tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21129017.post7512133041731235511..comments2023-06-26T07:00:01.325-07:00Comments on Horny for Food: Umami Burger ReduxDavid J.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10674549768577714570noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21129017.post-45354478841909310842010-12-19T11:08:04.145-08:002010-12-19T11:08:04.145-08:00Good points. @Zack, it used to be that it was hard...Good points. @Zack, it used to be that it was hard to get the same quality of meat that a good steakhouse could get, but now with high-end butchers available in places like the SF Area and LA that monopoly no longer exists.<br /><br />@Cabfrancophile I agree completely. & these things change over time too.... In the US for much of the late 19th century, an adorned steak was poor people food, the wealthy preferring more elaborate fare. And until relatively recently, you could barely <i>give</i> lamb away.<br /><br />What's great is that there aren't gatekeepers and taste-makers any more. I mean, there are people who THINK they are and those old guard that still influence trends but that's for a diminishing, though for the time being financially lucrative, demographic.David J.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10674549768577714570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21129017.post-75426537318495873282010-12-17T12:05:02.482-08:002010-12-17T12:05:02.482-08:00It seems like the fine dining and wine world is fi...It seems like the fine dining and wine world is filled with these sorts of inconsistencies. When in doubt, they fall back on scarcity and tradition. A burger can be vastly more complex than a steak by virtue of flexibility in its use of ingredients. Beer can be more complex than wine (at least at a modest price) because there are so many more things to add. Yet they are common foods. Same for complexly spiced Indian and Thai dishes.<br /><br />Ultimately I think it comes down to an elitist attitude by the gatekeepers and tastemakers. That which is rare is best, they say. Filet mignon is rare, thus it is best, though it's mainly riding on its texture. Napa Cab is rare, thus it is best, though it's mainly riding on its texture and density. They are right about truffles and traditional balsamic, though--I wish those were less rare and expensive! An anosmic pig still finds a truffle once in a while, I suppose.Cabfrancophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21129017.post-46875979870358841632010-12-15T22:48:07.080-08:002010-12-15T22:48:07.080-08:00Making a great steak at home is piss easy. Making ...Making a great steak at home is piss easy. Making a great burger is a big fucking to-do. You can fuck up the fat ratio, the grind, the bun, the seasoning, the kind of pickle, the quality of the tomato, etc etc etc. There are like eight ways to fuck up just the bun. Making a great steak is like<br />Step 1. Buy good meat of the right cut.<br />Step 2. Follow basic instructions that fit on a single index card even if written with crayon.<br />Step 3. Congratulations on your great steak.Zackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02099926117524402770noreply@blogger.com