Food Pairing 101: What Goes Well With Blackberry Sage Kombucha?

I know what you guys are thinking. Man you've sent me so many DM's on Twitter asking me where I am and if I will ever be blogging again. I kept telling you, in time my preciousesseses (or however you would spell that). The reason for the absence? Nothing to do with fondness and hearts. It is all because making kombucha takes so much damn time.

If you've never brewed a batch of kombucha at home (your crazy!) you might not realize all the steps that go into making that fine fermented drink. Let Tender drop some knowledge on ya. If you do know how we do, well...go ahead and skip down to the Disco Fries, they are eagerly awaiting your earlobes. The first thing you have to do when making kombucha is locate a scoby. This is a sort of living jellyfish looking culture that is responsible for the ferment. I looked high and low for one of those things but couldn't find it. Finally, on a whim, I joined my local yard sale group on Facebook and...voila! Scoby at my front door. Next you brew up a gallon of tea, pour a cup of sugar in it and let it sit. Once it hits room temperature, drop the scoby (and some starter liquid from another batch of kombucha) into the tea. Let that thing fester around somewhere between 74 and 78 degrees for upwards of seven days. After seven days you can remove the scoby (and a cup of kombucha). Now it is time to flavor that baby. Find some fruit or herbs (or both) cut them up and drop them in. Let the brew sit for another four days and, finally, you've got some kombucha. Bottle it and drink at your own leisure.

My first batch was flavored with blackberries and sage. As I alluded to earlier, I would pair a brew of blackberries and sage with the Disco Fries new song "My World." While the song is actually about all the effects a lovely relationship has on a person, I could easily replace the hand holding and lip kissing with some bottle sucking and koozie caressing and make this track about kombucha. "My World" is crisp and clean. It bangs and vibes and grooves. It is astringent but warm. Wait am I still talking about "My World" or have I moved on to the kombucha? At this point, weeks deep in both, I don't know where one begins and the other ends.
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Food Pairing 101: What goes well with a summery Fu*ked Up cover?

(picture by J-Fur)

When I think about summer in Pennsylvania (because let's face it, the weather in Florida makes it feel like a perpetual summer) I think long drives to the beach, the ding ding man, Katrina and the Waves, and root beer floats. I'm not a big fan of Katrina and the Waves, I find them slightly irritating, but "Walking on Sunshine" is 25 this year and it does remind me of sunny days...wait? What's that? Fucked Up covers that song (well more like remixes it) on Brooklyn Vegan's Sun Salute: A tribute to Katrina and the Waves for the 25th Anniversary of Walking on Sunshine? Summer just got a little better.

Fucked Up-Crooked Sunshine

"Crooked Sunshine" goes well with the aforementioned root beer float or Smitten Kitchen's awesome cupcake version of this summertime delight.

You might also like:
I left my heart in San FranCrisco Mix
Vegan Linzer Torte Cupcakes
Dried Pumpkin and Fruit Mistake Cakes

Artist's Cookbook: Fruit Tea Smoothies Courtesy of the Wild Moccasins

(photo by Grant Hickey)

Imagine rolling into Iowa to perform the last two days of a tour, knowing that you have a new album coming up (Skin Collision Past will be released May 21st) which will be followed by an American west coast romp (dates listed below). Now imagine these sunny thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a stupid bird. Such is the life of the Wild Moccasins, a Houston Texas indie band. Thankfully the members were alright. Cody Swann, (guitar/vocals) took a break from fixing the van to share a Moccasin favorite recipe. This Fruit Tea Smoothie is "perfect for the Texas heat." For more information (and more pictures of the damage the bird did) check out the band's Facebook, twitter, bandcamp, or myspace pages.

Wild Moccasin's Fruit Tea Smoothie
(printable version)

-A few bags of tea (any kind, we used honey vanilla tea)

-1 banana

-2 mangoes

-3 pineapple slices

-4 strawberries

-half cup of soy milk

-blender

-freezer

1. Wash, peel, slice and chop all of the fruit and leave it in the freezer in a freezer bag overnight.

2. Boil a few bags of tea. Cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.

3. Place the fruit in the blender and begin to blend it a little, you won’t need any ice because the fruit will be frozen!

4. Pour 1 cup of tea and half a cup of soy milk and continue to blend until it’s complete.

5. Drink and enjoy.

Wild Moccasins-Fruit Tea

Wild Moccasins-Cake (WOXY Lounge Act)

Wild Moccasins Tour Dates:

Upcoming Shows

( view all )

May 21 2010 8:00P	***CD RELEASE @ Walter’s on Washington w/ Roky Moon and BOLT & Giant Princess***	Houston, Texas
May 29 2010 8:00P	The Limelight w/ Transmography, The White Lights, & The Hawks of Holy Rosary	San Antonio, Texas
Jun 5 2010 4:00P	Free Press Summerfest @ Eleanor Tinsley Park	Houston, Texas
Jul 2 2010 8:00P	Tour Kick-Off	Houston, Texas
Jul 6 2010 8:00P	Padre’s Marfa	Marfa, Texas
Jul 7 2010 8:00P	TBA	Phoenix, Arizona
Jul 8 2010 8:00P	TBA	San Diego, California
Jul 9 2010 8:00P	TBA	Los Angeles, California
Jul 10 2010 8:00P	TBA	Los Angeles, California
Jul 12 2010 8:00P	TBA	Ventura/Santa Cruz, California
Jul 13 2010 8:00P	TBA	San Francisco/Oakland, California
Jul 14 2010 8:00P	TBA	Stockton, California
Jul 15 2010 8:00P	TBA	Redding, California
Jul 16 2010 8:00P	TBA	Portland, Oregon
Jul 17 2010 8:00P	TBA	Olympia, Washington
Jul 18 2010 8:00P	TBA	Seattle, Washington

Baker's Dozen: Interview with Moreno

A man, a mac and a vision. When it boils down to it that is what allows Moreno, a prolific musician from Santiago, Chile, to put out so much great music. Consider this, Moreno has put out three full length albums in the last three years and that isn't even counting his splits and EP's. That is a career for some artists. How does the man do it? Recently I had the chance to ask him this (as well as twelve other questions) as part of our Baker's Dozen series. (Moreno won this honor because his track "Pica" was included on our Appendages in the Colcannon Mix).

TB: Let's start off with you telling us about yourself. Who is Moreno?

M: Basically I'm a solo musician who makes music in his apartment. I pick up my guitar, make some melodies and create songs through the days and record them using Garage Band. I also play live with my support band named "The Mafia Canyengue" and I also make my own videos.

TB: I've read that you spent your teens performing in punk, hardcore and grindcore bands. Is there truth to this rumor? What elements of these styles do your try to incorporate into the music you are making now?

M: That's true. I use to play in Alternocidio and Silencio Absoluto, both hardcore bands (you can find stuff on YouTube!). Also I played drums for sometime in Antitrust, a grindcore band. I think the feeling of freedom, its still in my Moreno songs. Basically that. Also, in some ways the sound, that old school sound, when we used to record tapes of our favorite hxc bands, for example.

TB: Did you really have your picture taken with Ian MacKaye?

M: Ha! Long time ago Fugazi came down to play. We opened for them that year with Silencio Absoluto. I was a huge fan of Ian's work so me and my friends took several photos with him, he even signed me a little paper!!! Ha!!

TB: Your new album, Pica, is your third full length in three years. What is the secret to your prolificness?

M: There's no secret. I don't know. I just can't live without music. And since I have my mac and my Garage Band I've been making songs almost everyday. I don't depend on labels, studios, etc so the process is very simple, just me, my music and the computer. Right now I'm planning to release 2 records; POLAROIDS and one of Moreno remixes made by my friend LATA.

TB: How does Pica differ from your previous two full lengths (El Nino, Su Padre, Su Madre, Sus Hermanos Y Sus Amigos and Broma)?

M: Maybe Pica sounds cleaner and has better songs, I don't know. Both previous works were made more spontaneously, I think. I don't know, for me making songs and records is like having my own diary where I write everyday what happens through the day.

TB: My favorite track on Pica is "Pica." Is there a back story for this song?

M: Pica means a lot of things, that's why I chose the name. It can be rage, spicy, there's a lemon flavor called pica, etc... At some point I realized I like all its meanings! And lyrics are very personal. It's hard for me to explain them in Spanish, imagine in English!

TB: Aside from your full lengths, you've also done a number of splits over the past few years with bands such as Transito, Cigarros Sueltos, Audiopostcards, Fico, Los Pantis and Vapourboat. Does anything change with your song writing when working on a split vs a full length album? Also, what do you hope to accomplish by teaming up with these other bands?

M: I don't try to accomplish anything. Basically they are all friends. I like the split format a lot. I used to buy a lot of 7" back in the day. The songs are basically "b-sides" that are left along the way or cover songs. In the case of Vapourboat, I made a cover of one of his songs and he made one of mine.

TB: I've seen you compared to J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Sufjan Stevens, Guided by Voices and the Pixies. Are you flattered by these comparisons? Do you agree with them?

M: I agree with them. I'm very influenced by those artists. But I'm influenced by a lot of different music from around the world as well. But if people link my music to them, its no problem for me at all.

TB: When recording, you play all the instruments yourself. At shows you have a backing band. Is it difficult to let go of the control you have when doing everything yourself?

M: Playing live with the band is awesome! I show the songs to them and then we make our own live versions. Some songs turn out to be very similar to the original and some turn out to be very experimental which is alright with me. In the beginning, the band was always changing. Now "The Mafia Canyengue" is always the same. I like playing with music and I love transforming songs, there's no "control" problem with me.

TB: What is Santiago's music scene like? Any bands we need to know about?

M: There are a lot of bands around here and a lot of scenes I guess. But every weekend you can find some cool band to listen to in Santiago. My favorites? Intimate Stranger, Vapourboat, Fico (from Pichilemu), Ramixes, etc...

TB: Does Moreno get a chance to do any cooking? Any special recipes you care to share?

M: Of course! I love cooking! I think the perfect recipe to line with Moreno would be The Ceviche. It consists of raw fish with olive oil and a lot of "pica" lemon. Some onions, some peppers, salt, etc. And if you add this a "pisco sour" (a drink) you're read to enjoy any Moreno songs to the max! Hahaha!

TB: Any parting words?

M: Thanks for the interview and the good vibrations!!!

Here is a video for Moreno's song "Hoy es al Fin." The song appears on his album El Nino, Su Padre, Su Madre, Sus Hermanos Y Sus Amigos.



A video for "Pica" off the album of the same name.



Moreno has his previous albums available for free download. Just click on the links below.
Broma(2007)
El Nino, Su Padre, Su Madre, Sus Hermanos Y Sus Amigos (2008)
Pica (2009)

Keep up with Moreno via his Facebook page as well.

Halloween Fare with DK, AIH, Eat Skull, Band of Horses, Helloween, The Aquabats, Bats for Lashes, My Gold Mask, PGMG, The Unseen and more...

In honor of Autumn and Halloween I blended up a batch of pumpkin smoothie (recipe here). I followed the instructions verbatim and found the smoothie was not sweet at all. For a more pumpkin pie feel, I would dial the sugar up a notch.

And what is Halloween without music. Below you will find MP3's and videos for 17 songs that I will be enjoying this weekend.

Dead Kennedys-Halloween
Architecture in Helsinki-The Cemetery
Eat Skull-Stick to the Formula
Band of Horses-Is there a ghost
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah-Satan Said Dance
Helloween-Mr. Torture
The Aquabats-Fashion Zombies
Bats for Lashes-Tahiti
John's Candy-Amusing Using You


















My playlist pales in comparison to the thirteen that Indie Rock Cafe has posted. Stop by and check their lists out here. Have a great Halloween! November playlist coming this week...