So this season, instead of thinking Japanese electronics, give the gift of Japanese Kobe.
While the $199-a-pound imported strip steaks aren't exactly stampeding out the door of Main Line Prime, chef Derek Davis' new specialty butcher shop in Ardmore, they have topped a few gift lists.
And why not?
For the beef lover, this is the Cadillac of pampered prime - massaged, coddled and fed a special diet that includes beer wort, a grain-rich byproduct of the brewing process. On the international scale of beef marbling, which ranges from one to 12, these steaks are a 12, shot through with freeways of flavorful fat.
"Is it good to eat this every day?" said Davis, who hand-trims all of his meat. "Definitely not. But the flavor is incredible - and with a rich, acidic glass of red wine, there's nothing like it."
Davis carries only prime meat, as opposed to choice grade, which is what most supermarkets carry and what most restaurants serve. If you don't want to spring for the Kobe, traditional dry-aged beef is an option, as well as grass-fed organic beef from Natural Acres in Millersburg, Pa.
"That's the cut for the guy who runs 30 miles a week and doesn't want to eat extra fat but still loves beef," said Davis, who has long championed local producers on his restaurant menus.
These premium cuts start at around $16.99 a pound for the grass-fed, up to $28.99 a pound for dry-aged porterhouse. Main Line Prime also carries organic lamb, local cheeses and dairy and, in season, farm-picked fruit and veggies.
Something for
every pot
When giving the gift of meat, it's best to know the recipient's culinary M.O., said Ariane Daguin, co-owner of D'Artagnan, the Newark, N.J.-based purveyor of gourmet meats and specialty game.
