Comfort Foods and Indulgences

It was a two-line email—the kind that makes you sit up and think—because it addressed an issue faced daily by millions of grill masters around Planet Barbecue:

“Sometimes we buy cheap beef because we are on a budget,” wrote Diane Q. “These steaks are often tough. We have tried salt, meat tenderizer, and marinades. Could you please tell me the best way to tenderize the steaks?”

I immediately thought of my last trip to Southeast Asia, and in particular, to steaks I ate hot off the grill in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Both were explosively flavorful thanks to complex marinades and polymorphic condiment spreads. And both were tough as proverbial shoe leather.

We North Americans and Europeans are spoiled when it comes to steak. Our notion of a “fork-tender” filet mignon or a “silver butter knife” sirloin (the signature steak at Murray’s in Minneapolis—so named because it’s so tender, the steak knife glides through the meat as though it were butter) are the stuff of dreams on much of Planet Barbecue.

I always have leftover bread.  Challah, french bread, sour dough.  Generally, I make bread crumbs.  But my freezer is full of bread crumbs.  So, I am forced to cook and create. With all the rain we have been having, I am happily staying indoors.  The weekends can sometimes be filled with way too many commitments.  However, this past weekend, it was lazy days, matinees, board games, and lots and lots of cooking.

A big pot (a triple recipe) of my bolognese simmers on the stove, scones are flash freezing in the freezer(the perfect school day breakfast), carrot soup is pureed for a quick weekday lunch, and this baked french toast sends the smells of morning wafting though out my home.

When making a baked french toast, it is usually best to soak it ahead (overnight), similar to a bread pudding. But, Eli’s early morning request didn’t allow me to prepare.  Instead, I assembled the casserole, covered it with plastic wrap, and let sit in the fridge for an hour.  

Even though dip season is officially over (I designate Halloween to Super Bowl official dip season), there is no reason to miss out on something really yummy.  Who doesn't love an easy appetizer to throw together, especially one as rich and creamy as this one.

Let's face it, dip is an essential source of pre-dinner sustenance for hungry guests.  And while I made this dip using white wine, it also pairs beautifully with red wine too.

While fat adds richness, not to mention deliciousness to food, fat can also put up a barrier to wine. Fat coats the taste buds, making it difficult to perceive delicate flavors. Rich fatty foods need wines with enough acidity to cut through the fat and announce themselves. Wines with good acidity, such as ours, can cut through fat like a squeeze of lemon on fried fish, making the food feel less rich and heavy. When wine doesn't have enough acidity, the combination collapses under its own weight.  Just by knowing how fat and acidity combine will help you make choices with food and wine that work more often than not.