100%

Straight from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in New York City, this is Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Chipotle-Honey Glaze (page 156 of the Mesa Grill Cookbook). I started by chopping and processing chipotle chili and adobo sauce, then added dijon mustard and lots of honey. All this went into a pan and onto the grill. The steaks also hit the grill. These were Rib-Eyes so they had a little more fat running through them than a leaner cut, like sirloin - but the fat cooks into the meat while on the grill and this gives Rib-Eye that classic chary-steak flavor. You want some "marbling" of fat through a Rib-Eye. When you see it, you know this is some really good stuff.  That built-in taste joined with the chipotle-honey glaze perfectly. I let the grill do its job on the first side of the steak, then after turning once (we never turn a steak more than once) I layered on the graze and let it carmelize right there on the steak. I had grilled potato wedges and tri-color peppers going as well. We were plated-up and ready to eat in 30 minutes. 

Earlier that afternoon, I stopped by Tag'z Five Star Meats (see previous blog titled Tag'z) to get the Rib-Eyes from Mike Taglio. He came out from the back of his shop carrying an official looking document. "Hey look at that score" he boasted. It was his Health Inspection Report. The number in the box that indicated the result of the inspection was 100%. "The inspector just left. She was here and hour and a half and she couldn't find anything wrong." I said, if health inspectors are anything like FAA inspectors, they get upset when they can't find anything wrong. They figure if they don't find something then their boss will think they are not doing there job. When FAA inspectors would come to look over the flight schools that I ran, I would purposely leave a paperwork error, just so they could find something. They would find the error. I would correct it. Everyone was happy. But the inspection of butcher shop is much more important than paperwork. Mike said, "those butchers from Publix and Kroger will be over here next week when word gets out about the 100% - they'll be nosing around, but I know who they are." Getting 100% must be very difficult, but it didn't surprise me that Tag'z got the highest possible rating. They do their job with hard work and a handshake. Everything they do is 100% and it shows in how they run their business, treat their customers and in those great Rib-Eyes. Mike took down his previous Health Inspection report so he could put us the new one. Guess what, the old report also had a score of 100%.

What to Drink? A trip to Argentina for Diseno Malbec. I suppose Malbecs can be found in other countries, but Argentina is known for it. If you never have tasted Malbec, you must do so. Its got as much flavor as a Zinfandel, but somehow smoother. I recommend your try it with a Chipotle-Honey Grilled Rib-Eye. 

METAR (Weather Report). 5OVC 1/2BR 40/38/1810G15. Which translates from the aviation meteorological report as an overcast ceiling that is only 500 feet off the ground, one-half mile visibility due to drizzle (BR is short for a French word meaning light rain), temperature 40, dewpoint 38 (only 2 degrees separate temp and dewpoint so that means to expect fog), wind from the south (180 degrees) at ten knots, but with gusts to fifteen knots. In other words, the weather is terrible. My first aviation instructor, Bill Gehres, would say, "its a day when even the birds are walking!"

5OVC 1/2BR is still good grilling weather -

Paul

Go Saints!