Licking The Spoon: Another 7 Hour Meal Chez Moi

My old eating buddy and long-time friend, Grant, left last May for his residency at Boston University. More or less once a month for the past two years (since that first seven hour meal) we had been getting together at my apartment for an over-the-top culinary experience orchestrated by yours truly. Since his departure, I have been having a hard time getting motivated to bake. I love having meaning in my meals and without someone/something to inspire me, my rolling pin and puff pastry skills have been collecting dust.

The beginning of October marked several momentous occasions: my best buddy, Emily, left for a six week adventure to Nepal and Thailand, it was Greg's birthday, and it was my birthday. These two friends have become like family to me and have brought so much positive energy to my life. I can't think of a better way to show my appreciation for them than by creating a sensational meal.

Like many other things in my life, I make my meals with tons of consideration for the participants. What are Emily's and Greg's favorite foods? What tastes will send them over the edge? Will I be able to combine the two preferences in each course?

Emily's favorite tastes were easy to discern as I've eaten with her on many occasions and I had already made her a scrumptious Truffle Themed Meal last year for her birthday. Emily loves anything truffle (truffle honey, truffle oil, truffled cheese, truffles). Other than that, her tastes are very rustic and pure: gamey meats, vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, simple fruits--blueberries, blackberries, cheeses. Also, she only likes white chocolate, not dark chocolate. She prefers simple flavors to complex.

Greg was more difficult. Sure, he and I are very close, but we don't eat together. Ok, we eat sandwiches post-spin or burgers post-climbing, but I've never witnessed his favorites. For two-three weeks I discreetly observed his tastes. He's a med student, so he doesn't have a lot of cash to spend. And when he does spend his cash, he opts to spend it on activities (climbing, going out) instead of tasty meals like Emily and I do. Post climbing session, we usually go out for dinner at some low-key joint like Grace Tavern. You would think that this would give me some insight into what he likes, but no. He ALWAYS orders exactly what I'm having (except he orders his burger well done). When we are hungry and listing off what foods we'd really like to have right now, he just goes on and on about "delicious soups and sandwiches." Only once did I get a hint of one taste he likes: at Caprogiro all he wanted was a caramel gelatto. Ok, that gave me one workable clue: CARAMEL.

So, what did I have to work with after combing the two:

Gamey meats, delicious soups, hearty vegetables, cheese, truffle, fruits, white chocolate, caramel.

Sounds like a good start.

I also wanted to share something that was special to me, so I decided to make my original venison meal that my French mom taught me (original post) but with new twists and turns to combine Emily's and Greg's preferences.

1. Kir

Aperatif. Great way to cleanse the pallet and start off the socializing.

1 part Creme de Cassis (black current liqueur) + 5 parts dry white wine (used a 2007 Chablis)

2. Pecorino shaved on puff pastry rounds brushed with truffle honey

3. Pumpkin Soup (don't forget the baguette!)

Made from real pumpkins! NB: it was so hard to cut off the pumpkin skin...make sure you plan for this. Used an immersion blender for extra fluffiness.

I got this recipe from Patricia Wells' book, Simply French. She takes her favorite recipes from the famous french cookbook, Robuchon, and explains the how's and why's behind the seemingly complex baking techniques. This and Robuchon's book also focus on the purity of taste--bringing out the simple and wonderful flavor of the main ingredient.

Served with the left over Chablis from the kir

4. Roasted Venison (Chateauneuf du Pape marinade) with Raspberry Gastrique on top of butternut squash rounds and served with scalloped potatoes

1st bottle: 2003 Hermitage (Chave) from my collection

*At this point, Emily took over the role of DJ and got the party hopping while I was finishing the main course preparations. Of course, the preparations then took a little longer than planned, as we all stopped to bust a move for a bit. Good times, good times.

2nd bottle: 2003 Chateuneuf du Pape, Chante Cigale

*I snazzed up my venison presentation by placing the meat medallions on top of a butternut squash round. Got the idea from The French Laundry At Home site. I arranged the scalloped potatoes in a semi-circle around the squash. I placed fresh raspberries on the other side of the circle. Served in a light green, 1-inch deep bowl. Excellent color presentation.

5. Amuse Bouche: Marbleized chocolate wafers with caramel mousse filling
Think three layers of swirling white/dark chocolate with a tan-looking caramel mousse layered in between. Approximately one inch across. Bite-size so everyone got one to pop in their mouth.
**While we were digesting and preparing for the final course, Emily turned on my "Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner" spin profile. Good times singing and dancing to "I've Had The Time Of My Life!"

6. Shortcake with vanilla-almond custard sauce accompanied by blueberries and blackberries

7. Calvados
Apple brandy digestif from Normandy. The only way to be sent off to bed after a labor-intensive, gut-busting meal.

The meal was of course fabulous and went off without a hitch. Putting together a huge meal like this takes a lot of time, patience, and thought. Fortunately for me, I had two great friends with the right spirit to experience the joy of eating.

A Different Kind of Sunday School: Tria Wine & Cheese Bar

It's Sunday night and you're sitting at home wondering why/how the weekend sped by so quickly. You may already be in your pj's or you may be still sitting around in your sweaty running clothes post-Sunday-Long-Run. Suddenly a vibrating noise cuts through the end-of-weekend-dread: you've received a text message from a good buddy saying "Let's hit up Sunday School."

You may be like me and first grimace at the memory of waking up way too early on a Sunday morning to go to CCD class...then you remember that your friend is referring to Sunday School at Tria Wine & Cheese Bar. Immediately you hop in the shower and get giddy for some 'last call' Sunday evening fun. The work week suddenly feels far away again!

Ok, I may have used "you" here, but really this situation describes a common Sunday evening situation for me. If you have yet to experience Sunday School at Tria, please get yourself there next weekend! Honestly, Tria is fun any night of the week. It specializes in unique wine, cheese and beer pairings. The menu changes often, so there are always a plethora of choices. On top of the wine and cheese, they do also have entrees, but be prepared to spend the buckaroos. I wouldn't recommend coming here for dinner, though the fare is exceptional (I love the truffled poached egg with fontina cheese and the nutella panini). The real deal here is the wine and cheese pairings (all cheeses come paired with some culinary delight like honey, fruit, nuts, and bread).

Sunday nights are particularly great at Tria because of Sunday School. The House picks an interesting wine, cheese, and beer and sells it at half price. This means you can try a wine or cheese that you wouldn't normally venture. Awesome!

Last night the selection was not disappointing (copied from website):

WINE: Cahors, Château Les Hauts D’Aglan, '05 (Soturac, France)
We absolutely love Argentine Malbec, but the grape didn’t just fall from the sky and plant itself in South America. Everybody’s got a story, huh? This rich, tannic, midnight-colored grape now flourishing in the New World hails comes from a sleepy valley region in southwest France surrounding the River Lot. The Malbec grape dominates the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) region of Cahors, but the French call it Côt, Côt Noir or Auxerrois. In the Middle Ages is was called the Black Wine of France for its intense, opaque inky hue. Today’s robust version contains 10% Merlot, no oak and the skilled touch of a very talented female winemaker. This black beauty was aged for 18 months in the tank allowing the dark and delicious fruit flavors to coalesce and the tannins to gracefully refine. When you’re feeling a little lost in the big New World, head back to the source for a glass of the real deal.
Regular Price $10 glass Sunday School Price $5 glass

This was good. I'm not a Merlot fan, but the 10% was well balanced (and mostly overpowered) by the other flavors. I'll admit that the after-taste was not pleasant--as per usual with merlot. On my way home 30 minutes later I had to pop some gum in my mouth to disperse the bitterness. The best wines I've had leave the palate well-balanced for hours.

CHEESE: Quiejo Toledo (Torres Vedras, Portugal · Cow, Goat & Sheep-P)
This firm little puck of mixed milk is bursting with flavor. The exterior is rubbed with a spicy smoked paprika of the piquant variety. They slowly smoke the paprika over the course of two weeks before grinding it into a fine paste and rubbing it on the cheese. The powder is rich, moist and brightly hued, so be forewarned of orange fingers. The handcrafted pieces are aged for 3-4 months and can become quite dense. During the aging process the distinct flavors of three different milks marry, but manage to maintain their individual qualities. The acidic kick of the goat’s milk is balanced by the beefy texture of the cow’s milk. The fatty sheep’s milk provides a gamy punch of flavor and texture. The complexity of this cheese is complimented by an accompaniment of legendary Piedmontese Millefiori (thousand flower) honey for a touch of sweetness. A little bit of this bold cheese goes a long and delicious way.
Regular Price $8½ Sunday School Price $4

Love, love, love cheese and honey pairings (where appropriate of course). Very tasty, but watch out for the delayed kick of spice.

I also had a Chevre d'Argental which was paired with a blueberry compote. I preferred this to the Quiejo, but that's only because I prefer the creamy sweetness of the chevre to the spiciness of the Quiejo.

http://www.triacafe.com/sunday_school/

18th & Sansom Streets • 215.972.TRIA

Washington Square West • 12th & Spruce Streets • 215.629.9200

Seattle!

It's been over a week since my last post. What have I been up to?

Mostly I've been out visiting Andrew D'Avis in Seattle. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures during this time, despite having brought two digital cameras with me. So much for my new "take more daily photos" resolution. Here's a breakdown of what I saw.

Runs:
-Lake Washington
-Interlaken Park/ran part of the marathon course
-Volunteer Park
-Humongous hills up to Capital Hill; my Philly legs were put in their place!
-Very eclectic architecture. Each house seemed different; moreover even each window on each house was different.
-Sprawling buildings/lots more "space" for a city

Coffee Shops:
-Victrola Coffee & Art http://www.victrolacoffee.com/
-Bauhaus Books & Coffee http://www.bauhauscoffee.net/
I was not disappointed!

Restaurants/Pub/Other Fooderies:
-Spinasse http://www.spinasse.com/ Highly recommend this one. Food was great, but the ambiance was excellent. Designed like you are in an Italian dining room and can see through to a homey kitchen. Very cool!
-Volunteer Park Cafe http://www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com/. Smells divine as soon as you walk in! Great waitress. Great food, though I was so tired from travel I don't remember what I ate. I do recall a nice bottle of Syrah from Columbia Valley, Washington (l'Ecole no 41, 2005).
-Honey Hole http://www.thehoneyhole.com/
-Dish Cafe http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10783787
-Kimchi Bistro http://www.yelp.com/biz/kimchi-bistro-seattle. Small family owned restaurant. Very nice people there. Had very filling and tasty Dol Soht.
-The Stumbling Monk http://www.drunkenmonks.org/. Great selection of Belgians.
-Pikes Place Market
-Madison Square Market (coop)
-Dave Zucker's Pi(e) Party! However it was on 3/13 as he had to leave for China on Sun. Thanks Dave for inviting me! It was the most memorable Pi Day! There were many, many tasty pies; I sampled at least 10. There was a raspberry/strawberry one that was quite good. Well, actually that's the only one that I can recollect with any clarity, so it must have been very good...
-Last night, went to Charlie's apartment for dinner [cooked by Andrew's housemate (lamb ragu, very tasty!)]. Then Andrew and I made chocolate souffles. Turned out well if I do say so myself!

Yes, we ate well!

NB. Of all of the wines we drank, I didn't like any of the European wines--which was odd because I'd had those wines before on the East Coast and know that I've liked them before. There was a 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape that I was very disappointed in. It was really acidic and never opened up even after a half hour of breathing. On the other hand, all of the West Coast wines were impeccable. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this phenom. In any case, I was glad to finally try some good California wines, in particular a Pinot Noir. I was very impressed. I am completely ignorant when it comes to West Coast wines.

Cool views:
-The Library. Thanks to Andrew's friend who works at the library, I was able to get a look at the cool conveyor belt system that ushers/organizes the incoming and outgoing books. Pretty high tech! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Central_Library
-The view from Charlie's apartment. Amazing! Can see all of Seattle skyline, the Needle, Elliot Bay. You could really see how quickly the weather changes there. The apartment had sunshine, but you could see rain falling out over the bay. Clear view of the sunset (well it got hidden in the end by little storm clouds). But you could imagine how wondrous it would be on a clear day.
-First night there, walked up to Volunteer Park. Great view of Elliot Bay and all the mountains that surround Seattle. There's also an art museum, a green house, and an interesting circular sculpture. I forget what it actually was, but it reminded me of The Death Star with it's center blown out (yeah, a little strange, but come on, I was on EST and I'd been traveling all day).
-I was blown away by views from path around Lake Wash. To be so close to the mountains, but still in a city. Awesome! So much green too. I almost (ok, I did) tripped several times just because I couldn't tear my eyes away from Nature.
-Up on Cap Hill it seemed as though there was a great view from every street corner: mountains, lakes in both directions.
-Drove out to Puget Sound. Wow! The wind was crazy that day. I'd say this added to the magic of the shore. Lots of dogs and other people strolling the beach and tide pools, having a relaxing Sunday morn. There were seaweeds, rocks, shells, and drift wood to play with/on. This is one of the downfalls of Philly: no beaches, no lakes, no waves. I felt utter glee from being out in nature like this; energized by the wind and surf and salty smells!
-The Fremont Troll http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2236

So, yes, I had a great time in Seattle. Is it the better coast as Emily Meshberg incessantly argues? TBD.

Heffeweizen, Burgers, and Truffled Popcorn: A Perfect Winter Evening At The Royal Tavern

It's Thursday, so of course I'm already dreaming about the weekend: where am I eating, with whom am I eating, and what am I eating? My New Year's Resolution this year was to try out new places to eat in Philly. In my search for little known gems, I came across a helpful article in the Philadelphia Weekly on "The 50 Best Bars In Philly." This led me to their "Top 50" website and a handy restaurant/drinks search tool. You can perform searches according to price, neighborhood, cuisine, and time of day/week.

Search engine aside, the Top 50 list itself is pretty impressive. After a quick scan of the list and recognizing a few of the places, I absently nodded my head in agreement: yes, I should put my taste buds in the hands of these talented reviewers.(www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/16566/cover-story)

The first place I hit up on the list was called The Royal Tavern and did not disappoint! I have already been back four times, each time ordering a different entree and each time being thoroughly pleased. Located near 6th & Passayunk, it's a small, one-room "gastrobar"on the fringe of South Philly and the Italian Market and in the heart of the Bella Vista neighborhood. It's a great, low-key refuge for anyone trying to get out of the cold, have a beer and some food (it has a bar + dining area). The atmosphere is chill, twenty/thirty something, and semi-hipster. The white twinkle lights that adorn the walls and low lighting enhance the gastrobar aura.

The menu features fare that you would see at any pub, but often with a gourmet flair (hence it's label as a gastrobar). For example, the popcorn with truffle butter ($3) is divine! Great accompaniment to the wide selection of microbrews and other, more well known beers. I personally love to order a heffeweizen or a weizenbock (i.e. Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse) and the popcorn. The range of appetizers is eclectic (from mussels with chorizo to arugula salad with white beans, prosciutto, grilled asparagus, pickled egg, white balsamic vinaigrette). The portions are comfortably large, made with the best in season ingredients and very well priced. You can eat here on a budget and feel like you haven't eaten greasy crap that leaves a rock-like feeling in your belly!

The main entrees are fabulous as well. Full panel of sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and pastas/gnocchi. I can personally vouch for the grilled cheese (with gouda, provolone AND goat cheese = very VERY filling and tasty) and the Royal Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chili mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun). With all of the working out I do during the week, I am absolutely craving a burger by Friday night. Royal does the job (and more). Very satisfying. Amazingly, this is also a vegan/vegetarian friendly place--pretty rare for a bar in Philly. I personally haven't tried any of these entrees, but Taylor over at the "Mac and Cheese" blog (http://macandcheesereview.blogspot.com/2007/03/royal-tavern.html) can vouch for those options.

In sum, you can't beat the balance between the quality of the ingredients versus the price. Bring your friends, chat and chillax. I can't wait for my popcorn and burger fix tomorrow night!

Info:
Royal Tavern
937 E Passyunk Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-389-6694
Mon.-Fri. 11:30-2AM
Sat.-Sun. 10-2AM
*They also serve breakfast which I didn't know about until writing this review. Maybe I need to check this out? Just to be thorough of course.

A Meal To Remember: The Story of The Famed Bottle of 1997 Hermitage

In a previous post I mentioned how I've experienced several seven hour, very memorable meals. Two of these meals have been chez moi. This post shall detail the first seven hour meal that I created myself.

The Origins of My Own Seven Hour Meal:

As you can probably tell by now, I am a francophile. I've spent almost two years living over there, for school, work and pleasure. My junior year of college was spent in the south of France, more specifically in Aix-en-Provence. A lovely hill town/city, with narrow, winding cobblestone roads, and a splendid array of fountains--indeed, 'aix' means 'water' in Latin (vestige from the Roman times) and Aix-en-Provence derived its name from the many, many fountains that adorn the streets. In the fall of that year abroad, I volunteered on a small winery in the Rhone Valley in the Northwestern part of Provence. In the autumn, vinophiles come from all over the globe to help with the harvesting of the grapes.

Fast forward several years and I returned to the same vineyard and had to treat myself to a sumptuous bottle, errr ok, case  of Hermitage from the year I was there. On my return home, I impatiently awaited the treasure to arrive. Three weeks later I opened up a case of 12 dusty bottles of 2003 Hermitage. I was giddy. As I was inspecting the bottles, I observed that one bottle had a lot more dust on it than the others and had a different color label. I quizzically perused the label and as realization hit me as to the contents, my eyes bulged and I started shaking; shaking so much that I had to put the bottle down for fear that I would drop it. It was a 1997 Chave Hermitage! This is by far the best bottle of wine that I've had in my possession. An accompanying note from the winery revealed that they knew the bottle was a the case and based on my very zealous ravings at the store, they knew it was in the right hands now and to enjoy. I let out a long breath (for I realized I'd been holding it in) and sighed to know that it wasn't a mistake, it really was all mine.

Now that I had this treasure in my possession, what would I do with it? Store it? Drink it?

I couldn't not partake in it. I had to have it now. But if I was going to have it now, I'd have to honor it the best way I knew how. Create my own seven hour french meal--using recipes that I had picked up whilst in France.

But who would I share this with? Who would appreciate it? Whether or not a person is educated in wine and knows 'what vintage means what' is irrelevant to me. It's all about the spirit of a person. Will the person appreciate the full sensual experience of the meal? Will they be able to be swept up into the moment and not think about time or other concerns?

My best buddy Melissa first flashed into my head. We spent the most amount of time together. However, two memories floated to the surface: "I wish they would make a pill for eating, it's such a waste of time sometimes" and "why use a recipe that takes a whole day when you can use Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals?" I knew in my heart that Melissa was too practical to appreciate the bliss.

Soon after, I thought of my long-time family friend, Grant Swisher. As I considered him as a candidate, I absently nodded in approval. He may not know anything about wine, but he enjoys sitting and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Plus, I've known him my whole life and he would know exactly what this bottle and accompanying food would mean to me. Our fathers went to Dartmouth together; his Dad was my Dad's best man; our families went on ski vacations every year; we both spent a considerable amount of time living abroad; we both went to Colby; and now we both found ourselves living in Philadelphia. Two New Englanders and old time friends coming together to enjoy a meal. Yes, I liked the idea of that.

I sent him an email entitled "A Sumptuous Affair" and he of course eagerly accepted.

I took a full two weeks to plan out the meal. The majority of the time was spent researching what flavors would go best with the Hermitage. Four days before the event, I walked down to the Italian Market and bought supplies at the butcher, the cheese shop, the chocolate shop, the spice corner, and the fruit/veggie stand. This is one of my favorite parts of making a big meal. Taking an afternoon to leisurely peruse all the specialty shops and converse with the owners. The Italian Market makes me feel like I'm fifty years in the past and doing things that many, many women before my time have done. It makes the meal all the more special.

First Course: Assorted cheeses
Accompanied by 2003 Riesling

Second Course: Puff pastry filled with goat cheese and shitake mushrooms
Accompanied by 2003 Croze-Hermitage

Third Course: Roast Venison with scalloped potatoes
Accompanied by 1997 Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

Fourth Course: Arugula salad with a broiled Crotin de Chavignole on top. Dijon dressing

Fifth Course: Mocha pot de creme

Sixth Course: Calvados

Grant came over around 7pm. We finally finished the meal around 2:00 am. It was sublime. The wine made me giddy. Grant had to pour it into our glasses because my hands were shaking so much. I was ridiculously caught up in its aromas, so much so that I told Grant not to talk while I was taking a sip because I wouldn't hear a word he was saying. I was in its trance, in its thrall, whatever you want to call it; I was completely enraptured. What did it taste like, I mean other than heaven? Hmmm, not very good at descriptions. Blackberries. Slightly acidic. After taste of tannins, but only slight. Full-bodied. Left a very good taste in your mouth, even five minutes later. The scent was the most powerful I'd ever experienced. That's what really got me giddy. Drinking in the aromas was just as satisfying as drinking the actual liquid.

I also learned a lot about Grant that I didn't know before. Growing up, he had an obsession with the number 11 and made his mom give him 11 of everything in his lunch (i.e. exactly 11 grapes has to be prepared). He also has to have the volume of the background music at the perfect level at all times. This means that he may have to inexplicably get up from the table--mid-conversation or no--and tinker with the volume knob on my speakers. The music selection was awesome. Radiohead, of course, as we are both avid fans, then a selection of music from my France days. In particular I played a type of music called Rai which hails from french-Northern Africa. This always gets me feeling very sentimental and reminiscent, so of course the conversation also drifted down my memory lane in France. Grant has a wide and eclectic range of music so he eventually pulled his iPOD out and set the conversation and tone into another direction.

And that is how the evening played out. I remember it remarkably well considering the haze that set in around the second course.

The phenom of the 7 hour meal...

What makes good food good? aka the phenomenon of the seven hour meal.

Regardless of whether a restaurant is Michelin rated or not, I find that a solid indicator of a good meal is length of time at the table. This rings true for dinner parties as well. In this chaotic world that's driven by the clock, it is quite a feat for a meal to transport you away from the daily worries, make you forget about the time, and be "in the Now." I know that I've prepared a good meal when my friends say, "Dear God, we arrived here at 7 and now it's 1am. What happened to all that time?" Maybe this is another reason why I love the art of eating so much, it's one of the few things that can bring me into the Now--into my yen place--without much effort on my part to focus. As I'm eating and enjoying conversation, I'm here at the dinner table. My mind is not wandering off. I'm just enjoying the moment. I also actively try to enhance this "Now" atmosphere in my dining room/kitchen by not having any clocks around. Indeed, you can't see any clocks in my entire apartment. I find this state more difficult to achieve during yoga (maybe because I don't practice it as often as I do eating...) when I really have to fight with my brain to turn off and just be in the Now.

In the history of seven hour meals with Nina, there have been four that have stood out. Two in France, two chez moi. The first one is the very first seven hour meal that I ever had. It was in Rouen, France and it was random. Random because I was not particularly looking for a seven hour meal nor did I really know that that kind of bliss existed. I was in Rouen following a morbid desire on my part to see the exact spot where Jeanne d'Arc was burned at the stake. I had dragged my friend all the way from Dijon (yes, where they make the mustard) to this ville about two hours to the Northeast of Paris. NB: I spent my first semester of college in Dijon, France; I know it's a bit nontraditional, but it's a legit program at Colby.

Once I had communed with the historic spot (which took all of one minute), we found that there wasn't really anything else to do in town. We spotted a restaurant across the square and decided to get some lunch. The restaurant was called the Toque d'Or: simple, rustic, yet bustling. Immediately after being seated by the host, the sommelier appeared and asked if we'd like an aperitif. Neither of us had had one before, so we asked for a recommendation. This is when I was introduced to kir. Kir is a mixture of black current liqueur and white wine and in my opinion is the perfect (and necessary) start to any seven hour meal. The subtle fruitiness of the kir, served with a complementing amuse-bouche (pre-appetizer), prepares your palate and psyche for the joys to come. Little did I know at the time that this apero would become an honored ritual to most of my meals.

Once settled with our aperos, the menus arrived. You could either go "a la carte" and pick and choose the parts of the meal or you could select "prix fixe/table d'hote." The latter means that the menu lists fixed meals at fixed prices. This is usually the best deal. You can get anywhere from three to five, six, or seven courses for a much cheaper price than if you selected the courses individually. It is also preferable to choose this because the chef selects the courses very carefully so that they all go together: each course adds up to a whole and the consumer experiences the meal exactly as the chef wants him to. I always pick this menu if it's available--I'd be pretty egotistical if I thought I could choose better than a master french chef.

I could describe to you exactly what I had that day, as I somehow remember the meal like I had it last night for dinner. This would take a lot of time. In sum, it was filled with the terroir of Normandy...apples, cider, calvados, roast chicken...each course built upon the last, leaving the palate feeling complete by the end. The simple and the complex were blended subtly into an ecstasy of experience. We worked our way through each course slowly, pausing after every bite to savor and talk. Each course was complemented with a different wine as per the sommelier and each was completed with a swipe of bread across the plate. We had seven courses in total, each one building a haze around us, til the outside world no longer existed--all that was there was us and our plates and our conversation.

And just when we thought the meal had come to the end, the patron of the resto came over and commented on how he had never seen Americans with a zest for eating equal to our own. Not only was he impressed by our spirits, he loved how we spoke in french the entire time we were there--not just to the staff, but in normal conversation. In a token of appreciation, he had the sommelier bring over some digestifs (on the house), calvados (apple brandy) to be exact. Calvados is the traditional after dinner drink of Normandy. Again, we had never had digestifs and were excited after our pleasant experience with Kir. I've learned since then that I'm not as fond of digestifs in general as aperitifs. They tend to be extremely potent and always bring a tear to the eye and a flush to the cheeks. However, in honor of that first seven hour meal, I always serve a spot of calvados after all meals chez moi. I actually have grown to like it, especially on a chilly evening. It's definitely an acquired taste though.

This "on the house" offering of a digestif became a trend at all the restaurants I went to in France. By the end of every meal, the patron would love me and my dinner companion, come over and say how delightful we are, and give us digestifs on the house. What a great country! A place where my love for enjoying a good meal and disregard of time is praised and rewarded! Yes, I'm a francophile if you couldn't tell already...

To be cont'd...

L'Art de Manger

In case you don't know me that well, I like to eat. Not just eating for eating's sake, meaning to satisfy my metabolic needs, but I enjoy every aspect of eating: the build up (what am I going to eat, where am I going to eat, and with whom am I going to eat), the meal itself (the presentation, the flavors, the surroundings, the conversation, the "close my eyes and savor each bite" part, the perfectly paired wine), and the after glow (the "you're going to have to throw me in a wheel barrow and cart me out of here" feeling, the "I wish there was a bed next to my table" feeling).

This passion actually has an interesting history. When I was born, I had many, many allergies to many, many different types of foods. I was basically on an all white food diet. Most foods made me incredibly sick--poor mom. I only remember eating rice, though there must have been other foods as well. I do recall that when someone would offer me a saltine cracker, I thought it was a cookie. Really, I thought I was getting a real treat when I got to nibble on those saltines. To this day, I think fondly on those simple treats. This limited lifestyle ended when I was four. Not because my allergies suddenly went away, but because my longing to experience the array of foods that other people were consuming could no longer be repressed. I recall sitting at the kitchen table one evening with my usual bowl of plain rice and looking at the other people's plates that had large hot dogs in buns with the full panel of condiments on top. As my mouth salivated and my eyes bulged, I made a life changing decision. I reached out and plucked a hot dog off of my mom's plate and stuffed it into my mouth--barely chewing as I gulped it down whole. Oh man was it good. That hot dog was the best thing that I had ever experienced. I had made my decision: from that day forth, I would eat whatever I could and damn the consequences. I'd learn how to deal with it.

Of course, after so many years of eating the plainest foods around, I went to the other extreme and ate too, too much. I soon acquired the reputation of being a "big eater" and found that I had to fulfill that image for many years after, eating more than I cared to, just so people would have this opinion of me. It really became a part of my identity and distinguished me from, for example, my sister who has always been a picky eater. My grandmother used to tell everyone the story of how one Thanksgiving when I was eight years old, I asked if I could have the leg of the turkey. My mom of course loaded the huge leg onto my plate without a pause. My granddad turned to gram and stated disapprovingly, "Oh, what a waste, giving the little girl all that food." My gram just smiled knowingly, "Oh, just you wait and see." Sure enough, I sucked down everything on that plate and then was nosing around for seconds.

Soon, relatives and friends forgot that I had ever had problems eating foods and figured I had just grown out of my allergies. I would never complain: I was silently defensive all those years, wanting it to seem that I was normal and feared being pitied like that child who thought saltines were cookies...

Fortunately when I went away to college, I realized that this "big eater" identity was stupid and unnecessary and was just making it harder for my already dysfunctional digestive system. Now I just eat like a regular person, except with a deeper appreciation, I think, for food and its seductive powers.

So, now that you have a better understanding of my roots, you can see why I'm always in search of a good meal. And by good I mean a perfect blending of tastes and experiences; a symphony; a fuzzy haze; a bit of heaven. Since college, I have traveled to many places in search for good meals. Most notably, I lived in France with a family for a year and a half. Not only was I able to enjoy meals at some of the best restaurants in the world, I was also fortunate to be taught how to cook and bake from my french mom. My next food themed post will show you a bit about what I experienced and learned there...I'm salivating just thinking back to those meals...

Just as a little extra note before I sign off here, Philly is a perfect place to reside if you have a passion for food. Okay, we do have a reputation for cheese steaks and tastykakes and Obesidelphia...this is all true. However, there is also a large BYOB culture, which is one of the greatest features of Philly (there are over 200 here). I plan to do a whole posting on my favorite BYO's of Philly... I was up in Boston over the holidays and a friend of mine had never heard of BYOB. For those of you sad creatures who have yet to experience this phenomenon, let me explain. BYOB = bring your own bottle. This means that the restaurant doesn't provide alcohol, you have to bring your own. Why is this great? All restaurants live and die by their food. But that fact is truer when the restaurant doesn’t mark up alcohol. The difficulty in producing great food while running a small business is intensified without the safety net of bar proceeds. Consequently successful proprietors of BYOBs have a heightened focus on the quality of their cuisine. BYOBs are also usually small joints, giving you and your dinner partner a very intimate feeling while sharing the meal. Anyways, it's going to take some time to put together a post on this, as I want to go out and take pictures of my favorite places too...