Can Meat and Potatoes Be Intense?

I am really not a meat and potatoes girl.   For reasons described here earlier though, I decided it was time for a little weekend indulgence.    Warning, what is about to follow is intense.  

Funny thing about the word 'intense'.   Our sommelier in Paris took a particular liking to it, describing his keen fascination with America's over usage of the word "intense" to describe absolutely everything.
Think about it.   It is actually quite funny.

Found this definition in the Merriam Webster dictionary:

• 1a existing in the extreme degree
• 1b having or showing characteristic in extreme degree

• 2 marked by or expressive of great zeal, energy, determination or concentration

• 3a exhibiting strong feeling or earnestness of purpose
• 3b deeply felt

So, in honor of Olivier, my question for you is, can meat and potatoes truly be described as intense?

We thought so, but will let you be the judge.   Our menu tonight comes from Epicurious and The Pioneer Woman.    I made only minor modifications to the recipes, so in this case, going to give credit where credit is due and refer you to the originals if you'd like to try these yourself.  

Grilled Porterhouse Steak with Paprika Parmesan Butter

Notes:    We made this with a sirloin and a ribeye instead.   Turned out perfectly.   Most importantly though, if you make this recipe, whatever you do, you need to drastically reduce the salt.    The recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of salt in the marinade.  I used 1 Teaspoon and we still found it salty.   Other than that, this was a fabulous marinade and coupled with the smokey paprika butter, which we loved, resulted in a very 'intense' piece of meat.

Crash Hot Potatoes

Notes:    I actually make these all the time.   The recipe is super easy and always results in excellent potatoes that are crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle with just the right amount of seasoning.   I used fresh rosemary and thyme for herbs.    Soooooo good.

Served with grilled asparagus that got a tiny bit overdone on the grill but was the perfect companion for this meal.   Maybe if I had been watching the grill instead of trying to take pictures of it, we might have avoided this situation.

All in all, a success.   Just what the doctor ordered.    With that said, my fiance, who actually is a doctor, wanted me to remind everyone that this is definitely one of those things that falls into the "all things in moderation" category.  I don't know about you, but it is probably safe to say that the melting slab of paprika Parmesan butter on the ribeye should be reserved for special occasions (or maybe those requiring "just a little bit of intensity").    

Perhaps the upcoming Labor Day weekend?

Happy Grilling!  

Date Night In Paris - Part Three

My date night is drawing to a close... a final late night walk along the Seine with a long awaited stop at the Louvre to view the lights at night.  I was not disappointed.     It truly was a magical evening.

Thank you all for staying with me on this journey!  

All good things must come to an end though and over the next couple of weeks I will begin wrapping up this trip and moving on to what is probably the most difficult part, sharing with you my motivation behind it all, figuring out what I've learned and what I will take away with me as I move on to the next phase of my life.    I guess maybe the fun part is just beginning when you think of it that way!

Date Night in Paris - Part Two

Leaving dinner, I began the now familiar and contemplative walk down to the Eiffel Tower.    There are some experiences that can't be described adequately with words, so I will share with you some images from this magical evening.

Standing before the tower, lit up in it's evening finest, will forever live in my memory.  Although I've been here many times before, something about this particular night allowed something to change in me that I've been striving for on this trip.   For just a few moments, I felt a sense of peace and calm.    Any struggles past or present were erased and all I could see ahead of me was a sparkly and hope filled future.  

On this night, I started to get excited to head back home.  

From here I began the long walk home along the Seine where I stumbled upon Part Three of my Date Night in Paris.  

Date Night in Paris - Part One

I've never been one of those people who were super comfortable going out by myself for an evening on the town.    I've managed it once in awhile, but really only when necessary.  

 
I had to get over this pretty quickly when traveling by myself through Europe.    Because, really, there wasn't much of an option.     As soon as I hit Rome, and left all of my superb ship dining companions behind, I learned that it was going to be me, myself and I for quite some time and I better start enjoying it.

At first I was a little apprehensive.   I'd bring along lots of goodies to keep me occupied during dinner.   My little bag would be full of journals and guide books and other interesting reading material.

Once I did that once or twice, I realized I was kind of missing the point.  

I really wanted to grow on this trip, push my comfort level, expand.    I wasn't going to do that with my head buried in a book.    So, I changed my approach and started taking myself on little solo date nights.    Kind of fun getting all prettied up and heading out not knowing what the night would have in store.     Things opened up for me at this point and I had a blast meeting lots of people from different parts of the world.     An eye opening experience.

I will say that dining solo in Rome was easier than in Paris.     Perhaps I was more comfortable in Rome, but it always felt more relaxed.     Paris kept me on the edge of my seat quite a bit.   Besides, I found that although there seemed to be a lot more solo diners in Paris, they kept to themselves quite a bit more.  

On one of my last weekend's in Paris, I planned a special evening out.    A date night... with myself.    I hadn't had steak frites since I had arrived and decided that this was the night.    Found a recommendation somewhere for a fantastic spot, le Relais de l'Entrecote, that really only had one thing on the menu.   Steak frites.    This came with a yummy walnut salad and a choice of wine and dessert.    Other than that, the only thing you need to do is tell them how you want your steak cooked.    Pretty simple.

There are several locations throughout Paris and the lines out the door can be long.   If you go, go early or you will wait.    I ended up getting (very) lost on my walk over, in the rain, and having to stand outside for quite awhile.    Even that was fun as the people surrounding me were a pleasure to talk with.    The place has a convivial, relaxed feel in a very french way.     Traditional, pleasant service.   The food was fabulous.   There is this amazing sauce on the steak.  I have no idea what is was, but it was really really good.   The fries were fantastic as well.  

(PS - I apologize for the quality of this picture.   The soft romantic yellow light inside didn't help the photography situation.)

I had a wonderful time on my last real date night in Paris.    The conversation at dinner was a lot of fun.  I felt at ease and very comfortable with my new found ability to actually enjoy dining solo.    I should say, that like in many spots in Paris, the tables were literally on top of each other, so engaging with others is definitely part of the experience.     I would go back to this place in a heartbeat next time I am there, especially on a non solo date night as the food would be right up a certain someone's alley.   Just a fun spot.

But the night isn't over yet.  

Here's just a little taste of what's to come.   Definitely one of my most memorable evenings on this trip!   It is also a good thing that I ate a decent amount at dinner as little did I know I'd be out walking the streets of Paris until the wee hours of the morning.