Italian Dinner Party With Music by Jordan Bolton

A number of friends have been urging me to cook food for them. I decided that yesterday would be the day. Ten of our friends joined us for an Italian themed dinner party. The menu consisted of:

Lightening Sholay Sallet

Caprese Salad (made by Chris and Sarah)

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Fennel Au Gratin

Meatball Sliders

Tomato Tart

Pasta Ponza

French Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries and Blueberries

The sliders and the vanilla ice cream garnered the loudest response, while the fennel and tomato tart were also pretty popular.

If it were up to me, which it wasn't, our soundtrack would've consisted of a mix of new music from the great artists I've enjoyed recently. Instead J-Fur took care of the music and sent us on a Bill and Ted like flash back to the 90's.

But J-Fur couldn't take away the cooking process where I listened to the solo work of Jordan Bolton, a 19 year old Manchester artists who began writing his first demo last year at college (it became his Jazz Hands EP and was released in October). Since that time he has finished a second EP (Silver Age) and continued to work on making his music more cohesive. His latest offering is a single track called "Duluoz Nights." It sounds like a man leaving night church that tries to cross a street only to be hit be a car and face a near death experience where angels perform a spoken word opera while the rest of the congregation lines the street singing verses in hopes that they are heard above. Check it:

Duluoz Nights by Jordan Bolton

And an older song, "Control":

Control by Jordan Bolton

*All pictures were taken by J-Fur. Isn't she great?

Artist's Cookbook: Date and Orange Muffins and Chai Tea Courtesy of You and Me

It wasn't long ago that any thought or mention of pronouns would instantly bring on the cold sweats. Memories of Mrs. M and her "grammar patrol" came to the surface after years of being suppressed. With the rise of pronoun rich bands such as She and Him I have been forced to meet these anxieties head on. It has been a slow process but I think I am finally getting over the trauma.

That's great news, especially since I recently was introduced to another pronoun driven band, You and Me. You and Me is a Montreal based folk blues band spearheaded by Valerie Giroux and James Lemay. These two have been making the rounds since 2001, playing in places as varied as Santa Monica, San Antonio, New Orleans and Key West. Along the way they nurtured a fan base that includes the likes of Jeb Brien a producer/director at Sony. It wasn't long before a demo was requested. The two took the DIY approach and turned their Westfalia van into a solar powered recording studio. Ultimately they weren't signed to Sony but the experience of completing every part of the recording process on their own opened their eyes to talents that they didn't necessarily know they had. You and Me have just completed their debut album all on their own taking great pain to make sure the producing, engineering, mixing, arranging and performing are exactly how they want it.

"Head Up High" is the second track on their album and it features bongo drums, sexy grooves and some quiet attitude. None of this takes away from the happiness one feels while listening along. While it isn't my favorite track on the album (that would be "Today is Gonna Be a Better Day") it is the one that demonstrates what You and Me can be the best:

You and Me - Head up high by write.click.cook.listen

Check out the rest of the album via bandcamp (you can also download "Head Up High" for free there):

With all this going on it is amazing that the band still finds time to bake (let alone eat). One of their specialties is Dates and Orange Muffins. Pair it with their Home Brewed Chai Tea and you've got, just like James and Valerie, an amazing and complimentary duo.

Big Hot Love Potatoes (aka Crash Hot Potatoes) Eased From the Sack by the Solomons and Toucan

Jill Dupleix, a freelance food writer who was born in Australia, created the recipe for these beautiful little things on the left and dubbed them Crash Hot Potatoes. Due to my recent marathon of Big Love episodes, including one with a serious conversation by the three wives while potato peeling, I have begun to refer to them as Big Hot Love Potatoes (it doesn't hurt that they are so easy...to make). Simply throw together some olive oil, salt, rosemary and potatoes, bake them a little and then slightly smash them. Trust me, your wife/wives will love you for it.

In honor of Jill's Australian upbringing I turned on the sounds of the Solomons and Toucan while making these potatoes.

The Solomons-Waiting for Something to Happen

Toucan-On the Run

Frikadellen Slathered in Lamb & Tyger, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Letting Up Despite Great Faults and the Applebutter Express

A Friday night trip to Mr. Dunderbaks was supposed to fulfill my German quota for the weekend. I made extremely quick work of a vegetarian Reuben, pomme frites and potato latkes. Yet there I was, Saturday morning, still a-hankerin for some German foods. I found a recipe for Frikadellen, which is sort of like a German hamburger, on the Dunderbaks Facebook page and decided to work my veggie magic on it.

Frikadellen

(printable version)

-1 package soy crumbles

-2 shallots, diced

-1/2 baguette

-2 eggs (or vegan substitute)

-1 Tbs mustard

-1 tsp vegetarian better than bouillon (or 1 bouillon cube)

-parsley

-black pepper

-vegetable oil

1. Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and heat over medium low heat.

2. Mix the soy crumbles and shallots in a large metal bowl.

3. Rip the baguette into chunks and place in a separate metal bowl. Cover with water to moisten. Drain the water. Squeeze excess water from bread. Add the bread to the soy crumble mixture. Combine.

4. Pour the remaining ingredients into the soy mixture. Stir. Form the mixture into patties.

5. Place the patties in veggie oil and fry until browned (about six to eight minutes). Flip and repeat on the other side. Essen!

Rash Records has gone and done it again. Without even giving it a second thought, they've taken 20 of William Blake's poems, turned them into songs (with the help of a variety of artists) and offered for free. They've even made it "suitable for vegetarians and vegans who may need to avoid eating digital music." Brian O'Shaughnessy's rethinking of "The Lamb" is my favorite.

Brian O'Shaughnessy-The Lamb

Earlier in the year I wrote about Macklemore and Lewis' "My Oh My" a hip-hop tribute to baseball, Seattle and Dave Niehaus. This song has been a staple on my MP3 player since then. The duo (Macklemore the rapper, Lewis the producer) released a new video late last week for their song "Wings." Like its predecessor, "Wings" starts with a childhood memory and then springboards into an examination of society through lyrics that sound more like the narration of a story and less like a song. Macklemore and Lewis' songs have a deep social awareness to them, this one questioning consumerism and the swoosh that so many people have to have on their clothing. This social awareness is a big reason why they are quickly becoming one of my favorite duos.

Macklemore and Lewis-Wings via the Music Ninja

Letting Up Despite Great Faults has a new EP set for release on August 2nd via Old Flame Records. The band has already released "Teenage Tide" for free download and now they have offered a second track, "Sophia in Gold." Its whispered lyrics over electronic beats and lolling music. Imagine the Postal Service performing in a library and you have a good idea of what "Sophia in Gold" is offering. I, for one, am accepting.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Sophia In Gold by lettingup

Performing on Friday night at Dunderbaks was a local Tampa band called the Applebutter Express. This duo applies their special blend of ukulele funk to covers (especially Weezer) as well as originals. "Handguns and Hammocks" comes from their reverbnation page and features Dennis Stadelman (of Cope), Joe Trivette and Matt DeSear.

Part 2: Newermind and Zuppa Bastard (the Food)

I think Zuppa means soup in another language. Even if it doesn't, I'm going to pretend it does. Zuppa Bastard, Bastard Soup. This soup is illegitimate. It came from another soup that may or may not have meant to spawn such an offspring but it just so happens that it did. It goes perfectly with Newermind and Part 1, illegitimate children to Kurt Cobain's empire as I'm sure he is rolling in his grave hearing some of the renditions that were put forth on Spin's tribute to his band.

As I mentioned in that post, what is the point of covering a song if you aren't going to add your take on it. I think recipes work the same way. I made this soup twice, once how I was told to do it by Mary over at One Perfect Bite (a great blog that throws down some mean dishes) and I made it a second time my way. Her's reminded me too much of Thanksgiving (sorry that is what sage does to me) mine more reminiscent of a summer beach trip to a place I can't afford and, more importantly, better in tune with what I like to eat.

Zuppa Bastard (adapted from One Perfect Bite)

(printable version)

-1/2 onion

-3 celery stalks, diced

-2 large cloves garlic, pressed

-3 cans cannelloni beans, drained

-3 cups veggie broth

-1/2 tsp thyme

-salt

-pepper

-baguette

-Parmesan Cheese (or leave it out for the vegan in you)

1. In a cast iron skillet saute the onion, celery and carrots for 8 minutes (or until softened).

2. Add the garlic and saute an additional minute.

3. Stir in two cans of beans, broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer, on medium-low, for 10 minutes.

4. Slice the baguette into half inch pieces and toast in the oven. I like my slightly brown, take yours wherever you want it to go.

5. After the soup has simmered, use an immersion blender (or food processor) to blend it. Dump in the third can of beans to give it a little texture. Heat for another two minutes.

6. Place the toasted baguette (I went with three slices per bowl) in a bowl. Top with soup and Parmesan Cheese (if using). Quickly enjoy the illegitimacy.

Another track from Newermind: Telekinesis and his enthralling cover of "On a Plain."

Telekinesis-On a Plain

The Original:

Part 1: Newermind and Zuppa Bastard (the Music)

20 years ago Nirvana released their magnum opus, Nevermind. I don't really need to say much about the album except it is the only one that myself, my brother and my cousin agreed was worthy of screaming from my bedroom window at 2:00 in the morning (you know the term sleepy town, that was certainly my town the next morning). To celebrate the anniversary Spin released, for free, a tribute called Newermind (get it here). It features the likes of the Meat Puppets, Surfer Blood, Foxy Shazam, Amanda Palmer and Titus Andronicus.

Cover songs/albums fall into two categories. There are the ones that do very little to change the original (think AFI's cover of "Last Caress") which leave the listener wondering why. Why even put out the cover if you are not going to add your own interpretation? Then there are those that really change things around ("Hurt" by Johnny Cash or "Faith" by Limp Bizkit) which leave the listener wondering why or how. Why did you do that to my beloved song? How did you take a great song and make it even better (or at least on par). Most of the songs on Newermind fit into the latter category. The album is a lot like if your hipster brother put a flannel shirt or an ugly ass cardigan over his urban outfitter tee while leaving his dark rimmed glasses and fitted jeans on and then went out trick or treating as Nirvana. I mean 20 years is a long time and perhaps my memory fails me but I don't remember Nevermind including crowd sounds, bells, rounds, banjos, church hymns, English accents, chimes, pianos, click tracks, sunny pop songs or drum machines. Newermind has all of these and more. Here is my take on each track in three sentences or less:

Meat Puppets ("Smells Like Teen Spirit")-An indie folk rendition of the original which showcases Curt Kirkwood's off-key singing. I know it was purposeful but that chorus makes me cringe every time I hear it.

Butch Walker & the Black Widows ("In Bloom")-These guys take In Bloom and apply it literally as the chorus is extremely sunny. The verses remind me of the White Stripes with their emphasis of the bass.

Midnight Juggernauts ("Come As You Are")-Horrid. Awful. Blasphemous. Grotesque.

Titus Andronicus ("Breed")-Sounds like the original if it had been performed in a bar with a group of friends raising their glasses and shouting out the chorus.

The Vaselines ("Lithium")-A slow hymnal that seems best served with strong drugs. Not my cup of tea but maybe yours.

Amanda Palmer ("Polly")-Takes a song that pretty dark in the first place and tries to launch it to that place in space where light doesn't exist. Banjos, chimes and xylophones create the mood but I'm left hoping for a little more.

Surfer Blood ("Territorial Pissings")-My initial thought when I saw this pairing was "No way in hell is that going to work." Despite botching the David Grohl intro, the song stands out as being very true to the original form.

Foxy Shazam ("Drain You")-What if Freddie Mercury or Mika led Nirvana instead of Kurt Cobain? What if their sound worked better in the stadium than at the dingy bar? You'd probably have wound up with something like this. One of the new interpretations that I actually find "fun" (especially with the skiddi-bop episode in the middle).

Jessica Lea Mayfield ("Lounge Act")-One of my loves about the original is that the tempo slows slightly for the verses and then really catches on fire during the chorus. Those tempos are slowed down immensely here which seemed unnatural as my foot twitched the whole way through waiting for the kick in.

Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band ("Stay Away")- I never dreamed of making love to a Nirvana song until hearing this soul inspired version. Probably wouldn't use it for much else.

Telekinesis ("On a Plain)-Of all the tracks on the album this one is the most like the original. Add Kurt's scratchy voice and pump the wall of sound up a little and you'd never know the difference. Is there any surprise that I look at this track as being the best one?

Jeff the Brotherhood ("Something in the Way")-Wasn't a fan of the original, wasn't a fan of the remake. I did like how the lyrics stood out in this version because I think they are outstanding (for example: "its ok to eat fish because they don't have any feelings").

EMA ("Endless Nameless")-One of the keepers as she retains the decibels and feedback of the original but puts her own stamp on the lyrics.

But don't take my word for it, this is something you have to experience for yourself. Remember, if it pains you (like some of it did me) you didn't spend any money for it.

Titus Andronicus-Breed

The Original:

I made bastard soup to go with this album. I'll have that posted shortly as Part 2.

Where We Eat: Burger 21 Shaken with Alexander Ebert and the Submarines

Call me old fashioned but my first reaction when Burger 21, an upscale burger diner located in Westchase, asked me to come to a tasting was "I'd love to try your fries and shakes but I won't be eating any burgers, I'm a vegetarian." I was quickly assured that this is the 21st century and they do offer two vegetarian options at their restaurant (as most places, except Applebees, do now). I quickly hopped in my horse and buggy and made the two day trip to the restaurant.

The first thing I noticed, probably the teacher in me, upon entering Burger 21 was the diner's charity board (picture on the left). One of the core beliefs of the restaurant is that they support neighborhood charity organizations and on the 21st of each month a portion of their proceeds go towards that month's charity. July's charity is Citrus Park Elementary (score one for them before I even sat down to eat).

Enough dilly dally let's talk food. Burger 21 offers 21 types of burgers (they also have salads, hot dogs, fries and shakes) including a "Burger of the Month" which changes each month on...you guessed it, the 21st. As I mentioned before, only two of these burgers are vegetarian. The first burger I tried was the Greek burger. It is a veggie burger topped with lettuce, tomato, roasted sweet peppers, feta spread and pickled cucumbers on a whole wheat roll.

My half of the Greek

Using Lynyrd Skynyrd style southern rock as a metaphor, this burger was sort of like "Simple Man." It was very plain, nothing really stood out about it and the sum of its parts seemed like it should add up to a whole lot more. I wasn't too thrilled by it. I think if they were going this approach, the veggie burger should've been made out of something closer to Falafel. I probably would've really dug it then. If the Greek is "Simple Man" then the second vegetarian option, the Black Bean Burger, is "Free Bird." This burger banged. It was thick, full of flavor and combined a number of interesting elements that each stood out while also meshing together to create an excellent burger.

The Black Bean Burger

For the record, the Black Bean Burger is lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, salsa, low-fat sun dried tomato aioli and cilantro sour cream on a whole wheat roll. I've mentioned many times on this blog how I hate mayo and cilantro. This burger could've easily gone wrong for me but, thanks to the subtleness of the flavors, it was oh so right.

While most other participants dined on fries, neither of my burgers came with them. I didn't say anything because I wanted to save room for the shakes and the fries were shoe string which I am not really a fan of. I did try one of Carlos' (Carlos Eats) sweet potato fries. He raved about the combination of sweet and salty how they perfectly supported each other. I don't like sweet potato so I thought they were only so-so, not enough to make me do somersaults. What I did like is that the restaurant offers a sauce bar with eight sauces for dipping. They have toasted marshmallow (too sweet), apple cider (refrained from trying), chipotle mayo (abstained), mango scotch bonnet ketchup (interesting, not sure if it was in a good way or not), ketchup, mustard, honey mustard and thai ketchup (my favorite as it had a hint of spiciness to it).

Burger 21 also offers a full selection of shakes. We sampled seven of them (I only had six missing out on the Tiramisu, the monthly special). I was really impressed that the shakes weren't overly sugary or artificial tasting like a lot of shakes can be. There was actual work that had to be done in order to top these, not just pouring from a bottle or scooping from a container. If you like to drink your milkshakes from a straw, these probably aren't for you. These are thick and chock full of goodies that requires some sort of spoon use. Even with the extra fat straws, I still couldn't get it all up.

The Chocolate Malted Milk Ball Shake

Not a big chocolate fan but I really liked this shake. It includes homemade chocolate syrup (made from dark Ghirardelli chocolate), half a malted milk ball, cocoa powder and blue bell ice cream. Despite all the sugary ingredients the overall taste is not overly sweet.

Strawberry Shortcake Shake

If you like shortcake, you'll like this shake. It tastes very close to the real thing. It uses real strawberries and includes a chunk of shortcake. Probably my second favorite shake.

Ybor City Double Espresso

The coffee drinkers raved about this one. It reminded me too much of a bad tofu rub I made a few weeks ago which also included espresso. If I liked coffee I might've enjoyed this one. As it was, it was way too strong for me.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

I was really excited about this one (I mean look at my krispies). Sadly it was a disappointment as it was way to peanut buttery and not enough chocolate. Even with the crumbled Reese's on top (which are the perfect balance) the result was not great.

Key Lime Shake

A pleasant surprise. I like key lime but most of the time it is cranked the artificial lime taste is cranked way too high. This shake had only a subtle bit of lime. It probably could've used even more. But, when working with key lime, it is better to err on the side of too little.

Bananas Foster Shake

I am so over bananas. I ate one every day for like a month and I haven't eaten them since. This shake included a hot, carmelized banana, cinnamon and sugar (just a touch) and a bit caramel on top. Considering that I am over bananas and I don't like caramel I figured this would be a one and done shake. I was wrong as I sucked it completely down. I turned to my partners to see if they had any left over that I could drink but most of them had put this away quickly too. My favorite shake that Burger 21 has to offer, hands down. Well, at least until the 21st when they offer a new flavor.

Burger 21 is well worth the two day buggy ride for the Black Bean Burger and Bananas Foster Shake alone. Add the thai ketchup and the additional shakes and you've got a place that I will be returning soon.

Burger 21 on Urbanspoon

Riding off in the sunset, Burger 21 behind me, I heard the sounds of Alexander Ebert (leading man for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes) and RZA. As J-Fur says "Truth" is a cowboy movie, the ending, where the hero is walking out of town with tumbleweeds and setting sun behind him. This is probably because she just watched Rango.

Alexander Ebert Featuring RZA-Truth via KickKickSnare

"Shoelaces" by the Submarines really has no logical tie in to Burger 21, I've just been listening to it a lot lately (including on the way to the tasting).

the Submarines-Shoelaces via the Music Bosses

Food Pairing 101: What goes well with vegan peanut butter rice krispie treats?

This afternoon I watched World Cup Soccer while snacking on vegan peanut butter rice krispies treats. I used this recipe, jacked up the peanut butter and added a double shot of chocolate ganache topping from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. And to think I was under the impression that you had to use marshmallow to make these treats (which technically make rice krispie treats not even vegetarian). I thank my brother for showing me how wrong I was.

After the US lost and a second batch of the krispies failed I needed a song that would kick my temporary doldrums by telling me that everything would be ok. In comes Noah and the Whale and out go my blues. "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N" is a laid back wavy tune with a joint spelling driven chorus and sing-a-longs that make me long for the classroom or a back porch gathering of Bloserville's finest. It also makes me forget about failed penalty kicks and subpar desserts for nearly four minutes. Oh, and ants too.

Noah and the Whale-L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Walking On Eggshells by King Post Kitsch

One of the thrills of pursuing a vegan diet is never having to watch your step. I would say walking on egg shells is probably the fifth most painful thing you could walk on:

Most Painful to Walk On:

1. Seashell

2. Nail

3. Fish Hook

4. Human Tooth

5. Egg Shells

I'm pretty sure King Post Kitsch and his 70's style electro-psychadelic bubblegum pop knows exactly what I'm talking about. That's an assumption I know but when I called to ask him about it he was out filming. King Post Kitsch has an album, The Party's Over, which you can get directly from Song, by Toad Records.

King Post Kitsch - Walking on Eggshells by Song, by Toad

Recipe Remix: Queens Style Stuffed Tempeh Burgers and The Amends

Last week I posted a new Artist's Cookbook with The Miami. The recipe was for stuffed turkey burgers but seeing as that isn't something that I could easily digest I decided to remix it into a more vegetarian/vegan friendly dish. I'd love to go on and on about how well this remix turned out and how everyone loved it but...no one else had a chance to eat any. It made four burgers and, like one of those A & E television shows, I hoarded them to myself.

Queens Style Stuffed Tempeh Burgers (Tender B. Remix)

(printable version)

-1 block of tempeh, broken into chunks

-1/2 cup of pecan powder

-12 saltines

-6 oz tomato paste

-2 Tbs. tamari

-garlic powder

-fresh mozzarella (or favorite vegan mozzarella)

-crushed red pepper

-steak sauce

-fresh basil

-4 buns, toasted

1. Steam the tempeh chunks in a bamboo steamer (or other steamer) for twenty minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then crumble with your hands into a large bowl.

2. Process the pecans and crackers in a food processor until powdered (if you have actual pecan powder you just need to powder the crackers). Combine powdered crackers and pecans with tempeh.

3. Add the tomato paste, tamari and garlic powder (which I didn't measure but it was probably about a tbs) to the tempeh mixture. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

4. Divide the mixture into four piles. Begin forming patties. Make a hole in the center, rip off a chunk of mozzarella and place it inside along with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Reform the patty so that the mozzarella and pepper are in the middle. Repeat with the other three patties.

5. Using a skillet, heat the patties over medium heat. I heated mine until the were starting to brown (about 8 minutes a side) but you can cook yours until your desired texture (maybe you like your tempeh rare?). With about a minute left in cooking time dump steak sauce on the patties. Smear over the top, flip and smear again. Add some more mozzarella and a few basil leaves. Place a lid over the burger, melt the cheese and serve on toasted buns. Hoard for yourself.

The remixed burgers went great with a band who knows a thing or two about making minor changes (or at least that is what their moniker implies). The Amends are from Boulder, Colorado and they are preparing for the release of their first full length next Saturday (July 23rd). The band will celebrate that night with a show at the Meadowlark in Denver. Until the full length we can celebrate as silicon strangers the rip roaring, mile a minute, dance your face off sounds of the band's previous EP of demos. "Dance" is my favorite tune.

The Amends-Dance (demo mix)

The rest of the EP:

Check out two singles from the upcoming album at the Amend's bandcamp page.

Where We Eat: The Limousines to the Laughing Cat

(photo courtesy of Tampabay.com found under Creative Commons)

The Laughing Cat is an Ybor restaurant that specializes in "new & progressive Italian Cuisine." This means that they make their pasta from scratch and fuse the freshest ingredients together to create a unique dining experience. The restaurant, located in a tiny brick building, has a charming romantic feel to it. This is one of the reasons why J-Fur wanted to go there for Valentine's Day and why we returned last week to celebrate Lana's birthday.

Like most Italian restaurants, the Laughing Cat starts their guests with a basket of fresh baked bread. The bread is soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and goes great with olive oil and spices (though they surprisingly don't seem to have this at the Cat) or butter. It is a great thing to chew on while pondering your meal choice and catching up with friends.

The menu features an extensive collection of antipasti, insalate, zuppe, main courses and desserts. Unfortunately they don't have many main dishes that are vegetarian (forget vegan) but since the pasta is made to order it wouldn't seem to be a big deal (though it is, which I'll address a little later). On our Valentine's Day trip J-Fur and I started with mozzarella caprese and the insalata toscana (mixed greens, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apples, nuts and gorgonzola). For Lana's birthday we skipped the appetizers and went straight to the meal.

The caprese and salad were very good as the vegetables were fresh and juicy and the balance of oil and vinegar to vegetables seemed just about right. For our main dishes, I ordered the tortellini genovese minus the prosciutto (this was at Valentine's Day) and the Melanzana Parmigiana. J-Fur went with the gnocchi patate dolci and the spaghetti primavera.

Half of my Eggplant leftover the next day

None of the main courses are cheap. They start around 13.95 (for the pasta primavera) and go to somewhere around 40.00 dollars (for a fish special of some sort). While the portion size is very large, we can always get at least two meals out of it, the food isn't amazing enough that I feel comfortable shelling out so much money. My biggest problem is the lack of vegetarian/vegan options. It has been my experience that when you combat the lack of veggie menu items by ordering a meat dish and removing the meat the rest of the dish is thrown off just a tad. My tortellini didn't have as much punch as I had hoped and it lacked a little on the pesto side. J-Fur's gnocchi was very rich and needed a decent amount of salt (or tomato sauce) to really bring all the flavors together and her pasta primavera was only so-so (but is pasta primavera really ever that great?). The eggplant, which was vegetarian to begin with, was absolutely fabulous (though I can make it at home for much less money). There aren't major problems with the Laughing Cat. There is nothing that would be reason enough for me to say that it isn't good food or you shouldn't go there. I just think that it is too overpriced and limited for the vegetarian/vegan eater.

I've heard of a few other Italian restaurants in the Tampa area that are more suitable for vegetarians. Guess I'll have to give them a try.

The Laughing Cat is located at 1820 N. 15th Street, Tampa, FL 33605.

To really give the night an accurate feel I should've arrived at the Laughing Cat in a limousine (if you gonna pay more, why not pay more). I wasn't able to arrange this but I did the next best thing. I enjoyed the indietronica sounds of California's the Limousines. Specifically "Dancing at Her Funeral" and "Internet Killed the Video Star." Both tracks come from Get Sharp which was originally released in 2010 and then re-released early this year on Dangerbird Records.

Dancing At Her Funeral by TheLimousines

"Did you hear what they said? That Rock 'N' Roll is dead? Yeah, Its like a zombie it'll dig itself back up again."

Tea: A Drink with Jam and Lucy Rose

It has taken a while but some people are starting to get it. The general tendency is to view food and music with completely separate lenses as if they are two different endeavors. But in each realm their exists a similar amount of creativity, spontaneity, passion and excitement necessary for a good performance. I've argued, for the last two and a half years, that food and music aren't that different. More and more people are showing signs of agreeing. So who are these people that are starting to "get" it? CSS released a cooking mixtape and included a recipe for cookies with it, M. Ward and Jim James started a creme brulee blog, Frettin For Food has been putting on concerts to benefit the Blount County food pantry, Steve Albini blogs about his Italian cooking experiences, Dekuliner performs culinary blues rock songs and the Vegan Black Metal Chef sings his recipes in a scary way. To the list we now must add English singer-songwriter Lucy Rose.

Lucy caught her big break when Scottish music critic Edith Bowman heard an early demo and liked it. This led to gigs with Mumford & Sons, collaborations with Bombay Bicycle Club and eventually to headlining shows that sell out in mere minutes and You Tube videos that reach six figures in views. Lucy's connection with food comes at her live gigs. While the merchandise tables of other bands are crowded with t-shirts, bandannas, pomade and actual albums, Lucy prefers to market her own brand of tea (Builder's Grey pictured above) and jam. The tea sells out at every show. The number of jam units purchased to date is 43. When pressed (asked nicely) for the jam recipe Lucy slyly provided a list of ingredients (ginger, rhubarb, apple, lemon, sugar and fruit pectin) with no measurements or instructions. Gotta protect the merchandise! That's just another reason why she "gets" it.

Lucy Rose's first single "Middle of the Bed" will be officially released on August 8th. She will be performing at various festivals throughout the summer (including Belladrum, In the Woods and Bestival).

Lucy Rose - Middle Of The Bed by Lucy Rose

Food Pairing 101: What goes well with the Black Rabbits debut album?

The Black Rabbits are an indie rock quartet that formed in Orlando. They write songs full of dichotomies. According to lead singer Jetson "It's loud yet soft, edgy yet pure, it has retro elements and modern ones, it's both serious and playful at the same time."

The band has already met with a moderate amount of success after only releasing one EP (self-titled 2010). They've played the Grammy Showcase during the Florida Music Fest, been interviewed by MTV as an up and coming band, featured on Fox News, and appeared on a number of television shows such as Keeping up with the Kardashians and MTV's The Real World. With their signing to Rock Ridge Music and their debut album things are only going to go up.

Hypno Switch features ten tracks that skillfully maneuver around the fine line that separates turbulence from harmony. Imagine a trapeze artist, one step from careening towards his death but still moving along firm and balanced and you've imagined one of the tracks on the album. Jet is the only other band that I can think of that delicately balances these two opposing forces in such a defiant act of brilliance.

The stand out tracks on Hypno Switch are three: "Twist," "For Way to Long," and "Emotion." I've listened to these on repeat for the last few days and I can't get enough of them. The triumvirate of tracks go best with a recipe that embodies their raw energy and precision. Something like this Cacao Pistachio Florentine Mint Ice Cream Sandwich (talk about beast!).

The Black Rabbits - Twist by theblackrabbits

The Black Rabbits - Emotion by theblackrabbits

Another good track "For Way too Long Now":

The Black Rabbits - For Way Too Long Now by theblackrabbits

Buy Hypno Switch.

Visit the Black Rabbits on: Soundcloud, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, or YouTube

Baker's Dozen: Interview with Stray Kites

("Do or Die" from Stray Kite's Facebook page)

Ashburn, Virginia is a city of about 88,000 people. The town used to be called Farmwell. It is located about 30 miles Northwest of Washington, D.C. Ashburn houses the practice facility for the NFL's Washington Redskins. Most importantly it is the home to "folk pop" duo Stray Kites whose track "Misanthrope" was part of our Get Him to the Greek (Food) Mix . Recently I had the chance to interview, via email, Stray Kites and discuss Ashburn, horrible books, food allergies, potlucks and much more.

TB: Who are the Stray Kites and what would they bring to a potluck?

Junior: Well we're a duo from Ashburn, Northern Virginia. Max plays percussion and I sing, play guitar, vibraphone, and so on. Together we like to make some honest "folk pop" music. Aaaaand we'd bring dessert dishes. I'd probably bring a pecan pie or muffins.

Max: Same, but if I could I'd bring candy.

TB: On the bandcamp page for your last album, One Day, Earth Time, the quote "Our music is full of milk and peanut butter and gluten and pollen and dander and bee stings and a lot of people are allergic to it" appears. What prompted that?

Max: After we finished One Day, Earth Time a friend asked us to describe the music and in my opinion it's a little hard to swallow and explain. This seemed like the best way to describe it.

TB: You guys are hard at work on your second LP, Mieux, which will be released on July 22nd via your bandcamp page. Is this album more of the same or does it differ from its predecessor?

Junior: It's pretty different from what we've done before. A lot more emotive and cohesive. I'm really unsure how biased my opinion is of what we do, but I feel like I'm getting better at writing poetry and music and I feel good about it.

Max: I think it's still got a sort of "homemade" quality about it, as it should; we recorded it all ourselves, but I also think there's a bit of a different vibe to it. It sounds a bit more mature in the instrumentation. We've got some friends helping us out by providing trumpet and vibraphone and I'm really excited for it too.

TB: Let's talk a little more about the instrumentation. You've posted two singles from Mieux on your bandcamp page. Both "Misanthrope" and "All is Well" seem to be addressing friends and their shortfalls. Musically the two songs approach this from different perspectives. "Misanthrope" is very cheery with handclaps and a dumbeck. "All is Well" sounds more frantic and angry thanks mainly to the vibraphone. How does Stray Kites go about creating the mood of a song by matching lyrics with music?

Junior: Almost all the songs on Mieux are esoteric in that way and refer to friendships and whatnot. I think it's because I wrote the songs while/after feeling strong emotions. I write the lyrics before the music: it feels like the lyrics end up being more meaningful and the music more necessary that way. And if it means anything, "All is Well" is the most abrasive song on the LP.

TB: I have to ask, who is Noelle?

Max: A heart attack.

Junior: My best friend forever and the greatest and most annoying person I've ever met.

TB: Knowing that you are into painting Junior, did you create the cover art for Mieux? Why does this cover work for the album?

Junior: I am and I did! I try to make for there to be a reason behind everything we do as a band and we had friends do the paintings for "Misanthrope" and "All is Well." Looking back on the songs on Mieux and specifically the way we had recorded them it only seemed appropriate that I finger paint the album's artwork.

TB: You are giving Mieux away basically for free (name your own price) but you are offering two free tracks to anyone that pays for the album. Why give your music away for free? What do you hope will happen as a result of offering a bonus to anyone who pays?

Max: We believe what we do has value. We believe our music has worth. It's just not up to us to determine exactly how much that is.

Junior: The whole point in giving our music away for free is that it takes away any monetary motivation to make it. Being intrinsically motivated to write music, or anything really, makes me feel "clean." It assures me that what we're doing is genuine and not contrived. With the bonus tracks we hope to give some incentive to people to help us out.

TB: According to your Facebook page, Stray Kites have an interest in sociology, psychology, theology and philosophy. How do these outside interests help or hinder the band?

Junior: I'm not sure I can answer how it helps or hinders us, but I do know it has an effect on the writing. I have a problem with over analyzing everything and I feel like thinking on and studying those things is putting it to good use.

TB: I've read some dull books in my day, usually because of school. But as far as I'm concerned, no book was as bad as Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. In a previous interview you suggest that Ashburn's music scene is "dryer than Joesph Bruchac's novel Code Talkers. Now I'm intrigued. What makes Code Talkers so bad and what is Ashburn missing that other cities have?

Junior: Hahaha. Code Talkers was a book assigned to me in school and truly is the worst book I've ever read. Ever! It was one of those verbose books where nothing happens. If the book was a girl she'd be a pretty brunette with a big nose who'd eventually dye her hair blonde. She would be a good conversationalist when it came to small talk and she'd stand up for her own passionate opinions. Unfortunately, they'd all be uneducated opinions.

Max: I live in NOVA, New Babylon/a sun worshiping throng in ubiquitous fog/sojourners get sucked in "It's not worth regretting." You rarely get exactly what you've been expecting...That'll make sense on the 22nd.

TB: Music scene aside, is there anything worth checking out in Ashburn?

Max: Nope.

Junior: New episodes of Adventure Time. Monday nights @ eight on Cartoon Network.

TB: Since it is still fresh in my mind, how does a folk pop duo residing in such a dull place spend their fourth of July?

Max: We wore Captain America shirts and drove to the Pentagon in D.C. and watched some fireworks over there.

Junior: Before that we spent a good 5 hours recording in the basement...which is ideal.

TB: Does Stray Kites get the chance to do much cooking? Any special recipes you care to share?

Max: I'm famous for my leftovers. Never abuse the microwave's +30 second button.

Junior: I don't eat much, but Lil B can assure you that we're Master Chefs.

TB: Ending sentiments?

Junior: Je me sens mieux.

Max: All is well.

Here "All is Well" from Mieux:

And here is "Misanthrope":

Stray Kites-Misanthrope

Greasy Spoon Disco Fries Curdled by The Knux, Moustache of Insanity and Ohbijou

Luigi is this huge Italian guy I've been working with this summer. He took a recent trip to New Jersey for his grandson's confirmation. When he returned to work he spent a whole break (20 minutes) talking about all the glorious food he ate. One of the things he mentioned was combination dish of French Fries, gravy and cheese. Two years ago I would've said that is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard. But not the me of today. The me of today wanted to try it. Well, let me back up a second. I wanted to try it after my first idea, poutine, fell through. Poutine is a combination of french fries, gravy and cheese curds. It is basically something that only people in Wisconsin and Canada can make (go ahead, try finding cheese curds anywhere else). So I "settled" for Luigi's recommendation using fresh, still warm to the touch, fresh mozzarella from Mazzaro's.

Greasy Spoon Disco Fries

(printable version)

-4 potatoes, sliced into fries

-olive oil

-paprika

-onion powder

-garlic powder

-sea salt

-pepper

-vegan gravy

-fresh mozzarella, cut into small squares

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place fries in a metal bowl. Dump in olive oil (enough to coat all the potatoes), paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and sea salt. Toss the fries until they are completely covered with oil and spices. Taste the coating and adjust to your taste.

2. Place the fries in a single row on a baking sheet. Put into the oven and bake for twenty minutes. Using a spatula, flip and cook for an additional ten minutes on the other side.

3. Meanwhile make the vegan gravy.

4. When the fries are done. Top with gravy and fresh mozzarella. Place in your mouth and mingle with aplomb.

For the gravy: It begins with some guitar, tambourines drums and space sounds that scream indie rock. Next thing you know, you are knee deep in a poppy, hip-hop, mind bender that sounds like Outkast minus the shaking of a polaroid picture and....oh my god is that Kid Cudi? This is what New Orleans hybrid rockers the Knux have done in their most recent track "Run." Its the second single that they've released off their upcoming album Eraser (due out in September via Cherry Tree/Interscope).

The Knux-Run (featuring Kid Cudi) via Indie Shuffle

For the cheese: I tried hard to be bored to death with "Lynn Lowry" by Moustache of Insanity. But every time I reached to turn the song off they slowly spat out something else that made me laugh. This song is me in the sense that I crave low budget, love mute girls, research past actresses on IMDB and can't turn away from zombie sex. I'm also an 8 bit man in a world of whatever bit video games are up to now.

Lynn Lowry-Moustache of Insanity

For the Fries: Back in November of last year I interviewed Canadian band Loon Choir and they talked about bands that they had performed with. One of those bands, Ohbijou, have just released the opening track from their upcoming album. The track, "Niagara," dramatically shifts from singer-songwriter to classical to orchestral to indie rock without sounding forced or overdone. The album, Metal Meets, is due out in September via Last Gang Records.

Ohbijou: "Niagara" by wearesolidgold