User talk:Ryan O'Connell

Welcome!

Welcome to the Citizendium! We hope you will contribute boldly and well. Here are pointers for a quick start. You'll probably want to know how to get started as an author. Just look at CZ:Getting Started for other helpful "startup" links, and CZ:Home for the top menu of community pages. Be sure to stay abreast of events via the Citizendium-L (broadcast) mailing list (do join!) and the blog. Please also join the workgroup mailing list(s) that concern your particular interests. You can test out editing in the sandbox if you'd like. If you need help to get going, the forums is one option. That's also where we discuss policy and proposals. You can ask any constable for help, too. Me, for instance! Just put a note on their "talk" page. Again, welcome and have fun! Hayford Peirce 16:57, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

La Barbacane

Hi Ryan, Glad to see that you're already here! I did a bunch of food articles, mostly about French food, a year or so ago but haven't done much with them since. I don't think anything has been done with wine, so there's lots of room for fresh expertise. Back in '95 my French wife and I stayed in the Royal Hotel, then walked next door to La Barbacane, Wonderful bread! Rabbit ballotine; lobster in rock-squid ink risotto; a special lamb plate with a tiny chop, loin, ris de veau, kidney, and a superb ravioli stuffed with tomatoes; creme brulee & choc. soufflee & ice cream; 1 bottle Corbiere, 1/2 bottle Minerois -- a great meal but much too much, even though I could eat a lot more in those days than I can now! (I can still drink as much, hehe). I'm glad to hear that they've brought in your wines! I'd love to spend 3 or 4 days around Carcas. and try 4 or 5 different cassoulets in various places instead of the fancy restos like La Barbacane. Maybe if I had a belle Caracassonnienne (?) comme guide! (You might check out my Confit of duck article to see the sort of stuff I was doing....) Hayford Peirce 17:47, 1 March 2009 (UTC)