Bux

There must be a moral here. I had a cousin who played football in high school and a little in college as well. He was also a counselor at boy scout camp where food was served family style. He was an all round nice guy, on the whole, but I never let anyone of those kids who sat at his table and who withered away that summer, know I was related to him. I think Oliver Twist got a better share.

One more point about the need to research recommendations on regional eGullet boards is that many of the good posts are left by visitors to the region and its board. A gastronome from Vancouver is more apt to be posting on a regular basis in the forum that covers that city, but he is likely to appear in this forum before his trip to France doing research and then again afterwards to report on his meals and to discuss them, but not necessarily on a regular basis thereafter. I'm also afraid that a new member with few posts who is asking about where to eat while traveling may come across not as someone with a passion for food, but as a tourist looking for a quick answer rather than as one interested enough to research the topic. I don't mean to assume that describes the original poster here, but that's a suspicion that's raised and best overcome by asking astute questions. I may come off as a sort of gastro-franco-snob, but I mean to be helpful in ways to draw out the knowledge of our membership.

I also find that knowing the local specialties and tastes may be just as important as knowing the names of recommended restaurants, although I have to admit that the tabllier de sapeur I had last month was disappointing and in no way comparable to the first one I had in Lyon. Is there an oxymoron in saying I had tabllier de sapeur in Lyon? I've never seen it on a menu anywhere else although I read that Aux Lyonnais in Paris had it. I've been there twice and enjoyed too good meals, but tabllier de sapeur was not on the menu either time. The subject or Lyonnais specialties has also been discussed here more than once. Tripe in all its forms are a Lyonnais specialty, as are hearty dishes and sausages. Of course you may not find these at the multistarred restaurants which are more likely to offer haute cuisine. In that vein, I'd like to try Nicolas le Bec which, as I discovered only as we were leaving, is at 14 r Grolée, just around the corner from where we were staying. It's new and not yet in the Michelin Guide, but we ate very well at his hands a few years ago when he was cooking at Les Loges in the Cour des Loges hotel which no longer has a star without him. Ultimately however, it's much easier and also much more enticing to make recommendations when we know more about the member who's posting. If you have a taste for fine chocolate, Bernachon would be the place to indulge. If you don't appreciate it, Bernachon would still be a good place to discover what many consider to be the benchmark.

I didn't notice an address in the is thread yet. Chickpea is at 23 3rd Ave.

I wish I could help, but my knowledge is limited to eating nougat. In Montelimar, where they make lots of nougat well enough to warrant my making a small detour when driving north or south along the Rhone, they sell both the hard and the tender (dur and tendre) nougat. I believe the tender greatly outsells the hard. The saleslady in one of the shops in town seemed to get a big kick out of demonstrating that the hard nougat bars are suitable for self defense. They sell some large bars. I believe that was a kilo bar of the soft we bought. Actually tender is a far better word to describe the soft nougat, than is "soft." It is chewy and you can easily change the shape of piece of nougat by compressing it in your hands. It will not spring back like a marshmallow. The most popular form seems to be with whole almonds and pistachios in a white natural, or perhaps vanilla, nougat, but you can get other nuts and fruits and flavored nougats. I wish I still had the label with the ingredients, but that was several weeks ago and the kilo went in just a few days.

The fresh chorizo mentioned above that's removed from the casing and crumbled sounds as if it's Mexican chorizo and not Spanish chorizo. I only know about the Mexican variety from reading about it, but I gather it's quite different from the Spanish chorizo in general although they can vary in type quite a bit and some are cured to be eaten sliced while others are meant to be used in cooking. Here's a quote from La Tienda, a commercial site in the US. "Every household in Spain has at least one or two of the hundreds of varieties of delicious chorizo sausages. Spanish chorizo-type products, often referred to as embutidos, come in many varieties, thick and thin, plain or smoked, some containing lean meat to be served for tapas, or with more fat to flavor stews and grilled dishes. In general, Spanish chorizo always has less fat and is more finely ground than a Mexican one." Both types are made in the US, and as we often find Chouriço, the Portuguese sausage which is similar to the Spanish, that's made in New Jersey. Chouriço and the Spanish chorizo are probably interchangeable, whereas I don't think the Mexican chorizo would be a good substitute for the Spanish in an authentic recipe. Spanish chorizo is very common in Puerto Rican cooking, especially in a good pot of beans. Thinly sliced and fried, it's a great addition to a Spanish tortilla de patatas.

Kalustyan's seemed to be more impressively middle eastern when it was owned by a Kalustyan. Lately it's resembling its Indian neighbors more and more, but it's still a good source. The pitas are delivered and they're not delivered every day. Thus they're not always fresh. There are one or more bakeries on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn that bake pitas.

This has been an often asked question as well as an often answered question. Few members will respond to a repeated question as most will have likely said all they have to say in a recent post. The more specific the question, the more likely a member will feel obligated to answer if he has a good answer. In any event, a little research will often bring better results that asking so vague a question on most boards. A search on "Lyon" will bring a mulititude of results, not all of them about restaurants but these threads should be a good start for answers to your post. They go back as far as about six months ago. They're all not likely to be equally valid and I am sure I missed some. So it may be worth searching again.Chez Pierre Fine Dining Auberge de l'Ile - Two threads recently merged. Le Splendid Gourmet de Sèze Les Halles de Lyon

From my notes of a year ago: service ... we found it less personal and more disinterested. [than at our first visit years ago] Wine service was even less swift than at Mugaritz. The red wine was easy to reach and consequently wasn't a problem, [we served ourselves] but the white in the bucket was. We noticed another table reaching over to a side board for their wine. Juan Mari waved from a seat in the lounge as we left. It was all so different seven years ago when the attention to our order was very personal and Juan Mari chatted with us on the way out. ... service at Arzak was even faster than at Mugaritz and there's barely time to reflect on a dish before the next one arrives. We found ourselves consciously eating very slowly and stopped a couple of times when glasses were empty until we learned to pour our own wine. There's a mixed signal here. If the diner is expected to serve his own wine, and I have no objection to this practice--although clearly it's a service expected at a three star restaurant--the wine should be accessible to the diner. The food itself was very good, although we felt that Martin and Mugaritz had the clear edge in both holding our interst and providing a less interrupted level of "wow." Elena may not yet have hit her stride. The restaurant itselt was very dowdy when we were first there and a little less so since it was redecorated. In terms of doneness, I find rosé is the word that gets birds, lamb and liver cooked to my taste in France. I wonder if, and why, European chefs over cook meat for Americans. I don't find that we like our meat more well done than the French or Spaniards. In fact, I find we, as a country of diners, seem to have a very varied taste that often goes to extremes. It may be that traveling gastronomes tend least to order red meat and steaks, while the more timid American traveler with access to the great restaurants of Europe may be the ones ordering steak and ordering it well done. That could explain a misconception, but it shouldn't explain why a group of dedicated gourmets traveling under the auspices of the Cullinary Institute of America with Spanish speaking guides doesn't get meat done as the chef thinks best or as they want it. I've been flat out told by one expert French chef that I like my meat too rare and that the taste is brought out when it's cooked a bit more. I've never squared that with his love of steak tatare.

In our earlier travels we found a lettuce and tomato salad quite common, usually with sliced onions, but a simple salad of green leaves was all but unheard of. At the upscale Landa Palace outside of Burgos, Mrs. B asked if we could have a salad of only lettuce leaves. The kitchen sent out a rectangular platter of five varieties of lettuce and we mixed out own green salad. The presentation of the platter with the five bunches of leaves all in a row was quite lovely and memorable. I was also quite surprised to see they had five different varieties of lettuce. I don't recall if there was dressing on the side or if there was oil and vinegar on the table. I suspect the latter.

There is a sympathetique place WSW of Narbonne in St. Pierre des Champs or Peyrans. The latter may not even appear on most maps, but may served useful as a direction once you've reached St. Pierre. This is by no means a destination place to eat and the accomodations may well be superior or more interesting than the food, although they are both really part of a whole. La Fargo is a small hotel rooted in a very rural countryside and run by Christophe and Dominique Morellet. He is the son of the artist Francois Morellet and also the brother of the owner of Florient restaurant in NY, although this may be the anthical place to eat with no buzz and no scene. Christophe is not a professional cook, but an amateur in the best sense of the word. His food is simple, and his products are as local as possible and as organic as possible. We stayed here and had dinner a couple of years ago and with the caveat that this will never be a starred restaurant, we can recommend it, although I'd check first to even see if they're serving dinner to non overnight guests that night. He cooks and she will tell you about the wines on the list. They all seemed to come from vineyards located a stone's throw from the restaurant which has a large modern fireplace at one corner and lots of french windows which open in the summer with several areas for open dining under a canopy of grapeleaves. When we were there the table was set with bread and a black olive puree. The menu offered a choice of three appetizers, three main courses, cheese and dessert. We started with the Tart Mado (tomato tart) with serrano ham with a wonderful fruity olive oil and home grown lettuce, and fresh sardines demi-sel (lightly cured) on top of cold crushed potatoes with olive oil and chopped diced peppers, tomatoes and onions with lettuce. We asked about the tomato tart and were told it was an old family recipe from Christophe's grandmother which they spiced up a little more and serve cold rather than warm as grandma used to serve it. It was perfect as a summer starter. Main course offerings were two fish dishes and one of lamb. We choice the roast lamb which came cooked perfectlyrosé with onions, carrots, zucchini sticks lightly sauteed (still a little crunchy in style that was more American than French) and a very creamy potato gratin. We then had a plate of three cheeses, cow, sheep and goat. Alternatively, there was a choice of fresh sheep cheese with honey. There was also a clafouti of black cherries. It looked wonderful but we were too full to try it. The local wine is Corbières and the bottle we had from their selection, was wonderfully fruity with a little spiciness that went very well with the lamb. The Morellets are friends of friends and I was reminded of la Fargo because we had dinner last night with one of those friends. We were enjoying a NY restaurant meal that was excellently prepared, but still elicited a comment from me asking why pigeon in France of Spain is usually so full of flavor and why the one I was having in NY, had so little flavor. Our friend in turn was reminded of a story Christophe had told her about a diner who complained that the flavor of the duck was too strong. She may not have known, but did not say, if the diner was American, French or some other nationality. Christophe's rely however was to ask the diner if she was saying that her duck tasted too much of duck. We found the Morellet's most charming, but I'd only go if you love real food. There was another story told last night and it was of Morellet's reply to a woman whose only comment about her pintade (organically raised at a neighboring farm) was that there was a pin feather still on the bird. I understand the woman was frantic and Christope less than sympathetic. I have the following numbers in my files. tel 04 68 43 12 39 - 04 68 43 12 78 - fax 04 68 43 29 20

At least no one is throwing out yesterday's tartes because the hemline is too short. Stale pastry is not like stale fashion. Pastry fashion doesn't need to change in order to make you want to throw out yesterday's stale cakes. Nevertheless, Pierre Hermé, for example, brings out a product line every season--new tastes, new flavors and new pastries. Of course you want to taste this year's model as soon as possible. You will need to hurry up and see which ones you like so you can be the first to serve them to your guests and family. It's not just about the competition with other patisseries, it's also about making the consumer more conscious of pastry and getting him to buy more. A new line is news and news is free publicity.

There's a one star restaurant in the Hotel du Parc in Perpignan. We ate there many years ago. I think it lost the star and gained it back. Probably not even the same chef as when we ate there. Collioure has a one star restaurant. Collioure is a nice town with small beaches saved from over development by its surrounding mountains, or hills. We haven't eaten at the starred restarant, unable to get a reservation the last time we passed through. One star often doesn't mean too much in an area not known for food. Our last meal in Perpignan, at an unstarred, but not cheap, restaurant in Perpignan was disappointing. We have friends in the area, but eating out here is losing its charms. You should be able to get your hands on good cheese. There's excellent cow, goat and sheep cheese made to the north and west. Good anchovies are packed in Collouire, but then you're coming from Catalunya and can get that at home. There may be cracks in my francophilia, but one goes to Catalunya from this part of France for good food.

I seem to recall a number of halal butchers in the area. I didn't look closely at the "other" market next to the food market to determine if it was used goods or new goods. That is to say if it was a flea market or the sort of dry goods market that forms a part of most the small town markets on market days. I've not really noticed if these things form a part of Parisian neighborhood outdoor markets as they do in small towns in general.

In another thread, I wondered about how reasonable it was for the Times to review a few neighborhood restaurants if it coudn't cover the field. My comment here was that it was reasonable to review a one star restaurant in the abstract. Actually great restaurants are always news and minor ones rarely are, and a good case could be made that the more newsworthy restaurants should be covered first. Still, there's usefulness in a one star review. At least I thought that one might be useful. The problem I have is not that it was reviewed, but that so many others in its class are not. The effect of this review would not be to get people from Manhattan to jump in a cab to Brooklyn, it would possibly help those planning on eating there, make the most of the opportunity. What I'd really like to see is more reviews. The Times reviews more than three movies every week. I guess it's cheaper to send a reviewer to the movies one night than to send him to a restaurant five or six times. Come to think of it, reviewers often see films for free anyway.

I wouldn't discount the effect of the small piece of food. A simillar experiment could be made with the same whisky at the same temperature served just after different small bites of food. Then there's the experiment of the same food food served in small bites after each of several different spirits, or even after each of several different malt whiskies. Granted that no two bottles of wine are exactly the same, but I've had wildly different opinions of the same wine after having it with two very different foods. I suspect the food is the reason.

This might be a good time to note that Harold McGee is coming out with a vastly revised edition of (two thirds larger, we more subjects and subject matter) of On Food and Cooking and will doing an eGullet Q&A starting November 8. That might be the time and place to ask some of your questions. Harold is one of the pioneers of the Molecular Gastronomy movement and an active participant in its workshops along with Heston Blumenthal, Hervé This and the others. We'll have more information posted about him soon. Much of what Molecular Gastronomy is about, is understanding the scientific principles behind what happens when you cook and eat. With a greater understanding of the science behind cooking and tasting (cooking can be the preparation of raw foods and the mixing of cold liquids for these purposes) you have more knowledge than just tradition to use when creating.

It's rather unfair for most of the major players to get reviewed and for all of the smaller neighborhood mom and pop shops to be ignored, but is it any better to review a random selection of neighborhood places that are not worth at least a detour. A problem I see is that the NY Times doesn't review enough restaurants for it to scatter it's blessings.

"A neighborhood restaurant, of the kind and level that every neighborhood wants," might be point enough if you're near by. To top it off, Bruni gives you the information you may use to stay ahead of the learning curve, to avoid the lack luster dishes and go for the " few things [it does] well enough to argue for attention from food lovers from more than a few blocks away."

I don't mean to fault the Times or the author of "We ... confounded the waiter in the parador restaurant by leaving the white asparagus (a Spanish delicacy that we both find repellently flabby) on our salads untouched - the equivalent, we deduced from his reaction, of eating only the toast points on a plate of caviar." She writes honestly, evocatively and provides enough information to pique the curiosity of those who might care about these things, but I'm glad Victor brought the discussion here. I don't know where else this kind of information is so well expressed and exchanged. Travel can be educational, but it can often lead to experiences that are more mystifying than enlightening. A lot of people come to food discussion boards looking for a list of the "best" restaurants in order to make their trip a success. Sometimes they want a list of places "where the locals eat." I don't think either of those lists serve as well as discussions such as this one, which enable the reader to walk into any local restaurant and get the most out of what they are prepared to offer. My signature is too full of official site stuff, otherwise This site is a gold mine of philosophical education might become my signature.

In line with John's pun, I've got a grouse about our recent trip. I've been in Paris and points south in early September and late October. In spite of clear blue skies, warm temperatures and longer daylight, I prefer late October for the menus.

I think I noted that Sunday was a market day at the Place Aligre, which meant that the street market was in full bloom, but there's also an indoor market and a shopping street filled with food stores. I assume the latter is working all week long, but one should go on a market day to see the open market in operation.

If I were in Paris, I'd be interested. I'd think it would be a service to members. If members are interested in this sort of thing, it might be nice to stop by the shop and let them know. A few weeks ago, I finally got the chance to take a brief look at Lavinia, rather at the other end of the scale to la Dernière Goûte--not that I mean to say Lavinia is not "sympa," but it's rather large and impersonal. I never even made it to the downstairs space of this bi-level shop, but spent some time admiring the prices for California wines. The prices were impressive enough to make stop complaining, at least for a while about imported wine prices here. A batch of wines that are less than $30 here in New York, all went for 60 € and up. If the lower floor is devoted to French wines as I suspect, Lavinia, a Spanish company is not trying to change the buying habits of Parisians too drastically. The selection of Spanish wines is large for Paris, but still a small part of the offering.

Alex Lee, who was executive chef at Daniel, is shooting an episode in the very near future. I think the shoot is next week, but I don't know when it will be aired. I understand there are new Iron Chefs and I'm even more curious to know what it takes to chosen as an Iron Chef, than I am to know how they choose challengers.

Does the Marché Aligre count as outlying? I'm not sure which days it's active. We were there recently on a Sunday morning and the outdoor and indoor markets were jam packed and decidely non touristy. For us le Baron Rouge, a wine bar that serves oysters on the street a half block away from the market on rue Roussel is the draw.