Jacobson Culinary Arts

Beef Short Rib Tagine

• 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1/2-pound onions, chopped • 4 3.5-inch pieces of meaty beef chuck short ribs, remove

the membrane

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth • 1/2 cups dry red wine • 1/2 cup prune juice • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 1/2 ground cinnamon • 2 ounces pitted dates, diced • 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add onions. Sauté until brown, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a large bowl. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pot. Add 4 short ribs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs to bowl with onions. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add remaining 8 ribs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs to the same bowl. Whisk flour into drippings in the pot. Whisk in 1 cup of broth. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Mix in the remaining 1 cup broth, wine, prune juice, tomato paste, and spices. Return ribs to the pot, arranging them close together on their sides in a single layer if possible. Add dates, onions, and any juices, bringing the liquid to a boil. cover pot with a tagine cover. Place the pot in the oven and bake until ribs are tender about 1 hour 25 minutes.

Remove tagine cover. Using tongs, transfer ribs to a large bowl. Strain cooking liquid into a medium bowl, pressing the contents in a strainer. Spoon off the fat. Return liquid to the pot. Add honey and boil until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and is reduced to 2 cups, about 12 minutes. Season the dish with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot, spooning sauce over to coat. (Short ribs can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold; then cover and keep chilled.) Rewarm ribs over mediumlow heat, stirring occasionally. Mound ribs on a platter and serve.

discovered their window treatments desperately needed makeovers. Through sales, Rob has donated $100,000 to local charities, including $10,000 to One Tree Planted, which the donations helped reforest so much that they no longer need to plant in Little Big Econ State Forest.

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“We come to your house, help select the product you want, and take care of the installation. All installers are employees of Budget Blinds and have passed full background checks, and are insured. Once installation is complete, they even take away the old blinds. No hauling old, dirty blinds and outdated window treatments to the curb yourself. Budget Blinds takes care of all of that for you.”

With Budget Blinds being the largest in the industry, each product carries a fiveyear NO QUESTIONS ASKED warranty and offers a lifetime warranty. Whether your toddler yanked the blind from its frame or your new puppy used it as a chew toy, the ‘no questions asked’ security is unmatched in the industry. If within five years, Budget Blinds will replace without cost. In addition, you still get the lifetime manufacturer’s warranty.

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Rob relayed a recent story.

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The woman had wanted to switch out the color, but the warranty covered exact replacement unless the product expired.

Rob called the manufacturer on Monday, then called the woman.

“I have good news and bad news. You are covered, but the fabric was discontinued last month, so I can’t give you the same fabric, so we have to pick out new. She was thrilled. I went out to her, and she picked the color she wanted. We put them in for her, and she bought three or four more window treatments for rooms she hadn’t done yet.”

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A married couple, both Dr. Shirmo and Dr. Eldridge emphasized they wanted to thank their patients for allowing them to treat them. “I really want to stress,” Dr. Shirmo said, “how thankful we are for all the wonderful patients that have allowed us to take care of them, their parents, children, grandparents, grandkids, and their neighbors. Without them for referrals and community support, we wouldn’t be here.”

Both Dr. Shirmo and Dr. Eldridge are board certified family physicians. This is important because it denotes additional training, certifying their skills and knowledge as experts in their field. This is a modernday love story of both the individuals and their profession. They met while working at Busch Gardens and have been inseparable ever since.

Together, they attended Tulane University for Bachelor’s and Masters degrees. Medical School at Tulane Medical School followed shortly after for both of them. While in school, they faced the choice of deciding on a specialty. It was difficult for them since, according to Dr. Eldridge, they liked all of their rotations and didn’t want to have to choose just one.

Neither wanted to treat just a single part of the body. Family practice became the ideal solution. It gave them a chance to treat the entire patient. “We loved to learn, and we loved medicine. It Just made sense for us.”

“Women,” Dr. Eldridge noted, “are more likely to go to a doctor than men. I think they make their health a priority. Look at their obstacles, working, juggling what they go through as a wife, a mother and sometimes even the breadwinner.”

Dr. Eldridge said she appreciated what other women go through and wanted to be able to treat a woman’s overall health, “taking care of every aspect, like getting pap smears done, managing their cholesterol and heart health.” Her primary focus, like her partner, is on prevention of disease, instead of treatment.

Dr. Eldridge indicated that being one of their patients has its responsibilities. In selecting them for their doctors, patients are expected to help with their treatment by following instructions that help avoid diseases in the first place. Their joint practice emphasizes prevention to all of their patients in all aspects of their treatment. As the saying reminds us, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”

If you are laboring under the misconception that a family practice is nothing more than old fashioned attitudes and outdated philosophies, a visit to Trin-

ity Family Physicians will be a pleasant surprise for you. In addition to the modern, pleasant, caring surroundings, state-of-the-art equipment, and forward-thinking treatments, both doctors are quick to credit their professional staff, including two physicians’ assistants, for the role they play in the success of the practice.

Dr. Shirmo and Dr. Eldridge are continuously updating the skills that earned them their initial board certification. It enhances the quality of the care they provide for their patients. As mentors in their field, they willingly share their knowledge and experience with future generations of doctors, interns, who periodically visit the practice to update their own training in the latest techniques and procedures.

The unexpected onset of Covid 19 caught the nation by surprise. A number of businesses and medical practices were unfortunately not equipped to deal with its results; they had a difficult time and did not survive. In response to how the pandemic impacted their own practice, Dr. Shirmo said: “We were well positioned. We were able to transition our patients to tele visits (remote visits from the comfort of their homes) without missing a beat and continued giving the quality of the care our patients required.”

Dr. Shirmo stressed their caring attitude towards their patients. Although they are affiliated with local area hospitals, through information and prevention, he noted, “our goal is to be there for our patients in the office and keep them out of the hospital. That is why we like to emphasize prevention, prevention, prevention!”

“Men shy away from going to a doctor,” Dr. Shirmo observed. “I know how to handle those personalities. It makes my day when I make a difference in someone’s life. It is a true passion for me.” He agreed he had to be a psychologist as well as a doctor in order to do his job. “You’re absolutely correct,” he said. “We wear many hats, sometimes coach, sometimes office manager, project manager or motivational speaker,” he laughed.

Regardless of who you choose for your doctor, Dr. Eldridge warns that you should do your own due diligence. You need to learn if they went to an accredited medical school. Even more importantly, be certain that they are board certified in their specialty to ensure the quality of your care.

If you are fortunate enough to live in the area, Trinity Family Physicians are only a phone call away. Call Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. (727 834 8377). Schedule your office or remote appointment today for a healthier tomorrow.