Marty Davis asked:


There are numerous different types of restaurants in Paris and places that you could choose to eat out at, and many of the restaurants have lots of history and nostalgia, so we thought it would be an idea to focus on one in particular, called the Tour d’Argent.

 

This is actually the oldest restaurant in Paris and is known throughout the world for its traditional French cuisine and was first opened as an inn back in 1582, with the idea of catering for the aristocrats of the time.

 

By the early 1600’s it had become so popular that even duels were fought to get a table and savour the delicacies on offer!  Numerous dignitaries and royalty came to eat at the Tour d’Argent including King Louis XIV and the Duke of Morny, who resided at the mansion which is now home to the haute cuisine restaurant called the Taillevent.

 

But it was in the 19th century that the Tour d’Argent became even more famous when the owner, Frederic Delair created the ritual of the “Canard au Sang”, which is a complex dish known as pressed duck or bloody duck that uses a special solid silver press and it was shortly after devising this now famous recipe, he declared that every duck should bear a number.  For instance, number 328 was served to King Edward VII in 1890.

 

Andre Terrail purchased the Tour d’Argent in 1910, but the tradition of the numbered duck continued and duck number 40,312 was served to King Alfonso XIII in 1914.  Number 112,151 was served to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1929 and duck number 938,451 was served to President Mikhail Gorbachev in 2001.

 

The Tour d’Argent celebrated its one millionth duck in 2003 and even today this tradition still continues where you are presented with a card showing what number duck you had for your meal, but this is just one of the reasons why this restaurant has become such a landmark and famous throughout the world.

 

Now when you enter the Tour d’Argent you will immediately see displays in their small museum of items such as a menu from the maiden voyage of the Normandie through to a table set as it was in the 1800’s.  This is where you would usually be served aperitifs, yet the restaurant dining room is actually positioned on the sixth floor, which was added in 1936, and is accessed via a lift. 

 

And because of its location with the fabulous views of Notre Dame Cathedral and the boats cruising the River Seine or looking at the shimmering lights of the city and the Eiffel Tower in the distance of an evening, becomes another reason why this Paris restaurant is so popular.

 

Obviously, because this haute cuisine restaurant plays host to celebrities, presidents, royalty, etc reservations are a must and you will need a healthy bank balance in which to thoroughly appreciate the gourmet dining experience along with their fabulous selection of fine wines, which brings us to another reason for its popularity.

 

Their incredible wine cellars hold around 400,000 bottles from fine vintages dating back to the 1800’s, rare brandies and even more rare champagnes that date from the 1700’s and the wine list itself is like reading a novel presented with its own stand!  The sommeliers are very knowledgeable and can recommend wines to pair excellently with your cuisine, yet prices can become quite high, with some vintage wines costing thousands of Euros!!  Yet if you are lucky enough, you may even be able to get a tour of the wine cellars before leaving, where a member of staff will escort you down underneath the restaurant and ceremoniously rings a copper bell to announce your arrival prior to entry into the cellars.

 

For many, to dine at this restaurant is a once in a life time experience, where you make sure you are in your best evening dress and the staff are dressed in tails.  In fact, this is such a traditional restaurant that even today the menu is presented to the lady without the costs and the gentleman has the pricing listed!

 

But booking a table for lunch is more reasonable than going all out on an evening meal, so if you are on a budget, yet still want to splash out, then this is the option for a wonderful gastronomic experience and a terrific view you will not forget.



Wyatt

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Moorea is perhaps the most popular tourist destination in French Polynesia, after Tahiti – the main island. Occupying an area of about 50 square miles, Moorea is located roughly 20 kilometers west of Tahiti, in the Society Archipelago’s Windward Group. By air, Moorea is only ten minutes away from Tahiti, and by water it is less than an hour’s ride from the main island.

With shady as well as crystalline lagoons, tranquil meadows, towering mountains, beautiful pineapple plantations, astounding waterfalls, and lush green areas, Moorea is truly a tropical paradise. No matter you are couples, single, or one vacationing with your family or friend, Moorea is a great vacation spot for all types of holidaymakers, boasting of plentiful natural splendor as well as water adventure options.

Visitors touring to Moorea can engage in an array of activities, from diving amongst the vivid marine life and strolling along the white sandy beaches to indulging in traditional massages as well as Polynesian spa treatments and savoring exotic cuisines. In short, a visit to French Polynesia would not be complete without taking a tour to the magnificent island of Moorea.

With trident shape, Moorea is much famed for its two magnificent bays: Cook and Opunohu. Probably, the most popular among the attractions in the island is Moorea Dolphin Center, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Dedicated to the conservation of the marine life, the Dolphin Center is home to a large number of welcoming bottlenose dolphins can be seen here.

Taking a tour to the dolphin center would be a great way to swim along these beautiful, friendly creatures as well as to learn about their interesting environment. Another prime landmark of the Moorea Island is Tiki Village Theater, where craftsmen live and work and where one could spectacle great Tahitian shows including Tahitian party nights as well as performances of more than 50 dancers including fire dancers, musicians, and other artists.

Set in a pristine environment near a spectacular lagoon, Tiki Village Theater is also a great spot for getting married as well as renewing your marriage vows. Tiki Village allows honeymooners and couples to choose from three types of wedding packages such as Princess Wedding, Royal Wedding, and Royal Deluxe Wedding. Princess Wedding includes authentic Tahitian village, the service of the chief of the village and the High Priest, band of local musicians, marriage certificate made of Tapa, crowns of flowers for couples, bottle of champagne, photographs of the ceremony, and transportation back to the hotel.

In the case of Royal Wedding Package, almost everything covered in the princess wedding is also included in this package plus arrival of couples by canoe from the hotel, carrying of couples in the Royal Chair by four Polynesian warriors, a romantic cruise on the Royal Outrigger canoe accompanied by a band of musicians, and honeymoon night on the Royal Floating House. When comes to the Royal Deluxe Wedding, it consists of singing of Tahitian mamas during the wedding ceremony and spectacular Tahitian dance shows, apart from that are included in both the Princess Wedding and the Royal Wedding packages.

Top attractions in Moorea also include Maison de la Nature, Mou’a Roa, where you can reach by foot via the Vaianae Valley. It is much noted for its lush green setting, and is a great place to savor delicious natural home made jams made of pure honey and dried fruits.

Apart from these, Moorea allows visitors to engage in a number of adventure as well as fun filled water activities such as boat cruising, jet skiing, deep sea fishing, and surfing. Tourists have also option to engage in such activities as parasailing, land tours, and helicopter sightseeing tours.

In order to cater to needs and preferences of the growing number of tourists in the region, a good number of upscale hotels and resorts operate here, such as, Sofitel Moorea Beach Resort, whose exterior structure is based on the ancient mythology of the region, ie, the pyramid-like central buildings representing the male energy and the brilliant fringed hutu blossoms and verdant plant life, the female energy of the island.

Almost all top-end resorts in the area come attached with an array of facilities such as restaurants, bars, swimming pools, fitness centers, spa facilities, tennis courts, and Jacuzzi.Aside from typical hotel guest rooms and suites, many of the resorts in the area also provide opportunities for the guests to stay in incredible overwater bungalows, all of which are luxuriously appointed and surrounded by landscaped setting.

There are also some hotels that render superb packages in the form of wedding packages, honeymoon packages, and packages to enjoy a number of activities in the area. Even some hotels arrange facilities for island tours in order to explore the attractions of the island.



Douglas

man on the moon asked:


what about Spanish or Portuguese cuisine?

Solomon

Jitender Sharma asked:


The 1970’s brought a great deal of upheaval and new ideas to the forefront, and the world of cuisine was no exception. In June of 1975, the British magazine Harpers & Queen coined a term to refer to a new type of food that was sweeping the world: Nouvelle Cuisine.

What is nouvelle cuisine? It is, in a word, the marriage of health-conscious California to traditional France. Consider it an updated version of French cuisine- flavorful food with a light-handed, healthy approach. It’s difficult to define nouvelle cuisine in more specific terms because of its huge impact on the way food in general is prepared today. Nouvelle cuisine opened doors to a new generation of restaurant-goers who loved rich tastes and fresh combinations, but didn’t want their bodies to pay for it later.

With this new lighter menu came a new style of cooking as well. Chefs in nouvelle cuisine restaurants used shorter cooking times and fresher ingredients, cutting down on the multiple steps that got in the way of the natural flavors of the food. In a world that was waking up to faster-moving times and stricter diets, this new cuisine caught on with incredible speed.

Like any other trend, nouvelle cuisine was often widely misunderstood and misrepresented. Depending on what regional restaurant you visited, you might have been subjected to a low-calorie meal with tiny portions and been told it was nouvelle cuisine. Many chefs and consumers alike did not grasp the concept that lighter did not necessarily mean less.

One of the main goals of nouvelle cuisine was to excite more than just the sense of taste. A skilled nouvelle chef would be able to produce a meal that was artistically arranged on the plate and contained a wonderful mix of smells, textures, and flavors. Oils and fresh spices were used extensively to bring out the natural flavor of the fresh vegetables and pastas in these meals.

The way we cook at home today owes a great deal to nouvelle cuisine. Olive oil, vinaigrette, and fresh herbs are common today in many American kitchens, mainly due to the influence of the nouvelle cuisine movement. Restaurants, too, have taken their cue: before the appearance of nouvelle cuisine, portions were heavier and larger, and consumers went to restaurants expecting to come out full, but not necessarily sated. Nowadays fine restaurants base their expertise on combining flavors, not smothering them; and on their presenting food that satisfies, not simply fills, an empty stomach.

There is still a debate on whether nouvelle cuisine has disappeared from the radar. It has certainly influenced other fields of cooking, but nobody is sure if it can be considered a movement of its own in the current times. Then again, a trend that catches on so quickly is almost always destined to develop in other ways and spread to other things, losing its identity as a separate entity along the way.



Davin