Scientific name: Pelophylax kl. esculentus, Rana esculenta
Considered a delicacy in French and Chinese cuisines, frogs’ legs are also eaten in other regions, like the Caribbean, Portugal, northwest Greece, Spain, and the southern Midwest regions of the United States.
The dry aging of beef is now limited to high-end restaurants and steak houses, as well as gourmet food stores and traditional butchers. It refers to storing a quality cut of beef (USDA Prime or Choice) under very specific conditions— temperature, humidity, and ventilation—from 10 to 21 days. During this time, the flavors begin to concentrate due to evaporation, and the enzymes in the meat begin to break down, resulting in a more tender meat. Because a hard crust forms on the outside, which has to be removed and discarded, and because weight is lost from evaporation, this process is considered too costly for the general consumer market.
More recently, an alternate method of aging, called wet aging, has been developed. With wet aging, the meat is placed in a vacuum-sealed package and stored at a specific temperature. The same enzymatic process that occurs during dry aging takes place, resulting in enhanced tenderness, but there is no loss of humidity, so the flavor lacks the concentration that comes from dry aging.
If you’ve tasted a dry-aged steak, you will understand the difference, but don't listen to those Web sites that say you can age beef at home. There is a very fine line between aging a piece of beef for 21 days and having it spoil. If it smells bad, it is bad and should be thrown out.
