MobyP

Origami - is that a pithivier up top in puff pastry? (I think it miight also be called a "gallette du Rois"). Could you describe the filling?

Here in the UK we hold a difficult and not all that impressive spot in the culinary publishing world - betweeen the homogonous and mostly worthless wealth of low-end American publishing on the one hand ("1001 diets with your tennis instructor!") - the high end is great btw - and the hard to get/find/translate European specialists on the other. Though in the latter case, every now and then one slips through - the newly translated Ducasse book, the Herme major pastry work, the El Bulli etc. When I was in France recently, there were many mid-range books that I would have killed to have - if only I could speak French. Recently I've been searching for Alain Chapel's book, but with no luck. Of those which are distinctly English - or rather of the England in which we now reside: 1. The very hard to find The Pudding Club Book by Kieth and Jean Turner (and also their more available but less interesting Summer pudding version). I had to wait several months before one became available - and it's absolutely superb - many mouth-watering and unusual traditional English puds that are more a myth these days than anything else. (Found one of their recipes online at the Saveur site here.) 2. The River Café books - a real wealth of Northern Italian cooking. Off-shoots from these include the Moro book, as well as Jamie Oliver. 3. Anything by Jane Grigson - her charcuterie book especially. 4. Gordon Ramsay - A Passion for Flavour, and A Chef for All Seasons. 5. Pierre Koffman's Memories of Gascony is a treasure. These are UK books that I've cooked from. I have the MPW White Heat, and the Raymond Blanc Manoir book - where the food looks wonderful, but for some reason unapproachable (and I've cooked a lot from the French Laundry book, so it's not the complexity of the preparations that daunts me. There's just nothing there I'd want to prepare.)

Origami - yer killin me. I'm surprised about the puff on the croute - I would've thought they'd use a brioche sort of dough. Looks stunning though. So... when's dinner at your house? We should run a competition - you cook for the winner (plus date, of course). Maybe Scott can be the sommelier. I'd like to be the coat-check girl.

Biene - welcome to eGullet.

Any pictures to torment us with?

O - thanks for this - and I hope you keep us posted. Tell me, was the total time for the duck 35 mins, or did you give it 2 X 15 min turns? And then how did the leg meat come out?

Ta-da! (scroll down for butternut squash recipe)

You know, when I firrst tried it, that beef cheek ravioli actually did exceed all expectations. It remains on of the top five pastas I've ever tried. The version I had there recently wasn't even in the same class. Deeply disappointing.

I wanted the same thing when I was making my own ricotta etc in LA. I found a supply through WholeFoods - they had an unpasturised, unhomogenised range. Otherwise, what about the green markets?

Can you give us some background on him? Also - which pub and where?

I think past a certain number - coincidentally the same number at which you all have to order the same bloody thing - standards just have to dip. Pulling out 14 foie at exactly the right time - making sure the lamb is just right ... they can't do it without a measurable dip in quality. Even if it's only 5% - you can feel it. It's not just the Square. I think the general rule is to choose a place which doesn't aspire to haute food. What about Moro? Them pulling off three or four excellent paellas, preceded by a few plates of tapas, a few roast chickens or a slow roast shoulder of pork - seems much more doable (and affordable) than trying to force a delicate kitchen past the point where it can perform effectively. And you 30? You don't look a day over 29.

Ouch... What were you doing there in the first place?

Scott - I take this in the humourous, tutu-wearing, goat molesting, lean-pork eating manner in which it was meant, but if not the bastard offspring of a bistro and a pub, then what? A Vietnamese noodle stand mixed with a Siicilian fish sucking joint? A Russian caviar and Japanese Prosciutto palace? A Mongolian barbecue and Belgian moules/frites cave? NAY - I say unto thee... A pub. A Bistro. A braised bit of pig's offal. What more could you ask for?

Not too mention that many younger chefs in this country have been inclined towards this style of setting over the grander settings for sheer economic reasons - which is perhaps not dissimilar to some of the French chefs opening haute bistros rather than leaping into the Michelin race.

Of course - if the Morel had been cooked properly, the little blighter would've been dead! So we see what Raymond was really concerned with.

Origamecrane - thanks for that. I thought it was only me and my wife that did the double on Laduree and Herme. Our hotel room usually looks like a Sid and Nancy heroin binge by the time we're through. [Edit to add: When I was at Laduree a few weeks ago, the croissant and pain au chocolat were appalling and stale (at 9.30am). I ended up throwing them away rather than finish them. Anyone else have this experience?]

Thanks chaps. Alas the meal is not for me. I'm just the man witth powerful friends (being yous guys).

Mojito - welcome to eGullet.

Marlyn - welcome to eGullet, and thanks for you posts. I've blathered on about this a bit, and expect the knock on my door any day now, but for me it's not just about price; not just about ambience; it's not even just about the food; but rather the building of a new aesthetic and approach in this country to dining. We have a few fantastic restaurants. We have many average ones. But mostly we have a cornucopia of crap. I think we're building a more solid base - a broader one anyway. People are learning about food, slowly.

A friend was searching for a recommendation. The criteria - 16 people, no price limit (say 200-300 Euros before wine), 3 stars preferred, but relaxed/not too stuffy (ruling out Taillevant or L'Ambroisie sorts of places). I suggested Ducasse or Gagnaire. Where did the Ducasse fella go (Louisa where are you?) - was it Les Ambassadeurs? Anyway, need help fast! All suggestions welcome! [Edit for poor French]

I may write a longer review later. Babbo is a place where I've had one of my favourite meals. And generally speaking, Batali has been a big influence. As it was, it had taken me a couple of months to organise a trip with my dad for a certain day, and then jumping through all the hoops for a reservation etc. Anway, on Friday night, parts of the meal were really, really poorly done. I saw no attention to detail, no care at all taken on some standard dishes, most of our mains were ridiculously undercooked - including a horrribly rare monkfish which we sent back (though we should have sent back a very soggy sweetbreads as well). Some of the pastas were okay (chitarra alla botarga - although the chilli murdered the botarga), some were ruined through inattention (2 portions of beef cheek ravioli were barely sauced, and entirely bland - where on my last trip I thought the dish sublime). The papardelle with summer truffles felt a little over cooked to us all. Highlights, surprisingly, were deserts, and wine service. I can only imagine Batali was nowhere to be seen that night. Disappointment all around.

By 'eck lass - it's time like these that we find out what real friendship tastes like! Beautiful review. Wish I was there so much it hurts.

"I love ze souffle, eet reminds me of ze boobs of ze woman" Michel Roux on life, the universe and the non-genius of Ramsay.

Conor - you're a star for fielding these issues online. I'm very glad you feel comfortable enough to do so. Could I ask - how long have you been working there? Is Turner open to outside input, and do you find you can make a contibution, or does it tend to be a select few? And if it's not being entirely cheeky, could I ask: Is the brigade a large one, and what's the staff turnover like? Indeed, what sort of places/countries are the staff coming from, and what is there former experience - or does Chef Turner prefer to train from scratch? (Feel free to ignore all questions if you'd rather a cup of tea!)

There's a veal breast dish in the French Laundry book which is almost identical.