Yes, so Meryl missed our ostrich dinner last night. A shame, because it was, if I do say so myself, a superb meal.
We've been big ostrich fans ever since we first tried it several years ago at The Hitching Post II in Buellton, CA, where they grill it over an extremely hot and aromatic open oak wood fire. They make their own wine there, too. Damn fine Pinot Noir and Syrah, which can occasionally be found in wine shops back here on the right coast.
Fresh ostrich is a little harder to come by. You can find it packaged in some specialty supermarkets, but it's usually frozen and always ground or adulterated in some way. Not very tasty. The best ostrich I know of comes from D'Angelo Bros. Meats in the heart of Philadelphia's Italian Market (they also do mail order). No, it's definitely not kosher, but it is delicious, especially grilled barely medium rare with nothing but a sprinkle of sea salt, a grind of black pepper and a micro-thin spray of olive oil. You definitely need the olive oil, because ostrich has virtually no fat.
With a dozen fingerling potatoes tossed in butter, garlic and just a hint of spicy, smoky Spanish paprika, a few stalks of broccolini and a killer bottle of Foxen Vineyard Bien Nacido Pinot Noir, the meal ended up being truly memorable. This post really belongs on my other blog, but no one reads that one except me. And I did want to share.
