John Talbott's Paris

Arnsbourg: A restaurant, a book and a trip.

It's been 6 or 7 years since we've been to the area, but tonite I read Sophie Brissaud's book on Jean-Georges Klein's joint in Arnsbourg (the book is called l'Alchemie des Elements, the hotel, Hotel K, a Relais et Ch.) prices not ruinous; 53 minutes from Strasbourg, website in English is http://www.arnsbourg.com/english/index.htm
and I was blown away.  The guy spent one week with Adria and like everyone who's done that, most of whom settled around Gerona & Perpignon, he absorbed a bit but was not taken in by the show (if I read him right.)  Beautiful recipes, beautiful text, beautiful pictures.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay; shockingly bad but totally compelling.

Like movies that are so bad they're good, Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, St Martin's Griffin, NY 2007 is a frustrating experience. 

Based on one of France's most shameful episodes, which quite simply stripped the varnish off their long and deep streak of Antisemitism, the deportation, separation and slaughter of innocent French citizens, men, women and children, in 1942, who just happened to be Jewish, Ms. de Rosnay lurches between telling an exciting mystery story and (bear with this run on sentence) providing boring after boring page of rather meaningless descriptions of the heroine's sappy husband, the worst of French men and women's cultural prejudices and deathly slow descriptions of incredibly banal events. 

According to news reports, the manuscript was turned down by almost two dozen publishing houses, and one can see why, before the hapless d'Ormesson/Cohen-Solal team took her on.  They had gold in their hands - a horrible still-hidden and to-this-day-denied event, a suspenseful plot and interesting characters, but they forgot one thing; a good book needs a good editor.

Food Guides 2010 - 1- The Gault-Millau

Food Guides 2010 -1- The Gault-Millau

Yesterday the Gault-Millau went on sale and on its cover promises 2000 tables less than 30 € (and there are probably are that many but there’s no index or symbol for them).

Chef of the Year is/was William Ledeuil of Ze Kitchen Galerie and Kitchen Galerie Bis.

There were also six greats of tomorrow named; in Paris it was Adeline Grattard of Yam'Tcha ; also 22 young talents (under 32 years): none in Paris.

Of the 5 chef toques (no more numbers remember) in Paris were/are: Yannick Alleno (Le Meurice), Pascal Barbot (l'Astrance), Alain Ducasse & his chef Christophe Moret (Plaza Athénée), Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Passard (l'Arpège) and Guy Savoy.