (= top 5% in Paris) and Fournil an A- (sometimes less, they can be inconsistent). The outer layers were nicely flakey. The inside was a bit doughy. All together, it was definitely too salty. Expensive at $3. The ham & cheese pastry was very nice, but also overly salty. The pastry was excellent for a filled shell. It was enough for a modest lunch, and also expensive at something like $5.65. I should add that both items were obviously very fresh. The ham/cheese thing was still hot.

Thanks for the clarification, tighe. You're right. And thanks Laurel for the Macrina suggestion. I love a lot of what they make. I'll definitely talk to them, along with a couple of others.

Call me old fashioned, too, but I'm a regular for Bakeman's turkey. The bread is nothing special, but they bake the turkeys fresh every day and hand carve them. Generous portion, cheap prices. Friends say the meatloaf is good, too, but it's not my thing.

Empress of Desserts looks interesting, and they have a tasting coming up. What is odd is that they show cake sizes, but say they charge by the number of guests. I could understand that for a caterer doing portion control, but a 3-layer, 12 inch cake is what is is, whether 20 for 40 people eat it. Of course, I see many surprises as I look into the world of catered events. The last time I did one, they charged an hourly fee for servers and the tips were up to us. Now many just add 18% or more of the total food & beverage cost to the bill, as if this were in a restaurant with individual orders being served, rather than a buffet in my home. Depending on the cost of the food and whether the caterer is supplying liquor, this could end up costing over $40/hour per server, plus sales tax on top of that.

After decades of relying on the B&O Expresso in Seattle for their chocolate raspberry torte for major occasions, I fear I may have to look elsewhere. Several reports on a diminishment in quality and loss of their main pastry chef have me concerned. Does anyone have a suggestion for an alternative that could satisfy a very serious and finicky chocoholic? The only one I can think of myself is Fran's. But I haven't sampled their chocolate raspberry cake (a custom order) in 12 years.

I was introduced to bergamot by Jacques Genin, the elusive French chocolatier who supplies some of the finest restaurants in Paris, but doesn't sell retail. I had never heard of it before, and didn't particularly like it in the chocolate. Now that I see here the connection between bergamot and Earl Grey tea, I understand. I've never liked EG tea, either.

Thank you all for you comments. They are very helpful.

We have a party coming in March for about 50 people at our home. We'd like to have it catered buffet style. We're looking for something interesting and delicious, and I am a big fan of things in well made, flakey puff pastry. Price is somewhat of an issue. For example, we probably wouldn't have caviar and fresh lobster. The last caterer we used was The Wedge, a long-gone cheese shop in University Village. The last caterers thread on eGullet is more than a year and half old. I'd appreciate recommendations from personal experience. Note: The cake is not in issue. It will be a chocolate raspberry torte (with added Grand Marnier) from the B&O Expresso.

I thought Tonka were trucks. So, no, I didn't get to try Tonka bean chocolate.

That Denise is quite a character, eh? I spent some time with her last year and she told me that she lost her entire stock of chocolates in 2003 during the canicule ( heat wave ) that struck France. About caramels, I'm not a big fan. BUT, Genin's caramels are I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E ! Vanilla Caramel - Outstanding; Pistachio Praline - Wow!; Passion-Fruit/Mango - a Revelation! It just doesn't get any better than this. Bravo! ← Omigod, that Passion fruit mango. YES! Orgasmic. Where did you taste it? I spent an hour in Genin's atelier tasting chocolates and, just as I was leaving, he offered me a taste of the caramel after I said I didn't normally like caramels.

Renting an apartment with cooking facilities and shopping at the markets and boucheries is definitely the way to go. If you aren't a great cook, keep it simple. However, even a novice cook can go to a good butcher shop and look for their specialities in pre-prepared items. For example, Gardil on the Ile St. Louis has a fabulous stuffed lamb roast that you can pop in the oven and look like a fancy chef. They'll give you cooking instructions, of course. Not cheap - this is a high end butcher shop. But most neighborhood butchers will have stuffed chops, chickens cleaned and trussed for roasting, etc. Intersperse that with restaurant meals, of course. However, I do remember a trip in the Dordogne off season several years ago. Most of the regular restaurants were closed, leaving us to eat at those hotels that were still open. After 4 or 5 days of 2 hour, incredible rich meals, my wife asked the server if she could just have a plate of vegetables. "Pas de problème" was the reply. He did return with a beautiful plate of vegetables . . . swimming in butter and cream sauces.

My last non-food comment. Here is the link to all possible Microsoft foreign keyboard layouts , with useful pictures you can paste to Paint and print out in color:

There are many places that sell Berthillon, particularly on the Ile St. Louis. I have been disappointed several times by shops that handle the ice cream poorly, apparently letting it partially thaw and refreeze. I've never found the ice cream or sorbets icy at the main store. However, I also was disappointed with the fraise du bois. It lacked the intense concentration of flavor that I associate with Berthillon, even in their more sublte flavors (e.g., pear).

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now this is just Who knew? é, è, ç, à, ô, û, ù,Ä, â, ä, à, á, Is there a guide for these? Anyone know how to do an enye? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can select the English International keyboard in Windows 2k or XP (probably earlier versions, too) and type all the accents you want relatively easily. You can get instructions and a layout you can print out at Int'l Keyboard. The printout isn't great. Somewhere on MS's website they have all the keyboards available with Windows in usable color displays. I have a printout right below my screen. Unfortunately, I can't find the MS web page where I got it.

Too bad you have to stay downtown. In Ballard you could find croissants and pains au chocolat that would be in the top 10% in Paris. That's at Cafe Besalu, 5909 24th Av NW, open Wed-Sun, and usually out of those items by midday. At Macrina, the coffee and pound cakes are rich, old fashioned delights. I particularly like sour cherry version, as well as the Budapest-style cinnamon loaf. The slices are very generous.

I was not impressed with Au Camelot, neither the selection nor the quality. If you are looking generally in Bastille/Marais, and it doesn't have to be high-end, haute cuisine, I have a personal favorite for a simpler meal. That's Le Relais St. Paul. It's at 33, rue François Miron, near the St. Paul métro station. It`s small, romantic, not too noisy, and very friendly. When I was last there in April, new owners included one American, so at least one person there does speak English. Their speciality is southwest cooking. I went there first several years ago because (1) an aquaintance recommended it and (2) it was the only restaurant I could find that served cassoulet for one person. The cassoulet was wonderful, as has been the magret de canard (duck). In April I think the prix fixe was in the 23 - 26 € range for 2 or 3 courses.

I spent a couple of hours talking chocolate with Denise Acabo several years ago. I brought her some Dilletante (Seattle) ginger and cranberry dragées because they are so different from what one finds in France. She was especially interested in the ginger and the Dilletante packaging. Then she helped me try to locate a childhood French friend via her Minitel. Unfortunately, his name was way too common to locate. I was not overwhelmed with the Bernachon chocolates. I would put them well behind Maison du Chocolat or Hévin. Curiously, the Guide du Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat has never listed Bernachon. (Anyone know why?) I didn't try Denise's caramels. That's because I thought I didn't like caramels at all. Then I tried Jacques Genin's caramels last April and it was a whole different world.

I was up at Bob Kramer's in Bellingham two weeks ago. He said he's moving to Olympia in two months. So if you need some sharpening done, don't wait. I'm guessing (although I didn't ask) that his shop will be down for a while.

Probably no where near anyone's route, but this place was an incredible find on our trip through the Languedoc a few years ago: Auberge de Cabaretou It's in the foothills somewhere related to Narbonne, at Route de la Salvetat - D907 Col de Caba 34220 SAINT PONS DE THOMIERES We were desperate, it was getting late, raining, and we were tired. The Cabaretou was nothing more than a name on a list of hotels. It was in the middle of nowhere. But the little cabin rooms were beautiful and cheap. (Current posted prices are 45 € or so for a double.) Then we went into the restaurant. It was fall - wild mushroom time. Omigod, was it good. A young, creative but unpretentious chef doing incredible things with mushrooms, porc, fresh herbs, and puff pastry. (Not all in the same dish.) Prices were very reasonable. It was supposed to be a way station, but we stayed for 3 nights just because the food was so good. It also gave us access to wonderful hikes and little villages. Sorry if this isn't helpful, but I had to tell someone about it.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

I haven't been to London in 25+ years, although I frequently visit Paris. On our way from Paris to Prague this April, my wife and I are detouring for one night (and a day at the Tates) in London. I'd like to take my wife to some thoroughly British restaurant, like Simpson's. She loves good beef and I adore mutton. I also know what properly made Yorkshire pudding is like, but that's optional. I have no idea if Simpson's is any good these days. It is about as pricey (or more) than we'd like. I'd appreciate any suggestions. (Also for a great fish & chips shop for lunch near either Tate.)

Bad, bad news. McDo is a great place to find clean, free bathrooms in Paris.

The ravioli - light as not-so-little pillows - are also great. It's very noisy when full. Go in the off hours if noise bothers you.

The enforcement of the dog poop laws in Paris is a long and humorous story. I don't remember much of it, but it started with a national law that could only be enforced by the national police, who wouldn't stoop to enforcing it. More recently a new Paris mayor or deputy mayor took this on as a worthy political issue. I don't remember how the enforcement changed, but there definitely has been some improvement.