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If any of you have a chance to get to San Francisco in the future, be sure to go to Cafe de Paris L'Entrecote on Union between Buchanan and Webster. It has all the goodies we've been drooling over here, wonderful croque monsieur, crepes and steak and frites. Yum.

TTT for this great thread. Let's hear some more!

Julia... another first for me.. with all the foodie sites, and cook books I have, I got a recipe off of a TRAVEL site.. and it was super good. I had just finally found pancetta in the stores here after looking for ages, bought some and was going to look up a good recipe when I read yours. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

KAm. I have an older book called "The London Cookbook" by Liz trigg, it's proably outdated now but it follows the same format as Paris cafes. Most of the new chefs, Jamie Oliver, Michael Rhodes, Ainsley Herriott have their own books, and lots of the restaurants , such as Ivy, la Famiglia, Ritz, are publishing collections. I know you wanted it more as a guide book but that's the best I can come up with . will check it out in London for you, if someone doesn't do it first, I always hit the cookbook sections, even subscribe to an Enlish cooking magazine ! <BR>I always have to bring home dry chestnuts, can only get them at thanksgiving here, and then not every year. Also stock up on a sorts of chutneys, seems we can onlyy find 1 or 2 varieties in out local stores but can find dozens in UK, Chutney, good cheese, and a baguette HEAVEN ON A PLATE

Brown Cow has cream on top and is not sour It is made out West I got it in Atlanta so check out the health food and gourmet shops

Re:yogurt -- same advice as re:butter -- the flavor increases with fat content, alas! I've seen Brown Cow in whole foods/organic grocery stores, also Stonyfield Farm brands -- both have whole-milk or crem-based yogurts. <BR> <BR>However, out of necessity, I've learned to "cheat" with fat-free yogurt by getting much of the water out of it. Here's how: get some cheesecloth and use a couple of thicknesses to make a big square. Empty 1-2 containers of yogurt into the center and pull up corners to make a sack. Tie it up with string and hang the sack-o-yogurt over a big enough bowl to catch quite a bit of fluid. Over 6 hrs. you can get it down to a very thick, delicious consistency. <BR>I use this ultra-thick yogurt as a fat-free substitute for cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, creme fraiche, etc. With sweetening (sugar or honey) and vanilla it's a wonderful dessert topping. Add fruit, nutmeg, sherry or brandy, cardamom, etc. for various variations. <BR> <BR>Unsweetened, it's great to thicken soups or salad dressings. A decent base for tziki sauce in Greek cooking, wonderful on borscht, even!

Hi cass, <BR>i was just going to suggest the same thing! You can but yogurt drainers, in just about any houseware dept for about $1.00 each. They look like a permanent coffee filter , platic with some extremely fine mesh fabric of some kind. Just stick it in a measuring cip , addd yogurt and let drain.. I have been using the same one for years. I have a friend who uses a yogurt maker , it is really quite good but , you have to think ahead , and I have trouble with that!

more goodies , please

TTT

Laura, I too enjoy duplicating foods we have discovered on the road. When we return we usually celebrate with a dinner for our friends in the theme of our trip. Reading the postings made me think of the best "street food" we had on our extended tour of Europe in 1991. It was a balmy night in St. Tropez. A restaurant window opening onto a music and people filled street, very festive atmosphere, was serving freshly made hot crepes, slathered in delicious melted chocolate, which were rolled up and topped with a pour-your-own bottle of Cointreau. We have duplicated this dessert many times at home. <BR> <BR>In Germany we were introduced to a "Raclette" meal at a friend's home. A raclette grill is an electric tabletop appliance with a flat nonstick top and small individual metal trays underneath. The table is crammed with dishes of toppings, a bowl of small cooked and peeled potatoes and a dish of raclette cheese. Each person loads a tray up with the sliced potato, cheese and any variety of toppings (i.e. bacon bits, scallions, olives, pineapple, green pepper, etc. limited only by your imagination). You then pop the tray under the grill until the cheese is bubbling. The top of the grill can be used to grill individual servings of shrimp, sausage, tenderloin, etc. It's a lot of fun and can stretch into hours of drinking, talking and nibbling. When we returned home (in 1991) the first thing I did was try to find a tabletop raclette grill. My local Kitchen Glamour store had just gotten them in and I bought their first one.

Re the yogurt--don't recall having yogurt in Paris, but the stuff in Greece was to die for. Used to live in Boston, can't think of anywhere to get that there. However(!), for anyone who lives in Philadelphia, I recently ate at Zorba's (Art Museum area). In addition to the amazing fresh bread (can't vouch for its being Greek, but it's really REALLY good, better than anything at Metropolitan Bakery or Le Bus), their yogurt (on the dessert menu) is divine. Could not believe how good it was--I was totally transported to a lazy summer afternoon by the beach in the Greek islands. Yum...

When I was in Ireland, I had a dessert that was out of this world and I can't remember what it was called. It was sweetened hardened meringue, topped with fruit and then with a lime sauce. I would love to make this at home, can anyone out there help me with the name of this thing?

IRISH_ try loking up a recipe for PAVLOVA - very similar- but with whipped cream under the fruit. <BR>If you can't find one email me and I'll send it to you

MORE PLEASE, SIR

JOdy, YES! You are right, it was Pavlova. Checked a few sites on the web and now have lots of recipes for it. Thank you.

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1. Kir - creme de cassis and sancerre <BR>2. real french bread with goat cheese in herbs and oil, toasted til the cheese melts, then thinly sliced tomatoes and basil leaves on top, another quick toasting (in toaster oven) to wilt; and many variations thereon (ham, gruyere, emmenthal, olives). <BR>3. wine with dinner EVERY night <BR>I'm outta here to the store!

Croque-Monsieur (Bon Appetit May 2001) <BR> <BR>2 Servings; can be doubled. <BR> <BR>2 Tablespoons butter <BR>2 Tablespoons all purpose flour <BR>1 cup whole milk <BR>Pinch of ground nutmeg <BR>1 bay leaf <BR> <BR>4 slices firm white sandwich bread <BR>4 ounces thinkly sliced Black Forest ham <BR>4 ounces sliced Gruyere cheese <BR>1 tablespoon melted butter <BR>1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese <BR>2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives <BR> <BR>Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Add nutmeg and bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until sauce thickens, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. <BR> <BR>Preheat broiler. Place 2 bread slices on work surface. Top each with half of ham and sliced Gruyere. Top with remaining bread. Heat heavy large skillet over low heat. Brush sandwiches with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Add to skillet and cook until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to small baking sheet. Spoon sauce, then grated cheese over sandwiches. Broil until cheese begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chives. <BR> <BR>Offer a plum-tomato salad with the sandwiches. Round out the meal with sliced strawberries drizzled with creme de cassis. <BR> <BR>

Thank you, Monica. I hope this tastes as good as the ones I had in France! :) <BR>