Bux

Being wrong or making a mistake is a good reason for changing one's mind. I wish others would learn that. Let me encourage you to spread the gospel.

On a more serious note, not that I'm sure the thread is calling for seriousness, I'm reminded of the introduction to Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything. In it, he notes that he was a lawyer asked to write about food for Vogue magazine. At the time he had numerous food aversions and phobias he considered might render him "no more objective than an art critic who detests the color yellow." While I almost put the book down immediately just for that reason, I went on to read how he set about developing a six step program to re-educate his palate and brain. The sixth and final step was relearning some compassion for others still suffering from some aversion. He's a writer of some intellect and perseverance.

interestingly enough, i was using that as my email email sig for quite some time. seemed *very* fitting for me. Edited by tommy on May 02 2002,11:44 Apparently you changed your mind. And again when you edited this post. I think I'm getting the picture.

An allergy to penicillin is common and it's possible to be allergic to blue cheese. My wife is allergic to penicillin and had been advised to stay away from blue cheeses. Some years ago, she bravely toured the caves in Roquefort without ill effects, but she had her hand in her purse clutching an epipen the whole time. Apparently the childhood memory of a reaction to penicillin has not worn off.

In defense of Robin and myself, I'd like to paraphrase the best sig I've even seen online. It said something to the effect that the post represented the author's personal opinions and not his employer's and went on to say that the reader was free to take these opinions as the author probably wouldn't want them in the morning.

Graham, I remember reading that quite some time ago. Was it on your site, or did you send it to me? In any event, at the time it served neither to convince us to go or to stay away, although it raised our curiosity level and thus I suppose, contributed to the decision to eventually go. It's interesting to read a unbiased report from one who had not gone because of the hype and who was thus unprepared. Speaking of old notes, here's a comment I got from a correspondent in Spain about two years ago. The context is in response to questions about El Bulli and food in Catalonia. It went on to recommend Hispania in Arenys de Mar for very traditional Catalan food.

I understand this quite well. It's one of the reasons shopping at Gourmet Garage drives me nuts. They keep their mushrooms in the same display as the parsley, herbs and lettuce as if they all need to be kept hydrated. I've dried mushrooms when I've found I've bought more than I need. We always keep brown paper bags around to hold mushrooms when we buy them. I usually cut down large bags so the mushrooms are in one layer in a wide bag that's only an inch or two high and open on top.

would you believe, "moderately weak"? :wow: As you are well aware, the really good analogies are moderately weak. It's all downhill from there.

Slightly weak? It's not like this guy doesn't like certain restaurants, it's that he won't put many popular foods in his mouth and offer an opinion on them. As if a music critic didn't like certain notes, not certain music. Imagine a movie critic who would watch movies that took place on a bus, or on a farm or had scenes where the color orange predominated. Now that's my kind of analogy. Jinmyo, I was introduced to a food writer the other night. I asked how he started his career. He said the usual way, he was a sports writer and they needed someone to cover food--or something like that. And he's one of the guys whose work I've liked Oh yeah, he had great enthusiasm for food and eating, and a good sense of humor. That really helps and I don't sense that enthusiasm in the subject of this thread.

Steve Klc -- Yes, why does white chocolate taste like that? "White chocolate" doesn't taste like that, it is that. It's not chcoclate. That has nothing to do with liking it or not, but it has something to do with being a purist. White chocolate is cocoa butter. Chocolate has two components--cocoa and cocoa butter. Most of the taste is in the cocoa. the fat is in the cocoa butter. This is not to say that white chocolate can't be used to make great desserts. It adds a subtle flavor as well as that rich fatty mouth feel. Fat certainly has a place in dessert. Look at butter and cream. Milk chocolate is chocolate with milk added. As I understand it may be condensed milk or powdered milk. Compared to Klc, I am ... well let's say that "amateur" doesn't cover the difference well enough in terms of knowledge. In terms of taste, I recall not liking Bernachon's more intense bitter chocolates when I first had them. I would love to try Marcolini's and Bernachon's chocolates side by side. I had them about four or five months apart. I've not had a lot of the chocolates mentioned in this thread.

My assumption has been that money left in the room goes to the chambermaids.

My friends do not particularly recommend Pourcel's second place--Compagnie des Comptoirs. Service was intolerable on two occasions. They also suggest Cellier-Moral, no stars in Michelin, but a 16 in GaultMillau. The place is also known as Maison de la Lozère. You should be able to find the Mas Julien Blanc in restaurants and better wine shops, but it's generally sold out at the winery. Our friends have a 6 bottle allotment directly the winery. They also suggest looking for the St. Jean de Bebian--le Prieuré (their better red) and the white (they only make one white). The market in Clermont l'Hereault is only open in the morning. Get there early. Parking in town is a problem on market day.

Marc, let me be among those to thank you for sharing that here with us.

Cabrales, do you tip the restaurant staff at inns where you stay? If so, how and when?

And I agree with you lizziee, even if Steve seems to be taking lessons from Martha Stewart, but in this case ... that's a good thing. The traditional dining experience is certainly being altered by the great restaurants. Sometimes I miss the loss of some things, sometimes I'm amused, but those times that I'm thriled are more than just compensation. Sometimes the amuses bouches, petits fours and mignardises are what makes the meal and the evening. The reason plates are getting smaller is that courses are getting more numerous. This is an expensive proposition for the restaurant. In France it invovles the extra skills and man hours in the kitchen. In America, it may cost the restaurant a turn of the tables. It seems not all that long ago when canapes at top NYC restaurants were reserved for visiting dignitaries, now it's common to see a tray presented to every table. Even more informal restaurants feel compelled to offer a small taste apart from the menu.

That's what we're here for. On a more serious note, one of the food professionals I know is also a therapist who has described therapy as the restaurant business without the food. The restaurant "value matching" subthread is an interesting one. Especially when dining for the first time with new friends, or with people I know are price conscious, I try to aim for the middle of the menu when ordering. If I spot something I really must have at the high end, I have a tendency to announce that early. With old friends or a large group, I tend not to be as self concsious. Wine tends to be the bigger discrepancy anyway. Some of my friends don't drink and others are borderline alcoholics.

I think Bernachon is best known for his very dark and not very sweet chocolate and best appreciated by those who like this kind of chocolate. With Klc reading over my shoulder, I'd be wise not to comment at all on chocolate, but I think of Bernachon as best offereing an intense and not very fat or creamy chocolate. I know plenty of gourmets who do not enjoy that sort of thing. I think of it as an acquired taste much like caviar and olives.

I've never tasted the Mas Julien Blanc directly against a Mas de Daumas Gassac, but I've had more of the former and would agree that it's one to look for. My understanding is that production is not very great and hardly enough to meet demand. Our hosts in the area are great fans and get their short supply from Mas Julien. I seem to have recalled that Mas de Daumas Gassac was in Aniane. I don't know exactly where Mas Julien is located. I also remember the Mas de Daumas Gassac's successful attempt at keeping Mondavi out of the neighborhood. I have no real political opinion on that battle except to say that it was political. There were locals on both sides.

One of my problems with tipping in France, especially in the countryside, is that I'm usually dining in the same in or hotel in which I'm staying and will not get the bill until I check out. It's awkward to leave money on the table in those circumstances. I've never seen anyone else do it. If fact once, at a multi-starred upscale inn, I witnessed an American trying to add a tip to his credit card at check out. He was told service was included and that there was no way they could do add a tip to the charge. He then tried offerng cash, but was told they couldn't make a distribution--there was no tip pool and they had no way of dividing the money among the staff. In these situations I tip those who offer a direct service such as carrying my bags (whether or not I want the help) and to the chambermaid. I do not tip management when they carry bags. Many of my friends who live in France, both French and Americans, tend to leave a tip particularly in places they frequent.

I've seen these for the first time this past year. They are very luscious but seem to contain a lot more water than any other variety of mushroom I've come across. They also seem to have a shorter shelf life than other shitakes or more common mushrooms. They were very inexpensive when I saw them. How do you prepare them? In Chinatown I think I've only had them in soups and the high moisture content made me think that sauteeing wasn't the ideal way to cook them.

A "service charge," not a tip is always included in the price of the meal, as is tax in France. Often the check, or the menu (carte) itself will note the percentage of the bill designated as service charge. It's usually 12-15% and it's not uncustomary to leave another 1-5% for a tip if service merits. If paying with cash, the change is often used to round off the the amount. If paying by credit card, tipping, if desired, should be in cash and not added to the credit card bill. I suspect it's hard to get a straight answer as I've met people who espouse both extremes of always leaving a tip and never leaving a tip.

I remember our first lunch at Arzak. We made what we thought was a reasonable reservation for 1:00 pm. We got lost and arrived a half hour late. We felt bad until we saw the almost empty room. Then we felt worse. We felt better at four when we were leaving and other guests were still arriving for lunch.

I didn't think you did. Perhaps I read too much into the style of the few critical comments you cited.

We have friends in Margon, and Neffies. We use the markets at Clermont l'Herault and Pezanas when we stay in Margon. Clermont is very near you and has a good market. I think it's on Tuesday, [NB: I stand corrected by Graham Tigg--it's on Wednesday] but I'm not sure about that. Pezenas, closer to us, has it's market on Saturday. We had the 2000 Mas de Daumas Gassac blanc the other night and loved it. It was a bit of a surprise how much we loved it as a previous experience was not as pleasant. I wonder if it was the vintage or a bad bottle. I also understand that this is a wine that changes very much as it ages and develops different characters at different ages.

I rather liked les Grands Marches. It's hardly a destination restaurant, but no one was displeased with the food at the price. Perhaps I was overjoyed that we got a last minute reservation anywhere for a Sunday lunch in Paris and just relieved that it was okay, but I really think it was more than okay. La Belle France sounds nasty rather than unwilling to criticize. Then again I started writing about restaurants in France for a travel agent's newsletter and my only responsibility was to make travel sound appealing. I much prefer to comment on what I like, but then again I'm not paid, so I have that luxury.