The case shows tenderloin steaks but I wanted the whole section. The butcher says they can do that. I'm given the choice of grass-fed or regular. I didn't specify. I have no idea which one this is. Then he disappears and I realize he's inside another room next to the counter with a window to the public. He's trimming the h-e-double shank bones off this tenderloin section. He's deft with his small knife, slicing off scraggly edges, trimming fat, slipping under silver skin and removing the lengths, trim, trim, trim, trim, trim, trim, he goes on and on trimming, he trims the ends off, he trims off more loose bits. He trims the bits off of pieces, he trims off good meat. He wastes what appears to be quite a lot. He trims more than I would trim. Then he ties it.
Young. Tall. Thin, bearded hipster. They're all hipsters over there. Friendly, outgoing, engaging hipsters. Contrary to what you might have heard or read. Professional. Hardworking. Motivated. Ambitious.
I told him that just a few days ago I showed a YouTube video of a butcher reducing a side of beef to steaks on a website and the readers were resistant to watching it. Many refused.
"Oh? Which one?"
A Japanese-American guy. His body is kind of small and he uses the edge of the table for leverage.
"He's good. I saw that. I watch a lot of butcher videos. You ought to watch the Australian guys and the New Zealand guys butchering sheep."
I was guessing the cost. Estimating what I would consider outrageous. This exceeded that by 20%. But I don't care. It's worth every cent. Plus I've paid more single dinners. But that was with everything that comes with a great dinner, and I didn't have to cook it or do the dishes. It's moments like this that I flashback to Maui where the cost of food is phenomenal. And I think I can do better at Oliver's. And I will. This is too good to not have. I've really REALLY REALLY enjoyed the beef tenderloin cooked on the Big Green Egg, and the pork tenderloin cooked here at home. Thin slices with fruit or something equally light is a fantastic summer meal. Just nibbling all through the summer, but nibbling on the most excellent meat. I've actually lost weight and it feels great. I want to keep doing this. Small plates of thinly sliced meat and fruit, day after day.
This was going on too. This meat will make excellent little sandwiches.
Colorado peaches are in season and they are wonderful.
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