Steak. The word steak is derived from an old Saxon word, steik, meaning meat on a stick. The Saxons and Jutes, who lived in what is now Denmark, brought along their skills as cattlemen when they conquered Great Britain. They favored beef cooked on a pointed stick over a campfire.

Beef Wellington. A filet of beef wrapped and baked in a pastry. Named after Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) who defeated Napolean at the Battle of Waterloo.

Filet Mignon. Typically a tenderloin steak wrapped in bacon. Derived from the French words filet, meaning boneless meat, and mignon, meaning small.

London Broil. A marinated flank steak that has been broiled or grilled. It is served by carving the steak across the grain into thin slices. Originated in the United States in the 1940s.

Porterhouse. A steak cut from the short loin that contains the top loin and tenderloin muscles. The porterhouse differs from the T-bone steak in that the diameter of the tenderloin is no less than 1-1/4 inches when measured across the center. This steak was named after porter houses, or coach stops, where travelers in the early 1800s stopped to dine on steak and ale.

Salisbury Steak. This "steak" is actually a ground beef patty, usually seasoned with onion and broiled or grilled. It's often served with brown gravy and mushrooms. Salisbury steak is named after Dr. J.H. Salisbury, a 19th century English physician who recommended that beef, particularly chopped or minced beef, should be eaten three times a day to ward off many ailments including anemia, asthma, rheumatism, tuberculosis and gout.

Sirloin. It's fabled that Henry VIII, King of England, was so impressed with this meat that he dubbed it Sir Loin. The less romantic version attributes the name to the French word surlonge which means "over the loin."

Let porter house steaks stand at room temperature 30 minutes. With a mortar and pestle or bottom of a heavy skillet coarsely crush peppercorns and in a small bowl wit 1/2 tsp garlic. Pat steaks dry and rub seasoning onto both sides of steaks, pressing to adhere. Add olive oil and let sit.