cabrales

Malawry -- When you are cooking for large groups, wouldn't you have to make some "extra" portions of the "baseline" entree and any dishes accommodating special dietary considerations because people might want seconds? jhlurie -- Apart from not wanting to use the "white lie", I would imagine that the white lie may be unbelievable in many contexts. For example, if a guest waits until a dish is served before saying he has a stomache, that renders the lie difficult to believe. Also, if the dish is not the first dish (in an otherwise acceptable meal), an indication of stomach problems would be counter to the guest's previous healthy appetite and there might even be a suggestion (for dishes very late in a meal) that the host's earlier dishes could have caused the sickness? Wilfrid & Adam -- What is the greatest number of people you have cooked for? Also, Adam -- have you cooked for J Acord?

In making a "good faith effort" to eat unappealing food, the costs are not only those associated with the deception, but also the disutility from taking in the food. The latter is why I generally do not eat things I dislike even when in somebody's home. On very rare occasions when the wine offered is excellent and abundant and I have consumed too much bread relative to other foods to continue doing so, I might eat a little bit of slightly bad food to increase my alcohol tolerance.

Jinmyo -- Only on a few occasions has a friend cooked to the level where I would want to discuss how much I enjoyed the home meal in detail without having to embellish (which I rarely do in the food context). That probably speaks to the fact that most of my friends, like me, cannot cook (sadly, and I wish that were not the case) and tend to eat at their workplace on weekdays. Also, among my friends, the few who can cook likely could not cook for more than 2-3 people at the same time -- a limiting factor. Members of this board seem to be capable of cooking for significantly larger groups (e.g., Malawry). Plus, I worry that, if I am too descriptive about certain appetizers or dessert items, they might actually have been store-bought (thus, making the host feel bad if that is the item singled out for praise). Liza -- I do sometimes "push" food, but the food needs to be cut up (depending on what it is) and/or "compacted" with the fork/knife before it will look like less remains. How do you address the problems of height accumulating when food is pushed to limit its area on the plate? At restaurants, I only "push" if a huge amount (say, three-quarters) remains. Otherwise, I try to put the knife/fork/etc. over some portion of the food to confuse how much remains. I do not think that technique is particularly effective, though.

However, "strange" food should not give guests the right to be rude to a host. For meals that are not taken at restaurant, my approach with respect to the receipt of a dish I do not like (which, obviously, does not equate to a "bad" dish) is silence. It's the least a guest can do if the host has been kind enough to invite the guest to the host's home. Note I will not force myself to take in large portions of a dish I dislike. If I am asked how a not-so-great dish prepared at somebody's home was, I would take great care in responding (e.g., "I liked the sauce for the pheasant, but I guess I'm not a great fan of the game flavors in the meat generally. By the way, where did you get the pheasant?" The host is likely to mention a market or food store, at which time the conversation can be switched to, for example, food vendors in the applicable area.)

Below is a somewhat amusing excerpt from a Wine Spectator article on Guy Savoy's promotion: "It was 9:50 a.m. on Feb. 12 when Derek Brown, the new English editor in chief of Michelin's Le Guide Rouge for France, called the chef at his self-named restaurant. As Brown introduced himself, Savoy cut him short. ** "I know who you are,"** the chef said. . . ." http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/Ne...45,1599,00.html

Much has been said about the hot chocolate at Angelina, and that is something I intend to sample shortly. Is there only one type of hot chocolate that people order? (If more than one, please provide available input.) Also, do members have views on what cakes, other afternoon tea staples or desserts are good at Angelina? For example, is the Mont Blanc (with meringue and chestnut tastes) worth ordering? Also, do members have input on specific items offered by the pastry/dessert shop of Pierre Hermé (72, rue Bonaparte, Paris-6e, 01-43-54-47-77)? Perhaps this has been addressed elsewhere on the Board, but I was unable to locate the reference. I wonder what drinks, if any, are offered with the pastries there.

Ellen -- I agree with your assessment of that area, although it's clearly not the most promising restaurant area in the city. Maya and Sushi of Gari (preferably, the unfortunately expensive special platter) are other restaurants I would be happy to eat at on the Upper East Side. JoJo is marginally improved; Aureole appeals to certain diners more than others and could be "spotty". March is on the borders of the area you defined, at 58th, and would be my pick among the Upper East Siders (with a nod to Cello). Then, for brunch, Sarabeth's (the jam!) would be fine. On the Upper West Side, what have members heard about the French Laundry offshoot recently?

Adam -- The complaining guest did act inappropriately for several reasons, among others: 1. Lack of Appreciation of Balic-ian Efforts/Process. Your post suggests that work colleagues of your wife (i.e., colleagues/ spouse of the ingrate or the ingrate herself) were interested in game. Your post does not make clear whether they hinted at their interest in connection with your meal, but that is not determinative. If a guest knows that a dish is being served in response to her (or her dining party's) interest in it, she should express appreciation for the chef's consideration (and, for an "ideal", but difficult to find, guest, bring a bottle of wine suitable for the item ). Such an expression of appreciation (for the process, the effort, etc.) should be separate from the diner's subjective assessment of whether the dish was tasty. 2. Lack of Graciousness in Framing Substantive Dislike for Dish. I agree that your complaining guest lacked manners in describing the dish as "disgusting" and making gagging noises, and that her behaviour was inappropriate. A diner can communicate non-appreciation of the taste of a dish in different ways (if she chose to communicate it at all), such as: -- "The meat of the pheasant was a bit too strong/challenging for me[, given this is my first sampling of it]" -- Emphasizing the intrinsic features of the ingredient (although pheasant is, as you note, one of the least "challenging" game items) or the subjective aspects of the assessment. -- "Would somebody like the rest of my pheasant dish? I've had enough for this evening" -- Utilizing ambiguity, as the host may be unsure whether the diner generally has a small appetite, is on a diet, etc. -- "I wouldn't say that pheasant [prepared this way, if a more aggressive dislike of the item prepared a particular say is desired to be signalled] is among my favorite dishes. But Diner X seems to be enjoying it most heartily" -- Being obvious about not liking the dish, but ending on a happier note. In other words, one can be honest without being rude, if one chooses not to be silent. 3. Potential Adverse Impact on Other Diners. Among other reasons for the inappropriateness of your guest's behaviour is that it has a negative effect on you, your wife and other diners. To the extent other diners are still eating or digesting their food, their enjoyment of the food could be affected. I am sensitive to noise during a meal, and dislike even faint background music in a restaurant, let alone brusque gagging noises. In addition, the diner may have diminished the happiness you and your wife may have otherwise derived from sharing a meal with the group (even if colleagues ).

Have members sampled the (roast?) suckling pig at St John? When I inquired about this, the manager indicated that it has to be ordered whole (presumably for 8 or 10+ people) :confused:

magnolia -- Maybe I should provide a clarification on Tetsuya. The food at Mju I've had was quite good (and does allow the taste of the natural ingredients to be articulated), but I do not generally like Japanese-dominant food the same way I like French (or French-dominant) food. This is going to get back to Michelin stars-type arguments again, and to Bux's argument (with which I would not, generally, agree) that, at the haute cuisine level, French food is no longer French. In other words, when I indicated I was not particularly impressed with Tetsuya, the reason articulated was that the Japanese elements in his cuisine were too prominent. That is to be taken in the context of my assessment that French food is intrinsically better, for me, than Japanese food. (Yes, I was very tempted to post in Michelin stars.) I should clarify that I do not dislike Mju. I was not particularly pleased by the restaurant relative to what my expectations where. My expectations were very high because Tetsuya was on hand on one of the nights I visited, and Tetsuya is (at least arguably) the best chef in Australia and is well-regarded internationally. I may well eat at Mju again; it's just not very high on my list of places to visit. Similarly, in recent posts on Ferme de Mon Pere, I have indicated I was not particularly impressed -- that does not mean I disliked the restaurant, just that it fell short of what I had expected. In "Restaurant Reservations" under "General", I note that there are few restaurants I find compelling, so perhaps negative or quasi-negative comments I make about a restaurant should be taken in that context. (Also, if I truly disliked a restaurant or dish, I would probably not be subtle about it ) Getting back to Tetsuya's flavor combinations -- the ones I've tasted -- sometimes, for example, when there is sauce accompanying a principal meat or seafood item, the sauce is somehow more distinct than it should be in many French dishes. It might be shellfish oil drizzled onto a moist, well-prepared piece of langoustines meat. The taste is more "Japanese" in general orientation than French. While L'Astrance might utilize non-French ingredients, I get the sense that the sauces, emulsions and composition of the dishes are somehow more "French". While the flavor combinations might be deliciously surprising, the overall dish has a certain classicism underlying the innovation. Whether it originates from technique or not, as has been debated in other threads, I do not know. (On Ferme de Mon Pere, I'm not sure I could say its cuisine was so "French" in nature). Bux -- On inaccuracies in articles, if one is a food reporter, one should take extra caution to ensure one is accurately reporting about what is taking in. As noted in the article, each dish is served with detailed descriptions (including, in my experience, in the case of the smoked herrings' eggs, "œufs de harengs fumés"). A food writer for the NYT covering France should (1) be fully versed in French and understand what that means, (2) otherwise try to ask, or (3) have a sufficiently discerning palate to be able to tell the difference between smoked herrings' eggs and caviar (perhaps (3) is the fundamental point). Perhaps, on that given day, caviar was indeed substituted for herrings' eggs, but I rather suspect there's no general shortage of herrings' eggs

Adam -- I can't be sure you haven't already described this somewhere, but how much does your wife enjoy food? Also, has she looked into your bio? In connection with the UK dinner, you had mentioned it's hard for you to get to London. Have you monitored the special discounts offered from time to time by "no frills" airlines (I don't know if they service London-Edinburgh, or London-other European cities)? Razor clams -- yes. I've seen them in certain Chinatown restaurants in NYC. I wonder where one can have them in the UK.

Wilfrid -- Were you tempted to take the train to dine at El Raco de Con Fabes (when I last inquired, the response might have been that journey time is less than 3 hours)? I have never eaten there :confused:

Bux -- Thanks for the article link. I am going to order the chestnut ice cream, with lavender, etc., sauce, pictured in the article. Also, I will have Berthillon's candied chestnut flavored ice cream before the meal. The article has a minor inaccuracy -- the caviar mentioned in L'Astrance's salmon dish is misdescribed. It is smoked herrings' eggs (the item does look like caviar on the brioche).

Bux -- As you know, a perk to a meal at Hiramatsu is going to the HQ of Berthillon on the same little island. http://www.berthillon-glacier.fr/glaces3.html I wonder if Berthillon ice cream can be sampled outside of France. On there not being palpable differences between French Laundry, or El Raco de Con Fabes (which I have never visited), and an haute cuisine restaurant in France, I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. The key question is which restaurant in France the comparison is made to. Even assuming for the sake of argument there were no palpable differences between the AVERAGE haute cuisine restaurant outside of France and the average haute cuisine restaurant in France, that still would not affect my (subjective, naturally) conclusion that France has the best restaurants in the world

Andy -- Just as you noted. What do you think "run" means -- supervise, create the menu for the restaurant, etc.? The February 4, 2002 version of Crain's Chicago Business indicated the following: "TROTTER WILL OPEN LONDON RESTAURANT Chicago restaurateur Charlie Trotter is slated to ink a deal on Feb. 11 for a new eatery in London. The celebrated chef is in final negotiations with a development group rehabbing the old St. Paul's Hospital in Covent Garden into a center for art and entertainment, anchored by Mr. Trotter's 90-seat establishment-still unnamed-in a prime ground-floor setting. 'We expect to make a formal announcement in the next two to four weeks on this,' Mr. Trotter said. He expects to spend considerable time in London in the summer and fall, overseeing construction, but he intends to remain a resident of Chicago and *continue cooking in his namesake Lincoln Park restaurant*. 'Later this year, I expect to be in London for four or five days every six to eight weeks,' he said." Trotter's attendance sounds even worse than what Tetsuya originally intended for Mju.

Adam -- If you visit Barcelona with very limited allotted time, it's not impracticable to take in the sights of the city and have decent (but not very good) tapas. If you like architecture, Antonio Gaudi's Sagrada Familia and his Casa Batlo (latter viewed just from the outside) are major works of that artist (apart from Parc Geuill; Casa Mila aka La Predera, sic, with undulating "waves" of sculpted items and levels on its rooftop; Palais Gueill, sic, with chimney-like sculpted items on its rooftop too -- this last structure may be close to one portion of Las Ramblas (?)). Near each of the Sagrada Familia and the Casa Batlo, there are rows of tapas bars -- tasty items included plump squid (or cuttlefish -- I'm never certain of the differences), which at times was prepared just grilled with parsley (with my addition of fresh lemon juice) or deep-fried; anchovies with different oils drizzled over them; black/grey colored mini octupi for which the texture of the "suction" pads was relatively pronounced (less common in the tapas bars). On ham, I was a bit disappointed at how frequently the only variety available was serrano. Some places served me shotglasses of a Spanish sherry, the name of which escapes me.

For me, the best NYC neighborhood for fine dining would be wherever Bouley is cooking, if he can regain Duane St. standards Also, have members sampled the all-lobster menu at Cello? Is that menu available all year around?

Simon -- Did Cafe Tango have special Argentinian breeds of beef, to your knowledge? If so, how were they prepared?

ajay -- Is L'Astrance on break during this period?

Paula -- You'll likely also be happy with Lameloise, which is located in Burgundy (you need to a car to get around when you are not working!). However, note than when you refer to a "smaller kitchen", Lameloise may not necessarily have a smaller kitchen (in terms of physical size) than Boyer. The main part of Lameloise's kitchen is a very large, single room, with what appeared to be quite modern features (not being able to cook, I wasn't in a particularly good position to judge). Boyer's kitchen is a more a set of rooms; more angular. If, by size you mean people making up the cuisinier team, I would not be in a position to assess. PS: When you take a meal there, consider ordering the pigeonneau en vessie (pigeonneau in a cute pig's bladder) -- presented in two services. On one Sunday when I was at Lameloise, there was a local produce and clothing market. Cheese, sausage, fruit and bread stalls. One vendor with a huge roasting device on which were positioned 8-10 chicken.

Bux -- From two prior visits (one from quite a few years ago), I did not discern material aspects of Guy Savoy's cooking that indicated he is other than French. (Note Savoy was born in Bourgoin-Jallieu.) As for Hiramatsu, you won't have to wait too long. I hope his cooking does not have significant Japanese influences. I have not been particularly impressed with Tetsuya's cooking (including the restaurant he supervises in London -- Mju); interesting (incl. his use of his shellfish oil and his indications of the intended temperature of each plate on the menu), but, for me, bearing too noticeable Japanese elements. As for whether there are ethnic influences on a chef's cuisine, what do members think about European chefs that prepare French food outside of France?

ajay -- I was at Ferme de Mon Pere recently -- see A Balic bio. Here are the Sonata and Symphony tasting menus translated, as Veyrat does not offer the translation from his website (do you have specific questions about dishes I had? the menus collectively contain more than 80-90% of the items on the a la carte; apologies for rough translations): Menu Sonata (152 euros; not taken): Contraste de foie gras, le froid mi-cuit à la purée de figues et d'oranges, le chaud à la prunelle sauvage (two types of foie gras; cold with a fig/orange puree; hot with wild "prunelle" -- quite acidic in taste, but not in a bad way) Soupe tiède de courge au lard virtuel (pumpkin was substituted as the principal soup ingredient, coupled with a light, tasty emulsion above of bacon) Le bocal de légumes oubliés (une envolée de saveurs) ("forgotten" vegetables) La folie du milieu Dorade à l'étouffée de sciure d'épicéa, baies de genièvre frais, piqûre de serpolet des Aravis (sea bream with various special herbs/spices) Coquilles Saint-Jacques, polente et ananas, cristalline de fruits secs (scallops with polenta and pineapple, with a wafer of dried fruit -- not bad; subdued use of pineapple) Nuggets savoyards de poulet à la reine-des-prés, canette, arôme de cacahuète (I ordered this a la carte in a later meal; nuggets of chicken with a special herb; duckling with aroma of peanut; chicken was coupled with peanut sauce when served to me, duckling was coupled with an overly sweetened black truffle sauce) l'ercheu des fromages (various cheeses) les desserts de ma fille Carine (many desserts: 3-5 plate-full) Symphony Menu (taken, with Bienvenue Batard-Montrachet; 1/2 bottle of decent Gev. Chambertin; food itself is 240 euros on website; I cannot recollect whether the prices has increased to 270 euros) Contraste de foie gras, le froid mi-cuit à la purée de figues et d'oranges, le chaud à la prunelle sauvage (if no description, see Sonata menu above) L'œuf seringué à la muscade, écume de maïs (this egg dish is described in A Balic) Soupe tiède de courge au lard virtuel Soupe bouillon de poule, Sorbet glacé de foie gras, tagliatelles (sans farine ni œuf) (see A Balic) Dorade à l'étouffée de sciure d'épicéa, baies de genièvre frais piqûre de serpolet des Aravis (this was not served to me; the tasting menu has changed slightly relative to the website) Coquilles Saint-Jacques, polente et ananas, cristalline de fruits secs Langoustines juste poêlées en morceaux, bonbons aux sept épices (see A Balic) La folie du milieu Purée de rates de l'albanais aux truffes fraîches (instead of this, I receive a plate of three truffle-themed items -- (1) with potato puree, (2) with forgotten vegetables in a little glass storage cannister, and (3) "en croute", in a pastry shell with a truffled sauce) Bœuf rôti, piqûre d'oxalis (herbe très amère, préférée des chevreuils), émulsion de berce, frites sans graisse (beef with wood sorrel and another ingredient, "oilless" fries; currently, the beef is served with two sauces -- somewhat minty "berce" and black truffles) OR Nuggets savoyards de poulet à la reine-des-prés, canette, arôme de cacahuète (no longer available on the Symphony) Chevreuil, cornet de panais, yaourt émulsionné (venison with parsnip and yoghurt -- on the current tasting menu, this is a substitute for the beef and not an additional dish) L'ercheu des fromages Les desserts de ma fille Carine I have never been particularly impressed with Veyrat's food, although the utilization of herbs from the Haute Savoie is something I would be curious about, had I never visited. The place will be very expensive if your having a vegetarian with you means you cannot order the Symphony or Sonata tasting menus. Prices get more challenging if you stay in one of the four rooms which were completed less than 1 month ago. (The room I was in was beautiful, however, and the breakfast I had had at L'Auberge previously was the largest anybody has ever served me in a non-buffet context, with smoked salmon, local ham, scrambled eggs, 3-4 different cheeses, three different fruit juices, and more -- all served in a cradle-like item) Megeve has less expensive accomodation close to the Ferme. The Ferme setting is in the middle of snow-clad territory, and has a different feel from Troisgros. Have you determined how long it would take you to get to Megeve from Lyons? I like Troisgros' cuisine, and would recommend that restaurant. It has a stronger and more reasonably priced (in a relative sense) wine list. Also, the rooms are considerably cheaper, and even more to my liking than Veyrat's very nice ones. If you are staying for 3 meals or more, Troisgros has a less formal venue called Le Centrale that might be worth a visit. If you like certain winter sports, however, Megeve does offer opportunities not available in Roanne (although recovery from Veyrat's meals may preclude most other endeavors; also, the environment at the Ferme is so nice that allocating time to other endeavors would be inadvisable). Hope this helps

One key point obviously is to ask L'Ecole what a person working at each restaurant would eat, especially given the 39-hour rule and some restaurants responding to it by, among other things, asking employees to eat at home. If the decision were mine, I would pick Boyer, but I like Boyer's food better than Lameloise's anyhow (the latter is good, though). Boyer's hotel/restaurant is much more grand than Lameloise's. I have toured both kitchens -- Lameloise's has fewer, but larger, room areas where you might be able to witness Lameloise in action more. Lameloise does not typically tour the dining room; Boyer has a habit of smoozing quite a bit there. Both chefs have active spouses, but both seemed alright. Also, if you are allowed to enjoy the grounds during the week, Boyer has beautiful expanses of grass and trees behind Les Crayeres. There is even a tennis court, with nearby stone benches where one can just sit and have quiet time. The Rheims location is within an easy 2-hour train ride of Paris (direct). Also, the champagne houses located in Rheims include: Ruinart, Veuve Cliquot, Pommery (right opposite Boyer, with a free visit easily arrangeable by the restaurant/hotel; beautiful carvings on some of the caves, including of the young woman depicted on the Louise high end line's label) and Tattinger. Of course, Epernay is within easy reach, offering M&C. If you are interested in architecture and/or French history, Rheims also has an old cathedral where French kings used to be coronated, with stunning Marc Chagall blue stain glass windows. That being said, Lameloise is in Burgundy ;)

Bux -- From rumor, Arzak's daughter is indeed quite active in the kitchen; the extent is also unknown to me. A Bourdain describes in his book how certain unspecified US chefs may have a crush on that female chef. On the wait between a second and third star, this year's crop of restaurants experienced a wide range. Two stars were awarded to Guy Savoy in 1985, and to l'Arnsbourg in 1998. Also, apparently Le Squer has only been the chef at Ledoyen since 1998. Four years is not bad for making the ultimate jump. With the fast awarding of stars to L'Astrance previously and Hiramatsu this year, I wonder if Brown has a slightly different philosophy with respect to timing. Certain French articles have noted the emphasis on the quality of products and chefs' taking inspiration from them in Michelin's remarks about the new three-stars. Regarding Guy Savoy, Michelin noted (roughly translated) that the chef was inspired by his "multiple experiences", and that he "protects the products of 'the terroir' which he interprets in his way -- simultaneously creative and nuanced." Michelin's remarks about Le Squer's affiliation with products from his origin, Brittany. Interestingly, it also noted, among other things, the 58 euro lunch possibility. L'Arnsbourg was described as a gastronomic joy lodged within the heart of the forests of the Vosges, with a cuisine that is remarkable and resolutely imaginative. Incidentally, according to the Hotellerie site, the most three stars awarded in a given year (gross number, not net of demotions) was four. In 1953: La Tour d'Argent; Maxim's; Le Grand Vefour (yes, long, long before Guy Martin); l'Hostellerie de la Poste. Also, in 1973: La Mere Charles-Chapel (does this woman have any family relationship with Alain Chapel?) at Mionnay, Pic (father of Anne-Sophie) at Valence; Taillevent and Le Vivarois (before Pacaud started training there).

Stephen -- I read about the stars on L'Hotellerie, a French website for restaurant industry participants. Michelin made public the information on February 12. http://www.lhotellerie.fr Patricia Wells offers truffle trips, among other things. The trip seemed incredibly over-priced. Have any members participated in those trips or Wells' cooking classes in France? If my memory is accurate, in "Burgundy Stars", Loiseau is described as having been relieved that Wells liked her meal. He somehow thought a favorable Wells review might be helpful with respect to his gaining his third star?!. One of the Mere Braziers is featured on the murals outside Bocuse's restaurant, with the chicken in half mourning dish: http://www.ec-lyon.fr/tourisme/Rhone-Alpes...lerie/3.html.en Also, at George Blanc's cafe Le Splendid in Lyons, the paper placemats show Blanc's female ancestors and other historical female chefs in a sepia-type set of colors. Ghislaine Arabian's having a star again made me consider why I was happy with that development. I would have to say it is primarily because she is a woman. I am not aware of that many Michelin starred female chefs in France, and Anne-Sophie Pic (with the benefit of her father's reputational legacy) is the only two-starred female chef in that country. One stars include: Renne Samut (Auberge de la Fenniere, sic, at Lourmarin, where I much prefer Loubet's cuisine); Helene Darroze in Paris; Francois Depee (query whether she is still at Les Templiers?). I am probably omitting some obvious one stars. Have members dined at the restaurants of the Italian three-star female chefs?