Filet Mignon

Filet Mignon - French Derivative, it means small or dainty fillet (filet = boneless meat - mignon=small dainty).
So we were at Monty's steakhouse. This is American thing. If you are in America you have to eat the steak. Americans from early days of settling were infatuated by the beef and have carried that tradition very well. I was convincing my friend to eat a steak, he naturally was afraid, being an Indian Hindu Brahmin, perhaps it was more of my fault than his. One of the things I do not like about American steaks is its flatness. Even the best steakhouses do not serve the spicy richness that is required to go with the red meat. So I always go for Filet Mignon, thanks to the French, it is gurranteed of being same taste world over. Also thanks to the food fashion statement of calling everything French, Filet Mignon is known as Filet Mignon in most parts of the world. Some places in US they sell it as Tenderloin Steak but it means pretty much the same thing.

I can say that I do have some authority on the steak in particular (10 yrs of eating as opposed to getting used to it as a lifelong staple food!). It has to be medium rare for best taste and the meat has to be tender, not the heavy duty fat content stuff... Not because I am health concious (at 170 pounds you generally become one!), but mostly due to the chewi-ness that comes with the fat.
Thankfully I have sharp teeth, so not much worries about choking hazards.

Filet Mignon goes very well with Cabarnet. In Matrix (first part) Cypher says, "You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? [Takes a bite of steak] Ignorance is bliss". Except in my case it did exist and was juicy and delicious...well and I missed Cabarnet as well. Being the designated driver in the group I had to sip on Iced Tea.

Sometimes I wonder, what would world have been, had it not been for French to invent how to cook beef?