Let’s Talk about Steak, Baby, Let's talk about you and me....Let's talk about Steak!
In this Issue:
1. Sometimes we even impress ourselves
2. Junk Mail Update….not exactly a Tidal Wave of Orders
3. Free Meals for Everyone! Kind of: 20% off Your First Order - use the code “CookDC”
4. Something Funny…while reading the British Tabloids
5. Let’s Talk about Steak, Baby, Let's talk about you and me....Let's talk about Steak!
Next Week's Menu:
In this Issue:
Sometimes we even impress ourselves
We wanted to describe the switch, for the better, that occurred with the Garbure Meal Kits last Tuesday. This level of detail simply can’t be accomplished if you are trying to sell thousands of these meals per day.
Our supplier “shorted” us the Bayonne Ham we ordered that is traditional in a Garbure, which is restaurant talk for an item that is out of stock. In our search for the replacement, we were able to find Jamón Ibérico, a premium product to Bayonne Ham and the most expensive cured ham in the world at $90/lbs. This AOC product only comes from the Black Ibérico Pig in SouthWestern Spain and Portugal. The famous Spanish Chef Ferran Adrià is said to use the fat of Jamón ibérico for lip balm.
So, here is what we did...we simmered the Jamón Ibérico bone all day long to create the broth for this recipe, which also included ham hocks, aromatics, and Piment d'Espelette. The secret to a good meat stock is the gelatin, which comes from breaking down the collagen in the connective tissues, which thickens the stock and provides a satisfying “Mouth Feel.” Once chilled, this broth was so full of gelatin it was nearly rock solid. Further, the Jamón ibérico imparted its unique flavor into the broth, resulting in a certain depth and complexity of flavor.
Here are some of the comments we got back:
“Soup is Exquisite. Broth is $$.” The “$$” is a text abbreviation for the saying, “That’s so Money.” According to the Urban Dictionary, there are two definitions: 1) Paper and coinage that can be used to exchange for goods and services, and 2) to be the best at something; skilled to the level of being as good as currency. The term was popularized by Vince Vaughn in the 1996 movie Swingers, “Baby, You're so money, and you don't even know it."("Swingers" Miramax 1996)
“Holy crap that soup was damn good. [The Hubby] also thought it was amazing. It's all gone! Don't ever stop cooking meals.” Note: Cuss word included in actual feedback and not added for dramatic effect.
You guys are fantastic, I cannot recommend you enough to people.” Taken slightly out of context because it wasn’t referring to the soup, rather the Torta De Aceite, or Sweet Spanish Crackers with a hint of Anise, that were included for the kids.
The inability to source the Bayonne Ham led to a better result. We even had some extra Jamón ibérico leftover that we added to each kit to be eaten by itself or kept in a purse for chapped lips.
Junk Mail Update….not exactly a Tidal Wave of Orders
We want to thank the one person who ordered after blanketing the DC metro area with 50,000 pieces of junk mail...ouch! We are not sure what exactly went wrong. The cards looked great and even had yummy pictures from actual customers. Needless to say, the Chairman has been upset and noticeably depressed about it. And then, yesterday, her neighbor came over to tell her that the one customer we thought ordered was, in fact, her Yoga partner and not from the mailer….double ouch! So, we will now extend our offer to everyone!
20% off Your First Order - use the code “CookDC”! Given our failed direct marketing program, we still have about 1,500 discounted meals allocated in our marketing budget….Now, existing clients are probably like, wait a minute, where is my discount?! Remember, we provide a free meal for every three referrals….and that is a 100% discount! So, tell your friends to order, give them the code, and make sure they list your name at checkout.
Something Funny…while reading the British Tabloids
The Chairman exclusively gets her daily news from the British Tabloids. She came across a funny story about a food startup this week while watching cell phone video of Prince William in the Swiss Alps getting his groove on at a nightclub like the drunk Uncle at your wedding. We like stories about startups, because we are a startup and embrace the startup mentality. We don’t have anything restrictive, like “work hours,” as our employees just show up when it is convenient. If our employees come to work hungry, they can just grab a bite from any of the meal kits we are preparing. Shirts and Shoes are not required, as we want everyone to be comfortable. And, we don’t have a vacation policy here at CookDC...you just take the time off that you want... And, we never...never...talk about compensation.
So, a startup food delivery company, which we will call, “LickYourPlate,” was planning a second round interview with a candidate. Much to their horror, the candidate actually had the gall to ask if it was a paid position, or if she would be doing volunteer work. Here is the company’s response (which is absolutely priceless considering this company is like the McDonalds of food delivery) in all its Startup Glory…..
From Victoria to the applicant: “Your questions reveal that your priorities are not in sync with those of [LickYourPlate]. At this time we will not be following through with our meeting this Thursday. As a startup company, we seek out those who go out of their way to seek out challenges and new opportunities. We believe in hard work and perseverance in pursuit of company goals as opposed to focusing on compensation. Our corporate culture may be unique in this way, but it is paramount that staff display intrinsic motivation and are proven self-starters. For these reasons, questions about compensation and benefits at such an early stage is a concern related to organizational fit.'
CookDC is always on the lookout for candidates with “Intrinsic Motivation” and will hire them on the spot, as long as they work for free.
Side Note: Culinary History - The Stagiaire : French, for “Unpaid Intern.”The unpaid kitchen intern is known as a Stage, which is different than a Commis, which is a paid Junior Chef. This formal apprenticeship rotates the Stage around to the different stations in the kitchen to learn the specific skills - Sauté, Grill, Fry, Sauce, Garde Manger, Pastry Stations. This is a symbiotic relationship, as the Stage is a student learning a trade, and the restaurant is paid with labor for its teaching services. We are fairly certain that Victoria, from LickYourPlate, has never heard of a Stage.
BTW - if you live in Cleveland, you can order from Krispy Krunchy Chicken and LickYourPlate will deliver it within the hour…..from a delivery driver that is compensated with nothing more than….perseverance.
Let’s Talk about Steak, Baby,
Let's talk about you and me,
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be,
Let's talk about Steak,
Let's talk about Steak!”
Celebrating the “Invention” of the Denver Flat. We live in such a remarkable age of technological invention, whether it's the Echo, Facebook, or the iphone. However, this Age of Technology has overlooked some of the great advancements in others fields….such as the invention of new steaks! Wait, what? Cows have been domesticated for 6,000 years, so how can a new steak be invented?
Remember the “Beef, it's what’s for Dinner” campaign with the voiceovers first from Robert Mitchum and then later by Sam Elliot? Well, that was part of the Beef Checkoff Program, which was created by Congress in 1985 with the passage of the “Beef Promotion and Research Act,” meant to increase the domestic and/or international demand for beef. As part of that legislation, researchers at the Universities of Nebraska and Florida received a grant in 2002 to “discover” new and flavorful cuts of meat from the cow’s primary muscle groups.
These PhD’s of Meat (technically, Animal Sciences) focused on the Chuck Clod, or the 25 lb primal cut of meat from the cow’s shoulder, which includes the subprimal cuts of the Chuck Eye Roll and the Underblade. The researcher came up with 3 new steaks: the Denver Flat, the Flat Iron, and the Teres Major (For all you Meat Nerds out there, the underblade is made up of three muscles: the rhomboideus, the splenius and the serratus ventralis - that is a lot of Latin, “Mulier Fortis Es!”). These steaks have the best of both worlds, because they are both tender like the tenderloin, but are fully marbled like the chuck roast (which is typically braised or ground into hamburger).
Here they are (and thanks to all those Beef Marketers out there….each have many different names):
Denver Flat: (Denver cut, Denver Chuck Steak, Boneless Chuck Short Rib, Underblade steak, Underblade Center). From the Underblade, the Denver Flat is a true steak, defined as meat cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, or grain, and has 2.25x the marbling of the tenderloin. In a nod to its tenderness, Japanese Chefs refer to the cut at a Zabuton, which is a Zen Meditation Cushion.
Flat Iron (Top Blade Steak, Patio Steak, Butlers' Steak, Oyster Blade). The Flat Iron, an unusual steak in that it is cut with the grain, similar to skirt and flank steaks, is from the chuck shoulder clod. A whole roast weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is usually cut into 4 steaks that look like mini flank steaks.
Teres Major (Petit Filet, Shoulder Tender). Also from the Underblade, this is the second most tender cut of meat on the cow next to the tenderloin. The main difference is the marbling, and thus, a more intense flavor. This cut is small at about 10-14oz., and is normally served as medallions (rounds).
Next Week's Menu is Now Available:
We will be simply grilling or broiling the Denver Flats to be accompanied by Ma?tre D'H?tel Butter (butter, parsley, lemon juice), to let this flavorful cut stand on its own. We will be accompanying the meal with sauteed Rainbow Swiss Chard, and a Spring Leek Gratin (Potato Gratin Substitute Available). Lastly, we will be offering a Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon, Oven Dried Tomatoes, and a Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing (We have nothing again Mayo.….but when those calories are not needed…).
Primavera literally translates to “Spring” in Italian. Pasta Primavera is a vegetarian dish comprised of seasonal vegetables. We are using Wild Morels, which just came into season. Morels are chewy and meaty, with a mysterious aroma similar to truffles in its earthiness and equally exotic.
There is no heavy sauce, but rather a little high quality olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano to complement the fresh pasta and the Morels. We also will be providing a few other seasonal vegetables. For those meat eaters, a chicken breast is available as an add-on.
This dish is elegant in its simplicity with pan seared scallops served on top of a bed of Lentilles du Puy (French Green Lentils - the best!), Sautéed Escarole, and finished with Salicornia, or “Sea Beans.”
Atlantic Sea scallops are found off the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada. The scallop is a bivalved that feeds on small organisms, such as plankton, by filtering the water. However, unlike other bivalves, such as clams, the only portion on the scallop that is eaten is the adductor muscle used to open and close the shell. This muscle is strong enough to allow a Scallop to actually swim by moving their shells quickly. Scallops can grow up to 9-inches in diameters. Scallops are sweet and tender and cook in about 2 min.
Lentilles du Puy are green legumes from Southern France that are larger than ordinary lentils with both a refined taste and texture. French lentils take less time to cook and have a slightly flinty taste, earthy with a slight mineral edge, exuding the Terroir of the French countryside. Le Puy is a protected AOC (Appellation d'origine contr?lée), meaning the term may only be used to designate lentils that come from the region of Le Puy-en-Velay in France.
Escarole is a type of endive with very broad leaves, but without the bitter taste. Escarole is high in fiber, vitamin K and A, and folic acid. The escarole will be sautéed using a Italian technique called ripassato in padella, which literally means “tossed in the skillet”
We will be providing Salicornia, or “Sea Beans,” as garnish. Also referred to as samphire, glasswort, pickleweed, and sea asparagus, Salicornia have a crisp yet very juicy texture and distinctly salty, caper-like flavor. Once referred to by Shakespeare in King Lear, Sea Beans are especially good served raw with scallops.
Lastly, we will be offering a an Antipasti of Bagna Càuda, an Italian Hot Garlic and Anchovy Dip for seasonal vegetables.