Mint Cocoa

Listening/watching Laura Marling youtube videos. I just discovered her today listening to the radio and cannot stop. She is absolutely enchanting.  There is a sparkling, honest quality to her voice that is really very soothing --especially when one is listening while cuddled up with some mint cocoa.  I cannot believe she is only 20 years old. Here's her cover of Jackson Frank's Blues Run the Game. Enjoy...

Ravel

I have been on a big Victorian/Edwardian kick lately, from fashion to art to music of the time. The attention to detail, the old-world colors, the use of light and darkness, the feminine lines, diaphanous textiles, and delicateness of these eras is really inspiring to me, especially as the color fades outside and we slip into early winter. One discovery is Art Inconnu, a site that posts paintings from unknown or under-appreciated artists. I'm particularly fond of the current post on Annie Louisa Robinson Swynnerton.

I also stumbled upon this gorgeous little Tumblr site that posts old Victorian photographs of interesting people and the macabre.

And although they are more recent (1940s), I am vying for these floral headbands.  

The romanticism so inherent to this style seems to go hand in hand with the lush colors and exciting rhythmic play of Ravel's String Quartet in F Major.  Have a listen (this is just the second mvmt).

Funky Saturdays

Having recently acquired the use of a record player again, I have been rediscovering some of my albums. I compulsively buy records and books, and sometimes it takes a while for them to get on the rotation, or for me to remember that I bought them.  It's kind of like buying Christmas presents ridiculously early for yourself, and when you finally unwrap them you realize how super sweet they are.
This morning, I was feeling adventurous, so I put on a record an old roommate had left behind, but that I had never gotten around to listening to: Freddie Hubbard/Stanley Turrentine 'In Concert'.  This album has a really solid rhythm section that has kept me grooving (and motivated!) all morning. It also straddles the line between funk and jazz, making it perfect on a beautiful fall morning with bottomless cups of coffee and endless amounts of homework.

Buena Vista Social Club

The Music

The Buena Vista Social club is a documentary that came out a little over 10 years ago (Google for more info on this amazing movie) that features a Cuban band of the same name.  Inspiring the creation of this movie was the collaboration between an American guitarist and several older Cuban musicians who recorded a solid album of popular Cuban music from the 1930s-1950s.  The primarily genre of music called son, which blends rhythms originating from African drumming with Spanish guitar.

I can’t help but move or dance to this album, even when passively listening; the anticipated bass and lilting, syncopated percussion just take over my body.  Yet, something about it is also inherently relaxing, which I attribute to the stringed instruments. One can almost float along, being carried by the rise and fall of the fluid melodic lines taken by voice, piano, trumpet, and tres (a stringed instrument related to the guitar).

The Food

Sofrito is a cooking base that is used a lot in Caribbean Latin cultures such as Cuba and Puerto Rico.  I love the stuff for its complex, zesty character and ability to turn the simplest poor girl food (e.g. beans and rice) into a flavor sensation.   I may or may not have spread it over French bread a few times—but, don’t judge because you’ll love it too. 
     
SO, ever since discovering it, I have been attempting to develop my own recipe rather than bend to the convenience of buying a store bought version (however tasty it may be).  When I began my sofrito quest, a huge problem presented itself.  Not only does the recipe tend to change from country to country, but sofrito recipes are very much like chocolate chip cookie or chili recipes in the Midwest, in that every family has one and will fiercely assert that it is the “best.”
     
Below is my sofrito recipe within a pseudo-Cuban dish that seemed fit for this unbearably hot day.  It makes one big mason jar full of sofrito that you can keep in the fridge for about a month, if you don’t use it up by then. A side note though: You will most likely have to increase the amount of chili powder in your recipe compared to mine, so do a few taste tests to determine what is right for you.  The chili powder that I bought in bulk from an Indian grocer seemed like such a brilliant idea at the time, but ultimately and unfortunately led to a dinner incident my friends so lovingly refer to as the “menopause chili.”
Sofrito

1 tomato

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 stick of celery

1 onion

6 cloves garlic

Juice of one lime

1 tsp HOT chili powder

½ bunch of cilantro

2 tsp salt

Dash pepper

**if you have fresh parsley on hand, add ½ a bunch—but, it is fine without it too**

Also, if you want it thicker, add 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste.

Blend all the above ingredients in a food processor and promptly refrigerate. I recommend preparing this a few hours before using so the flavors can get acquainted with each other.

In general, Cuban food is not that particularly spicy, but since I must compulsively spice up almost anything I make, the below recipe will include some extra heat that you can feel free to omit.

Black Beans with Fried Yucca Root and Plantains

In going with the Cuban feel, I thought a side of crispy, fried plantains and yucca root would add a nice texture when eaten with the beans. For those of you who haven’t cooked with yucca root and find yourself wondering what these scary long brown things are when you peruse the produce section, put aside your fears because yucca tastes very similar to your common potato and is extremely versatile in cooking (and fun to say!).

So now that I’ve got you convinced, take a paring knife and peel 1 large yucca root  and slice it into 1-2” rounds.  Add to a large pot of cold water with 1 tsp salt and juice from a quarter of a lemon.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Make sure you watch it so it doesn’t turn to mush. Drain and transfer to cutting board. Slice yucca slices into wedges (they should already be splitting off into wedges at this point) and pick out the hard fibers in the core; set aside.  

Peel 1 large plantain and cut into thirds. Slice each third lengthwise into thinner pieces.  A side note, plantains look like bananas, and do taste very similar, but they are usually bigger, less sweet, and have a grittier taste when eaten raw. In a pinch, you can substitute bananas, but they will get mushier if you’re not careful. Below is a picture of an unpeeled yucca and plantain for you to carry with you as a mental picture when you go to the grocery.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse 2 cans of black beans. Return to saucepan and add 1 tsp canola/olive oil and ¼ cup Sofrito (give or take--do a taste test further into cooking), and ½ tsp cayenne pepper. Heat on low until heated through.

Back to the vegetables. Fill a medium/large stockpot with canola oil 2” high and heat to medium high. When you flick a little bit of water on the oil and it sizzles, you’re good to go. Place some of the plantains into the oil, making sure they’re not touching. Fry for 5 minutes and remove, placing on a few paper towels. When the plantains are finished, follow the same process for the yucca. Fry time really will vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye out to prevent overcooking.

To the best of my knowledge, polenta is not used in Cuban cuisine, but I did add a few slices from the tube (heated in the oven) to add some color. 

So, what to say about the food and music combining as one? I have to admit, I had a difficult time with this one. However, as I was eating, the flavors from the sofrito in particular struck me as having similarities to the ensemble as a whole. One moment I would taste the garlic, then a sweet bell pepper, then the cilantro.  The many flavors encapsulated in this dish exist simultaneously, but each retains its unique flavor. The musical ensemble functioned in a very similar way.  Many instruments and many musicians, each capturing my attention for a brief moment before being drawn to another. How do they find such a perfect balance, a perfect groove?

The next part might be stretching it a bit.  The hearty yucca, plantains, and black beans served as the backbone of the dish, despite having very different textures and tastes. The addition of the sofrito and cayenne pepper opened the dish up and gave what I felt was melody and timbre to a solid rhythm section. 

My one complaint is that the color of the food literally paled in comparison to the rich, contrasting colors present in the music.  If I were to make this dish again, I would perhaps add a crisp salad of some sort, possibly with fruit.

Warm Lentil and Apple Salad with Roasted Beets

Make while listening to The Floorbirds ---http://www.myspace.com/thefloorbirds

I often find myself left with the most random items in my fridge, usually remainders from the previous week’s meals.  Since I get lazy about heading out to the store in the chilly weather, I frequently have figure out how to turn all these remaining ingredients into a dish before they go bad.     

As was the case today, so I picked out the three most likely contenders:  one beet, some cooked green (French) lentils, and an apple.  I’ve been adding curry to everything lately, so I was curious to see how this would shape the flavor of the above ingredients.  

I was surprised to find that the earthy and comfortable flavors, colors, and textures from the roasted beet and seasoned lentils perfectly embodied the sound of The Floorbirds.  The Indian spices provided an exotic direction of flavor, but the food still remained grounded by the familiar, traditional flavors of green apple and beet; similar to the fresh arrangements of classic Americana music that this folk duo from Minnesota create. 

Ingredients:

Lentil and Apple Salad

1 Tbsp vegan butter (you could use olive oil too)

2 medium cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry paste (I used Vindaloo)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ c. basmati rice, uncooked

1 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock

1 ½ c. cooked green lentils**(note below)

1 peeled and diced green apple

Roasted Beets

1 Beet

1 Tbsp vegan butter (melted) or olive oil

You will also need a baking sheet

Directions:

I made the beets and the lentil salad at the same time, so this recipe is not chronological!

Beets: (This method will also work for roasting any root vegetable!) Preheat the oven to 400°.  Peel the beet and cut into 4 even rounds.  Drizzle the 1 Tbsp of vegan butter or olive oil onto both sides of each round.  Place on the baking sheet.  Bake for 35-45 minutes depending on the oven.  Flip the beets halfway through cooking.

Salad: In saucepan, heat the vegan butter/olive oil over medium heat; Cook garlic, cumin, curry paste, cinnamon, and salt, stirring often for 5 minutes.  Stir in rice and cook for 1 minute. Pour in stock, stir, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Uncover and stir in cooked lentils and diced apples.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

The beets should be done by now, so cut each round into quarters and serve with the salad.

**To cook green/French lentils, all you need to do rinse and drain your lentils in a colander, fill a large pot with water and your drained lentils, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes and then drain.  Do not add salt as it will make the lentils tough.  So, it’s just like making pasta--Easy!

Welcome!

This is, essentially, a pairing blog of music and food, with the occasional detour into fashion, art, and wine.

I think the title somewhat captures the aim of this blog, which is to explore people’s conceptions of the relationship between food and music.  A tall order, but one which I thoroughly enjoy pursuing.  I cook to music constantly,  and in my opinion there is almost nothing better than finding a dish and an album that embody the same textures, flavor, contours, tastes, and colors.  

I really hope that this can bring some sensory love to your kitchens, and I welcome comments from people who have tried these pairing and wish to offer a few more!