Thoughts on Steak

The simple truth: Quality Steak + Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper = Culinary Prestidigitation.

It really is that elementary. Rub it down, cook it up to mid-rare, and let it rest 5 minutes. Life is good.

Citrus Three Bean Salad

The wife loves the Three Bean Salad. Fortunately, so do I. This recipe is really quick, so you can make a enough salad for 4-5 people in about 15 minutes.

Citrus Three Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans

8 oz. Garbanzo beans

8 oz. black beans

3 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

1/2 sweet onion, julienne

10 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced

5 sun-dried tomatoes, julienne

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium lemon, juiced and zested

1 medium lime, juiced and zested

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp oregano

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Blanch grean beans in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then shock in an ice bath.

2. Strain and dry green bean.

3. Combine green, black, and Garbanzo beans in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add garlic, onions, and tomatoes to bean mixture.

5. Prepare dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1/8 tsp of both lemon and lime zest in a small mixing bowl.

6. Toss salad in dressing and allow to rest, covered, for at least one hour.

7. Toss salad again just before serving.

As you can see, this is a relatively simple bean salad recipe. I like to mix it up a little, so maybe I will bring you another bean salad in the future. I love this salad because it has the snap and crunch of the green beans, the soft texture of the black beans, and the slightly firm and mildly starchy texture of the Garbanzo beans. All of these textures play nicely with the sweet and tart backdrop provided by the dressing. Enjoy!

Coffee Break - Dancing Goats Espresso Bar

Boy, do I love coffee. I am no coffee aficionado, but having sipped espresso in Rome, Cafe Creme in Paris, and Cafe Melange in Vienna, I have had my fair share of great coffee. However, living in the good old U.S. of A., I have also had my share of bad cups o' Joe. Coffee culture in America is not what it is in many other parts of the world. Starbucks has sterilized and attempted to monopolize the coffee industry in the U.S., taking on the strategy of colonizing our neighborhoods with as many stores as possible. Having said that, there are still bastions of great coffee to be found here on the home front. Dancing Goats Espresso Bar is a great example of this trend toward better coffee for Americans.

Located just west of downtown Decatur on Ponce, Dancing Goats really has a great product to offer. Now it is my habit to make my first coffee in any new coffee shop an espresso. Since it's the base of so many other coffee house staples, I feel obliged to taste the coffee in it's purest form. The house espresso at Dancing Goats is full bodied with negligible acidity. The bitterness was what one would expect from an espresso without being overwhelming. In fact, it is the way that the bitterness plays with the full bodied flavor that I found to be the most compelling element of the coffee. In contrast, a standard espresso from Starbucks seems flat and barren, where the Dancing Goats espresso seemed full of life. Even with my first taste, it became apparent that the shop's name could not seem more apropos.

Although the coffee was excellent, I can not say the same about the atmosphere. Feeling very corporate, with little of the eclecticism that I have become accustomed to seeing in smaller coffee shops, I found Dancing Goats to feel more like a Starbucks that I would have hoped. Was the atmosphere bad? Not in the slightest. I just can't help feeling that such an exceptional coffee shouldn't come from such a unexceptional looking shop.

That leaves the question, "Will I go back?" The simple answer is "yes." No decor can keep me away from a great cup of coffee. I hope to see you there.

Cheese: Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor

We picked up a nice little piece of this cheese at Your Dekalb Farmers Market over the weekend. Looking for a nice bit of cheese to serve as a appetizer, we settled on this little wonder from Cypress Grove Chevre. The makers of the world renowned Humboldt Fog, a surface ripened goat cheese, have created yet another unique entry into the brewing international cheese wars.

By combining truffles with goat cheese, Cypress Grove have created a distinctive cheese that leaves little to complain about. Upon unwrapping this little treasure, one is greeted with the feint yet unmistakable aroma of truffles. After allowing it to come up to room temperature, the wife and I dug in. Spreading the soft cheese over thin slices of crisp french bread gave a perfect contrast of textures. Immediately upon tasting the cheese, the earthy perfume of truffles came immediately to the forefront. Not to be outdone, the zest and saltiness of the goat cheese did not retreat. Rather, it gave distinction to the truffles, providing a balance that is beyond question. Those who love soft ripened cheeses will also find something to love here, as the cheese is ripened for several weeks. This aging gives not only a delicate rind, but also a ring of oozing soft cheese surrounding the slightly firm interior.

Overall, I was highly pleased with this cheese and recommend that you pick some up where ever possible. For those in Atlanta, Your Dekalb Farmers Market is currently selling the cheese for $14.99 per pound.