KISS.
Acronyms. They rule our lives these days. LOL ASAP STAT OMG BRB WTF* WTAF ROTFLMAO BTW LMK IDK TBH IMHO FWIW FOMO. Seriously, I could scream. Or should that be: S,ICS? (Should we punctuate our acronyms?)
I remember the very first acronym I learned. It is one of which most people are completely unaware: the Zone Improvement Plan. ZIP Codes were introduced when I was 5 years old. Who ever ponders what ZIP means?
But one of my favorite acronyms is KISS, for “Keep It Simple Stupid.” I think I use it almost daily when talking to myself, especially when cooking. Always better to keep it simple, right? When I was 5, it didn’t exist; my mother’s version was, “Don’t overdo.” If she were alive today, she would probably tell me to “keep it simple.” (She might not call me stupid.) The funny thing about these mind boggling acronyms is that they were intended to make things simpler. Hah! When I see one, I have to stop, think, sound it out, and then hope I got it right. (Or Google it.) Not simple at all.
In today’s recipe, I am keeping it simple — there is nothing like a perfectly grilled steak served on a brioche toast and topped with melting tarragon butter. It makes you stop to savor, and forget you are in a hurry. There is no need to abbreviate anything — you want to take your time with this simple meal. Make the tarragon butter. Sear the steak. Pop the cork on a 2021 Vacqueyras (read more on the Provence WineZine). Sit back and enjoy, happy that you KISSed it.
CUL8R,
~ David
* Markipedia, who is worse at acronyms than I, translates WTF as, “Winifred Theodolite Fandango.” [insert eye-rolling emoji here.]
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Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food When the Understudy Shines - Provence WineZine
April 6, 2024 at 5:17 am[…] simple for the pairing — a Filet Mignon with Tarragon Butter on Brioche Toast (get the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender). Steak, from my research, seemed the obvious choice for the wine. The tarragon butter, which also […]
Mimi Rippee
April 6, 2024 at 5:58 amYou two are hysterical!!! What gets me is ASMR. Looked it up, still no idea what it is. POV still stupefies me too. Anyway, love your meal. Love that butter.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 6, 2024 at 3:53 pmWow — I looked it up, too — I have no idea! Thanks, Mimi — I love a good steak.
Barb
April 6, 2024 at 7:40 amPerfection on a plate! I agree completely with you about the acronyms!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 6, 2024 at 3:54 pmThey are ridiculous, Barb — and I’m glad you like the steak!
angiesrecipes
April 6, 2024 at 10:30 amI am too horrible at acronyms. Steak is always a favourite and I could have it every day!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 6, 2024 at 3:55 pmI’m glad I’m not alone, Angie!
Jill W Becker
April 6, 2024 at 10:31 amGreat recipe and funny story. Thanks
Cocoa & Lavender
April 6, 2024 at 3:55 pmThanks, Jill — it was fun to write!
Mad Dog
April 6, 2024 at 12:16 pmI was thinking KISS when I read the title …and how perfect a recipe it is!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 6, 2024 at 3:55 pmThanks, Mad Dog!
Pauline McNee
April 6, 2024 at 5:07 pmI know what you mean David, I am even reluctant to write LOL in a post, I really prefer ha, ha, at least I think that means it’s meant to be funny, I don’t know what half of them mean. Excellent writing and very funny. We love a good steak, I originate from Rockhampton, the steak capital of at least Queensland and Australia??, but I never think to make tarragon butter. Thanks for the reminder, and I have tarragon growing, It’s the Russian variety, heaven forbid, not as flavoursome as the French but I will try it and freeze a log. Then I have it when needed. Love your presentation and your plate, however David, I hope you have some cooked vegetables lurking in the background somewhere, LOL, there you go, I’ve used it. Here in Queensland, I would probably drink a lovely Adelaide McLaren Vale Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon with our steak. However I do love French wine.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 7, 2024 at 6:21 amI usually write ha ha, too, or ja ja to my friends in México.it’s definitely clearer. Oh, I think either the Shirazor Cab would be perfect with the steak. I know you will love the tarragon butter — and the Russian tarragon should work perfectly. And, yes, there were plenty of vegetables and a salad. They just didn’t look good on the plate.
sherry
April 6, 2024 at 5:48 pmOh yes I agree with Mimi. What the heck with POV? What a waste of letters even adding it to something. And so many more. And I am cheesed about the theft of LOL – it means lots of love!! Anyway we don’t eat steak or cook it but I do have it once a year at a pub and always medium rare! I’m sure yours is delicious David. Let’s murder the acronyms!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 7, 2024 at 6:13 amIf we murdered the acronyms, I’m sure they’d make an acronym of that, too! Glad you like the steak recipe.
sherry
April 6, 2024 at 5:49 pmoh I meant to say love that plate! What’s with me and the exclamation marks today?!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 7, 2024 at 6:12 amI have exclamation mark days, too, Sherry. I don’t know why… I’m glad you like the plate. I wish I had a whole set.
Ronit
April 7, 2024 at 9:37 amCompound butters are such a great way to add flavor to many dishes, but are the best when it comes to a good steak. As I’m a big fan of tarragon, I know I would love this combination of flavors.
Couldn’t agree more, about the KISS method! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
April 7, 2024 at 10:06 amTarragon is one of my favorite herbs—with steak, with seafood… even with lemon and butter on pasta. I just love it.
velva
April 8, 2024 at 5:56 amDavid, this is a classic “proof simple is best” dish. An elegant filet with a tarragon butter. Nothing complicated here just excellent quality ingredients, the dish speaks for itself.
I talk to myself often (laugh) and I remind myself to keep it simple too.
Velva
Cocoa & Lavender
April 8, 2024 at 11:41 amThe dish plus the wine were really extraordinary. I’m glad you like the simplicity, Velva!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
April 8, 2024 at 1:52 pmOh those acronyms, especially that are used by folks (and not necessarily younger generations – all ages) for messaging – I always feel so dumb AND OLD. And I often need to google its meaning LOL. But at least I can clearly see without Google’s help that this dish is stunning and absolutely delicious, especially the addition of tarragon!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 8, 2024 at 4:43 pmWow, if it makes you feel old, Ben, how do you think it makes me feel? I guess the good part about my life was that I worked a lot with students, so some of them didn’t surprise me. But they still make my brain work much harder than it should. Thanks for your kind words about the recipe.
Jeff the Chef
April 9, 2024 at 7:42 amThis dish is too simple and elegant for me to not try! Plus, I love compound butter and tarragon seems like such a classy herb. I wouldn’t’ve though to serve it on toasts, let alone brioche. Thanks!
When you’ve been around for a while, you see a lot of things come and go, and you start to get the idea that when something comes along, if it doesn’t appeal to you, wait a while and it’ll go away. Like Sarah Palin. But you never know which of those somethings is going to wind up having staying power, and then next thing you know, if you’re writing texts with punctuation, it’s considered agressive. And Word starts correcting your use of commas, even though you know you’re doing it correctly. The worst by far is that you have to text “k” instead of “ok.” I mean come on, how much time is that saving?
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2024 at 10:55 amOh, I love the Sarah Palin comment — I laughed so hard! I hope you are right and that this phase will be gone soon.
Tarragon is one of those herbs that brings controversy… some say it’s too much like licorice. I love it, though, and steak is a perfect foil for it.
Valentina
April 18, 2024 at 9:47 pmSo funny, Jeff! Sarah Palin. Hahaha!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 19, 2024 at 2:22 pmI know — that completely cracked me up!
Raymund
April 17, 2024 at 2:46 pmAcronyms certainly dominate our modern communication landscape, don’t they? Specially in my line of work, I think we can all speak just with acronyms 🤣 Anyways your grilled steak on brioche toast with tarragon butter sounds absolutely divine, and a perfect example of savoring the moment without rushing. Here’s to enjoying life’s simple pleasures! CUL8R
Cocoa & Lavender
April 18, 2024 at 8:25 amOh. Gosh — I assume you work in the tech sector? It’s insane. But we manage — and I am glad I retired. Lucky for me, I worked with students so I got tutorials from them about what things meant. 🤣 (ROTFLMAO) Glad you like the steak recipe. Simple is really perfect some days.
2pots2cook
April 18, 2024 at 6:02 amMy son adores steaks! Your recipe is going to be a great surprise for him : we have never used toasted brioche as a base…….
Cocoa & Lavender
April 18, 2024 at 8:21 amThe brioche might be my favorite part, because it catches all the meat juices and the tarragon butter. 🙂 I hope your son loves it!
Valentina
April 18, 2024 at 9:50 pmI admit that until reading this, not only have I never pondered what ZIP stood for, but I had no idea. And as for the more hip acronyms, I always have to ask my kids what they mean.
This dish is simplicity as its most delicious! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
April 19, 2024 at 2:24 pmLucky you to have built in “translators” at home, Valentina! Glad you like the recipe!