What directly THE FUCK is going on here???
Urge to Kill: RISING...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
TeamO - The First 100 Days
The first 100 days of married life have come and gone, and things are really good.
Kerrie and I have eaten well, found a few new places to dine, and acquired some nifty kitchen gadgets for making my prep work infinity more interesting.
All things considered, the last 100 days have been most excellent.
It all started with Kerrie and I getting married and heading to Trotters Tavern, in full Wedding Garb, for a couple of celebratory Brown Jugs. With Jeb and his wife, Edwards, and Harr in tow, we sat around drinking and enjoying what is, as I have stated before, the most perfect steak ever.
The next day, we met with our parents for breakfast at the Perrysburg IHOP and headed for Niagara Falls. When we finally got there, we checked into our hotel, got dressed and went to Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse for dinner. I have to say, I was unprepared for a meal like that. I was hungry, but I wasn't coordinated for such an event. In effect, I wound up trying my favorite dish, the Beef Rump Steak with Garlic, last. We did try a very nice, albeit over priced, 2004 Malbec. I was so impressed with the scale of the meal and the quality of service for a Sunday night. Kerrie and I were, for all they knew, the newlywed pikers who were there because it was the easy choice. They sold me. I really did fall in love with the concept of the Brazilian Steakhouse, and I'm really looking forward to going back.
The rest of the trip was a blur of touristy fun, Tim Hortons (Yeah, it's Canada folks. They're EVERYWHERE...) and one really cool retro diner called The Famous. The Famous had great burgers, but their milkshakes were pretty fucking amazing. I had this John Travolta-esque moment where I took that first sip and realized I was wasting a ridiculous sum of money on a diner-style meal, but damn was that a good 'shake.
There were other places, like Falls and Firkin, that we went for meals but that just weren't as mind-numbingly pleasing and Brasa and The Famous.
Eventually we made it back to Ohio. We quickly assimilated back into polite society, but I found that we had a bunch of new kitchen toys to play with, like the Stovetop Smoker and the Kitchen Aid Food Grinder...
TeamO - The First 100 Days (To Be Continued)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Cuba, eh? Take 'er down Smithers!
Being that it has been such a great day, I made a point of enjoying a nice glass of the Laphroaig with a recently purchased cigar.
Look, we just came back from Canada. You do the math.
Stupid embargo...
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
You tell me it's the institution...
You know what I know love about Steaks au Poivre? Absolutely every fricken' thing possible.
There is something about fork tender beef, f**kloads of fresh cracked peppercorns, a healthy dollop of butter and cognac.
The first time I ever tried a Steaks au Poivre was at SamB's in BG, and it was the only dish I ever ordered until those pricks took it off the menu. Actually I recall going there less after that too...
Anyways, I was immediately captivated by this dish. Outside of the Brown Jug at Trotters, there is no better way to serve a steak. Yeah, that is a bold claim. But I stand by it. Whenever I go to a restaurant which prepares steaks, I always look for an au poivre option. Most places, however, don't. The Grand Finale in Glendale is the only place I know of around here but Kerrie and I only make it out there once, maybe twice, a year.
So you can imagine my excitement, my pure bliss, in scoring a few filets of beef - perfect for steaks au poivre and a nice bottle of burgundy.
To make a good au poivre, only a few essential items are necessary. A heavy pan, some beef filets, heavy cream and cognac. Butter, Sea Salt, Olive Oil, and Peppercorns should be part of your on-hand inventory.
Peppercorns, are the key ingredient in this dish. They form an amazing crust, not entirely spicy. On top of that, they balance with the creamy cognac sauce.
The other dirty secret about steaks au poivre is that is stupid-easy to make. If you know the rules, and have your prep ready, this dish comes together in mere minutes.
Steaks au Poivre
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
2 Beef Filets
Sea Salt
Crushed peppercorns (enough to coat both sides of the beef generously)
1/3 cup Cognac
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 T Butter
Start by bringing your beef to room temp, about 1 hour.
Lightly rub the beef with a small amount of Sea Salt on both sides.
Press the peppercorns into the filets on both sides. Don't be stingy.
Over medium heat, melt 1 T of butter into the olive oil in a pan big enough to hold both filets.
Sear the filets for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
Set steaks aside and remove pan from heat.
Quickly, but carefully, pour the cognac into the pan and scrape up all the fond that is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Return pan to heat and add the cream.
Reduce the sauce, stirring constantly, until thickened - about 5 minutes.
Finish the sauce with 1 T butter and divide between the two filets.
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The French serve this dish with fries. I'm partial to garlic mashed potatoes and field greens. Either way, you really can't go wrong with a dish like this. You just can't...
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Monday, September 07, 2009
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
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