Miso Horny Mix: featuring Let's Whisper, Stockholm, Boycotts, Les Savy Fav, Museum of Bellas Artes, Flight, Wise Blood, Seamonster and more...

At first 2 Live Crew and their 1989 hit, Miso Horny, seemed so ahead of the game. After all, who had heard of Miso in 1989? But twenty plus years later, we are a little wiser. Miso doesn't speed up, add or envigorate the sex drive, it actually slows it (depending on what study you read). So maybe this playlist should be called "Miso not horny." But that wouldn't be true to the 2 Live Crew game. So this playlist is dedicated to miso, misunderstandings and things you can't get in Florida (2 Live Crew's As Nasty as they Wanna Be was originally banned in Florida).

Track Listing:

Let's Whisper-California Girls
Museum of Bellas Artes-Who Do You Love
Boycotts-Shoot You Down
Wise Blood-Here Comes the Sun
Les Savy Fav -Let's Get Out of Here
Sixty Watt Bayonets-I wish I was your girlfriend
Household Names-Driving to LA
Flight-Turns to Blood
Seamonster-Oh Appalachia

Stockholm-Bad by Design
The Love Machine-Be a Path

Download Playlist Here

(Thanks to Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Absolut Noise,Triple J Unearthed, KEXP blog, Eardrums, Indie Rock Cafe, the Music Alliance Project, the Devil Has the Best Tuna and the bands for making this mix possible)

The recipe for the Tempeh-Miso Cowboy burger pictured at the top will be posted later due to a lack of time. For the recipe that I adapted it from, go to Go Vegan Meow! blog.

Bangin' Tempeh Quesadilla spiced up with 80's and 90's hits

A family friend of one of my friends, Sue Mustard, developed pancreatic cancer about a year ago. Very little money and research is spent on this deadly disease (so deadly that, according to the National Cancer Institute's website 41,000 will contract the disease each year and 36,000 of them will die). To help raise money and awareness, pancan.org sponsors a 4 mile beach run each year in Jacksonville. As a last minute decision, I decided to join a group of friends, make the four hour trek and run the race.

After a decent jog in the hot sun, we decided to get lunch at a local joint called Tacolu. It was there that I had a quesadilla for the ages, one that I mimicked at home and now bring your way.

Bangin' Tempeh Quesadillas (inspired by Tacolu)

(printable version)

-1 can chipotles in adobo sauce

-1 cup sour cream

-8 oz tempeh, sliced into small rectangles

-Frank's Hot Sauce

-vegetable oil

-1 can black beans, drained

-handful of frozen corn kernels

-spinach

-pepper jack cheese (or colby jack for J-Fur), grated

-tortillas

1. In a food processor, mix the chipotles, adobo sauce and sour cream. Process until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a frying pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom. Add tempeh and fry each side until golden (3-5 minutes). Remove tempeh with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Pat dry. Place the tempeh in a bowl with enough Frank's hot sauce to cover completely. Return tempeh to the frying pan and heat until sauce forms a solid coating. Set aside.

3. Place a tortilla on the pan you will be using to heat it. Layer the cheese, spinach, beans and corn and tempeh. Spread a layer of chipotle cream on the top tortilla and place, sauce down, on top of the pile.

4. Heat the quesadilla on medium low heat until the tortilla reaches desired crispiness. Flip and repeat on the other side.

-I did not give units of measurement for the spinach, cheese, beans and corn because the best part of quesadillas is to make them how you like it. Just eye these toppings to make sure they won't overflow.

On the drive back from Jacksonville, I took control of HH's iPod and dished out some winning 80's and 90's tunes. Here is just a small spattering of what our Tacolu stuffed stomachs enjoyed:

The Toadies (check out the old skool sox jacket)

Spacehog (I used lyrics from this at my wedding)

Weezer (who has a newly remastered version of this album coming out soon)

Salt 'N' Pepa

Boyz II Men

The Outfield (interesting they have a music player on their site, what does it do play this song on repeat?)

Alright, alright now back to the indie stuff. Sort of.

Free Energy and Titus Andronicus Cover Bruce Springsteen

Cajun Cauliflower Hash browned with El Guincho, Whole Sky Monitor, Cabins and Murdocks

J-Fur sent me an interesting email this week. Apparently people have stereotypes about other countries and a graphic designer, Yanko Tsvetkov put out a series of maps looking at these stereotypes. I'd like to think that stereotypes are below me and they are something that I don't participate in but when I think of certain countries, I think of food. Ireland is potatoes, Spain is flan, Greece is salad, Italy is olive oil, Switzerland is chocolate, Sweden meatballs (and good pop music). Portugal is the only European nation that I don't associate with food (I think of cork when I think of Portugal). My cajun cauliflower hash incorporates elements of Ireland, Asia, Italy and the USA to... Are these thoughts problematic? Certainly. But it continues to happen. Its something I need to work on.

Cajun Cauliflower Hash (adapted from Vegetarian Times, Sept. 2010)

(printable version)

-1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

-1 3/4 tsp. salt

-4 Russet potatoes

-2 Tbs. butter

-3/4 tsp. pepper

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 celery stalk, diced

-1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

-1 medium sized onion, chopped

1. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Refrigerate overnight.

2. The next morning, shred the potatoes with a cheese grater. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes to the pan, season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook the potatoes until golden brown on one side. Flip and repeat on the other side. Reserve two cups of the hash browns.

3. In a small dish, combine the chili powder with the remaining salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent (3-4 minutes). Cover onion with chili powder mixture and cook an additional 30 seconds.

5. Stir in cauliflower, celery and 1/3 cup of water. Cover and cook for four minutes, stirring every once in a while.

6. Add the reserved hash brown potatoes. Cover and cook three to four more minutes (you want the cauliflower to be slightly tender). If the mixture becomes dry add a few tablespoons of water. Serve warm.

I had a lot of different music floating around as I fried up the hashbrowns and put together the cauliflower hash. El Guincho's single "Bombay" came to me a few weeks ago. I listened, slightly enjoyed the Caribbean drums, and then put it aside. When the NSFW video made its round on Friday, I gave the song another whirl and I enjoyed it much better. Some sites have suggested this is the video of the year. Won't go that far, but it is pretty good. Again, it is NSFW or NSFK (not safe for kids) so watch it in the dark, all alone, with no kids around.

EL GUINCHO | Bombay from MGdM | Marc Gómez del Moral on Vimeo.

Cabins are an Australian rock band on Ivy League Records. "Catcher in the Rye" is an exercise of how to gracefully incorporate piano into a rock song without it turning to mush.

Murdocks are all my rage right now. Loud, distorted, well placed screams and lyrics that stick in my head. The band is also cool enough that if you join their mailing list, they'll give you four tracks for free from their new album Distortionist. One of those songs is "Black Jesus Knocking" and that is a good thing.

Whole Sky Monitor, from Leeds, is preparing a new album, Twisted Little Piggies, for release on October 5th. You can order it now from their bandcamp page. "Sold" is the third track on the new album. It is a wonderful sing along, bounce your head anthem. Thanks to the Devil Has the Best Tuna for bringing them my way.

Whole Sky Monitor-Sold

Food Flavored Song of the Day: I Read in Heat She's Wearing Meat by Bubblegum Lemonade

Since I don't eat meat, I can't really condone wearing it either. But I get the joke, ha ha, shock the world by wearing raw cheesesteak. Cool, everyone talked about it and jumped on that bandwagon (including me, here, now). You got PETA's attention (which is sad because they should be busy celebrating their 30 years in existence). Bigger than that though, is the attention you got (maybe?) from Bubblegum Lemonade. Like, we are talking, your own song. Success! Now turn that outfit into jerky and please don't pursue a clothing line.

I Read In Heat She's Wearing Meat by Bubblegum Lemonade

Polenta Rancheros Shragged with Nobunny

Number 36 on the list of 100+ foods you should eat before you die is the Mexican dish huevos rancheros. This literally means "eggs ranch-style" and is generally made with a combination of eggs, corn tortillas, beans, guacamole and tomato salsa. I like the idea of huevos rancheros even though I'm not an egg fan (I rarely eat eggs unless they are baked so deep in a recipe that I can't tell they are there). There's something about the combination of the secondary ingredients that gets me going. When Michael Schafer spoke about Victor's 1959 Cafe, he mentioned huevos rancheros and that old feeling crept over me. How could I make huevos rancheros without the huevos? Tofu? Risotto? Corn meal? Rice pudding? I decided to go with the corn meal.

Polenta Rancheros
(printable version)

-2 tsp cumin
-2 tsp coriander
-1/2 tsp chili powder
-pinch cayenne pepper
-olive oil
-1 onion, diced
-2 Tbsp roasted garlic
-15 oz can diced tomatoes
-1 tomato, cubed
-1/2 tsp salt
-15 oz can pinto beans, drained
-15 oz can black beans, drained
-4 cups vegetable broth
-1 cup corn meal
-1 cup skim milk
-1 large Florida avocado, sliced

1. Heat spices in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about one minute. Add the onion and garlic. Cook in the spices for ten minutes.

2. Add the diced tomatoes and salt. Simmer for five minutes.

3. Combine tomato mixture with the beans. Cook until the beans are warmed all the way through.

4. Bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add the corn meal and heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about five minutes).

5. Stir in the skim milk and heat five minutes more.

6. Divide the beans into four equal bowls. Spoon the polenta over top. Cover with sliced avocado.

I perused the list of foods to eat down around 400 and something that seemed to be missing was rabbit. All kinds of other meats (cow, dog, gator, ox, moose) appeared on the list but no rabbit. Oh well, plenty of rabbits involved in the music I've been listening too.

Nobunny is Justin Champlin and various other characters. Mainly it is Justin Champlin. And mainly, according to the Tucson Weekly, you should seek him out "if you've never been hugged by a horny drunken muppet." Nobunny has a new album out today on Goner Records. "Live it Up" resides there. Thanks to Stereogum.

Shrag reminds me of another tweed out European band (Los Campesinos!). "Rabbit Kids" is a fun song that has been making rounds for about a year. The video, which is brand new, is just as fun. Love the facial expressions of the man in flannel and the one wearing the doggy shirt. Shrag has a new album, Life! Death! Prizes!, coming October 4th on WIAIWYA. Thanks to Eardrums for placing them on my radar.

Where they eat: Michael Schafer and Victor's 1959 Cafe

Sometime after midnight Minneapolis singer-songwriter Michael Schafer sits down in front of his "trusty" Macbook to begin recording his insomnia fueled acoustic rock. It is here that his songs of waiting for better things and coping with the helplessness of love loss go from ideas to "music in its roar." These songs, in their current state, exist somewhere around low quality demo but Michael is working to rectify this. He hopes to have ten tracks mastered and ready for album release in late fall or winter.

While music consumes Michael's midnight hours his mornings, at least on occasion, are spent at Victor's 1959 Cafe. For the past ten years Victor's has been cooking up revolutionary Cuban cuisine including staples like classic Cuban Sandwiches, platanos, criollo and croquetas. The star of the menu, in Michael's opinion, is the mango pancakes with a side of friend plaintain. The pancakes are crispy and delicious and are big enough to cover the whole plate. They have cooked in mango and are also covered with mango puree. His attempts to recreate this beautiful breakfast at home have been er...fruitless.

You can check out (and download for free) Michael's music at his bandcamp page.



Michael doesn't just communicate through acoustic forms. He also has an electronic project which he calls Port Vell. You can download the "electro" stuff at his Port Vell bandcamp page.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Goo Goo chilled by the Oholics, Weekend and Skipper

My friend's refrigerator suggests "everything is better when it is covered by chocolate." I dare to disagree.

Nine things that would be worse covered by chocolate:

1. My running shoes

2. Records

3. Toothbrush

4. Snakes

5. Steering Wheels

6. Sunglasses

7. Beach Chairs

8. Broccoli

9. (tie) Gnomes and real bombs

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Goo Goo Bombs

(printable version)

-8 scoops of Peanut Butter Ice Cream (I used Publix Peanut Butter Goo Goo)

-8 oz chocolate chips

1. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. Put in the freezer for five minutes.

2. Remove the cookie sheet. Using an ice cream scoop, put eight scoops of ice cream on the cookie sheet about an inch apart. Freeze for 3o minutes.

3. With about five minutes left in the freezing of the ice cream, melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler (or two pans inside each other with the bottom one filled with boiling water).

4. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Using a wooden spoon, work quickly to cover ice cream completely with melted chocolate. It seemed to work best by dropping a mound of chocolate on top of the ice cream and then using the back of the spoon to spread it around.

5. Put the Goo Goo bombs in the freezer for fifteen minutes. Eat frozen.

*Note: I was looking for something super peanut buttery so next time I would probably add some peanut butter to the ice cream since the goo goo wasn't strictly a peanut butter ice cream. I'd also think about adding chopped peanuts to the chocolate.

The sitar might be something worth smothering in chocolate and it is front and center in the Oholics new track "Lose it." These Swedish psych rockers have a debut album, Disgraceland, that is out now.

Oholics-Lose it (via My Old Kentucky Blog)

It starts out with some pounding guitars and drums and howls and builds into a fascinating exercise in zombie groaning post punk gloriousness. Such is the life of a "Summer Coma." The song comes from San Francisco's Weekend and their debut LP, Sports, which will be coming our way November 9th on Slumberland Records.

Weekend-Summer Coma (via Pitchfork)

Perhaps I was a little harsh when I suggested that records shouldn't be chocolate covered. Afterall, Chocolate Covered Records seems to be an interesting place. Perhaps the best song from that label, in my chocolate infused opinion, is Skipper and their track "Cold Pizza & Pop." You can hear the song here.

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Little Bird by Pancake Breakfast

I once starred in a, for lack of a better term, indie Lego movie. It was a lot of time and effort for very little pay (try some really bad veggie burgers, a new found respect for gout sufferers and the occasional donut). One of my main scenes had me trying to get an alien to beam me to St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast House. Somehow I ended up meeting Satan instead (a sophomoric mistake for such an intellectual being). I've reimagined this scene with Pancake Breakfast's song "Little Bird" playing in the background. While it may transfer better to a western, it seems adequate for Legos.

Pancake Breakfast-Little Bird

Pancake Breakfast has a record on the way. You can catch the release show on September 25th at Doug Fir.

Pesto Tofu Basil Ravioli floating in a pot of new Fences, Japandroids and Winter Gloves

When I think ravioli, I think painstaking attention and Chef Boyardee. On one side you have homemade ravioli (and pasta in general) which are very time consuming to make and require a great attention to detail (which I am not always that great with) but have an outstanding taste. The other side of the spectrum is ravioli that comes in a can. Sure it feels slimy and weird when it goes down, but the amount of time required to make it is much less. As a kid my mom would cook us up a batch of Chef Boyardee Ravioli like once a week. Ten minutes to done. Time or taste, what's more important?

Pesto Tofu Basil Ravioli

(printable version)

-2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more for dusting)

-1 1/4 cups very hot water

-3/4 cup tofu basil ricotta

-1 egg

-2 oz Parmesan, grated

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1/4 tsp. pepper

-tomato sauce

-pesto

-basil leaves

1. In a large bowl combine the hot water and flour. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until dough is combined. Roll into a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for ten minutes.

2. Meanwhile combine the tofu ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.

3. Unwrap the dough and separate into four even pieces. Dough should be slightly sticky, add extra flour if necessary for rolling but don't add too much. Form one of the pieces of dough into a rectangle. Re-cover the other three.

4. Roll the dough out, keeping in the shape of a rectangle. Place 8 teaspoons of filling about an inch apart down the center of the dough. Using the back of the teaspoon spread the filling almost to the edge, covering one half of the dough. Fold the side of the dough with no filling over the other. Press down on the edges of the dough to seal. Begin cutting the ravioli into small squares. Seal the edges of the small squares. Place on a baking tray and repeat until all filling and dough has been used.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add one-third of the ravioli to the water and cook until ravioli floats to the top (around three minutes). Scoop the ravioli out with a slotted spoon and place in strainer. Add the next batch of ravioli and repeat until all ravioli has been cooked.

6. Arrange the ravioli on a single layer around the outside of a plate. Place a dab of pesto on top of each ravioli. Add tomato sauce and basil leaves to the center of the plate. Dip ravioli into tomato sauce and enjoy thoroughly.

I've included new tracks from Fences, Japandroids and Winter Gloves, all of whom have appeared on past playlists (like this one, this one and this one). Each of the bands recently put out a new track, which would work perfect with an evening of ravioli (as long as you are going for the taste over time thing).

Fences-Girls with Accents (via Consequence of Sound)

Japandroids-Heavenward Grand Prix (via Pitchfork)

Double shot of Winter Gloves. The first part of the video is "Factories" from their first album. The second part of the video is "Plastic Slides" which is from their new album, All Red. All Red came out this week on Paper Bag Records.

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Heavy Cream Watusi

(picture taken by J-Fur at Massey's, the epitome of heavy cream, in Carlisle, PA)

Heavy Cream in Haiku:

A vegan nightmare

Thirty-six plus percent of fat

Chart intensity.

Heavy Cream in Song:

Heavy Cream-Watusi

CSLSX, Common Junction and Garlic Roasted Tomatoes (great for mix and match sandwiches)

I was reunited with an old friend recently. Potato rolls and I haven't hung out much the last few years (mainly because J-Fur doesn't like the "sweetness") but the mix and match sandwiches gave us an opportunity to compromise. The idea came from her mom. With a family full of picky eaters that all like something different she just throws out a bunch of toppings and breads and let people make what they want. Ideal for us because I could load up on a potato roll while J-Fur puts it all on a pita. We topped our tiny sandwiches with fresh mozzarella, basil, vegetarian bacon, avocado and garlic roasted tomatoes (recipe below). Quick, easy, delicious.

Roasted Garlic Tomatoes

(printable version)

-4 tomatoes

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-salt and pepper

-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

2. Bake the tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet for twenty minutes.

3. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and peel the skin. Allow to cool slightly. Cut the tomatoes into tiny squares.

4. Transfer tomatoes to an 8x8 glass pan. Top with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Mix well.

5. Bake, still at 350, until tomatoes begin to blacken slightly (about an hour).

Common Junction is a duo, Federik Wedar and Martin Wrangenby, that combines dreamy pop music with soaring lyrics. Hailing from Sweden these guys have yet to record a proper EP. One is expected sometime this year. You can be in the know before almost everyone else. Thanks to Absolut Noise for hooking me up with these guys. Check out "Hang Them High."

Common Junction-Hang Them High

Voicewise CSLSX reminds me a little of Black Moth Super Rainbow though they seem a little happier and have a groovier beat. Don't know how I missed them earlier this year but glad I'm doing some odd dance moves now.

CSLSX-Futuretapes

Where we eat: Vanilla Bean Bakery (a Branson family review)

Visions of grandeur are not a bad thing as long as you can back them up. Vanilla Bean Bakery, a relatively new shop on the streets of Carlisle, PA, hopes to one day franchise and be able to compete with the Paneras of the world. Right now the bakery sells bread, a case of sweets which vary daily, sticky buns and homemade vanilla. Over the past few months my family and I have had the opportunity to sample a number of Vanilla Bean Bakery's confections (as well as those of the Fancy Cake Shop which is housed in the same store front). Here's what we thought:

Vanilla Extract (sampled by J-Fur, Mother-in-Law Branson and me pictured to the left): Has a stronger vanilla taste than the stuff you buy in the grocery store. When sampled side by side with store bought vanilla, VBB's vanilla tastes fresher and lighter and less processed. How would this show through in their desserts?

Sticky Buns (sampled by Sister Branson and Me and pictured above): The first thing you notice when you pick up a six pack of these beasts is how heavy they are. The second thing you notice is how much sweet goodness drenches them. Often times I find sticky buns are either too dry or too sweet. These buns are neither. The nuts serve to enhance the bun. Sister Branson's thoughts: "These buns were delicious."

Peanut Butter Brownies (sampled by Sister Branson): "Not bad, could've used more peanut butter."

Shortbread Cookies with Buttercream Frosting (sampled by Brother and Brother-in-law Branson): "Sorry bro, you can't have any of these. These are so good. It's like a pie crust with icing inside."

Rolled Puff Pastry with Cream Cheese Icing (sampled by Brother Branson and me): We thought there was supposed to be lemon inside so we were disappointed. Found it very unexciting.

Apple Turnover (sampled by Brother-in-Law Branson): "Not too much apple. Not too much dough. It was pretty good."

Coconut Cream Pie (sampled by Mother-in-Law Branson): "Best coconut cream pie I have ever had. I hope they have it next time I go in."

Peanut Butter Pie (sampled by Mother-in-Law Branson and me because there was no coconut cream pie the next time): "This pie is really good too. I still dream about the coconut cream pie but can't complain." This pie was super creamy. I liked it.

Lemon Cupcake (sampled by me, created by Fancy Cake Shop and pictured above): I loved the way that the buttercream icing on this cake brought out the lemon flavor. An absolutely flawless cupcake.

Strawberry Cupcake (sampled by me, created by Fancy Cake Shop, pictured to the left): Not impressed. The strawberry and icing seemed to be distracting from each other rather then working together.

So there you have it. If you are driving through Carlisle, look up Vanilla Bean Bakery and Fancy Cake Shop, and enjoy what they have to offer (especially those sticky buns, pies and shortbread cookies). Vanilla Bean Bakery is located at 2 Liberty Avenue Carlisle, Pa 17013.

Should be sampled with Vanilla Bean Bakery: K-X-P and Ball Park Music.

K-X-P-Pockets (Annie Vocal Remix)

Ball Park Music-iFly

Caper Crusader Mix: Bleeding Knees Club, Zola Jesus, Grouplove, Baby Eagle, Slottet, Popskarr, Postbox, Husky Rescue, the Ghost Hotel and more...

It is no secret, to those who have been reading this blog for a while, my former aversion to capers. To catch everyone else up, there was a grotesque man with curly hair who would make me cook them with shrimp. It was one of the worst things I've ever smelled and it made me sick every time I had to do it. That experience caused me to swear that salty caper balls would never touch my lips. In January all of this changed with Becca's insistence that I try Pasta Ponza. Since then I have started adding capers to many a meal. Last week I craved them for the first time. It is high time I admit, like the Franks of France or Batman, I too am on a crusade. This one is to bring capers to society's dinner table. And that, my friends, is what this playlist is all about. The Caper Crusader Mix:

Track Listing:

Bleeding Knees Club-Have Fun
Slottet-Agnostics Nightmare
Baby Eagle-Day of our Departing
Popskarr-Tonight
The Ghost Hotel -She said, She said
Postbox-Miss Sunshine
Husky Rescue-We Shall Burn Bright
Grouplove-Colours
Still Blue Still Turning-Time is a Place

Buck 65 (featuring Jenn Grant)-Paper Airplane
Zola Jesus-Sea Talk

Download Playlist Here

(Thanks to Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Absolut Noise,Triple J Unearthed, KEXP blog, Eardrums, Indie Rock Cafe, the Music Alliance Project, the Devil Has the Best Tuna and the bands for making this mix possible)

Caper Recipes:

Tofu Piccata

Tofu Cacciatore