Merry Listmas: The Food

It has been an amazing adventure with food this year. I've come to know many great restaurants, blogs and recipes here are some of my favorites:

Favorite Recipes Created by MeFennel Au Gratin
Grilled Foccacia with Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella
Potstickers with Edmame and Chili Soy Dressing
Creamy Garlic Hummus
Tofu Cacciatore
Lazy Man Vegan Mu Shu Wraps
Bangin Tempeh Quesadillas
Vegan Meatloaf
Savory Potato, Spinach and Cheese Crepes

Favorite Adapted RecipesTofu Piccata
Savory Onion Pie
Pumpkin Sage Balls
Jalapeno Soft Pretzel
Tempeh Miso Cowboy Burger
Eggplant Po' Boys

Favorite Recipes from Other Blogs or WebsitesSteamed Buns by Weekly Vegan Menu
Soyrizo Calzone by Go Vegan Meow!
Spinach and Chickpeas by Smitten Kitchen
Blueberry Peach Cobbler by Dinner Party
Conchiglioni al Forno by Tinned Tomatoes
Vegan Sausage from Vegan Dad (I didn't find this recipe until this year)
Pasta Ponza from Foodnetwork.com

Best Band Submitted RecipesRocky Reason's Spicy Spinach Peanut Crostini
Oso Negro's Giriami Fish Curry (haven't tried it myself due to the fish but others have liked it)
Wild Moccasin's Fruit Tea Smoothies
Alcoholic Faith Mission's Chicken Chili (again, I've heard)
Terrible Feeling's Roasted Vegetables

Favorite "I shouldn't laugh but I can't help it" Food Blog
Cooking for Assholes

Best Steamed Buns and Salt and Pepper Tofu
China Yuan

Best Chain Burrito
Moe's and Tijuana Flats fail. Chipotle takes the tortilla.

Best Non-Chain Burrito
Senorita Burrito and Raging Burrito were pretty good. But Taco Bus remains the master.

Best Sticky Buns (as long as they are made fresh)
Vanilla Bean Bakery. I wasn't super impressed with a lot of their other foods but the sticky buns are delightful. I've read reviews that they haven't always had fresh baked goods ready for the morning rush. Considering the size of the place, that is not a good thing.

Best Fries
Bricco

Best Tea for someone who hates tea
Kalesia's Pumpkin Spice

Best Rotating Menu
The Refinery

Best Condiment Selection
A tie between Evo's and Mr. Dunderbaks.

Best Pretzel Sticks
International Beer Garten

Best CupcakeI've had some good and bad ones this year. Probably the one that sticks in my head the most is the one from Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah.

Least Favorite CupcakeBabycakes. Maybe Vegan Treats has spoiled me on vegan desserts but this cupcake wasn't that impressive. It was too dry.

Worst Menu Change
A tie between Rapscallions (who used to have a nice, homemade veggie burger) and Datz (why have you taken the zucchini sticks away)

Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year
Trang Viet. I love this place. I haven't thought every dish on the menu is great, some have been too minimalistic for my taste, but most of the time I am impressed. They have a large selection of foods that can meet most dietary needs. The vegetables and herbs are grown locally and their faux meat is crafted by hand. A monthly Vegan Buffet is held here and it is part of my new year resolutions to attend one. At that point I'll write a full review.

I'll be back with regular posts in 2011. Have a great New Year!

Merry Listmas: The Music

Back by popular demand is my year end list of some of the best music and recipes I've experienced this year. I've decided to break it into two posts as to not overwhelm. Here are my favorite tracks that were posted on Write.Click.Cook.Listen this year in an awards type format:

Best song for invoking images of a hand reaching up from the grave:



Most Vampire appropriate song that didn't appear on a Twilight Soundtrack but should:




Best song for mondegreening ("my heart needs a lapdance"):



Best song by a dude who likes to intimidate LA with his naked backside:



Best song about the gene splicing of a human and fruit:



Best song about seeking out a new New Jersey:



Best song named after a friend's daughter:



Best song for furrowing Barry White's brow:



Best song detailing the dilemma between cutting and lying in grass:



Song most likely to get you kicked out of a club because you did somersaults on their crowded dance floor:



Song most likely to land me in a bad eighties movie:



Song most likely to get me in trouble with my therapist:



Best song for illustrating the commercialization of punk rock:



Best song that samples MGMT:



Song that best illustrates my first elementary school:



Best song for channeling my inner Alanis Morrisette:



Best song for washing the dishes to after a spot on cooking session:



If you really care to know, my five favorite songs this year (in order):

1. Titus Andronicus-A More Perfect Union
2. Fyfe Dangerfield-When you walk in the room
3. Sleigh Bells-Tell 'Em
4. The Delta Mirror-He was worse than the needle you gave him
5. Japandroids-Art Czars

Seasonings Greetings Mix: Kittens Ablaze, Versant, Rockie Fresh, Turbogeist, Matisyahu, e-dubble, Lord Huron, Sun Airway and more...

Nothing says "What's up" like a pinch of salt. Cinnamon whispers "Miredita" into my ear. For nutmeg, it is something along the lines of "Goede Dag, Hallo." Whatever your seasonings greeting of choice is, this playlist is her to encapsulate it. The Seasonings Greetings Mix:

Track Listing:

Kittens Ablaze-Glass Moon
The Rural Alberta Advantage-Stamp
Versant-Quick Escapes
Rockie Fresh-Otherside (featuring Rich Hil)
Turbogeist -Alien
Matisyahu-Time of Your Song
Of Monsters and Men-Little Talks
e-dubble-Standing Tall
Lord Huron-Mighty

Sun Airway-Put the Days Away

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)

See you after the holidays!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Swapped with the Cave Singers

It is my humble opinion that some things aren't meant to be swapped. Cookies are not one of them. This week I participated in my first cookie swap at work. The rules were simple, bake as many cookies as you want, whatever flavor you want, and trade yours for a variety of others. I took 18 Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Toasted Walnuts but couldn't find 18 cookies I wanted in return. I left with about ten. Of those I ate one, a peanut butter bar that was pretty good, and gave the rest to some pregnant women. I guess I like to make more than I like to take.

The Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Toasted Walnuts Recipe comes from the blog Steamy Kitchen. I made them almost exactly how Jaden did, though I replaced the cream cheese in the icing with neufchatel cheese, added about a quarter cup more pumpkin and halved the entire recipe. I also cooled the whoopies alongside a weeble.

Speaking of cookie cooling, The Cave Singers mention this baker's art during their song "Swim Club." Not sure what the two have to do with each other, perhaps you know?

The Cave Singers-Swim Club

If you are having your own Christmas Cookie swap and can't think of some ideas, try these:

550 Christmas Cookie Recipes
La Cuisine De Helene Mexican Wedding Cakes
Smitten Kitchen Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Kathy's World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan Pineapple Cookies
Reese's Peanut Butter Temptations

Taste of New Orleans tinctured by Lost in the Trees and The Morning Code

I spent a little more time in New Orleans than I did in New York so I was able to spread my meals out a little more. Almost everywhere I went required some sort of wait, probably because of all the Anthropologists (fluffheads?). One of the most humorous things to me, was that the park outside of Cafe Du Monde was covered in powdered sugar and people were skateboarding and getting married in it like it was nothing. Here's what I enjoyed while I was there:

Bennachin's Restaurant Kone Ni Makondo
(Black-eyed peas in tomato sauce served with coconut rice and fried plantains)

Cafe Du Monde Beignets and coffee

Cafe Envie's Breakfast Veggie Wrap
(provolone, hash browns, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers in a tomato basil tortilla)

Capdeville's Truffled Mac and Cheese done vegetarian (full review here)

Chatres House Cafe Eggplant Po' Boy with fries (taken to go and eaten in the square)

Creole Creamery's Lavender Milkshake
J-Fur, Brad and Heisey did not like this flavor at all but there was something about it that intrigued me to the point that I have spent a few moments each day since I ingested it dreaming about eating it again.

Green Goddess Array of Vegetables with Two Dipping Sauces

Green Goddess Tomato Stuffed with Quinoa

Kupcake Factory Spiced Pumpkin Cupcake

For a snack: Zapp's Voodoo Gumbo Potato Chips

According to their first label, Trekky Records, Lost in the Trees is a "folk orchestra from North Carolina led by Ari Picker." It only takes about four seconds in "Walk Around the Lake" (the album version) for you to see exactly what a folk orchestra does. It sounds big in places, bigger than it should, like an acoustic Muse. It isn't the orchestra part of "Walk Around the Lake" that forces my ears to perk up and take notice though. It is Picker's ability to paint a set of pictures with his lyrics while simultaneously creating a different one with his music. Imagine alien lovers on a midnight stroll and you'll know what I'm talking about. In January, Lost in the Trees will be embarking on a month long east coast tour to support their latest release All Alone in an Empty House (buy here from Anti).

The Morning Code creates songs that are emotional and intelligent. Something that, according to their bio, "distinguishes the band from the flamboyant antics and melodrama of their "emo" peers. Emo with a brain, I can get into that. I can also get into free music. You can download free tracks from the band here. Despite being well known for a number of years (due to its inclusion in Last Day of Summer) I've been listening to "Silver" a lot lately.

The Morning Code-Silver

Artichoke and Spinach Calzones stocking stuffed by Broken Records and The Loveable Tulips

Has stocking stuffing gone the way of the past? I used to walk into friends' homes and see a row of red and white stockings duct taped to the fireplace mantel (or central air conditioner if you lived in a place like Florida where fireplaces don't exist). A few years ago I started to notice their absence. J-Fur's family was one of the last that I remember still sticking with the tradition. Up until two or three years ago we were still doing it. Then the gifts became too big for the stockings and they too, like all those others, ended the tradition.

What does this have to do with a calzone? Calzones are turnovers that originated in Italy. Their name derives from the word calza or stocking. This recipe was inspired by Jacklyn's Soyrizo Calzone.

Spinach and Artichoke Calzones

(printable version)

-pizza dough (I used Jacklyn's but in the past I've used this one or try this one)

-olive oil

-1 can quartered artichokes, drained and diced

-1 onion, diced

-2 cups spinach

-2 cloves garlic

-2 cups mozzarella cheese

-grated Parmesan

-tomato sauce

1. Make the dough according to directions.

2. While dough is rising, place a tiny amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, constantly stirring, for a minute.

3. Dump in the artichoke hearts and spinach. Continue to saute until the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll it into ten inch circles. Working on one circle of dough at a time, place the artichoke mixture in the center (it should create a dividing line down the middle but don't take it the whole way to the edge. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese.

6. Fold the dough over top of the mixture. Match the edges. Roll the edges back tightly.

7. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. Serve with a side of tomato sauce.

Broken Records (getting some Pad Thai love) released an album, Let Me Come Home, back in October (it will be available in the US in January). "A Darkness Rises Up" comes from that album. You can also get a copy of "A Leaving Song" for the price of an email address from their website (linked above). Broken Records will be hitting the clubs early next year with Freelance Whales in tow.

The Loveable Tulips' "Fortune Favors the Brave" is big, over the top, pop music that's better suited for the dance floor than my neighbors basement. Imagine a 16 bit warrior fighting a dragon and you almost know what I am talking about.

The Loveable Tulips-Fortune Favors the Brave

Taste of New York with music provided by Junk Culture, Kanye West and Le Days

How much food can you eat while your wife and mother-in-law watch a bunch of people singing about not mourning the wicked? This is the question I posed to myself (and attempted to answer) during one afternoon this summer in the Big Apple. Taking recommendations from friends and blog readers I created my own personal food tour that covered more than twelve miles (all walked) and included two desserts, one side dish, a fast food Falafel bar, kimchi and a stroll through an urban market. I planned a review of some of the places I ate at but never got around to it. Seeing as the year is almost over, I figured it was time to admit the obvious, I won't be getting to it. So I figured an all encompassing photo dump post would work best (I'll have one on New Orleans in a few days as well).

Kyotofu's Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Shiso Mint Ice Cream
(Recommended by RB)

S'Mac's Napoletana Mac and Cheese
(Recommended by BH)

Guss' Pickles (which had relocated to Brooklyn so I wasn't able to enjoy it)
(Recommended by BH)

Babycakes' Carrot Berry Gluten Free Cupcake
(Recommended by RB)

Maoz Vegetarian's Falafel (with Fixin's Bar)
(Recommended by HH)

Anjelica Kitchen's Burrito
(Recommended by RW)

Since New York and I are, at the very most, summer friends that visit each other once in a while, I figured Junk Culture was appropriate. Look for these "Da da da da da da doe doe's" to come your way in EP form in February.

Junk Culture-Summer Friends

I won't state the obvious, I'll just jump on the bandwagon. Kanye West's "Christmas in Harlem." (Thanks to Consquence of Sound for the link)

Kanye West-Christmas in Harlem (featuring Dipset, Pusha T, Big Sean, CyHi Da Prynce, Musiq Soulchild and Teyana Taylor

And since Cliff Lee spurned NYC to go back to Philly, how about Le Days doing "Ring Baby Ring" (hopefully a natural outcome to all of this).

Chili Con Canne Wanderlusting With the Whalers

At least once a week someone comes up to me and says "Tender, dude, how do you do it? How do you find time to cook these dishes? I'm just too busy." I usually reply with something along the lines of "Do you have hands? Can you work a can opener? Then you can cook." Sure, there are times where I throw down crazy dishes that take hours to cook (like tonight, working on hour three) and I have to go online to find the new episode of the Real Houswives of Texarkana because I couldn't catch it live. Chili Con Canne is not one of those recipes. Just put the ingredients in a pot and forget about it. Literally. Chili Con Canne is another mistake that went terribly, terribly right.

Chili Con Canne

(printable version)

-3 potatoes, cubed

-olive oil

-onion, chopped

-3 cloves of garlic, minced

-28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

-2 cans Lentil Stew

-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

-1 1/2 cups frozen corn

-2 tsp. cinnamon

-1 1/2 tsp. cumin

-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1. Boil the potatoes until semi soft, about ten minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, soup, black beans, cinnamon, cumin and red pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring stew to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that it doesn't stick.

4. Add the corn and cook for an additional two minutes. Serve at once.

During the twenty minutes that this Chili cooks, explore the world in the form of Austin's Whalers. These guys have a great new EP, How the Ship Went Down, that features a number of songs that I can't stop listening too. These include "That Rabbit" (chilly as a cave sing-a-long) and "Sunsets Suck" (like a transient insomnia laced two step). Deal out the dollars and get yourself a copy (or visit IRC for a few free tracks).

Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese browned under We Were the States and Das Racist

After experiencing Capdeville's version, J-Fur broke down and let me make mac and cheese that didn't come from a box. I rose to the task and made something that she not only didn't hate, but that she actually wanted more of. While far superior in taste to the boxed stuff, I must admit, this version spared no expense when it came to calories. If you are looking to cut weight, don't try this at home.

Das Baked Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

(printable version)

-1 box ziti

-2 Tbs. butter

-3 Tbs. flour

-1 tsp. powdered mustard

-3 cups, 2 percent milk

-1 onion

-1 bay leaf

-1/2 tsp. paprika

-1 cup spinach

-3 ounces muenster (grated or chunked)

-4 ounces Fontina (grated or chunked)

-2 ounces Parmesan (grated)

-1/2 cup bread crumbs

-salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the ziti according to the directions on the package. Drain. Set aside.

2. Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan. Once butter has melted, add the flour and stir continuously until mixed. Add the powdered mustard.

3. Stir in the milk, paprika, onion, bay leaf and spinach. Cook for ten minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cheeses and salt and pepper. Continue stirring until cheese has sufficiently melted.

5. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir until well mixed.

6. Place the cheesy pasta in a baking dish. Cover the top with the bread crumbs. Cook for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and stir the breadcrumbs into the pasta. Raise the oven temperature to broil and place the macaroni back in. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, just enough so that the cheese begins to brown in some places.

To some, the golden hue emanating from this mac and cheese recipe is created by the blend of the cheeses. To me, it is more than that. The hue comes from the cheese, yes, but it also comes from the sounds of We Were the States. They balanced drug references and religion with floods, harmony and undercooked meat to create "Gold." It is the first single off their new record Rasa, which was finally released last month. Why? Read here.

We Were the States-Gold

It was easy to think that Das Racist was nothing more than a gimmick. I mean the first time I heard them was when they couldn't find their way out of a combination pizza hut and taco bell. But as track after track comes my way, each outdoing the last, I think it is high time I push those thoughts aside. These guys know how to take care of business. The lyrical slurring and non-sense words that make up the chorus of "You Oughta Know" are perfect, like people who can't win an argument so they need to resort to personal attacks that have nothing to do with the debate at hand. "You Oughta Know" is from the band's Shut Up, Dude Mixtape which was released back in April.

Do you only speak devil?

Where we eat: Capdeville, New Orleans (A Christmas Story)

(photo taken from gonola.com, by Chris Brown)

Now there were tourists to the city of New Orleans staying in the Olivier House and seeking advice for where to eat. A seraph of the literary type appeared to the tourists and told them to not be afraid for they would find Truffled Parmesan Fries, Tomato Fennel Soup, Grilled Three Cheese Sandwiches and Truffled Mac and Cheese at Capdeville, an up-and-coming Gastro Pub located off of Lafayette Square. The tourists said to each other, let us go, and see this place. They went in haste. When they found the Gastro-Pub they inquired about a table. The tourists were told that three large parties were present and there was no room for them in the restaurant. They could, however, sit outside. The tourists grabbed a table and tightened their swaddling clothes, for it was pretty chilly on this particular evening.

When forty minutes were completed and still no orders had been taken, the tourists began reflecting in their heart. Eventually beer and water were brought and orders were taken. The owner prostrated himself and did them homage. Then he opened his treasures and offered them gifts of peanut butter pies and bread pudding to make up for the wait. Then, having been warned in a dream not to return to the tourists, he departed for his shot glass a different way.

The tourists both praised and cursed the seraph and owner as the food and gifts were delicious, especially the strange fusion of tomatoes and fennel, the Truffled Mac and Cheese and fries, and the peanut butter pies but the service left something to be desired. Slow and erratic, cramped and drunken, the tourists had to force their payment into someone's hands to abide by the law.

On their next trip, if their is no room in the restaurant, they will place an order to go (I apologize for the lack of pictures, they didn't come out very well because it was dark and I had no tripod along).

Capdeville is located at 520 Capdeville Street, New Orleans, LA.

View Larger Map



Ballboy is from Edinburgh and have been making indie rock music for over ten years. "The Ghosts of New Orleans" is a track from their 2004 album, The Royal Theatre.



"Matty came from far away, from New Orleans into the East Bay." One of my favorite Rancid songs of all time, "Journey to the End of the East Bay." Here it is live:

Eggplant Dressing modernized by Graft Vs Host, Johnny Uppercut and Weekend

"The young cannot teach tradition to the old."
-Beninese Proverb

"...having a helluva good time trying."
-Superdrag-STU

One things for sure, this ain't your Grandmama's Eggplant dressing.

Tradition Bucking Eggplant Dressing
(printable version)

-3 vegan sausages, ground
-3 eggplant, peeled and cubed
-1 onion, chopped
-olive oil
-2 cups brown jasmine rice, cooked
-1 cup breadcrumbs
-salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the Vegan Sausages according to directions.

2. Place eggplant in cold salt water to prevent discoloration.

3. In a skillet, saute onion in olive oil; add ground sausage. Cook until onion is translucent (about five minutes). Add drained eggplant, salt and pepper. Cook for ten minutes (eggplant should be soft and tender).

4. Add the jasmine rice and stir until mixed. Transfer mixture to 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Cover with bread crumbs and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Grandmama would love Australia's version of Against Me (or the Swedish Chef depending on who you talk to), Graft Vs Host. "Growth Spurt" is country fused punk with rolling lyrics that border on unintelligible and a harmonica thrown in for good measure. It comes from the band's five song debut EP, Volcanoes. Get it all here. And protect your cats.
Graft Vs Host-Growing Up

Suicide Girls Show + Liquor + Big Glasses + Black Lipstick + Knuckle Tattoos = Johnny Uppercut. Raw + Named for an Actress = "Ginger Rogers."
Johnny Uppercut-Ginger Rogers

Remember "Summer Coma" by Weekend? I think I love "End Times" even more. (Thanks to IRC.)
Weekend-End Times

Eggplant Po' Boys preserved with Bardo Pond, Wiseblood, Fuck Art Let's Dance and Los Campesinos

I said pretty much all I need to say about Po' Boys here. You can finally wipe that drool from your lip and start on your own veggie versions.

Eggplant Po' Boys (inspired by Chatres House Cafe)
(printable version)

-1 eggplant
-2 eggs
-breadcrumbs
-4 ounces mozzarella cheese
-1 cup tomato sauce
-1 bunch of spinach or iceberg lettuce
-6 pickle spears, sliced
-4 fresh sub rolls

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Slice the eggplant thinly and dredge in egg and breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake eggplant for ten minutes. Flip over and bake five minutes on the other side.

3. Remove the eggplant from the oven and transfer to an oiled, 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover the eggplant slices with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, slice sub rolls and wrap around the metal slates in the oven. Bake for 2-3 minutes.

5. Begin assembling Po' Boys by lining the sub rolls with pickles and spinach. Place eggplant slices on top and serve immediately.

*Note: the Chatres House Cafe version used iceberg lettuce instead of spinach. I prefer spinach but J-Fur said my version lacked some of the crunchiness that she liked in the original. I am going to try these again next week doing half with iceberg lettuce and half with spinach.

As I enjoyed the beauty of a Po' Boy in hand my speakers sent distortion waves throughout the apartment in the form of Bardo Pond. The band's single, "Don't Know About You," comes from a self-titled album that should be out early next year.

Bardo Pond-Don't Know about You

Wise blood is no stranger to our playlists (which is one of the main reasons why I left this great song off of the Po' Boy one). "Rot My Brain Away" is like a sea of static and foghorns with a tiny ship lost somewhere in the middle.



Fuck Art, Let's Dance is a Hamburg band that knows what it takes to make aggressive dance rock that even David Hasselhoff can't ignore. You can download some of their songs for free at their Last FM page including the studio version of "Homesick."



Also:
Los Campesinos-Too Many Flesh Suppers

Not a new song "Too Many Flesh Suppers" is a B-side from a failed single.

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Felicity by Orange Juice

With so many other juices in the sea, I don't have time for you grape and tomato. Apple juice and cider, I do love you (especially on long plane flights). But when you bring me to my knees I don't feel the urge to speak out. It is the almighty orange juice that sends me down, spinning to the ground, shouting "Whoa, whoa."

Orange Juice the band who was fronted by Edwyn Collins (you know, "A Girl Like You" and all that retro-pop) just released a seven disc box set, Coals to Newcastle. "Felicity," originally released in 1985, is just a small part of that set.

Orange Juice-Felicity

*One of my favorite orange juice recipes, though it is more of a spring thing.

Po' Boy Preservation Mix: Phil Wilson, Dead Actors Club, Fucking Werewolf Asso, Sometimes Always, Split Seconds, 14 Iced Bears, Cygnets and more...

Few foods are as political, union friendly and diverse as po' boys. These New Orleans' sandwiches came into existence back in the late 20's when streetcar conductors and motormen went on strike. The streetcar company attempted to use strikebreakers to continue running the cars but this was met with resistance (and fire). Many people supported the cause of the workers and refused to ride. One staunch supporter of the strikers was Bennie Martin, co-owner of the Martin Brother's Coffee Stand and Restaurant. He, and his brother Clovis, agreed to feed the strikers for free until the situation was resolved. The large sandwich that the brother's provided became known as a po' boy because the brothers would say, upon seeing a striker heading their way for some food, "here comes another poor boy."

In recent years New Orleans has made it a point to protect these local creations, even going so far as to hosting a Po' Boy Preservation Festival. It took just one trip to New Orleans for me to understand what all the ruckus is about. It took just one afternoon in my kitchen to decide that these preservation efforts deserve their own soundtrack. All the ruckus below, that po' boy, is for you and your legions of fans.

All information courtesy of the history section on the Po' Boy Preservation Festival's website.

Track Listing:

Phil Wilson-I own it
Dead Actors Club-Hearts Hearts Hearts
Fucking Werewolf Asso-You got the shield (goodbye)
Albin Larslin and the Bad Dressed Arctic Explorers-Clowniorita
Sometimes Always -Old-Fashioned Baby
Cygnets-Bleak Decades

Split Seconds-Bed Down
Dead Gaze-This Big World

Summer Babes-Crack Habit
14 Iced Bears-Hay Fever
Animal Prufrock-0+0=0

Download Playlist Here

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

More on the Po' Boy pictured at the top (like a recipe) later.