A Good Steak

It is as subjective a concept as a good cup of tea, with as many cultural variations. The Americans think the French don’t understand that good means thick. For the British, good means cooked. Countless times I have found myself apologising to French waiters when accompanied by my children or Irish visitors who ask for their steak bien cuit, to ensure they will be served. Once, in a starry restaurant, the waiter refused to take the order for a well-done steak. He demanded that my baffled Scottish friend choose another dish, rather than ‘wasting’ a good piece of meat on a philistine who didn’t like the taste of blood.