[cape chef]

First I would like to thank you for taking your time to spend with us. I truly enjoy your book Glorious French Food. Here in the northeast spring is starting to pop and I start thinking about seasonal approaches to ingredients and cooking mediums. But it is a double edge sword. The cooler months bring me to choucroute garni from Alsace, or cassoulet from Gascony/languedoc. These 2 preparations are probably my favorite regional dishes. I love bouillabaisse, coq au vin,boeuf bourguignonne etc. But I find such pleasure in cooking and eating the fore-mentioned dishes. A nice vin de Alsace or fitue and I'm satiated. What are your favorite regional dishes from France, and why?

[James Peterson]

Choucroute is definitely up there. Cassoulet is a bit too rich for my tastes. Bouillabaisse is also up there but it must be in France (preferably the South) for it to taste right. A simple grillled fish with fennel or sardines. Rabbit with prunes, things with truffles like pommes sarladaise, moules a la bordelaise, poulet aux ecrevisses, pigeons with petits pois, gigot de sept heures, garbure... The list goes on.