Xavier Steak

Xavier Steak, ever heard of it? Invented (we think) in New York at the early beginning of the 19th century, this dreamy dish is composed of steak, asparagus, and swiss cheese. The steak and asparagus are seasoned and cooked together. Once done, the dish is served by placing asparagus on top of the steak and adding the cheese so it slowly melts on the warm vegetables.

While the origin of the dish’s name is still pretty unclear, food historians think it might be named after a place or a person named Xavier or after Saint Francis Xavier.

What we do know is that our expert team of butchers can help you turn this culinary mystery into a reality. When you add our expertise to our appetite for the best quality meat around, it’s an unbeatable combination. We go out to the generations-old family ranches and farms and know where our meat comes from, how it’s raised, and why it’s hands-down, top-notch, the most delicious and healthy selection around. We also have an experienced roster of journeymen meat-cutters who can answer questions, make suggestions, do special trims and trusses and help with just about anything related to meat. You’ll always find a butcher at our counter, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the sole aim of helping you. Because they are employee-owners, they care more about you, plain and simple.

Ok, is your mouth watering yet? Try out this Xavier Steak recipe from Punchfork for yourself!

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) New York strip steaks, at least 1-inch thick
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 slices Swiss cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Place into a dish, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Turn the steaks, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Turn the steaks again, and marinate 15 minutes longer.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
3. Place the steaks on the preheated grill, close the lid, and cook for 7 minutes. Toss the asparagus spears with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. When you turn steaks over, place the asparagus onto the grill, and close the lid. Cook until the steaks are beginning to firm and are slightly pink in the center, and the asparagus is tender, about 7 minutes. Turn the asparagus halfway through.
4. Top each steak with 3 asparagus spears and swiss cheese. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted. Remove from the grill, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Wine

“Wine is bottled poetry.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Ready to test your wine knowledge? Take a peek at our quiz (and answer key) below. 

Questions

1. How many grapes does it take to make a standard bottle of wine?
2. How much wine is consumed throughout the world each year?
3. What is the most widely planted grape in the world?
4. Which country invented the corkscrew?
5. Does red wine become darker or lighter over time?

Answers

1. About 600 grapes, or 2.5 pounds.
2. Over 24.7 billion liters of wine. 
3. Cabernet Sauvignon, with more than 700,000 acres worldwide.
4. England. The first reference to a corkscrew appeared in a museum catalog of 1681.
5. Lighter. White wine, in contrast, becomes darker as it ages.

So, how did you do? Let’s expand our knowledge with a little trip through wine-making history. There's no doubt that France, Italy, and Spain are frequently associated with winemaking and wine culture. But arguably, it's France that lays claim to the world's most famous wine regions, including Bordeaux aka the “wine capital of the world.” France is also home to the most popular varietals and wines on the planet: think cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, champagne, pinot noir, and sauvignon blanc. 

However, the history of wine doesn't begin with French wine (or even Italian or Spanish wine). Archaeological records tell us that wine was actually first produced in China around 7000 B.C., followed by Armenia, Iran, and Georgia, between 6100 to 6000 B.C. In fact, there is an ancient Persian fable that tells the tale of a woman discovering wine for the first time. According to the fable, she was a princess who had lost favor with the King. The shame was so overwhelming that she ate some table grapes that had spoiled in their jar in an attempt to end her life. As we now know, her suicide did not go as planned...instead of slipping into eternal slumber, she got giddy, intoxicated, and then passed out. When she awoke she found all the troubles of her life seemed to have passed. (Can anyone relate?!)

Fast forward to 2021. Could we be any more spoiled than to be here in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 2,000 wineries in Oregon and neighboring states? Our wines are known and loved around the world, especially Oregon pinot noir, but the list is seemingly endless.

Our wine department is expertly designed to offer the best of every style and price, from bold and elegant cabernet sauvignons, plus malbecs with aromas and flavors of dark fruit and hints of cocoa, and on to grenaches, syrahs and mourvèdres, chardonnays, pinot grigios, the lists go on. Have a question about our selection? Our employee-owner experts know volumes about wine, and love sharing it with you.