[Rally]

Even though I grew up in Iowa, I ate dry, grey pork most of the time.  My mother was freaked out by the horror stories about trichinosis, which even back in my youth had been nearly eradicated.  Only when we ate at other people's homes did I get a clue, but I largely eschewed it due to my mother's culinary ineptitude.

Once I started cooking it myself, I discovered the wonder of medium-rare and, ultimately rareish meat in general.  I have been hooked since.  I prepared some double-thick cut Iowa pork chops for some friends once and they were astonished to be told they were eating pork.  It is really fun, with either beef or pork to give some of my kids' friends their first exposure to properly prepared meat.  It can be a real eye-opener.

My late mother-in-law believed anything worth cooking was worth cooking to death.  One night steak was on the menu and my father-in-law was grilling.  When asked I said medium rare to rare.  He served me, I cut into it, and my mother-in-law was horrified and made him put it back on for FIFTEEN MINUTES. once we were married my wife quickly discovered real food :). My mom is a good cook but until I went to college I thought fish only came from Mrs. Paul.

[Rally]

Even though I grew up in Iowa, I ate dry, grey pork most of the time.  My mother was freaked out by the horror stories about trichinosis, which even back in my youth had been nearly eradicated.  Only when we ate at other people's homes did I get a clue, but I largely eschewed it due to my mother's culinary ineptitude.

Once I started cooking it myself, I discovered the wonder of medium-rare and, ultimately rareish meat in general.  I have been hooked since.  I prepared some double-thick cut Iowa pork chops for some friends once and they were astonished to be told they were eating pork.  It is really fun, with either beef or pork to give some of my kids' friends their first exposure to properly prepared meat.  It can be a real eye-opener.

My late mother-in-law believed anything worth cooking was worth cooking to death.  One night steak was on the menu and my father-in-law was grilling.  When asked I said medium rare to rare.  He served me, I cut into it, and my mother-in-law was horrified and made him put it back on for FIFTEEN MINUTES. once we were married my wife quickly discovered real food :). My mom is a good cook but until I went to college I thought fish only came from Mrs. Paul.