write.click.cook.listen

Excuse all the Blood...I've Moved From Here

2011-09-04T19:59:00.003-04:00

In case you missed it, I moved to www.writeclickcooklisten.com. This will allow me to do a little bit more than I can do here. Please come visit.

Thai Bird Chili Tofu and Noodles Spiced with Wise Blood and Capital Cities

2011-08-25T11:55:00.000-04:00

The second stage in chili pepper domination found me knee deep in a familiar place, Thailand. Now I've never officially been to Thailand but I've eaten enough "Thai food" to be an adopted son of the country. With that adoption comes legal papers that allow me to cook food and deem it "Thai" no matter how inauthentic it is. I guess that is a long winded way of saying I don't know whether they would eat this in Thailand or not but in my visions of the country this is all anyone eats.

Thai Bird Chili Tofu and Noodles

(printable version)

-sesame oil
-1 block of tofu, drained and cut into small squares
-1 cup baby carrots, small dice
-1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
-1 clove of garlic
-1/4 cup Thai Basil
-1 cup spinach
-5 Thai Bird Chilies
-2 Tbs. Tamari
-1 Tbs. Lime Juice
-1 tsp. ginger
-1 tsp. brown sugar
-1/2 box Vermicelli pasta

1. Heat the sesame oil in a saucepan. Drop the drained tofu into the oil and heat until beginning to brown slightly (about seven minutes).

2. In a different pan heat a little more sesame oil. Add the baby carrots and bell pepper to warm oil and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and saute for another minute. Combine the carrot mixture with the tofu and cook for 5 minutes. Add the Thai basil and spinach and cook an additional five minutes.

3. In a bowl combine the five chilies (seeds removed and diced small), tamari, lime juice, ginger and brown sugar. Pour the sauce over the tofu and cook for ten more minutes.

4. Meanwhile heat the pasta according to the directions on the box. When the pasta is down, drain it. Combine the noodles and tofu mixture in a large bowl and stir until uniform. Grab your chopsticks and go.

This dish isn't ridiculously hot but it is about as high as I go on the hotness scale. I'm the guy who goes medium at the Thai restaurant and then sweats profusely. In that sense, Wise Blood's new track "Penthouse Suites" is the right fit. After all, you can't go much higher than the penthouse.

Penthouse Suites by Dovecote Records

Now if you are looking to sweat profusely outside of the realm of food, you need to look no further than Capital Cities "Safe and Sound." It's a lot of bounce, a little J Geils Band and smatterings of new wave drenching boasts that would make Henny Penny proud.

Capital Cities-Safe and Sound

Also Check Out:
Eggplant Po' Boys with Wise Blood
Miso Horny Mix with Wise Blood
Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Peppers

Ms. Smith Comes to Tampa Boiled Peanut Hummus Slow Roasted with The Vaccines, General Fiasco and Male Bonding

2011-08-23T20:18:00.007-04:00

It was suggested one time in Cedar Key that, "A person hasn't experienced Florida unless they've tried boiled peanuts." It took me seven years but I finally "experienced" Florida. As I slurped one peanut down after another I was surprised to find the texture and taste oddly reminiscent of a bean. I thought nothing more of this similarity until a Facebook response suggested that if I made boiled peanut hummus there would be a willing taste tester. Brilliant idea! So that's exactly what I did on Sunday (between the potatoes and homemade Oreos).

Ms. Smith Comes to Tampa Boiled Peanut Hummus
(printable version)

-1 lb of peanuts
-pot of water
-salt
-Cajun seasoning
-1 Tbs. olive oil
-1/4 cup water
-2 garlic cloves
-Cajun seasoning (to taste)
-salt (to taste)
-parsley
-pita

1. Place peanuts in a huge pot. Fill the pot almost to the top with water. Pour in some salt and Cajun seasoning. Place a lid upside down on the pot (if you filled the water high enough this will hold the peanuts under). Boil for six hours adding more water as necessary.

2. Drain the peanuts in a colander. Allow to cool. Remove the nuts from the shell and place in a food processor. Once all peanuts have been removed, discard the shells.

3. Pour olive oil, garlic, water, Cajun seasoning and salt in food processor. Pulse until peanuts are smooth (add more water if you would like the hummus smoother). Garnish with parsley.

4. Serve on top of toasted pita. Open wide and experience Florida.

What if Katy Perry had been an Englishman in an indie rock band? Then "Last Friday Night" would've sounded something like what the Vaccines did and boiled peanut hummus would probably be something mothers tell their kids to scare them straight.

The Vaccines-Last Friday Night (Katy Perry Cover)

With seven hours of boiling, a person has plenty of time to dance. They simply must find the right song. General Fiasco's new one "The Age that You Start Losing Friends" fits the bill. It is guitar driven and fast but also features enough rhythm to make Andy Reid happy. Be on the look out for General Fiasco's new album, Waves, set to be released in October.

General Fiasco - The Age That You Start Losing Friends by Dirty Hit

"Tame the Sun" by Male Bonding has been out there a while. I still can't get enough of it:

Male Bonding-Tame the Sun(via Pitchfork)

Lazy Man's Tempeh Bierocks Crescent Rolled with The Absent Center, Big Black Delta and Dangerous!

2011-08-21T12:03:00.006-04:00

"Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains."

-Thomas Buxton

I'd like to think I don't have a lazy bone in my body, that I am always willing to give everything I have to whatever it is I'm doing. But the truth is that I load myself up on projects and activities that are rather time consuming and require a lot of effort. There are moments where I need (and take) a quick fix in order to maintain my sanity. These Bierocks are an example of that. I could've made the dough from scratch and figured out how to make homemade tempeh, gathered my own caraway seeds and plucked my own cabbage from a garden...but I didn't. I took the easy way out. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Lazy Man's Tempeh Bierocks
(printable version)

-1 block of tempeh, cubed
-1 onion, chopped
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
-1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped
-2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
-2 tsp caraway seeds
-1 package of Pillsbury Crescent rolls (or vegan biscuit dough if you aren't lazy)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Saute the tempeh, onion, garlic, salt and lemon pepper in a large skillet for five minutes.

2. Add the cabbage, Worcestershire sauce and caraway seeds. Cook until the cabbage is no longer stiff. Drain any excess liquid from the mixture.

3. Lay out the crescent rolls or biscuits. Roll until they are flattened. Place the tempeh mixture in the center of the dough. Pull one side of the dough to the other and press together (use a fork to ensure they don't come apart during baking if you aren't lazy, I was). Place filled dough pockets on a baking sheet.

4. Heat the bierocks in the oven for about fifteen minutes (or until the dough begins to brown). Shove it down.

Bierocks are best began with The Absent Center playing on your stereo. They are a lo-fi band from Richmond, Virginia that write the type of dirt fantasies that will have you singing in front of your third graders all day long. The band will be touring this fall to promote their debut album All that is Solid Melts into Air. These shows include appearances with the Black Rabbits, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Asobi Seksu. Check out the Video for "In the Valley" (the third track on their new album):

Big Black Delta (aka Jonathan Bates) make music that is millions of times bigger and darker than I am. I would think that if Mika somehow wound up performing a concert on the backside of the moon that was attended by only robots and microscopic creepy crawlies, this is what it would sound like. I would hope that when Transformers 16 comes out next year, a Big Black Delta song would be on the soundtrack. It is the perfect fit. September will find Big Black Delta in residency at the Satellite in LA (every Monday) as well as releasing his debut LP BBDLP1 (on the 26th via Coming Home Records). "Capsize" will be somewhere on that LP:

Capsize by Big Black Delta

Epitaph was a staple through my teenage years. Best known for their loud rambunctious punk rock releases, the label and I have taken on a more long distance relationship in recent years. I still check in, just not as often. During our last update I got wind of Dangerous! and their track "Movers N Shakers." While this song is everything that Epitaph has come to be known by, it also features some techno sounding samples that help create a melodic undertone. Ultimately though it is the tracks aggressiveness that gets me fired up. "Movers N Shakers" is from the album Teenage Rampage which will hit stores on September 20th.

Dangerous! - Movers N Shakers by Epitaph Records

Licking Thai Basil and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to the Sounds of New Navy, Mild Mannered and Macklemore and Lewis

2011-08-18T20:06:00.008-04:00

Seven years ago two words,"Alright, gaaaay," changed everything I thought I knew about humor. Three years later the trio responsible were back cursing little green insects. What you may not know about Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are that they are part of a planned trilogy that revolves around Cornetto ice cream and blood. The third installment, currently titled The World's End, is scheduled for release sometime in 2014 (though at one point it was planned for 2011 and we see how that didn't come to be). While the Cornetto flavor for The World's End has already been revealed by director Edgar Wright (it will be mint chocolate chip) I would suggest the company get on creating something a little more exotic, something like Vanilla Bean and Thai Basil. I've done the hard work Cornetto, now you just put it together, mass produce and sell. Then it won't be long before Simon Pegg licks it on the big screen.

French Vanilla and Thai Basil Ice Cream (adapted slightly from Eats Well with Others)
(printable version)

-2 cups whole milk
-1/2 cup of sugar, divided into fourths
-1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
-pinch of salt
-2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
-4 large egg yolks
-1/2 cup whipping cream, chilled

1. In a heavy sauce pan, over medium heat, bring the milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, basil, salt and vanilla beans to a boil. Remove from heat and cover. Allow the milk mixture to steep for 30 minutes.

2. Put the milk mixture into a blender and process until basil and vanilla beans are smooth.

3. Beat the egg yolks and remaining sugar in an electric mixing bowl for about a minute. Add the milk mixture using a slow stream. Continue mixing until the milk and eggs are well combined. Pour the resulting custard back into the heavy sauce pan.

4. Over moderate heat, warm the mixture to 175 degrees stirring constantly. It should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

5. Using two stainless steel bowls, one that fits inside the other, create an ice bath (ice and water in the big bowl with the other bowl resting in the water). Strain the custard through a strainer into the chilled metal bowl. Allow the custard to cool completely.

6. Once the custard has cooled, stir in the cream and place it into an ice cream maker. Churn for thirty minutes. Freeze in an air-tight container overnight. Cone it.

"Zimbabwe" by New Navy did not immediately stand out to me. I think I went to delete it from my hard drive five or six times. But the more that it accidentally played, the more the jungle beats and echoed lyrics began to percolate in my brain. I still can't say it is great but it is hard to get rid of.

New Navy-Zimbabwe

When I think of Cleveland I think of the song at the beginning of that one sitcom that announces "Cleveland Rocks." In the case of Mild Mannered, a son of Cleveland, the song would require a slight alteration to "Cleveland Indie-Pops." At one time the band was just a duo made up of Jennifer and Pat Casa. Realizing they needed to push their music further they recruited a guitarist (friend Tim Parnin) and bassist (Tony Bunce). The results are glowing. "Mild Mannered" comes from their debut album Believeland (due September 27th on Finished Basement Records).

Mild Mannered-The Demand

"Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Lewis (featuring Ray Dalton) starts like most of their brilliant songs, with a piano intro. But it isn't far past that intro where you start to see something different. This song spits, fast. Despite the speed, the power of Macklemore's lyrics and Lewis' production is not lost. In real life, that's hard to do. In the world of Macklemore and Lewis, its just another piece of evidence offered up to the hip hop court. "What say you Macklemore and Lewis to the claim brought by the defendant that states you are amazing musicians?"
"Guilty as charged."

Macklemore X Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us Feat. Ray Dalton by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Peppers Covered in Chocolate Melted by Andy Gibbard, the Handcuffs and Goodman Brown

2011-08-16T19:47:00.007-04:00

I was presented with a gift from my co-worker Renee today. It was a bag of these baby chili peppers from her garden. They stared at me throughout our morning meeting and about halfway through I decided to have me a sample. I wanted to check the Scoville Heat Unit on them. The heat was a little too much for my water bottle to handle so I grabbed the only other thing that was in my reach, a mini Hershey's Dark Bar. That's when it came to me. Hot peppers, chocolate and some....peanut butter? Why not?

Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Peppers Covered in Chocolate

(printable version)

-chili peppers
-natural peanut butter (it is moves easier)
-dark chocolate
-milk/soy milk
-sugar

1. Cut the top off the chili pepper. Remove the seeds and discard. Drip the peanut butter into the center until the pepper is filled. Place on wax paper.

2. In a sauce pan heat the chocolate over low heat. Add the sugar and milk or soy milk (I used a ratio of three chocolate squares to one teaspoon of milk and sugar). Stir constantly until chocolate is melted into a ganache like topping. Get a spoonful of chocolate and drip to cover the pepper. Continue until the entire pepper has been covered. Repeat until all the peppers and chocolate have been used.

3. Refrigerate the peppers until chocolate is hardened. Eat, squeal, love.

Imagine a piano player providing the music for a main card melee fought at half speed between the Arctic Monkeys and Frightened Rabbit and you are somewhere in the vicinity of Andy Gibbard. Gibbard is an English singer-songwriter who is preparing for his full length album, Focus, by offering a prologue, Prefocus. This five song EP can be yours by paying a visit to his bandcamp page. Especially fruitful is "The English Rose."

Andy Gibbard - The English Rose by write.click.cook.listen

I've been enjoying the Handcuffs' garage glam hit "Baby I Love You" for a couple of months now. I should probably move on to their new single "Miss You on Tuesday" but this one is so hard to leave behind. Look for their new album on September 6th.

The Handcuffs-Baby I Love You

When that day comes that I've gone and killed myself I hope that it is half as cheery as Goodman Brown makes it sound. "Done and Killed Myself" is about exactly what it says. But instead of a depressive Xiu Xiu tear fest this one's got cheery pianos, screaming guitars and a celebratory sounding chorus. East Coast dates are quickly approaching (NY, Philly, Delaware at the end of this month and Connecticut and Massachusetts in early September) as the band supports their Free-P (available here).

Done And Killed Myself by Goodman Brown

Some Days Are > Others (Part II)

2011-08-15T19:18:00.005-04:00

Two for one Kill Rock Stars records (Marnie Stern and New Bloods) along with Pink of Perfection Quinoa, Zucchini, Garbanzos and Cumin....blackened!

Marnie Stern-For Ash via Pitchfork

Farmegeddon Dr. Pepper Seitan Sandwich Slow Cooked with The Breedings and Jens Lekman

2011-08-14T12:44:00.008-04:00

Thursday night I had the opportunity to attend a sold out event at Roosevelt 2.0. The event included a showing of the documentary Farmegeddon, a discussion with the director and sampling of local foods and products provided by restaurants, farmers and foodies. WMNF, the local community radio station, played a large role in putting this event together.

Farmegeddon, as with most documentaries, had some flaws but overall I enjoyed learning through human impact stories that were presented by the film. These were stories of farmers who were producing foods (mainly raw milk/dairy products) to support a niche market that was against USDA protocol. As a result, most of these people found themselves victims of ridiculous USDA antics that caused much hardship and monetary loss. The film, at its core, is simply asking why people don't have the freedom to eat what they want even if there are risks? I mean there are just as many risks drinking soda, eating meat from corporate factory farms or smoking cigarettes as there are drinking raw milk or eating raw dairy products. Yet only three of those things (cigarettes, corporate meat, soda) are legal to be sold in all fifty states.

Taking part in the evening's festivities was a Tampa Food Truck called Wicked Wiches. While I didn't buy anything from them (there was too much free food being passed around) I was inspired by one of their sandwiches. As a result we have a Dr. Pepper Basted Seitan Brisket Topped with Caramelized Barbecue Onions and Cheddar Cheese (make it vegan or don't, your choice). You can get the recipe, in printable form, here.

These sandwiches are urban and rural life rolled into one. This means that while they don't go great with people who have a history of suffering from heartburn, they go great with The Breedings. The Breedings are a brother and sister duo from Kentucky. Willie spent some time in NYC and put out a few solo albums before his sister, Erin, joined him to do the vocal work. The result is a band that isn't completely pop and isn't completely country, but falls somewhere on the spectrum between the two. They have just recorded their debut album, Laughing at Luck, that Willie deems "what I would imagine the Strokes would sound like if they were a female fronted band from 1978." Here's my favorite track "Impatient Love."

The Breedings-Impatient Love by write.click.cook.listen

Also of Seitanic interest is Jens Lekman's disagreement with himself. There's a "Shut up" "No you shut up" which later becomes a "F**k You" "No F**K You" which are surrounded by, amongst other things, accordions. Classic. This is Lekman's first release in a few years and if the rest of the EP sounds like this, I'm captured.

Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself by DOJAGSC

Where We Eat: Sophie's French Bakery Eclaired by Skizzy Mars, E-Dubble and Nishwasher

2011-08-14T10:45:00.009-04:00

Somewhere amongst the fixed gear bike riders, spirited dog walkers and gym rats that rule Hyde Park Village there is a place where sugar and fat and cream and chocolate are king. That place would be Sophie's French Bakery & Cafe. While the menu isn't all crystalline carbohydrates, there are some great soups and sandwiches that will meet the dietary needs of anyone be it vegan, vegetarian or carnivores, it is the sweets that call to you. A huge glass case right by the door that is illuminated by white lights and full of any dessert you can imagine will do that to you. I would venture to say the case, on any given day, features at least twenty different desserts to choose from including: eclairs, croissants, tarts, brownies, tortes, cookies, bread pudding, turnovers, pies, muffins, cakes, Creme Brulee and French Macaroons.

Our first trip to Sophie's happened on the way back from the beach. I had exhausted all the samples at Anthropologie and it was suggested that we visit the bakery at the other end of the village. Having never ventured to that side of the village, I had no idea a bakery existed but I shrugged and went along with it. We arrived right before closing but there was still a decent selection. I went with a Strawberry Shortcake Fruit Tart for myself and a Twice Baked Almond and Chocolate Croissant for J-Fur.

My Strawberry Shortcake Tart was pretty laid back. It wasn't hit you in the face sugary but it also wasn't super fruity either. I don't mind the sugar being toned down but I want my fruit to have some taste. Texture wise the dessert was great but it lacked any sort of taste that really caught my attention. The big winner on this visit was the croissant (which is amazing since I much prefer fruit desserts to chocolate).

The croissant was slathered in almonds and then baked around a chocolate interior. According to Sophie's website, they spend extra money to purchase European chocolate and butter (which is why their desserts are also a little pricier than other places). The fact that the chocolate was European was probably why I liked this dessert. The chocolate didn't try to compete or overwhelm the taster with chocolate (like I fear American chocolate would) but instead enhanced the dough of the croissant and, more importantly, the almonds.

A few weeks later, after a trip to the Village Farmer's Market, we decided to return to Sophie's for another go round. This experience was completely different as we arrived early and sat in the cafe rather then downing our desserts while driving. J-Fur looked over the entire case and decided on the Flourless Chocolate Cake. I went with a Raisin Covered Sticky Bun (even though the Pecan Pie Tarts called my name many different times).

Despite the look of the Sticky Bun (sugar bomb waiting to explode) I was quite surprised to find that, ready for a common theme, the Bun wasn't overwhelmingly sweet. The sweetest part was the raisins. Since raisins are overly sweet on their own, covering them with icing and layering on a sweet bun risks overkill. Realizing this, the baker's at Sophie's played to their ingredients and created a very enjoyable dessert. I had no regrets about my choice (sorry Pecan Pie).

J-Fur's Flourless Chocolate Cake was another success. Flourless Chocolate Cakes are really easy...to mess up. She's had some bad ones in the past. Even if they aren't bad, they are usually so dense and heavy that they can't be finished at one sitting. This is only problematic to people who put their leftovers in the refrigerator and forget about them until they don't taste good anymore (like J-Fur does). Sophie's version of the cake included a fresh raspberry on top. While the cake was heavy in comparison to other desserts it wasn't to the point where it was hard to finish. The raspberry offered just enough change of pace to keep the taster from being bogged down. J-Fur thoroughly enjoyed it (too much chocolate for me).

Sophie's is my type of bakery. Not overly sickening sweet, not creating desserts that taste unnatural or difficult to swallow. These creations are desserts in the sense of their ingredients but you wouldn't know it by their taste. Subtlety is an artform that Sophie's has down pat.

While we strolled through the Village towards Sophie's I had the hip hop sounds of Skizzy Mars (here and here) and E-Dubble (here and here and here) running through my mind. There are very few artists who consistently put out songs that I like. This means I have a very tempered feeling towards most. But when I see that Skizzy Mars and E-Dubble have put out a new track I get a little more excited because the majority of their songs are ones that I can listen to over and over.

At first glance Skizzy's track "Tara" has a major flaw. It is layered over No Doubt's "Don't Speak" a song that only soccer mom's enjoy these days. That being said Skizzy moves around "Don't Speak" with his signature rhymes and sampling skills making it almost (almost!) unrecognizable. While not for the faint of heart (read uptight) Skizzy Mars and his "astronuts" know how to lay great tracks with the best of them.

Tara by SkizTheRapper

E-Dubble's new track "My Last Dream" meshes an appearance by Komplex (second verse) with samples of "Weighty Ghost" by Wintersleep and his unique lyrics. The result is a much more temperate, though not less incredible, song that will have you bobbing your head and pointing your fingers while shouting out you car window "That's right. You hear that?"

e-dubble feat. Kom - My Last Dream by edubble

Nishwasher is a band that I don't know much about. I know they are from Florida, their new EP is three tracks long and it ended up in my inbox the other day. I also know that "25 Cent Liquor" is a helluva song. Its fast, messy and sprinkles your lawn even when the cops tell you there is a water advisory in effect and you need to cease. That takes some "astronuts." You can download the band's This Culture EP for free here.

Nishwasher-25 Cent Liquor

The Tastes and Sounds of Downtown (Orlando)

2011-08-11T11:24:00.007-04:00

This summer something fabulous is going on in the parking lot of Firestone Live in Orlando. Every Wednesday night from 6:00-12:00ish a collection of food trucks and musicians set up shop to serve local patrons. Dubbed the Tastes and Sounds of Downtown great food is flinging, craft beer is flowing and local bands are performing about thirty feet away on a stage. It is exactly like town fairs in Pennsylvania, only the food is good and the music isn't okie bluegrass.

J-Fur and I, along with our friends Bob and Elizabeth, made the 1.5 hour drive mainly because of the food. The fact that Stockholm (here and here) was headlining was the proverbial icing on the cupcake.

Our first stop was the Batter Bowl Truck. This all dessert truck was one of the newer food vehicles in town, making its debut in July. Last nights menu including four different cupcakes, goat cheese brownies and Lemon Olive Oil Gelato (made from Lemon Olive Oil that they lugged back from California). J-Fur went with the Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Icing:

Her first comment when she saw it was "Holy no icing." She smeared it with her finger to cover the remainder of the cupcake and took a bite before offering me one. My take was that it was great. I hate too much icing so I thought the amount was just right. The cream cheese icing was more cream cheese, less sweet and the cake wasn't overly sugary either. J-Fur thought it could use a tad more sugar but she is an addict. I kindly disagreed. I picked the Goat Cheese Brownie knowing that I normally don't like brownies:

The beauty of this brownie is that you can actually see the goat cheese swirled into the top. Taste wise the brownie echoed the cupcake in that it wasn't overly rich or sweet. The goat cheese served to temper the overpowering fudge taste that most brownies suffer from. Overall the Batter Bowl is my kind of dessert truck. It is dessert that doesn't hit you over the head with disgusting sweetness but let's the subtlety of their ingredients linger on your palette. To use a teacher analogy: the Batter Bowl desserts are sort of like the kid who whispers an insult into a bully's ear causing the bully to loudly announce "I'm gonna kick your a@@" right in front of the principal.

Our next stop was the Tastebuds Catering Truck. Bob and Elizabeth went with the Tostones (which were sold out by the time I snapped the picture of the sign) and Tequenos while J-Fur and I ordered two Tequenos. I was slightly worried at the sound of "cheese sticks" because I could only think of the mozzarella sticks that a lot of Italian restaurants serve. I am not a fan of these because they are too much cheese and not enough breading and they usually end with my gut hurting.

These Tequenos (sorry about the picture) were the perfect balance of dough and cheese. It helped that they weren't covered with the fried breading of other cheese sticks but a dough that was much smoother. It is reminiscent of the dough that covers empanadas. The dipping sauce was a spicy cilantro sauce that thankfully wasn't overpowering on the cilantro side of things. Otherwise I wouldn't have eaten it. Another great experience.

Next up was the Pure Mobile Cafe truck. This truck offers all vegan choices. It is run by Jen Dostie who also sells loose leaf tea and organic skincare and makeup at her website Everything Organic. The Pure Mobile Cafe had falafel and homemade naan, spicy tempeh tacos, and a beat salad. It also offered sides of hummus and pita, sweet potato fries as well as three of Jen's teas. There was a vegan brownie with vegan chocolate ganache for dessert. What I really wanted was the falafel and homemade naan but it was already sold out by the time we arrived. That meant tempeh tacos for me:

The tacos included tempeh that was baked in a slightly sweet sauce, avocados, radish, mixed greens and a side of vegan chipotle ranch sauce. There were a lot of different flavors and textures in the taco and I really liked that. I especially enjoyed the crunchy/soft combo provided by the radish and avocado. It is similar to the lentil/cabbage tacos I made the other day. I decided to end the night with their vegan brownie:

The Vegan Brownie was ok. I like how they gave me the option of an end or middle piece. I'm a middle fan because I like it soft all around. The brownie was moist, not overly dry like some vegan desserts can be. Really the only reason that it wasn't great was that it was pretty sweet. After having the Batter Bowl's brownie I think the added sweetness was drawn out even more. J-Fur also tasted it and she commented on the sweetness as well (if the sugar queen comments then...). In reality it comes down to your taste preference. Do you want sweetness with your desserts or do you want something a little more subtle? Oh yeah and do you want something dairy free or chock full of goat milk? I'd eat the vegan brownie again, I'd just be more prepared.

Finally, once all the food was out of the way, there was the matter of enjoying Stockholm. The crowd had thinned a lot by the time they were on so it felt like they were performing for just me (and the other twenty friends I had standing around me). I'll just pretend it was like my sixteenth birthday party and my mom hired them to play for it. I had a pretty rad party (thanks mom!). The lack of a crowd didn't temper their show at all and that is a good thing. If the band keeps at it, I don't think they'll have many more shows that size.

Other performers included: Everyday Ghosts, Waiting on Wonders, John Holbrook and Great Deceivers.

Stockholm at their finest:
Stockholm-Bad by Design

Benefits, Lentil Tacos, Solander, Picnic and Born Gold

2011-08-10T14:23:00.009-04:00

On Monday night J-Fur and I went to the Grand Opening of the new Chipotle burrito joint in Citrus Park. While I do like Chipotle, now that they are no longer affiliated with McDonald's, my reason for going wasn't their burritos. The Grand Opening was a benefit for Sweetwater Organic Community Farm. Five dollars got you a drink and burrito with 100 percent of all the proceeds going to the organic farm. Sweetwater not only provides healthy, organic food for people but it also puts a great deal of effort into educational programs and community building projects as well. In short, they do a lot for the local Tampa organic food movement. As I sat there eating my burrito and watching the long line of customers file through the door I couldn't help but wonder why more businesses don't do something like this. I mean it would probably behoove restaurants to have a practice night before opening for real so why not join up with a local cause and start building your community connection before opening your doors for real?

I made it an all pseudo Mexican food day as earlier I whipped up some Smoky Lentil Tacos. The original recipe came from The Chubby Vegetarian but because of a few assumptions and needing to get rid of some extra vegetables I had to tweak his version slightly.

Smoky Alabaster Tacos (adapted from the Chubby Vegetarian)

(printable version)

For lentils:

-1 onion, diced

-olive oil

-1 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp ancho chili powder

-1/2 tsp New Mexico chili powder

-4 Tbs tomato sauce

-1/2 tsp sesame oil

-1 cup green lentils

-1 1/4 cups water

-1 Tbs vinegar

-1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, diced

-1 green pepper, diced

-1 tomato, diced

For toppings:

-tortillas

-cabbage

-salsa

-lime

cheese

1. In a large skillet with a lid, saute the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the cumin, salt and chili powders and stir until the spices have unified and the onions have been well covered. Heat for an additional minute.

2. To the onions, add tomato sauce, sesame oil, lentils, water, vinegar, sundried tomatoes, green pepper and tomato. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. The lentils should take on a consistency of risotto. Remove from heat.

3. On a warm tortilla place the lentils down the middle. Top with cabbage, cheese, salsa and lime juice. Wrap and gobble.

Sweden's Solander (here and here), the creators of one of my favorite cover songs of all time, recently released a new album entitled Passing Mt. Satu. The first single from the album is called "The Garden." Featuring hand claps, violins and a chorus that is instantly catchy I would say that "The Garden" is one of their finer works.

Solander - The Garden by write.click.cook.listen

Hear all of Passing of Mt. Satu:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;lt&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;;a &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;href&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;="http://solander.bandcamp.com/album/passing-mt-satu"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Passing Mt. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Satu&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; by &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Solander&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;lt&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Picnic is an Estonian band that exist at the place where flowing guitars mingle with electronic seaside beats that are gently lapping lyrical candy. Its like shoegaze and Icelandic indie all rolled up into one. "Shareware" is brilliant dreampop that has resonated with me since hearing it via Far From Moscow:

Sometimes songs take a while for me to latch on to. Sometimes it happens instantly. Cecil Frena's work under the moniker Gobble Gobble was one of those instant connections. After ruling the stage at SXSW, Cecil decided to retire the name Gobble Gobble and head in a different direction. That direction is Born Gold. Retaining the instrumentation, big sounds, unique lyrics and energy of Gobble Gobble is pretty much all that matters and Born Gold does that. "Alabaster Bodyworlds" is the first single from their Bodysongs LP which will be released in September.

Born Gold-Alabaster Bodyworlds (via I Guess I'm Floating)

Baker's Dozen: Interview with Microwave Jenny

2011-08-09T11:11:00.006-04:00

Once, while sitting at the airport waiting for J-Fur to return from New Mexico, I watched a guy make a disgruntled face every time he took a sip from his Sprite bottle. I crafted an elaborate story about what was causing this man so much unhappiness, even going as far as sharing it with J-Fur when she arrived. But I didn't write it down and to this day I remember almost nothing about it. This is exactly what Tessa Nuku does not do. When she crafts a brilliant story while observing people at the bus stop she makes sure she captures it in writing. This allows her to turn to it later when she needs it for a catchy pop song like "What You Do" which was included on our Rubbed the Wrong Way Mix. Recently I had the chance to interview, via email, Tessa and her band mate Brendon Boney. The two of them are the creative forces behind Aussie band Microwave Jenny.

TB: Who is Microwave Jenny?

Microwave Jenny (MJ): We're a duet made up of Tessa Nuku on the vocals and Brendon Boney on vocals and guitar.

TB: According to your bio, the name Microwave Jenny comes from a classic Aussie film called The Castle. Having never seen this film, how exactly does Microwave Jenny fit into the plot and why did you think this made a good band name?

MJ: It doesn't really serve any purpose to the plot of the film. They use it to show how we all remember and refer to people. The Mum and the daughter, Tracy, are talking when one says "You know Jenny?" and the other replies "Jenny, Jenny? Or Jenny Microwave Jenny?". About 50% of people we come across get the reference and people who don't get it just think it's a weird name and they remember it next time.

TB: One of your goals is to "bring pop music played by real musicians with real instruments back to the Australian landscape." Why do you think real people/real instruments have been forgotten in pop music and why is it so important, to you, to bring them back?

MJ: There are plenty of great musicians in Australia playing their instruments very well. When we said this we weren't thinking that they don't exist, we just want to help the cause. There's a lot of programmed drum beats on the radio these days and it can kind of hurt your head after a while. Is it too much to ask for a drummer who can play the drums?! Part of what we love about music is the fact that you end up with bumps and bruises. They make the moments of brilliance much more believable and hard hitting.

TB: Both of you are from Aboriginal backgrounds. How does that influence your music? Have you met with any struggles being indigenous musicians as you try to "find your place in contemporary music"?

Brendon: I have a little more of an Aboriginal background than Tessa. She mostly identifies as Maori and has extended family in New Zealand. As far as influence goes its a little tough to explain. People expect to hear some kind of cultural influence in your music once they hear you're Aboriginal but the truth is that's not really how I was raised. I didn't learn to play the didgeridoo or speak in language. I was raised listening to James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson! I can't really explain much about my people's history because I'm still learning about it myself. All I can do is tell my stories about the world that I live in now and try to be a good representation of what it means to be a young Aboriginal in the world today.

Tessa: As Brendon mentioned I have a lot of family currently living in New Zealand on my dad's side as he was born there. The Aboriginal heritage comes from my great great grandfather who was a black tracker sent over to New Zealand to find who ever it was he was told to find by the British but ended up running away with the Maoris eventually becoming my great great grandfather. But I also have a lot of family here in the land of OZ on my mum's side. So for me to identify with one culture wouldn't feel right. You could put me in a room with each culture separately and I will always feel at home and that is the way I have been brought up. It hasn't made it harder to "find my place" but much much easier because I just feel like I'm a part of everyone as a whole. I can see in my mind that being a very different story if I had not been raised that way and can see how people who only identify with one culture may find it hard to adapt to another. Not that it is a bad thing but I can see how it would be more difficult. The moral is: I write what I write because of how I was raised and the way I was raised to embrace everyone no matter the background. Which, for me, makes things far more enjoyable.

TB: One of the highlights of your year has to be both of you being shortlisted for the 2011 APRA PDA Awards. Brendon actually took top prize in the indigenous category (winning 25,000 dollars). Was there any bad blood between the two of your after the winners were announced? In all seriousness, did either of you expect to be shortlisted let alone win? What did it mean for your guys when you were?

Brendon: Yeah Tessa was pretty angry. There was a few plates and vases thrown that night. Just kidding!!! Tessa was actually crying when my name was read out. I think she was more happy than I was to win it! I had been shortlisted before but didn't win so to actually walk away with one this time was a super satisfying and humbling experience. I am truly grateful they thought I was worthy to win that.

Tessa: I'm the worlds biggest list writer. I write lists for cleaning, for shopping, for weekly chores, for fun things to do that week, for EVERYTHING! I LOVE LISTS! They complete me (hehehe). So you can imagine how excited I was to be put on someone's list ANNDD being on that list meant I had a chance of winning 25,000 dollars (haha). And then I looked more closely at the list of talent in my category and I was blown away, like perhaps they had put me through by mistake? Now I didn't win but I'm being truthful when I say being on that list was good enough for me. Plus, it means I can always try again. I was so happy for Brendon when he won and its true, I did cry because I didn't win....KIDDING! He truly deserved it, he puts a lot of hard work into writing songs, I know this. But it is always nice when other people notice as well. So I cried like a proud grandparent.

TB: "What You Do" is a song that I think a lot of people can relate to, the idea that you want someone or something so bad that it hurts. What's the story behind the song?

Tessa: Hehe. This story was actually just a bit of fun. Have you ever sat at a bus stop or shopping centre and just made up fake lives for persons passing by? That's how I kind of wrote this song. I made up this character about someone that I just saw and, it might sound horrible, but to me it looked like she was heart broken. I could see this whole movie about it in my mind so I quickly wrote it down. She was probably just heading to the grocery store because she ran out of milk for her afternoon hot chocolate and her concentrating face just made her look like she was sad (haha). Funny enough, Brendon had written this chorus a long time ago and never finished it. It fit perfectly.

TB: You have a few EPs to your name but now you are in the process of recording your first full length with producer Daniel Denholm. What's it been like working with him?

MJ: Daniel's awesome!!! He's an incredibly talented, well respected producer in the industry and I'm always learning new things from him every time we go in to record. He's a super straight shooter too and tells you exactly how it is, which makes you work really hard to be at your best.

TB: In June you guys spent four nights opening for Thirsty Merc. What was the audience's reaction to you? What did you guys take from those shows that will be beneficial in the future?

MJ: At first, on the surface it might not seem like us supporting Thirsty Merc would work but it ended up being a really nice experience for us. Those guys were generous and easy to get along with which made us feel really comfortable. And spending that time being around their music, you understand why we actually ended up connecting with a heap of their fans and selling CDs. They're a real groove based band and have a lot of melody driven songs which we love and try to make too.

TB: Speaking of shows, I've read a lot recently about huge bands who have something go wrong and storm off the stage before even finishing a song or two. Then I read about you guys who once had a power outage occur right before you took the stage and you just went out into the middle of the crowd and played an acoustic set with only a few candles. You said it became one of your most memorable shows. What is your mindset like when you are preparing for a live performance? How was it that your were able to react so quickly to something that would be pretty damning to a lot of other bands?

MJ: We're pretty relaxed before our shows. The fact that anything can happen while you're on stage is part of the beauty of live music. The only difference with that specific case was that the crazy thing happened before we actually got on stage! A weird thing happens when you're about to get on stage where this adrenalin kicks in. There's very little you can't put up with.

TB: You guys performed on the Australian version of "The Apprentice." How did that happen?

MJ: It's pretty funny to look back at. What actually happened was they had a challenge where they were to take an unsigned artist and present them to "industry professionals" like a showcase. One of the producers of the show found us on this old thing called Myspace and rang us and asked if we'd like to do it and we said "Yeah, why not."

TB: Outside of music, what do you guys like to do? I hear rumors about mad choc top ice creams...

Brendon: We're huge film fans. We go to the cinema once or twice a week at least. There probably isn't a major studio film released in the last 3 years that we haven't seen! We've just started getting into Laser Tag which is awesome! Tessa is really creative and likes messing around with photography and those choc tops come from her days working at a cinema where she used to make them.

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

MJ: We love to cook! We love food!!! We have a chicken lasagne recipe that we picked up from Tessa's sister where you really get creative with the layers. It starts like most other lasagnes: You take some chicken mince and cook it then mix in some tomato based sauce. Take a good size oven dish and layer the sauce in between some lasagne sheets using some bechamel sauce. Here's the twist we like to do: take some lightly boiled slices of sweet potato and make a layer with those. Top with a heap of mozzarella and put it in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) for about an hour. Eat it until slightly sick.

For a printable version go here.

TB: Ending sentiments?

Brendon: "The things you remember in life are good people, good art and good food." I heard John Butler say that once. I like it.

Tessa: "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing." I made that up.

Microwave Jenny has a new video for "Stuck on the Moon" a song form their Crazy Crazy Things EP (get it here):

The previous song, "What You Do":

Microwave Jenny-What You Do

Vegan Rolled Spanakopita Binded by Kevin Devine, San Cisco and the Jezabels

2011-08-08T09:00:00.004-04:00

Last week I was determined to create a "fasting" or vegan version of Spanakopita. Something that the Great Lent King could be proud of. The first batch I ate entirely myself as it wasn't fit for other human consumption (a little off the deep end with the dill). The second go round used less dill and really gave the Great Lent King fits as I meshed it into rolled form reminiscent of a flaky burrito. In the end, the Great Lent King said that his concern was only on taste and the second batch definitely heeded its call.

Vegan Spanakopita Rolls

(printable version)

-olive oil

-1 onion, small dice

-1 bunch of scallions, diced

-16 ounces spinach

-2 Tbs nutritional yeast

-1 Tbs miso paste

-1 block soft tofu, crumbled

-1/4 tsp nutmeg

-salt and pepper (to taste)

-10 sheets phyllo dough

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and scallions and saute for five minutes or until the onion becomes translucent. Drop in the spinach and saute for an additional five minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the nutritional yeast, miso paste, soft tofu, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Take two phyllo sheets and fold them in half. Layer on the spinach mixture. Wrap the phyllo dough around it. Place the wrapped spanakopita on a baking sheet. Brush heartily with olive oil. Repeat until the spinach mixture has been completely used (I was able to make five wraps out of it).

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown. Sacrifice it to the hunger gods.

Seeing that Vegan Spanakopita had a religious basis in some places and at certain times of the year I listened a lot to Kevin Devine's "Between the Concrete and the Clouds" (the first single from his upcoming album with the same name). The song relates the religious transformation that some people go through during their lifetime, jumping from one to the next, and the questioning that an outsider viewing this movement would have. I love the politics that play out in Kevin's work and can't wait for the new album (due out Sept. 13th).

Kevin Devine-Between Concrete and the Clouds

A little more upbeat and summery and just as great to make rolled spanakopita to, are the new songs from San Cisco and the Jezabels (here). San Cisco is an Australian band that released an EP, Golden Revolver, earlier this year. They also skateboard and like the Nintendo 64 but their indie pop is what caught my attention. "Golden Revolver" comes from, of course, the EP with the same name.

San Cisco - Golden Revolver by PlanetaryOnlinePR

The Jezabels and their moody style of pop music also hail from Australia. The band is touring the world in support of their upcoming debut LP Prisoner. The US and Canadian leg of the tour will also feature Canadian indie rock band Hey Rosetta! "Endless Summer" comes from the new LP which will be released on September 16th.

The Jezabels - Endless Summer by thejezabels

Food Pairing 101: What goes well with the Burger 21 Chili Cheese Dog (veggie style)

2011-08-05T11:49:00.007-04:00

A few weeks back I did a tasting at Burger 21 (here) in West Chase. While I devoured veggie burgers and shakes the meat eaters were treated to sliders and hot dogs. The first thing I noticed when they brought out the hot dogs was the bread. They weren't your typical hot dog buns. These dogs were wrapped in what Burger 21 dubbed "Lobster Rolls." Laymen might call it "Texas Toast." Naturally my curiosity got the best of me and I had to replicate it at home. I chose the restaurant's Chili Cheese Dog as my test subject.

Start with the Texas toast (which is a thick slice of Italian bread slathered in garlic and Earth Balance and grilled). Then layer, in order, the vegetarian hot dog, chili, onions and cheese. You may also want to include jalapenos though I skipped them. The dog was a mess, a good mess, but a mess just the same.

While I made the Texas toast and put this dog together I was looking for music that knows what it is like to fuse two worlds together (dance and punk perhaps?). I was also looking for something that sounds like "a wasted sugar high, like eating boxes of Pixy Stix and chugging Colt 45's while listening to your high school record collection on shuffle and fingering your then girlfriend...what the f##k was her name?" That meant I only had one option. Digit Dealer.

Digit Dealer is a Brooklyn/Queens band made up of Austin, Arv and Sean. One an art school student from Brooklyn. One an Indian kid from Queens. And one a dude that had the other two singing as his phone's ringtone. Together they have joined forces to create undeniably catchy dance punk music that I can't stop listening too. Digit Dealer is prepping for the release of their new album Bad Field Trip on August 19th. They are celebrating with a release party that also features Lionshare, Wolf Couture (which is Ninjasonik's old DJ, DJ Teenwolf, and his new band) and Sludgehammer. "Homoeroticism in the Fall Out Boy Canon" is the fourth track on Bad Field Trip.

Digit Dealer-Homoeroticism in the Fall Out Boy Canon by write.click.cook.listen

The rest of the album:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://digitdealer.bandcamp.com/album/bad-field-trip"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Bad Field Trip by Digit Dealer&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Digit Dealer on: Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Bandcamp, Youtube

Artist's Cookbook: Beau 15 Cricket Burgers Compliments of the Ugly Club

2011-08-03T15:39:00.003-04:00

I spent my college nights (and days) roaming the streets of Chicago so there was never any shortage of late night places to eat. Clarke's Diner, Pick Me Up Cafe and any corner burrito shop were some of my favorite haunts. Not everyone can be so lucky. Joe Stasio guitarist for the Ugly Club had an interesting solution to his late night hunger pangs during his college days.

While attending Rowan University (in Glassboro, New Jersey) Joe decided that instead of finding a spot to eat, he would become the spot to eat. Joe ran an eatery from his campus apartment. Not only did this provide a place for college kids to hang out late at night (it supposedly became pretty popular) it also helped him pay rent. One of his favorite creations was a burger dubbed the Beau 15 Cricket Burger.

The Ugly Club's music follows in the footsteps of Joe and his Cricket Burger. Instead of seeking out a band to mimic, one that incorporates indie blues, neo soul and pyschedelic punk they have become that band. That doesn't mean they don't have their influences but they do keep them in check. This is apparent throughout their new EP, Visions of Tall Girl.

The EP is only four tracks long which means that it is short enough for you to get a taste but not long enough to fulfill. It leaves the listener wanting more. That's probably not a good thing for eateries but it is perfectly fine in music. The stand out track "Parks" is a three minute reflection of a day lost in a Park and the beauty of spending it with friends. The lyrics evoke a strong camaraderie, one of those songs that could force even the most anti-social person to putting their arm around someone and extolling their virtues. In this sense it reminds me a lot of another New Jersey band, the Bouncing Souls, and their ode to friendship, "Manthem." Musically the song seems like two different ones. There is the first half (almost literally half) that is heavily indebted to joyous indie rock while the second is a much faster, slightly heavier melodic punk (think Hot Water Music).

Spend a day with some friends, turn on the Ugly Club, fry up some Cricket Burgers (or a veggie counterpart) and get lost in a park. Sounds glorious no?

The Ugly Club - Parks by write.click.cook.listen

The Rest of the Album (which you can download for free at their Bandcamp page):

<a href="http://theuglyclub.bandcamp.com/album/visions-of-tall-girl-ep">Visions of Tall Girl EP by The Ugly Club</a>

Check out the Ugly Club on: Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, iTunes

The Guppies, Kids. and Buffalo Tempeh Stromboli

2011-08-02T09:58:00.006-04:00

Everyday at work I am reminded how different education is today than it was when I was a child. Perhaps some of this difference comes from locale, I went to school in Pennsylvania while I now teach in Florida, but a lot of it has to do with the state of education today. You are probably wondering what this has to do with stromboli? Well one of the huge differences is the amount of fundraising that takes place now vs then.

It seemed, as a kid, that we were always participating in fund raisers or community activities that were designed to raise money for the school. Outside of a few major fund raising events (fall festival, cookie sales) things are much different now. One of my favorite fundraisers as a child was selling stromboli.

Usually my parents passed by the stromboli in the grocery store because it was too expensive. But once a year, during our sale, my parents would buy one for each of us to eat. It was a huge to do for my brother, sister and I when we sat down and ate our stromboli. I think that is why, even after becoming a vegetarian, I have always enjoyed stromboli (though it has taken a while for me to match my memories of how good they were). Thanks to Dionne, I've finally reached that point.

Buffalo Tempeh Stromboli

(printable version)

-1 batch of stromboli dough

-1 block of tempeh

-Frank's Hot Sauce

-fresh mozzarella or Daiya

-2 onions, sliced

-olive oil

-salt

1. Make the stromboli dough according to directions.

2. While dough is baking, slice the tempeh into small, thin strips. Place in an oiled frying pan and cook over medium-low heat. Add the hot sauce and swish the tempeh around in it until completely covered. Continue cooking, adding hot sauce when necessary, for fifteen minutes. I used about a quarter of a bottle of hot sauce but this step should be based a lot on your preference.

3. In a separate frying pan, (prefereablly one with a large bottom) heat about two teaspoons of olive oil. Place the onions in the pan. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don't dry out. Sprinkle some salt on the onions. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. The onions should be allowed to stick to the pain slightly so that they brown but not so much that they start burning. Constant stirring will not allow them caramelize.

4. Roll out the stromboli dough into two rectangles. Line the dough with the tempeh. Place the caramelized onions on top and then finish with the mozzarella or Daiya. Fold the stromboli dough over to seal in the filling. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven. Devour.

Nothing says more about being a kid (and maybe an adult) then the Guppies and their messy, garage inspired "Never Liked Mondays." The Guppies draw their inspiration from the likes of Nirvana, the Clash, the Smiths and Blur. Its taking all that is good in punk and grunge and rolling it into one (just like a f**king stromboli).

The Guppies-Never Liked Mondays

KIDS. are collection of San Diego teenagers that know how to make music that sounds both big and beautiful. Its the kind of thing that you can really dig, especially during the Summer. What's better is the band knows how to craft this brand of catchy sunshine pop on their own with no help from producers, engineers, mixers or any of those other people that like to get their fingers onto your stuff. "Hidden Hills" is from their new EP, Summer Frights. You know, the one they spent July recording in their bassist's house.

KIDS.-Hidden Hills

The rest of the EP:

<a href="http://sandiegokids.bandcamp.com/album/summer-frights">SUMMER FRIGHTS by KIDS.</a>

Rubbed the Wrong Way Mix: Oy Vey, Azeem, Nantes, Microwave Jenny, Bebe Black, Sol, Little Green Cars, Oax, Frightened Rabbit, Centro-Matic and more...

2011-08-01T08:28:00.009-04:00

I find these awesome recipes for rubs in pretty random places (I'm talking sports magazines, library books even pizza boxes). I hurry home, take out my block of tofu, clean and gut it gently, throw away all the unnecessary parts (tofu stomach is pretty disgusting if you ask me) and set to work rubbing that block with the utmost love. When it looks good I pop it in the oven and tap the minutes away until it is ready. I slide a piece in my mouth expecting bliss and what I get instead is...horror. This tastes awful! I just can't get my rubs to work. I know it is probably a personal problem that I need to see someone about. But until I can manage that, I find solace in this playlist which is all about rubbing your food the wrong way.

Rubbed the Wrong Way Mix by write.click.cook.listen

(0:01) Frightened Rabbit-The Loneliness
(4:06) Oy Vey-White Lies
(7:18) Azeem ft. Carlos St. John-Hurricanes + Tornadoes
(12: 18) Laura Stevenson & the Cans-Master of Art
(16:09) Nantes-Fly
(19:38) Microwave Jenny-What You Do
(22:54) The Catholic Comb-Patriots of Love
(27:29) Centro-Matic-Only in my Double Mind
(31:24) Bebe Black-I'll Wait (Demo)
(35:59) Sol ft. Grieves & Budo-The Times

(39:43) Little Green Cars-My Love Took Me Down to the River (To Silence Me)

(44:35) Oax-Love and Crashing

Thanks to KEXP blog, MAP, Pigeons and Planes, Indie Rock Cafe, Nialler 9, I Guess I'm Floating, The Ruckus, Swedesplease, Triple J Unearthed and the bands for making this playlist possible

Italian Dinner Party With Music by Jordan Bolton

2011-07-31T15:24:00.007-04:00

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

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

2011-07-28T17:29:00.006-04:00

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):

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://jameslemay.bandcamp.com/album/you-and-me"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You and Me by You &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Me&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

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

2011-07-26T13:56:00.009-04:00

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

2011-07-25T12:05:00.010-04:00

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)

2011-07-22T09:05:00.005-04:00

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)

2011-07-21T13:40:00.009-04:00

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

2011-07-19T20:11:00.010-04:00

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?

2011-07-17T18:10:00.004-04:00

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

2011-07-17T15:55:00.005-04:00

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

2011-07-15T10:44:00.006-04:00

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:

<a href="http://theamendsband.bandcamp.com/album/the-creatively-titled-full-album-coming-in-july-ep">The Creatively Titled "Full Album Coming In July" EP by The Amends</a>

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

Where We Eat: The Limousines to the Laughing Cat

2011-07-15T08:18:00.004-04:00

(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

2011-07-14T14:59:00.004-04:00

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?

2011-07-12T13:33:00.008-04:00

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

2011-07-11T20:06:00.006-04:00

("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:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://straykites.bandcamp.com/track/all-is-well-single"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;All Is Well (Single) by Stray Kites&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

And here is "Misanthrope":

Stray Kites-Misanthrope

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

2011-07-10T18:46:00.006-04:00

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

Artist's Cookbook: Queens-Style Stuffed Turkey Burgers Courtesy of The Miami

2011-07-08T14:56:00.003-04:00

When I opened my email on July 2nd I had a new message titled "Attn New Music" from a band called the Miami. I sort of rolled my eyes thinking they were some overproduced hip-hop band that wouldn't interest me in the least. I mean the Miami? When I think of Miami, I think of a culture of clubs, djs, celebrities, beaches and consumerism. But there's another side of Miami, one that is seedier and dangerous, a place where Kim Kardashian won't go after dark (or probably at all). This is much closer to what The Miami is all about.

To start with The Miami is Jesse Alexander and Alex Beaulieu (one Queens and one Upstate New York resident) and they don't do hip hop. Their music can best be described as a melee between experimental blues, folk and noise punk. It is littered with synths and pianos, guitars and drums, vocals and percussion all seemingly sent through a cheap transistor radio. As a result, the grittiness of the instruments comes to the forefront while Jesse's emotionally tinged lyrics rise and fall somewhere in the back. The band's first act, an album released in April called I''ll Be Who You Want Me to Be, was crafted by taking African-American slave songs, gospel hymns and spirituals and reinterpreting them through the eyes of "two middle-class, secular, well-educated college kids." For their second act, which the Miami is currently in the process of recording, the band plans to focus their reinterpretive spirits on slave songs and songs from the Confederacy penned during the Civil War. The album, tentatively titled "New Design," has no release date as of yet. Here are two tracks, "Strange Fruit" and "I Shall Not Be Moved" from I'll Be Who You Want Me to Be:

The Miami-I'll Be Who You Want Me to Be

The Miami-Strange Fruit

Between (or around) recording their two albums the band also created the soundtrack for a short documentary, entitled Dots Into Lines, by New York based filmmaker Darcie Wilder.

dots into lines from darcie wilder on Vimeo.

To accompany their debut LP and soundtrack and to kill time until the next album, The Miami suggest grilling up a Queens-Style Stuffed Turkey Burger.

Seitan Gyros Spit Broiled by King Louie's Missing Monuments and Why Don't We Love Lucy

2011-07-06T14:47:00.004-04:00

Roaming the streets of Chicago there was never a shortage of hole-in-the-wall food joints suggesting that you come to the window and order one of their "world renowned" Gyros. I had no idea what they were referring to so I never bothered to stop and order one. It wasn't until I took a trip to the sponge capital of the world, well after I became a vegetarian, that I figured out that a Gyro was a bunch of meat served in a pita and rolled with some vegetables and sauces. Obviously this means that I've never had the opportunity to experience what a real Gyro tastes like. That was where Weekly Vegan Menu came in. Having grown up working in Chicago Greek Restaurants I trusted her to provide me with the basics for a gyro. After that, I went with what I liked.

Seitan Gyro (adapted slightly from Weekly Vegan Menu)

(printable version)

-1 order of seitan

-olive oil

-3 Tbs. lime juice

-4 huge cloves of garlic, minced

-2 Tbs. oregano

-1 Tbs. rosemary

-salt and pepper to taste

-4 whole wheat pitas, sliced in half

-2 tomatoes, diced

-1 red onion, diced

-hummus

-feta cheese

1. Make the seitan according to directions. Slice thin.

2. Mix the lime juice, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper to create a marinade. Place the seitan into the marinade and allow to soak for half an hour.

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add the seitan slices and fry until slightly browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Warm pitas in the oven. On one half of the pita layer the seitan, tomatoes, onions and feta. Cover the other half with hummus. Place hummus covered pita on top. Eat like a king.

Speaking of kings, how about King Louie? This guy gets around. First he founded the Royal Pendletons. Then he was a Persuader. After that he hooked up with Jay Reatard for a one practice, one album, one live performance fling under the name the Bad Times. Then he joined the Exploding Hearts (who met an awful demise) and...well you get the picture. King Louie is a garage rock icon. His latest adventure is King Louie's Missing Monuments (a great band name if I must say so). Their first single "The Girl of the Nite" is a lot happier than most of King Louie's other vocal forays. According to King Louie he wrote the song for a girl named Tess. Mighty fine work.

Missing Monuments - The Girl Of The Nite by The1stFive

Why Don't We Love Lucy is a Danish band that crafts 80's inspired club pop with an attitude. Think Mel Gibson refusing to kiss the king's emblem in Braveheart while holding a jukebox above his head that's blaring Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes." It is exactly like that. "With You" comes from the band's first EP that was released in March. They have a new one in the works which should be out sometime this fall.

With You by Why Don't We Love Lucy

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Need You Now by Peppercorn

2011-07-06T14:17:00.003-04:00

On the Wednesday nearest April 23rd the Masonic Lodge of St. George (Number 200) pays its annual rent for using the Old State House as a meeting place. The ceremony consists of a parade, gun salute and the governor arriving in a fancy carriage to accept the payment. What does a meeting house like this cost? Why a single peppercorn perched on a silver plate which is on top of a velvet cushion of course.

I'm currently drafting a letter to governor asking him to consider "Need You Now" by Peppercorn as the ceremony's permanent theme song. The two seem made for each other.

Peppercorn-Need You Now

"Need You Now" is from the forthcoming album Wasted Summer:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://peppercorn.bandcamp.com/album/wasted-summer"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Wasted Summer by Peppercorn&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Four for the Fourth: Highlighting Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache, Dark Mean, Atlas Genius, Blood Diamonds and I Only Date Models

2011-07-04T09:37:00.007-04:00

America currently has an addiction to tiny white pulverized solids unrivaled by any other period in their history (except for maybe the 80's when Pee Wee Herman was putting that stuff up his nose). This addiction has no connection to illicit drugs, though. This addiction is the perfectly legal, found-in-your-grocery-aisles sugar. America eats that stuff up. The average American ingests about 22 teaspoons a day. For most this added sugar comes in the form of soda and candy. For me, it comes in the form of cupcakes, pies or fruity desserts. While health groups suggest cutting back, I've learned over the years that birthday parties are no time for diets and the Fourth of July is not synonymous with moderation. The American thing to do is to go ahead and indulge and put the stringent sugar watch off until tomorrow.

Chocolate-Raspberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting (adapted from The Sweetest Kitchen)

(printable version)

For the cupcakes:

-1 stick of butter

-3.5 ounces of dark chocolate (I used 1 Ghirardelli bar)

-11.75 ounces of Raspberry Fruit Spread (I used Polaner Fancy Fruit)

-2/3 cup of sugar

-pinch of salt

-2 large eggs, beaten

-2/3 cup of flour

For the ganache frosting:

-3.5 ounces of dark chocolate

-between 1/3 and 1/2 cup heavy cream

-fresh raspberries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a heavy sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When almost completely melted, stir in the chocolate. Keep stirring until the chocolate has liquefied and the butter and chocolate are well mixed. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the raspberry spread, sugar, salt and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour and combine.

2. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the pan to get all the batter. Pour the batter into a muffin pan (with twelve muffin spaces) lined with papers.

3. Bake for 25 minutes (don't worry about sticking a fork into the cupcake to check for doneness as the inside is meant to be a little runny and you don't want to risk over baking). Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before turning out.

4. Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack.

5. Meanwhile, place the heavy cream and chocolate bar for the ganache icing in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and whisk until the icing is smooth and thick. Ice the cupcakes. Place a raspberry (or two or four) in the center of each. Celebrate America's birth by eating five or six.

As is our tradition, here are four songs that I will be enjoying this fourth of July:

They may be from Australia, but Atlas Genius' "Trojans" couldn't be more perfect for the American summertime. It's a catchy, pop driven tune with lyrics that will easily run through your mind all day long.

Atlas Genius-Trojans via Hi Fi Weddings

What says the fourth of July better than a Canadian band being behind the strings of a "Happy Banjo"? Not much. Dark Mean's self-titled debut was released in mid-June. "Happy Banjo" is the first single.

Dark Mean-Happy Banjo via BabyStew

Blood Diamonds have transitioned from the world of cordial music to one that is darker and more ominous. It reminds me of the underwater lair that can be found in Mexican cenotes while still evoking the festivities and fun that are associated with the fourth. I think it is the little upbeat instrumentation that comes after the first verse, the one where it sounds like angels are joining in with a chorus of "Oh's." If that isn't the definition of upbeat then I need a new dictionary.

Blood Diamonds-Grins via Pitchfork

I Only Date Models do soundscapes without causing the listener to feel too far away. They do rock without the listener feeling too involved. It is like they are trying to keep you at arms length for fear that you will crowd out their personal space. "Tunnels" displays this perfectly.

Previous Four for the Fourth Installments:

Vegetarian Sausage Reubens

Berry Tarts

Get Him to the Greek (Food) Mix: Waters, Shadowns on Stars, Joel Plaskett, Mondrian, Masque, Stray Kites, Light Asylum, and more...

2011-07-01T14:18:00.004-04:00

A Hollywood insider mentioned to me recently that they are planning a sequel to 2010's Get Him to the Greek. In this story Russell Brand's character, Aldous Snow, must help Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) escape the mundane flavors of processed food America. Snow has only three days to get Green to Greece, find him some gyros, hummus, falafel, salad, saganaki, dolmadas or spanikopita. Failure to do so will result in...well the insider didn't want to give away the ending. I've offered this soundtrack as it is entirely about the desire to seek out Greek food.

I don't know any Hollywood insiders by the way.

Get Him to the Greek (Food) Mix by write.click.cook.listen

(0:03) Waters-For the One
(2:56) Shadows on Stars-Now Your'e Mine
(5:26) Light Asylum-Dark Allies
(10: 59) Givers-Up, Up, Up
(15:21) Joel Plaskett-When I Go
(19:19) Eight Bit Tiger-Oslo
(21:34) Kendrick Lamar Featuring RZA-Ronald Reagan Era
(25:17) Mondrian-Or Unicorn
(29:18) Masquer-Happiness
(32:53) Priory-Lady of Late

(36:15) Stray Kites-Misanthrope

(39:06) Song of Return-Trajectory

Thanks to Stereogum, KEXP blog, MAP, Pigeons and Planes, Indie Rock Cafe, Consequence of Sound, Nialler 9, I Guess I'm Floating, The Pop Cop, Swedesplease and the bands for making this playlist possible

Food Flavored Song of the Day: They Saved George the Third's Brain by Showcase Showdown

2011-06-30T17:04:00.005-04:00

"What they don't tell you in Hollywood is that the tea wound up in the harbor."

-Showcase Showdown

Around the turn of the century my music listening habits mainly consisted of punk music. One of my favorite acts at the time (aside from the amazing Dillinger Four) was Boston's Showcase Showdown. Their music had everything I needed, fast sloppy chords, spit-a-second lyrics and a lead singer with a unique (read annoying?) voice. But the main reason I enjoyed them was that their songs dealt with things I cared about (cocaine sniffing fat actors, mean police, taxes, drunk priests, Rupert Murdoch, wasting money in space and roller derby) and had a historical flair to them (the only thing similar I can think of now would be The Monitor by Titus Andronicus' which revolved around the Civil War). So naturally it saddened me when I was at the Warped Tour interviewing Paul Russo (at the time a member of fellow Boston band The Unseen) and I jokingly suggested that next time he "bring along Showcase Showdown" and he replied "I'd love to but they broke up." Never having seen them live is one of the big regrets of my early music life.

Showcase Showdown-They Saved George the Third's Brain

Showcase Showdown had two full length albums: Appetite of the Kings and Permanent Stains (which featured "They Saved George the Third's Brain")

Open Faced "Sausage" Lasagna Piled High with Christien Summers, Arundel and Natalie Walker

2011-06-29T15:51:00.011-04:00

Every fighter has their nemesis, the one who forces them to go where no one else can. Hulk Hogan had Andre the Giant, Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier, Oscar De La Hoya had Fernando Vargas. My grandfather, a gurgitator long before the sport was famous, faced off many times against his arch enemy, pasta. Year after year the two would square off at a church spaghetti dinner. School age kids brought out plates that were piled a foot high with spaghetti. A fat kid like myself couldn't even dent that semolina mountain. But my grandfather attacked, like acid rain on limestone monuments, and he finished not just his two plates but the leftovers from everyone else as well. They say the stomach can hold up to 3 liters of food. My grandfather was probably pushing six.

The spaghetti dinners have long since ceased, probably because my grandfather cost them so much money, and worthy opponents have dwindled to where there is only one left. Datz Deli offers a massive open faced lasagna. It is so big they had to create its own special plate. I have witnessed a number of people try to finish the entire dish. From large males to petite females to slumped over rednecks all have tried and none have succeeded. Could this finally be the nemesis my grandfather has never had?

Open Faced Sausage Lasagna (inspired by Datz Deli)

(printable version)

-1 order of vegan sausage

-1 block of tofu, drained and crumbled

-2 tsp. lime juice

-2 garlic cloves, pressed

-2 Tbs. olive oil

-3 Tbs. fresh basil

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast

-salt and pepper

-1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

-2 Tbs. Parmesan, grated

-4 sheets of lasagna noodles

-tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Follow the directions for the vegan sausage. Crumble or slice into little sausage chunks. Place in an oiled frying pan and cook until starting to brown (about three minutes each side).

2. As the sausage cooks, combine the tofu, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, basil, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir. Set aside.

3. In a large pot of bowling water cook the lasagna noodles until they are almost al dente. Place in ice water to stop the cooking. Pat dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels.

4. Line the bottom of an oven safe round baking dish with tomato sauce. Layer on the noodles, sausage and tofu ricotta. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. If so desired, roll the ends of the lasagna noodles up. Bake for 15 minutes (or until cheese is melted and browned). Acid Rain on that pasta parade.

All this carb loading put me in the mood to dance to disco. Not old school songs but some new stuff. Like Christien Summers "Shoot the Breeze" which is the perfect summertime anthem. An EP, Cloud One, is coming this summer. You can also catch her tomorrow in Toronto at The Silver Dollar Room.

Shoot The Breeze by Christien Summers

If disco isn't your genre of preferred dance music try out the buttery electro sounds of Natalie Walker and her vocoder. "Cool Kids" comes from Walker's Spark EP which was released last week. Get it on iTunes.

Cool Kids by NatalieWalkerMusic

Not so danceable (unless you are the fog or the scream that echoes in the cave) is Arundel's remix of "Jungle" by Emma Louise. He slows down and distances the original to make it more ambient and dreamy. The original version (here) is better but the remix is not bad. That's something you don't often hear me say.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://arundel.bandcamp.com/track/jungle-arundel-remix"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Jungle (Arundel Remix) by Arundel&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Of Surprise Parties, Greek Salads, Smoking Cigarettes and the Hellfish

2011-06-28T14:41:00.005-04:00

Surprises don't come easy for my sister-in-law. She purchases a Christmas present and immediately tells what it is. This weekend was different. My brother turned 30 (yesterday) and she decided to have a party for him. For two months she made arrangements, invited friends and gathered supplies without him getting a whiff of it. The ultimate coupe was when she asked me to show up, unannounced and break the surprise. I took a red eye Friday morning, hid away at my parents house for the day and met the two of them at the Walnut Bottom fair. As I approached I saw her smiling and bouncing and thought "Another surprise bites the dust" but my brother was too engrossed in conversation to notice. I tapped him on the shoulder and said "Happy Birthday." His look was priceless. Utter shock.

I sorely lack vegetables when I am in PA so for the party I made it a priority to create something that was chock full of them. I went with the Classic Greek Salad from the April/May edition of Vegetarian Times (recipe is here). I like the combination of salty and sweet provided by the olives and dressing. The only change I made to the Times version is to add a can of quartered artichokes. It was a hit. With the leftovers I made brunch the next morning. A Greek salad sandwich on toast topped with fried eggs from the Whigham homestead. The combination was much tastier than I anticipated.

I walked into a store while I was in PA and was shocked to see that the price of cigarettes has risen to eight dollars a pack. I thought about all the people I know that smoke and wondered how they can continue doing it at this price. Then I thought of the Hellfish. These guys are a pop punk doo wop band from Long Island who formed at the point where lackluster music, expensive cigarette packs, drinking beer and hanging out intersect. The Hellfish create music that is inspired by everything from doo wop to punk to garage rock to classic rock and they play it with a zeal that many bands could only hope to encapsulate. Check out their debut EP Laughing with the Sinners at their bandcamp page. "Tricky Woman" and "Shake Up the Night" are the first two tracks on that EP.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thehellfish.bandcamp.com/track/tricky-woman"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Tricky Woman by The Hellfish&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thehellfish.bandcamp.com/track/shake-up-the-night"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Shake Up The Night by The Hellfish&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

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Tortellini and Meatball Soup Rolled with Alouatta and Dads

2011-06-22T07:01:00.007-04:00

(picture by J-Fur)

The little guy on the left has some sort of liver ailment which requires medicine each morning. I take one of his pills from the container, push it into a meat pocket and roll it while announcing in a bad Italian accent "Who ordered the meatball? The meatball?" By this point the little beast has rushed over and is bouncing around with his arms waving making it clear who the intended target of the meatball is.

It was during one of these morning interactions that I started thinking about tortellini and meatball soup. I like tortellini. I like vegetarian meatballs. Why not? It took a couple tries but it finally came to be that I was the one ordering the meatball.

Tortellini and Meatball Soup (adapted from Rachel Ray)

(printable version)

For the meatballs:

-1 cup pecans

-25 saltine crackers

-20 basil leaves

-zest of 1 lemon

-2 ounces Parmesan

-1 garlic clove

-2 eggs

-olive oil

For the soup:

-1 onion, diced

-2 cloves of garlic

-1 tsp. red pepper flakes

-1 bay leaf

-2 Tbs. tomato paste

-salt and pepper (to taste)

-2 quarts veggie broth

-18 ounces tortellini

-1/2 cup spinach

1. Mix the pecans, saltines, basil, lemon zest and Parmesan in a food processor. Process until the pecans and crackers have been ground into a powder. Remove from the processor bowl and place in a metal bowl. Add the garlic clove and egg and stir until everything is well mixed.

2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Form the pecan mixture into small balls and place in the skillet. Fry balls, on each side, until browned (about 3-5 minutes). Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat onions, garlic, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, tomato paste, salt and pepper in a stock pot. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the veggie broth and bring to a boil. Once stock is boiling, place the tortellini and meatballs in it. Cook until the tortellini is done. With two minutes remaining, add the spinach. Divide the soup into dishes, top with additional pepper flakes and Parmesan. Eat the meatball...soup.

Few band names are as appropriate as Sweden's Alouatta. Evoking ideas of howler monkeys, this punk outfit can whale with the best of them. Their message in "DIY" is one that all aspiring cooks, artists, DJ's, etc. needs to hear. You can do it yourself (and you should, its better that way). Nothing unique here but it feels good just the same.

Alouatta-DIY via Absolut Noise

Dads aka Tom Iansek (half of Australian indie outfit Big Scary) creates layered indie pop music through the use of vocal harmonies and instruments as diverse glockenspiels and mandolins. Sure you'll find your typical bass, guitar and drums but they are arranged in atypical fashion. What comes out of this is music that is full and rich and beautiful to listen to. "Sister" is from Dads debut album Man of Leisure.

Dads-Sister

Where we eat: Tacqueria Monterrey #2 Bussed in by Natural Child and Folkster Supreme

2011-06-19T19:13:00.005-04:00

The Taco Bus (here) is a Tampa legend that serves delicious authentic Mexican fare from the side of a bus. It has tons of vegetarian options and is open nearly 24/7 to satisfy cravings at all hours of the day. Recently the owners of the bus have expanded to St. Pete and more traditional restaurants (you know the ones with walls and floors) in Plant City and the University of South Florida area. The restaurants have been dubbed Tacqueria Monterrey #1 and #2.

My first experience with Tacqueria Monterrey #2 (the one by USF) was in December when I headed out for my birthday dinner. Our original destination was Trang Viet but when we arrived we found the doors locked and lights out (they no longer were open on Sundays). We moved a street over to Tacqueria Monterrey #2.

I was immediately impressed by the menu because there were a number of vegetarian options including vegan chorizo burritos (which I ordered). They were not quite as good as the tofu ones at taco bus but they weren't far behind.

A few weeks ago we returned to Tacqueria Monterrey #2 (twice in the span of one weekend) and a lot had changed about the menu. No longer were chorizo burritos available. In fact, their vegetarian fare had been slashed a lot. It took me about ten minutes to find something I could eat. I went with rajas con queso which were roasted poblano peppers with corn kernels, queso fresco and cream. J-Fur chose the potato flautas.

As we waited for our orders we were treated to bottomless baskets of tortilla chips and fresh salsa. Tacqueria Monterrey #2 also features a salsa bar with ten or twelve different salsas that you can choose from. After tasting all these my overarching reaction was why? Why have ten or twelve tasteless salsas. If you aren't going to make them worthwhile, don't make them. The house made salsa that is placed on every table is a hundred times better than anything at the salsa bar.

The House Salsa

It isn't too strongly flavored with cilantro or spiciness which is nice because both J-Fur and I can eat it and enjoy (of course she has to pry it from my hands first). Our friend Hollie ordered a bowl of guacamole which was also very good and further illustrated why the salsa bar does not matter.

The Guacamole

I filled up on chips and salsa (like I normally do) and had only enough room for half of my burrito. On first bite I realized that I had forgotten to ask for the burrito without cream. It isn't that I can't eat cream, I just am not particularly fond of it so I usually go without. When I returned the next day, I ordered the burrito without cream and the waitress gave me a hard time saying 'We can't do it without cream.' Somehow, magically perhaps, the cook figured out how to make the burrito without cream. I wish he hadn't as it was not very good. While I liked the burrito fine enough, I can't completely get behind something that requires me to eat cream in order for it to be good. There is just something wrong with that in my opinion.

Rajas Con Queso (with Cream)

J-Fur's Potato Flautas

J-Fur's Flautas (fried tortillas with potatoes in) were pretty good, though I haven't yet been to a restaurant that can botch them because they are so basic. The flautas were doused in cheese and cream (which she also forgot to remove the first day) and surrounded by lettuce and tomato. They were served with a side of rice and beans.

Tacqueria Monterrey wasn't anything special. When I heard that it was a relative of the Taco Bus, I expected much more than I got. I think I will continue to drive the extra twenty minutes to the original Taco Bus when I get my Mexican craving.

When I get my craving for 70's style singalong rock peppered with roadhouse twang I turn to Natural Child and their single "Yer Birthday." Perfect for a post that begins with a birthday meal.

Natural Child-Yer Birthday via Sound on the Sound

I've had Folkster Supreme's "Young Forever" in my pocket for a while. It just never seemed to fit. Where does one put a dusty phone call interpretation of a Jay-Z song that reminds me of gardening with my grandmother? In a post about a restaurant that is a dusty interpretation of its predecessor? That's why we are here.

Folkster Supreme-Young Forever (Jay-Z Cover)

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Salt in the Wound by Propane Cowboy

2011-06-19T18:17:00.005-04:00

I ate dinner with a group of friends a few years back to celebrate a wedding or birthday or something. At this dinner there was a guy and a girl who I had never met. The two weren't dating but it was obvious that the guy wanted to get with her as all night long he was putting on a show. Unfortunately a lot of this performance seemed to involve me. He spoke to me with haughtiness, contradicted things I said and insulted me a number of times. Eventually the two of us had a showdown over table salt. He tossed his over his shoulder while declaring religious purity, I blew mine in his face fairy dust style. He and the girl left moments later.

The interesting part is, once I poured that common table salt into his wounds, the two of us actually became friends. There's a moral in their somewhere.

Perhaps Propane Cowboy can tell us what that moral is. These guys are an indie rock band from Long Island, New York. They remind me a lot of one of my favorite defunct 90's bands Tripping Daisy, though they have a slightly more pop punk feel. "Salt in the Wound" is courtesy of the band's debut LP Terrible Twenty-Twos which you can purchase here or here or here.

Propane Cowboy-Salt in the Wound

Check out Propane Cowboy at: Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Youtube or ReverbNation

The Birth of a Focaccia Slut as Evidenced by StereoHeroes and Battle Ave.

2011-06-17T14:13:00.005-04:00

For years I've been visiting blogs, reading their recipes for focaccia, and posting something generic like "looks good, I can't wait to finally make my own." Then I'd go back to my kitchen, get sidetracked on something else, and continue being a homemade focaccia virgin. About a week ago I finally was inspired enough to dive in and make my own. It is all thanks to Mary at One Perfect Bite. Something about her Cheddar Cheese and Olive version said 'come on baby, quit putting it off and do it now.' The final product was a wonderful blend of vegetables, spices and bread that tasted so much better than the store bought versions and had me instantly asking myself 'what took so long to give into those carnal food desires.' The only thing I worry about going forward is that I might start falling victim to this bread's lusting easier and easier. I'm not sure I can handle the whispers that are bound to follow me in the hallways (how does one combat being called a Focaccia slut...)

I followed Mary's recipe exactly.

The StereoHeroes describe themselves in four words: French dancefloor ass kickers. Nothing could be closer to the truth. The StereoHeroes don't just make dance music, they make dance music that is violent and in your face, the kind that isn't afraid to punch you if your put your hands on its girl or spill its drink. "Wild Child" comes from their new album, Exiles, which is out now on German label Freakz Me Out. I beg you to be careful while you listen.

StereoHeroes - Wild Child (Original Version) by StereoHeroes

Battle Ave. is an indie rock band from upstate New York that writes songs that are equally ambitious and sloppy, emotional and barren. They remind me of a slightly cleaner, more mountainish Titus Andronicus (which might not be accidental considering their new album War Paint was produced, mastered, mixed and engineered by Kevin McMahon who also has worked with Titus Andronicus). On the whole War Paint has some ups and downs, inconsistencies which is to be expected from a debut full-length. As the band continues to evolve I think these will be fleshed out. No track demonstrates the highs of War Paint as much as "Oh Other, Your Brother."

<a href="http://battleave.bandcamp.com/track/oh-other-you-brother">Oh Other, You Brother by BATTLE AVE.</a>

Movie Food: Bridesmaids' "Bear" Sandwich Fondled by Red Sammy

2011-06-14T18:43:00.011-04:00

J-Fur had been bugging people for weeks to go see the Bridesmaids movie. No one seemed interested. Her sister and I finally broke down last weekend and agreed to accompany her to the theater. I had heard very little about the movie, other than J-Fur telling me it was a comedy, so I didn't really have high hopes. I can't go so far as to say I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't like it all that much but I wasn't bored. I even laughed a few times. Since the movie revolves around a wedding it is only natural that there are a bunch of food related scenes. There is a restaurant excursion that leads to food poisoning in wedding dresses, a seductive nut eating stand-off and the typical I must make amends with baked goods even though my bakery experience was a failed one. The one that struck me as the most bizarre is the "bear" sandwich that appears during the ending credits. I decided to do my own interpretation of that scene, although mine was vegetarian and never made it fully into the bedroom.

Bridesmaid's Bear Sandwich

(printable version)

for the tofu:

-1 block of tofu, sliced into thin rectangles

-2 Tbs. vegetable oil

-1/2 cup flour, for dredging

-1/2 cup nondairy milk

-1/2 cup fine cornmeal

-1/2 cup flour

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast

-salt and pepper, to taste

-garlic and onion powder, to taste

-pinch of cayenne

for the pesto:

-1 clove of garlic

-1 cup basil leaves

-1 Tbs. pine nuts

-pinch of salt

-1/4 cup olive oil

-Parmesan Cheese

for the sandwich:

-provolone cheese

-baguette

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet. Mix the cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne in a metal bowl. Place milk in a second bowl and remaining flour in a third bowl.

2. Dredge the tofu slices by placing them first in the flour, second in the milk and ending with the seasoned flour. Drop into the oil and fry until golden on each side (about five minutes). Place on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

3. To make the pesto, drop the garlic in a moving food processor. Add the basil, pine nuts and salt and pulse until pine nuts have been reduced to small chunks. Scrape the sides down and add the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and grate in Parmesan. Mix.

4. Create the bear sandwiches by slicing the baguette down the middle. Spread the pesto on one side of the baguette. Top with tofu slices, provolone and the other baguette. Growl in an animalistic way before eating.

I would doubt that Red Sammy loves sandwiches as much as the characters in the movie but their sounds go fit perfectly with the construction of a "bear" sandwich. Think of the twangy graveyard alt-country music as the bread with the raspy lyrics serving as the filling. Both "It Ain't You" and "Cactus Flower" didn't immediately strike my fancy. But the more I played them, the more I warmed. Eventually it got to the point where I was seeking them out. Both tracks can be found on the band's new album A Cheaper Kind of Love.

Red Sammy-Cactus Flower

Red Sammy-It Ain't You

Artist's Cookbook: Corn and Shrimp Soup Courtesy of Shannon Curtis

2011-06-11T09:59:00.010-04:00

When a songwriter sits down to pen a song they have something in mind, a sort of destiny for the song. Some are meant for the dance floor where glistening bodies and colored lights will move, sway and grind to the beats (think Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" or LCD Soundsystem's "Drunk Girls"). Others reach for the airwaves so that people in cars and kids on school buses will sing along as they move from one place to the next (Anything by Katy Perry, Ke$ha, etc...). Then there are the songs that are destined to be so much more. These are the songs that were penned for revolution, for creating a social change or to lead a movement. That's where Shannon Curtis' song "Brightest Light in the Room" fits.

The song is, at its core, a love song. Something that anyone, who has ever walked into a room and saw that one person who stood out brighter than the rest, can relate to. But Shannon didn't write it for just anyone. She had someone...well actually two people in mind when she wrote it. These two were young woman who, during the course of serving in the US Army, met and fell in love. For the next ten years they kept at their relationship despite multiple deployments to Iraq and all the heartache and hardships that come from loving someone who is at war. Eventually the two women decided to marry and one of them asked Shannon to write a song for the occasion. Thus "Brightest Light in the Room" was born. In just four and a half minutes Shannon creates a dual anthem, one that celebrates the demise of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy while offering a stepping stone for the next battle, allowing gay and lesbian Americans the right to marry.

"Brightest Light in the Room" is Shannon's first single from her upcoming album which will be released on Saint Cloud Records.

To accompany her alternative-electro-downtempo-dream pop-social movement song Shannon cooks up a delicious Corn and Shrimp Soup that comes straight from the southern kitchen (she learned the recipe from a Louisiana man who knows a thing or two about southern cuisine).

Shannon Curtis-Brightest Light in the Room

Mid-Run Concert Review: Matt & Kim, The Thermals and DJ Autobot at the Czar Bar

2011-06-11T08:29:00.005-04:00

Here is a transcript from the review I recorded for Tuesday nights Matt & Kim, The Thermals and DJ Autobot concert at the Czar Bar in Ybor. It was around mile three of a six mile run.

Pre-Concert Meal: If you live in Tampa, you've probably seen billboards for the Acropolis. They dot I-4, 75 and 275. We've been going here for as long as I can remember. It isn't the "Opa!" or belly dancer or broken plates that keep us coming back. It certainly isn't the music that is turned up just a little too loud. What keeps us coming back is the pita, artichoke salad, hummus, falafel and the flaming cheese. Every visit brings some combination of these five items. On concert night I loaded up on flaming cheese, pita and a falafel wrap. Let me go on record and say that even though their are a number of locations across greater Tampa/St. Pete the one in Ybor is the only one that has been spot-on every time I've gone.

The Venue: Hey Czar Bar, I've danced in your halls, jumped from your stages and hung from the stripper poles for the last two years but I haven't experienced the concert feel since Girl Talk in '08. It was completely different at that time. I like that you have two mini stages that people can stand from on either side of the main stage. I also enjoy that you left the catwalk (but it is Tampa/St. Pete, we love our catwalks right Rays?). What I found problematic was the pole in the middle of the dance floor, that's like a circle pitters nightmare and the not clearly marked bathrooms. How many people did I see fight through the crowd, get to the left side of the stage, only to find out that was the back stage area and not a bathroom? I'd say at least 18. Most choose to just piss their pants instead of fighting to get the whole way to the other side. I was pleasantly surprised by the acoustics. I had heard bad things. Keep bringing in the bands and I'll keep coming back.

The Opening Acts: DJ Autobot, it has been way too long. You seemed a little out of place at the show mixing house music for a legion of uninterested kids. Then you brought the Journey and all of a sudden things changed. People danced, hearts sang and eyes looked alive...for a few seconds anyway. Then the kids went right back to their not interested poses. Even when you mixed the classics with more recent samples like La Roux and the spoken words of Mr. Tiger Blood himself, the crowd looked on like it they had never heard these things before. Could two months ago be before their time? I guess so. Hopefully the reaction has been different elsewhere because you deserve it. By the way, what was up with that placement after the Thermals set. Way back in the corner? I don't think I could've thrown a baseball that far back. That's rough for a DJ who should be front and center at all times to work the crowd. The Thermals, as I already posted on your facebook page, you guys were very no nonsense and brought the tracks I love to hear. I danced my heart out, way over on the left side out of your view, but no one around me moved. I saw some arms swing in the middle but for the most part it was a very lukewarm reception. "Here's Your Future" was amazing, I get goose pimples every time I hear it. Keep coming to the Orlampa area. I get it and eventually others will too (maybe when they have a few more years under their belt).

The Headliners: I saw Matt & Kim in St. Pete a few months back and this show was basically the same thing. Matt stands on his keyboard, Kim on her drum set, Matt sits, Kim sits. Up, down, up, down. Kim runs around the stage, booty shakes it in the middle of the crowd, confetti is thrown and balloons are blown up and sent flying everywhere. Despite having seen it before I was thoroughly entertained. That is a testament to Matt and Kim's between song commentary, which I'm sure changes from show to show (or does Kim always talk about "Swamp Ass") and the fact that they look like they are having so much fun. It is easy for me to get into something when the band members are into it. Matt & Kim's passion for putting on a good show breeds the amazing Florida performances that the band is always talking about. There was one small difference with this show (and I'm not talking about Kim's discussion about the love of her small boobs and Matt's subsequent agreement). Kim taking a camera around to snap pictures of the crowd was an excellent way to get people involved while pimping the new album and its bad as hell single. Matt & Kim will be back in September to perform at the 1800AskGary Amphitheater with Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance. I don't know how their small club show will transfer to the big stage but if anyone can pull it off, they can.

The Crowd: I'm not going to rip on you more than I already have other than to say, Florida doesn't get the number of shows that other states get. One way to keep the bands coming is to at least pretend you are interested in their act. I'm not about to start driving to Atlanta for every concert I want to see. Guys, taking off your shirts and swinging them around when Kim ordered, that was a great start.

Shots from the show.

The Warped 45's, Let's Wrestle and Accidental "Sausage Gnocchi" with Pesto and Fresh Vegetables

2011-06-09T19:57:00.005-04:00

My old college roommate, Drew, is no stranger to accidents. In the short time that I lived with him there was the badly sprained wrist from roller skating around the kitchen while drinking hard liquor, the sword cut from trying to put Sam's blade into his pants leg and the music video where he walked into the street and got hit by a cab (probably the funniest video I've ever seen). But none of these compare to Drew's latest and greatest misadventure. It seems that Drew, after our apartment on Belmont Avenue was condemned, relocated to India so that he could make a film about the underground Indian wrestling scene. He became so enamored with the scene that he decided not just to film but to participate. All was going well until he freakishly broke his leg and had to be shipped immediately back to the states.

I'm told there is footage. God I hope so.

Speaking of accidents try this one on:

"Sausage Gnocchi" with Pesto and Fresh Vegetables

(printable version)

for the sausage gnocchi:

-1/2 cup pinto beans, mashed

-1 cup veggie broth, cold

-1 Tbs. olive oil

-2 Tbs. soy sauce

-2 garlic cloves

-1 1/4 cups bread flour

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast

-1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

-1 tsp. red pepper flakes

-1 tsp. oregano

for the rest of the meal:

-olive oil

-1 zucchini, sliced into half moons

-1 cup spinach

-2 yellow bell pepers, diced

-grape tomatoes

-pesto

-Parmesan Cheese

1. For the sausage gnocchi, mix all the ingredients in the order listed. Stir until combined. Pour into a piece of tin foil and shape into a long log. Place in a bamboo steamer and steam for 35 minutes.

2. Remove the log from the steamer. It will have a similar consistency to preboiled gnocchi. Put olive oil in a wok. Slice the gnocchi into tiny pieces and place into wok. Fry for 10 minutes. The sausage gnocchi should be browned and crisp on the outside.

3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, fry the spinach, yellow bell peppers, zucchini and grape tomatoes in olive oil until softened.

4. Vegetables to the sausage gnocchi. Stir until combined. Remove the gnocchi and vegetables from the heat. Mix in the pesto. Place in bowls and top with Parmesan cheese. Make that fake pig squeal.

This sausage gnocchi will always have a story to go with it. It is one of failure leading to success. The Warped 45's take this idea and turn it on its head in their song "Grampa Carl." The lyrics tell the story of a man who takes the US Government to task during prohibition. Money, riches and cars follow. But the success is fleeting and eventually Carl loses it all. The narrative approach of the lyrics remind me of what the Drive-By Truckers like to do in their songs. It is definitely not a bad thing. Sometimes I like hearing about real life people getting cancer, leaving the girl at the altar or rum running during prohibition. "Grampa Carl" comes from the Warped 45's new album, Matador Sunset, which was released two weeks ago.

The Warped 45's-Grampa Carl via Herohill

"Dear John" by Let's Wrestle (here) poses a simple question in its chorus: how were you well liked in the first place? I can think of at least twenty times in my life where I have thought the same thing. It just took Let's Wrestle to provide the music for those ponderings. "Dear John" is from Let's Wrestle's new release Nursing Home, which is out now on Merge Records.

Let's Wrestle-Dear John

Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwiches on top of New York Rifles

2011-06-07T13:43:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time there was a happy monogamous marriage between peanut butter and jelly. The two went everywhere together, finished each others sentences and never wavered in their love. But then something started to change. Peanut butter became disillusioned thinking that the grass was greener somewhere out there. Pretty soon peanut butter started keeping the company of harlots such as marmite, sriracha, tomato, bacon and cool ranch doritos. There was even a rumor of a tryst with mayonnaise and lettuce...at the same time!

Thanks to the Bricks in Ybor my latest combination, when I'm not doing the blueberry jalapeno jelly I picked up at the u-pick farm, is peanut butter and dill pickle. Originally I started with store bought peanut butter and pickles but those sandwiches were a little too salty. So I decided to make my own.

Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwiches

(printable version)

-2 slices of your favorite bread (I like grain or sourdough)

-16 ounces roasted peanuts

-2-3 Tbs. peanut oil

-1 1/2 Tbs. agave nectar

-water

-dill pickles (I left the garlic out of the recipe)

1. Pour the roasted peanuts into a food processor. Process for thirty seconds. Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of peanut oil and the agave nectar to the processed peanuts. Turn the food processor on. As you continue to run the processor drizzle in the remainder of the oil. To help it reach my desired consistency I also added a little bit of water. You may want to add salt, I didn't.

2. Lay out the slices of bread. Slather one slice with peanut butter. Lay the dill pickles on the other slice. Press them together and watch the jelly turn jealous. Eat.

Since both peanut butter and pickles are so versatile, I needed some music that fit that mold. I needed something that was both east and west coast, something with starts and stops, extended woooahs, group sing-alongs, whispered lyrics with strange alien like sounds in the background, machine gun drums, LA name drops, hand claps and guitar solos. I also needed something that was fun as vinegarized cucumbers. Only one band could fit this bill, Portland's New York Rifles. Made up of Scott Young (vocals/lead guitar), Nate James (drums), Jamie Gould (bass) and Kari Schafer (back-up vocals/keyboard) the New York Rifles have two official releases, Faraway Faster on Empty Records and Make a Wish on In Music We Trust. Their sound is described as "The Stranglers of The Soft Boys, riding in the Cars, wearing X-Ray Spex, listening for the Undertones, and upsetting the Saints for touching the Buzzcocks, while high on X." Hear for yourself in "I know a Girl" and "Thinner."

New York Rifles-Thinner

New York Rifles-I Know a Girl

herMajesty, Class of Kill'em High and Long Island Sound Piled High on Top Macho Tostones Supreme

2011-06-05T19:15:00.006-04:00

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere I joined some girls dancing like a fool. During a lull, I jumped from a second story balcony, grabbed ahold of a tree and scaled down it as gracefully as a monkey. Instead of filling a stereotype by grabbing a celebration banana, I turned a little to the west and reached for a plantain. My first experience with tostones was pleasurable enough that I tried it myself a few days later making some minor changes.

Macho Tostones Supreme (adapted from watching Fedster)
(printable version)

-2 plantains, peeled and cut into chunks
-5 Tbs. vegetable oil
-salt
-refried beans
-salsa
-jack cheese

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Place the plantain chunks into the oil and fry on each side (about 3 1/2 minutes per side). Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Continue until all chunks have been fried.

2. Using a plate, press down on each fried plantain to flatten. Put the circular plantains back into the oil and fry for an additional minute on each side. Remove from the oil again with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Pat dry. Repeat until all plantains have been refried.

3. Top plantains with refried beans and jack cheese. Heat for thirty seconds in the microwave (or until the cheese has melted). Top with salsa. Masticate monkey style.

Two bands that have appeared on this blog before return with Macho Tostones. First there is the dreamscape night waves of herMajesty (here and here). The band recently finished their first ever video for "The Stranger." It is a four minute peak at what lies inside your radio.

"Rhino" by Class of Kill'em High (here) has been my favorite song for the past month. It never seemed to fit until the tostones because it needed something more "macho." On par with any American rock band, these guys hail from Sweden. But they trade in the jangle pop of some of their Swedish brethern for aggressive rock and roll. They do send out a little tribute to these guys by slowing it down a little at the end. The only disappointment with "Rhino" is that it isn't longer.

Class of Kill Em High-Rhino via Absolut Noise

If Class of Kill'em High and herMajesty are the nightlife, Long Island Sound is a sunny day. Poppy, happy and infectious these Australian's harmonize in a way that causes Beach Boys' fans around the globe to shed a tear. "Joseph" comes courtesy of Triple J Unearthed.

Long Island Sound-Joseph

Some Days Are > Others

2011-06-05T18:31:00.001-04:00

How did I receive mail on Sunday? Because it took J-Fur four days to tell me that I had a package waiting in the office. It was well worth the wait.

Say Goodbye with a Meal Mix: Handsome Furs, Skizzy Mars, Sarabeth Tucek, Antonio Paul, The Shivers, United Fruit, Fan Modine,The Five One and more...

2011-06-04T11:41:00.005-04:00

For the past six years I've known an amazing bunch of people through J-Fur's anthropology program. We've gone to concerts and on trips together, cooked food, boated, played shuffleboard, watched movies, spent holidays and been there for each other during some trying times. This week, four of them left to go into the field and begin their dissertation research. At the end of the summer two more will leave and in December yet another two.

As you can see, there have been and will be a lot of goodbye dinners in the next few months. While these are generally happy affairs, you can't help but be pleased that these people whom you've grown so close to have a chance to go off and study what it is they enjoy, there are also those feelings of sadness. Will you be back? Will I see you again? That is what this playlist is all about. Its not happy, not sad but it does say goodbye (hopefully only for a short while). It also says good luck to DR, Fedster, KD and HH.

Handsome Furs-Repatriated
Skizzy Mars-Profound
Sarabeth Tucek-Get Well Soon
Antonio Paul-City Dreams
The Shivers-Used to Be
United Fruit-Go Away, Don't Leave Me Alone
Ki: Theory-Holiday Heart
Neighbors-Gone Too Long
Fan Modine-Through the Valley
The Five One-Monsters, Mutants,Vampires
Vermilion Club-Hummingbirds

Download Playlist Here

Thanks to Stereogum, KEXP blog, MP3 Hugger, Pigeons and Planes, Triple J Unearthed, Indie Rock Cafe, Consequence of Sound, The Devil has the Best Tuna and Swedesplease and the bands for making this playlist possible.

Orzo in a Citrus Hot Bath of Chiddy Bang and Tin Can Radio

2011-05-31T17:22:00.004-04:00

Bagna Cauda is the saltier fish bred cousin to fondue (in my own family, Courtney would be the bagna cauda). I had never heard of the dipping sauce until last week when I was perusing Giada de Laurentiis recipes trying to find one that I could shirk and pass off as my own. I came across her Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda. There were enough weird words in the title to hook me (like a fish you know). Since Bagna Cauda is typically made with anchovies I needed a vegetarian replacement. I had two in mind, miso and capers, and couldn't decide which one would work best. Over the course of a week I experimented with both. My conclusion? There was no contest. In this recipes it has to be capers.

Failure to Launch: Miso Citrus Bagna Cauda

Orzo in a Citrus Hot Bath (adapted slightly from Giada De Laurentiis)

(printable version)

-3 Tbs. unsalted butter

-2 Tbs. olive oil

-1 Tbs. capers

-1 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced

-2 Tbs. orange juice

-2 Tbs. basil leaves, thinly sliced

-1 tsp. lemon zest

-1 tsp. orange zest

-2 cups orzo

-salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Stir frequently to combine. Add the capers and garlic and cook for 15 seconds (just enough for the garlic to become fragrant). Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients (minus the orzo).

2. Cook the orzo according to directions.

3. Stir the orzo into the Bagna Cauda. Mix until evenly distributed. Invite you salty cousin over for dinner. Bathe to your palettes content.

My aural palette has been craving the sound of hip hoppers sampling indie rock recently. That means a lot of e-dubble, Get Busy Committee, Big Sean and Chiddy Bang. The latter released a new mixtape late last week Peanut Butter and Swelly (which you can download for free here). While the mixtape doesn't have anything that instantly causes a scene (see: Opposite of Adults) there were a hand full of tracks that I could really get into. One of those was "Cameras."

Chiddy Bang-Cameras (Matt and Kim Samples)

It hasn't all been hip hop and indie rock samples. There has also been some dub step . Australia's Tin Can Radio isn't strictly dub step (otherwise I'd be dub stepping it the other way). They combine elements of shoegaze, art punk, dance blam and the aforementioned mean ass dub step breakdown to concoct their single "Skeletons." It illustrates both the speed and precision that goes into a citrus hot bath.

Tin Can Radio-Skeletons via Triple J Unearthed

Food Flavored Song of the Day: Tug by The History of Apple Pie

2011-05-28T12:39:00.002-04:00

(photo by Jamie Walters Smith)

It started something like this:

"Tak gode Applys and gode Spryeis and Figys and reyfons and Perys and wan they are wel ybrayed co- lourd wyth Safron wel and do yt in a cofyn and do yt forth to bake well" (from The Forme of Cury by Samuel Pegge).

At the time of this recipe, sugar was scarce and the coffin (pastry) was not eaten. Since then the apple pie has crawled through many forms and faces, each of them adding a little something special to the history of the apple pie.

Which brings us to an English pop band with one of the sweetest (literally) band names, The History of Apple Pie. In a strange bit of irony I was introduced to these guys a few weeks back by the twitter feed of Yuck. The band's song "Tug" is pretty even-keeled but it always seems to be on the verge of something more, like a car poised at the edge of a precipice teetering back and forth. Be on the lookout for their new release which should be coming shortly via Roundtable.

The History of Apple Pie-Tug

Breakfast Gnocchi Remixed by Hey Sholay!

2011-05-26T19:23:00.007-04:00

I ate lunch with my class today and they were having "breakfast for lunch." That meant sausage, hash browns and pancakes. It also meant syrup everywhere. I left the table with no fewer than three sticky hand prints on various parts of my body (I don't even remember them touching my collar right under my chin). While sitting with them certainly didn't save me any laundry, it did inspire me to go with my own breakfast at the wrong time of day celebration. My choice was the Breakfast Gnocchi recipe that Reversing Falls talked about in our interview. Of course, I did a slight Tender Branson remix first. Don't worry, you'll still recognize it.

Reversing Falls' Breakfast Gnocchi (Tender Branson Remix)

(printable version)

-1 package of whole wheat gnocchi
-olive oil
-4 green onions, diced
-4 large mushroom caps, diced
-1 fennel bulb, diced
-2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
-fresh basil, ripped into pieces
-juice of 1/2 a lime
-4 pieces of veggie bacon, cooked and sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
-four large tortillas

1. Cook the gnocchi according to the directions on the package. Drain, rub with olive oil and set aside.

2. Using a cast iron skillet, fry the green onions, fennel and mushrooms in olive oil until fennel is softened. Add the gnocchi and continue frying until gnocchi begins to brown (mine took roughly about 15 minutes over medium heat).

3. Meanwhile, mix the tomatoes, basil, fake bacon, and lime juice in a separate bowl (do not forget the lime juice, it is what sends this recipe over the edge). Set aside.

4. When the gnocchi has browned, add the contents of the cast iron skillet to the tomatoes. Mix well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Warm the burritos. Plop the breakfast gnocchi down in the middle, wrap it and shove the whole mess into your oral cavity.

You are running the streets of your rainy city and somewhere in the distant you hear the susurration of guitar strums, hand claps and beating drums. You slow down, for an instant, before remembering the rain. Somewhere these two, the music and rain, have a "timeshare." That place is where Sheffield's Hey Sholay begins. That was also where the cooking ended.

In bed with old Nick (Kids in bearsuits on drugs) ((HEY SHOLAY)) by Hey Sholay

Gold teeth and goodbyes (a song for sparrows) ((HEY SHOLAY)) by Hey Sholay

Hey Sholay is preparing for the release of their first single on Fierce Panda/Club Fandango. It is a double A-side of their tracks "Dreamboat" and "The Bears, the Bees & No Clocks." Here is an unmastered version of "Dreamboat."

Hey Sholay-Dreamboat

Lightning Sholay Sallet Drizzled with Beat Radio, Motorboater and Occult Detective Club

2011-05-22T16:59:00.006-04:00

On the East Side of Gainesville there is a salad (and pizza) worth traveling for. Trust me, we have. Our latest trek, a minor one compared to most, was sixty miles straight across Route 24 dodging small towns soliciting boiled peanuts and Domino's pizza drivers. This time, as I savored the salad, I began envisioning my own version. Friday, after work, I brought those visions to life.

Lightning Sholay Sallet
(printable version)

For the salad:
-30 ounces mixed greens
-6 baby carrots, grated
-2 tomatoes, diced
-1 cucumber, halved and cut thinly
-1/2 apple, sliced thinly
-sliced almonds
-sunflower seeds
-Parmesan Cheese

For the dressing:
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/4 cup agave nectar (or slightly less)
-1 teaspoon soy sauce

1. In a large salad bowl. Mix the greens, tomatoes, cucumber, baby carrots, almonds and sunflower seeds.

2. Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing. Spoon about a tablespoon amount into the salad and mix well. Store the rest of the dressing.

3. Layer the apple slices on top of the salad and cover with Parmesan cheese. Guzzle it down like an SUV does gas.

Last week Beat Radio put out a new/old single as they remixed their song "Beautiful One." The track uses synths, drums, guitars and a glockenspiel to create a lovely pop song that will bring any romantic to their knees. Its perfect for a salad of this stature. Check out more of Beat Radio's music here.

<a href="http://beatradio.bandcamp.com/track/beautiful-one-2">beautiful one by beat radio</a>

Speaking of romance how about Motorboater (that's love no?). Their new track "Left Limb" is a space rock jaunt that makes me wanna dance with genetically engineered Russian midget pilots that accidentally crash landed in New Mexico. "Left Limb" is from the bands new record Sport (due out on June 21st) which you can pre-order here.

Motorboater-Left Limb via Soundspike

"C'Mon Levi" by Occult Detective Club has been around the blogs for a couple months. I kept it in my back pocket waiting for the right meal to break it out with. The song is brash, in your face, punk rock that pays homage to the New York punk scene (both past and present). The song knows its place, there is nothing unique or different about it, but it is damn good at what it does. "C'Mon Levi" is from the Crimes which was released in February.

Occult Detective Club-C'Mon Levi