Flashback Friday: Kevin Jessup, Steak Man

Is it really already Friday? I have been a blogging slacker this week.

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I was never a BIG steak eater. I've always loved my meat, but I never really ordered steaks when I'd go out to dinner. That all changed when I started dating Cliff.

You may recall from my flashback last week (mentioned here), that Cliff would prefer raw meat over well done meat. Well, my first "Sunday Steak" dinner with the Jessups is quite the memory.

Cliff's dad is well known for his amazing steaks. Something about his marinating and/or grilling makes THE PERFECT steak. ...better than any steak house.

The last Sunday of every month, he would invite the older guys in our church (16-18 yr. olds) over for steaks. Soon after Cliff and I started dating, Steak Sunday was around the corner, and I got an invitation. Kevin (Cliff's dad) nicely placed a steak on plate. I was hungry, ready to eat. Until....

I looked down at the steak. It appeared quite bloody. "Could this thing be alive?" I thought. Everyone was devouring their Jessup steak, holding conversations, and I was putting a game plan together in my head on how I, too, could devour this slab of meat.

Kevin said, "Sweetheart [in his rough, yet nice, Texas cowboy voice], does it look cooked enough for you??"

In my mind, I kept asking, "What do I say? What do I say?" Keep in mind, I'm the new girlfriend. Gotta make a good impression, even though the fam had already known me for years. But he did ask, so I could request it to be placed on the grill for a few more minutes.

Everyone kept eating, kept talking. I am NOT a picky eater, and I am NOT high maintenance. And I absolutely did not want to appear as either that Steak Sunday, but I like meat, and I wanted to eat my steak, and I wanted it cooked just a little more. "Ummm..." I stopped. Slowly I could see people begin looking at me, no longer devouring their meat. "It's a little on the rare side..."

SILENCE. All eyes were on me. They all might as well have said, "HOW DARE YOU?!"

"That's fine! I'll put it back on for you." Silence continued. I looked at Cliff, my new boyfriend, hoping he could help me out on this one.

"Did you really just ask my dad to put your steak back on?" he whispered to me. I looked at him confused.

"Ummm, well yeah. I think a good vet could still save it," I whispered back.

Then he added, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! It's not a big deal. Anything passed medium rare is considered burnt in this house, but we'll make an exception for you," he said with a smile on his face followed by that famous Cliff Jessup wink.

Cliff's dad kindly placed my steak back on the grill, and it turned out to be the best piece of meat I have ever eaten. I've gone from a medium-well steak lady to a medium steak lady. I can eat off of Cliff's medium-rare/rare plate for a bite or two, but I still need it cooked just a bit.

They (the Jessups) did convert me to Chicos (you will only understand if you are from El Paso), so they may one day convert me to a rare-er steak eater. Every time we eat steaks at the Jessups, Kevin always asks me if it's cooked enough. ...Without fail. These days, it appears he knows exactly how I like it. And he may not even know he knows. But it's been perfect ever since.

If you ever get an invitation to Steak Sunday, you have been warned.