With no disrespect towards boxing and wrestling, promise, piston, compression or Olympic rings there really is one ring that rules them all. That is the one made from onions, battered and covered in ketchup (wedding ones are also up there). Onion Rings were, for the longest time, one of my most hated things (right up there with Combos). When I was a tiny lad, I spent an afternoon with my grandmother and brother watching my cousins play baseball. After the game we went to a hole in the wall diner and I ate onion rings for the first time. Later that day I began vomiting and I blamed it all on onion rings.
A few months ago I overcame my psychological issues and tried them again. They lorded over me. Onion rings are potent enough to bring a person to their knees in excruciating pain. They also have the ability to make that same person come back, years later, and give them a second chance. What other ring can do that? That's what this playlist is all about.
Sometimes a simple cut is all you need. It is what takes my hair from a Billy Ray Cyrus trailer rave to a hipster tea party. It is what takes Peter Jackson movies from being rambling pieces of gorilla feces to, well, shorter pieces of gorilla feces. It is what took this Thai Barbecue Brussels Wrap from being ho hum to humdinger.
The first time I made it I lazily threw in whole Brussels Sprouts and there didn't seem to be enough flavor. The more I added, the more logged down it became. A few days later, I gave it another try with one change. I cut the Brussels Sprouts into small pieces. It worked like a charm.
-2 cups Brussels Sprouts, quartered -olive oil -brown rice, cooked (I used day old rice) -soy sauce -barbecue sauce -sesame oil -tortillas
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the Brussels Sprouts and saute until softened (about seven minutes). Add the rice and continue heating until desired texture.
2. Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil and barbecue sauce. I played around with the flavors but basically went with a 2 parts soy sauce, 2 parts barbecue sauce and one part sesame oil. Add to the rice and thoroughly mix.
3. Heat the tortillas. Place Brussels Sprouts mixture in the the middle of the tortilla and roll closed. Eat uncut as quickly as possible.
This dish toes the line between southern and Asian cuisine. To provide the sounds I needed bands that were familiar with a careful balance between two ends. New York's Space Command fits this bill. They are a combo platter of electronic, dance and emo music swaddled in an astronaut robot shell.
Ford & Lopatin (formerly Games) make one think retro while at the same time peering towards the future. That future could be as close as June 7th when their debut album, Channel Pressure, comes out.
Land of Leland blend that 80's nostalgia with a spooky singer songwriter tone in their cover of "Your Love" (originally by the Outfield). It is one of the few 80's songs that I can actually get into. If you are interested, Land of Leland also does the cooking thing. Here is their recipe for Mostly Butternut Squash Soup.
I was fourteen and found myself in a steakhouse where they actually asked you how you wanted your meat cooked. I, not wanting to appear uneducated in front of my new girl, blurted out "rare." This was the only level of meat cooking that I had ever heard about because it was in some movie I had seen. When the waitress brought it out, I took one bite, and I pushed it away. I was getting lightheaded from the pink insides and the blood that was coagulating on my plate and chin. My girlfriend's mom talked me through the meat cooking levels and I eventually decided on having it returned to me in medium well form.
This was one experience, blood dripping down my face, that I hadn't been able to replicate as a vegetarian (not that I was really trying). That all changed tonight with this Roast Beet Sandwich courtesy of the Chubby Vegetarian. This thing dripped, dropped and stained my teeth like I had just bitten into a still living jaguar. I made some slight alterations to his recipe. First there was no champagne vinegar as I'm not that high class. I left it out. Second, I had no lemon zest so I subtracted that and added a little bit of citrus juice of the lime kind. Shallots weren't around so I used half an onion and a clove of garlic instead. The lettuce became spinach and the horseradish became something much more tolerable, mustard. Other than that, I followed the Chubby's take.
My "bloody" fingers.
While the Bloody Beetroots would be the trendy choice for this post, I went with something a little more American. Stuyvesant is a New Jersey band that sings about a kleptomaniacal girl that lives in Minnesota. What says land of opportunity better than that? Stuyvesant does it with stuttering guitars, rolling drums and a pop punk sensibility that doesn't bother me one bit. That's hard to do. "St. Cloud" comes from their album, Fret Sounds, which will be out June 14th.
If you want something a little more colorful and British, try out "Mrs. Violet" by Joe Cave. Joe is a 23 year old singer-songwriter from London who is attempting to write and record 99 new songs this year. He is releasing the songs on his tumblr blog. "Mrs. Violet" was the first of these songs to make its way into video form.
My co-worker Caylee and I were having a conversation a few weeks ago and I told her that "I run so I can eat." We both had a laugh about that. While this statement was a joke there was some truth behind it. I don't necessarily run so I can eat but I pay a lot less attention to what I eat because of the miles I log. To illustrate this, I downed two French Fry Po' Boys yesterday and thought nothing of it.
It seems on my trip to New Orleans I missed one of their most intriguing Po' Boys, a french fry and gravy topped version. It wasn't until Vegan Crunk mentioned it in a post that I realized such a thing exists. Seems like you can get them here. I had to try it out for myself, even if it wasn't absolutely authentic (which considering the gravy I probably couldn't do anyways).
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and slice the potatoes (I used a mandoline this time but normally make them steak cut).
2. In a metal bowl mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika (I don't measure these, I just play around with the taste). Place the potatoes in the bowl and flip around with your hand until they are all covered with spices and oil.
3. Dump the fries onto a baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side. Continue until fries have reached desired crispiness.
4. While the fries are baking, make the gravy.
5. Toast the hoagie rolls. Top with french fries and gravy. Carb your heart out.
When making something of this nature one require music that is fast and full of energy (after all, how else are you going to burn of all those carbs). For me it started with Betty Airs. These guys are a Sydney four piece that knows how to bring it 50's style. March saw the release of their first EP, Creepin' it Real, which you can get at their bandcamp page. "She's the Juan" is their lead singer. Thanks to Triple J Unearthed for bringing them to me.
Next it went towards The Distant Sounds who have concocted a foul-mouthed mournful motif that takes place moments after that evil girl tramples on your nut sack. "Mon Amour" is from their new EP Blue Light. Get it for free from their bandcamp page.
Poly Styrene once led X-Ray Spex. Now she does it on her own as evidenced by "Thrash City." This is her second single released prior to the upcoming Generation Indigo which is due in the US on Tuesday.
The let down I experienced on Record Store Day has been well documented. But it wasn't all bad. As J-Fur and I strolled around Ybor City she suggested we find some place that served drinks so that she could get an iced tea. Lo and behold The Bricks of Ybor appeared in front of us. This place looked like a coffee shop, so I figured typical trendy hipster coffee fare. But once we walked inside I realized that it wore a number of hats. Sure there was the coffee bar but there was also the alcoholic beverage counter, the live music area and even a kitchen. We sat down and J-Fur ordered her iced tea making it clear to the waitress that the iced tea was all she wanted. But that sly waitress placed a menu in front of us anyway and I couldn't help but look at it.
It seemed like a relatively normal affair. There were appetizers, salads, sandwiches and breakfast fare. Nothing that made it stand out. But then I came to the Peanut Butter Bar section and realized how wrong I had been. There were pre-constructed peanut butter sandwiches already in place (the Elvis, the Amsterdam and the PB&P) or there was a build your own section where you could choose from a list of toppings (anything from ham to cheese to hummus to your typical nutella and jelly were at your disposal). I wasn't in the peanut butter sandwich mood so J-Fur and I decided to start with the house made black bean dip and then follow it up with the deluxe grilled cheese. The bean dip was right up J-Fur's alley. She kept saying how good it was but she couldn't place what it was that she really liked. I told her it was the garlic. That bean dip was laced with garlic. I love garlic but for some reason I don't like garlic with my black bean dip. So I let J-Fur eat most of the dip.
The deluxe grilled cheese was made up of red onions, pesto, tomato, spinach and smoked mozzarella all smashed onto a baguette. It is served with a salad that featured a lemon basil vinaigrette (a crazy fusion of sweet and sour). The grilled cheese was good, the baguette amazing. I eat most of my baguettes from grocery stores and I could tell the difference immediately. Crispier, fluffier and with a softer inside. You could've probably put vomit on the baguette and I would've loved it, that's how good the bread was. Not to say the insides taste like vomit. I mean pesto, red onion and spinach covered with cheese what can top that? In an incredible coincidence, J-Fur wasn't too fond of the cheese they put on top. Guess next time she'll eat all the bean dip and I'll solo it on the grilled cheese. That is if I don't get the blackstar bean burger instead.
The Bricks of Ybor is located at East 7th Avenue in Tampa.
While baguettes are sandwiches best served soft, Terrible Feelings is quite the opposite. Loud, dark, therapeutic and rough around the edges. The band, first blogged here and here, have a new 7 inch that features "Tied Up" and "No Meaning." The 7 inch is being released by Timmeheiehumme Records from Germany. Internationally it will be distributed by P. Trash. There are only 500 copies being pressed so get yours while the getting is good.
When Transatlantic Zodiac Ensemble take their Eastern European folk infused klezmer grunge rock on the road inevitably they wind up in Saint John (Canada) crashing at saxophonist Martin Davidson's parent's house. It is here that his mom astounds the whole band with an amazing meal of chicken a la king over homemade biscuits. As mom wouldn't part with the recipe (OK, OK I didn't even try) I was forced to create my own version, replacing the protein with a mother with one that is a bastard child.
-olive oil -1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. unsalted butter -1 yellow onion, minced -1 garlic clove, minced -6 Tbs. flour -1/4 cup sherry -3 3/4 cup veggie broth -1 Tbs. dried parsley -1 tsp. dried thyme -salt and pepper (to taste) -pinch cayenne pepper -pinch nutmeg -7 oz. shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced -1/4 cup skim milk -1 block tofu, thinly sliced -10 biscuits
1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and 1/4 cup of butter. Saute the onions and garlic until softened and translucent. Distribute the flour evenly over the onions. Stir with a wooden spoon for about two minutes.
2. Whisk in the broth and sherry. Bring to a boil. Add the parsley, thyme and tofu. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. In another saucepan, heat the remaining butter. Drop in the mushrooms and cook for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cayenne and nutmeg.
4. Add the tofu mixture to the mushrooms. Stir until combined. Whisk in the skim milk. Taste and adjust adding salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Make the biscuits according to the recipe. Break in half and lay out on a plate. Spoon the tofu a la king overtop. Eat like royalty.
Transatlantic Zodiac Ensemble is all I listened to as I made this dish (after all, they were the inspiration). They are a seven piece that, aside from the aforementioned fusing of many different styles of music, write lyrics that "cryptically weave descriptions of the heart with contemporary moral and social issues." TZE has a busy few months as they are continuing to promote their debut album It's a Mean Season for Silver Liningswith a Newfoundland tour from the 20th to the 30th of April and an appearance at Evolve in July. Check out "Port Mouton Bay" and a live take on "It's a Mean Season for Silver Linings."
After posting Fucked Up's last single "The Other Shoe" I was contacted by Galapaghost (aka Casey Chandler) who shared with me an experience he had at one of their shows. Seems that the band played a 10 minute set at SUNY Purchase before Damien stripped down, broke through the barricades and was escorted out by campus security. It was, in his words, the most memorable show that year (and one that I can completely relate too).
If you are not familiar with Galapaghost's music, let me start by saying that it is nothing like Fucked Up. There is no screaming, seventeen minute punk presentations or getting naked and being escorted out by security. Think of it like this: if Fucked Up is the meat cleaver that butchers your steak, Galapaghost is the butter knife that smothers your bread. Galapaghost's songs are laid back indie folk tunes performed on a ukelele with a smattering of guitar, keyboard and drums. They incorporate pieces of Midlake and Espers, Radiohead and Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel without sounding like any of them.
Galapaghost just released his third EP, Runnin' (his other two were released in 2009 and Our Lost GenerationNeptunes from 2010). Runnin' marks a shift to a more unconventional way of doing music. It is the first of the lot to be given away for free, iTunes wasn't worth the hassle, features more outside the box thinking and required more effort than its predecessors. The EP's standout tracks are its initial ones, "Never Heard Nothin" and "Runnin." Originally the low-key "Never Heard Nothin" was slated to be a B-side but at the last minute, Galapaghost decided to include it on the EP. Thank goodness as the EP feels sort of incomplete without it. "Runnin" is a much more upbeat, tambourine banging affair.
The final scene in 8 Mile is a freestyle showdown between Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith (Eminem) and Papa Doc (Anthony Mackie). In this "battle" B-Rabbit chooses to go first and "flips the script." Instead of hiding from his screw-ups he puts them out there for everyone to see. When Papa Doc's turn rolls around he has nothing to hit B-Rabbit with because everything has already been said so he tosses the mic away in failure. This is what French Onion Soup Tartines mean to me. They are a flipping of the traditional soup with bread and croutons script into one where the bread is the main feature.
French Onion Soup Tartines (adapted slightly from Vegetarian Times April/May 2011) (printable version)
-olive oil -1 white onion, quartered and sliced -3 yellow onions, quartered and sliced -1 red onion, quartered and sliced -2 Tbs. white wine -2 cups vegetable broth -1/2 tsp. agave nectar -1 sprig of fresh thyme -half loaf of country bread, sliced -2 ounces Emmental cheese, grated
1. Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add the onions, cover, and cook until the onions begin to brown (about 25 minutes). Add the white wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated (two to three minutes).
2. Add the broth, agave nectar, thyme and some salt and pepper to the onions. Stir. Place a lid on top of the pot so that it covers only part of it. Simmer the onions until most of the liquid has evaporated (15-25 minutes).
3. Preheat the oven to broil. Place bread on a baking sheet. Cover each slice of bread with onion mixture and grated cheese. Broil for two to three minutes. You will know the tartines are done when the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Flip the script.
Coupling a tartine with the breathy beauty of Daughter's "Landfill" may seem like a daring thing. I mean, for one, the lyrics revolve around the idea ofwanting someone (or something) so much that you hate their guts. It is also called "Landfill." Not the type of chi you want to be putting on a creation as delicate as a tartine. But this is only half of the "Landfill" story. The other piece is the winter imagery. And what speaks more about winter than onion soup? You can get your hands on a free Daughter EP at here. You can buy the His Young Heart EP, which features "Landfill", at her soundcloud page.
Classified is a platinum selling hip hop artist from Nova Scotia that, after enjoying some commercial success with his last album, has decided to take a step back with his new one (Handshakes and Middlefingers that was released by Sony Music Canada on March 22nd). As a result we get "That Ain't Classy." Thanks to Pigeons and Planes for turning me on to him.
My two goals with Record Store Day 2011 were to get my hands on the limited edition Nirvana EP Hoarmoaning and Fucked Up'sDavid's Town (a companion compilation of fake British bands to go with their upcoming album David Comes to Life). Despite checking out three record stores, I struck out on both. In the end I settled for the Bouncing SoulsLive at Generation Records while J-Fur picked up Adele and a sub pop compilation (also disappointments as she was seeking the Fleet Foxes 7 inch).
To make matters worse, J-Fur didn't really like her cupcake (said it was too dry). At least my strawberry overload, though a tad sugary, hit the spot. Cupcakes were provided by Stephii Cakes, breakfast by Central Coffee Shop. The Devil Bunny just came along for the ride.
Here's a track from Fucked Up's fake compilation courtesy of Pitchfork. Animal Man-Do You Feed
It is officially go time. Record Store Day 2011 is upon us and it takes on a whole new meaning this year as Vinyl Fever, a Tampa record institution for the last twenty some years, recently closed its doors. This makes buying from independent stores today, and everyday, that much more important. What's happening in the Tampa-St. Pete area (per Tampa Bay Online):
Daddy Kool, 666 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.(727) 822-5665. Live music, including headliner Guiltmaker, will be cranking up and down Central: at FUBAR and Local 662, plus DJs on the sidewalk. Daddy Kool will feature myriad daylong discounts plus a bounty of limited-release goodies. (Perhaps a 7-inch vinyl copy of Derek and the Dominos' Layla? Sweet.) Starts at 9:30 a.m.
The Disc Exchange, 6712 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. (727) 343-5845. Surf-rockers the Hodaddys will play a free parking lot show. Starts at 3 p.m.
Bananas Music and Movies, 2887 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 321-6814. Want more live music? You got it. This epic vinyl emporium — arguably the most impressive record shop on the East Coast — will feature gigs by such as the Dukes of Juke and James O'Neill and the Silver Shadows. Starts at 10 a.m.
Mojo Books, 2558 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. (813) 971-9717. Live in-store performances will go gown all day long, including sets by Diamond Man and Sons of Hippies. Starts at 9 a.m.
Hot Wax, 1524 E Seventh Ave., Tampa. (813) 248-6999. Ybor City artists will celebrate the big day by painting on old records and showcasing them in the store. Starts at noon.
We'll kick off our celebration with some words from An Horse.
Blue Chip Village is a self-described psychedelic and progressive blues rock band from Brooklyn. They incorporate pieces of World, Funk, Classical and Jam while continuing to adhere to the shroud that is pop music. Their sound is one that is mature and subtle, they won't jump right out and grab you with gimmicks or singles but take the slow approach, the worm your way into your brain one note at a time method. To fully appreciate the band's debut album, one needs a food that encapsulates all this. It needs to be of subtle brilliance, a food that on first taste you don't necessarily think "this is amazing" but you find that you can't stop eating it. That is where Jackelyn's Chik'N and Dumplings come in. Hints of lemon butter, Parmesan and pesto mesh together on a bed of veggies and faux chicken that supports a homemade gnocchi. It is purity at its finest.
Check out "Gusto" from the Blue Chip Village's Debut Album:
I know a little about a lot but beer is not one of those things I'm particularly knowledgeable on. One thing I do know is that the longer you keep a bottle of beer the better it is to cook with. Think of it like a fine aged carbonated cooking wine. Of course it isn't easy to convince others of this. J-Fur, for one, has been pressuring me recently to get rid of the eight bottles of beer that have called the back corner of our fridge home for the last seven hundred days. Threats of dumping them out when I am sleeping or giving them away to friends we don't like anymore have become common place. This weekend I decided it was time to make things happen. I used a bottle to beer batter some tofu. Afterwards I ran six miles, felt like crap and wondered if this was what a hangover was like.
-1 block of firm tofu, drained and sliced into rectangles -salt and pepper -12 ounces of beer (I used St. Pauli Girl) -1 1/2 cups flour -3/4 tsp. salt -1 tsp. paprika -1 Tbsp. garlic powder -1 tsp. onion powder -peanut oil -vegetable oil
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub the tofu rectangles in peanut oil. Top with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes (just to firm them up even more).
2. Combine the beer, flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl. Stir until combined (sort of like a cake batter).
3. Place enough vegetable oil into a pan to cover the bottom. Heat the oil to a temperature of 350 degrees. When the oil is warm enough, dip the tofu in batter (completely cover it) and drop into the oil. Heat for 1 minute and then flip the tofu to the other side. Heat that for one minute as well. Remove with a spatula, place on a paper towel and pat to remove excess oil. Repeat until all the tofu has been fried. Eat after a nice long run.
Beer battered tofu is a perfect accompaniment to the Lyke Giants a Tasmanian band that has microbrewed an interesting mix of indie/pop rock, feverish rhythms, sinuous lyrics and atmospheric instrumentation since their formation last year. The band has a self-titled EP that was released in November on Rivercity Records. Check out "The World Shakes" (mp3 and video) and "Turn this Fight" (video) below:
This painter guy I used to see on public television once said "we don't make mistakes here, we just have happy accidents." This millet risotto was exactly that. I started with the intention of making quinoa corn chowder (similar to this one). I had no quinoa, only an unmarked grain in the back of the pantry that looked sort of like quinoa. I threw it in the stew, it expanded all crazy like, and I knew it wasn't quinoa. But what was it? It wasn't until walking through the grocery store late last night that I realized it was millet. Otherwise this recipe would've been called "unknown cereal grain with potato and corn risotto." Remember, happy accidents.
1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, stirring continuously.
2. In a large pot bring the veggie stock to a boil. Add the potato cubes, onion and garlic making sure there is enough liquid to cover them completely (add water or more veggie stock if necessary). Cover and cook for 15 minutes (or until the potatoes are soft).
3. Measure out the millet and place it in the pot. Cook, uncovered, for fifteen minutes adding water (or stock) when necessary. Stir frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the corn, beans and spices (I didn't measure them just added to the taste I liked) to the mixture. Pour in enough soy milk to cover the entire batch of risotto. Continue heating and stirring until the soy milk has been absorbed. Serve three little bears style.
Emma Louise proves that Aayliah knew exactly what she was talking about when she named her debut album Age Ain't Nothing But a Number.In human years, Emma is only 19. In music terms, she is well beyond that. Listening to "Jungle" one expects to find a life-long artist on the other side of the speakers. Nope, just her. Emma's new EP, Full Hearts and Empty Rooms comes out this week.
O'Death is also very risotto worthy. These guys hail from the giant Metropolis that is Brooklyn, New York but make music that feels like it should be from some commune in the middle of Appalachia. Folky and raucous in the most controlled of manners "Bugs" is the first track off the bands new album Outsidewhich hits stores on April 19th.
I met my first girlfriend by a bubblegum machine in the corner of the roller skating rink. I tied a bracelet around her arm (confident that girls love all jewelry, even if it is made out of cloth) and there was no way she could refuse. That's why "Bubblegum Machine" by Impo & the Tents holds a special place in my heart. I understand.
Before you jump all over me and say bubblegum isn't a food, know this: I spent the first sixteen years of my life swallowing gum (and the last fifteen not chewing it). If the rumor that bubblegum lasts in your stomach for many years was true, which it isn't, I would've had one heck of a ball in there.
I don't like baked potatoes. It stems from my many meals at steak houses as a vegetarian. There usually isn't anything for me to eat aside from a baked potato. This has led to me to look at the baked potato as what people who can't cook anything but meat make for vegetarians. But something happens to that potato if it is baked a second time. In just moments that little spud goes from being spartan to gourmet, from single material to playlist worthy.
-2 baking potatoes -1 can quartered artichokes, diced -4 Tbs. soft silken tofu -1 cup spinach -vegan pesto -salt and pepper (to taste) -bread crumbs -olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Puncture the potatoes a number of times on each side. Using enough aluminum foil to cover the potato completely, fold the sides and pour in some olive oil. Place the potato in the oil and roll to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the potato and place in the oven for 50 minutes. Repeat with the other three potatoes.
2. In a metal bowl, mash together the tofu, artichoke hearts, spinach and pesto (add pine nuts too if you can afford them).
3. When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and slice in half (I did this without allowing them to cool because it was easier). Use a tablespoon to scoop out the flesh leaving a thin layer of potato on the skin. Add the scooped out potato flesh to the tofu mixture. Repeat with other potatoes. Mash until well mixed.
4. Season the tofu mixture with salt and pepper (if necessary) and refill both halves of the potato with a heaping mound of filling. Top with bread crumbs. Drizzle with olive oil. Place potatoes back in the oven and bake again for nine minutes. Become one with the potato.
In case the playlist didn't tip you off let me state the obvious: I listened to a lot of music while making this recipe. A few songs that didn't make the cut of the playlist were tracks by THI'SL, Races and PS I Love You Featuring Diamond Rings.
THI'SL is an interesting story. He was a former crack addict dealer turned christian rapper who feels it is his duty to bring his message to those in his hometown who face the same problems he once had. His debut video "I Hate You" is off his Chronicles of an X-Hustler record (released in 2009) and hits the crack issue head on.
Playing the opposite role is Races. Instead of finding Jesus, they lost him (they were formerly known as Black Jesus). They have a new single out "Big Broom" in preparation for their debut 7 inch on Jaxart Records. The single is limited to 500 copies so pre-order yours now. A full length should be coming later this year.
Almost everything Diamond Rings touches turns to gold for me. He makes an appearance on "Leftovers" by PS I Love You and it certainly does not become the exception to the rule.
When I wake in the middle of the night it is usually due to some awful dream about crash landing my hot air balloon into a cactus patch shaped like my high school Spanish teacher (thank god these things don't come true). For Bernadette Malavarca, vocalist for Bern & the Brights, a middle of the night awakening inspired a few moments of clairvoyance as she jotted in a notebook: "Gonna start a band. It'll be Bern & the Brights...should be sleeping." In 2008, thanks to a local bookstore closing, those scribbled words became a reality.
Joining Bernadette for that bookstore appearance were Catherine McGowan (guitar and vocals), Shawn Fafara (bass) and Jose Ulloa (drums). Since then, the four band mates have worked tirelessly to create a genre of music that is not quite pop or indie or folk or wave but some combination that falls within those quaternion boundaries. This is how they like it. Blur the lines in order to "make hearts burst, faces melt, mouths kiss and bodies move."
Bern & the Brights do all this and more with their two new singles "Starchild" and "Lost in the Sea." Both tracks feature hints of melancholy frustration that is eventually nudged out of the way in favor of something stronger; the idea that "love is the law." The new singles will be available on April 16th, Record Store Day. A celebration of epic proportions will follow. Bern & the Brights will offer not one but two opportunities to catch them in person that day. First, there is a late afternoon acoustic in store set at Tunes in Hoboken. That is followed by an evening romp at Maxwell's.
Time for another installment of Philly's Phinest (cheese steak, jalapeno jack soft pretzels, vegan pretzel stick with agave nectar mustard). This time we are celebrating the beginning of baseball season. While I follow hockey regularly and football sporadically, baseball is numero uno in my book. Nothing beats the warm weather, the green fields, the statistics and the nuances involved in the game (of course it doesn't hurt that the Phillies have been money the last few years). Friday, at one, was the beginning of their season. This meant I would miss the game because of work. Thankfully it was being televised nationally so I was able to record it on my computer. After work: I came home, cooked a batch of vegetarian Italian Roast Pork Sandwiches and watched the Phillies pull out a nailbiter. What a way to begin the season!
1. Make the seitan according to directions (I used Post Punk Kitchen's version although I left out the soy sauce from the cooking water). Pre-packaged seitan would work just as well (though you can't flavor it how you like).
2. While the seitan is cooking, fill a pot with three quarts of water and some salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Place the collard greens in the water and boil for seven minutes. Dump the collards in a strainer, reserving 1/4 a cup of the cooking water.
3. In a saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, making sure you don't burn the garlic. Cook for two minutes. Add the collard greens and saute for five minutes. Dump in the reserved cooking water and heat for an additional five minutes (or until you are finished with the seitan).
4. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a wok. Slice the seitan into strips and place in the wok. Saute for five minutes.
5. Mix the rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread over the top of the seitan. Using a spatula, flip the seitan and cook for five more minutes on the other side.
6. To assemble the sandwiches. Gently toast the sub rolls in the oven until desired texture. Layer the provolone cheese on the bottom, the seitan next and top with the collard greens. Enjoy with your favorite condiments.
Notes: The traditional philly sandwich calls for broccoli rabe but here in the south, it isn't easy to find so I used collards instead. You can leave the salt out of the rosemary mixture seeing as the seitan already has a slight saltiness to it.
Picture a lusus naturae with twelve heads, twenty four arms and the ability topen a garage rock lullaby in a matter of moments. Got the picture? It probably looks a lot like Brisbane's Velociraptor. Inspired by the likes of the Zombies, Gerry and the Pacemakers and the Honeycombs, Velciraptor is currently recording their debut album (which should be released in the second half of 2011). For now we have "In the Springtime" and "Sleep with the Fishes" to tide us over. Thanks to Triple J Unearthed for the introduction.
Some piddly things you can get away with half baking. This mix is not for them. This mix is for the big bad beasties that not only require one baking but a second just to cement their awesomeness. Bake. Listen to this playlist. Repeat.
