In Grindelwald, Sw as a child in the seventies we went on a picnic to a chalet facing the Eiger. The venerable old hotel we stayed at packed the lunch for our family of six which filled 3-4 large grocery bags with all sorts of cheeses, salames,fruits,boiled eggs,french bread and chocolates/pastries. I don't think we could have eaten the whole thing if we wanted to. I still pack picnics to recreate that day which costs a fortune but can't help myself.thereyet

Deb15July,

Philippe Jeanty was the founding chef at Domaine Chandon. It used to be a ritual with me to have a long, delicious meal there, from the '80's onward. Haven't been back since he left. Yummy sweetbreads and the only Soupe de Poisson I've had in the States.

I was there one year, out of season, when a group of local growers came in for lunch and ordered French Fries.

Out came a beautiful silver bowl on a silver platter. Next came another silver platter with a 1 gallon can of Heinz Ketchup, which was carefully ladled out into the silver bowl. Around the corner was Philippe, having fun. They received their request for fries.

He's a great chef, and not really recognized, because he is very down home and just wants to make good food.

ComfyShoes, good joke! Now that Puck's banned foie gras....

Second most memorable meal:

It was our first stay at the Hotel Bonaparte. I told Mme Dumas that I wanted to take my bride to Versailles and have a picnic.

It's a long story, but she had the local shops put together a picnic that came as a tower of boxes wrapped in gold and red ribbons with a basket for the bread and wine.

We had this, quite privately as the guard closed the entrance, in a garden with a fountain.

Ira, now that picnic has all tha makings of a lasting memory. The company, tha atmosphpere, the surprise of a tower of gold wrapped boxes. How wonderful. thereyet

Ira, what a lovely and perfect memory!!!

ttt

I think of myself as a romantic and then am still shocked at your originality Ira!

Inn on the Twenty (Jordan, wine country, Ontario CA)... the gnocci in a gargonzola based broth is the first 'food' that jumps to mind - that was the best dish I've ever had.

The cooking class at Fagiolari in Tuscany is the best 'memory'. We became friends with the other guests and had a wonderful time of it.

There was a cup of shrimp etoufee at the New Orleans Jazz Festival that had me on my knees and the tomato and arugula salad served on the balcony of my hotel with the view of Positano, and the small restaurant in Sorrento where I asked the maitre' d to just please select some things for me. I never had a more wonderful dinner of fish and seafood.

meat pie at TAMAM resturant in old town of Chania Crete Greece

So much comes to mind...Gigantic mussels in Scotland, in a creamy sauce...Angel hair pasta with artichokes in Ancona, seafood at a restaurant on a beach...Closerie de lilas in Paris for steak tartare and wild boar, so much Duck confit at litte restaurants...Steaks in Argentina...Florentine steaks...Exquisite vegetarian lasagna at an agriturismo in Sicily...Suckling pig in Spain... And now, I will have to visit some restaurants that have been mentioned on this board on my trip to Rome 4/26: no problems, I will be walking a lot!

For a meal, It was at the L'Auberge de L'Eridan cooked by Marc Veynat at his restaurant in Annecy by the lake. It was the whole presentation as well as the food. When you enter you are taken by a host into a beautiful tiny elevator that only holds three persons. You ride down and are taken onto a beautiful deck with low tables and benches. It felt like you were sitting on a beautiful yacht as you gazed out on the lake. Apertifs are ordered and little morsels of food to pick on are brought to the table. Later table by table, you are scorted to your seats.
Veyrat, who always wears his shepards
hat is a collector of wild herbs that he uses in his cooking hat and many chefs who worked with him went on their own using his ideas. We had a meal that was too long to write about called Menu Synphonie, that started with escalope de fois gras de canard, four vegetable ravioles, and a grilled lobster for J. and lapin for me, a plateau of cheese followed by desserts,sabayon flavored with genepi of the alps. This was my treat for J's retirement. Thank goodness, that's a once in a lifetime. I had to not buy books and music for a long time but it was worth it.

Hands down the lunch I had at the Pre Catalan in Paris. If you search under "Pre Catalan" on Fodors you will find the story of the unforgettable meal and how it was paid for--or wasn't.

Thereyet, I almost hate to admit this, but our most favorite meals have always been the least noteworthy. We're foodies too! Funny, but it's does seem to be the company and the scenery that make a meal special.

OK, I found the thread with the Pre Catalan story. It's here:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34529593

There were some nasty reactions. Who can figure what people will say hidden behind anonymous internet monikers? Please ignore the negative stuff.

dgg, I agree. As I posted earlier one of my favorite food memories was making pizza in the rain while canoeing in the Canadien wilderness using homemade dehydrated sauce! I certainly understand that many of us have extravegant meal memories as well. Love the stories either way, thereyet

thereyet, my FIRST unforgettable meal was in paris, eatoing on park bench where I shared my food with the pidgeons

Cigalchante, you just never know when or where those memories will come from. Like Tom Thumb donuts at the Minnesota State Fair!
FauxStMarie, can't help but notice the nastiness as I have felt the sting myself and I have only posted for the past month or so. Just like the real world though, most are extremely helpful and the forum is alot of fun to participate on. Thanks everyone, thereyet

A few come to mind...

At a Bed and Breakfast in Missouri on our honeymoon. The BEST homemade biscuits and homemade strawberry jam! I can still taste it 18 years later!

In Statford Upon Avon in a small hotel. Room service "afternoon tea." The scones and clotted cream were heavenly and my 10 month old baby took a long nap so I could enjoy my tea and watch a WHOLE movie. It was Sleepless In Seatle, and interesting pick to watch in England. A perfect afternoon!

The Filet Mignon in a little place in Ponca City, Oklahoma!

Tortellini with ham in cream, followed by sausage and roasted potatoes....two weeks ago in Rome. YUM!

The crab claws, oh those crab claws, and the whole meal at the Al Awan buffet restaurant in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Memorable.

Fun subject!
Katy

thereyet, my view on the nasties, is that some people need new hobbies and are affected with Obsessive Compulsive Nasty Posting Disorder (OCNPD) Terminal Stage. Don't look in the DSM manual. That diagnosis is not there yet, but some day it will be!

You do have to look past the know-it-alls sometimes to get the information you need. Whew!

The most unique form of pre-made sandwiches in london, the pasties in london, and the wonderful little delis in NYC that have such a wide assortment of foods to choose from in their hot and cold salad bars.