Chez Christine

Fro-Yo in Paris

Happy Bastille Day! Hard to believe I was in Paris a little over a week ago. What's up the all the frozen yogurt shops there now?

Bon Appétit!

The French Laundry - Finally

Many apologies for this so-overdue-it's-not-even-funny post! I hope you understand that I grocery shop, cook, and write recipes full-time for another website, and finding the time to post here seems to require a Herculean effort and spare time that I never seem able to muster.

But here it is, and I'm a little glad I didn't put it together sooner - reminiscing made me realize what parts of this monumental meal were memorable and what parts weren't.

Some background - on a whim, I put myself on the waiting list at The French Laundry for the first weekend in November last year. Why then, you may ask? I honestly didn't know what came over me. Maybe I was looking to celebrate landing my first job in years that truly made me happy, maybe it was a strangely extravagant way to mark our half-year marriage anniversary. I figured we only live 45 minutes away, why shouldn't we go? Go before a mortgage, children, or more adult responsibilities would never allow for such an indulgence.

The phone call came the Friday before: a spot had opened for lunch, were we interested? The menu would be exactly the same as dinner. After frantic phone calls with H, we took the plunge. Eating at lunch actually suited us - a long tasting menu followed immediately with bed time is never a good idea (channel Guy Savoy). The other bonus was that we would be able to see the gardens in daylight and have natural light for photos.

To sum it up, I had an amazing time. Perfect, knowledgeable, unobtrusive service and a restrained sensibility that was different from other restaurant tastings we'd had. It was a marathon meal - probably 3 1/2 hours from when we sat down to when we concluded our kitchen tour (and tried not to gawk at Chef Keller as we walked in). While technique was decidedly French, the ingredients and combinations astounded us.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. I still have yet to experience the "oysters and pearls," although I could always pull out the cookbook and immerse myself in the recipe on a weekend afternoon. I went into the meal hoping that the hype would not exceed the experience and was pleasantly surprised when it didn't. Things were technically perfect and the precision was evident on the plates.

Was it worth the cost? While I am clearly raving about my lunch, it was really hard to justify the cost. I know the high costs of pristine ingredients and living wages for those preparing and serving the food, but it's still hard to think of how much high-quality, local, organic food I could buy for the same price.

So come with me on the journey: Bon Appétit!
 

The Signature French Laundry Clothespin

There was the regular tasting menu and the vegetable (but not necessarily vegetarian) tasting menu. We opted for the regular with a few supplements, making sure not to order the same thing when given the choice for a course. Our marriage works well because we are sharers!

Gougères

Warm gougères appeared as we sipped our glasses of champagne and perused the menu. Good, but not mind-blowing.

Salmon "Cornets"
Crème Fraîche, Sweet Red Onion

The famous salmon cornets arrived in their delicate holders and were amazing. Crispy, briny, creamy, and toasty all in one bite.

Cauliflower "Panna Cotta"
with Island Creek Oyster Glaze and California Sturgeon Caviar

The earthiness of cauliflower always works well when combined with cream, and there was a nice texture contrast form the oyster and caviar. Island Creeks are from Massachusetts, and a discussion with our server revealed that they preferred East Coast oysters for their flavor and size.

Salad of French Laundry Garden Beets
Blood Orange, Sunchokes, Tarragon and Red Ribbon Sorrel

One of the misses of the meal. While the flavors were fresh and bright, the portion was miniscule, even for a tasting. Three tiny bites of food were on the plate and made it difficult to share, especially given this was served at the same time as the foie gras. There was almost too much acidity on the plate, it needed something different to balance it out.

Moulard Duck "Foie Gras en Terrine"
Cranberries, Pecans, Belgian Endive,
Celery Branch and Toasted Brioche

Why, oh why, is foie gras so good? I've had my share of foie gras terrines, and this had a texture that was perfectly smooth and melted immediately in the mouth. The cranberries were a nice touch to cut through the fattiness, and when is toasted brioche ever a bad idea? H ate his half of this dish first, and when we switched, our server magically appeared with a freshly-toasted slice of brioche for me- outstanding! I wish he would appear by my bed with the same thing every morning!

Sautéed Japanese Bluefin Tuna
Fennel Bulb, Pine Nuts, Niçoise Olive, Arugula, and Spanish Saffron

One of the dishes I can't seem to recall having an opinion about.

Florida Everglades Frog's Legs
Thumbelina Carrots, Tokyo Turnips, French Laundry Garden
Sugar Snap Peas, Sweet Garlic Pudding and "Buerre Rouge"

I'm always a sucker for frog's legs, probably because they are always served with strong flavors like garlic and parsley. This preparation didn't disappoint, with the careful frenching of the meat to make it easier to eat and the rich red wine-and-butter sauce to drag it all through.

New Bedford Sea Scallop "Poêlée"
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Chestnuts,
Caraway Melba and Dijon Mustard

Another East Coast transplant, the scallop was beautifully cooked and seared, with an interesting depth from the chestnuts. I feared chestnuts and scallops would be too sweet together, but the mustard and the melba helped to cut through it.

Pasta, Browned Butter, Parmesan, and White Truffles

There was a huge supplement for this additional course, but we jumped on it because it was white truffle season and decided since we were here to go all out. (Don't even want to think about much it cost per bite!)

This course warrants three photos: the first was the pasta which arrived by itself. Rich, eggy, buttery, cheesy pasta whose smell was driving me crazy. Photo two is the server shaving an insane pile of truffles over it all (and me locked into the whole process), truffles that came from a beautiful lacquered box carrying a king's ransom worth of the beauties. Photo three is the completed dish, finished by yet another server holding a little saucier full of hot browned butter that when drizzled over it all, released more of that heady scent into my face. I DREAM of this. This is perfection.

I hate truffle oil and truffles used merely to "fancy" a dish up. This was the right way to treat a truffle.

Four Story Hill Farm Milk-Fed "Poularde"
Hobbs' Bacon, Akita Komahi Rice, Yuzu, Matsutake Mushrooms, Mizuna and Kanzuri

Perfectly moist chicken with crisp skin, some nice Asian influences in the garnish. Loved the rice.

"Chateaubriand" of Marcho Farms Veal
Sweetbread Peirogi, Port Onions, Arrowleaf Spinach, and Truffle Crème Fraîche

I think the highlight of this was the peirogi, but I'm a sucker for dumplings. The veal was as good as veal can be, but sometimes roasted sliced meats hold little appeal for me as there is no flavor development from added ingredients.

"Manchego"
Quince Membrillo, English Walnuts, Frisée and Aged Sherry Vinegar

The sherry vinegar was a nice touch - sometimes the expected jams or honeys are boring, and an acidic contrast is always welcome with cheese, but it has to be paired well for it to work.

Bartlett Pear Sorbet
with Roasted Jacobsen's Farm Pears and Chai Tea Sablé

Pears are so good and refreshing, a perfect pre-dessert.

"Gâteau Saint Nizier au Manjari"
Mango-Chili Relish, Valrhona Cocoa Nibs, Lime Foam and Coconut Milk Sorbet

Chocolate and lime is one of our favorite flavor combinations, from the lime caramels from Patrick Roger to the chocolate-lime truffles we made as favors for our wedding. This was a rich, dense, brownie-like cake with just enough tartness from the garnishes to make it finger-licking good.

Bakewell Tart
Huckleberries, Marcona Almonds and Andante Dairy Yogurt Sherbet

I remember this being good but not outstanding. It was nice to see Andante Dairy appearing on the table again, as we had been slathering the unsalted butter they make on our bread throughout the meal. (There was also salted butter from Vermont.)

Caramel Macadamia Nuts

So good I asked them to take the extras home,which they gladly bagged up for me to enjoy at my leisure. The thin coat of burned caramel just took these to the next level.

Mignardises

Presentation-wise, it was amazing. Who doesn't like a tower of treats and a tray of chocolate? Unfortunately, my stomach was starting to groan so I nibbled on the treats in the box and the server wisely packed up chocolate for us to take home.

Gardens and Sunset

Throughout our meal, we periodically got up to use the restroom and stroll through the picturesque garden, reveling in the sunshine and beautiful Napa weather. After we finished, we crossed the street to the kitchen gardens and walked through the rows of squash, eggplant, and the last bits of summer produce. It makes me long for space and land when I see things like this, a desire to try to grow my own food.

I have no regrets about my meal at The French Laundry and am glad that we brought along a camera to capture it all. I hope you enjoyed your journey with me and hope that you will be able to experience your own one day!


The French Laundry
6640 Washington St.
Yountville, CA 94599
(800) 944-1224

Tasting menu: $240 per person for prix fixe (service included)
Supplements for foie gras and white truffle pasta course
Wine not included

Bon Appétit!

Paris - Restaurant Tax

Interesting article in the New York Times today about the dropping restaurant tax in Paris- it links an old post of mine from 2006!

Bon Appétit!

Neptune Oyster, Boston

Neptune Oyster in Boston's North End has a special place in my heart.

Up until August, it was the place to go for hot or cold lobster rolls, interesting crudo plates, and of course, oysters and clams on the half shell.  The design of the restaurant is surprisingly similar to that of Pearl in NYC, but the menu veers away from New England and incorporates a bit of Italian in there also.

Then came August and everything changed.

H & I had always wanted to go to Neptune's on a Monday night for their famous lobster spaghettini special.  We were only in Boston for two more weeks before moving to San Francisco, so we were trying to squeeze in as many favorite restaurants as possible.

I, unfortunately, was feeling grouchy that long, rainy Monday.  H wisely knew that the grouchiness probably came from hunger and suggested we go to Neptune.  Off we went and we had a fabulous meal.  Then came the big surprise when H proposed in the Public Garden!

So last week we decided to go back to Neptune and relive the fateful meal all over again, this time with H being more relaxed and me vowing not to be grouchy.  Word of caution: the lobster spaghettini is absolutely enormous, with very few people ever finishing the whole portion.  At $36, it's not cheap but quite reasonable when you decide to split it.  We've learned to order a crudo plate of some kind to share before diving into the heady bowl of tomatoes, sliced garlic, toasted bread crumbs, wine, and of course, chunks and chunks of lobster meat.  There is so much lobster that sometimes I want some more pasta in there to balance it out!  The first time there was no cheese on it, the second time there was - I still can't decide which one I prefer more.  It looks like a mess, a beautiful, delicious mess.

Yellowtail "Hamachi" Tartare

Washed down with some Trimbach wine from Alsace, it was perfect, absolutely perfect.  Almost as good the second time around - really, nothing can replace the happy day when you decide to spend your life together with the one you love.

Lobster Spaghettini

Neptune Oyster
63 Salem St.
Boston, MA 02113

Bon Appétit!

La Cave de L'Os à Moëlle

About 4 days into our trip in Tuscany, I found myself looking at a restaurant menu and remarking to H, "I'm tired of salumi."  A shocked look passed over his face, followed by, "Well, I'm not."

If there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I get bored easily.  Serve me the same foods over a short period of time and I will quickly dismiss it on my quest for something fun and exciting.  So it's not surprising that my eyes glazed over when more prosciutto showed up at the table.  H, on the other hand, has a keen interest in all things cured and was easily convinced to have my portion.

Maybe I was in a whiny mood, or maybe I was ready to head to Paris.  There are days when I daydream about what life was like there, chefs breathing down my neck, Parisians to deal with, watching my every step to avoid presents from the little dogs.  But then I think about the fromageries, the boulangeries, the boucheries, and especially the pâtisseries and my stomach skips a beat.

After flying from Rome to Paris, we arrived in our tiny but well-equipped apartment in the 6ème near Mabillon.  I threw open the windows to take in the sounds of traffic, cafés, and the general hum of life in Paris.  We had a decent inaugural croque monsieur at the café next door and strolled around, trying to orient ourselves again to this familiar neighborhood.

Dinner was in the bowels of the 15ème, at the wine bar across the street from L'Os à Moëlle.  I was slightly nervous, as it was supposed to be buffet style and I had never been to a French buffet.  I knew it wouldn't be the Las Vegas-style rows of shiny stainless chafers holding miles and miles of mediocre food, but I wasn't quite sure how the whole thing worked.

We had nothing to worry about. Once inside La Cave de l'Os à Moëlle , a friendly host seated us at a communal table and explained that we could help ourselves to anything out there.  Most tables had the same spreads of salads, vegetables, pâtès, terrines, and pots of mustards and cornichons.  The longer tables with a bigger spread had items not on the smaller tables conveniently situated at the ends for easy access.

Wine was ordered directly from the bar, or you could pick a bottle out from the wall and just pay a small corkage fee.  In the back was a hot bar containing a soup and a main dish, with today being roasted pork with root vegetables.

There was a dome covering a small selection of cheeses, mostly chèvres, and various desserts like their famous rice pudding, clafoutis, and sorbets sitting along one wall of the restaurant.  If you wanted bread, you just cut yourself some at the cutting board and brought it back to your table.

All the dishes were mismatched, adding to the charm.  They had a bin where you could bus your dirty dishes to obtain new ones.  From what I could tell, all the food was made at the restaurant across the street and literally run over to the wine bar.

It was charming, casual, the French language was all around us (not too many tourists), and we ate.  And ate.  And ate.  Apparently I had gotten over my complaint about too much salumi and gorged on charcuterie instead.  We barely held a normal conversation besides, "Did you try this?  It's good."  Fabulous bread, well-made terrines, and just enough variety that you had lots to choose from yet didn't suffer from "too many dishes, too small a stomach to try them all" syndrome.

The dinner was such a steal (reservations recommended, I think they do about 2 seatings a night) at around 24 Euros.  They even pack picnic baskets in case you want to hop on your vélo and eat outside in a park.  For those who don't want to commit to a full meal, you can get single portions of the food out there to nibble on at the taller tables set out in the front and outside.  It sure beats a mediocre pastry at a café anyday.

After having more than my fill and finally putting down my fork, I sat back and thought, "I'm back.  This is what Paris is about."

La Cave de l'Os à Moëlle
181 rue Lourmel
Paris, 75015
Tel: 01 45 57 28 28
Métro : Lourmel (line 8)

Bon Appétit!

Mercato Centrale, Florence

On our last full day in Tuscany, we ventured into Florence for a quick jaunt.  It was a little disorienting being in a big city after passing through so many quiet hill towns, so I was a little thrown off by the heat, throngs of tourists, and general commotion of a big city.

Luckily, we found some respite in one of the large food halls, Mercato Centrale.  It was a quick walk from the train station, and while not nearly as impressive as, let's say, Barcelona's, it was fun to see the selection of produce and the normalcy of locals shopping for their meal rather than tourists crowding onto the Ponte Vecchio.

We split a porchetta sandwich for breakfast, liking the moist meat but extremely disappointed by the stale, stale bread.  I don't think I had one mouthful of good bread that week, but then again, the French will always win the baking titles.

 

Instead, we saw gorgeous wild asparagus, figs, and giant mushrooms.  Why is it that Europeans always seem to have the knack for displaying produce so beautifully?

After the produce and some actual sightseeing, we had lunch nearby and a quick gelato at Grom before boarding the train back to the villa, glad for quiet and flowing air.  Next stops, Rome and Paris!

Mercato Centrale
Florence, Italy

Bon Appétit!

Travels in Tuscany

Sorting through hundreds of pictures, not to mention the countless memories that you accumulate on a trip can be difficult.  Not that I'm complaining - a week under the Tuscan sun followed by 4 days in my beloved Paris was in one word, amazing.

We stayed at a beautiful villa in Castelfiorentina, about halfway between Florence and Siena.  It was complete with a 12th century tower, chapel, pool and was surrounded by rolling vineyards, olive groves, and sunflower fields as far as the eye could see.  Dinner was eaten almost every night under a canopy on the terrace.  It was such a breathtaking and calming landscape.

 
   

After traveling on a redeye flight and riding the 3.5 hours from Rome to the villa, I was ready to eat.  The meal on our flight out was so terrible I took one bite and pushed it away.  How is it possible to mess up lasagna so badly? Was it the lack of cheese, the sour sauce, the miniscule bits of beef?   It was hands-down the worst airline meal I've ever eaten: I always eat the meal served to me.  In any case, it made me crave delicious and honest food.  Nothing fancy or complicated, just hearty and comforting.

The cook at the villa, Maria, was so typically Italian you couldn't ask for more: warm, good-humored, generous, and best of all, she only cooked traditional Tuscan food.  Maria didn't disappoint us with her cooking, as one of our courses in the welcome dinner at the villa was an artichoke lasagna: creamy, piping hot, browned cheese, and earthy artichoke all wrapped up in one dish.  Is it wrong that I wanted my Italian souvenir to be Maria so that she could make pasta for me whenever I want?

The rest of her meals were equally addicting, from bruschettas and crostinis to other lasagnas and pastas. I couldn't eat enough.  The last evening, she surprised us with an apple cake that was soft, tender, and light - delicious!

More to come as I sort through the trip, both mentally and through all the photos!

Bon Appétit!
 

Au Revoir

Off to Tuscany and and one of my first loves, Paris.  See you in two weeks, plus I have a surprise in store!

Bon Appétit!

NYC, Jean-Georges

Why do weekends in NYC always go by so quickly?  Granted, they are always fun: food, friends, frenetic energy.  But each trip always reminds me of a college cram session, where you try to condense as much as possible in a short amount of time, rarely retaining it long-term.

Two weekends ago was no different.  Arrive Thursday night, wish a beloved friend a happy birthday, go to bed at 2AM.  Wake up the next day to see another friend and have a negligible pastry, then hurry  to Columbus Circle for a 2:30 lunch reservation at Jean-Georges, which in my mind, is the best lunch deal for fine dining there is in NYC.

Now before I get into the juicy details about the food and service, here's how the rest of Friday flew past: a leisurely stroll back to the apartment, then down to the West Village for a meal at Blue Ribbon Bakery: fried chicken, brussels sprouts with bacon, fine bread, watercress and endive salad with blue cheese.  Not too shabby for what I called "first dinner."

Then it was onto The Tasting Room in the East Village for a few glasses of wine.  This place is hands-down my favorite wine bar in the city.  Dark, candlelit, interesting small plates for nibbling, brick walls, and a bartender who was knowledgeable, friendly, and so down-to-earth she had us all cheering for a woman in the bar who had just quit her job.  Fun times.

After The Tasting Room, I zipped back to the West Village for a late night "second dinner" at The Spotted Pig.  I think all second dinners have to have bacon and fries.  And they didn't disappoint us with their burger, gnudi, bacon wrapped dates and prunes, salad with fried duck egg and bacon.  I LOVE PIG.  Oh, and the bottle of sparkling rosé and prosecco didn't hurt either.

Rolling back home and falling into bed at 4AM is so unlike me, yet that's exactly what we did.  I think it took me a few days to recover and has confirmed how un-NYC I am.

We hit The Smith for brunch the next day (recommended) and Shake Shack for, what else, a shake and a burger.  Overall, it was an eating weekend for the books.  The first day back in Boston, my body was telling me that I had eaten too much, and it wasn't until I had a bowl of tomato soup with quinoa and tons and tons of vegetables that it relaxed and relished the much-needed nutrients and vitamins.

I was lazy with the food shots, so all I have are photos of our lunch at Jean-Georges, such a steal at $28 for two courses.  We were tucked into a booth and sat side-by-side, likening the experience to dinner theater.  Except for one small misstep with stringy white asparagus (which the sommelier apologized for), the service was excellent, from the hosts to the man who de-crumbed our table with a little manual crumb vacuum.  Enjoy!

   
The riveting light fixture and the gorgeous table arrangement.

Foie Gras Brulée, Dried Sour Cherries,
Candied Pistachios, White Port Gelée
(my favorite dish that day)

Peekytoe Crab Fritters, Honeycrisp Apples, Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette

Crispy Artic Char, Miso Pommes Purée, Apple-Jalapeno Jus

Parmesan Crusted Confit Leg of Chicken,
White Asparagus, Basil & Lemon Butter

Citrus Dessert: Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake, Meyer Lemon Curd, Halva Powder,
Kaffir Lime Infused Jicama Noodles, Tangerine, Limoncello Granité

Chocolate, Vanilla, Lemon Poppy Seed Macarons
Bonus Desserts, the best kind!

Chocolate, Lemon, and Vanilla Marshmallows from the Marshmallow CART. 
Snipped to order.  No joke.

Vanilla, Honey, Bergamont, and one chocolate we can't remember. 
All delicious.

Bon Appétit!

Why I *Heart* San Francisco

SF Ferry Building, Dec 2007

Bon Appétit!