Steve Plotnicki

Smithi - If I recall the recipe correctly, they slice the potatoes, dip them in clarified butter and then adhere them to the fish. After the fish is covered with "scales", they paint it again with clarified butter. Then they put it in the fridge for the afternoon to chill it down. It goes right from the cold fridge into the saute pan.

Admin: the current active thread for discussion of Marseille under Chef Andy D'Amico may be found here. Personally I would not have given the place any stars. One if anything. We thought they hardly had anything to eat there. And I had the Bouillabaisse, a primo example of the I can't get it to taste authentic so I am going to add Pernod to flavor it school. You cannot know your Bouilliabaisse and make the comment that Grimes made in The Times. And the environent is more like a cafe than a restaurant. Actually, it looks like a tapas bar to me. They should have called the place Barcelona, not Marseille. In my opinion, this is another example of kowtowing to a chef. If it wasn't Alex Urena, ex of Blue Hill, no way this place would have gotten 2 stars.

Charles - A freind of mine was in from out of town and ate at U.P. just before x-mas. He ate the exact same meal as you and had the exact same reaction. And I will tell you the exact same thing I told him. The Asian fuison dishes at U.P. are always better than things that are more French. So thumbs up for the scallops with uni and mustard oil. Thumbs sideways for the Roast Pheasant.

Robert - Schaller & Weber is the source for my choucroute ingredients. Once a year my wife makes the stuff (this year the night before New Years.) But I spoke to someone else recently who shops there for meat and thinks they are the best. I have to say, I don't buy meat to cook at home that often. And when I do, it is usually steak (Lobel's) or lamb chops (Citarella or Eli's.) But next time I'm in the market for a rump roast, I'll try them. But of you have never been, you need to go to the French Butcher. It will tramsport you back to France. Paul - Thanks for the credit. It's hard to get these days. Actually I never bought anything directly from DeBraga & Spitler. It's advice that Mark Straussman the owner of Campagna gave me.

Hey let's give credit where credit is due. I mentioned DeBraga & Spitler as the source of the best prime rib on the steak thread last week. As for strip steaks, I'm not sure where Lobel's gets their strip steaks, although it might be from Debraga. I think Citarella has a pretty good butcher, as does Eli's. Has anyone tried the Niman Schiller beef at Eli's? I was disappointed by it. But the Niman Schiller Pork Belly that is served at places like Gramercy etc. is a great product.

Here's a good meal in Madrid. Taberna Daniella in the Salamanca section serves a great Cocida on Saturday afternoons. Cocida is the national dish of Spain and is akin to a Pot au Feu or Bollito Misto. They serve you a steaming turreen of chicken broth and fideo (thin noodles). After you have a few bowls they serve you a large platter with various meats, chicken and sausages and you make bowls of soup. I can't remember all the condiments but I remember a bowl of chick peas, some coarse salt and I think mustard. It was a great lunch and worthy of three naps. The place is just an upscale, neighborhood tapas bar but has a back room where they serve more substantive plates for lunch. Another simple but good place in Madrid is La Trainera which is a seafood specialist and is also in Salamanca. More exotic types of Gambas than I've seen anywhere including these giant red ones from the Atlaintic coast. I've never been but, the guys from the wine boards I post on are always going to Viridiana. Abraham Garcia is supposedly one of the top chefs in Spain and I hear he has a great wine cellar.

Fat Guy - How about a Ducasse drive through? "Ducasse pour le Voiture." They could have them near the entrances of posh malls. You know like on your way out of Bal Harbor or Bloomfield Hills you can stop and get a "Poulet Sandwich" for ุ plus Frittes for บ more. And of course the special children's "Mignon" menu for les enfants that feature "Le Clown Burger" filet mignon sur le bun gros hache apres grille for a mere ษ. Or the "Burger Normale" avec le peint? de la face du clown comme tomate coulis sur le burger. Also ษ. It would replace Friendly's as the lunch spot of choice for posh sleepaway camps when they go on field trips.

Fat Guy - At the Boca Raton Houston's, we always found the Prime Rib to be top notch. But that was years ago before South Beach existed and we vacationed in the suburbs of Miami. I think the issue with chain restaurants that offer quality food is partially a function of their approving local vendors to supply ingredients. Just think how much better McDonald's would be if each franchise was throwing freshly made patties on the grill instead of frozen ones that makes their way east from the fullfilment center in San Diego. Starbuck's is a good example as their baked goods must come from corporately approved local venders so they are fresh. And I'm sure that in places like Houston's they allow the franchises to make menu choices based on location. So not only is the quality better because of local suppliers, the environment isn't as rigid because a number of touches give it the appearance of a "real" reataurant. In fact, years ago when we ate at Houston's we had no idea it was a chain until on our second visit we noticed a list of other locations.

Henry - Just like a good Bouillabaisse, a good Soupe de Poissons is dependant on Rascasse. That's where it gets it's flavors from. I'm with you by the way, I like the thinner but flavorful broth as opposed to one where the fish has been pureed into the broth. And you can't get a good Soupe de Poissons here. Occassionaly, you can get a good Zuppa di Pesce, with a robust broth spiked with hot pepper, but it's not the same, or as good I might add as a Soupe de Poissons, a unique invention if I ever saw one. We will work on a date.

Robert - A June visit to Tetou might be in order don't you think? Then we can give a firsthand report. I always found the Tomatoes Provencal not garlicky enough. Have you have ever had the confits there? In winter, they used to serve these large glass jars of confits of various fruits and veggies along with beignets, a large pot of cream and sugar. They were fantastic. Things like green tomatoes, rhubarb along with my favorite, frais de bois.

Clare - When you go back, visit both Tetou and Bacon and compare their Bouillabaisse. They are within 3-4 miles of each other. People argue about whose is better. Bacon makes a very refined version which I assume has to do with excessive straining of the broth. Tetou's version is more robust. As for my list of "emotive" dishes, those dishes are supposed to capture an entire culture in a pot aren't they? I mean cholent is a dish that came into being because you couldn't make a fire on the sabbath. But you could put a pot of cholent on the fire before sundown on Friday and let it cook all night and it would be ready for Saturday lunch which is traditionally a meat meal in the Jewish religion. I mean how much more emotive can a dish be if it's what you eat after praying? It has to be a metaphor for everything about your way of life. Have you ever had the Moroccan Dafina or what they call Sabbath Bake? It's a cholent with a meat loaf stuffed with whole eggs and prunes that is wrapped in cloth and placed in the cholent to bake. Same principal. Bouillabaisse is a dish that revolved around the workday of fisherman. In anticipation of the fisherman coming back to shore with their daily catch, someone set a pot of boiling broth on the beach. And when the fisherman came back with their catch, they threw their lunch into the pot. A mixture of the land and sea. Just like their lives.

Robert - Gee your response has so many issues embedded into it. I don't know where to start. Let's see. The French public that is interested in dining are big supporters of the bistros moderne that opened in Paris and subsequently all over France. In my experience, places like Le Regelade, Eric Frechon, Violin D'Ingress are full of French people. Places like Gagniere are not. Okay I can go with that one. But where are the cookbooks celebrating the bistro moderne? As for the Italian cookbook business, it's in far worse shape than the French cookbook business. Last year Don Alfonso published a book. I can't recall a glossy picture book from Italy in I don't know how long. Does Gualtiero Marchesi have a book? The country that has a thriving cookbook business is Spain. Every book by those cutting edge chefs are in demand. And it can't be that Spanish housewives are turning everything into foam? (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 9:57 pm on Jan. 10, 2002) (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 10:46 pm on Jan. 10, 2002)

Didn't the Hamburgers already publish a book about Paris Bistros in the exact same format? I checked the copyright page of this book looking to see if it a revised edition and it is not. But I can swear I have a book by them that is at least ten years old with the exact same format. Another book on Paris Bistros that is excellent was written by the creator of Paddington Bear, I forget his name. But the guides I find very useful are Le Guide Leby, which has both restaurants and bistros, and Le Petite Leby which focuses on bistros and wine bars. They are in French, but I've found them pretty reliable.

You know I'm not so knocked out by their food magazines. They have Gault Millau and Saveur which aren't the greatest. And they have Le Review de Vins de France which is not the most impressive publication either.

Wilfrid - I assume Beppe would taste better over there. Just one of those fish out of water things. As for March, that was my first visit and I have to go back. But I have to admit the meal didn't instill a great desire to do that. As for cutting edge, I dont find Union Paciific to be so revolutionary, but more about making simple but unusual pairings. I don't think the spirit of the cooking there is to apply a tremendous amount of technique to the food like they do at March or Atlas. Your point about Eleven Madison and intensity is spot on. Though I can't pinpoint exactly why. They just might have had a better sous chef in year one then they do now? Who knows. I always wonder if demands for profits have a negative impact on kitchens. I mean suppose that they had to hire a lesser quality support staff for Kerry because of budget constraints. They should give us their balance sheet with the menu. Then we can figure it out. I know what you mean about Veritas. I love the place but I think they got a star for the winelist. I haven't been to Fleur de Sel and it is on my list of musts. And don't worry, your baby will grow up and you will eat again. (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 8:08 pm on Jan. 10, 2002) (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 8:09 pm on Jan. 10, 2002)

Robert - Is it Le Huitiere where you ate in Lille? In the back of the fish shop? I had a great lunch there one day about 6 years ago. (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 7:37 pm on Jan. 10, 2002)

Clare - Have you been to Tetou in Golfe Juan? It's the best one I've had. I took someone to dinner there about 3 years ago and I found them with their face no more than 4-5 inches over their soup bowl in a stupor inhaling the aroma from the broth. We had to nudge him back to reality. I think Bouillabbaisse, like Cassoulet, the yiddish dish Cholent or Pot au Feu has to do with making large amounts of it and being able to cook the broth for a long time. As the legend goes, and maybe there is truth to it, in the days when it weas hard to start a fire they spent lots of energy keeping the fire under a pot going (post vestal virgin.) So a Pot au Feu, had the benefit of having lots of meals cooked in it before being cleaned and the broth would get what the Jews call "tam" or I guess in Frnech "bon gout." which in English translates to flavorful. I think Bouillabaisse is the same. If you fire up a huge vat of the broth in the morning and add fish all day long, by 9:00 at night that broth has taken on a life of it's own. I don't think you can achieve the same effect by making a single pot of the stuff. I think this is why Tetou's is better than the others. They must serve 200 servings a day if not more.

Robert - Well if the French do not have interest in haute cuisine, that would explain it. Except everytime I'm there some 3 star chef has their picture in the papar. Usually a full page spread. So the fact that someone got a 3rd star, or opened a new place, or renovated, or some other newsworthy item seems to be important to the French. But I guess not important enough. As for translating/converting recipes and language, I'm not in the book publishing business but it would seem in todays world of electronic translating/conversion that the cost would have been reduced by now. Yes I was speaking of Auberge de Theo, a place I've had a few good lunches on a Saturday aftrenoon after visiting one of the museums on the hill. And I have had a few nice meals at Allegro too except it hasn't been in many years. Where else is good Italian in that area? Now are you trying to say that Jews are fancy eaters?

Henry - How are you? Yes I am the same Steve. Are you still drinking good wine? Too bad about Josh's dad. But he had the baby so I guess that made it easier for everyone. Your point about Bouillabaisse vs Soupe de Possons is noted. The truth is that I can only eat a Bouillabaisse once or twice a year and I can eat Soupe de Poissons every week. I have never studied the broths side by side by I can recall that there is a difference in the broths and the broth for Bouillabaisse is more substantial. I have to check some recipes, or maybe someone who knows would pipe in. Thanks for the compliments about my writing style. Like I said, it's one New Yorker's point of view. We still need to get together and drink/eat. When are you coming into town? I have some older Burgundys that are burning a hole in my cellar.

Robert - I can understand why we don't buy them. But I can't understand why the French don't buy them in sufficient quantities that there would be a proper French cookbook industry which in my estimation there isn't. There are no shortage of painting, photography, architecture , etc. books published there. Big glossy ones. One would think they would celebrate haute cuisine, which happens to be the local culture, the same way. The fact that they aren't in English obviously hurts them on the co-publishing front. You know this past weekend on CNN Willow Bay did a piece on ADNY including an interview with Ducasse where he spoke in French and it had to be translated. There I was saying to myself, his inability to speak English must be turning off countless potential customers. It summed up his difficulties in suceeding here in a nutshell. Bux - You are right when you say that the great restaurants are supported by visitors to France. But that shouldn't limit their exposure both in, and out of France. What does limit their exposure outside France is their inability, or often their unwillingness to speak English. I mean how much of Daniel's notariety comes from the fact that he speaks perfect English? As for French people wanting to cook like that, I can't imagine that on a percentage basis they are different than any other culture. And in fact, and I guess this is my point, they should be trying to cook that way in higher percentages than other cultures. I mean it's there culture. If anything might be contributing to this implosion, it's the fact that France has not done a good job of creating a new middle class cuisine, or how Bux put it in an earlier thread. the upper middle. There is no equivelent of the Union Square Cafe there. There is no River Cafe (London) either. It's really cookbooks from those types of places that keep the industry in both the U.S. and U.K. humming. And if an American chef who cooks with a greater application of technique like Daniel publishes a book, it's easy to stay within the context of how the industry presents itself. In France, in order to recreate the upper middle, they often ask the chefs to write books that are beneath their craft. Like Robuchon's or Loisseau's books on what they cook on Sundays. While those are fine books, what they cook on Sundays happens to be what they cook at places like USC every day.

Bux - That reminds of being in London at Books for Cooks. They have a small kitchen in the back where they serve lunch. That say, the entire staff was eating a chicken in what looked like a garlicky mayonaisse. When I asked them what it was they said "Chicken Bouillabaisse." It was just chicken boiled in a Provencal style broth with rouille on top,Voila. Anyway, when I say Bouillabaisse I mean the Real McCoy.

Bux & Steven - You're both right. How can that be in the same thread? Well it's almost an accident because Steven's point about the service segueways into Bux's point about the lack of edge at a place. I eat a fair share of meals at the original Palm and if anything the place has an edge. And the edge comes from a few things. One, the place has characcter. Second, the place is full of characters. Third, the food is cooked to a crisp. No matter whether rare, medium or well done, the steak always has an "edgy" crust. And the lobsters are singed to a turn as well. Finally the waiters, mostly Italian, Yugoslavian, etc. immigrants are edgy too! If you aren't a fan of The Palm, pick another place like it like Lugar's or the Grand Central Oyster Bar, they all have an edge. But the USC is in reality just a cleaned up version of those places that has added some contemporary dishes into the mix like the tuna. It also has replaced a surly waitstaff with a polite one. So you sort of get a scrubbed down version of NYC complete with big flower arramgement. I wish it had 10% more fire in it's belly and the goal was to burn the steak at the edge instead of serving it perfectly. Bux is also right about Gramercy. But you can get Tom to cook with fire. You just need to get him to the table for the ordering. (Edited by Steve Plotnicki at 5:27 am on Jan. 10, 2002)

Katherine - Now I understand. But I can't agree with your reasoning. You can't say that the French hold their 3 star chefs up as great "artistes" (which they do) and also look down on the cooking techniques that are practiced elsewhere in the world and then say the people want to cook plain food? Those concepts seem to be in conflict. And I know for myself that they are interested in those chefs. Everytime I'm there those chefs have articles in the paper, are on TV, or have some other type of media promotion going on. They are big celebrities the same way Daniel is a celebrity here. But for some reason, they publish lousy cookbooks. Robert - I have never heard of vanity cookbook publishing. But now that you've brought it up, I think I'm going to have a book of my barbeque recipes published. I make a mean slow-roasted and smoked rack of veal. Mamster - That book has been available in New York for about 3 months. It cost 跌 here I think. It is quite impressive and whoever published it did a great job. It's sort of a Catalogue Raisonee of Ducasse's cooking.

A half a dozen Bouillabaisse's? How did you do it? It's like eating half a dozen cassoulets I happen to agree with your comment that cassoulet is the type of dish that is best enjoyed at home. It's basically a stew and is no different than the Yiddish dish cholent or the North African dish Dafina. And Bouillabaisse should be the same. I mean what's the big deal about throwing fish in a pot with olive oil and spices? But unfortuately I think it's different. I think the flavor of a proper Bouillabaisse is too dependant on the way local ingedients taste to be replicated elsewhere. I've had counteless Bouillabaisse in other places and not a single one of them ever came close to replicating the flavor of any of the ones you can get on the coast. The biggest problem is the lack of availability of the fish Rascasse outside of the coast. I don't know where you are but in the U.S. there is zero access to Rascasse. And it is the lowly Rascasse that gives Bouillabaisse (as well as Soupe de Poissons) it's unique flavor. It's the base fish in the preparation of the broth.<p>So if you know how to make one in the U.S. or U.K. that tastes like the indiginous version, please share your secret with us. I've seen some of the greatest chefs in the world fail at that task and resort to adding things like Pernod to spark up the broth.

Katherine - I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that chefs in the U.S. and the U.K. are too popular and don't deserve to publish high profile cookbooks? Or are you saying that the French public already cooks like Alain Passard and hence, doesn't need a cookbook from him.