For a small town, Greensboro, North Carolina has some amazing food. I'm currently sitting in The Green Bean, a fantastic coffee shop on Elm Street, sipping a "red" (rooibos) espresso with white chocolate and honey. I am eating a turtle brownie from Spring Garden Bakery, a fabulous coffee shop in its own right. Tonight, I'll be going to the eminent Table 16 for a chef's tasting that is bound to be fabulous. Last night, I made a roasted NY strip steak (grass-fed beef) with a zinfandel cream sauce.

Let's talk about Chef's tastings for a moment. You can do this at most fine restaurants that are not chains. Essentially, this means that you give a chef general parameters of your likes, dislikes, allergies, or dietary restrictions, and he will prepare you a succession of courses that are not on the menu. Usually these courses tend to be small 'tasting' plates designed to impress the diner

and give you a sense of the chef's overall skills. They are a lovely way of being surprised by food, since the chef decides what delicious things to bring you. Sometimes they can be paired with wine selections for an extra fee. However, the tastings can be expensive, so check with your waiter for standard pricing and flexibility.

Now, here's a case in point for wine investment. At dinner, we'll be drinking the Carruades de Lafite, the second bottling of Lafite Rothschild. I bought this wine for approximately $60 in 2007. Now, looking at online prices for this bottle and vintage, the price has shot up to nearly $300 American. We're not going to sell it, of course, because at this point I'm going to take great pleasure in drinking it, but you see my point? There's a pretty penny to be had in this business if you're willing to store the wine in an appropriate fashion. Some knowledge, a friend in the business, and a good wine shop can do wonders for your cellar, friends, and don't you dare forget it. I'm looking forward to laying down a good Brunello di Montalcino, and just seeing what happens...

Now, a word to pan-roasting meat. I'd never done this before, but you'll accelerate the process if you use a cast-iron pan. One 1-1/2 inch thick steak was pan-seared (5 mins. on both sides) with a bit of olive oil and a very hot pan. Then, I suggest an oven at 400 degrees for about 30 mins for medium doneness. Then, your best course of action is to make delicious sauce with a bit of wine, cream, and a dash of butter for richness. Scrape up the good stuff left on that pan as you deglaze with the wine. There you go! Now sit down with some garlic-mashed potatoes and a bottle of good seasonal beer. Yes, I said beer. Steak and beer are a delicious combination, friends. Taste and believe.

Additionally, I've discovered a new author (or two) for good reads over break. Try A.S Byatt's new novel The Children's Book for something psuedo-historical. For something more on the edge of sci-fi try the fabulous Octavia Butler with Kindred. Butler's reputation precedes her, winning both the Hugo and Nebula awards for her science fiction.

I think that's all for now. Have no doubt that I will write about this evening's dinner for your enjoyment. Be careful in the snow, everyone!