she cooks…he cleans

Ribeyes rubbed with Montreal Steak seasoning.

Crispy romaine, nuggets of bacon-bourbon jam, fresh goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette.

Mushrooms sauteed in butter with garlic.

Every family develops rituals and routines that help define them, and in our house, quite a few of them, as you might guess, revolve around food. Now, I was not raised in a house where food was celebrated, so when I met Nancy it was as if I had blinders removed. Food could have taste! It could be exciting and something to look forward to! And of all the gourmet experiences we’ve shared, Sunday night as steak night is one of my favorite, for a number of reasons.

First…meat. Yum. Cooked (by yours truly, my only “dish”) over a Dante’s Inferno of flame in the Big Green Egg, a plateful of meat and a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon really says “weekend” to me. Sunday’s are down time around the house, no more errands or laundry- not that we’re fanatics on cleaning on any day, certainly! Good time to sit down, get relaxed, and spend time on the porch, watching the birds and listening to music. This Sunday was a treat, due to my major score, an original Blue Note pressing of this:

Horace Silver’s Blowin the Blues Away, with that sound that only vinyl can create. This album had started in the UK, and how it found its way to a Lilburn GA used book store is beyond me, but for $5, I’ll take it!

Then, in anticipation of NGD, we mellowed out with Meetings With Remarkable Friends featuring Artie Traum with friends such as David Grisman, Lawrence Juber and The Band.

As I said, steak is my only menu item, and since its practically foolproof, I’ll be the fool. First, get the egg fired up, all vents open and get the heat as high as it will go- 500-600′. Then slap the steaks on, and cook a few minutes per side, turning 3 times. Then, hopefully without removing your eyebrows from the heat, serve with a salad, or roasted veggies. Pour another glass of wine (recipe direction #1!) and enjoy!

So, what rituals do you share?