Thread: Huffy & Bubbles Do France - Day 2, Chartre, Chambord, Amboise

On Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:36:56 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Dinner aboard Air France Flight Number 39 was served shortly after
>takeoff:* Champagne, barley salad with cilantro and tuna, bread and
>butter, chicken fricassee with mustard accompanied by mashed potatoes
>with spinach folded in, red or white white wine, camembert, chocolate
>pudding, and chocolate brownie with dehydrated banana chips on top, and
>coffee or tea.* It was nice.* Metal flatware and glass wine glass
>instead of plastic and plastic.* The pear liqueuer after dinner was very
>nice, too. *

Sounds first class, errr like you flew first class. In any case,
sounds nice. Did your napkin have a button hole in it?

--
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remove the smile first

On Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:36:56 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Dinner aboard Air France Flight Number 39 was served shortly after
>takeoff:* Champagne, barley salad with cilantro and tuna, bread and
>butter, chicken fricassee with mustard accompanied by mashed potatoes
>with spinach folded in, red or white white wine, camembert, chocolate
>pudding, and chocolate brownie with dehydrated banana chips on top, and
>coffee or tea.* It was nice.* Metal flatware and glass wine glass
>instead of plastic and plastic.* The pear liqueuer after dinner was very
>nice, too. *

Sounds first class, errr like you flew first class. In any case,
sounds nice. Did your napkin have a button hole in it?

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

"Melba's Jammin'" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]..
> Pics posted.
>
> Coming to you for the lovely Novotel in Amboise. Great view.
> Restaurant area is lovely - lots of glass windows overlooking lots of
> pretty green grass and a castle.
>
> From my post to my website:
> Dinner aboard Air France Flight Number 39 was served shortly after
> takeoff: Champagne, barley salad with cilantro and tuna, bread and
> butter, chicken fricassee with mustard accompanied by mashed potatoes
> with spinach folded in, red or white white wine, camembert, chocolate
> pudding, and chocolate brownie with dehydrated banana chips on top, and
> coffee or tea. It was nice. Metal flatware and glass wine glass
> instead of plastic and plastic. The pear liqueuer after dinner was very
> nice, too.
>
> And
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ

If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
de'Auvergne" which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
the world. I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese, nor the
pot au feu, but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
(for Paris.)

"Melba's Jammin'" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]..
> Pics posted.
>
> Coming to you for the lovely Novotel in Amboise. Great view.
> Restaurant area is lovely - lots of glass windows overlooking lots of
> pretty green grass and a castle.
>
> From my post to my website:
> Dinner aboard Air France Flight Number 39 was served shortly after
> takeoff: Champagne, barley salad with cilantro and tuna, bread and
> butter, chicken fricassee with mustard accompanied by mashed potatoes
> with spinach folded in, red or white white wine, camembert, chocolate
> pudding, and chocolate brownie with dehydrated banana chips on top, and
> coffee or tea. It was nice. Metal flatware and glass wine glass
> instead of plastic and plastic. The pear liqueuer after dinner was very
> nice, too.
>
> And
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ

If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
de'Auvergne" which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
the world. I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese, nor the
pot au feu, but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
(for Paris.)

In article <[email protected]>,
"Giusi" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> de'Auvergne" which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
> Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
> enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
> the world. I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese, nor the
> pot au feu, but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
> (for Paris.)


Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
:-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Huffy and Bubbles Do France: http://www.jamlady.eboard.com

In article <[email protected]>,
"Giusi" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> de'Auvergne" which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
> Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
> enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
> the world. I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese, nor the
> pot au feu, but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
> (for Paris.)


Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
:-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Huffy and Bubbles Do France: http://www.jamlady.eboard.com

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> de'Auvergne"

Yes, now that the daughter of the house has taken over the reins, the
restaurant has been improving again.

> which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
> Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
> enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
> the world.

Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.

> I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese,

With garlic, too. It is called aligot and I like it.

> nor the
> pot au feu,

You've been there on a Monday, then. It is when they serve pot-au-feu.
It is not really the dish to order there. One should stick to their
regional specialties. Stuffed cabbage, cabbage salad, cabbage soup with
roquefort, saucisses d'Auvergne with aligot, or beef from Salers are
better bets.

> but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
> (for Paris.)

And there are some wines which are hard to find elsewhere, such as the
white Saint-Pourçain and the red Chanturgue.

Victor

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> de'Auvergne"

Yes, now that the daughter of the house has taken over the reins, the
restaurant has been improving again.

> which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
> Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
> enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
> the world.

Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.

> I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese,

With garlic, too. It is called aligot and I like it.

> nor the
> pot au feu,

You've been there on a Monday, then. It is when they serve pot-au-feu.
It is not really the dish to order there. One should stick to their
regional specialties. Stuffed cabbage, cabbage salad, cabbage soup with
roquefort, saucisses d'Auvergne with aligot, or beef from Salers are
better bets.

> but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
> (for Paris.)

And there are some wines which are hard to find elsewhere, such as the
white Saint-Pourçain and the red Chanturgue.

Victor

Melba's Jammin' <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Giusi" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> > de'Auvergne"
>
> Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
> :-)

I can also recommend Thoumieux in the 7th arrondissement on rue
Dominique (Métro: Invalides). Their confit de canard (duck confit),
served with garlicky potatoes, is one of the best anywhere.

Down the street, in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, there is another
restaurant specialising in southwestern dishes, La Fontaine de Mars.
They stock Madiran wines from Alain Brumont, probably the best winemaker
in the region. The top wine is Ch. Montus, but Ch. Bouscassé is almost
as good and much more affordable.

Another interesting place is is the recently restored Pharamond in the
1st arr. on rue de la Grande Truanderie (Métro: Les Halles). They
specialise in Normandy dishes, one of them tripes à l mode de Caen. The
Art Nouveau interior is spectacular.

L'AOC, in the 5th arr. on 14, rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard calls itself
"bistrot carnivore" and that is what it is. The meat, etc. is very
good. They serve roasted bone marrow on toast, among other things.

Le Grand Colbert in the 2nd arr. on rue Vivienne is a good-value (for
Paris) southwestern bistro with a beautiful decor.

If you want to splurge, go to the famous L'Ami Louis in the 3rd arr. on
rue du Vertbois. Everything is prepared as simply as possible, mostly
by roasting or grilling ingredients of the best quality. A single
portion of anything, particularly of foie gras, will easily feed three
or four. They serve great snails, great frog legs, great roast chicken
(maybe the best anywhere), etc. You will pay at least 130 euros a
person, maybe more.

For good food at not so high prices, also consider one of the great
brasseries. Julien, in the out-of-the-way 10th arr. on rue du Faubourg
Saint Denis (Métro: Strasbourg Saint Denis) has a spectacular decor and
good food. Consider also the famous La Coupole in the 14th on
Montparnasse, Bofinger in the 4th near Bastille, Brasserie Flo in the
10th, or Terminus Nord in the 1th.

BTW, reservations are usually needed at all of the above restaurants.

If you want to buy food, go to Lafayette Gourmet, a food hall of
Galeries Lafayette, in the 9th, on blvd. Haussmann, near Opéra Garnier.

For getting around Paris, walk or take métro trains. Purchase a carnet
(pronounced car-neh) of ten tickets for 11.10 euros. A single ticket
costs 1.50 euros.

Bubba

Melba's Jammin' <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Giusi" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
> > de'Auvergne"
>
> Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
> :-)

I can also recommend Thoumieux in the 7th arrondissement on rue
Dominique (Métro: Invalides). Their confit de canard (duck confit),
served with garlicky potatoes, is one of the best anywhere.

Down the street, in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, there is another
restaurant specialising in southwestern dishes, La Fontaine de Mars.
They stock Madiran wines from Alain Brumont, probably the best winemaker
in the region. The top wine is Ch. Montus, but Ch. Bouscassé is almost
as good and much more affordable.

Another interesting place is is the recently restored Pharamond in the
1st arr. on rue de la Grande Truanderie (Métro: Les Halles). They
specialise in Normandy dishes, one of them tripes à l mode de Caen. The
Art Nouveau interior is spectacular.

L'AOC, in the 5th arr. on 14, rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard calls itself
"bistrot carnivore" and that is what it is. The meat, etc. is very
good. They serve roasted bone marrow on toast, among other things.

Le Grand Colbert in the 2nd arr. on rue Vivienne is a good-value (for
Paris) southwestern bistro with a beautiful decor.

If you want to splurge, go to the famous L'Ami Louis in the 3rd arr. on
rue du Vertbois. Everything is prepared as simply as possible, mostly
by roasting or grilling ingredients of the best quality. A single
portion of anything, particularly of foie gras, will easily feed three
or four. They serve great snails, great frog legs, great roast chicken
(maybe the best anywhere), etc. You will pay at least 130 euros a
person, maybe more.

For good food at not so high prices, also consider one of the great
brasseries. Julien, in the out-of-the-way 10th arr. on rue du Faubourg
Saint Denis (Métro: Strasbourg Saint Denis) has a spectacular decor and
good food. Consider also the famous La Coupole in the 14th on
Montparnasse, Bofinger in the 4th near Bastille, Brasserie Flo in the
10th, or Terminus Nord in the 1th.

BTW, reservations are usually needed at all of the above restaurants.

If you want to buy food, go to Lafayette Gourmet, a food hall of
Galeries Lafayette, in the 9th, on blvd. Haussmann, near Opéra Garnier.

For getting around Paris, walk or take métro trains. Purchase a carnet
(pronounced car-neh) of ten tickets for 11.10 euros. A single ticket
costs 1.50 euros.

Bubba

"Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:1ihzl4a.1ezcvoa1uwkby8N%[email protected] ..
> Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending
>> "L'Ambassade
>> de'Auvergne"
>Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.

How nice to find someone who knows it!
I came home and over time developed the recipe for it, which I have been
serving ever since. Italians usually don't like powerful flavors and most
think mustard is strange, but they all love that salad.
>
>> I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese,
>
> With garlic, too. It is called aligot and I like it.

I disliked the runny texture which reminds me of paste, and the dramatic
sheeting off the beating spoon makes it look even more like paste.
>
>> nor the
>> pot au feu,
>
> You've been there on a Monday, then. It is when they serve pot-au-feu.

Perhaps. I probably would not like any restaurant pot au feu, because the
many days in a row cooking that I learned as a child is not really practical
in restaurants, and perhaps in some places not ieven legal. I make it once
a year and invite as many diners as I have chairs. Mine is Bretagne style
with the bag of stuffing, and even though some of the parts look seriously
strange to modern diners, even kids end up eating all the parts. I do try
to do cosmetics to certain meats once cooked before reheating. Their pot au
feu was just like a meat stew unthickened or a particularly chunky soup.

> And there are some wines which are hard to find elsewhere, such as the
> white Saint-Pourçain and the red Chanturgue.
>
> Victor

In this case we let the waiter decide but told him our price limit. We ate
at the big communal table at the rear and ended up sharing tastes of
everything with the other diners at that table, who were all French and all
friendly. AAMOF, I have never experienced the snobbishness and rudeness
people complain of, and I cannot figure out where it comes from. Perhaps
when they break one of the unwritten rules of politeness they take the
severe looks too seriously?

"Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:1ihzl4a.1ezcvoa1uwkby8N%[email protected] ..
> Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending
>> "L'Ambassade
>> de'Auvergne"
>Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.

How nice to find someone who knows it!
I came home and over time developed the recipe for it, which I have been
serving ever since. Italians usually don't like powerful flavors and most
think mustard is strange, but they all love that salad.
>
>> I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese,
>
> With garlic, too. It is called aligot and I like it.

I disliked the runny texture which reminds me of paste, and the dramatic
sheeting off the beating spoon makes it look even more like paste.
>
>> nor the
>> pot au feu,
>
> You've been there on a Monday, then. It is when they serve pot-au-feu.

Perhaps. I probably would not like any restaurant pot au feu, because the
many days in a row cooking that I learned as a child is not really practical
in restaurants, and perhaps in some places not ieven legal. I make it once
a year and invite as many diners as I have chairs. Mine is Bretagne style
with the bag of stuffing, and even though some of the parts look seriously
strange to modern diners, even kids end up eating all the parts. I do try
to do cosmetics to certain meats once cooked before reheating. Their pot au
feu was just like a meat stew unthickened or a particularly chunky soup.

> And there are some wines which are hard to find elsewhere, such as the
> white Saint-Pourçain and the red Chanturgue.
>
> Victor

In this case we let the waiter decide but told him our price limit. We ate
at the big communal table at the rear and ended up sharing tastes of
everything with the other diners at that table, who were all French and all
friendly. AAMOF, I have never experienced the snobbishness and rudeness
people complain of, and I cannot figure out where it comes from. Perhaps
when they break one of the unwritten rules of politeness they take the
severe looks too seriously?

"Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio

> For getting around Paris, walk or take métro trains. Purchase a carnet
> (pronounced car-neh) of ten tickets for 11.10 euros. A single ticket
> costs 1.50 euros.
>
> Bubba

While you are being so generous, Bubba, can you name a Basque restaurant
that is a block or so away from Bon Marche on the street which divides the
two buildings? For spicy lovers, Basque was a surprising but happy choice,
but neither of us remembers the name.


--
http://www.judithgreenwood.com

"Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio

> For getting around Paris, walk or take métro trains. Purchase a carnet
> (pronounced car-neh) of ten tickets for 11.10 euros. A single ticket
> costs 1.50 euros.
>
> Bubba

While you are being so generous, Bubba, can you name a Basque restaurant
that is a block or so away from Bon Marche on the street which divides the
two buildings? For spicy lovers, Basque was a surprising but happy choice,
but neither of us remembers the name.


--
http://www.judithgreenwood.com

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> While you are being so generous, Bubba, can you name a Basque restaurant
> that is a block or so away from Bon Marche on the street which divides the
> two buildings? For spicy lovers, Basque was a surprising but happy choice,
> but neither of us remembers the name.

Let's see... must be M° Sèvres-Babylone... so maybe it was La Taverne
Basque at 45, rue du Cherche-Midi? The location is about right. I have
never eaten there, though.

BTW, I forgot to mention another place I like, the little Vieux Bistro.
In view of its ultra-touristic location, just by the side of Notre Dame,
it may appear an unlikely choice, yet, surprisingly, it is a genuine
article, frequented mostly by the locals. Their civet de canard, duck
stew, is one of the best dishes I have eaten anywhere. It is made in a
traditional way, with duck blood, so the sauce is almost black. It is
an embodiment of savoury succulence. Their wine list is great, too.

Bubba

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> While you are being so generous, Bubba, can you name a Basque restaurant
> that is a block or so away from Bon Marche on the street which divides the
> two buildings? For spicy lovers, Basque was a surprising but happy choice,
> but neither of us remembers the name.

Let's see... must be M° Sèvres-Babylone... so maybe it was La Taverne
Basque at 45, rue du Cherche-Midi? The location is about right. I have
never eaten there, though.

BTW, I forgot to mention another place I like, the little Vieux Bistro.
In view of its ultra-touristic location, just by the side of Notre Dame,
it may appear an unlikely choice, yet, surprisingly, it is a genuine
article, frequented mostly by the locals. Their civet de canard, duck
stew, is one of the best dishes I have eaten anywhere. It is made in a
traditional way, with duck blood, so the sauce is almost black. It is
an embodiment of savoury succulence. Their wine list is great, too.

Bubba

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto
> > Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> "L'Ambassade de'Auvergne"
> >Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.
>
> How nice to find someone who knows it!
> I came home and over time developed the recipe for it, which I have been
> serving ever since. Italians usually don't like powerful flavors and most
> think mustard is strange, but they all love that salad.

Care to post your recipe?

> Perhaps. I probably would not like any restaurant pot au feu, because the
> many days in a row cooking that I learned as a child is not really practical
> in restaurants, and perhaps in some places not ieven legal.

Why many days? Do you contrive an "eternal kettle", as described by
Dumas in his Dictionary?

> In this case we let the waiter decide but told him our price limit. We ate
> at the big communal table at the rear and ended up sharing tastes of
> everything with the other diners at that table, who were all French and all
> friendly. AAMOF, I have never experienced the snobbishness and rudeness
> people complain of, and I cannot figure out where it comes from. Perhaps
> when they break one of the unwritten rules of politeness they take the
> severe looks too seriously?

I have never seen any snobbishness or rudeness, either. The "rude
French waiter" is a myth, too, as far as my experience goes.

Victor

Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Victor Sack" <[email protected]> ha scritto
> > Giusi <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> "L'Ambassade de'Auvergne"
> >Salade tiède de lentilles vertes du Puy. Yes, it is very good.
>
> How nice to find someone who knows it!
> I came home and over time developed the recipe for it, which I have been
> serving ever since. Italians usually don't like powerful flavors and most
> think mustard is strange, but they all love that salad.

Care to post your recipe?

> Perhaps. I probably would not like any restaurant pot au feu, because the
> many days in a row cooking that I learned as a child is not really practical
> in restaurants, and perhaps in some places not ieven legal.

Why many days? Do you contrive an "eternal kettle", as described by
Dumas in his Dictionary?

> In this case we let the waiter decide but told him our price limit. We ate
> at the big communal table at the rear and ended up sharing tastes of
> everything with the other diners at that table, who were all French and all
> friendly. AAMOF, I have never experienced the snobbishness and rudeness
> people complain of, and I cannot figure out where it comes from. Perhaps
> when they break one of the unwritten rules of politeness they take the
> severe looks too seriously?

I have never seen any snobbishness or rudeness, either. The "rude
French waiter" is a myth, too, as far as my experience goes.

Victor

On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:54:28 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
<[email protected]> fired up random neurons and synapses to
opine:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> "Giusi" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> If Paris is in your plans I have no hesitation in recommending "L'Ambassade
>> de'Auvergne" which is not very far from Place des Vosges on the Arts et
>> Metiers direction. The star dish I think is the warm lentil salad big
>> enough to serve the whole table and good enough to recreate and share with
>> the world. I did not liuke the famous mashed potatoes with cheese, nor the
>> pot au feu, but the rest of the food was terrific and it wasn't expensive
>> (for Paris.)
>
>
>Merci, madame. I will present the suggestion to my traveling companion.
>:-)

Erk! "Traveling companion"? Rob? I mean, inquiring minds want to
know...

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"