Where the Buffalo Roam
Real men from New York State don’t rely on GPS guidance.
She: You missed that turn, My Heart.
He: Don’t worry about it. She (the GPS) doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Lost once again in Pennsylvania, we chanced upon a buffalo farm. A real buffalo farm! A good sized herd was ruminating, roaming around, eating grass and looking very free range. I didn’t have my camera with me because I didn’t know that we’d be taking the long-cut home. Next time when we intentionally return to the farm, I’ll get pictures to post.
The farm has a little store in the front with freezers packed with buffalo meat cuts. I thought I’d try the short ribs for my first experience cooking buffalo. All the cuts were expensive but so is everything else in the States that is raised and butchered by individuals. Tant pis. This farm is a good source of unadulterated protein and the short ribs were delicious.
What’s the deal with the fat free thing!? I didn’t imagine that anything could be done to everyday, ordinary beef broth in the can so I didn’t read. But when I got it home, I noticed that it was 99% fat free. From the ubiquitous range of fat free products in the supermarkets (there’s no getting away from them!), we Americans should be some of the fittest people on earth! And we all know that’s not true. So what are they doing with the fat that they’re taking out of everything? You know they’re not throwing it away! I guess it’s better not knowing : -0
To my relief, I found some local, good sized, juicy garlic at the Super Duper market. I don’t usually shop for vegetables here but pass from time to time for their great sales on cat food and litter. In the future I’ll look at everything.
In Pennsylvania alcoholic beverages, except for beer, is sold in government state stores. As far as bottled French, Italian and Spanish wines are concerned, it seems that the civil servant who chooses the wines 1) Doesn’t know a thing about wines and doesn’t care. 2) Is only interested in saving the State money by choosing the least expensive imported wines with names he/she has vaguely heard of; Chardonnay, Chablis, Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon, Beaujolais Village,Valpolicelli, etc. Of course these are wines that no self-respecting, homeless, on the dole, European would drink, so they export this “plonk” to Japan, the US and China. Our federal government demands a healthy import tax, the state of Pennsylvania has their say and before you know it, you’ve got a 1 euro bottle of Cote du Rhone for $22 on the shelves. You can imagine how we hate this. Worse, you can not find, other than Veuve Cliquot, a decent bottle of wine on these shelves for neither love nor money. We have got to go into the city (New York) to find a solution because the Black Box seems to suck us into a black hole.
The Indians probably ate like this when they got tired of buffalo.
Roasted Buffalo Short Ribs
3 lbs buffalo short ribs, cut into individual ribs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 heaping tbsp meat rub (Emeril’s essence/Bavarian essence/your favorite)
3/4 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, halved then sliced
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves
5 fresh thyme sprigs
1 can normal beef broth
1 cup red Black Box wine or if in France, Cote du Rhone
Mix the salt, pepper, rub and flour together, then dredge the ribs in the mixture. Brown the ribs in the oil, a few at a time, no crowding, then place them in a roasting pan.
Briefly saute the garlic and onion the same pan until the onion is wilted, the pour over the top of the ribs in the roasting pan. Tuck in the bay leaves and thyme, then pour the broth and wine over the top.
Cover the ribs with aluminum foil, then roast at 375 F for 2-2 1/4 hours.
Garlic Roasted Vegetables
1 each, small zucchini and yellow summer squash, cut into large chunks
1 small cauliflower, broken into florets
12 large mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on size
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 fresh scallion, sliced
5 huge cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix everything together, place in a baking pan and roast at 375 F for 45 minutes, stirring after 30 minutes.
