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This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information available in prior threads on eGullet. Please feel free to add links to additional threads or posts or to add suggestions. Baguettes Best croissant of 2007 Poujauran/Secco Galette des Rois Poujauran Freshly-Baked Gluten Free Bread in Paris the revival of the bread movement in France Questions about France: Bakery Edition Boulangerie Drive-In Joly Artisan Bakers in Nice Boulangeries/Bakeries in Paris Lionel Poilane Missing

This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information available in prior threads on eGullet. Please feel free to add links to additional threads or posts or to add suggestions. Buying Cheese at the Shop Cheese Shops in Paris Cheese-Hopping in France Vacherin Mont D’Or

Saveurs No. 146 - February / March 2006 Amuse Bouches La Chronique de Vincent Noce: Vincent Noce’s commentary on Molecular Gastronomy. Agenda: Salon for Celebrations: Vivre en Fetes, 24-26 March, Palais des Congres d’Antibes-Juan-les-Pins. Jolie truffes, 17-19 Feb, Colloquium for French truffle producers, St. Paul-Trois-Chateaux. Ca Pique! 4-5 March, Tasting and learning about sea urchins, Mans. Encore en Bresil, 10-26 February, Lemon festival, theme: Brazil. Nice and Menton. Repas au Sommet, until 30 April, Exposition of menus, examples of set tables of famous diplomatic dinners throughout history. Musée du President Jacques Chirac, Sarran. 1,2,3… Morbier, 13-9 March. Festival of Morbier Cheese, taste and compare the 30 different Morbiers in production today. Brut ou Doux? 19 February. Cider: Tastes and demonstrations at the fete du cidre du Haut-Anjour à l’Hotellerie de Flée. Bigarrures, 26-27 Feb. Weekend in celebration of the famous Herrault bitter oranges of La Caunette. Epoque: Delicious English biscuits, Food storage for brown bagging it at the office, Demets, a cute restaurant for lunch, Bordeaux producers publish a list of affordable wines, Retro chocolate teddy bears, A seminar on the truffle for the general public, Oeneolunch, a weekly event with sommeliers to learn from. Valentines gifts for Foody Fashion Victims, Local delivery of chocolates and candied fruits, New Wave charcuterie: facon Morteau, Montbellieard, Lyonnais, Diots, the new fashion in sausage. La table du mois: Benoit, rue St. Martin, Paris 4e. En vogue: Le Kiosque, place de Mexico, Paris 16e / Chez Jean-Michel, rue Colbert, Tours / La Place, av. De la Vallée-des-Baux, Maussane-les-Alpilles / Le Temps de Vivre, place de l’eglise, Roscoff. / La Laiterie, ac de l’Hippodrome, Lambersart. / Le P’tit B, rue de Vaugueux, Caen. À lire: Epatez Vos Amis: Learn to make pasta. La Petit cuisine des fees: The little food of faeries. La Cuisine Ducasse par Sophie: Sophie, the home cook, takes on Ducasse’s recipes. Pot-au-feu & Cie: Winter stews in the traditional style. Carnet de recettes d’une blonde fauché: Recipe book of a blonde who down and out and broke! Tout nouveau tout bon: Tube tendance: Tubes of vodka, chocolate, etc. New line of essential oils for cooking. Caramels in retro packaging, Maille mustard goes retro in limited edition ceramic pot, Monoprix gourmet does a tasty new nut sauce for pasta, Old Dutch Master cheese from the Netherlands now available in France, Alter eco makes their take on Nutella with the bonus of equitable commerce. Sejour à la carte: Barcelona. Spreadsheet of hotels and restaurants, guide recommendation, things to see, etc. Escapades: Town of Hauteluce, La Ferme du Chozal. Les Maldives, Taj Excotica Resort and Spa. Features Cocottes. Series of recipes for your heavy iron cooking pots. - Photos Valéry Guedes, Recipes and stylism Valéry Drouet. Daube de boeuf à l'orange Poires au pain d'épices Porc aux abricots secs Lotte braisée aux oignons et au sesame Navarin créole Invitation: Summer in Australia. While we’re freezing to death, the Aussies are surfing, sunning, grilling and eating in the garden! - text Véronique André, photos Donald Van der Putten Poisson aux noix de macadamia Pudding à la banane Seasonal variations. Easy, rapid, and original, what more can we ask from these 8 recipes on the combo theme, for the weekend, during the week… - Photos Pierre-Louis Viel, recipes and stylism Valéry Drouet Rémoulade de céleri, pomme et haddock au curry. Cake au champignons et au Reblochon. Jambonneau croustillant et navets au vinaigre Dos de cabillaud rôti aux épices Crumble banane aux spéculoos Fondant sablée aux pommes caramélisées Alain Senderens: Six months after having pinned on his third star, looking back at the story of Alain Senderens, before his ascendance to spearheading the new Nouvelle Cuisine. Texte Vincent Noce, Photos Enzo Minardi Carré d’agneau a la javanais Fondant au Coing, sirop, d’épices Trop choux! Cauliflour (choux-fleur), green cabbage, pommé or broccoli, there are so many varieties in the cabbage family that we can use it in our menu every day! Text Dominique Lesbros, Photos Jérome Bilic, recipes and stylism Valéry Drouet Salade de chou rouge à l’orange et aux noix Salade de chou blanc à l’indienne Velouté de chou fleur au cerfeuil Effilochée de pintade au foie gras au chou Rôti de lotte au lard et chou romanesco Gâteau de choux de bruxelles au lard Quel lascar de Homard ! Lobster fisherman is an authentic odyssey. André Creach, fisherman off the coast of the l’ile de Batz, takes us on his boat to bring up the nets. Also, questions on bisque, how to choose your lobster. Text Dominique Lesbros, photos, stylism and recipes Jean-Françoise Mallet Chair d’homard en salade aux agrumes, vinaigrette au miel Tartare de homard et graines de grenade aux herbes fraîches Homard sauté aux nouilles chinoises Voyager Halte en pays de cocagne : Do you know about this place ? This dreamy land of abundance is as real as it gets. Situated in a historical corner of the Tarn that cultivates the finer things in life. (with carnet de route) Fois gras poêlé aux radis roses Pigeonneau farci aux petits légumes Courgettes farcies au veau de cocagne Crème brûlée au thym et a la cardamome Angkor – Le mystère khmer : Fascinating palaces of the ancient Khmer empire with nourishing waters of Lake Tonlé Sap, the magic of Angkor, Views of today’s Cambodia. (with carnet de route) Bouillon khmer de poisson-chat à la citronelle Salade de pomelos a la khmer Sauté de porc aux haricots verts longs Rome en cinémascope : Roman vacation, Dolce Vita, l’Eclipse, or Nous nous sommes tantes aimés (what’s the name of that movie in English, Folks ?), all of Rome is cinema’s plateau, delicious and bewitching. Gourmand Travelling. (with carnet de route) Tripes aux fèves et aux cèpes Maltagliati aux courgettes et palourdes Crème brûlée à l’aubergine et safran Blancs d’Anjou de voluptueux liquoreux : in the Loire valley, the king is named Chenin Blanc. Discover a captivating region and the golden appellations that are still little known : Coteaux-de-Layon, Quarts-de-Chaume, Coteaux de l’Aubance and Bonnezeaux. (with carnet de route) Cuisiner Chicory, a little taste of the north. Aside from its ravishing taste of grilled hazlenut, chicory possesses virtues that you must discover. Mousse à l’ail, vinaigrette à la chicorée et chips de bettrave Chutney’s soft side. To give a little youth to the grand old classics of cuisine or for effortless special effects, chutney is your essential ally. Chutney betterave carotte Chutney aux dates, noisettes et piment Marmelade d’oignions rouges Gelée de citron à la menthe Chutney ananas abricot Two new recipes around maple syrup. Crème de panais aux échalotes confites et sirop d’érable Bouchons aux noix, dattes et sirop d’érable Black is Beautiful An all black meal that sparkles (and is cooked by a brigade of women all white as snow and pale as mid-winter ghosts. –ed.) Rougets Poêles, sauce a l’encre de seiche et riz aux champignons noirs Tapenade noir sur radis noir Figues noirs caramélisés au cassis Coté caves : Well set tables, pleasure of the senses, celebration of the palate, let us guide you to some good bottles. This month recommendations good bottles with price range and winery information for : Pessac-Leognan Blanc, Coteaux du Languedoc, Rivesaltes, Chablis, Sante Estephe, Cotes du Luberon Rouge, Margaux, Lalande de Pomerol, Vin de pays de l’Herault Blanc, Monbazillac, Beaune 1er Cru. Coté Alcools : Bourbons, pure and single malt Scotch and Whiskeys… Panorama of world in movement. Commentary and price range on : Aberlour 15y, Bowmore 17y, Talisker Distillers Editions, Glenfiddich 15y Solera, Glen Deveron 10y, Jonnie Walker 15y Green Label, Lagavulun 12y Special Release, Nikka pure Malt Whiskey, Redbreast 12y, Blanton’s Original. Cuisine et Tendance : Printemps breakfast bowls, MV prestige tube for tea, novelty tea steeper, La carpe infusion machine, Alessi coffee service, Mariage Freres Shanghai tea pots, Pylons designer breakfast appliances, Resonances mechanical juicer, TVs psychedelic sauté pans, Resonances teapot with votive candle warmer, Sabre butter knives, AGA retor stove inspired by the 60s, cuisinart toaster, fortunat shaped egg poachers and milk mousser, La Carpe cereal dispenser, Cuisinart egg-addict egg cooker that cooks your egg exactly to order, La chaise longue breakfast station. Selected recipe cards (from bulleted recipes above). (please PM bleudauvergne with corrections)

Living abroad always involves a whole slew of gastronomic discoveries and adventures that go along with our day by day learning experiences. It's a known fact that once the glory and exhileration of actually getting to a foreign country subsides, there will be - up days - and down days. Inevitably on the down days we're all faced with the need for some good old down home comfort food, and on the up days we want to share our country's best and brightest dishes, the ones that we really must share to make someone understand how our home country's food is spectacular, beautiful, wonderful, even. In the eyes of an expat in France, simple things like baking powder, corn meal, even blackeyed peas, flour or bacon can be confusing and upsetting when you've first arrived here. I've been in contact with several eG members who have plans to or have already moved to France. I'd like to start this thread in light of a really super blog entry by eG member David Lebovitz, who lives in Paris, where he tackles some of the most pressing issues facing the home baker. His advice can be found here. I would like to take that topic and expand it with food related experiences and advice from people who have come here to France to live. For 2 weeks or 20 years, exchange student or in exile, from any foreign country, no matter how long or how long you plan to stay here, share with us your discoveries. Some of our French members will also have valuable advice to give and perhaps a story or two about how it might have been the other way around. Lets not be afraid of bringing up the most mundane examples and advice - I remember that when I first got here, even the most obvious 'duh' things were big discoveries.

Régal, No. 9, February-March 2006 Edito. Mise en Bouche: Boudin déguisé Courier des lecteurs: Concours des recettes Bruits de casseroles: Actualités à grignoter : News to nibble on: The restaurant Mac/Val at the Nouveau musee d'Art Contemporain at Vitry. Glace rétro, retro ice cream. Invasion of the Italian Pandoro cake. Healthy food coaching offered by Chefs in Lyon and Lille. High Tech toaster. Gift: olive oil bottles in hot colors. Bar made of Ice in Paris 18th. Super new fruit juce : pomogranite juice by Yablok. Knife cult: Knife 9.47 discovered in the paté at Prenez les Pailles, the bistrot/cave in the 15th. La creuset special delivers in Paris. Anticellulite chocolate. Juice bar Lood in the Paris 2eme helps us get our quota of daily fruit. Fruit and vegetable soap. To taste - Le Pain des leurs organic whole grain crackers. New Book: "Testicules" every possible way they are served and cooked, everywhere. To discover: Tapasmania, restaurant in the Paris 1st. To drink: Ski wine - Domaine Dupasquier, Jongieux, Savoie. To taste: Nice new sablée biscuits, Michel et Augustin. Find them at Monoprix. etc. Batterie de cuisine: Le cuit-vapeur ; Reviews of steam cookers. Shopping: Vaisselle et ustensiles bambou Feuilleté: Les meilleurs livres du moment: Helen Darroze - autobiography, photos Jerome Delafosse. Vin pour les nuls, Pierre Casamayor. Beaux restes - a cookbook that shows you how to create new dishes with leftovers by Emmanuelle Jarry and Jean-Francois Mallet. Fete la cuisine - New menus for holiday meals by Nathaly Nicholas. Pot-au-feu & Cie - 30 recipes for the Pot au Feu by Keda Black with photos by Akido Ida. C’est la saison. - seasonal list updated on the Feb Thread Here. Un produit et deux recettes: Le merlan : Un produit et deux recettes: Le fenouil : Un fromage de saison: la mimolette Un produit rare à découvrir: le haricot de soissons Agenda: Fête de l’huile nouvelle et autres manifestations : Oil fest and other events Menu de saison. Entrée: Papillote de crepe aux langoustines Plat: Chou farci Dessert: Galette des rois feuilletée aux dattes Ma recette prete en 30 minutes. / My recipe ready in 30 minutes Benedict Beaugé et son cabillaud aux coquillages en cataplana Laura Zavan et ses pates orecchiette, saucisse et poireaux Trish Deseine et son aile de raie rotie au beurre vert Recettes Rapides. Que faire avec ? Les chataignes en bocal : What to do with: Canned Chestnuts Que faire avec ? Les champignons séchés : What to do with : Dried Mushrooms Feature Articles. Les agrumes. - Texte Marie-Odile Briet, Photography Akiko Ida Du soleil dans l’assiette : rien de tel en hiver, pour réveiller vos plats, que d’utiliser des agrumes en cuisine. Apprenez à les reconnaître. / Especially in wintertime, to bring your main dishes to life, use citrus fruits in your cooking. Learn how to identify them. Le Cochon. - Texte Aline Cochard, photography Tommasso Sartori Dossier : Peu chère, maigre et digeste, la viande de porc a tout pour plaire. Des éleveurs ont relancé des races anciennes aux saveurs exceptionnelles. Le chef Bruno Doucet, de La Rélegade, nous livre huit recettes faciles et délicieuses. / Inexpensive, lean, and digestable, pork has everything to please. Pork farmers have brought back old races with exceptional flavor. Chef Bruno Doucet, of La Relegade, gives us 8 easy and delicious recipes. Julie Andrieu fete la Saint-Valentin.recipes Julie Andrieu, Photos Henry Roy Recettes amoureuses Comme Julie Andrieu, préparez votre repas de la Saint-Valentin avec votre amoureux. À deux, c’est plus rigolo. Une entree, un plat et un dessert à déguster dans les yeux. / Loving recipes just like Julie Andrieu's, prepare your St. Valentine meal with your lover. It's more interesting when two are cooking. One appetizer, one main dish, and one dessert to taste with your eyes. Secrets de Chef. - Texte Alice Orhant, Photography Pierre Javelle Crêpes soufflées au Grand Marnier : Le tour de main de Jean-André Charial, de l’Oustau de Baumanière, aux Beaux-en-Provence Un Restaurant et un Plat. - texte Sébastien Demorand, Photography Denis Dailleux Topinambours, pommes de terre et pintade en baeckeofe de Mon Vieil Ami, à Paris Cuisinez les épluchures de légumes racines. - Texte Dr. Jean-Phillippe Derenne, photography Anne Veaute Ne jetez plus les épluchures, elles sont délicieuses en salade ou en gâteau / Don't throw away your peelings, they are delicious in a salad or cake! À Boire Vins Bio : Plus naturels, les vins bio répondent à un besoin d’authenticité. Portraits de vignerons qui ont sauté le pas. / More natural, organic wines meet a need for authenticity. Portraits of winemakers who have taken the leap. Vins de Cahors, week-end de cave en cave : Suggestion d’itinéraire pour une balade dans les vignobles autour de Cahors / Itinerary suggestion for a tour through the winemaking estates of Cahors. Les secrets d’un alcool : Une savoureuse liqueur au whisky. / A delicious whiskey liqueur. Échappées gourmandes Le skrei en Norvège : Reportage dans les îles Lofoten, où des millions de cabillauds viennent se reproduire chaque hiver. / Report from the Isles of Lofoten, where millions of cod reproduce each winter. Pêche sous glace en Auvergne : Des centaines de pêcheurs creusent un trou dans la glace pour taquiner la truite. Étonnant ! / Hundreds of fishermen cut a hole in the ice for catching trout. Suprising! Insolite : Au Canada, on élabore un cidre à base de pommes gelées. 16 Pages Pour Mieux Consommer Toute la vérité sur les vitamines Faut-il acheter les produits hard discount ? Ne pas confondre la morteau et de la montbéliard Banc d’essai : Quel confit de canard choisir Produit d’ailleurs : La pâte d’olives de Kalamata Produit de terroir. L’andouillette de Troyes À découvrir : L’huile d’amandons de prunier Fiches Détachables : Cuistots en herbe : Deux recettes pour les enfants La liste des courses : Les ingredients de 18 recettes à glisser dans le porte-monnaie. Index des recettes : Entrées : Boudin déguisé Bouchées d’apéritives Carpaccio de fenouil au parmesan Marinière de coquillages au cumbava Salade d’épluchures de légumes racinés Salade effet Bœuf Salade d’oignions frais Kumquats et olives Soupe de vermicelles aux champignons seches Velouté de fenouil Plats : Aile de raie au beurre vert Andouillette au rosé des Riceys Cabillaud au coquillages en cataplana Carré d’agneau rôti au pomelo Chou farci Cote de porc rôtie au beurre demi-sel at au thyme frais Croustillants d’oreille et de pied de porc Filets mignons à l’ananas, tomates et brindilles de romarin Gambas sautées au gingembre sur rondelles d’ananas Gratin de châtaignes au citron Lapin à l’olive noire de Kalamata Merlan aux herbes fraîches Omble chevalier au chou vert Palette demi-sel cuite au bouillon, lentilles vertes du Puy Papillote de crêpe aux langoustines Pâtes orecchiette, saucisse et poireaux Pintade a la bigarade Polenta, poêlée de champignons au curry Poitrine croustillante Roulade de merlan à la vanille Rôti de porc cuisiné à la sauge Skrei à la Maren Anna Terrine de campagne Tchelo (galette de riz) Topinambours, pommes de terre et pintade en baeckeofe Tourte de saumon au fenouil Travers de proc laqué Desserts: Banquise bicolore Cerises d’amour Crêpes soufflées au Grand Marnier Crumble Banane-citron vert Crumble de châtaignes à la poire Galette des rois feuilletée aux dattes Gâteau de pelures de racines Gâteau au yaourt Granité vodka-orange Nougatine chocolat-amandes Roulofilo (roulé jambon-fromage) Shortbreads (biscuits écossais) Contributors : Aline Cochard Julie Andrieu Photographe : Tommaso Sartori (please PM bleudauvergne with corrections)

I'm off to Paris for a week with my wife and we are torn b/w 2 apartments. One on the 4th near Place de Vosges and the other near Place de la Contrascarpe in the 5th. Which is a better location for proximity to food shopping/markets. Also, where are the better wine shops in Paris. I'm not necessarily looking for the older vintages, just a fairly priced shop with a wide selection. Any help is greatly appreciated.....JP

I used to have a recipe for this wonderful french dessert straight out of my Le Cordon Bleu student book, but unfortunately, I don't have it with me to refer to. I'd like to make it for an upcoming friend's birthday cake. Does anyone have a recipe to post? Thanks!

Russ Parsons has written an LA Times article titled: Madame's main man, a story about Paul Aratow who translated this 1927 tome, which Julia Child referred to as "the best French cookbook I know." Allons-y, mes camerades!

What’s in the markets in France – February I’ve gotten a little encouragement to start a monthly series on products in our markets after my response to the thread on March products. So, here’s February – much credit to the Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF) and Regal magazine, (recommended by the LTP of member Paga), featuring a combo of restaurant, product and recipe info that is really cutting edge, by me anyway (unfortunately they have no worthwhile web presence – you gotta call 01.43.23.45.72 or buy a copy which has subscription data). The following are in full season in February (underlined items are biggies and/or have recipes in Regal): oysters, bar, cod, merlan, langoustines, sole, turbot, lotte, oursin, coquille St-Jacques, calamari, coques, herring, monkfish, l’omble chevalier, palourdes, praires, ray, salmon and plie; milk-fed lamb, goose, farm pork and veal; l’Abondance, Cantal, Laguiole, Salers, Mimolette, Comte, l’Epoisses, Maroilles, Mont d’or, Munster-gerome, Vacherin, Ossau-Iraty; avocados, betterave, swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, fennel, dry mushrooms, celery-rave, rutabaga, topinambour, crosnes, salsify, celery, raddichio, cabbage, endives, Soissons beans, lentils from Puy, mache, turnips, parsnips, leeks and frisee; truffles; chestnuts; bananas, kiwi fruits (kiwis are the folks; kiwi fruits the products); yellow lemons, grapefruit, bananas, clementines, mandarins, Seville and other oranges, cumbava, dates and exotic fruits (e.g., mangos, passion fruit, litchis, coconuts, kaki, pomegranates, kumquats, starfruit and ground cherry). Others - please add to it.

They have been springing up all over the US for the last 5 years, so it was just a matter of time before the most dog-friendly country in the world had one. Trying to emulate the success in the US of "3 Dog Bakery" and others, Mon Bon Chien opened 2 weeks ago in the 15th arr. of Paris. Harriet Sternstein, an ex-pat, has devoted the last couple of years in planning, finding space, getting the permits, and hiring the right staff for her grand opening. Her Golden Retriever, Sophie, is the official greeter in the store. The specialties are many types of "pastries", the flavors include Ginger and Molasses, Bacon, Chicken, BBQ Beef, Biscotti, Peanut Butter, Vegetable and Garlic-Cheese-Parsley. They are all natural, and are also edible by humans. There is also a dog boutique, with coats, carry bags, jewelry, and pooper scoopers "for a cleaner Paris". She also plans to have a salon for haircuts as well. With a half-million dogs in Paris, this sounds like a "can't miss". Lots of luck to Harriet, and I can't wait until my next visit to Paris to meet Harriet and Sophie and sample some of the "goodies"!! Mon Bon Chien 12, rue Mademoiselle 75015 Paris Métro Commerce 01.48.28.40.12

Does anyone know of a gluten-free bakery in Paris? I would imagine it would be impossible for a regular boulangerie to make gluten-free bread if they produce other breads in the same space, but thought I would ask. I know the natural-food stores carry several, but a friend of mine's looking for freshly-baked, if possible.

Hi although my english is not very well, i try to open this forum to give me a knowledge about pastry worlds. Recently i read in some web sites, that japanese pastry and cakes including boulangerie are far better than french in taste and shape, is that true because i never taste french pastry in France (off course !!). what i really want to know is , is that true that french pastry is not in progress, i meant is not having any innovations or somethings, but things that bother me is some said that japanese student is choose france to taske pastry course. isn't that confusing, so does it mean that the people that makes the different not the technics..is it ??

This is the legendary salt-marsh grazing sheep, archetypally found in Normandy and Britanny in the shadow of Mont St. Michel. For a good description with a recipe check out this URL http://www.gastroville.com/archives/what_we_cook/000017.html There are similar types of lamb in Wales, British Columbia, and Quebec. I expect that if it is ever offered on a Paris restaurant menu, the price would be exorbitant, but I wonder if it is ever sold in Paris meat markets. And if so, would it be available in early March? Would someone like Serge Caillaud at Bell Viandier in the Marché Saint-Germain (rue Mabillon, 6e. Tel: 01.40.46.82.82) carry such an item or is it more likely to be found at a fancier establishment with its own website filled with distracting bells and whistles? I checked out one of those sites whose name I promptly forget because I was trying to suppress its moaning cow and buzzing delivery trucks, but agneau pré-salé was not listed, not surprising because it was not yet in season. Probably the best method would be to get the names of the fanciest meat markets in Paris and call them up directly. Anyone have such a list handy or know where to find it? This time I promised to ignore the macromedia flash dancing cows.

This AM the NYTimes is running a story about the effect of discovering some dead ducks in an important poultry-producing area of France. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/24/internat...artner=homepage The discovery of the diseased wild birds has prompted some very serious responses. Over the last few days I have been too busy to follow the story in the French press, but I wonder if those who have can add anything else?

What’s in the markets in November The following are reported by the Almanach du Gastronomie* to appear in the markets in November: Arriving: cauliflower, Jerusalem artichoke, vacherin, more potatoes, pomelos, clementines. Leaving: sardines, tuna, anchovies, tomatoes, mushrooms, Chaource, Neufchatel, goat cheese, figs. In full season: jumbo shrimp, scallops, calamari, herring, sole, dorade, rouget-barbet, goose, pheasant, wild boar, hare, celery, Brussel sprouts, crosne, salsifis, swiss chard, leaks, endives, pumpkin, Epoisses, mountain tommes, pears, kiwis and pineapples. *Reference: Almanach du Gastronomie by Armelle de Scitivaux (Bottin Goumand, 1998, 133 FF.)

This springs from a thread about the other bacon and onion tart from Alsace (the one with an egg-custard filling, and a flaky crust). This is the "Tarte Flambée", a rustic, unleavened bread dough rolled paper thin, topped with a creamy blend of Crème Fraîche and Fromage Frais, sprinkled with chunks of bacon (lardons) and thin slices of raw onion, and cooked in a blistering hot oven with raging flames for less than a minute. The name "Tarte Flambée" comes from the fact that the outside edges are charred by the flames. Curious to sample one of these, we did some research and learned that it's a country dish, not usually found in cities, and that it's served at "taverns" in the countryside that make it only at night. So, armed with directions from the hotel, we set out on a 13 mile journey out of Strasbourg down smaller and smaller roads, until we came to a village that was no more than a crossroads, and a restaurant with a shack out in the courtyard with the wood burning oven. After we'd been there a half-dozen times, they not only let us film the entire process, they let me make one (sort of)! (There's also a dessert version made with apples, and set aflame with Calvados when it comes to the table. I'll post that video later.) I've posted it in two different video formats (just in case anybody has difficulties with one or the other). Hope you enjoy... http://www.guyarts.com/tarte-flambee.mp4 http://www.guyarts.com/tarte-flambee.mov

We're thinking about making our own pates, but we are not sure if we can or should freeze them. If freezing is an option, should we freeze before cooking or after. What's the result once it's thawed out? If anybody has any experience in that, we are very curious about it. Thanks.

So I have no problem making a nice bechemel, but how do I hold it until I need it? Jaques says to drop butter in and kind of smooth it over the top so a skin doesn't form. I tried this but it didn't work too well. Should I just wait until the last possible second? My mornays get funky if I let them sit too long as well. Any help would be appreciated.

No disrespect intended, but I do have a question about kissing in France. These occur whenever we're meeting friend for dinner and quite often when leaving after dinner.. I'm talking about the polite quick pecks on the cheek (or air kisses) exchanged when greeting friends. I'm well aware these are not exclusively French in fact they seem increasingly popular everywhere, however, there seems to be quite a lot of protocol about them here in France. MY questions: How many are correct? I'm confused, because... Anglo-Saxon types seem to go for two. Most of our 'locals' go for three. Some friends from Paris insist on four! Now, once having determined the correct number we come to my second question? Which side do you start with? I can just imagine two very enthusiastic greeters getting it wrong and ending up with broken noses. Please let's not get to serious or philosophical about this. BReeP edited to add food content.

Every now and then since December 2004, a good number of us have been getting together at the eGullet Recipe Cook-Off. Click here for the Cook-Off index. With the weather turning cold in the northern hemispere and the Cook-Off having avoided French cuisine for a little while, it's time to dabble with daubes. There are few things as restoring as a daube, the classic French braised meat stew (usually beef, though not always) that has as many recipes as adults in France. It also helps to develop several crucial braising techniques that will come in handy over the next few months for many of us, and if you develop a lovely relationship with your butcher in preparation for same, all the better. I've found two daube recipes quite wonderful: a fairly straightforward one from Saveur Cooks Authentic French and the other, "Daube of Beef in the Style of Gascony," from our own redoubtable Paula Wolfert and her Cooking of Southwest France. That multiday recipe was the cooking highlight of my holidays last year, and the best beef that my guests had ever eaten. (click here for the link to a discussion of my experience with that recipe.) Wolfert also kindly placed this recipe for oxtail daube into RecipeGullet; you can also click here for snowangel's prep and execution of the dish. There aren't hundreds of posts on daube around here, but there are quite a few interesting topics, such as one that considers Catalan Tuna Daube and another that asks the question, "Daube with veal?" Variationson the traditional beef daube can be found here and there, including in this topic on Daube de Gardian.

I'll go from Norway to France in early December to study the use of surimi(! I use to get some reactions from the worlds food lovers on that one) I hope to include 2-3 days in Lyon. The aim is to experience how the surimi of France actually is consumed and to see if surimi has acces to restaurants or eventually cafes. Hopefully I'll have glass of wine as well...

French Game Vocabulary Bambis, Bunnies and Birds Readers are encourage to add other examples (NB not all terms are of wild creatures and some are farm-raised.) Bambis biche = doe, hind, young female cerf = venison, stag, hart, older male deer chevreuil = young male, venison, roebuck, roe-deer daim = buck, fallow deer daine = female deer faon = fawn, young cerf or young chevreuil Bunnies hase = female hare lapereau = young rabbit lapin = rabbit lapin de garenne = wild rabbit levraut = young hare lievre = hare Birds becasse = woodcock becassine = snipe caille = quail canard = duck canard croisé = farm-raised mallard duck, a specialty of Rouen canard de Barbarie = Muscovy duck, not necessarily free-range canard sauvage = mallard, wild duck caneton = duckling, young male duck canette = duckling, young female duck colvert = mallard, commonest wild duck dinde = turkey hen dindon = turkey cock faisan = pheasant, cock pheasant faisane = hen pheasant faisandé = hung game grouse = grouse hase = female hare lagopède = white fuzzy alpine ptarmigan oie = goose palombe = wood pigeon, ring dove perdrix, perdreau = partridge pigeon = pigeon pintade = guinea fowl pintadeau = young guinea fowl poule d’Inde = turkey hen poule de neige = grouse (see lagopède = white fuzzy alpine ptarmigan) tourterelle = turtle dove Other bison = bison caribou = caribou laie = marcassin's mom marcassin = young wild boar sanglier = wild boar Written by your France Forum team with a lotta help from our friends - Ptitpois & Le Zouave. Edited by John Talbott to update and add several items.

Last month in Paris I had the most perfect vinaigrette over a salad of haricot verts and mushrooms at Cafe Constant. The vinaigrette did not taste too much of vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, mustard, or herbs. It was perfectly balanced with no one flavor standing out. It was like crack-I could not get enough of this salad. I ordered Christian Constant's english language cookbook (Everyday French Cooking) but there is no vinaigrette recipe there. I've made a number of french vinaigrettes, from recipes, and none came close to this one. I know there are many more I could try but rather than make 20 vinaigrettes over the next few days, I thought I'd ask here. So, I am either looking for recipes or formulas, or just tips on what you think might be essential to a great one (what kind of vinegar? raw egg yolk? etc). I'd love to make this salad for thanksgiving.

Greetings all, I've managed to paint myself into a corner in my French class, so I shall default to kissing ass and using food to help insure that yours trully is able to get out the grade needed to progress to the next level. (Admittedly, it's all my fault, and hopefully, my mother doesn't read this. If she does, ignore the first part and uh, the teacher hates me, and it's all her fault.) Anyway, I was thinking a galette or something of the like, something DEFINITELY French... baking is my forte, and I was hoping someone here might have a recipe that isn't too extreme (example: eclairs,) that I could accomplish with an evening's worth of baking, and a max of $50 worth of budgetting. Besides that, the sky is the limit, as long as it's something I can say it is French cooking. Thanks for the help, J

Pronouncing French Wine Terms and Names This is one of a series of compendia that seeks to provide information for members of the eGullet Society. Please feel free to add links to additional sites, threads or posts or to add suggestions. The WSJ recently had an answer to a letter to Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher that gave several sites to consult to read and hear how wine names and terms are pronounced. It included: Robin Garr’s Wine Lovers Page’s Lexicon How Bordeaux’s are pronounced at Barry Bros & Rudd’s Pronunciation page The “Living, Audio” Wine Dictionary at Strat’s Place’s Wonderful World of Wine section and The Tasters Guild of New York’s Pronunciation Glossary