Oh Canada! Jets Overhead talks music, food, & their home country

Hi Friends -  Before turning to next week's Thanksgiving day post, I present the Canadian Rockin' Foodie special.  And to get us warmed up, here are 10 fun facts about our northern neighbors:

1. Canada has more donut shops per capita than any other country.

2. Canadians still recognize the Queen of England, who btw has a facebook page - click here to be a fan of the monarchy, but don't write an offensive comment because that is expressly forbidden(!)

3. Spread Eagle, Climax, Sexsmith, St. Louis du Ha Ha!, WaWa, and Come by Chance are real Canadian cities and towns.

4. "Beaver Tails" are a favorite Canadian pastry and President Obama digs them too! Click here for recipe.

5. Mail is not delivered on Saturday in most of Canada 

6. Basketball was created by Canadian, Dr. James Naismith.

7. Canadian law dictates you may not pay for a 50 cent item in all pennies -  Jr. High Z would have been a law breaker by paying for 59 cent Taco Bell tacos with 59 pennies.

8. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, and although no Squanto tales, the menu is very similar to American Thanksgiving. 

9. Justin Bieber is Canadian (although I hear Canada is overwhelmingly apologetic about this).

10. Despite the Bieber, Canada boasts great music - Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Feist, The New Pornographers, Rush, Tegan and Sara, Metric, and finally... JETS OVERHEAD. 

Formed in 2003 & hailing from Victoria, British Columbia, Jets Overhead is a 5 piece rock outfit consisting of Antonia Freybe-Smith, center (keyboard vocals), Jocelyn Greenwood, left (bass), Luke Renshaw, second from left, (drums), Adam Kittredge, right (guitar, vocals), & Piers Henwood, second from right (guitar, keyboard).

Adam Kittredge, fellow foodie, kindly chatted with me about the band's last two stellars LPs, their recent culinary experiences in China, and what Canada cuisine means to him as a Western Canadian.

Unlike many other bands these days, Jets Overhead's music is authentic - not fabricated or fictionalized.   Drawing from their own thoughts and experiences, they write about life - good, bad, melancholy, confusing, complicated, which is what makes their music so relatable. 

For me, listening to NO NATIONS, the band's second full-length LP released in 2009, is like staring at a large, intricate & complex painting - the more closely you look, the more you appreciate the details.  Disarmingly simple at first listen, it was only after listening to NO NATIONS with headphones, that I noticed the subtleties & layered nuances.  And I continue to pick up new things each listen.  From the cosmic title track, "No Nations", to the introspective, "Weathervanes", NO NATIONS is a piece of elegant art.

Check out the below video for the track "I Should be Born" off NO NATIONS.  Filmed in Victoria on Vancouver Island, the video showcases the breathtaking setting in which the band lives - with Antonia floating in the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic Mountains of Washington state in the background.  The video is so simple, but the song is so intense... listen for my favorite line "you were drowning when you should have flown".



And for a vast cultural shift from Canada, the video below for of the title track "No Nations" was filmed across the globe in Shangai and Shenzhen, China.  

Check out the wordly video for "No Nations" - an intermix of Chinese culture and Western sounds.


While on their most recent China tour, the band not only had the honor of playing China's World Expo 2010 in Shanghai (in front of dignitaries and other distinguished guests), they also had an unforgettable culinary adventure.  Adam, Antonia, Jocelyn, Piers, and Luke tried everything from Chinese street noodles to hot and spicy dishes at elegant 5 star restaurants.

Adam shared an amusing story with me about a meal where the menu was all in Chinese and the band's interpreter was not present.  The band simply pointed to a steaming hot-pot style dish at someone else's table because it looked good - and it was good - although they didn't know what small animal they were eating.  So like any normal foreigner lunch patron, Adam played charades (complete with animal sounds) with the restaurateur to figure out the mystery lunch ingredient which turned out to be frog (and not just the legs).  Needless to say, this was entertaining for all the lunch patrons to watch - especially after a few Tsingtaos.  And since returning home, Adam continues to experiment with Chinese 5 Spice in an attempt to recreate some of the dishes sampled on their tour.

And before turning to our recipe portion, I must share my favorite songs from Jets Overhead 2006 album, BRIDGES, which was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammys equivalent). 

Check out the official video for the fantastic song, "Killing Time".



And now a live rendition of my favorite tune off BRIDGES, "Life's A Song."



I look forward to the Jets Overhead third LP which they will hunker down and write this upcoming Winter, and will likely record in Canada on pristine Hornby Island where NO NATIONS and BRIDGES were recrorded. 

And now that we have chatted Canadian sounds, lets move to Canadian food.  Like any other huge country (Canada is the second largest in the world), different regions have their own famous favorites.  If you are in Montreal, you get a smoked meat sandwich from Schwartz's Deli which Adam describes as a delicious oozing & dripping hunk of meat on top of bread that apparently is so popular, it's sold pre-packaged in Canadian Costco. 



And for a late-night greasy-spoon meal, another French Canadian popular dish is called Poutine, which is french fries drenched in beef gravy and cheese curd.  Although a Quebec specialty, Adam tells me that a great Poutine place opened up in Vancouver.  Like most of the Denny's menu, Poutine = a meal to sop up the liquor in your system before passing out.

Turning to Adam's part of the country, Western Canada focuses on home-grown local fruits and vegetables and free-range poultry, meats, and seafood from local farms and fisheries.   Adam tells me that if I was visiting Jets Overhead on Vancouver Island, and I wanted a special Canadian meal that represents Western Canada, he would make me a Sockeye Salmon dish.

 Every year Sockeye Salmon travel through the Frasier and Adams rivers of British Columbia, however, in 2009 the Sockeye Salmon curiously did not return resulting in great disappointment and concern across Canada.  But, in a surprising and fortuitous event the Sockeye Salmon showed up in droves this year.  In fact, 2010 has been one of the best Sockeye Salmon runs in British Columbia in over 100 years.  As such, Adam and Antonia have plenty of Sockeye Salmon, and Adam's specialty is to bbq the Sockeye on a cedar plank.

Adam very kindly sent me photos of the wonderful Sockeye Salmon meal he made for 4 of 5 members of Jets Overhead. Jocelyn took the pictures, Adam and Antonia hosted, Adam cooked, and Piers was an excellent guest - I am sure Luke was missed.

Cedar Plank Grilled Sockeye Salmon Fillet with Herb Butter (Serves 6)

Here is what you need:

2 cedar planks 1/2" thick, 14" long (you can find these at the grocery store but call ahead and see if they have them because not all stores do.  You can order them also from Amazon and Costco.com.

2 Sockeye Salmon Fillets approx. 24-oz each.

Ingredients for Softened Herb Butter:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened

2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 Tbsp grated shallot

1.5 tsp chopped garlic

Grated zest and juice of half a lemon

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 Tbsp Spanish SMOKED paprika. That's why the butter spread looks pink in the photos.

 

Mix all the ingredients for the herb butter in a bowl. Spread the herb butter over the flesh of each fillet. Rub Canola oil on the PRE-Soaked planks. Put the fillets on the planks skin side down. BBQ with lid down directly over heat for approx 15 minutes at about 400 degrees, checking every so often to make sure there is no flare ups causing the cedar planks to catch fire and burn. Garnish with dill sprigs and lemon wedges.

And if you don't have a barbecue or it's too chilly to grill outside (not a big issue for us in CA - 75 degrees this past November weekend), try cooking this directly on an indoor grill pan.

Thanks to Adam for chatting with me both about Jets Overhead and for sharing his Sockeye Salmon recipe and photos with me. 

Hope you enjoyed the Canadian tour as much as I did. 

Hugs and Kisses.

BOO!!!!

Thank you Marilyn Manson, Danny Elfman, and Tim Burton for getting us in the mood as we embark on All Hallows' Eve weekend. 

As Halloween approaches, I suspect the usual classics will show up on the tube - The Exorcist, The Shining, Psycho, Halloween, Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, SAW XIV (Blake, what am I missing?) - I have seen none of these.  Why? Z frightens easily - It's a fact of life. As my comrades from last weekend's trip to Knott's Scary Farm can attest, I jumped, shrieked, and cowered at every two-bit "monster" that went by - and I was genuinely scared. And as if there was a homing device over my head indicating "she is the weak one" the ghouls, ghosts, and goblins continued to single me out throughout the night.  It was good eve however topped off with a funnel cake so this weakling went home happy.

 In fact the scariest Halloween special I have seen is the 1990 "Growing Pains" yearly Halloween episode  - and in case you need me to jog your memory, see below:



At some point in this episode, the Seaver's eyes turn yellow and they waive their arms and make scary voices.  Yes, friends this award winning acting and high-end special effects  HAUNTED me for years.  Reed, my brother, still laughs at me for this and continued to scare me by waving his arms saying "woooooo" for years - maybe until I was about 27.  So Z doesn't do scary - that said I have seen Beetlejuice and The Blair Witch Project - you can stop clapping now.

So Halloween eats means all things pumpkin and candy.  I love candy.  At approximately 4:45 each day, I go to my fabulous co-worker's office which is basically a mini Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for perhaps a mini Kit Kat, M&Ms, or Sour Patch Kids.... so needed by that hour.  My favorite candy - chocolate and toffee, like a SKOR, but I don't discriminate - from Butterfinger, to Starburst, to Tootsie Rolls, to those cheap sugary bubble gum balls in the pink wrappers... all good.

This week, we are picking up on the other Halloween food - pumpkin.  I present a simple easy banana bread adapted for Halloween - Banana Jack O'Lantern Bread.

Banana bread is awesome because it is very easy to make and can be dressed up in so many ways.  The below recipe is Emeril Lagasse's go-to Banana bread and virtually impossible to screw-up.  To dress this up for Halloween, I added a couple generous tablespoons of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter.

You can add anything to this recipe - chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, oats - and you get a different spin on a great bread.  And for some extra pumpkin flavor, I mixed a few big tablespoons of Pumpkin Butter from last week's left over cream cheese frosting and it is SO GOOD on top of the bread (and now it's dessert or breakfast).

And here it is: Banana Jack O'Lantern Bread

Here is what you need
-1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening or 1 stick butter (doesn't have to be totally softened, but let it sit out for about 20 minutes)
-1 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-2 ripe bananas (great use of mushy bananas!)
-3 or 4 big spoons of Trader Joe's pumpkin butter (which isn't actually butter - it's just a pumpkin-flavored spread)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 1/4 cups flour
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Here is what you do: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Oil and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Using an electric mixer, cream the shortening or butter and sugar. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the bananas and pumpkin butter and mix well. Add the baking soda, salt, flour, nuts and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. The dough will be sticky. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and bake about 50 minutes to an hour or until the center is brown and set. Poke the bread with a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it's ready!

And now for a few Halloween tunes to get us ready for the weekend - I bring you the below eclectic mix for your spooky listening pleasure composed of Indie Rock, Rock, Urban, Metal, Classic Rock, Kids fun, Theater... Enjoy.

Some candy, Pumpkin banana bread, a few spooky songs, and my I Love Lucy costume (complete with red wig, red lipstick, and fake lashes) and I am ready for Halloween.  Have fun kids and if you bump into me out trick or treating, throw me a SKOR if you have one and you can have my pick of the litter. 

And I leave you with my favorite creepy and kooky TV family (other than the Seavers). 

Hugs and Kisses and Happy Halloween!

Rockin' out in Red Velvet....

The Ranting Foodie says: “What is the big deal about designer cupcakes? They are over-priced, over-sized, and the line at Sprinkles feels like the DMV. I will swing by Ralph's for a dozen funfettis for 5 bucks. Thanks.”

The ‘Semi-Homemade Sandra Lee’ Foodie says: “I love designer cupcakes! They are sweet and pretty and look wonderful with my pink roses tablescape.  Who needs to toil away in the kitchen when you can order a dozen ready-made from Sprinkles, and then add your personal homemade touch by placing a Sweethearts candy right on top!”

The Rockin’ Foodie says: “Cupcakes are great. Everyone loves them and they are versatile for occasions large and small - picnics, weddings, birthdays.... Sprinkles cupcakes are, of course, good – but cupcakes are fun and easy to make at home.  Let's do it!"

What kind of cupcakes are we making Rockin' Foodie? 

Answer: Sweet, but edgy cupcakes - Hence ... RED VELVET.

Of course, Red Velvet contains the normal cake ingredients - sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla extract, etc.  However, it also contains surprise acidic, sour, & bitter elements of vinegar, buttermilk, & unsweetened cocoa powder - all mixed with a healthy dose of red food coloring. 

The result - a bright red cake that is 1/2 sweet & 1/2 RAAR!!!.

And speaking of 1/2 sweet and 1/2 RAAR - enter Zooey Deschanel (of the indie folk rock duo "She and Him") and Empress of Rock, Ella G'Sell.

Zooey Deschanel – I love her frilly dresses, long flowing hair, and lilting voice (think - the movie, "Elf"), but she is known to be deadpan in her delivery (think - the movie, "500 Days of Summer").  Zooey isn’t as frilly as Taylor Swift, but she isn’t a tough-as-nails rocker chick either – she is a red velvet cupcake – a bit unsweetened at times, but topped with frosting.

Check out Zooey and the very talented, M. Ward (the other half of "She and Him") performing "Thieves" from She and Him's second album "Volume Two" (released March 23, 2010 by Merge Records).

 And below is the official video for "In the Sun" (also off "Volume Two").  I love the dancing because it's fun and nothing fancy... just a little hula-hooping... Zooey shows her sarcastic, but girly side... Enjoy.


                                                                                                                                                               

Ms. Deschanel (or perhaps Mrs. Gibbard) is actually a vegan, but she loves desserts. Zooey certainly gave the culinary all-stars of "Top Chef Masters" a real challenge when she asked for vegan desserts (no eggs, no dairy, no gluten...).

At the LA Times Celebration of Food and Wine this past Summer, Zooey told the audience that she loved desserts from Babycakes NYC - a vegan bakery, originally located in NYC, but now now has locations in downtown LA and Hollywood.  So to get a vegan red velvet cupcake, visit the Babycakes Bakery. Or if you want to rock some red velvet vegan cupcakes at home click here.

And now on to the Empress of Rock, Ella G'Sell , a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles who's musical style runs the gamut from rock, soul, dance, pop, & folk.  Ella's style is feminine & coquettish, but also energetic and edgy - she is the ultimate in red velvet flavor.  With her thigh-high black leather boots, one shoulder dress, & sparkly jewelery, she rocks out, but at the same time maintains a sweet and sunny disposition both on & off stage. One day Ella is singing at garden parties for humanitarian functions in pink ruffles, & the next day is donned up as the Empress of Rock performing at a Hollywood venue showcasing her deep & soulful style.  

Check out Ella below performing "Dance with Me" off her upcoming EP (slated for 2011 which will feature a mix of styles - think Cher, Madonna, and Garbage all rolled into one).  Her last LP "Just That Beautiful" was released in 2008.  I love this song because it is socially conscience and brings the audience to their feet.





And below - Ella displays her vocal range in performing "Blue Colored Rainfall".  Like the surprise elements in our red velvet cupcakes, you would never guess from her cheery speaking voice that this gal can produce this powerful sound. Enjoy!

Ella's fans also know that she LOVES cupcakes, and her bakery of choice is Maile's Fine Pastries located in Eagle Rock which features made-to-order gourmet cakes, pastries, and even vegan cupcakes.   And in true rocker fashion, Ella's fav cupcake flavor- Baileys Irish Cream, sweet with a shot of liquor!

And now on to our cupcakes!

Rockin' Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes about 18 cupcakes)

Here is what you need:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (cake flour will yield a more fluffy texture, but regular flour works too!)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (use 2 if you desire a less sweet and more cocoa flavor) 

• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil

• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 - 2 tablespoons red food coloring (I used 1 heaping tablespoon and, as you can see seen to the left, the batter looked as red as ketchup!.)

• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting: (This makes a sizeable amount of frosting - I plan to use my leftovers for banana pumpkin bread)

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick butter, softened (let it out sit out for an hour or so or pop it into the microwave for 10 seconds)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
• Garnish ideas: fresh raspberries, strawberries, or sprinkles

Here is what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and combined.  Be careful not to over mix the ingredients because this may yield a denser cake than desired... I know this from prior experience.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pan once, half way through. Poke the cupcakes with a toothpick and if it comes out clean, they are done!. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting (which is soooooo yummy):

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the powered sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

And now frost and decorate to your hearts content!  And because of their super red color, these are great devilish Halloween cupcakes.

Wishing you all a sweet, but RAAR day!

Hugs and Kisses.

Autumn in LA... Nat "King" Cole, The Kinks, Sergio Mendes & more!

I almost died of heat stroke last Monday. No joke – Walking 5 minutes outdoors during lunch precipitated a bunch of “are you okays” from my co-workers upon retuning to the office.

Fast forward a week from the hottest day in LA history... It’s rainy, low 60s, overcast, girls are wearing boots... Autumn in LA has arrived.

To commemorate the coming of ye ol' harvest, let's cook, listen to great tunes, and then go watch "It's a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown." Who's with me?!?!

Autumn means wonderful things are in season – Apples, pears, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, squash... Autumn also brings wonderfully inspired songs - a bit slow and pensive, yet hopeful and comforting.

Unlike Summer which makes a lot of us want to be outdoors , Autumn makes a lot of us want to spend a cozy day at home filling the house up with fragrant smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and hot apple cider while listening to comforting and warm tunes.

As such, I bring you my ultimate comfort food Autumn dish - Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese paired with my picks for the best of Autumn listening. I made this on a perfect Autumn day while listening to my Autumn playlist. It was soothing to stir up butternut squash and creamy cheese, listen to the rain beat on the windows, and hear Nat "King" Cole's voice fill my kitchen. 

On to the Music.  I scoured the net and my iTunes to come up with my ultimate 2 hour Autumn playlist, but paired it down to six for you my friends (but if you are interested in more, let me know).

Here it is!

Autumn Leaves - A 1940s classic. For me, Autumn is a reflective season that conjures up memories of past loves and romantic Fall outings - hay rides, apple picking, baking pies, pumpkin patch visits. I wonder who Nat King Cole was thinking of...

California Dreamin' - Quintessential CA Autumn song (and my former Fall ringback!). I already love LA, and this song gives me another reason to keep that love alive, despite the traffic on the 405 because of all of the idiots who can't drive in the rain (oh wait, I may be one of them). Thank you Mamas and the Papas for this gem (no matter what you did/do in your personal lives).

Autumn Almanac - I freaking love The Kinks! What a happy song! Let's gather on a Friday and have buttered currant buns and then roast beef on Sunday... La la la la la la la la. Yay British rock!

Autumn - I will admit that I have never been a huge Paolo Nutini fan, but this song is converting me... The simplicity of Paolo's big voice solely accompanied by piano is lovely.  I am getting there with you Paolo...

Cinnamon and Clove - This playlist needs a little spice!  Enter Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66.  "A cup of sweetness, a pinch of sadness, a touch of Cinnamon and Clove" is the makings of many a Fall recipe.  A sassy, saucy, spicy, yet certainly Autumnesque tune - makes me want to make apple pie... This song should be on "Dancing with the Stars" if it hasn't yet.

Leave the Light On - My favorite comforting song by a female recording artist.  I want my dad to tuck me in to bed right now.  This song inspired this posting and this recipe because Mac & Cheese is warm and soothing and Priscilla Ahn's voice is just the same.

On to the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.  If you aren’t familiar with butternut squash, it’s a an orange phallic looking vegetable.  The first time I bought one, I had no idea how to peel and cut it. I ended up hacking off the skin with big knife – it wasn't exactly elegant, but it did the job. Here is a good instructional how-to video on peeling and cutting up butternut squash.




Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese (serves 6-8 so half or quarter this recipe for 2-3).

Here is what you need

- 1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups). If you don’t feel like going through the hassle of cutting and peeling a butternut squash yourself, you can buy it already peeled, cut, and cubed at the grocery store. You can also use frozen butternut squash – they come in 12 oz sq. packages.
- 1 cup low-sodium canned chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry or ground mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14 oz to 16 oz elbow macaroni – I like wheat macaroni because its nuttier and healthier.
- About 1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (for the topping)
- 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- Any other cheese you feel like adding – I threw in some Gouda (why not!)
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (I like wheat Panko breadcrumbs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (note no butter is used in this recipe so its less bad for you than traditional mac and cheese)
- Cooking spray

Here is what you do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch square or round baking dish with cooking spray. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in all cheeses (except for the Parmesan which is for the topping), nutmeg, cayenne, ground mustard, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to your baking dish.  Then pour the cheesey squah mixture on top and stir it into to fully coat the macaroni.

In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.

Bake about 20 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble on the sides, and then broil for about 3 minutes to crisp up the topping.

And for dessert - 20 Ingredient Apple Pie.  I heard this on Splendid Table on NPR and thought it sounded awesome... I may give it a test run on Thanksgiving.

Hope you all enjoy this special season friends.  Hugs and Kisses.

Chicken and Indie-Rock go to Africa...

Chicken.

We eat it & cook it all the time. On salads, in casseroles, between toast, slathered in BBQ sauce, as a hot dog, on a bun, grilled on the George Foreman, fried up with mashed potatoes on the side...and I could go on.

Lots of us love chicken. Why? It’s inexpensive, versatile, and healthy (unless fried or dipped in bleu cheese dressing)… it’s just a good thing to eat (please no PETA attacks).

Indie-Rock.

We (well, if you are sort of like me) listen to it and watch it all the time. Weezer, Death Cab, Of Montreal, Rilo Kiley, Airborne Toxic Event, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jets Overhead, Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, Spoon, The New Pornographers, Ra Ra Riot, the Dirty Projectors, Vampire Weekend… and I could go on.

Lots of us love indie-rock. Why? It’s a bit grassroots-ish, against “The Man”, geeky at times, it can melancholy in a good way… it’s just a good thing to listen to (please no “your music is whiny” attacks).

This week chicken and indie-rock are going African exotic - Coriander, tumeric, cumin, golden raisins, couscous… paired with conga drums and Soukous (African dance music)…

And thus African Tagine-Style Chicken and Vampire Weekend… it’s just good all around.

Describing their genre as “Upper West Side Soweto”, Vampire Weekend’s music is a fusion of indie-rock and African beats… very danceable, very fun, and a bit more exotic than your everyday sound. The boys of Vampire Weekend utilize dance rhythms from Congo (DRC) to create an aesthetic connection between their preppy Ivy League backgrounds (they met while studying at Columbia) and native African culture. On the below playlist, check out CAPE COD KWASSA KWASSA, the fourth single off their self-entitled album released in January 2008 by XL Recordings. 

And continuing the African-world beats theme, the band released its second album “Contra” in January 2010. I have been in love with this album for a good 6+ months. The first track HORCHATA makes me want to actually drink Horchata (a sweet chilled Mexican drink) in December. Moving on to COUSINS – the line “Me and my cousins and you and your cousins, it’s a line that’s always running” reminds me of my 28 first cousins (and can’t even count how many second cousins) back in Lebanon. And the second single GIVING UP THE GUN is just a rad close to the album tying off the track-listing with clean African sounds.

Now for our tasty North African Tagine-Style chicken dish. I don’t own a Tagine (but would like to one day, Santa) so this dish is just cooked on the stove but tastes like its been simmering away in clay Tagine for hours. I served this up for Celeste and Blake and then for my family and it was a crowd-pleaser (and I can tell when people are humoring my cooking – they weren’t).

So here we go: North African Tagine-Style Chicken (Serves 4)

Here is what you need:
-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil – about 2 turns of the pan
-4 cloves garlic (smashed up – I mash them up in a mortar with a pestle - in Arabic – a garlic smasher)
-1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces
- Coarse salt and coarse pepper
- 1 large yellow skinned onion, sliced into strips
- 10 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
- 1-ounce box or 1/4 cup golden raisins (a handful)
- 2 cups chicken stock

Spice blend (mix these up in a small bowl)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (lovely spice for Middle Eastern, Latin, Indian, and African cooking)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon tumeric (also found in currys which gives that nice yellowish color)
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, a couple pinches (secret sweetness)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a slow stream, and add smashed garlic. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Scatter chicken around the pan in an even layer and scatter the spice blend on top evenly over the chicken. Cook chicken pieces 2 minutes on each side to brown, then add the onions, prunes, raisins and stock. Cover and reduce to moderate heat. Cook 7 or 8 minutes until the prunes and raisins plump up, remove the lid and stir. Uncover chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust the seasoning, to your taste.  Garnish with anything green available (cilantro, scallions...).  In addition to prunes and raisins, you could also add pomegranate seeds. 

I served this with couscous on the side, but took the easy route by buying a box of couscous and just adding liquid, per the directions. I also added some raisins to pick up the flavor in the chicken.  This goes great with a fruity red wine, but if you are not in the mood for wine, this is also nice with TJs Sparkling Pomegranate Juice.

So there it is - Our basic staples of Chicken and Indie-rock with some African flare. Hope you enjoy it!

Alright friends – I am out to prep – tonight I am seeing Vampire Weekend at the Bowl with Taleen and I am excited to dance it up African style. Hugs and Kisses!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

Pink Martini at the Hollywood Bowl

After a 2 hour drive from OC, a hefty walk from my car, and on only 4 hours sleep, I expected to need intravenous Diet Coke to keep alert...

It turns out watching Pink Martini was all the pick-me-up I needed. I was transfixed.

Prior to the show this past Sunday, I knew very little about Pink Martini and now am a newbie fan. Thanks to Anna for bringing me out.  For those who have not heard of them, Pink Martini is a 12 piece band from Portland, Oregon that was formed in 1994 by band leader and pianist, Thomas Lauderdale.  Pink Martini's repertoire is diverse, multi-cultural,  and romantic. Lead vocalist and "Diva Next Door", China Forbes harmoniously transitions from Spanish, to French, to old school American classics with ease, charm, and wit.  Thomas describes the band's sound as "music of the world without being world music. If the United Nations had a house band in 1962 hopefully Pink Martini would be that band."  

The below Letterman clip features the elegant China Forbes singing "Hey Eugene" an original tune which she sang last Sunday (no good YouTube clip for this rad song).  Enjoy!


Pink Martini is known also for bringing along unexpected, but incredible special guests.  Sunday night was no exception - Rufus Wainwright, Jane Powell and the original cast of Sesame Street came along for the ride.  Watching the Sesame Street cast sing "Mahna Mahna" and "Rubber Ducky" among other Sesame Street classics was awesome.  Heidi, Anna, and I happily sang along.

The multi-talented Rufus Wainwright performed with China a rousing duet of "Come On Get Happy" (popularized by Barbara Streisand).  Check out the vibe from Sunday's show below.



But the special guest highlight for me was Jane Powell - 81 years old with a voice that did not sound like it was coming from an octogenarian.  She looked amazing and sounded better- whatever multivitamin and skin treatment she is on - sign me up.  I can't do her justice so better to watch the below video of Jane Powell singing "Too Late Now" from her 1951 film "Royal Wedding" co-starring, Fred Astaire.



I love the Hollywood Bowl and how can anyone not?  The setting is breathtaking, there are no bad seats, its BYOB or (as I like to say BYOC – bring your own cheese), and it’s inexpensive (if you don't mind the "closer to God" seats). Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, the Bowl is a gorgeous and historic background to enjoy music, great friends, and great food.  Pink Martini was the perfect kick-off to my Hollywood Bowl season (I am a little late). My Bowl calendar: African-beats inspired Vampire Weekend on 9/26 (foreshadowing for upcoming post) & an all time favorite for me, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on 10/1.

Now food time - When visiting the Bowl you could buy food from Patina, which is good, but packing up a picnic and eating while watching is more fun.  If you have a picnic basket, pull it off the top shelf and let's do it up!  I don't have a pincic basket, so my pick is a TJs reuseable bag.

Everyone knows the traditional noshables packed for a night at the Bowl – all of which can be found at TJs.  Below are my favorites.

First, and foremost – CHEESE! Manchego, Gouda, Havarti, Brie, sharp cheddar... I am getting too excited.

Hummus – I like roasted eggplant flavor spread on crackers or on TJs flatbread

Tapenades – the sun-dried tomato bruschetta is wonderful as is the mixed olive tapenade. Both are great on crackers or flat bread.

Veggies and fruits - grapes, strawberries, sliced cucumbers, baby carrots...

Nuts – Roasted and lightly salted.

Desserts - my pick for Pink Martini was Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread that is great on crackers or dipped in fruit).

Wine (but don’t forget your bottle opener) and if you are not in the mood for alcohol – TJs makes great sparkling juices - I love sparkling Pomegranate and sparkling blueberry (also great mixed with champagne).

In addition to these little bites, what can we actually prepare beforehand to supplement our noshes? My mama bear always brings pasta to the Bowl... so I will follow-suit (because my mama bear is the best cook ever).

Since the pasta has to be cold, the obvious choice is pasta salad.

So here we go - Hollywood Bowl Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad is fun to make because you can use many different ingredients and measuring is not strictly required.  You just throw in the ingredients and taste it, and continue to adjust until it's just right. 

Here are the ingredients in this Greek style pasta salad pictured above:

1 12 oz package of rainbow colored twirly pasta noodles (fusilli).
Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (I like Newmans's Own - and that's Paul Newman - most famous for me for his salad dressings and pasta sauces)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tomatoes (any kind you like - sugar plum, grape, Roma...)
Feta Cheese
Kalamata Olives
Bell Peppers
Salt and Pepper to taste.

All you do is cook the pasta, let it cool down, and then toss in all the other ingredients.  You could also add marinated artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, and cooked shrimp if you like. 

I hope I have convinced you to check out Pink Martini at the Hollywood Bowl next September - and if you go, look around for me and say hello!  We will try each other's pasta salads!

Manic Monday? Not This Monday...

This Monday, September 6, is Labor Day, which means.... NO morning commute, NO blackberries, NO conference calls, and NO emails!  HOORAY!

Marked as our country’s national tribute to its hard-working folks since 1882, Labor Day is a day of rest, relaxation, and good times. And we deserve it – Hell, I think we deserve Labor Month! But, alas, this isn’t France, so we have to make the most out of the ONE recognized day for our hard-earned wrist tendinitis.

Unless you are Paris Hilton or a Kardashian, whether we like it or not... we work.  Many artists have captured the feeling and necessity of the 9 - 5 through song: Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang", John Lennon's "Working Class Hero", Loverboy's "Workin for the Weekend", and Dolly Parton's "Working 9 to 5", just to name a few.  But, Huey Lewis' WORKIN' FOR A LIVIN' is one of my picks for this week. 

Off the 1982 album, "Picture This", the spirit of his ditty, I think, resonates with us working folk no matter your occupation.  Although a simpler time in 1982 when rent was only $200 a month, Huey is right - we all need money to pay off car loans, rents, mortgages, and fun vacations, thus we work for a living.  Check out the Huey Lewis and the News 1982 live performance below... I love Huey's moves, rad harmonica playing, and 80s Brooke Shields' style eyebrows. 



And now for a similar, but ladys' perspective, of what it feels like wake up Monday morning to begin the daily grind - The Bangles, 1986 hit single, MANIC MONDAY.  In perhaps 1987 or 1988, my oldest brother gave me his Bangles record along with his old record player (he upgraded to a cassette player), and I was soooooooooooo excited.  I played that Bangles record on my own record player in my pink bedroom every day.  I felt so grown-up.  Watching the below original Bangles video brought back those memories.   Whatever your life was like in 1986, this video may bring back some memories for you too....


But this Monday will certainly not be a Manic Monday, and many us will not be Workin' for a Livin'.  Rather, Americans all around the country will be celebrating with food, family, friends, and facebook (oh the albums and tagging from the weekend festivities will be plentiful). There will be BBQs, picnics, and plenty of sleeping-in followed by late morning brunches. Popular and yummy LA brunch spots like Taste on Melrose, Toast, Kings Road Café, Jack and Jills, and The Overland Café will be teeming with hungry Los Angelinos waiting for their Bloody Mary and eggs.

But since this is not a Manic Monday and we have a little time, consider leaving those crowded brunch spots behind this week and cook an equally festive and yummy brunch at home for you and your loved ones. 

So here we go – Labor Day Brunch for a relaxing Monday - and the menu is Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs,  Roasted Red Potatoes, plus fruit, cheese, bread finished with Mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs:

Here is what you need:

-4 oz Sliced Smoked Salmon (aka lox – Scottish, Norwegian, Nova Scotian, or Alaskan smoked salmon will all work. A 4 oz. package of Scottish Smoked Salmon won’t cost more than $7 even at Bristol Farms).

- 10 Eggs (rule of thumb is 2 or 3 eggs per person)

-1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

-12 to 15 blades of fresh chives (finely chopped – easy way – snip them with kitchen scissors)

-Salt (I like Kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper

- Extra virgin olive oil or butter

Here is what you do:

Chop the salmon into small pieces (and save some for garnish). Combine eggs, cream, and half the chopped chives and whisk all together. Heat olive oil or butter over medium heat for about 30 – 45 seconds. Add the egg mixture. Scramble eggs with wooden spoon. Lightly salt and add pepper (be careful not to add too much salt because salmon is already pretty salty). When eggs have come together but remain wet, stir in the chopped salmon.  Serve from warm pan or plate the eggs directly.  Either way, sprinkle the remaining chives and salmon on top to garnish.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Here is what you need:

- 2 pounds small red new potatoes

- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

- 2 tablespoons melted butter

-1.5 teaspoons sweet paprika

-1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped

-Salt and pepper

Here is what you do:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Sort potatoes. Potatoes that are 2 inches or less in diameter can be left whole. Halve remaining potatoes. I par-boil the potatoes for about 4 minutes because they can take a long time to cook in the oven, but this is optional.  After par-boiling, drain the potatoes and then spread them evenly on a baking pan. Lightly coat the potatoes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Place the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes begin to brown up. Melt butter and add the paprika. When the potatoes are ready to come out of the oven, transfer them to a bowl and season them with salt and pepper. Then pour the butter/paprika mixture over the potatoes to coat evenly. Sprinkle in parsley and toss the whole thing up. Add salt and pepper to your taste, and then serve along side the salmon eggs.

To finish off this Labor Day home brunch, add the following at your leisure: fruit, cheese, and carbs (baguette, Danishes, scones...)

And since there is no work today, let’s add Mimosas or Bloody Marys.

Mimosas are easy: Combine about equal parts Champagne and OJ. 

Bloody Marys: Of course you can use Bloody Mary mix, but this is fun to make and very festive to commemorate our No-Work Monday.

Here is what you need

-1 Bottle (2 quarts) of Tomato Juice or V8

- 8 shots of Vodka (adjust to how much you want to ring in the day off)

- 4 or 5 tablespoons horseradish (depends on how much you like)

- 3 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce (about 10 dashes)

- 1 tablespoon Hot sauce (adjust per your taste)

- 1 tablespoon celery seeds or celery salt

- Juice of 1 lemon

- 1 Teaspoon course black pepper

- Garnishes: celery, stuffed olives, lemon or lime wedges.

Here is what you do - it's simple!

In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients and stir them up. Put a few cubes of ice in glasses and pour. Garnish with the celery, olives, and lemon or lime wedges.

No matter what you all do on Labor Day (whether cooking Brunch, BBQing, or laying around catching up on NetFlix), I hope you all rest and soak it up before the J-O-B begins again.