Margaret Pilgrim

There is a third entry into this horserace. A specialty baker in my neighborhood in San Francisco used to make a log cake that was cooked on a spit, successive layers of thin batter brushed on the cooked layers. It was completely cylindrical, not conical. Simply vanilla cake, no marzipan. Of course, the shop is no longer in business. My husband and I were fortunate to be at an artisanal product show at the Muffetard market in Paris a year or so ago. Among the participants was a baker who was making this confection at his booth. He had a radiant heat baker, similar to what they use to roast chickens in the markets, a horizontal spit that was automatically turned. He brushed a thin batter over the already baked layers from time to time. The finished product was a (perhaps) meter long (or tall), about 8" wide cake that was sliced horizontally into slices that exhibited rings like a cut tree. As I remember, this market was in the spring, March or April, and is worth looking out for.

No, but this article made me do two things: immediately get out an atlas of France to see if visiting this sweet address was even a distant possibility, and whipping up a batch of his cold tomato soup. I will continue to think about including a visit to his moulin, but his soup is something I will revisit often. It is sublime. Pot note: Because we had eaten many eggs at breakfast, I substituted creme fraiche for the poached egg, included fire-roasted red peppers and green onions as garnish. This recipe is a keeper, as is the address.

I find this a tremendously interesting thread. I have found that although I order meats cooked "saignant", the plate most often arrives what I would consider "medium" or the "well done end of a point". Is it that waiters in France are trained to transliterate cooking requests to the chef if they are ordering for an American table? Like Bux, I like meat rare, enjoy carpaccios, and like his beau-fils, tartares. I do not, however, like meat "bleu" or cold in the center. There is a happy medium, if I could find out how to order it.

Good review in Figaroscope. I do doubt that tables remain as difficult to obtain as before, but will relish trying this address again, since I really loathed the ambience of the original room. Let's hope that most tourists will follow "le chef" and leave his old kitchen to the neighborhood.

I have a very simple, if tacky, way of obtaining a current copy of "Where". I walk into a hotel, approach the desk, tell them that my hotel does not provide "Where" and that I would like very much to buy a copy. I have never been turned down, and I have never paid for one. I am, of course, tremendously appreciative, and tell them so.

Wonderful thread. While recipes don't "lie", remember the enormous difference between "2 tablespoons basil chiffonade" and "run into the garden and pick a handful of basil, run back into the house, wash, dry and ribbon it". If the recipe relies on pre-prepped or processed ingredients, and you don't, dinner creation will take considerably more time than the book/magazine/recipe indicate. And your results may be vastly better for it! Just remember to consider the prep time for all of the ingredients. And, of course, clean as you go will never let you down. I got my lesson from a relative who could use up all of the pots, pans and dishes in her house to make a cup of tea. Even at age 10 I realized that something was seriously wrong.

As JT has said, you list them, we'll comment.

We have enjoyed Le Villaret for some years, through a transfer of management. While we have never been disappointed, it does pay to have a somewhat adverturous palate, since some of the better moments are outside many Americans' experience. I have never found the menu truly off-putting.

While Nyons is an olive center, it is definitely northeast of Avignon, not west. Are we thinking of another town or area? As Bux suggests, pepper or fruit or floral or bland flavors are the result of the olive variety more likely than the age or even the press.

With the exception of the bread (for which we have substituted oatmeal and musli), your photograph perfectly illustrates what my husband and I have been eating for the past several months. Foods taste delicious, clothes are loose and energy is soaring! I would like to add, since this is a travel/food forum, that during this time we have visited France for two weeks and spent a week each in Massachussetts and Pennsylvania. It is very easy to eat this way, both at home and away once one begins to pay attention to food choices. The only thing I would add to your market basket is extra dark chocolate. Do keep us informed, and do enjoy your new life!

yves is gone and is focusing on his new restaurant L'ourcine. L a regalade under new management has gone downhill.this is based on comments from friends rather than 1st hand knowledge While it is definite that Yves has left Le Regalade, Pierre, I don't believe his connection to L'Ourcine to be true. I have the understanding that at most Yves is the mentor of the chef/owner of L'Ourcine, and has presently close to nothing to do with it. It is in no way "his new restaurant". Am I mistaken?

An excellent line! re: "little dictionaries", Wells' Gastronomical Dictionary, cited above, is one of the smallest and most comprehensive lists around. When she first published it, my husband copied it, page by page, reduced the size of the pages two or three times (using the reduction mode on our copier), stapled them together and presented me with a 4" x 6" booklet that easily fit in a small handbag, was unobtrusive at table and allowed us to tackle any menu. I no longer carry it with me, but do refer to it when we come across unfamiliar produce or fish in the markets.

No French person would concede that I speak any kind of passable French. However, my menu French is close to 100%. I would suggest that anyone who anticipates visiting France start by studying Julia Child and become fluent in a couple of dozen polite phrases. This and a passport will serve you well.

I was just going to say that! We have never had a course at Le Troquet that missed the mark, although several times we were served, and ultimately enjoyed, courses that we would not have chosen ourselves. If there are shortcomings in this tiny dining room it might be that they give you too much for too little, i.e., the allowance for ingredients may be slim for four courses. That said, among the times that we visited LT we enjoyed an excellent pumpkin soup with roasted almonds and creme fraiche, exotic mushrooms topped with smoked fish, a good pork loin with a Basque sauce, classic brebis with black cherry compote, a delicious and intriguing cinnamon kissed strawberry soup. Le Troquet is about value, an unheard of 4 course meal, pleasantly served, for 30 euros. It is about the use of imagination and technique to create a menu from inexpensive, but not to say inferior, ingredients. It is interesting that so far replies have echoed satisfaction with value and quality, and failure to return with any regularity. It could be that since 2001 there has been an explosion of interesting restaurants in this price range.

Windy, you are obviously a traveller and not a tourist. Enjoy every minute of your upcoming visit.

Thanks for the link, Miguel. I read her review; I reread your comments. I think you nailed it!

It's far from new. It has been mentioned several times, but, as I remember, most posts suggested that it had hit the slippery slopes of decline. Does it have new a new chef or management?

Nope, no bribes, secret passwords, or favors... I just did my research on the policies of the restaurants and planned accordingly and in advance (although only about 1 month in advance, but apparently it was enough)... I think the best advice I can give you is to be as authoritative and confident as possible over the phone when making reservations... I definitely had the distinct impression a few times that the person on the other end of the phone was trying to scare me off by being rude but I always stood my ground and ended up with 6 reservations, all with great tables and absolutely no problems when I showed up at the restaurants... Oh, one other thing I did was call every restaurant to re-confirm once I got to Paris, and I gave them my local cell phone number in Paris (I bought a sim card for my phone so I'd have a local mobile number) and I think many of the restaurants appreciated that... But anyway, I have no "secret"... Honestly, I think there is a lot of luck involved for first time reservations... But, remember, if you do get in, and plan to go again, definitely let the head waiter, or maitre d, or whoever is around that night when you are eating dinner, know that you want to return... They should (if you didn't do something to piss them off) tell you the best way to get another reservation, and they may even pencil you into the reservation book if you know about when you will be returning... Hopefully I've been helpful... Let me know if you have any other questions... Exactly. Perhaps Backward Hat's response deserves a thread of its own. I'll admit that many reservations seem impossible to get, but following a restaurant's reservation procedure to the letter, with the courtesy of a follow up confirmation, is always a good place to start. Nicely done, BH.

I was also curious, as a frame of reference, as to how you would compare it to the best Italian gelati. Marcus, we haven't visited Italy in over 20 years , so my recollections are in no way current. Also, we would need to agree on what is the best Italian gelati, another hurdle. I remember that we used to go to Vivoli in Florence, and while sampling Tre Scalini, we usually headed for Giolitti or della Palma near the Pantheon in Rome. That said, I remember gelati in Italy to be softer and less dense than Damman's. I think of them as similarly intensely flavored. Since I prefer sorbets to be part of or to end a meal, I seldom order them outside the context of a meal, and so can't speak to them. Again, my best advice is for you to try Damman's for yourself. Maybe you'll be a convert, and maybe you'll head straight back to Berthillon...or Italy!

Hey, Bux! Welcome to my thinking on all things special. So how do we share these "so interesting to so few" addresses? PMs?

Jamie, I am so thrilled to hear someone else toot Au Petit Tonneau's horn! This is such a charming little neighborhood dining room, and, yes, her Andouillette is superb. Do we not need a "where to eat andouillette in Paris" thread? I know that Bux will join us.

Please forgive "Dammana"; the name is Damman's. Sometimes my fingers stutter. [NB: The topic title has been edited from the ealier typo to reflect the correct spelling of the shop. This explains some of the comments above.] Ice cream is a very personal thing. I have only tasted Berthillon's product a few times, but have not been particularly impressed with it. It has been little or no better than, or not as good as, what we make at home. I also objected to the cattle-lot queues and brusque order filling. It's not possible for me to compare Damman and Berthillon, head to head, flavor for flavor. I will say that I have never had a disappointing cup at Damman's, which I can't say for Berthillon. Damman's ice creams, as opposed to sorbets, are intensely flavored, rich and "chewable". Since there is no long line at Damman, a cheerful counterperson, often Mr. Damman himself, and comfortable seats for enjoying your purchase, I'd encourage you to drop by and do a taste test for yourself!

Saveurs magazine recently reviewed and recommended this tiny 20e dining room. What caught my eye was "l'andouillette AAAAA de Duval". I called from home to reserve for our first night in Paris. This is a tiny and joyously old-fashioned dining room. Madame is the only server, and I believe that the kitchen is almost as sparcely staffed. The clientele is strictly neighborhood, and the food is definitely homemade. My husband ordered an assiette de cochonnailles, and I delighted in watching Madame select and carve off pieces of several hams and assorted sausages for him, plopping on as final measure a large spoon of rillettes d'oie. I looked for balance by ordering simply a plate of raw vegetables which arrived nicely sauced. Good bread. A huge virgin bowl of jambon persille was brought out for a neighboring table. My husband ordered giant prawns in a provençal sauce (not, to my mind a good choice, but seemingly satisfactory to him). But I had come for the Andouillette! My plate arrived with a starkly plain grilled sausage and heap of frittes. But what a sausage and what frittes! The andouillette was so crisp that its skin popped like the crust of creme brulee. The center was tender; the flavor clean and lovely. The potatoes were equally crisp on the outside and meltingly tender inside. I almost ate them all! I don't remember dessert, and my notes don't indicate any. I can't imagine that we had room at any rate. With aperitifs and a half bottle of Beaujolais and coffee, our tiny tab was 69 euros. But best of all, we knew we were in France! 49, rue de la Chine 20e 01.44.62.93.31 (edited to include address and phone)

We chuckled at the lengthy lines snaking down the street from Berthillon's window. We were heading, instead, to Damman's in the fifth. We were introduced to Dammon's when they operated the ice cream concession wagon in the Place du Carrousel. Originally domiciled on rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Damman last fall moved to it current sleek and modern shop on the corner of Grande Degres and Maitre Albert. While my husband won't budge from their Bulgarian Youart flavor, I have become addicted to the new and seriously good caramel aux beurre sel . In addition, the service is hospitable and the clientele from the neighborhood.

We've just unpacked our treasures from the Spring Fermier and Vignorons Independents shows, and what shows they were! For a number of years we have enjoyed the October Fermier Show at Champeret, and were excited to hear that a new Spring show would take place for the first time at Parc Floral in the Bois de Vincennes. As advertised, a shuttle picks up visiters at the Chateau de Vincennes metro station and takes them directly to Parc Floral. I loaded up on eau de vies, lavender products, specialty olives, foie gras and boudin, and sampled more than enough for lunch. At the same time at Porte de Champeret, the Vignorons Independents show is literally indescribable. All of the exposition halls at Champeret are called into use for this one. I am guessing, but there are probably more than 500 exibitors, each offering (and sampling) from 3 to 6 or so wines. With your issued-with-admission glass, you prowl the aisles and taste at will. The producers are darling and tremendously interested in teaching you about their product. Aisles are alphabetized...and you quickly learn to pace and prioritize by the time you get to, maybe, B-35! Hand-trucks are for sale for those who buy in case lots. If not, bring a huge carrier bag. We came home with some of the most amazing specialty sweet wines and fruit distillations: orange, apricot, apple, cherry, all from different houses. There are shippers on the premises for those who decide to put down a quantity of wines. Also vendors of cellars, glassware, corking apparatus, etc. Remember: Fermier Shows at Easter and last week of October Independent vintnor shows at Easter and first week of December Don't miss these if you're in town next season.