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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

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

I went to wine a tasting recently at le club savour in the 16e. Every one sat around with paper and pencil and water as well as some chesse and bread.The following !998 wines were tasted: -Chateau clinet-pomerol -Chateau mission haut Brion-Pessac leognan -Chateau cos d'estounel-st estephe -Chateau leoville barton- St JUlien A sommeliere went through the basic of wine tasting.Namely color,nose,taste and aftertaste. Overall all the wines ,except for leoville barton were closed ,with high level of tannin.So its more of an intelectual excersize of determining as to which one had a bright future.Cos d'estounel was the favorite as it had more of a presence,even though it had a strong Cuir animal nose (rotten vegetable in my book).My favorite however was the haut brion.it has a much better future as it develops, and the hidden fruit elements of good breed emerges The leoville barton was simple and quite pleasant but not worth the price(28 E). Chateau clinet had strong bouquet ,but the fruit was masked.ITs about average in terms of future prospect. IN conclusion the wines reflected a somewhat flat year for 1998 with no exciting prospect. The 1999 chat d'Yquem was delighfull like all Yquems.However the 1999 was weak in acidity so that it was not as vivaceous.

Report has it that Jacques Genin, creater of the most amazing caramels in the world, allows the occasional visitor in his studio. What else to call the site of such a product? Last spring I called him to learn if I could arrange a visit. The only day I had free was Saturday and that did not work out. This spring I have a better schedule and I hope to arrange a better day. Although he normally sells his sweets only to retailers, restaurants, and hotels, he has been known to sell to his visitors. Has anyone visited him over this past year? Does anyone have any information that might be useful in setting a visit in the future?

Holiday eating 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. Easter What will you eat 14th of July Happy Bastille Day November 11 Nov 11 Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Expat Thanksgiving 2004 Thanksgiving turkey Christmas Traditional Christmas desserts New Year’s Eve New Years Eve dishes and customs New Years Eve menus Epiphany Galette des Rois

I am looking for a little bit of advice if anybody can help. I have been invited to a News Years Eve dinner in the burgundy region, three or four extended families will be in attendance. In order that I can display a little knowledge of this traditional time could anybody shed light on dishes normally served on New Years Eve (if any) and are there any particular customs? Furthermore it is custom in England to listen to the chimes of Big Ben (bells) either on radio or TV come midnight, what is the equivalent in France? One last request, I have invited a number of locals from the village (in Burgundy) to my house on New Years Day for a late lunch, again are there any particular dishes traditionally served on this day? Regards david

(also posted in the France forum) My daughter is having a party in her French class at school and I need to prepare a dessert for the class that would traditionally be served in France during the Christmas season. However, the Buche de Noel has already been "taken" by another student, so that one is out. As for other things, while I can name and prepare a long list of French pastries, I haven't a clue as to what would be most popular during the Christmas season. Thanks for your suggestions!

My daughter is having a party in her French class at school and I need to prepare a dessert for the class that would traditionally be served in France during the Christmas season. However, the Buche de Noel has already been "taken" by another student, so that one is out. As for other things, while I can name and prepare a long list of French pastries, I haven't a clue as to what would be most popular during the Christmas season. Thanks for your suggestions!

We had some terrific grilled Dublin Bay prawns on the English menu or Langoustines on the French menu at Le Bar à Huîtres last week. They were simply grilled with spices and accompanied by white rice. The white rice was cooked with spices also though, and it was really really really good. Is there a traditional rice spice that goes with this preparation? Anyone know what made the rice taste so good? I'm never going to get that quality of langostines at home but I might be able to recreate the rice.