Margaret Pilgrim

Just to fill in the chinks in your notebook, here is a sample of the kinds of places we stay in, chambre d'hotes and small hotels, many of which serve an evening meal as well as breakfast. These are from my "hope chest" list for the Languedoc. Not in any logical geographical order: 10 minutes from Carcassonnes: La Ferme de La Sauzette In Carcassones: Le Traoupet In Faugéres: La Vigneronne In St. Chinian: La Maison du Parc In Corbieres: Chateau Donos A boutique hotel in Pezenas: Hotel de Vigniamont Near Narbonne: Les Palombières d'Estarac In St. Thibery: St. Thibery Near Beziers: Château de Murviel

Any planning for the Languedoc should include at least a glance at Graham Tigg's list of good addresses. It exists, I'm sure, several times on this forum, but for good measure, here it is again. In the general neighborhood (50km) of Loret and Auberge du Cedre are Can Peio, a very sweet Catalan bistrot located in Junas to the east, and Auberge de Saugres to the west, where we had a lovely lunch surrounded by locals on Easter Day. AdS also has rooms, which we will sample next spring.

This spring we spent three days at Auberge du Cedre which is the residence for the Domaine de Cazeneuve vineyard. A favorite of Graham Tigg, this very hospitable inn is quite centrally located in the Pic St. Loup/ Montpellier area of Languedoc.. Rooms vary from inexpensive to moderate; meals may be taken a la carte in the Orangerie or pension in a private room to the side. Breakfasts are copious and good. We condsider this an excellent address.

Welcome to the Land of Delight! ← Or as my husband turned to me on our last visit and said, "I like the way we travel. On our stomachs."

I have found that fish names cause waiters more angst than any other category of food. From our experience, Loup is translated as Sea Bass, and St. Pierre as John Dory. Way to go, Pork Belly!

I have always had great success with Julia Child's recipe and instructions. However, our hostess in France makes the best crepes I have ever tasted: thin and light as the wind. She tells me that she uses only egg yolks instead of whole eggs, and only orange juice for the liquid. She also makes the batter very thin, pours in more than enough for a crepe, immediately tilts the pan to cover the bottom and pours out the excess! I haven't taken time to try her method, but it certainly works for her!

Here you go: Hegia Inn in Hesparren.

If you're happy with "walks like a duck, quacks like a duck", you might be satisfied with Mimolette.

I have found myself in many smoky venues. Most of the time we have been able to adjust our seating to avoid the smokey draft. We have never asked someone not to smoke. However, we have not infrequently had French people complain about smoke and in no uncertain terms tell the offender to cease or move.

Add diesel exhaust and I think you've nailed it!

I was thinking of a less labor intensive scheme: when leaving a restaurant, if we each asked about summer closure, as we did at Les Papilles, we would as a group amass some sizable and current info.

It's about time to start worrying about what will be open in August. Actually, most often the closures seem to be from the last week in July through the third week in August. Anyone have a list or want to post information they have recently confirmed? As a starter: Les Papilles is closed the first three weeks in August.

John, do you have any feeling for whether either of these kitchens offer a few interesting non-offals at any given time, as in something for my husband? I hate to eat alone!

Can you provide a little quantitative analysis for us? Taste autopsy? I'm thinking perhaps of tossing a salad nicoise in a blender and freezing the puree?

I am really curious which Hévin outlet this was, because I have a pretty good recollection of having been in the St. Honore store when a handful of young Asian women came in with cameras at the ready. Nothing was said when they photographed the entire interior.

I couldn't agree more. Fact checking in today's press is a lost art. Pick up any issue of the WSJ, IHT and even NYT and you will be able to find some perhaps minor but glaring error, particularly in the areas of travel, leisure and, sadly, science. My husband and I are all over Paris 'like a tent' using our Carte d'Orange or Mobile to travel nightly from our hotel in the 7th to as far away as the 20th or even the inner banlieus. In fact, when I read of a great new place, he always asked what arrondisement it's in. You see, he doesn't eat in numbers 1 through 10, calling them, in Liebling's father's words, "bunko joints".

True. Did you also notice the clause that says, and I don't have it in front of me, something to the effect that this list is not law but only a guide for the customs agent, ergo because something is on the list as allowable doesn't necessarily mean that it is...

Les Papilles has a downstairs room that we have seen used by several multigenerational French families for birthdays and such. It is definitely informal, but their food is always good and the welcome is generous and real.

FWIW, Graham, a couple of weeks ago I suggested l'Horloge to locals in Barjac, and they replied to a person, "Non, non, non! Catastoph'" They, too, had heard good things, and were very disappointed with their (evening) meals. They acknowledged that they had no experience with the mid-day service.As an aside, we spent three nights in the new Garden Room at L'Auberge du Cedre, taking one a la carte and two pension meals. This is indeed a good address. We had them make reservations for us for Easter Saturday lunch at Auberge du Saurgres. Another keeper. In fact, I think we may spend a night or so at AdS when plans call for a hub in western Languedoc. Thanks for bringing these good places to our attention.

A friend who just returned from Paris told me that you can also buy some of Genin's product at Pain de Sucre, 14, rue Rambuteau. 01.45.74.68.92.

I couldn't agree more with your hope to find the typical local bistrot. I guess you missed my previous post on Le Reminet. On our visit, I didn't discern a single American-English table, since it appeared to be "Brit night". The noise level was horrendous, or what I might expect at a hip bistro in my home town. The chef noticed our discomfort and clued us in that we should request a table 'sous-sol' where locals dined. You might try it next time. This is a good little address, and one that locals are trying to hang on to. Good luck.

Jaques Genin, 18 rue St. Charles, 15e Almost due south of the Tour Eiffel Pierre Marcolini, 89 rue de Seine, 6e

Let me agree with you for the most part. Cave Auge is many orders of magnitude better in terms of breadth of cellar and dedication to extraordinary wine and will serve the most discriminating wine lover. LdG is, in comparison, a closet. It is a convenient shop for many of us who stay in that area, has a staff that some of us enjoy, is popular with Anglo-speakers and has been widely hyped by food writers such as Patricia Wells and many food magazines. It serves a niche but is certainly not the shop for those highly informed and experienced in French wine.

Pierre, in retrospect, I can appreciate your comments. We have never visited Fish, simply because it never appealed to us. re the reception at LdG, I can see the woman, who I believe has been there since the beginning, leaving you to your own devises when a tourist walked in. As predominately English speakers, we usually have to beat her off with a club so that we can brouse and read labels without interference, so I am usually delighted to share the salesroom with other customers. To be fare, the woman has been of good help to us in the past, but I do prefer Hervè's low key approach and sly humor.