LEFTOVERS

 

  

What do you do with leftovers? We make potato bread. This loaf has a cup of leftover mashed potatoes added to the dough. It is a very soft bread and works perfectly for sandwiches when toasted. One of the best things about making bread is the aroma that perfumes the house. I think I will make myself a turkey sandwich. 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Ms. Goofy made this pie yesterday just to tease me. She also made an apple pie so I do have a lot to be thankful for today. We will be cooking our turkey in the Weber kettle grill today. I hope your day is full of desserts, turkey and family.  Happy Thanksgiving 

 

MILLER & LUX

Tyler Florence the food celebrity on the Food Network has recently opened a swanky new steakhouse in San Francisco called Miller & Lux. We had some friends visiting from out of town that wanted to take us out to dinner and this was the choice. Put on the old feedbag and let’s take a journey into a high end steakhouse dining in the City by the Bay. 

Miller & Lux is located in the sports complex for the Golden State Warriors. It was only built several years ago and is not only a sports arena but has shops and restaurants. We went on a Monday night when no game was scheduled. Parking Karma was enforced and we parked right across the street in a metered spot. (Game day would be a different story). The restaurant is bright and modern. There is an open kitchen were you can view the chef’s at work. Our hostess scooted the table back as we squeezed into a circular booth. The table was put back into place like a safety device on a culinary carnival ride. The menu was only a page with a short list of ‘modern’ steakhouse staples.  Let’s just invoke the “Do not ask rule” on the prices. I will say the prices of beef have double in the last two years.  I chose the 45 day age old New York strip Black Angus, Ms. Goofy a filet and our friends split a 32 ounce Tomahawk. These steaks were ala carte with sides extra. 

We were served warm fresh popovers as a bread course. Our server announced with great glee that this was butter made from grass fed organic cows.  We had multiple servers throughout our dining experience.  One would take a sip of water and a busboy would immediately refill your glass. I had sparkling water, of course. I did say busboy but I should have said busperson. This is San Francisco you know. Gender neutral bathrooms were something I was not really used too. I digress, back to the meal. Our Caeser salad was made at the table with great fanfare. The salad was topped with whole anchovies, parmesan crisps, extra cheese and the plate was garnished with a swirl of infused lemon oil. 

Dry aging a steak is normally a two to three week process. Miller & Lux serves a 45 day aged steak which is something that is pretty unique and wonderful. I have never had a steak with such a unique and rich flavor. My steak had a funk. A wonderful funk that is hard to describe. It was buttery. It was nutty. It might of not have been the most tender U.S.D.A. prime steak but each and every bite was a ‘umami’ rocket of flavor. I craved the next bite after finishing the first. This was almost a religious experience for me. We all shared a little bite of our different steaks and it was unanimous that my steak was something to behold.

Miller & Lux was a fun treat for the culinary senses and elegant fun. The beloved 'Crumbsweeper made an appearance. The dessert cart was the finish to a wonderful meal. I am still thinking about the 45 day dry aged steak. Fantastic!!!! 

• My apologies for the crappy photos. I left the house without my camera and used a phone. It turns out my phone had a crack in the lens.

HOT DAMN IT'S CHRISTMAS

Is it too early to celebrate Christmas with the traditional Holiday fruitcake? Not in my book, because I love fruitcake. Frog Hollow Farms is selling their Holiday cake and it sells out quick. The ingredient list uses the descriptor "Organic" many times. This is reflected in the premium price tag associated with ownership. It does include dried plums, dried peaches, candied orang peel, walnuts, molasses and other ingredients. The last ingredient I will mention is rum. This is one boozy cake.

This cake comes in a fancy metal tin. The cake is wrapped in a muslin cloth to retain booze and moisture. When you remove the lid step back and be prepared to become overcome with alcoholic vapors. This cake is very moist. There was not small chunks of dried fruit like a traditional cake. The fruits had been pureed to make this a smooth texture with some small walnuts throughout. This is a very nice cake. This is a fruit flavored smooth textured booze bomb that works. Hot damn it's Christmas.
 

BEST BACON IN COUNTRY

 

  The Best Bacon in the Country proclaims Mahogany Smoked Meats of Bishop California. I had to find  out for myself and ordered a four pound slab to be delivered. Mahogany Meats uses a double smoking method for 24 hours which is not really explained. They also use mahogany wood as their smoke addition. I received my shipment in a Styrofoam box with some ice packs. I removed the shrink wrap to release the most wonderful smell in the country and possibly the whole wide world. The aroma wafted throughout the kitchen perfuming the air with pleasant comforting smoked meatful delights. This slab had the perfect ration of fat to meat. We immediately brought out the black iron and fried up a couple of rashers. This bacon had the perfect cure of sugar and salt. Sometimes bacon is cured on the sweet side causing the sugars to caramelize, char and even burn. This was not the case and the frying created a crisp product that brought a tear to my eye. Yes, Yes, Yes, this was bacon perfection. The pork flavor shined and complimented the fat, smoke, sweet, salt and texture of this bacon. Is Mahogany Smoked Meats the best in the country? I am not sure but it is most excellent and receives the Chilebrown seal of approval. I will continue my search for the Gold Standard.
 

LEGEND IN MY OWN MIND

The ballots have been cast. There was a tie for the most votes. This Mad Meat Genius is now an officer titled Board of Directors of the Galileo Club. I was a little shocked to tie with the most votes cast. I take office in January 2022 for a two year term. Long live Ravioli.

This last week the national newsletter of the Kanas City Barbecue Society was distributed electronically. Ms. Goofy and I made page 34 of their publication called the Bullsheet.  It has been a crazy week.

 

VOTE FOR CHILEBROWN

Yours truly is running for office. I have never been a politician and actually have turned down positions of leadership in the past. I was asked to run for the Board of Directors at the Galileo Club. The Galileo Club is an Italian social club that I frequent. I presently attend dinners and do volunteer work. Apparently I have been noticed and the Board thought I would be a good fit. This humbled this Mad Meat Genius especially when you consider I am not even Italian. There are four spots open with 6 candidates running. I will run on the "Ravioli Platform". The election is this Wednesday and I have no idea what the results will be. One of the perks of being a Board member is free pasta. I have my fingers crossed.