Chef’s Log 6 March 2009 Discount Wegmans New York Strips

Market Meltdown. I told my broker in August of 2007 that the market was going to 7,000. I said cheerfully if it goes below 7 it could have no bottom at all. This week it went below 7. I’m now engaging in oxymoron shopping, looking for deep discount New York strip steaks. Sort of like trying to find budget Beluga caviar or budget 1989 Veuve Cliquot Champagne.

So ... we try Market Meltdown Deep Discount New York strips. Again, not Derek’s finest Charolais or Hereford, or Grass-fed or Organic. Wegmans plain old New York strips. I let mine sit for three days in a spicy Cajun rub. Jean just used a little salt, pepper, and garlic.

They were just fine. Yes, dry-aged prime Charolais from Derek’s tastes better. Yes, the texture and intensity of flavor of a dry-aged prime is vastly superior. And, yes, there is something to be said for two steaks for $12.06 instead of $68.06. Although, with luck, the economy will rebound and I will once again scorn supermarket meats in favor of ... well ... Charolais and Veuve Cliquot. We served the steaks with fries, sautéed mushrooms and garlic, and broccolini. Instead of Veuve Cliquot I had it with an early-release bottle of Victory Wild Devil. Wow for the Victory. Beautiful copper color, brilliantly clear, intensely malty and slightly sweet, bitingly hoppy, with a funky nose and deeply funky notes from the brettanomyces yeast. Often brett is used in the US for a secondary fermentation, but this is a brett-fest all the way. Wonderful combinations of sweet, floral, bitter, sour, and funky. I have plenty of Cliquot in the basement. Even after the rather depressing recession ends I’m sticking with the Victory.

I skipped pictures of the plate and the beer glass tonight. I do have one parting shot ... a field mouse who has taken up living in the side of the grill, over a secondary burner for heating sauces that I never use. He was decidedly indignant when I pulled the cover off the grill and started cooking ... and he let me know that it was cold and he was eager for me to finish my nonsense, and was waiting impatiently to let the grill cool off a little so that he could return home.

ekc