Moments of Clarity

My Review of Django Des Moines: Our New French Restaurant

I visited Django, located on 10th Street next door to the Hotel Fort Des Moines this past Friday night with our good friends who share the same love of finding new and exciting fare in our beautiful city.  Django is self described as:

Django is a comfortable, brasserie-style restaurant offering everything you love about French cuisine without the attitude. The restaurant features classic French dishes such as Steak Frites and Duck Cassoulet, as well as fresh salads and juicy hamburgers made with house-ground beef.

Vibe and First Impressions
We entered and indicated that we were early for our 7PM reservation and that we'd be in the bar.  The front desk was being run by a couple young ladies that mostly looked down.  Greetings were neutral and unimpressive.  There was no Maitre de in charge.  This was especially odd considering Django has been open for only about 1 week and first impressions leave lasting marks.  We had a drink at the bar and found the bar help to be courteous and attentive.  The main portion of the restaurant is loud, vibrant, and more conducive to festive dinners of celebration vs. formal affairs.  If you're looking for a quiet dinner for two you may want to seek other options unless there are quieter rooms off the main floor we didn't see.  The decor is classy and trendy.  The crowd is best described as "the typical crowd you see at Centro".  A mix of the blue blazer crowd with the Tommy Bahama + Birkenstockers...with martinis acting as the binder. There were some families present too.

Starters
We ordered the Fromage and Charcuterie plate (cheese and cold cuts) served with figs, nuts, fruit and bread.  One of the three cheeses in the daily offering was missing and we inquired which one it was and asked why.  Our server didn't know which it was nor why and casually stated that, "Maybe we just ran out." Ran out of what we're still not sure since knowing only for certain which cheese was the sheep's milk (hard not to know this pungent-earthy-gamey type).  We ordered a white Bordeaux to go along with the plate.  The server did produce notes when trying to help me find the right pairing but ultimately had little to offer in this area.  We had the crab/lobster cakes and the mussels as well.  Crab cakes were too dry for me and the seafood inside was a bit more pulverized than "lumped".  The mussels were quite good and their sauce used leeks and a heavy dose of cream to please our pallets.

Food
I ordered the 12oz prime top sirloin steak medium.  I always ask the server if the chefs are known for being "over or under" on their interpretation of medium.  She didn't know but reassured me that "they don't overdo them here".  This knowledge may evolve over time. The medium was a couple ticks toward medium well but tasty.  At $14, the plate came with some heavily salted euro style shoestring fries.  Tasty but salt phobics will do good to ask for "light or no salt" if you're going to indulge.  Others in my group had salmon, braised short ribs, and the seared ahi tuna.  All were satisfied with their dishes but no raving praise.  None of us had the plentiful raw seafood offerings which are the centerpiece of the bar area.  Oysters galore grace the bar and shuckers are busy.  I wish I liked raw oysters more but they don't fire my rockets. 

Service
I'd give the service satisfactory marks.  For this type of upscale place, I'd give it a C+.  I expect more from place where dinner for 4 with drinks is easily $200+.  Most disappointing is the lack of a management presence.  This may have happened later in the evening but during our time, no one from management elicited feedback, inquired about our experience, etc. Maybe I expect too much from a new offering or maybe I just have knack for what excellent service and relationship building might look like in a new high end restaurant, vying for my dollars in a relatively crowded marketplace for fine dining.

Summary
I can attribute server lack of depth in understanding the finer points of the food/beverage offerings to newness.  However I have trouble understanding the lack of a strong front desk presence and the placement of novice hostesses in such a position of prominence.  I'm just one of those service oriented guys (like most of my readers and my demographic) that has trouble letting go of that instant when my expectations were not met.  That initial experience set the bar for me and I kept looking for that redeeming moment that didn't come. Management should absolutely be trolling and gathering feedback at this stage in the game.  Perhaps they do that on Saturdays.

I will not surrender...I will go back.  Django absolutely deserves another chance.  Their menu is exciting and unique in town and their beer offerings are something special.  They will have to ratchet up the experience meter a few notches however to remain a viable option for me. 

If you've gone there, please share your experience in the comments.  If not, please go and let me know what you think. 

Insulin Resistance - Do you have trouble losing weight?

I have a good friend in Alabama who shared with me that he was really having a difficult time since he:

1. Was eating a very low calorie diet of perhaps 1500 cals per day.
2. Was exercising like a mad dog (really he'd always done that and used to run marathons, etc.)
3. Was gaining weight and could barely maintain 215lbs on a sub-6 foot frame. (some might say pocket sized frame...but I digress :)
4. Had decreased energy and felt exhausted constantly for the last 15 years.

He'd gone from svelte runner to middle aged expanse while busting his butt.  Very depressing.  This situation wore him out by Christmas of 2007.  He was mentally and physically at the breaking point.

He looked inside himself and did some consultation with the big guy upstairs and hit the web hard for some help.  Ultimately, he began diving into the topic of INSULIN RESISTANCE.  He compared the "20 blood test markers for this condition" against his own blood work.  Bam.  20 of 20. 

He's now following a low glycemic index diet (just like a diabetic would) and here are the results in his own words and pictures.  I know MANY people who suffer the "eat right most of the time and workout a lot but can't lose weight" syndrome.  I hope they look toward this example and keep after the answers.  Talk to your doctor and if he/she won't help you understand this...then find a community online. 

I think we discount the affect food has on our entire being.  We aren't meant to take in all of the processed sugars and crap that prepared food has in it. Good luck and comments welcome.  In his own words:

Bottom line, I can't process starches. When I ate a piece of broiled fish on rice, it was not 'good' like I thought, but killing me slowly. I cut out all starches, and as much sugar as possible. No potatoes, rice, pasta, or bread. Seems I was trying to burn 2500 cals a day, taking in 1500, but all the starches went to fat and my body was struggling to find enough fuel from the rest of the food to function. Which meant I was tired, lethargic, and constantly sleepy because my metabolism was trying to shut down.

Since Jan 10th, I've lost 35 lbs. My energy level shot through the roof, and I'm running well enough to do the half-marathon in 8 days.

I share this, because I suffered for 15 years without any answers. I'd have given a lot if someone had given me a clue, pointer, anything to get me in the right direction. Just in case you run across someone you know with a similar problem, I'm sharing with you.

Nice work buddy and good luck in the marathon!

 

 

Tunamole Guacafish

I think I've discovered the ultimate meal to encourage recovery of muscles and joints.  I call it tunamole guacafish.

Use quality albacore tuna.  I used Costco's of course since it seems to exceed all other national brands.  Prepare your chopped up add-ins the way you like them:  onions, pickles, etc.

Now...instead of using mayo, grab a very ripe avocado.  Today I used the Haas variety.  Mash up 1/2 avocado with the mix, the tuna, and whatever spices you like.

Slather that deliciousness on a couple of slices of whole grain bread or a whole grain wrap...and bada bing, you have a Tuna-mole Guaca-fish sandwich. 

Save the mayo for the rest of the world.  Use nature's fat to reduce saturated/processed foods in your diet and be happy.

The Ultimate Bloody Mary Recipe

I'm pretty sure that this post will rise to the top of my popularity charts...since it's only practical things about electronics, food, and booze that seem to catch the fever out there for me.  Why fight it?

Here's a loose interpretation of the recipe I've taken from Tom B. and modified to my liking.  I think you'll like it too.  Please accept my loosely defined amounts because I like my drink to be different EVERY time!

Ingredients:

1. Shaker
2. Good Vodka
3. V8 Juice (or substitute BEEFAMATO) or combine the two.
4. 1 jar some variety of dill pickle spears (try different varieties for different effects)
5. celery salt
6. hot sauce (Tapatio Mexican hot sauce is a fav...but I remember that drink for a day afterward so anything you like will work here)
7. 1 Lime
8. 1 Bottle Worcester sauce
9. Pepper
10. Some kind of salt or glass rimming media.  There's a good one at Cost Plus specifically designed for rimming the glasses of bloody mary's.
11. Green Olives
12. Either dried oregano or an "Italian spice" bottle.  I have a cheap one from target.
13. Lawry's seasoned salt.

The blend

1. Fill shaker with ice
2. Pour in more vodka than you think you should
3. Now (secret ingredient), pour in a smidgen of the juice from the pickle jar...maybe a splash or maybe 1/5 the amount of vodka you poured.  Play around.  This makes it yummy.
4. Dash(es) of Wor-chester-shir-shire sauce
5. Dash(es) of hot sauce
6. Dash(es) of celery salt
7. Grind some pepper in
8. Add some Lawry's seasoned salt for good measure.
9. Dash(es) of oregano or other dried spice leaves.
10. Fill to top of shaker with V8 or whatever tomato based liquid you've chosen.

The presentation

1. Take slice of lime and rim the iced glass (use 16oz beer glass if you can)
2. Dip glass in salt or custom rim mixture
3. Put a pickle spear in the glass
4. Fill glass with ice
5. Shake the shaker like crazy
6. Pour in the goodness
7. Add a couple olives and squeeze the lime wedge into the glass
8. Taste and top with additional spices if required

The serve

1. Put a straw in the glass and hand it to your friend along with an icy cold bottle of Budweiser.
2. Say, "Here's your steak in a cup...enjoy" then sit back and watch.
3. Be sure to eat the pickle.  It will have absorbed a ton of goodness by the end of your drink.

Welcome to flavor country friends.  You're welcome.

Stay Tuned For Beefy Goodness

I'm preparing to shoot an instructional video for you carnivores out there.  My dad is a master meat cutter...has been forever.  He's been coaching me on the fine art of dissecting the large chunks of meat that arrive from the processing plant.  These are the large plastic bags you see at Costco for example.  They have a much lower price per pound because they've not been trimmed and no labor has been expended to make them pretty for you. 

This is supplementing my few years of training during high school when I worked at the local butcher shop.

I'm going to show you how to purchase those massive chunks and cut your own darn purddy steaks to your own thickness.  Nothing at the store is satisfactory for me.  I'm into the 1.75 inch and up thickness so I can get a good char and leave the inside just barely past medium rare (medium rare +).  We're going to to begin with Top Sirloin...and then we'll move into the whole loin where you get your prime rib roast (or rib eye steaks) and see where that takes us.

You game?  Here come 'da beef.  Let the beef council create a beefscape outta this!

Absinthe...the Green Fairy is Legal Again

Oscar Wilde described drinking absinthe as such: "After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world."

 

I've been a huge fan of absinthe for years...in that I've followed its mystique, read articles about its narcotic and hallucenogenic affects, and wondered if the main herbal ingredient in this elixir, Thujone...derived from the wormwood plant really can make you crazy if you drink enough.  Until now I'd have never known without bootlegging it from some country where they don't particularly care if you go insane.

However, cooler and more herbally infused heads have prevailed and absinthe...the real deal is now legal here in the US.

Here's a great primer on the subject with a full tutorial on drinking this forbidden elixir.  If you like Pernod or black licorice in general..you may like this stuff. 

If you show up at my house with a green fog around you and you're speaking in tongues....come on in and I'll interview you (just bring the bottle so I can try it).

(Local tip:  They have this at HyVee)

I have 2 bottles of Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier

There is a world famous brewery called Heller that makes Aecht Schlenkerla Smoked Beer in Bamberg Germany.  This stuff has been made since about 1405.  The grains are smoked before the beer is brewed and its supposed to be a rather intense experience.  Not the chugging kind mind you.

I will save one bottle for those of you interested in having a tasting session.  Let me know.

Thanks to my father in law and sister in law for buying and transporting it respectively.

cast iron skillet - Italian chicken

I've written before about my love for the cast iron skillet.  I've reached new highs with the implement by using it to create tasty light crusted Italian herb chicken tonight that was incredibly juicy.  The cast iron skillet gets that perfect roast/fry thing going on...allowing crisp without burn...and roasting without drying out.

Here was the gig:

1. Heat oven to super hot, put about 1/8 inch olive oil in the cast iron skillet and put the pan in the oven until the oil is smoking.
2. Dunk 4 boneless/skinless chix breasts in egg wash (a couple of beaten eggs).
3. Dredge them (drag them) through some bread crumbs infused with Italian herb seasoning of your choice, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder...and anything else that sounds good.
4. Pull hot pan from oven and put chicken in and listen to the sizzle. 
5. I dumped a bunch of garlic in the pan and on the chix too...hoping somehow it would make the dish better.
6. Don't turn for a while.  Peek under and make sure it's good and brown.  The beauty of the oven is that the top will start to cook well also.
7. After you've gotten both sides good and brown, turn the oven down to 350 degrees or so.  Prepare the rest of your meal whatever that is.
8. If your chix breasts were room temp when you started, they're probably done cooking through and juicy in 15 minutes or so.  Maybe a touch longer.  Cut one open if you're concerned.
9. Pulling the chix out and letting it sizzle in the pan is a beautiful option also.
10. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

There you go.  Somewhat healthy beautiful Italian breasts for everyone to enjoy.

Follow up to the perfect steak podcast

Here's the perfect steak podcast interviewee, Katie McLaughlin's article in the WSJ.  Specifically, I was elated to have my suspicions/methods confirmed...about buying meat at Costco. 

At most stores, meat doesn't tout any grade, a pretty good sign that it's USDA select, a tougher, less-flavorful grade a notch below USDA choice. After my husband came into the picture, I started buying USDA choice beef at Costco for biweekly steak dinners.

As it happens, that's exactly where the pros told me to shop to find great beef -- the first step in my steak-cooking quest. Elias Iglesias, the 14-year veteran executive chef at the New York branch of Morton's, says though he uses prime at the restaurant, he happily cooks choice meat at home, often buying whole loins at big-box stores such as BJ's or Costco.

My friend recently told me he was building a "Lagering Refrigerator" for aging/fermenting beer under lower, temperature controlled conditions.  I may build a dry aging meat locker in the man cave now.  Will we ever leave the house again?

 

The perfect steak at home...oh yeah...welcome to flavor country

The Wall St. Journal has produced a podcast that explains how to purchase, age, and cook a steak to udder (sic) perfection. 

Here's the link. Sit back and enjoy...especially the part about dry aging...(controlled rotting of the flesh).  I know but you know it's good.

Culinary Break Through

Browsing the Costco isles the other day, I came across something that made me do a double take...then smile ear to ear.  It was canned beef.  Now we're not talking some kind of processed ultra fat mystery meat here.  We're talking 97% fat free brisket...in a can...like tuna fish.  The can provides 36 grams of protein with 4 grams of fat, tastes delicious, and provides a quick source of red meat when you don't want to cook.

Hence, I have created and now claim rights to..."The Beef Salad Sandwich".
1 can beef
1 chopped pickle
chopped red onion to taste
chopped tomato to taste
a sprinkle of my SPOG (salt.pepper.onion powder.garlic powder) blend.
a sprinkle of any cheese of your choosing
a tablespoon of whatever dressing you want (mayo, mustard, ranch, blue cheese, etc.)
(i added in some cooked navy beans to add in protein laden slow burn carbs

Mix in a bowl, dump in anything else you like and eat with a micro-brewed beer (instead of eating the bread)

The Greatest Achievment In Science: Distillation?

Here's a piece on the world's most expensive Whiskey's that just appeared in Forbes.

I think there are plenty of amazing spirits out there for $40-$150 bottle vs. the $20k that some of these are fetching...but it's all about supply and demand.  Some of these producers have been sitting on casks for over 100 years and the stuff is unreal.  If you want a great tasting experience, head to the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas and try "The Wine Cellar".  It's a cave like setting offering the finest wines, spirits, and cigars including "flights" that offer up tastings that will blow your mind.

Continued: The Joys of Cast Iron

I've recently opened a new chapter in my cast iron cookery.  I've begun placing small cast iron pans (think fajita serving oval sized) with a bit of olive oil on the grill for about 10 minutes.  Then, with oil smoking, I plunge the plump red flesh (any cut will do) onto the skillet.  This method achieves the "all over sear" from tip to tip, locking in the juices even better than a grill sear.  Then, after both sides have been crisped up, I take the steaks off the pans and place them on the grill for their more traditional "light char" (grill marks, flavoring, etc.)
This last step removes any residual oil from the meat and further "bbq bakes" in the juicy goodness.

Steph had the butcher at HyVee cut us some 1.5 inch thick Amana Bone-In Rib Eyes last night and this cooking method of cooking was a hit.

The result with Costco top sirloin a few days ago elicited sentence fragments that sounded something like this: "Oh my.....mmmm....I can't believe the.....this is sooooo.....how did you....ohmy...mmmm"  The meat was buttery and crisp on the outside with delicious juicyness on the inside.

I highly recommend this method.

I'm frequently asked what seasoning I use on my steaks.  Many purists use only salt and pepper.  Upgrading the salt and pepper you use with some gourmet options can really elevate your cooking.  However, I use a blend that I learned how to make by the bucket full while working at Village Meats during high school.  It's called S.P.O.G.  (Salt, Pepper, Onion, Garlic)  The later two elements are powder, not their salty varieties.  The ratio is something that I've played with and don't really remember (I literally made it by the 5 gallon bucket at a time so translating that down to a large spice container from Costco sized batch is a guess.

If you were to fill a drinking glass full of the ingredients, I'd start with 50% salt, and then break up the remaining room in the glass with each of the remaining ingredients.  Mix well, and sample.  You may desire more pepper or more of a particular element so go for it.  This simple concoction brings out the best in your meats without covering up any of the true flavors within.

Do you Wagyu?

WAGYU is not a Web 2.0 social networking site FYI.

There's a wonderful expose on Wagyu beef, the non-Kobe...Kobe style beef in the WSJ Online today.

"Wagyu" style beef is the U.S.and Australia's version of babying a bovine to ensure it's bud busting bodaciousness.  Boy that was bad.

Wagyu's marbling is richer than USDA Prime and its price tag per pound is equivalent to filling up your Prius.  (Buying Wagyu does not yet include a methane offset charge but legislation is pending in Massachusetts).

The steaks are available on line and in finer restaurants.  I've had Kobe a couple of times and I must say that it does taste quite buttery but it hasn't been prepared exactly the way I like my steak. Thus, it's still not worth the cash for me.

One thing is for certain.  I can still cook a USDA Choice cut of meat from Costco better than 98% of the Prime steaks I get at nice restaurants.  Of course, Nick and Sam's in Dallas still holds the "Oh my God" spot on my life's steak scoreboard (what you don't have one?). 

Beef...it's what's for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Do you Wagyu?

What's Your Ratio?

What's your ratio of having some ill effect from eating at restaurants or food vendors while home or traveling?  My ratio stands about the same for home and travel.  I'm at about 50% or 1 in 2 meals that cause me gastrointestinal issues.  Am I hypersensitive?  Maybe...but I've really become jaded about eating anywhere where someone else, someone that I cannot see, is preparing my meal.  Have  you even taken a course in food safety?  Have you ever simply watched as a waiter grips your glass with his/her fingertips right on the place where you just sipped?  How about watching a cashier sneeze, cup it with a hand, wipe that hand on a pant leg, then use the register with that hand...and pick up a cup that's about to hold your ticking time bomb and write on it?  "Grande doubled over chocolate latte with extra foam" Argh.  I'm felling ill thinking about it.  Pay attention and CALL PEOPLE ON IT when they do it!  "New cup please, that one has your DNA on it."

You know most of the issues we get about 2 hours after eating at a restaurant are NOT "food poisoning" caused by the food itself.  These are human transfered issues that I don't want to think about. Check some of them out here.

I once met a business traveler who told me, "You know, I like to eat light, you know...salads...but I don't dare eat them on the road because there's so many possibilities for contamination".   I've had trouble eating them since.  Honestly, I think fast food may be the best possible choice.  It's likely that the ingredients are turned over rapidly and that the people are at least trained in the ways of food safety, and that hot grease kills.  I don't know...just a theory.

There was a great piece in the WSJ discussing this topic that sparked this post and it honestly had me rolling on the floor with laughter, mainly because I had suppressed the tears from my past experiences.  Read the article if you want a good laugh...I think it's a freebie forever.  Here's an excellent quote that will expose you to the flavor of this delicacy,

Mr. Stender once bought a sandwich at the Santiago, Chile, airport before flying to Lima, Peru. When he arrived, he could barely stand up. He was forced to let his vice president do all the talking during client visits and nod a lot. "There was a devil in my stomach," he says.

That diablo is known variously as Montezuma's Revenge, Delhi Belly, Hong Kong Dog, the Aztec Two-Step, or the Trotskies. In a global economy, toxin-wielding bacteria and dodgy mayonnaise happen everywhere.

I'm still in tears over this article...and praying that I don't have an episode of the "Aztec Two-Step" any time soon. God willing.

Killer Value Wine - Costco

Thanks again to Dr. W for the big wine find of 2007.  Concha Y Toro has wines at many price points, but their Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile (2005 is what I have) is unreal.

If you're into BIG CABS that can stand up to rich foods, this fits the bill!  It's MASSIVE, hugely tanic, but preserves its essences of cassis, black cherry, and dark chocolate well.  We tasted the wine with Dark Chocolate post dinner...again...seriously good pairing.

I'd recommend decanting and/or serious swirling if you're going to open and drink immediately.

This wine WILL stand up over time if you can wait that long!

Are you ready for the kicker?  It's 6.49/bottle at Costco right now (at least in West Des Moines my CA friends).  I checked my favorite online retailer and they have it at $8.99. 

The company touts this wine as "The best value Cabernet on the planet" and in my experience, I have a tough time refuting that. If you've look at Live Iowa Camera number 2, you've seen a case of it on the kitchen island.  That's what I'm talking about!

Time to fill the cellar.

Thanks for a fun BlogBQ

It was really amazing to wake up to snow and by the time the BBQ rolled around, it was actually a nice day in Clive, Iowa.  Thanks to all that attended.  My family and friends enjoyed getting to know you and your families.  Please stop by again for a taco if you're hungry...I've got plenty.

Adam - I'm still drinking your beer and wondering where to start on the poundage of deer sausage sitting in my fridge.
Drew - Your homemade desserts in the HyVee boxes/bags are still haunting me and my waist.
Mike - I made Pecan-Orange French Toast this morning with the bread you brought.
Claire - The black beans...well we're all well aware of the power of the legume.
Tom & Gina - Just had some potato salad and some of the "small" bag of chips.
Katie & Jason - Steph's dipping a quesadilla in the guacamole as we speak....and we're all hoping that Dr. Jason had an acceptable weekend of rounds.

I hope we can do it again. 

Wine Notes

Lately, I've been drinking some killer wines.  Here's some notes on what I've found in case you enjoy the vino.

Jacob's Creek Shiraz - Reserve (not sure of the year) - Australia
Wow. Unreal depth to the fruit flavors here.  I'm not good enough (yet) to discern between "black cherry" and "black current" like Robert Parker but you'll get the idea.  I believe Jacob's Creek does a regular old Shiraz too which is OK for the money but nothing compared to the reserve.  Match it up with a lean cut of meat or a pasta with a light herbed red sauce and you'll be very pleased.  This was served up by our good friends (Thanks Jason/Katie) with an assortment of cheeses ranging from a mild goat to an aged Gouda that were killer.  The fruitiness went very well with the cheese bite.  We had more than one bottle because it was just that good.

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (not sure of the year) - Napa
This was a very clean white with the right kind of fruitiness for me.  "Right kind of fruitiness" to me is intense fruit that changes as the sip heats and moves over the tongue without being sweet.  I'm not a sweet wine fan unless it's for dessert and being paired appropriately.  This wine as a big value to at about $12 from Costco. 

Nobilo  Sauvignon Blanc - 2006 - New Zealand
I'd give this the same treatment as the Kim Crawford but less refined. This bottle is only about $7 at Costco while the Nobilo brand does offer some more limited reserve type stuff in Costco's "wooden bins" for about $12-$14. 

Banfi - Rosa Regale - 2004 - Italy
Wow.  Just fantastic with dark chocolate.  I think we had this at restaurant with a wicked dark chocolate cake and it was unreal.  At home with friends, we had it with 64% and over 70% dark chocolate and it's just plain awesome.  The wine is lightly sweet but has such a great character and just the right amount of sparkle.  It's VERY inexpensive and will score you big points at your next dinner party. 

HOT TIP - Isaac says that D-Cubed Zinfandel was the best wine he's ever had pretty much and he bought all of Bevmo's inventory :)  I'm going to attempt a local purchase to compare notes!

CHEAP WINE TIP - I've had very good luck lately with a wine label called BANROCK STATION.  All Aussie all the time.  They sport various Shiraz blends but I'm partial to the full Shiraz bottle.  It's got the staying power and depth that's well worth the $3.99 I paid per bottle (not counting the case discount of 10%)!!!!
They have a Sauvignon Blanc that does the trick too for clean white wine with a piece of fish or some lemon/button chicken.

Cheers for now.

The Red Rocker: Musician, Sommelier, Renaissance Man

I was just doing a little surfing here in the office...a fat glass of Syrah at my side...when I happened upon a great little article in Wine Spectator On line (apparently this piece is free) on Sammy Hagar, The Red Rocker, and his interest in fine wine that dates back over 30 years.  Most known for his own Cabo Wabo Tequila, Hagar appears to have a well developed palate and taste for port, Yquem, and Latour.  I guess so with over 10,000 bottles in his cellar.  Rock on brother...rock on.

Blog BQ 2007 Update

I turned on my US HOLIDAYS function in Google Calendar and found out the 17th is St. Patrick's Day.  Perfect!  A long lost memoir I found from St. Patrick said this:  "Lucky Charms...I don't think so...they're always after me Asada Tacos!"

So join us on March 17th for our celebration of Spring, Blogs, and BBQ.  Details are found HERE.

Please RSVP on the website by March 11 so we know how many Leprechauns and Garden Gnomes to buy.

New Condition Diagnosed by Iowa Pork Producers

My wife is the best breakfast maker around and her bacon is always perfect. We're bacon addicts and when we cook it, it's typically the full pack.  If a few scraps survive the morning, they're usually toast before lunch.  My wife told me that if I controlled by bacon obsession this morning, we could have BLT's for lunch.  At that very moment, I realized I had OBD

Obsessive Bacon Disorder

You're Invited: First Annual BlogBQ!

WRITERS & READERS!

You are formally invited to attend the first ever global blogging BBQ (held in Iowa...the center of the blogouniverse)!  Details, RSVP form, and all the particulars can be found by clicking this link but it's being held on March 17 starting at 3PM.  I encourage you to spread the word and I'll do my part by spreading the Mexican BBQ fiesta!  Kids welcome, etc.

I'd like to share in fellowship with you all so please come by and grab some tacos at the very least.

Lewis Cellars...a Cab For the Ages

I'm back in Birmingham, AL today after my stint in Atlanta and week and a half without the family. We're in the home stretch with our return road trip to Iowa beginning tomorrow AM.  Atlanta finished up with a couple of great dinners at the Atlanta Grill and Mortons.  Both restaurants are excellent and known for their steaks and seafood.  Atlanta Grill provided a sommelier that really made the evening.  Silvio Garcia was not pretentious, not snooty...but informed and he guided our palettes with suggestions that expanded our horizons.  I tend to be a fan of massive cabs that can tame the richest of charred medium rare rib eyes.  Senor Garcia suggested the Lewis Cellars Cabernet. 

He decanted the bottle for about 30 minutes before we tasted this wine for the first time.  WOW!  It was so bold and so tannic that I really thought the alcohol content HAD to have been closer to 20%!  This wine was MASSIVE.  This was the kind of bottle that will likely stand up for many many years.  It took over an hour for the wine to open up and settle down a bit.  This cab was actually too much for the lean filet I was eating.  If I'd not ordered the filet Oskar with crab meat and Bearnaise on top, I'd have found it too bold.

The wine had the usual suspect flavors of black cherry, a hint of spice, with some pomegranate notes.  The oakiness was perfect and was deep in the wine.  These Lewis folks really know what they're doing up there in Napa.

The dinner at Mortons was delicious was completely different.  I think it's the "Chain Effect".  Service was great, we had great wines and excellent food...but the atmosphere was very different without the personal attention of a very interested and educated sommelier.  Also, Mortons takes the "char the outside well and leave the inside to your desired level of pinkness.  At the table, most folks commented that they could have done with less char since that char can overtake some of the meat's flavor.  Agreed.  I like the char when I'm having a bold wine since those two tastes tend to blend well for me.

What made these two dinners extra special was that my wife joined us.  This was the first time that we'd been away from the kids together (over 4 years).  She had some much needed lounge time, spa treatments, and room service and I got my beautiful dinner companion back.  She commented of course that "Now she sees how I live on the road and that the bar is now raised at home".  Of course I've tried to explain that there's a disproportionate amount of grab and go disgust had in airports and dashboard dinning from the e. coli factories but that fell on deaf ears. 

At the end of the day, we had a chance to spend some time and the kids did great with grandma and auntie and that's what mattered most.

Iowa, here we come. 

Virtues of a Cast Iron Skillet

My parents used a cast iron skillet all the time to cook.  It made the best fried chicken, potatoes, pork chops, liver and onions, etc.  You see I was raised on the "eat meat and potatoes every day with the family diet".  Sounds like typical Iowa fare right?  But I was raised in California with Western Pennsylvania expatriate parents that brought those down home Midwest meals westward. 

About 6 months ago, I added the same cast iron skillet into our kitchen's repertoire and I've never been more successful in creating crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside meals.  I've even found myself resorting to "Dad's day off" type breakfasts.  What are those?  They're an amalgam of all of the left over meat, vegetable and dairy products in the fridge, all in over-sized chunks of course...scrambled up with eggs, fried in the skillet and served with toast (I was paying attention dad).

Cast iron is really the only kind of pan that serves many purposes around the house too.   It's a cooking implement and a weapon.  It's the only kind of pan that "gets better with age".  Cast iron skillets seem to have more non-stick coating the older and more used they get.  Additionally, in case of disaster, it's about the only cookware in your home that would stand up to use on the excessively hot bbq or on an open fire.  It doesn't warp or bend either...so it's likely you could pass the cookware onto your offspring. (Not a good wedding gift mind you).

So the next time you're in the mood for corn bread, fried potatoes, or a non-grilled Iowa winter time steak...bust out that old relic and go to town.  I can't wait to hear about your results.

Prime Rib Secret Recipe

Those of you that know me or that read this blog probably know my love (infatuation, obsession.) of steak, prime rib, fillet, etc.  This Christmas dinner, I cooked another big time winner.  Here was the menu:

Prime Rib
Creamed Corn (Gulliver's recipe)
Garlic Mashed
Salad
Bread

Simple right?

My dad brought a 10lb Ohio Signature Beef prime rib roast (hand trimmed by dad himself out at Dutch Creek Foods, about 5 bones worth, right from the middle of the rack.   I'm a beef purest...so my goal is to emphasize the quality of the meat and bring out its natural flavor with certain select seasonings rather than "cover it" with something too strong.  I'm into using fresh herbs with those spices to "crust" the outside a bit giving the meat an intense outer section that forms when the delicious fat is seared and all of the goodies bake into it.  So without further delay...here's the prime rib preparation method from heaven.  Merry Christmas.

1. Get good meat.  Use Costco or Sam's Club since they all basically get their stuff from the same packers/distributors.  Of course if you have a local shop, get it there...but realize that most all beef, unless it's "Certified Angus" or "Ohio Signature" or "Amana" is basically the same if you get the proper grade.  Forget SELECT.  Only go CHOICE or higher.  Spending the money on PRIME rated "Prime Rib" (misnomer since prime rib can be choice quality)...is probably not necessary since prime rib has fat galore and extra marbling doesn't matter with this roast in your cook's humble opinion.
2. Coat roast liberally with olive oil.  I mean every square inch.  This helps sear and crisp up the outside of the roast.
3. Use a mixture called SPOG...That's salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Mix up a batch using the following guess recipe.  (The original I've long since forgotten from Village Meats where I worked in Glendora, CA during my high school years).  If you were filling a tubular seasoning container...do about 1/2 salt, then put equal parts of the other 3 ingredients in the container to top it off.  Shake and taste.  Does it blend well?  If not, keep adding little bits of the individual pieces that you'd like to taste more and you're all set.  It's a magical seasoning that enhances meat's flavor intensely. COAT THE ENTIRE ROAST WITH A LAYER of seasoning.  Don't just sprinkle dinkle along.  That is amateur.  Keep putting it on until there's a visible LAYER of seasoning.  You must understand that this will melt away a bit and soak in a bit and create an outer layer of goodness that you must be committed to.  Coat every square inch of top, sides, bottom, bones, etc.  The oil will help the stuff stick.  Then, add a bit more pepper and salt for good measure. 
4. Now, pull out the herb pack you bought from the store.  I chose the "Meat Herbs" pack that has Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, and Oregano in the fresh "just cut" pack.  You can use dry (heck that's even easier methinks) but I went the fresh route this year.  After a couple hours in the oven, the herbs are crispy bits anyway.  Chop up the entire pack, mix all the bits up with some olive oil so it's a bit of a paste, and coat the roast in it.  Focus on the fatty cap on the top side. 
5. Put the roast in a pan with a rack that raises it up from the bottom to allow for juice collection and cook to your liking at about 325.  I pulled the roast out at 120 degrees using my trusty auto set and forget thermometer that beeps when I've hit the target. Remember the roast will continue to cook and come up about 5 degrees more over the next 15 minutes or so of sitting.  Always let it set up for at least 10 minutes.

Slice and enjoy.
The ends will be crispy but just underneath that delicious slab of beef will be medium rare and succulent.  End cut for my wife always!  The outer ring of meat and fat is the most amazing part.  It's more done...but the crusted herb/seasoning is out of this world.  If you cut the right sized bite..you can get the medium rare parts along WITH the seasoned bits and....are you hungry?  Me too. 

I did create a reduction au jus that used a bunch of butter, olive oil, beef broth, more of the same herbs, cabernet, mushrooms, garlic, and SPOG.  I started with a full saucepan full, and ended up with enough to coat 6 people's serving.  The flavor was intense and deep.  I added some drippings from the beef pan while the roast was sitting during that last 15 minutes.

I'm going to raid the fridge now. By the way, this is how I prepare my steaks too (without the herbs).  People just don't use enough outside seasoning or olive oil.  Do these two things, and you'll find you're cooking steaks better than 99% of the places you'll pay for.

A Moment of Clarity from the Author

I don't believe that one must announce things to the world to make them stick.  Thus I hesitate to post this tidbit about my choice to change certain modalities that apparently run my life.  But my readers get many of my salient life moments so here goes another one.

I love food.  Man do I love food.  Most of my friends and associates in life would describe my passion for food as Emeril like.  Unfortunately, I learned some very poor eating habits growing up. This is not blame but fact. My mom always cooked enough food for a small army...thus, portions were always massive and reloads plentiful.  My dad could eat like a horse, and Sunday dinner can be explained in the following manner:  Eat 'til the bursting point, go lay on the couch and talk about how good it was, while mom cleans up the kitchen.

However now at age 34, at 6'1" and 250lbs, I do not love the way I feel.  My back hurts, my belly is big, and I can't keep up with my little kids.  Self-image is fine here so I'm not making changes to look better.  My driving forces are my genetics and my family. 

I carry my weight pretty well and most say, "You don't look that big" (subconscious takes over and goes for the creme brule)...but that's not the point anymore.  This is about not waiting until the first heart attack or something else to make me eat less and move more. This is about being here for my family as long as possible.  This is about counteracting my genetic predisposition to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.  This is about a wife that loves me and needs me.  This is about 2 angels delivered from heaven that worship the very ground that my overly large body envelopes.  This is about conquering one of the last items that still conquers me.  I've grown so much through the years but this piece still vexes me and I'm done with it.  I just don't see how I can live to my fullest or perform to the level that I must when I'm ensnared by my next meal. 

There are no extremes here.  Life and food are meant to be enjoyed...but like many other things, I believe moderation is the best choice.  So don't be surprised if you see me order a 6oz filet, with fresh steamed asparagus, and a wedge salad with the dressing on the side for dipping (versus the coated indulgence that typically graces this work of art).

I will never stop enjoying the finer things in life...I'll just stop acting like every meal I eat is the last meal I'll ever eat. 

The Fall Smoker - David's Briar Shop Des Moines

Later this month, David's Briar Shop is having its "Fall Smoker".  It's happening on Thursday, September 28 @ 6:30PM at the Embassy Club - 40th floor.

I wrote about the spring event held last March.  I've linked to the menu that includes the selection of cigars, spirits, and food that will be offered.  I'm especially anxious to try the quail.  This is a wonderful location atop the tallest building in downtown Des Moines. 

I'd encourage all of you Des Moines metro locals to come on out and have a good time at this event.  Spread the word and get your reservations in early, the event fills up fast.

Australian Wine - Alice White

We have a couple super market chains here in the Des Moines Metro:  Hy-Vee and Dah'ls.  Both are pretty darn good and easily hold their own against the Ralphs, Vons, and Stater Brothers that I used all of my life in Southern CA before executing my Geographic Arbitrage to Iowa.  My Hy-Vee store has a separate liquor store that is very well stocked.  They have a very large wine selection and a beer section that includes many specialty brews. 

On my latest trip, I came across a massive stack of boxes of Alice White Australian wines on an end cap display.  There are many varieties including some popular "Cab-Shiraz" blends, etc.  The Cab blends stood up well to my leaner cuts of grilled prime sirloin (a fattier rib-eye will probably require a more tanic full cab) and didn't cause too many tongue convulsions with the Greek Salad heavy with Feta.   These days, we're lucky to get the steak and salad prepared without side dishes with our little ones under foot.

These bottles are only $3 each.  In Iowa, this a very good price for any wine let alone one that tastes good.  I did some research and found this at Beverages & More for $6.99 each.  If you know Bevmo, you know that it's a fantastically well stocked liquor chain in the west with a very good website and excellent prices.  That price differential shocked me even more. 

I've tasted all of the varieties now and can easily say that 2 buck Chuck has a serious competitor in "3 Buck Alice" (which sounds a bit awkward I agree). 

Please share your opinions on these wines and what prices you've experienced in the market.   

Take A Dip...The Cheese Feels Wonderful

Before moving to Des Moines, I had witnessed the slow growth of a chain of Fondue restaurants called The Melting Pot out in SoCal.  I never went there...but the concept intrigued me.

Now, we have our very own Fondue restaurant in West Des Moines called Crave.

Since I missed out on the 70's era Fondue craze (born in 1972), and can't yet appreciate how much of a pain it probably is to have a lot of pots and pokers and Sterno cans around the house...I'll probably go here at least once to enjoy the "Roaming and Socializing" effect that only a meal consisting of 1/2 oz portions dipped in sauce can provide.  Maybe this is the secret to me eating less. 

It's hard to fathom actually.  (start the spinning spacey sound effect and the swirling screen wipe as the author slips into a dream sequence)

ME:  "I can't wait to eat that incredible 24oz Prime Rib-eye on the bone, medium rare, with a side of asparagus, a bowl of lobster bisque, and some garlic mashed potatoes...and don't forget the creme brulee for desert."

WAITER AT FONDUE PLACE:  "Sir, your vegetable and small beef chunk fondue will arrive shortly.  You'll be dipping in cheese author's note: OK not so bad.  cheese good. and for desert you'll dip fruit in chocolate. 

ME:  "Um, I think you have it wrong...why don't you bring me the entire piece of meat...don't cut it up, and bring me a fondue pot w/boiling water...I'll cook up some potatoes and some asparagus...but please...do bring the pot of boiling cheese, and some bread...because I'm definitely going to need something to wipe the bowl and my finger off.

(end dream sequence)
I wake up and find that I've stopped at Culver's for a famous Butter Burger and a Peanut Butter Sundae on the way home from my first fondue experience)

Corn Fed and Shade Grown

A short time ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the "Winter Smoker" put on by a local cigar shop here in Des Moines.  It was held at the Principal Financial Tower downtown...and at the Embassy Club.  Very swanky.  Great views, etc.  When we exited the elevator, I felt my wife's pulse jump since there were no females within site.  As we got closer to the registration table, it was clear that we were at a 98% dude event.  Never fear.  The chance for us to be out together period is rare so we took full advantage.  I gave her tidbits of knowledge about the smokes we had and like a trooper, she took it all in.  Flip the tables and put me in a 98% female event doing a distinctly female activity (you fill in)...and I'd be headed for the door.

This event highlighted something very special about Des Moines for me....the crowd mix.  We sat a table with teachers, farmers, meat processors, and attorneys.  The table behind me had a local TV personality.  It was really a neat feeling.  As we devoured our Iowa tenderloins of both beef and pork, we probed the farmer at our table to allow a "tour" for our family.  Since it's simply work for him, he couldn't really understand what California City Slickers would get out of slogging around Hogs and such...but he invited us to come out.

As we puffed away on Cusano Robustos with 18 year old double Connecticut shade grown wrappers, we chatted and belly laughed the night away.  It was wonderful.  It brought a distinct sense of peace to know that we moved to a wonderful place where farmers and TV types kibbutz together over scotch and fine smoke. 

Few things bring the world together like beef, scotch, and cigars.