Lucky Stars for Epiphany

Yesterday was Epiphany, the day when the wise men presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas; many take down their decorations and trees on this day. (Of course, the official end of Christmas doesn't come until Candlemas on February 2nd, so for those stalwart Christmas fans, there is a bit more time.) Epiphany is a day that is filled with light and hope as we remember the magi who traveled in search of the baby Jesus.

A couple of years ago, while visiting my sister in Boston around New Year's, I stumbled upon a special Belgian beer line of dark, spicy ales named for the three kings: Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. I had them for Epiphany. It reminded me of the grand European traditions that honor the kings and their journey to find Jesus. Doorframes and church entrances often sport the chalked initials "C, M, B" (C for the English Caspar) to remember that, in making ourselves like the magi, we too are charged to seek lives of hope.

Belgian beer makes one think about such things.

Art, Nature, and Arkansas: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

It takes an exceptional cultural experience to forego a food-related post. Over the past few weeks I've been so food-minded, planning meals and (especially) desserts, trying to cram in all the holiday-related recipes I can and still having about a hundred that I am saving for next December. January is a time to refocus, get back to the "normal" life (whatever that may be), and try to recover from the typical indulge of the past six weeks.

On January 1, my family made an excursion - a pilgrimage, if you will - to Bentonville, Arkansas, in the northwest part of the state. Bentonville, home of the brand-new, all-American art museum Crystal Bridges, has made international news in the past several months. I've read articles (namely in The New Yorker and New York Times) whose authors are left scratching their heads about why, oh WHY has Alice Walton, professional art collector billionaire daughter of Wal-Mart mogul Sam Walton, decided to invest her resources in backwoods Arkansas rather than on Fifth Avenue, New York? Half of me takes delight in sensing these critics squirm at the mere mention of "Arkansas culture" and half of me wants to rise up and defend the state of my upbringing.

Boeuf Bourguignon

I think that for many home cooks, boeuf bourguignon, or beef burgundy, is a real tour de force. It ranks up there with coq au vin, Sunday roast, and homemade pasta. It takes as long to think about and prepare as an empty New Year's Eve day. We started this dish around ten on Saturday morning and were eating by seven that night. This all-day affair really is essential for experienced cooks who have ingredients, time, and an assistant chef to help with all the peeling, chopping, cutting, sautéing, browning, roux-making, and fonding. Like I said, beef burgundy is a tour de force; and I was the assistant chef.

The key to a really successful beef burgundy is the way you sauté the beef. The beef must be patted very dry with paper towels, cubed in relatively similar sizes, then browned darkly on all sides in a rich fond of bacon grease. (Here it comes again with the bacon grease.) A semi-crunchy, all-delicious crust should form on all sides of each piece of meat, otherwise it will turn to mush during the hours-long cooking process. And nobody likes beef mush, especially around the holidays. Get ready for this process to last a good chunk of the morning. Switch on your iPod dock, have a conversation with your family, or plan out your football watching times for the rest of the week. Just make sure you are prepared for how long the browning process takes. Be patient and don't rush it. The less you rush, the more brown your beef will become, and the more delicious will be your beef burgundy. Again: nobody likes mushy meat. Gross.