Bux

We've pulverized dried shitakes as well as some mushrooms that we didn't use and which dried out naturally. Mostly we've used the powder to coat salmon steaks or filets before we sauteed them. I've found I needed to push them throuh a sieve. The home dried ones were clean.

I have almost nothing to say about this. I don't even tend to notice if there are such options when I dine. However, there is a thread going on elsewhere and it might be helpful for those who are interested to have the discussion under a heading that will both draw posts by those who know something useful and be easily found by those with an interest in finding that information. I do have some sympathy for someone traveling France who cannot find a wonderful dinner no matter their restriction. La Rotunde ouiside Lyon, had a vegetable menu as one of it's printed prix fixe offerings when we were there in November 2001. I hasten to add the one caveat I'd always make to a strict vegetarian as vegetables are often cooked in stock or finished with a meat jus--the swiss chard baked with mushrooms, parmesan cheese and pinenuts had been braised in chicken stock. I assume this would ruin things for most vegetarians.

The most expensive tasting menu is usually not the only option. Sometimes it's the best value, sometimes it's not and quite often, I'll never find out.

I remember posting about a distiller of wonderful eaux-de-vie near Agen, France. Based on his observances of those tasting at his distillery and their ability to recognize the illusive qualities each fruit departs to the alcohol, he became convinced that women had a better sense of taste than men. When he said that, my wife gave me the look of knowing superiority. I agreed that she had better taste as proven by our choice in mates. Our daughter is known to often express the opinion that I must really like sleeping on the couch. The relevant issue here, might be what happens to that range of tastes we don't taste. Are they anything like the noises dogs hear? It implies that some of the diners in the restaurant are not tasting what the chef tasted, or that some of them are tasting things he didn't know were in the food. It would be nice to match up with a chef with similar TQ (Taste Quotient). It would give new meaning to restaurant ratings and a whole new set of pithy Zagat quips. "Not highly refined, but those with a TQ below 7.6 won't know the difference." "Most diners say it's just not worth the money, but those with a TQ of 11.7 or more will find real value." Perhaps because of the difference in what various tasters can taste, we'll find the numbers on the menu that will let us choose the dishes most suited to our handicap or we'll offer our TQ to the waiter the way we let him know about our allergies or susceptibility to MSG or caffeine.

I see it coming already, a mensa-like society for supertasters open only to those with so many taste buds. A room full of supertasters who heretofore got no respect from sommeliers.

No matter how you slice it, a two dollar espresso is going to be cheaper than a can of Illy coffee. Can you imagine what it would cost to make a bucket of wings if they only sold whole chickens in your market.

Wilfrid, I have always wanted to eat there. Well not always and not now, but for some time. Nevertheless at least five years ago, I decided I had missed my window of opportunity. I had a curiosity for what it was, and came to believe it was no longer what it was, but a good report from you will put it back on my list of places I will probably not get around to trying.

Tony, if you don't want it, can I have that for my sig? Steve,you have the most amazing facility for only reading what you want to read.

Can we use "right" and "correct" interchangeably as we, I mean "you" all have been doing? Black tie is the correct thing to wear with a dinner suit (tuxedo jacket). White tie is the correct thing to wear with tails. (probably why tails are more accurately referred to as a monkey suit than is a tuxedo) Red wine is the (correct) (right) (proper) thing to drink with steak frites. (choose) Now to be site specific. I ask that question in a diner in a small town in Alabama where I order steak, maybe chicken fried, with fries. Odds are, the waitress has already poured me a cup of coffee using her inimitable knowledge of what goes with everything on the menu. Sure it's an unfair question, I don't want to be eating steak in a diner in rural Alabama. Okay, in Brussels, I'd probably have a beer. Certain of that if it was for lunch, although probably wine with dinner. That's just how I feel about Brussels. I think the nature of "correct" implies a context, if not a subjectivity. What do most diners in Peter Lugar's drink? They don't serve steak frites in Peter Lugar's do they? I mean they speak English. I think it's correct to drink red wine if you order steak and fries in French. Language is also context. I need to learn how to say "steak frites" in Flemish. This is boring and I defend the rights of those who say so, whether cleverly or bluntly. I also defend the pedants who persist in posting. Persistent posting pedants are an important part of eGullet.

More recently, I was discussing food with a Spanish food journalist. I mentioned that France was losing it's edge in terms influence and that the center of gravity seemed to be leaving France. He replied that it was now south of the border halfway between Barcelona and San Sebastian. It was hard to disagree. The food in both the Basque region and Catalonia has even getten better and I've had a few excellent meals in between. Welcome to the club. I think you'll find you belong here on eGullet. We recommend not driving while drinking and not taking notes while driving. Welcome to a more demanding audience for your notes. We're not likely to be bored by the details and descriptions. Anyway, all browsers come with a built in scroll bar.

With a modest bottle of burgundy and two a la carte meals that I would describe as normal (we did not splurge and we didn't order the least expensive items, as far as I recall) our bill came to 500 euros. The Michelin says Ducasse offers prix fixe at 190 and 250 euros this year. My guess is that there's been an increase in price and that you will spend at least 1,000 euros, so your budget figure is close, but if you get carried away with wine or truffles you could certainly exceed that. Unfortunately, in dollars that's more this year than last when we were getting 1.09 euros to the dollar.

I can't believe the aroma of a simple omelet would be objectionable, assuming you offered to make one for your friends. I find that if my wife has a fried egg for breakfast, I need to have one too. I think it's the butter in the pan that arouses my desire. Perhaps a soft boiled egg is an option, although I suspect a good egg has an appealing aroma of its own. It's over half way to lunch. I'm glad I had a boiled egg this morning. The pity is that I have no idea of where I can get a good andouillette this afternoon.

John, Plotnicki's given you the best advice--cheese. What you want is a picnic from Cantin, or maybe just a list of bistrots with great cheese selecitions. A picnic without bread of course. Poujaurin is off limts however.

John, it's clear you don't need to start your day with a croissant and finish dinner with dessert. Furthermore, while I can often take or leave rice and pasta in France, I've hardly met a potato that wasn't worthy of an affair in France. My idea of a low carb lunch is a salad and a crepe in lieu of the two crepes I would have had. I wish you luck.

Pizza pie.

I suspect that in France, one might fall afoul of the law if one labeled an industrial product as "artisanal." I doubt there are any laws that would enforce quality.

In Japan an artisan, be he a potter or calligrapher, might well be recognized officially by the government as a "national treasure." Here if you're using a non-industrial process and working on a small scale, you're an artisan if you say you are. Cleary not all artists are artists, while I've known shoemakers and butchers who are. C'est la vie. Perhaps it's correctly spelled like that, but in fact it seems to be incorrectly spelled on the web almost as often as not. You only have to do a web search on "artisinal" to see that. It's nice to see the Terrance Brennan spelled his restaurant "Artisanal." When I went to research the word on the web, I was quickly distracted by web sites of artisanal cheesemakers including Jonathan & Nina White's cowsoutside.com Jonathon tells me "I usually define it in opposition to the word "industrial" as follows: an artisanal product is optimized for the joy of the consumer, while an industrial product optimizes the convenience of the producer." That gets a bit too political for me and I don't really buy it, but I thought you'd like that.

I don't know whether to be amazed at what concierges can do, or what they can't do. I suppose some are better than others, but it appears that either each concierge has different contacts, or that some restaurants are just unapproachable. I suppose the two things one might ask of a concierge is to get a last minute table at a top spot, or to get at reservation before the list officially opens. Depending on one's connections, it is, or is not, sad that spaces are taken at many restaurants before the restaurant will accept reservations over the phone and that some restaurants keep tables open until late for various reasons. No one ever said life was fair, I guess. I have eaten at Ducasse and at Carre des Feuilliants. Actually I have had both a lunch and a dinner at Carre des Feuillants and a dinner at Ducasse at the Plaza Athene. Years separated those meals and a comparison would be unfair. Ducasse was the more recent meal and it was exquisite, though perhaps coldly exquisite in some ways. I think I posted a report on that meal on eGullet. In terms of seasonal foods, my wife started with a half order of Italian white truffles. I had a meal that revolved around game--Gibiers à plumes de Sologne en chaude et froide and Chevreuil en noisette, réduction d'une poivrade relevée de genièvre. The medalions of game deer were almost upstaged by the visual splendor of the still life of roots and fruits, and all sort of vegetable, fruit and fungus glowing in autumnal tones under a glaze. It may have been the most beautiful plate of food I've had, and the taste surpassed it's visual beauty. I don't think I've ever had a melage of vegetable stuff taste so good. Of course the sauce, a reduction of meat juices, may have rendered it something other than a vegetarian dish. Carre des Feuillants was visited sometime back. It is, but comparison to Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee, a more relaxed place and for me a more joyous experience in that sense. I don't think the food quite hit that same level. My more recent meal there was at lunch and out of curiosity we had the inexpensive lunch prix fixe. It was good, but not exciting. On a previous dinner visit, we had the most expensive seasonal tasting menu. this was quite a ways back--early mid nineties, as I recall--and we found it quite exciting. A "simple" dish of truffles, foie gras and jerusalem artichokes was a meal stopper for us, but actually just one of many courses. At the time I had never had anything like that dish. One of the conclusions I drew from those two meals is that going to a famous and expensive restaurant at lunch and ordering the special inexpensive prix fixe meal would allow one to experience the decor and the service, but might not offer a real clue as to the chef's talents. I use expensive as a catch all for multistarred restaurants. As I recall, we found that tasting menu to be a bargain compared with what the price brought in other restaurants. That was a while back however and although I would return with great expectations, I can't offer a first hand recent account. Dutournier specializes in southwestern cooking. Think duck, goose, foie gras, etc. He also had a nice selection of southwestern wines at reasonable prices. This was true of the more recent visit at lunch, and I recall some nice dessert wines by the glass. When I say that meal wasn't exciting, I don't mean it was dull--just not up to the dinner. Dutournier also seems to be a cook and not a publicity hound and for that I give him credit, although he often seems to get ignored for that same reason.

You're making an assumption, perhaps several, here. I'm not sure you can establish that your definition comes close to that of those you cite. I don't know Passard, but from what I know about Daniel, Dan and Mike, I feel their outlook is much broader than the one you would ascribe to them. I suspect they would not be quick to exclude a range of artisans whose products have not yet been explored. To which you replied: My point is that's not their definition.Later: Now we're getting somewhere as you realize there are other definitions and acknowledge you "think" as opposed to "know" the answer. Artisanal implies commercial. An artisan is not a hobbyist. He, or she, is a skilled worker or craftsperson.But we're off again when you say: because you are not exactly correct. Marcus offers what I feel is the least controversial definition of "artisinal." Of course this is always going to be a fuzzy area and we loose all around when we insist not only on a tight definition but a personal one. I buy rustic farmhouse artisanal products all the time in France. Fine dining, in the sense of luxury has nothing to do with artisanal, except that they have reason to search out these products as do all cooks. It is quite possible for simple backwoods bistro in the Dordogne to use artisanal products and offer a meal that lays claim to being an artisanal meal. It's harder for restaurant in Chinatown in NYC, but not i mpossible and certainly possible that some of their provisions will come from artisanal sources.In an inexpensive Hunan restaurant in Victoria, BC, we had some of the finest black cod we have ever had. The manager told us the fish came directly from a friend of the owner who fished off the coast of Alaska. To the extent that I believe that fisherman qualified as an artisan fisherman, tha sable was artisanal and probably of a quality as fine as Eric Ripert could get. And I say that without offense to Ripert or the excellence that I've found at le Bernardin, but we need to stop back defining artisanal as that which can only be found in the most exclusive restaurants.

Funny, I used to think of Emma minus the leather as well. She did have one outfit in a particular episode that was originally ruled too kinky for American audiences, but I think they later showed in during reruns. We now revert to our usual PG rating. I was already married, but my wife thought she was a role model. I think she would have traded me for the Lotus, if not the wardrobe. On a more topical note, I'm also of the no salt school because I can't tell what will happen when it's reduced and salt is one flavor I don't want to concentrate.

They are nowhere near as bad as they were, perhaps when Gault, Millau or both were there. By the time I learned they were mocking a certain dish, I might have already been to the restaurant and ordered precisely that dish on what I had read as their recommendation. The new corporate GM seems almost straight forward by comparison. As for la Tour d'Argent, perhaps what I should have read is that the food is irrelevant to the Tour d'Argent experience. You buy the experience and get the food as a bonus. It beats having to bring your own boxed lunch.

I think I mentioned this in the other thread, or some other thread, but you can go a long way towards restoring clarity and color with even a sloppy attempt at clarifying your stock. I pretty much do it as Julia Child suggested in Volume 1. You should keep it at a smile, that is a very low simmer, but if it turns cloudy, all is not lost. Dave the Cook, I assume that's cook with a capital "C" and that you're a pro. That would explain the need to make stock more often. Fat Guy is the Emma Peel of cooks. That is to say a talented amateur--there is no physical resemblance to Diana Rigg. Anyone else old enough to have been an Avenger's fan?

You're making an assumption, perhaps several, here. I'm not sure you can establish that your definition comes close to that of those you cite. I don't know Passard, but from what I know about Daniel, Dan and Mike, I feel their outlook is much broader than the one you would ascribe to them. I suspect they would not be quick to exclude a range of artisans whose products have not yet been explored.

Marcus -- My French comprehension is miserable, so I may be off base, but it seems as if GaultMillau feels as if the meals at both la Tour d'Argent and Lucas-Carton are almost as good as they ever were. It's just that as good as the food is, it's a bit irrelevant today. Perhaps it's akin to running a found minute mile--a record breaking speed at one time, but not always fast enough to come in first today. Some of us can still get a thrill reading the biography of deal athletes and seeing movies of past record breaking performances. There's a precedent as well for preserving architecutral treasures and even just reminders of our past while continuing to build and develop cities. Shouldn't we be lucky to have these landmarks even if they only draw tourists? I think the problem arises when the quality drops so much that they no longer represent even a true window to their past glory. Admittedly, they may have lost or are losing popularity with both Parisians and gastronomes who have made multiple visits. This may be because they are not developing rather than the quality is gone.

"Right" is not the same as "appropriate." They are not interchangeable and more than anything else, you debase the language in making these arguments. Perhaps Tony is making a distinction between "bad" and "wrong," and, in fact, this might make it difficult, rather than easy, for him to say the words you care to put in his mouth. Of greater importance is that the standards for what is good wine and even more so for what it good milk are far more easily established than the standards of what is "good" to drink with any particular food. "Appropriate" is a better word perhaps because, at least to me, it establishes the necessity of a context. Huh? I think to a person, everyone on this board who holds an opinion similar to mine, would say that it's incorrect to use the word "right" exclusively in that way.