Gift food recommendations in Paris?

Parfait -- merci!

And now I see that there is an extensive and very recent thread about this just upstream that I'll check out. Mustards for everyone!

stephaniet in France

Gift food recommendations in Paris?

Christmas is coming and I will soon be returning to the US to see friends and family after a seven month stay in Paris. I was thinking about bringing some food gifts back, but don't really know where to start. I picked up small tins at paté and foie gras at a marché des producteurs in Sept, and am kicking myself for not getting more. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to go to get things of this sort that are of good quality? Not really interested in macarons, chocolates -- or I suppose sweets in general. Wine is out because I don't have enough space in my luggage. I'm thinking of things like jarred cassoulet? (is that any good?) very open to other ideas along these lines.

Demographic info, in case it matters:
me: broke humanities graduate student
gift recipients: upper-middle class baby boomers who appreciate good food+wine, Whole Foods shoppers, but are a bit too provincial to be real Chowhounds or foodies.
amount I want to spend: UNDER 15€ per item.

Thanks in advance!

stephaniet in France

dinner with visiting mom, stay in cambridge vs find something special in boston (casual/mid-priced, no super fancy)

We could take public transportation, but I can also take public transportation anytime. The point was to make good use of the car. Traffic and parking...eh, I'm a former New Yorker, I can deal. I have been to both of those places though and my thoughts are, eh, okay. Growing up outside of DC has spoiled me for Ethiopian, and while Martsa is fine, I was thinking of something a little fancier/more special.

10 Tables (cambridge or JP, mom's choice) has been added to the list for my mother to choose from though.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

dinner with visiting mom, stay in cambridge vs find something special in boston (casual/mid-priced, no super fancy)

Fried seafood is what I meant by "lobstery." Nothing wrong with that but we are originally from MD where there is also a lot of fried seafood and water-y scenery. (And neither or us really want fried food, as good as it can be.)

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

dinner with visiting mom, stay in cambridge vs find something special in boston (casual/mid-priced, no super fancy)

Thanks for all of the great suggestions everyone! You guys got exactly what I was after -- a meal with great/interesting food that can still be about catching up rather than having a production meal.

Also, yeah, my characterization of Oleana is probably more apt for a more generic Cambridge $27 entree restaurant. (Rendezvous? Though I've never been there. Maybe even Harvest.) I guess I had just heard a lot of hype before I went.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

dinner with visiting mom, stay in cambridge vs find something special in boston (casual/mid-priced, no super fancy)

I am a Cambervillian with a mother driving through town next week who wants to go out to dinner. I am fairly familiar with the offerings in Cambridge, but I basically never get into Boston due to lack of time, dining companions with time, money, car, etc., so I am not sure what is worth traveling to in Boston. (I am a grad student and have more or less given up my love of street-food oriented Chowhoudiness that I cultivated in years of living in NYC upon moving here for a variety of reasons.)

What I am looking for: cuisine is more or less totally open, but ideally, I'd love to find a place with great food that is in some way unique/memorable but is NOT super high-end with white table cloths, etc. Also I'd like to avoid kind of generic next level down restaurants with good food but nothing distinct about them that cater to people who shop at Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma. So for example, driving all the way into Boston to go to something like Oleana is out -- we've just eaten at too many places like that before, between my years in NY and my parents living in the DC area, other travels, etc..

Were we to stay in Cambridge, I'd probably give my mom a few options -- Brazilian at Muqueca (unique and not-pretentious or terribly expensive), maybe even The Garden at the Cellar, which has good food but still feels casual to me, etc., a burger at RF O'Sullivan's (which I prefer to Bartley's, esp for dinner), Zoe's for Sichuan (she would probably say no as she is not as into non-SE Asian Asian food as I am), maybe Hungry Mother, and maybe I'd even present Craigie St as an option if she were up for it (though that is a little much for a casual just dropping by dinner). What I would not suggest are places like East Coast Grill, Upstairs on the Square, EVOO...places that are either big rooms or just trying (too hard) to be fancy.

BUT, it seems like a great opportunity (my mom having a car) to get out of Cambridge for once! But what is out there in Boston that is both great and kind of a casual, easy atmosphere at the same time? I think that the two things I'm not really interested in are anything lobstery or straight ahead Italian. Is there great Brazilian somewhere? Greek? a tiny unassuming French place owned by a couple from Paris with four tables? (I am so spoiled from NYC as is my mother from all the eating we did together there -- and she wants me to find something similar here!) All areas within a thirty minute drive are fine. My worst nightmare though to be to drive forty minutes to Legal Seafood. You get the picture at this point.

Thanks for any suggestions!

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

The dearth of food carts and trucks in Boston

The food carts around MIT range from passable to awful. I would not recommend any. I would kill for some good food truck food in Boston.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

Julia Child TWC Tarte Tatin Recipe

I have made this twice so far -- the first time it was okay -- i think I didn't let the caramel develop enough before putting in the apples, and I remember thinking it was a bit sweet. Just made it a second time, with at least 1/4 cup less sugar in the pan (still 1/2 cup on the apples initially) and it was fantastic. Lemon juice really brightens it up.

stephaniet in Home Cooking

knife cut noodles/northern Chinese

good to know, thanks. now i just need to get a car.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

knife cut noodles/northern Chinese

It seems like most places in Chinatown do Cantonese style though? Or Taiwanese? Any more specific recommendations?

Knife cut noodles are typically made fresh and served on the spot (often cut straight into the pot) -- I don't think they sell them packaged.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

knife cut noodles/northern Chinese

Anyone know anywhere to get knife cut noodles or northern Chinese food in general? (most notable, dumplings, sesame pancake -- stuff served at all the dollar dumpling joints in NYC) I saw a few posts about Noodle Alcove but it seems like it's closed.

Or of any place to get dirt cheap decent authentic Chinese food (under $5)?

Boston/Cambridge area.

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

Sunday night post marathon meal -- moderate price, below 34th

Nevermind -- I rememebered that I had always wanted to go to The Red Cat. Reservations were still available, so problem solved. Unless people want to tell me I'm making a big mistake, but I doubt it.

stephaniet in Manhattan

Sunday night post marathon meal -- moderate price, below 34th

I'm looking for a place to go with my family for a celebratory meal after the NYC marathon in Nov. Last year we went to Hearth (great), but i'd like to try something different. I'm looking for something moderately priced ($16-$25 entrees), casual atmosphere, below 343th st, and the emphasis should be on the food, not the scene. I tried calling Lupa but got the "we can seat you at 5:15 or 9:45" business.

I'm going to someplace Italian the night before, so I'd rather not do a repeat of that (Italian) on Sunday (otherwise I'd go with the Crispo suggestion from "When you can't get into Lupa". My other thought was Alias, but I'd rather not to a prix fixe dinner. Probably looking for something New American-y, French, Mediterranean. Not too light of portions (no Blue Hill). What are people's thoughts on Snack Taverna? Probably not Asian/Asian influenced as my father is never into those places.

Thanks!

stephaniet in Manhattan

best places to buy beer in cambridge/sommerville

I recently moved to Cambridge and am trying to find places with good beer selections. Thus far I've found A-Wines (or something like that ) on Cambridge St in Inman Square, which has an okay selection, but I'm wondering what else is in the area. Not looking for anything in particular, just a good selection of American Microbrews (along the likes of Rogue, Allagash, Lagunitas...), Germans, Belgians....A knowledgable staff would be great too.

I have no car, so the closer to Kendall Sq. the better. Boston would be okay if it were right on the other side of the Mass Ave bridge. Thanks!

stephaniet in Greater Boston Area

PDX Mexican or other cheap eats

Yes I did post on LJ! Thanks for your responses here -- somehow I trust Chowhounders a bit more for food advice, and the links/maps are great. I'll try to check out Karam.

stephaniet in Pacific Northwest