Dry Rubbed Steak and Roasted Baby Potatoes

At long last, the perfect steak. I was really craving a steak with a bone in it; I had to have it. And now that I have, I can’t stop wanting another! To make this one, get a bone-in ribeye steak. Remove it from the refrigerator. In a dish (I like using a glass pie pan), mix together 1/2 teaspoon of flaky sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary. Pat the steak dry, and press it into the spice mixture with your fingers. Let the steak come to room temperature.

Then, heat a cast iron skillet so that a drop of water flicked onto its surface disappears immediately. Coat the pan with a high smoke point-oil (I used macadamia nut oil), and place your steak in the pan. Let it cook for 4-6 minutes without moving it, then flip it and cook it for another 4-6 minutes on the other side depending on how well done you prefer your steak. Remove the steak to a side plate, tent it with tin foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then, eat the perfectly seasoned meat, and gnaw away on the bone. No one will judge you.

These roasted baby potatoes are an easy side dish. Dump the potatoes into a baking dish, and drizzle on enough olive oil to coat them. Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves, and add those in, along with salt, pepper, and some fresh rosemary. Bake the potatoes at 400ºF for about 30 minutes until they start to shrivel and can easily be pierced with a fork. Yum.

Shopping list:

Dry Rubbed Steak

  • Bone-in ribeye steak
  • Flaky sea salt- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Freshly cracked black pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
  • White pepper- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Cumin- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Coriander-  1/2 teaspoon
  • Garlic powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Dried rosemary- 1/4 teaspoon
  • High smoke point oil

Baby Roasted Potatoes

  • Baby potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic- 2 cloves
  • Fresh rosemary
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Stella and the Bar Exam

Poor Stella hated studying for the bar exam as much as I did. She didn’t like that my books got most of the attention. This picture sums up my bar experience feeling perfectly. I printed it out and took it with me when I went to take the test. It kept me company and made me smile.

While I was away taking the exam, Stella missed me as much as I missed her. When I talked to David on the phone, I could hear her crying in the background. It broke my heart. He let Stella snuggle with my sweatshirt, and she just looked so sad. Oh, my insides.

We cuddled a lot when I got back.

We are really celebrating our freedom!

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A Rewarding Glass of Wine

One of the greatest things about living in Paris was getting to explore France’s wonderful wines. I took a class on French wine while I was there, which was a wonderful decision even though the credits didn’t transfer back to my US college. I learned about the wine and champagne-making processes, the proper way to open and taste wines, and I was able to develop my palate by tasting several different wines each class. It was a wonderful time in my life. And educational too. It is shocking to me that I haven’t discussed wine with you before, so let’s get started!

I bought this particular bottle of wine in 2008 right before I left Paris. It is a white wine from the Burgundy region of France, and these wines are best when they are aged for 5-10 years. This bottle wasn’t very expensive, but it was special to me because of the memories I associate with it. So I allowed the wine to live in several different places with me; it went from aging in the towel drawer of my dorm room to the cool and shaded wine rack in my current apartment (once I was confident that no thirsty guests would open it up). I knew that this wine would be the bottle we’d drink with our first delicious dinner after the bar exam, and the wait was worth it.

You’ll notice in the first picture that the wine is a dark yellow color. That is good! White wines darken as they age, and red wines lighten. I once drank a too-old red that was almost a taupe color (blech). If you’ve ever taken the time to really taste your wine, then you know that the flavors and mouth feel change as the wine is exposed to more and more air. This is the reason why people swirl wine in their glasses and decanters. For example, this wine was very acidic and citrusy when the bottle was first opened, but after about 20 minutes, the wine mellowed out into a smooth, slightly fruity, and very satisfying beauty. The perfect reward.

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