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French wining and dining has a mystique about it that may be unparalleled. Serious tradition pared with governmental regulation seems to govern the production of the simplest aspects for food and wine. Wine traditions, I enjoy reading about from books, and through wine tastings. But food traditions, especially etiquette and expectations that govern dining experiences in haute cuisine- that is to say, starred restaurants- are much more dauting and inaccessible. Even though, well-traveled, knowledgable about many subtelties of food and wine, and having been lucky to have eaten diversely, and well, in the States and abroad, this 23 yr-old American gourmet/gourmand finds himself feeling daunted at the prospect of spending an evening at a starred/haute cuisine restaurant in Paris. Yet, a 3 month linguistic/culinary/oenophilic sejour in Paris can hardly be complete without trying the casual and the formal; the simple and the complex; the cheap and the expensive of what Paris has to offer- and I'm convinced I will regret it if I don't have a haute cuisine experience (at Parisian wonders like Le Cinq, or L'Astrance) in addition to my experiences at bistros, brasseries and crepe stands. Are there things to remember/know, on what to expect at a starred restaurant. Is there protocol, etiquette or other subtle savoir faire that the knowledgable and passionate members of egullet could impart to help make an evening (or afternoon) at a starred restaurant a culinary exprerience to remember, rather than an expensive faux-pas ridden nightmare to forget? Or perhaps, on a lighter-note, do members have folly experiences or mistaken adventures in haute cuisine to share that we can all learn from together? A bientot, -ron

R.G., Imagining your 7 year old marvelling over fresh truffles, or enjoying a great meal in Paris, and it makes me smile, coz I was that kid too. My parents have always loved travelling around the world and eating their way around the world, and I think that that has been one of the most marvellous influences my parents have had on me. When people ask me why I enjoy cooking and eating so much or how I've become such a foodie, I must attribute it to my parents influence. I must say that I pay them back every time I go home to visit, with days of cooking and sharing my cooking. It's also my parents generosity in buying me cookbooks, as well as paying for cooking classes here and there that have helped to deepen this interest. And, I've continued to collect cookbooks and look for cooking classes whereever I might be travelling. I've mentioned that I just moved here to Paris, and I'm happy to report that I've found a great cooking class, and one that may work well for your child. The Francoise Meunier cooking school has courses pretty much everyday. What's special about this school is that it is the antithesis of big formal cooking schools like the Ritz Escoffier, or Le Cordon Bleu, and it's run by Francoise Meunier herself (a graduate of one of these schools, if I'm not mistaken) in her extra large kitchen in an apartment in the 2nd arr. She's great- super friendly, and she's got a knack about making French cooking seem easy to learn. I made puff pastry with her the other day (and we used it to make mille feuille), and it's an achievement that's she's made this daunting concept so accessible and fun. Classes are small, and hands-on, and the atmosphere is tres sympa and relaxed. I've taken three classes with her and have signed up for a 5-class package deal (360 euros). She's got many regulars, and it's plain to see why. I think she does classes with or for children too, so this is perhaps one way your child (or anyone) can start to discover French cooking or hone cooking skills in an appropriate environment. Call Francoise to get more info. Classes almost every day, I think. (she also speaks English, (and I think Spanish... and some Japanese)!). 7 rue Lelong - 2nd arr. (a pleasant walk for those of us living in the Marais) 01.40.26.14.00 -ron

R.G., Greetings from someone who has also just moved to Paris, in the 3rd but still the Marais. I too have been preoccupied with finding great places to eat in the area, and although I've lived in the Marais before for a couple of months about 3 years ago, I've only discovered the tip of the iceberg. In the Marais, one of my faves is Les Philosophes, for their Cuisse de Canard Confit. I'm sure you've had a duck confit before, but if you haven't, you'll be tasting a French classic. Les Philosophes is very popular especially on a nice day (and so is the confit), as it has a great location in the middle of the Marais, near the famed falafel joints Chez Marianne and L'As du Falafel, and it's particularly great on a sunny day to eat or drink al fresco, while you watch the quartier walk by. Les Philosophes 28 rue Vielle du Temple 01.48.87.49.64 Metro Saint Paul By the way, I've really enjoyed the Timeout Paris Eating and Drinking Guide, which is available at most larger news kiosks. This guide's got an opinionated edge that I really appreciate. -rl

Thanks for reminding me of Legrand - for some reason I always forget to stop by there even though it's really nice. They hold classes/seminars there I believe. My all time fave is still Augé although it is more for high end wines, and the collection is very idiosyncratic. La Grande Epicerie has a terrific wine department too though not as 'romantic' as shopping in a dedicated cave... Having just arrived in Paris for a 3 mo. sejour, I also appreciated having found Legrande Fille & Fils. The store is definitely worth a visit. I went in looking for a shop that could help me take advantage of my stay and discover French wines, as my knowledge of wines is limited mostly to American wines and some Bordeaux, and indeed I found it. My goal over the next three months is to do a broad survey of French wines, so the plan was to pick a region ask the sommelier to recommend three bottles that represent the region well, and repeat with another region after those bottle were gone. After explaining my strategy to the sommelier, he spent some time with me chatting and sifting through their collection: indeed the service was generous. My spoken French is decent, but it was still nice to have patient and friendly service, especially when your goal is to learn. They DO have wine tastings, and classes too. The tastings are Tuesday evenings, and a bit pricey, but may be worth it. (They're conducted in French, although they have ones in English, and one of the sommeliers who speaks English assured me he would help me with any translations that I'd need, especially of technical wine terms). I get the impression that they get many interesting vintners coming in to do these wine tastings, so it seems like something a serious oenophile would enjoy, as well as something those that are more 'debutant' like me too. I've signed up for a Burgundy tasting next Tuesday, so maybe I'll have more to report after that. I've also signed up for a 2000 Bordeaux tasting on the 15th of April, to taste this much-talked about vintage! -rl