Every since my disappointing experience with the Amtrak flat iron steak, I've wanted to know more about beef cuts, flavors, how meat is aged, and so on. Thanks to Leah Zeldes, I now know a great deal about these somewhat arcane subjects.

Those of you following along at home might want to consult this chart that explains beef cuts. It's courtesy of the Cattlemen's Beef Board & National Cattlemen's Beef Association's BeefRetail.org site.

Also check out "Raising Steaks," an article Leah wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times.

And yes, the photo above is what I had for dinner before recording this podcast. I opted for the original version of Hamburger Helper on the left. It still tastes great, and is almost as good a comfort food as Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner.

PRODUCTION NOTE: I promise to do a better job with Skype next time.

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