Bux

I don't know that there's a right or wrong way to travel. There are many variables. Living in a place will give you a feel for that place, but touring is a viable alternative. I suspect how much one gets out of touring has more to do with the way one lives and travels while touring than simply moving about every few days.

The Spain forum, of course. Arzak, A Lunch There have been several threads on San Sebastian (Donostia in the Basque language) and mention of meals at Arzak by others appears in several of the threads.

According to Harold McGee in the new edition of On Food and Cooking, the taste for pasta cooked for minutes rather than hours started in Naples int he 18th century and spread thoughout Italy by the end of the 19th century. The term al dente appeared after WWI. I'm not sure if any of this has much of a relationship to canned pasta. It's not like it's Chef Boyardee's medieval recipe. Japan was the first place I had ever seen potato salad sandwiches. Spain was the second. Taste in food is very subjective.l

The best butter I've ever had has been some artisanal butter made on a small farm in Brittany. It was salt butter and the salt was sel du Guerande. I always buy sweet butter when I buy commerical butter. It's likely to be fresher and likely to have a lower water content.

Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the link.

I don't know that a diner coming or going to Per Se is going to linger long enough to ever look into a shop window, but the free publicity about that "mall" that came from the number of times that group of restaurants has been mentioned in the press is worth a pretty penny if the owner had any retail space to rent or apartments to sell. My guess is that few name chefs are going to open a new restaurant unless they can get some deal in terms of rent. It's still a risky business to open a restaurant.

I've had the red wine braised octopus before. I really thought I should order something new, but I watched the fish cook prepare several of these while waiting for Soba to show up, and remembering how much I liked it before, I couldn't help myself. It's an usual dish. It has none of the texture one expects from octopus. I like that texture, but in spite of that, I also like how this tastes. What I assume to be a long braising in red wine gives the tentacle a meaty taste and a texture not unlike veal stew. I don't know why that works so well as it doesn't sound as good as it tastes. The lamb "sausage" garnishing the lamb are two small flat ground lamb patties wrapped in sage leaves, breaded and fried. They are not unlike the "stuffed" sage leaves at Craft Bar where the leaves were pressed with sausage meat on both sides and then breaded and fried. Along with the sausages and two loin medallions cooked as requested, was a small unctuous piece of lamb rib seared on the topside and braised until the meat was falling off the bone. It's a very nice plate of food with it's mushrooms and vegetables. I guess both the puree and turned vegetable were buttercup squash. It was a good seasonal garnish and the idea of a single vegetable served two ways supported the lamb in three forms. Thin slices of quince rings battered and deep fired is also reminiscent of the apple fritters we've enjoyed at Craft Bar, but the quince is even a better idea or at least a nice variation. Honey rosemary ice cream was excellent with it. I wish Hearth had a better selections of wines under $50 or perhaps more wines I was familiar with at those prices. I'm not that much of a fan of Long Island wines or of Merlot, but I'd had this one before and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It was less of a surprise this time, but no less enjoyable.

Are they exported or are they made under license in Europe? My guess would be that if they taste different, they're probably made in another country under license. Check the wrapper and let us know.

I would definitely cover the pot when making a stew or pot roast both of which call for a braising technique. The only caution would be to make sure the contents didn't come to a rolling boil. Covered pots will boil up at a lower temperature than uncovered ones. I'd also consider covering the surface of the stew with parchment paper, although I'm not sure that's not just a habit, it seems to me that it keeps the meat moister and reduces the need to add too much liquid. The best stews are made with a good broth or bouillon. When that's just fresh broth or a reduced demi-glace diluted with water shouldn't make much difference.

Bear in mind that Payard grew up in France, in a family of professional pastry chefs. We can assume he also had access to Kit Kat Bars as well as other less refined treats, but his current tastes have also been honed by the skills and tastes needed to have been the pastry chef at two Michelin three star restaurants as well as as two NY Times four star restaurants in NYC. Then again the most memorable dessert of his I ever had was a tarte with ice cream and used pears, figs and armagnac --no chocolate.

That's quite a compliment to Blue Smoke. Although I'd expect Blue Smoke to be able to get the best meat available, there's no way the rent and overhead in Manahattan would enable any restaurant to compete in "value" with any place in Murphysboro. Mike Mills was at the Big Apple Barbeque Party and I thought his stuff was terrific. I'm hardly an expert on the subject and there's no way I'd even try to compare it with what I had a Blue Smoke, although I recall being more impressed with Mills' product. It's quite possible the atmosphere of the event and just being outdoors added to the overall impression. It's also possible that working with portable equipment as opposed to built in smokers that had to comply with all NYC building codes was an advantage rather than a hinderance.

I'd like to welcome Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking and thank him for joining us. We invite those who may be unfamiliar with Mr. McGee to read about Harold McGee. Following that post you will find a series of pre-release comments about the book in the next post. These have been forwarded by the publisher and while most of us tend to take these blurbs with culinary figures including those members love and those members often seem to love to hate. I think all members and especially those who have read the original volume, will find the Introduction to the new edition worth reading. I’m very excited to have Harold McGee engage our members in an eGullet Q&A at this time for a number of reasons. The first edition of On Food and Cooking was, and is, an exceptionally influential book. It arrived at time when there was considerably less interest in science in professional and home kitchens. The second edition appears when cooks and chefs are hungry for the kind of information McGee has assembled. A generation ago, McGee’s role was to spur an interest in science. Today it’s to sate a growing thirst for knowledge and information. It seems that no matter where I allow the book to fall open, I am quickly absorbed and fascinated by what is written. If there’s a challenge, it may be to find a boring page. I’ll try to look for one with a very technical drawing and see if I’m bored or lost. I suspect it won’t happen and I fear we will see fewer posts here on eGullet while our members devour the book. Looking at the positive side, they should all return and contribute to more stimulating discussions. If you’ve not noticed that food cooked in water looks and tasted different than the same food cooked in oil, or if you’ve noticed, but couldn’t care less, this book may not be for you. Everyone one else will probably find it interesting and those with any sort of curiosity will likely find it fascinating. The information contained is hardly limited to the physical changes one experiences in cooking or why mayonnaise becomes mayonnaise. Summing up the range of the kind of information contained is too difficult a task. Each time I think I’ve got a grip on an inclusive phrase or sentence, I discover more lore outside my range. The greater part of the challenge amy have been in organizing all this material in a manner that makes for such easy and compelling reading. N.B. My daughter was Harold McGee’s editor for this edition. I met her before I ever heard of Harold McGee, but I was familiar with his name and work long before she started her work on this book. When I first learned she’d be working on the book, I was thrilled to know she’d be working on a book that was sure to be an important one in culinary circles.

ON FOOD AND COOKING: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen ISBN: 0-684-80001-2 Pub Month Year: November 2004 Author: Harold McGee Scribner / $35 More praise for this upcoming title: Nothing could be more welcome than a revised and expanded version of Harold McGee's ON FOOD AND COOKING. This big, immensely important work, with its breathtaking scope, is the basic resource for anyone who wants to understand the way we grow our food, harvest it, store it, cook it, consume, smell, taste, and even digest it. McGee's scientific writing is intelligent, lucid, and always to the point--helping both professionals and serious home cooks understand what happens when they work with food, enabling them to be more enlightened shoppers, cooks, and even eaters. The first edition of ON FOOD AND COOKING has been the best selling book in the history of our bookstore. A newer and larger ON FOOD AND COOKING is a gift to all who want to know how food works. --Nach Waxman, Owner, Kitchen Arts & Letters "A goldmine of information about every ingredient and cooking process, answering all the questions you will ever have about food. Without a single 'recipe' in it, I think it's one of the most important food books ever written." --Jamie Oliver, author of The Naked Chef "Having the pleasure of working with Harold McGee at The French Laundry kitchen was a dream come true. On Food and Cooking continues to be the most accurate source of information for generations of chefs. A charismatic teacher, Harold is a veritable fountain of information and without peer in our industry. His books are the most worn and dog-eared of my entire collection." --Thomas Keller, chef-owner of The French Laundry and Per Se "Harold McGee's book is simply a monumental journey merging food and science...and a marvelous read." --Paula Wolfert, author of Mediterranean Cooking "Without an understanding of basic food science and practical cooking technique, there can ultimately be no true creativity in the kitchen! Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking is the definitive treatise on this subject that both the professional and home cook will absolutely require to move their cooking forward." --Charlie Trotter, chef-owner of Charlie Trotter's "A must-have resource for any student of the stove, On Food and Cooking synthesizes details from a wide variety of scientific disciplines and gastronomic traditions, sparking the reader's culinary imagination with every turn of the page. Harold McGee possesses that most rare combination: a scientist's skill and a cook's heart." --Rick Bayless, author of Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen and Mexico One Plate at a Time "Prepare to be awed! Harold McGee changed our lives with his original On Food and Cooking. While we knew that many things in cooking worked or didn't work, McGee showed us why. This new edition is the most complete book on food that I have ever seen, and it is easy to read-an inconceivable amount of information made incredibly accessible. On Food and Cooking is unique, engrossing reading and a major contribution to great culinary literature." --Shirley O. Corriher, author of CookWise "Harold McGee has once again done the work and research for us all. Any culinary question is now easily answered in On Food and Cooking. It's virtually the 'tell me why' for adults in the kitchen." --Bobby Flay, chef-co-owner of Mesa Grill and Bolo and author of Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill "Without a doubt, the best existing documentation of the very important and oh so fascinating role played by science in our kitchens and in human nutrition." --Madeleine Kamman, author of The Making of A Cook "McGee's immeasurable knowledge and infinite wisdom have hugely influenced the state of gastronomy. I constantly refer to On Food and Cooking and I am thrilled there's more yet to learn from the master of food and science." --Mario Batali, chef-owner of Babbo and Otto "In his past two tomes Hal McGee's profound scientific knowledge, fueled by intensely focused curiosity, gave us the tools to create new recipes. In this masterful revision he has gone beyond the specifics of how ingredients work to the very nature of the ingredient itself, inspiring us to still greater culinary heights. McGee is indeed our philosopher king of cooking." --Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Pie and Pastry Bible "I have used Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking for the last two decades whenever I've had questions on the chemistry of food or to understand some aspect of the cooking process. This extraordinary, new, expanded edition will occupy a place of prominence on my bookshelf." --Jacques Pépin, author of Jacques and Julia Cooking at Home and The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen "On Food and Cooking is the classic that weaves together history, science, and practical advice in mesmerizing (really) discussion of every conceivable topic of interest in the kitchen...Everyone who eats can use this book. It belongs in every home." --Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House "I don't think that Harold McGee missed a single detail in this absolutely fascinating anthology of the hows, whys, and wherefores of cooking. This book is a treasure trove of useful facts and unusual information and a must for every cook who possesses an inquiring mind." --Daniel Boulud, chef-owner of Daniel and Café Boulud "A truly engaging blend of the science and history of food, with thousands of tips for culinary success." --Ethan Becker, author of Joy of Cooking "We've been referring to Harold McGee's treasure, On Food and Cooking, since we were prep cooks decades ago and it's recommended reading for anyone who comes to work in our kitchens. We're thrilled to have this update packed with even more 'aha' moments." --Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, chefs-owners of Border Grills and Ciudad Restaurant

My emphasis above. Do you really think that’s true? I’ll wager you haven’t had a great chicken or just don’t appreciate the different between a good hen and a great one. There’s no way you can roast a an average chicken and have it taste like a great chicken. The best you can do is add extraneous flavor like garlic or herbs. There are posts on the France forum that will attest to the fact that members have had a simple roast chicken in France that made them wonder if they’d ever eaten a real chicken before. Another point about France is that some of the country's best restaurants are in the middle of nowhere. Michel Bras is not even in the middle of two destinations. You have to make a side trip from the road to nowhere.

There's no doubt that competition can breed improvment especially when chefs are inspired by other chefs or equal or greater talent. Restaurants such as Per Se and ADNY also break ground and pave the way for others as they help educate diners and raise their expectations. At their worst, they set new price levels and encourage others to raise their prices, but I think NY diners are sophisticated enough to demand value at every level of pricing. In essence I'd agree that one great restaurant in a city would tend to find its level of achievement somewhere between its aspirations and those of it's next competitor, whereas two or more great restaurants are likely to spur each other on to greater heights. Thus a city with two great restaurants is much more than twice as advantaged as a city with one great restaurant. NYC has more than two great restaurants, although I wouldn't disagree that both these restaurants have once again raised the bar as to what kind of experience we can hope to get.

I'm not sure that I wouldn't argue just the opposite case and that's to encourage each of those restaurants to pursue its unique direction. My reaction to the question was to refrain from posting on it because I had so little rapport with that kind of need to rank different restaurants. Which is better Burgundy or Bordeaux, lobster or steak, red or blue? I think there are grounds for accepting Fat Guy's contention that these two restaurants are in a class of their own. I think there are a lot of quantitative comparisons that can be made between restaurants and we can get a broad consensus of connoisseurs to agree in general or at least have an overwhelming number of them agree. At certain cut off levels however, the differences are subjective and I'm pleased with that. If those who currently enjoy Per Se would enjoy it more if the restaurant got more "serious," I'm all for it as I'd be for the opposite in regard to ADNY, but if that meant a lost of their identity and only resulted in a more universal appeal, I'd see it as a loss. I'm not sure "serious" is the right word either.

Thanks for that. To a great extent is was what I was expecting, but it was also more illuminating. I think a lot of people who enter culinary school, and in fact a lot or people working as cooks and even chefs have yet to experience food that is truly great. This is probably true in many other professions, especially those that can be practiced as a craft, or with passion. I don't know that everyone in France eats better than everyone in the U.S. these days, but that idea that food can truly be great is part of their national identity in a way it isn't here. What I find interesting is that, although you had some experience in upscale chef driven restaurants here, it took a visit to France to discover that food could have a deeper meaning. I suspect that can be learned in a number of restaurants in the states today and hopefully in a growing number of them in the years to come. I think of cooking as a craft and possibly as an art, but I think you expressed it quite eloquently when you said "It was not a craft but a passion." I guess my post is just an appreciation for the way you answered the previous question and there's no question here.

Rules are interesting and important. It's important that everyone learn and understand the rules. Equally, it's even more important that only a few people understand that they are made to be broken.

The bill in question has been passed and signed by the governor. There's a parallel thread in the Food Media and News forum about the article in San Jose Mercury News. This is an issue about what's happening in California, the law only affects the legality of foie gras in Califonia and the the research is being done in California by a branch of the University of California, but the topic is of concern to those outside California. Californians are potential customers of foie gras priduced elsewhere and Sonoma Farms sells its products outside the state. I've seen it on shelves in NYC. Although we won't attempt to move posts already made here, let's continue the discussion on the news about what The University of California-Davis is doing, on the thread over in the Media forum with it's broader geographic spectrum. UC Davis Working to Prove Foie Gras Isn't Cruel

Actually it's Boris who's correct. I only supplied the one caveat. I'll agree with both of you that bread and water is best between sips. I'm also unfamiliar with the great majority of those names, but I'm hardly a compendium of French winemakers, not even of the best, the least expensive, the ones with the best values or anything of the sort. Of the two or maybe three in any category which ring a bell and offer bottlings which also ring a bell, all I can say is that if I'm made the right connections, prices are higher here in NY. That's not really news. NYC competes real well on prices for the most expensive wines and those which are bottled and sold in mass quantities. The smaller the producer and the more artesian his operation, the highter the premium in NYC. For what it's worth, the situation is worse when it comes to cheese. Worse yet, are those tantalizing photographs of cheese Lucy is bound to tease us with from time to time. The thing about a good bottle of wine is that it's not any more photogenic than a bad bottle. I've seen the loveliest labels on plonk.

That question came to my mind immediately. It's clear the big bosses have the big wallets, but I wonder which profession has the best taste. I'm inclined to dismiss the fashion and show biz crowd and suspect they have a need to see and be seen and attracted by decor as well as influenced by social needs and trends. François Simon's review of Le Dome his “Haché Menu,”--"Bottom line: no need to return" doesn't speak well for the publishing and political crowds. Politicians are always suspect, but I'd have thought the publishing crowd might be a good one to follow. Then again, most of the people i know in publishing either edit or write about food.

David made some good points. I have no idea where the action will be in San Sebastian on New Year's Eve, but I wonder if the promenade along the beach, the harbor or the old city might not be the most lively and interesting places to be. One leads right to the other and the extremes are basically within walking distance as are all the downtown hotels mentioned. I'm not a great fan of turning a good dinner into a New Year's Even celebration. Obviously many people are or restaurants wouldn't be able to charge the prices they do on New Year's Eve. I'm also a proponent of enjoying a great afternoon meal when in Spain. At least half of my best meals in Spain have been at lunch time and that may well include all my meals in the San Sebastian area. I have few New Year's Eve experiences abroad and all but one were spent with friends at their home. The one exception was spent in Marseille where we chose to skip a gala New Year's Eve meal and join other friends for a fine lunch on New Year's Day at the best restaurant in the area. Fortunately for us, Marseille puts on a major show in the harbor with fireworks, a number of live bands scattered around the harbor and there was plenty (of unexceptional) food from street vendors. There were drinks in the hotel bar as well. I only wish I knew if San Sebastian had a tradition of outdoor celebration and if it did, could one get near enough to a bar to order drinks. There are certainly enough bars just in the old city, but on a good night, it can be a fight just to get a glass of wine or beer and some tapas, they are so popular and the crowds so deep at the good ones. It tends to be a bar hopping crowd however and the turnover is great so if you're patient, your turn will come. If you're not timid, you'll eventually find yourself belly up to the bar.

Many cheeses have their season. That is they are only made at a certain time of the year. Cheeses that are made year round will show seasonal differences that mostly related to the milk which is in turn dependent on the feed of the animals. Cows are usually fed on grass in the summer and hay in the winter. I'm constantly hearing my Italian cheese guy explaining the differences between parmesan cheese from different seasons and offering tastes to his customers so they can better appreciate the differences when he has cheese from more than one season in stock.

Because he's the restaurant critic for the Times? ← The Times hasn't always seemed to require a specific grounding in food knowledge for the job before. We're not going to agree and probably beating a dead horse, but I think you paint too narrow a picture of who a reviewer must be, what he must do and how he must do it. Oakapple has said it well. He doesn't find the quotes useful, but doesn't object to the idea of quoting one's companions.

i just don't know how to react to something like this, even given the rest of this poster's comments. moderators should note that my proclamation that i don't know how to react to this statement should, by any reasonable barometer, constitute a reasonable response. and i think that comment makes for a springboard into an interesting dicussion. ← I would assume Bruni has friends. My point was more to do with an assumption made by others that somehow these were people unqualified to say anything that was worthy of being repeated in the Times.