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Food Thread: A Little Bit Of Nothing

Sauerkraut!

Lyon, which is considered to be the gastronomic capital of France, takes it very, very seriously. That dish, served at a famous (and huge!) brasserie, is called the "Royale - Smoked Belly and Loin of Pork, Frankfurter and Smoked Sausages." And there is a bigger one that adds a whole knuckle of pork.

Yeah...they don't screw around with portion size.

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One of the things I have noticed in France is the pride in domestic foods. Both supermarkets and little food shops state the country of origin (probably by law), and French products seem to be given center stage.

And that is how it should be!

I wish the United States was as interested in domestic production as a matter of both health (Lots of foreign countries are in the stone age when it comes to clean farming) and quality.

Because we grow a lot of fantastic stuff, but it is often overwhelmed by our commodity food. And that's okay, because eating in America isn't expensive!

Yes...you guessed it...I have no point.

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No, I have not discussed beef tartare nearly enough!

That's a "deconstructed" version I had at a London restaurant a few months ago. It looks great, but while I appreciate the effort, I'll stick to the traditional version. I did have an excellent cask ale to go with it, so all was not lost.

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Speaking of Lyon:

A Lyonnais pot is a bottle with a very thick bottom and a capacity of exactly 46 centilitres. This is a Lyonnaise speciality; it is mainly used in bouchons, typical restaurants in Lyon and its surrounding region.

Why? Who knows, but it is claimed that the thick bottom was first used by employers to short their employees' daily serving of wine! Because wine was part of their compensation, which is a delightfully civilized way of paying one's employees!
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In the grand scheme of Dildo World, if vegetables disappeared, all would be well. Granted, they do add to meals, but I have had plenty of wonderful culinary experiences that did not include veggies!

But that stuffed zucchini was pretty damned good! Of course it was stuffed with crab, so that might have something to do with it.

On the other hand, One of the best Indian dishes I have ever eaten was cauliflower! Yup...just cauliflower, at a great Indian restaurant in London. It was magnificent, and the highlight of the evening.

Yes, I am conflicted when it comes to vegetables.

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I don't know that this monstrous Madelaine evoked memories*, but it did make me smile! That is Bon Marché's version of the classic cookie/pastry, and it was a fine bit of baking. The chocolate wasn't bad either...just enough bitterness to complement the sweetness of the Madelaine.

And it was huge! Easily four inches (10 centimeters in Frog talk) long.

*Somebody please read all of Proust's "Remembrance Of Things Past" and get back to us

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I thought France would have good garlic, but the Frogs seem to have the same problem we have in the U.S. At least they don't import filthy garlic from China. Pork is great here, but no game, so send all of your extra antelope to: cbd dot aoshq at gmail dot com.

Who are those poor deluded souls We know who shakes their Manhattans! These are the same people who drink fine bourbon with coke, and probably shake red wine with ice too.

$1,200 for a bottle of bourbon is just stupid, insulting, and a ghastly affront to most people's palates and wallets. I think the sweet spot is $40-$60 for excellent and interesting bottles, and bumping that to $100 gets you an incremental improvement in quality, but nothing mind-blowing. More than that and I think you are paying for hype and rarity, which may look good in your liquor cabinet, but doesn't translate to more quality in the bottle.

The problem...or the solution...is to buy lots of bourbon, take tasting notes, and eventually arrive at your favorites! It should take forty or fifty years, but it is worth it!