Food & Music...

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Monday, January 07, 2008



TIME TO DONATE SOME RICE TODAY!
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Build your vocabulary, feed the hungry...
12,950,301,970 grains donated at this point...



Whew...what a whirl-wind three weeks...

If we were not in our car driving 28 hours driving back and forth between Memphis and San Antonio, TX and 12 hours back and forth between Memphis and Lexington, KY we have been on a cooking spree...

Christmas Eve, we cooked with SIL Cindy and were responsible for the Baked Clams and Linguini with Clam Sauce and Mussels Fra Diavolo...

Then when we arrived home, we made our Mississippi Queen, Nancy, dinner for her birthday which consisted of Herbed Red Snapper with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Toasted Pine Nuts and a side of Roasted Poblano and Sweet Corn Risotto. (COUCH NOTE: A few people seemed interested in this recipe while in the chat room during Turn's show last evening....we have included it below)

We also assembled and cooked the Lasagna we brought to Turns for dinner (we had made the gravy and meat a few weeks ago in preparation for that).

While at Turns, we showed you the Antipasto we prepared for New Year's Eve....

and then this past Saturday night we cooked for Nancy again and did Texas Pecan-Crusted Chicken Skewers and Texas Dirty Rice...

Yesterday we took the remainder of the ham Nancy's family had on Christmas and put together a pot of Split Pea with Ham Soup and then some Ham Croquettes...

We have to tell you how much fun it has been cooking for people again. The last year we really have not cooked for many besides ourself, so our creative juices have been flowing in the kitchen, but dang...we are tired...

OH...and we shaved yesterday...no more goatee...just got tired of it...



We also began doing the research and putting together the music for the TUNEAGE TUTELAGE series we begin this week...

We will be exploring the roots of the Delta Blues and share the music of the originators of this wonderful genre and also the music recorded by contemporary artists which you may or may not know had been written by the artists of the past. Some may surprise you.

This whole idea began two weeks ago on December 26th when we posted a song by the DEREK TRUCKS BAND. The song was written by Eddie "Son" House and in our comments section the following discussion occurred between myself and our musically diverse friend Starrlight:

STARRLIGHT:
Your music always makes me smile.
Quick! Son House or Leadbelly. Who wins?

BOND:
dang tough one...but I think Leadbelly wins by a nose...OOOOH might be a tuneage in this

STARRLIGHT:
Vinny I am 100% with you on that. And Leadbelly would be an EXCELLENT tuneage. I don't think most people realize the number of songs he did that are part of pop culture. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? as done by Cobain makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up everytime and I knows far to many people who are oblivious to the origins of the song.

BOND:
OK... do not give away any more secrets... LOL It might be the New Years Day post...(OK, SO THAT DID NOT HAPPEN...lol)

STARRLIGHT:
It would be a good one, Vinny and you would be doing the world a musical favor. You should do an entire series of old blues, Beale Street Style : )


BOND:
WHAT???? Are you a mind-reader?????
LOL...I have been thinking about doing just that on my ride home from TX...

STARRLIGHT:
Do EET! seriously, you would do the subject justice. And holla if you want a run down of what I have available mp3 wise. I gotta a lot of Howlin and John Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson and a 4 disc set called When the Levees Broke - Delta Blues. Sadly, I have very little if any Leadbelly. He lived with a bunch of others on my old dead traitorous hard drive =(

And yes, Madame Starr can reed zee minds of many ;)

So, with her help filling in the holes that I have on some of these remarkable artists, we will begin Wednesday and let it lead us up to the start of the BEALE STREET MUSIC FESTIVAL on May 2, 3, and 4...you can watch the countdown clock at the head of our posts and when the lineup is announced for the three days, we will let all y'all know...

Who will we be exploring? Well Leadbelly and B.B. King and Robert Johnson and Memphis Minnie and Howlin' Wolf and "Son" House and David "Honeyboy" Edwards and Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson II we will also add "Big Mama" Thornton (though from Texas she performed with many of these other artists) just to name a few.

Some posts will spotlight one artist, others will spotlight a few together....

Thanks Starrlight for the inspiration...thanks to the artists for their music...


Over at MO'S, the Manic Monday word of the week is ONE...

Well, Three Dog Night said it best...



"One"

THREE DOG NIGHT
Harry Nilsson
Three Dog Night
Dunhill Records
1969

* Mike Allsup - guitar
* Jimmy Greenspoon - keyboards
* Danny Hutton - vocals
* Chuck Negron - vocals
* Joe Schermie - bass
* Floyd Sneed - drums
* Cory Wells - vocals

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
Two can be as bad as one
It's the loneliest number since the number one

No is the saddest experience you'll ever know
Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know
`Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number, worse than two

It's just no good anymore since she went away
Now I spend my time just making rhymes of yesterday

One is the loneliest, number one is the loneliest
Number one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest, one is the loneliest
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
It's just no good anymore since she went away
(Number) One is the loneliest
(Number) One is the loneliest
(Number) One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
(Number) One is the loneliest
(Number) One is the loneliest
(Number) One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do

Glad we are no longer a one....and we disagree... TWO is not a lonely number



This recipe is from "The Texas Hill Country Cookbook" by Scott Cohen, a nice NY boy who moved to Texas and is the Executive Chef at Las Canarias at Omni La Mansion del Rio in San Antonio. It is one of the best Risotto's we have ever tasted or cooked...

Roasted Poblano & Sweet Corn Risotto

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
3-4 cups warm corn stock (follows)
1 poblano, roasted, peeled, seeded & diced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon salt
white pepper to taste
fresh cilantro leaves

  • Heat the olive oil in a large sautee pan, add the garlic and the shallots.
  • Saute briefly then toss in the rice and coat with oil.
  • Add the wine and allow it to reduce over a low flame while stirring constantly.
  • When the wine is reduced completely begin adding the corn stock /12 cup at a time, being careful not to let the rice burn.
  • When you have used 2 cups of the stock, add the poblano and continue to ass the corn stock.
  • Once the rice is cooked and there is no sauce left in the pan, add the butter and the cheese.
  • Season with salt and white pepper.
  • Put 1/2 -1 cup of rice in the center of your plate and garnish with the cilantro.
CORN STOCK
(can also be used for corn chowder, vegetarian soups or any recipe calling for a white sauce)

6 ears sweet yellow corn (you can use frozen, but fresh is best)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 gallon water
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

Remove the kernels from the corn cobs by standing on the wide end and cutting straight down on all sides. Reserve the corn and the cobs in the fridge.

  • In a large pot, briefly cook the garlic in the butter.
  • Add the onions, celery and carrots and heat through
  • Add the water, herbs and the cobs and cook for 45 minutes.
  • Once cooked, strain the stock and then add the reserved kernels.
  • Puree the stock and put it back on the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and reserve.

This can be kept in the freezer to use later. It really is wonderful...




20 Of Your Sparks

  1. katherine. Says:
  2. the Teamster says the Beale Street gig is his birthday weekend...

     
  3. TopChamp Says:
  4. I had to look up poblano - it's a chilli pepper.

    Otherwise, I knew when you said cilantro you meant coriander.

    Corn stock sounds yummy. I had not heard of this either.

    Food is very different in America.

     
  5. Schmoop Says:
  6. What!!? No Etta James!? Cheers!!

     
  7. KATHERINE: So, you are going to treat him to a trip to Memphis to come to the festival???

    TOPCHAMP: Cilantro is the leaves and coriander the seeds, so don't mix em up! LOL
    And food is very different in different regions of America.

     
  8. MATT-MAN: I did say "to name a few" and Etta is also on the list...no worries ...come back in off the ledge....

     
  9. RW Says:
  10. That Roasted Poblano & Sweet Corn Risotto sounds delicious...Now if I could only cook lol!

     
  11. Travis Cody Says:
  12. I went for the same song today for MM.

    Looking forward to the Blues retrospective. My knowledge is top level only - Muddy Waters of course, and whatever I've heard from Clapton.

    Cheers!

     
  13. Muddy Waters.... his love for thirteen year old girls is fantastic.

    No more goatee? I'll bet you look very handsome, either way...

     
  14. Unknown Says:
  15. Nice Monday post! Come by and check out my revamped, made over blog, and take a peak at my Manic Monday blog!

    Deb

    http://palofmine.wordpress.com

     
  16. Maggie Moo Says:
  17. Bond when I was Topchamp said corriander I thought-Oh no! I hope she won't use the seed! LOL...risotto sounds yummy. I'll have to try it.

     
  18. ROGER: It truly is simple...just takes time and you must stir constantly

    TRAVIS: Great minds....hope you will enjoy and learn along the way...this is interesting stuff

    108: KYRA...Not going to delve to much into personal peccadillo's, this is about the music

    DEB: TY and i shall

    MAGS; I thought the same thing, which is why i jumped on that response (like she was actually going to start cooking that moment! - LOL)
    It is simply yummy...I love Scott's cooking...The hotel used to be owned by the company my SIL works for until just this last year, so I have enjoyed his food often.

     
  19. Poblano and cilantro - two staples in cooking down in my neck of the woods, you know. No confusion here!

    You can come cook for me anytime, Vin. For my family? Eh, not so much (they're philistines). But for me? ANY TIME!

     
  20. Julie Says:
  21. And I put up Three Dog Night also! How fun! Great sounding recipes my friend! I should spend more time in the kitchen I know....oh now I do! I have a laptop! Woohooo!!

     
  22. Good taste Matt Man! We talked Etta, specifically the demise of my Etta on my old hard drive. Gonna have to buy some cd's and sing my own version of At Last =)

     
  23. OBLadyBug Says:
  24. I truly enjoy your cooking but am sorry you're so tired. I'm looking forward to learning more about the roots of the Blues.

     
  25. SONGBIRD: I cooked for philistines for over 20 years...I can even satisfy them - LOL

    JULIE: LOL Truly Great Minds...WOOOO to the laptop my friend

    STARRLIGHT: Yes we did...and she is on the list - ooo record it for us please

    OB: Cooking usually does not tire me out! Cooking for someone who cares is so much more fun

     
  26. Unknown Says:
  27. Can't type...too hungry...going on a pantry raid...

     
  28. Dana: A PANTY raid?????

    OH Pantry... heheheheheh

     
  29. katherine. Says:
  30. you are giving him ideas...

     
  31. KATHERINE: umm is that good or bad? =]

     

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