JayPeeBee

Several years ago we took an ten day trip through the Sologne region. During game season. We had some of the best meals (game) ever in France and loved the desolate, very untouristy towns and countryside. Along the way we made a pilgrimage to the hotel where the tarte tatin was created and enjoyed a good lunch and surprisingly, the best tart tatin (other than mine) I've tasted. This area is close enough to Sancerre and the Loire wine villages to include them. There was wonderful antiquiing and just interesting driving. It was one of the most memorable trips we've taken.

Robert. Do your criticisms of Citarella hold for the west side store as well? I've shopped there frequently and have no complaints about quality or service. Where is the French Butcher? We had one in our neighborhood (B'way/91) next to Carmines and we bought all our meat from him. he left about six years ago. He had the best sausages! Chorizo et. al.

I've tried Plugra, Kellers, the new Ultra fat butter in a yellow wrapper, and none come close to the taste of French butter from Normandy (Charentes). Marie d'Issigny is another French brand (SP?) that I recall for great butter. Egg Farm Dairy was supposed to have made an equivalent product but I never found its taste to be as satisfying. I do prefer by butter less cold or a little on the room temp. side. But I also refer it unmelted on toast. Which is a neat trick.

Obviously there are big differences among butters. I've found the French "Beurre de Celles" from Charante tastes best. I've tried domestic butters and none come close to this flavor. (Land 'O Lakes unsalted is not bad). My main taste test is simply spread on fresh french bread, good sourdough or good bagel. I'm wondering what b&b lovers on this forum think?

I've used carbon steel knives (bought from Dehilleron in Paris) for over thirty years. Yes they get ugly but boy do they cut. A couple of passes over the steel after and before each use and a light coating of oil now and then keep them in fine shape. I also have some French "Inox" knives--a thin stainless steel. They are equally as good and stay unblemished. But I do like the weight and feel of the carbon steel. One carbon chef's knife I've had for over twenty years has never been reground--just steeled, and it works like a charm. A lot depends on what I am cutting and the kind of prep work I'm doing for which knife feels and works best. It's a very subjective thing.

Sorry, Chez Denise, Denise...my spell check finger didn't work. I like their onglet and their sweetbreads.

Chez Denis.. Yes...Love the place. Very busy, good basic food, lots of it. A good place to take someone who hasn't been to Paris before as a first experience.

This is the third edition of this book. The first, Paris Bistros and Wine Bars was published by Echo about ten years ago. The second about five years ago. The one for sale now, with the red cover was published this past April. There are a couple of excellent French language bistro guides. Lebey is one. There is also a very good one in German. But I read faster in English!

So who's kosher? "Not I," said the pappa bear. CelRay Tonic tastes awful but resounds in the nostalgic memory of a kid from da Bronyx. Dr. Brown's Cream Soda, OK. Black Cherry...any time anywhere. For my money, Boylan's is making the best versions of these flavors now. But I digress.

Ah. I understand your thinking. Yes, the Hamburger's book was written after many years of experience with the three star contingent all over France, and they (and we) "graduated" to the "simpler" pleasures of bistro food. La Grille, for example, serves a turbot with beurre blanc sauce that brings tears to my eyes. The poulet vin jaune avec morilles at Chez Maitre Paul, the lievre a la royale at A Sousceyrac and the surprising menu and wonderful atmosphere at la Fountaine de Mars are places I doubt we would have "discovered" if not for this book.

I live in the city Mon-Fri. And we'd drive a ways for a great meal, haut or not. Café Tamayo has better Confit de canard than any I've had in France (Gasp!) and the best pot roast I've ever had. The mashed potatoes are on a par with Robuchon's (Gasp 2!). The rabbit is fantastic ...well I've not eaten anything there that didn't make we want to come back for more of the same. So anything exciting and as good in a 50 mile radius of Putnam Valley is fair game (no pun intended).

Pilgrim: I'm curious to know what you meant when you wrote that posters here would not "identify" with the Hamburger's Bistro Guide but readers will? Do you mean that eGullet posters think they are beyond this book in their knowledge of Paris bistros?

Risoto is one of my favorite dishes to cook for guests. My preferences lean to seafood and mushroom variations. I love, but haven't tackled black risoto yet. I'd be interested in other recipe ideas. For convenience, I buy freshly made fish stock from Citarella's or Jake's Fish Store here in NY. I doubt that home made fish stock would be much better, but I'd be open to opinions on that. I use arborio rice exclusively. I'm unaware of any quality differences among the arborio rices avalaible in super markets and specialty stores. Any opinions?

Sheesh, and youse guys don't know a really good egg cream when youse find one. Fox's U-Bet Chocolate syrup (about 2" in the bottom of a tall (12 oz. glass). Add another 2" of half and half and stir until blended. Then slowly add selzter or Perrier, stirring to minimize the foam. When the head is about 2" high at the top of the glass, stop. Add one or two straws and serve with one or two pretzle sticks. Or a pastrami sandwich. Or a kosher salami sandwich. or...... I use official egg cream glasses from juniors that have the ingredient proportions marked on the side. Keep at it Damian, and you'll discover what the fuss is all about.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I tried pheasant eggs, which are available in a nearby market and they were the most "eggy" eggs I've ever tasted. They are about 1/2 the size of chicken eggs, so you need to use about six per person. Same method. You can really taste the difference if you use very fresh eggs vs. those that have been in the fridge for a week or so.

MMM. Scramled eggs French style. More like a custard. I start by breaking three eggs per person in a small container (to minimize the air getting in the mix). Beat with a fork until the yolk and white are thoroughly blended. I use a heavy bottomed sauce pan over a very low flame. Melt clarified butter and pour the eggs in the pan, leaving about two to three tablespoons in the mixing bowl, to which I add some heavy cream or preferably creme frais. I stir the eggs preventing them from forming large curds, removing from the heat if they are cooking to fast. When they are the consistency I like (custard), I pour the remaining egg/cream blend into the pan and stir until fully blended. Remove from heat and plate on a hot dish. Serve with hot buttered rye bread. Salt and pepper to taste.

In addition to Patricia Wells guide, I suggest Paris Bistros by Robert and Barbara Hamburger. It is a very accurate and excellent guide to the bistros and wine bars, which for my money, offer more enjoyable eating and better value than the big starred restaurants. The guide describes dishes and makes it possible to order without anxiety. I've used it many times and never had a bad meal. Relax and don't get too obsessive about the choice of restaurants and foods. That can interfere with the fun.

I would appreciate reading some recommendations for restaurants in the Hudson Valley. We have had many great meals at Café Tamayo in Saugerties NY and at Il Cena Cola near Newburgh. There are some very pricy and not great places (Haarolds comes to mind). Our starting off point is near the intersection of IS84 and the Taconic Parkway (Putnam County).

I have been buying aged rib eye bone-in steaks at the Food Emporium (Yorktown Heights mainly). They have installed an aged beef department at so far, I have no complaints. Balducci's on 66th also has served up some very good rib eyes at ผ.99 lb. Lobel's may have good meat but I find them so overpriced for most meats that I can't justify buying there.

I love steak. In the constant quest for the best steak at home (short of living next door to Peter Lugers) I have tried many butchers, cuts of meat and cooking methods. I'd love to hear what this crowd thinks is the best of these. So far, my winner is aged rib eyes cut about 2" thick on the bone, slathered in olive oil and coated with a five pepper and course salt blend (sits in this for 3-4 hours before cooking). These are then cooked on an extremely hot charcoal fire to medium rare. The heat seems to fry the oil making a blackened pepper crust that seals in all the moisture. The meat tastes fantastic and chewing the bone is heaven. An indoor alternative cooking method is a thirty year old "Quartz Broiler" preheated for about 20 minutes. Let's hear some other winners.

I got the new Bodum electric (贡 @ Zabars). It is the closest to coffee made in a French Press yet. It takes some learning to use it and it is a bit of a contraption, but so far, the end result is worth it.

For those who are going to Paris and like to eat in Bistros, I highly recommend "Bistros of Paris" by Robert and Barbara Hamburger. I used this guide several times as well as their previous edition and found it to be reliable, accurate and extremely helpful. I have taken French clients to places I found in the book and surprised them. The book is avaliable on Amazon and B&N for about ผ-13. The new edition is updated and current. I was in Paris this past October and every meal was in one of the bistros listed in the book. Not a disappointment among them. The book is small enough to fit in your carry bag so you can talk it on walks and find places near where you are. A word of caution, the better places are very small and often booked or filled with regulars, so if you have your heart set on someplace, call ahead.

I started a collection of old selzter bottles, mostly from antique shops here and in France and off Ebay. My kitchen and bar are decorated with many of these beauties. The glass, design and etchings are fascinating and evocative of the past. The French syphon bottles with the slanted sides and pastel glass are really quite nice, but expensive. Believe it or not, there is a dealer called Mrs. Seltzer who can sell pratically any kind of bottle. I like egg creams, so I may have to get the real selzter delivered.

Murray's Sturgeon Shop on Broadway and 89th street is hands down the best place for smoked salmon, pickled herring in cream sauce, white fish and all the other stuff. Barney Greengrass has some wonderful dishes in the restaurant: the nova, eggs and onions is one of the best things to eat in the world. Contrary to Fat Guys review, they do serve one of the best corned beef sandwiches I've had in a deli, their chicken soup ranks #1, with the best matzo balls, the cheese blinzes are great and their smoked fish is good, if not sublime (as it is at Murrays). Barney Greengrass' chopped liver, is to my taste, a top rater as is their borscht with cream. Arties, unfortunately, has gone way downhill since its opening. They do serve a very good matzo brei, which is almost non-existent on any restaurant menu. I went beyong bagels and lox, but then, I always overeat when the food is good. Zabars, for take out, rarely disappoints on anything.