tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41054861097568901102024-03-10T20:22:38.225-07:00The 614orty-NinerAn ex-pat Northern Californian having fun in Buckeye landJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.comBlogger599125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-13135606295329367622021-06-30T18:08:00.001-07:002021-06-30T18:08:14.669-07:00A Farewell...and a Rebirth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1jD4RtgCnLuOl9ff-sc702gmpFuIwIDwnQ86zYt1ilqx_vPmTsHk04Q113m5UuSfum0xpTGyHdZVwHwnRypy5vz1BkerXPp7l6bu-Dop8Gtk1LIvzf6Npqjudk02KkpPoGnTlXmyf00g/s700/614ortyfinale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1jD4RtgCnLuOl9ff-sc702gmpFuIwIDwnQ86zYt1ilqx_vPmTsHk04Q113m5UuSfum0xpTGyHdZVwHwnRypy5vz1BkerXPp7l6bu-Dop8Gtk1LIvzf6Npqjudk02KkpPoGnTlXmyf00g/w400-h400/614ortyfinale.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the many tenets of Buddhism relates to your after life - when you die, you are rebirthed in one of the six existing realms, based on the karmic effects of your previous life. One can evolve into a god or a demigod, or one can descend into the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, or the hell realm. </p><p>You may be asking - what the hell (no pun intended) does this have to do with a blog?</p><p>Well, this post is essentially this particular blog's last rites. When I started this blog, the main focus was the transition from California to Central Ohio, with plenty of comparison between the two places especially in the culinary field. Also, with me on a learning curve of what food Central Ohio did and didn't have, I mused a lot on the various restaurants, cafes, breweries and other food-related establishments I happened upon.</p><p>But almost everything needs a tweak now and again, and this blog has reached that point. Essentially, California has become over the years a place I travel to now, and the perspective is more tourist than former resident these days. Plus, the restaurants I covered with blog posts are now covered in my Instagram feed. Also, the pandemic, as suck-filled as that was for almost everyone, has made me realize there is a larger pastiche of pathways I can explore with the blog. Having a formula is fine, but a formula often gets tiresome after awhile, and the energy that I've gained with the more free-form posting has revitalized me quite a bit.</p><p>I see the opportunity in that evolution, and I intend to run with it as long as I can.</p><p>This blog will remain up for the foreseeable future, but won't see any more posts. I imagine at some undetermined point in the future, this blog will head to archive land, no longer to be seen again.</p><p>There was one realm I hadn't mentioned in the Buddhism rebirth cycle I did not mention previously - rebirth as another human. Similarly, this blog has rebirthed into another blog, which at first glance is just a little more easy on the eyes, with a more expansive look at the intersection of food, travel, music and culture in general.</p><p>Thank you for stopping by throughout the years, and please join me at <a href="http://criticalricetheory.com">criticalricetheory.com</a> to continue the fun.</p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-35711704873117610772021-06-16T19:05:00.005-07:002021-06-17T05:05:21.921-07:00A Hole-y Unlikely Tale: The Donut King<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg091iiGRU3L3sO9rAP5GwOwr1AhQiU0xyLNoio2rI3nELvIQk__88fK5fgewXGuJYzvtTUDwG45cICir_qbh11f1JYl_XWltfgTDvNha_7HjSj2vTwa4Uc397UTDxl3dFhFghyphenhyphen8ZRzwNXm/s700/parlor003a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="700" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg091iiGRU3L3sO9rAP5GwOwr1AhQiU0xyLNoio2rI3nELvIQk__88fK5fgewXGuJYzvtTUDwG45cICir_qbh11f1JYl_XWltfgTDvNha_7HjSj2vTwa4Uc397UTDxl3dFhFghyphenhyphen8ZRzwNXm/w400-h286/parlor003a.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Little did I know it at the time, but this Ube Ice Cream filled<br />donut from <a href="https://www.theparloricecream.com/about-us" target="_blank">The Parlor Ice Cream</a> in Sacramento, CA, was<br />just the tip of the iceberg of a fascinating tale</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I was watching the 2020 documentary movie "The Donut King" (which I streamed recently on <a href="https://www.hulu.com/welcome?orig_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2F" target="_blank">Hulu</a>), I realized I had already experienced a bit of the latter half of the film in real life. Looking for ideas to explore on a California trip a few years back, I encountered this <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/restaurants/article7961829.html" target="_blank">Sacramento Bee article</a> on Sacramento's Baker's Donuts, which detailed not only the younger progeny's knowledge of social media to raise their profile to the public at large, but also detailed a fact I had not known previously - Cambodian immigrants own a substantial number of the state's independently owned donut shops.</p><p>Something I had brushed by at that time was the vital role that Ted Ngoy, the man who is the focus of the documentary, played in bringing those donut shops to life. If you watch the documentary (and I highly recommend you do), Ngoy's generosity, and in some ways, his failings, proved to be the driving force in making this status a reality.</p><p>Another thing that struck me while I sat watching the documentary: this inherently American story (rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-redemption) may be among the last of its kind.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHicWzsVEVcHoI6PhlxXq8d91yeyGEoYjk9vgq8dIjKBb8zic5I15QtJj2z53Q3LkaEl0F0cPA1ec10onetsA8AlinDa3qrYfsZK63Dqsa-cUn4M1pBjGJSTmYcBssV3jugT47Chz5wfi/s700/thedkingblog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHicWzsVEVcHoI6PhlxXq8d91yeyGEoYjk9vgq8dIjKBb8zic5I15QtJj2z53Q3LkaEl0F0cPA1ec10onetsA8AlinDa3qrYfsZK63Dqsa-cUn4M1pBjGJSTmYcBssV3jugT47Chz5wfi/w400-h400/thedkingblog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Promo graphic for "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10214496/" target="_blank">The Donut King</a>", a film directed by Alice Gu</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>It is not controversial to say that with today's Republican Party/GOP, immigration to the United States is not a popular concept. The so-called Muslim Ban, the hubbub over a border wall, and the drastic lowering of refugee numbers were but the most prominent of a number of actions enacted by the previous administration that were seen as anti-immigration and anti-immigrant.</p><p>Perhaps that is why it is so striking that in "The Donut King", members of both political parties play important roles in getting people like Ngoy over here in the first place. After the fall of South Vietnam and the rise of Pol Pot, a number of Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees fled their countries, and United States officials saw that their efforts to assist them were woefully inadequate. </p><p>Officials like Republican President Gerald Ford and Senator Edward Kennedy were vital in eventually implementing a more comprehensive and well-funded plan for refugee relocation to the States. In fact, a May 6, 1975 news conference showed President Ford's dismay regarding opposition to his plans to relocate these refugees, declaring "I am primarily very upset because the United States has had a long tradition of opening its doors to immigrants of all countries...We're a country built by immigrants from all areas of the world, and we've always been a very humanitarian nation, and when I read or heard the comments made a few days ago I was disappointed and very upset." </p><p>Reading further into the story, it proved striking how different the political winds were in the mid-1970s. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/07/archives/ford-asks-nation-to-open-its-doors-to-the-refugees-president-in-tv.html" target="_blank">The New York Times article</a> covering Ford's speech notes prominent Democrats' doubts about the idea: West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd advised that the President "ought to see to it that “undesirables” be screened out of the resettlement process, naming “barmaids, prostitutes and criminals” as excludable categories"; meanwhile, Delaware's Senator Joseph Biden (now President Biden) charged that the Administration had not informed Congress adequately about the scope of the operation. Even Democratic Governor Jerry Brown was not thrilled about the idea, saying that out-of-work Californians needed to come first when he heard that Camp Pendleton would be one of the housing sites.</p><p>In the end, the so-called "Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act" was passed by both houses of Congress with minimal opposition, and in fairly rapid fashion to boot (just over three weeks from introduction of the bill to the President signing it into law.) Would today's Congress act so swiftly in a similar situation these days? My gut says absolutely not.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZqdI6SXAQtEzqJ_-n07nRXMS5Rlpu3JYEFbPlyd8Fnt2lzm4cEvvq1y5fkiddMM8iFLRhpnz9lX5HZEddpkj6OSUj-WbSPPzJf0D-RREDQ1D-EdxvSv2sCwGUYVvTJtdVBeLQ_ZkEtr8/s700/donut03.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZqdI6SXAQtEzqJ_-n07nRXMS5Rlpu3JYEFbPlyd8Fnt2lzm4cEvvq1y5fkiddMM8iFLRhpnz9lX5HZEddpkj6OSUj-WbSPPzJf0D-RREDQ1D-EdxvSv2sCwGUYVvTJtdVBeLQ_ZkEtr8/w400-h400/donut03.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Columbus has its own immigrant success story via donuts in the<br />Barouxis Family and University District-located <a href="https://www.breakfastwithnick.com/2020/01/08/jimmy-barouxis-owner-of-buckeye-donuts/" target="_blank">Buckeye Donuts</a></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The fact that U.S. soil was used to house these refugees is also striking in and of itself. After passing through Guam for initial processing, refugees were dispatched to four locations throughout the country (Camp Pendleton, which Ngoy ended up at; Elgin AFB, Florida; Fort Chaffee, AR, and Fort Indiantown Gap, PA.) While Ngoy was initially one of a small portion of the initial refugees who were Cambodian, the horrors of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, whose demented attempt to create an egalitarian agrarian/Marxist society led to the death of roughly two million people, kept the flow of Cambodian refugees into the United States strong well into the President Jimmy Carter era. </p><p>Would anything as welcoming as this setup be created for immigrants to this country nowadays? Like before, my gut says absolutely not.</p><p>A interesting third thought came to mind: Ngoy, who has a passing resemblance to some of my relatives and has received praise for his success from a number of GOP dignitaries throughout his life, could easily these days be a victim of a random racism-based attack, which has been a troubling trend in this country for the past year or so. While it isn't always the case, the smart money says that the perpetrators of these attacks were staunch supporters of the prior GOP administration.</p><p style="text-align: center;">* * * * *</p><p>Ironically, I've almost always identified as "American" than I have the Asian side of my heritage. This is not surprising: I was born here in this country, was an eager consumer (well, at least as much as my Dad's relatively meager military salary could afford) of all things pop culture, and my parents didn't subject me to things that have brought others in my shoes ridicule (e.g. bringing a "weird smelling" Filipino delicacy for lunch.) For awhile, I bought into the whole notion of needing to "blend in" with society, and even the whole model minority stereotype seemed to have merit.</p><p>In fact, thanks to Canton, Ohio-born William McKinley, my family has deeper American roots than many fellow Asian-Americans. His declaration of war against Spain in 1898 resulted in the United States acquiring a number of former Spanish possessions, including The Philippines. As a result, five generations of my extended family either currently have or formerly possessed U.S. National or U.S. Citizen status.</p><p>But then I realized a couple things. No matter how much I try to blend in, my skin color automatically marks me as "Not American" in some people's eyes. I've stopped counting the number of times after I've told someone where I was born, someone has responded, "No, where are you REALLY from?" </p><p>Secondly, I learned the truth about the model minority stereotype , which wasn't meant as much for praise for Asian-Americans as it was meant as a way to demean other minorities, specifically African-Americans. In addition, we're the model minority only when convenient: it was decades after I graduated from school when I learned about things like "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Peril" target="_blank">The Yellow Peril</a>", the <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/chinese-exclusion-act-1882" target="_blank">Chinese Exclusion Act</a>, <a href="https://blurredbylines.com/articles/watsonville-riots-anti-filipino-immigration-1930-california/" target="_blank">the Watsonville Riots</a>, and the <a href="https://www.history.com/news/vincent-chin-murder-asian-american-rights" target="_blank">Vincent Chin murder</a>. With some, Asians, no matter what heritage you may have, are always going to be the least-preferred Asian group of the time (Japanese, Chinese and Filipinos have held this slot at various times) and we'll always be to blame for any number of things.</p><p>(By the way, have you been told to go back to China? I have, and believe you me, it's not a fun experience.)</p><p>However, in a weird way, I am thankful for this, as I don't think I would be pursuing my Filipino roots as eagerly as I do now. As famed Buddhist monk/peace advocate Thich Nhat Hahn has said, “If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.” My verve towards this continuation has never been stronger.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWO7OQtj_SV1OiB61uD5b77YRP0r4BEtzX0Ng7K-D5cpu68BZepuExc08CVXsYp-E23wjbOdH6EQ3z-t_fol5rTFs9EsU1FDmT6n_iw0tci9y4kKNtHRhmFNWS3qTiO3AYinE4P3VGRyn/s700/IMG_2077.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWO7OQtj_SV1OiB61uD5b77YRP0r4BEtzX0Ng7K-D5cpu68BZepuExc08CVXsYp-E23wjbOdH6EQ3z-t_fol5rTFs9EsU1FDmT6n_iw0tci9y4kKNtHRhmFNWS3qTiO3AYinE4P3VGRyn/w400-h400/IMG_2077.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I have looked into the palm of my hand a lot lately...<br />and am a much better person for it</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>As the documentary finishes out, we find out that Ngoy's own return to his ancestors helps bring him to his ultimate redemption, as well as his realization of how much his efforts (Ngoy himself sponsored thousands of refugees as his business fortune increased) had truly impacted the food landscape across a vast portion of California. </p><p>One source estimates that 90% of the roughly 5,000 independent donut shops in California are Cambodian-owned. I find it interesting to think that quite a few hardline, anti-immigration folks have almost certainly purchased a few boxes of sweet rings of pleasure in those iconic pink boxes (Ngoy was the inventor of that now standard donut shop staple) from these shops. The irony in that is they may have bought it from a clerk who has a relative who was present when First Lady Betty Ford made a trip to the Camp Pendleton Refugee Reception Center to visit some of the 18,000 refugees being housed on the site on May 21, 1975, to help assure them that things would get better.</p><p>That irony might indeed be thick enough to ice a donut.</p><p><i>"<a href="https://decider.com/2021/05/31/the-donut-king-stream-it-or-skip-it/" target="_blank">The Donut King</a>" is now available on for viewing on the Hulu Streaming Service</i></p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-2717394012479108192021-06-10T17:07:00.000-07:002021-06-10T17:07:03.962-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: The Food Encyclopedia (A through M)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0P-l5TBpDtIJn9y3-SdoBpqIjjPYMEF56SkXhTcHSJ4thPHFxKZEfRHM5VDtfRtBd693ZWii2-Jbzd1FMNNGr4e0Bcirx4nj3KszaVDmD1fExuQoWyjy3KF7UtjGW9nXG4mkBpJZTPz2e/s700/614platency01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0P-l5TBpDtIJn9y3-SdoBpqIjjPYMEF56SkXhTcHSJ4thPHFxKZEfRHM5VDtfRtBd693ZWii2-Jbzd1FMNNGr4e0Bcirx4nj3KszaVDmD1fExuQoWyjy3KF7UtjGW9nXG4mkBpJZTPz2e/w400-h400/614platency01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>More often than not, the genuine article taco trucks, like <br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TaqueriaLAS-Coste%C3%B1as-227263184497340/" target="_blank">Taqueria Las Costeñas</a> on Columbus's West Side<br />have the more adventurous proteins like lengua available</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Maybe I'm betraying my nerdy youth with this admission, but I still get a thrill when I see a set of old-school encyclopedias in a thrift shop. Before the Atari 2600 and video games entered my life with a bang, perhaps my favorite way to pass the time was to pull out a random volume of our family's encyclopedia set, open it up to a random page, and start reading away.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Inspired by a recent sighting of an encyclopedia set on the television, my mind got to thinking - why not cobble together an alphabetically ordered, randomly picked out topic list related to food? So here, without further adieu, is the first half of my list, covering the letters A through M, with some appropriate music to accompany this very educational endeavor.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4kUIOdQzwJnmOnMF3tgAbs" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Alphabet Soup - Often a term used for the plethora of government agencies known mainly by their acronyms, the culinary version of the term dates back to late 19th century Paris, where grocers sold bits of pasta shaped like letters for use in soups. Interestingly enough, one of the current occupants of Columbus's Budd Dairy Food Hall, Alphabetical, started off as a food truck selling lunchtime favorites like alphabetical soup. We couldn't think of a better way to start our list musically with a Motown classic from Gary, Indiana's Jackson Five, whose "ABC" is a delightfully peppy way to get our exploration going.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Brownies - A staple dessert for bakers all over the world nowadays, the humble brownie is something of a latecomer in terms of a recipe appearing in print. Most sources trace the origin to the Sears Roebuck Catalog, a Boston-published cookbook, or a Bangor, Maine housewife roughly around the same time (plus or minus a few years from 1900), but no matter what the actual source, sweets-loving people are thankful nonetheless. Frankly, we'll all be "Finding My Way Home" when brownies are baking...or in this case, Brownie McGhee, the Tennessee-born folk blues singer and guitarist best known with his collaborations with harmonica-specialist Sonny Terry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Caipirinha - An alcoholic cocktail based on fermented sugar cane juice, this drink has become the national drink of Brazil, with many stories attributing the drink as a way to combat the effects of the Spanish Flu pandemic which struck the world in 1918. For you blog readers, you're sharing a cocktail with none other than the members of Swing Out Sister with their own version of "Caipirinha" from their 2005 album "Where Our Love Grows" (this Manchester, England band is best known for their Top 10 hit "Breakout.")</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Detroit Style Pizza - One of a number of regional pizza styles, Detroit Style has seen an uptick in popularity in the past few years. The style originated in the late 1940s in the Detroit area when automotive drip trays were used to cook up a pizza characterized by a thick, crispy cheesy crust along the edges, pepperoni pressed into the crust, and the use of Wisconsin brick cheese, lending the pie a creamy, buttery texture. While many songs are possible here, I went with the one song that immediately popped into my mind - the iconic hard-rockers KISS and their rendition of "Detroit Rock City."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Egg Foo Young - One of those dishes born of both ingenuity and a touch of racism, Egg Foo Young was created by Chinese immigrants to feed hungry Americans of European origin. Discriminated against in the gold fields of California, these immigrants often went into the hospitality and culinary fields, one of the few lines of work available to the Chinese. These immigrants ended up adapting traditional Chinese dishes to accommodate less-adventurous palates; the hybridized version of this traditional Cantonese dish used locally available vegetables and a brown gravy topping. Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is the legit item though, and to help reinforce that, we present the Trap Music grooves of Egg Foo Young and "All For You."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) Frogmore Stew - Known by a number of names, the Frogmore Stew is essentially a seafood boil, with shrimp combined with corn on the cob, sausage and potatoes with various seasonings. The seafood boil in general seems to be a trending type of restaurant, judging from the number of eateries specializing in this group-oriented treat. Paul Reichle and Eddy Truman, a duo out of Fayetteville, NC, are a lot like the stew - they mix in a little of everything (rock, jazz and blues) into a tasty blend, including their rendition of "Frogmore Stew."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) Giblets - Essentially a collection of the interior organs of a fowl bird, giblets have a role in a number of recipes, including the Turkish dish iç pilav or the French dishes pâté and alicot. However, most people know it here in stateside as an essentially ingredient in gravy, as does renowned jazz guitarist George Benson, who named his 1969 album "Giblet Gravy", coating his distinctive style on a cover of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny" (which reached #2 on the Billboard charts six years prior.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Harissa - Many people in this country are starting to go beyond the typical Mediterranean favorites; one such instance lies in the emergence of Harissa, a hot chili pepper paste which originated from the country of Tunisia in the 16th century and spread into surrounding countries like Algeria and Morocco. Appropriately enough, "Mount Harissa", originally released in 1966, comes from Duke Ellington's Far East Suite album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) Idli - Idli is less known in the U.S. than naan or dosa, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Originating in India, Idli is savory cake-like snack created by steaming a batter consisting of rice and black lentil, and is a common sight in Southern India and Sri Lanka. Hailing from Chennai, musician Sean Roldan, known for his work for scoring a number of Tamil-language films, takes a humorous and even philosophical view of Idli with his catchy "Idli Chutney."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) Jackfruit - A tropical fruit from the <i>Moraceae</i> family, jackfruit has become an increasingly common meat substitute, appearing on a number of menus in vegan and vegetarian preparations. But don't discount its sweet properties, such as its inclusion in summer-style desserts like Halo Halo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert that combines a number of different textures and flavor profiles. Describing their sound as "Queer kid bedroom pop", recent newcomer NYC-based Jackfruit (aka Jack Braun) has released a series of singles and EPs over the past year-and-a-half, including our selection "Aries Moon."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Korean Fried Chicken - the history of this uniquely delicious variation dates back to just before the Korean War, where African American military troops stationed in South Korea opened up fried chicken stalls in various cities. Eventually, various franchises selling the Korean version starting dotting the local food scene, including Bonchon and Pelicana. Speaking of the latter, K-Pop supergroup BTS has specifically endorsed the latter as one of their favorites; I think you can ask them, a KFC outlet can indeed be a "Magic Shop", off of their 2018 album "Love Yourself: Tear." </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) Lengua - Here, we focus on the venerable taco truck. While it's easy to please with the more familiar ingredients such as pollo (chicken), asada (steak), or carnitas/al pastor (pork), it's often the more unusual ingredients that show off a taco truck's skills, such as lengua (aka beef tongue.) "Lengua Larga" represents the Afro-Cuban funk sound of the Miami-based PALO!, a conglomerate of talented musicians that has earned a number of local and national honors (including a Grammy nomination for their 2015 "PALO! Live" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) Marzipan - While nowadays often associated with Germany, this sweet almond paste concoction, used in cakes or shaped into small animals or fruit, has several origin stories ranging from Spain to Persia to Sicily to China. Regardless of its origin, we'll sweetly end this exploration with College Park, Maryland-based Velocity Girl's version of "Marzipan." Formed in 1989, the band managed a decent seven year string of singles and albums on both the influential Slumberland and Sub Pop record labels.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-88083887790120363632021-06-03T19:28:00.000-07:002021-06-03T19:28:22.545-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - 14-Course Tasting Menu<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFT8FOlTzy40mdWSWV2YvlY_Ae_xKZQIVXxWA2Vop31Qr9qaPRGRhZt98g_FrdBe26hMMU1RqQaCNE04yoyZCOziLVBxHUPAF_1J5HqjL38w4Oh9ws9NKGk8iX8hdy3kJYCwYJzApbMcP/s700/614plattast02.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFT8FOlTzy40mdWSWV2YvlY_Ae_xKZQIVXxWA2Vop31Qr9qaPRGRhZt98g_FrdBe26hMMU1RqQaCNE04yoyZCOziLVBxHUPAF_1J5HqjL38w4Oh9ws9NKGk8iX8hdy3kJYCwYJzApbMcP/w400-h400/614plattast02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>A divine soup, such as this Sopa de Tomatillo from German Village's<br /><a href="https://barcelonacolumbus.com/menu/" target="_blank">Barcelona Restaurant</a>, is a tasting menu staple</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One thing pandemic more or less eliminated was the primo tasting menu experience. We personally don't indulge much in the extravagant side of the dining ledger, but we must say that one of our most memorable meals was the tasting menu of <a href="https://veritasrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Veritas Restaurant,</a> which was then in Delaware, Ohio.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Slowly but surely, however, this ultimate method of activating the taste buds is returning as an option for diners. The very same restaurant we mentioned prior, Veritas (now in Downtown Columbus), has been offering themed dinners for diners, moving from French and Vegan, with Nordic on deck. <a href="https://www.eatchapmans.com/" target="_blank">Chapman's Eat Market</a> has also dipped its toes in the water with some specialty Vietnamese-themed multi-dish offerings for the adventurous diner. <a href="https://refectory.com/dinner-menu/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=refectory&sslid=MzcyMDI3MjU0MTA1AAA&sseid=MzI0MDE0MjA2MgIA&jobid=44a58913-216a-4a10-9dec-8f79194ced4b" target="_blank">The Refectory</a>, a Columbus fine dining institution, has also opened up for the dine-in experience and has traditionally had a Chef's five-course tasting menu.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course, we here at this blog aren't limited by dining restrictions, restricted budgets, or number of courses. With that in mind, as a nod to the return of this culinary tradition, we present our own 14-course/song tasting menu, where we combine the most divine of tastes with the most rocking rhythms.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/55a9M0nVcCGTClmoXWZp2A" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Cocktails - The previously mentioned Veritas may have been our first deep dive into fancy cocktails, and that interest has only increased since. Yes, a fine wine would be a perfectly appropriate choice as well, but for us, an Aviation and an Old Fashioned and we can go from there. Tenor saxophone giant Coleman Hawkins starts off the festivities here with "Cocktails For Two", his 1957 number performed with pianist Oscar Peterson and fellow tenor saxman Ben Webster.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Terrine - Often confused with a pâté, a terrine is a layered loaf of various meats, vegetables and fruits; one of the layers can actually be a pâté. For our layered musical selection, we chose "Ballads of the Terrine" which matches up Japanese jazz pianist Saki Ozawa with Dream House, a unique entity which has produced its share of introductory piano jazz covers of popular songs over the past few years.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Salad - On the tasting menu, salads can range the gamut, from Columbus's The Refectory (Cauliflower Salad with goat cheese pepite, black olives, red onion vinaigrette) to a place like <a href="https://buddakannyc.com/" target="_blank">Buddakan</a> in NYC (Peking Duck Salad w/poached egg and sherry vinaigrette.) Representing this course is none other than noted guitarist/producer Adrian Belew, whose "Men In Helicopters" is a selection from his 12th solo album "Salad Days."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Soup - Speaking of Cauliflower, I didn't personally think much of the vegetable until I had the Cauliflower Soup from <a href="http://www.barndiva.com/" target="_blank">Barndiva</a> in Healdsburg, CA. In many ways, an outstanding bowl of soup is heaven in own right - in fact, call it a "Pleasure", as in this danceable song from Bellshill, Scotland's The Soup Dragons, from their 1992 album "Hotwired."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Bread - A basket of artisan bread and some fancy butter seems to be a staple at many tasting menus, and maybe it's my Bay Area roots which makes me lean toward a 2020 pandemic favorite in Sourdough. Perhaps it's only appropriate that we have a Bay Area band (Antioch, California's Overwhelming Colorfast) to provide the underlying platter with "Sway", from their 1994 EP "Sourdough."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) Cheese - Cheese. That's all you need to know. Cheese! The more esoteric and flavorful, the better, and if it were up to my spouse, they could be all blue cheeses and she'd be happy. And it doesn't even have to be on a Monday either, though if it up to Manchester, England's New Order, every day would be a "Blue Monday" (and we'd be dancing our asses off to this groundbreaking dance floor smash.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) Souffle - Created from a base of egg whites, the venerable souffle is a vehicle from fruit to chocolate to polenta and much much more. If you happen to be in Haiti, you might also encounter Le Souffle Divin, one of the most prominent religious-music-oriented groups in that country, and our selection "Gras La Ap Desann."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Medallion of _____ - I leave the blank here because medallions seem to be the ideal size for a tasting menu, whether this circular disc is made of salmon or steak or monkfish. For our musical selection, we break out "The Medallion" from Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark, as performed John Williams & The London Symphony Orchestra.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) Crudo - Speaking of seafood, a crudo (essentially, raw fish with a blend of oil, seasoning and/or citrus juice) is a popular tasting menu item. For our music, there's nothing raw about "El Crudo" from Los Originales De San Juan, the Southern California-based Norteño quartet which has been recording music from the early 1990s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) Pork and Beans - One of the more unique tasting menu items I found came from the world-famous <a href="https://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl" target="_blank">French Laundry</a> in California, owned by famed chef Thomas Keller. Labeled as "Pork and Beans", this tasting menu dish involved a savory blending of Pole Beans & Pork Belly. While our music here may share the same title, it's almost certain that the "Pork and Beans" from another California institution, Los Angeles's Weezer, isn't quite as refined an affair (especially if I need some Rogaine to put in my hair.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Sous Vide - Interestingly, this now gauche method of cooking protein (the protein is vacuum packed and immersed in a temperature-controlled water bath until its interior reaches the desired temperature) was initially used a safety measure for industrially-produced foods starting in the late 1960s. It really wasn't until the early 2000s when chefs like the previously mentioned Keller and other high-end kitchens brought sous vide circulators for their kitchens to cook up some divine fare. Similarly divine fare resides with "Chanteur Sous Vide", performed by the France by way of Senegal singer Tété, who has been called French version of Jeff Buckley.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) Mussels - Following a similar storyline to lobster, Mussels became associated with poverty during the Depression, lowering this seafood in the dining public's eye in terms of being elegant eats. However, refined aquaculture methods imported in from Europe eventually resurrected this bivalve's popularity with restaurants in general, including appearances on tasting menus. Perfectly paired with this course is London's Squeeze, whose "Pulling Mussels From A Shell" is but one of a plethora of great tracks off their third album, the 1980 "Argybargy."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) Puree - More of component to many tasting menu items than a tasting item menu itself, a well-prepared puree can provide the proper taste and textural balance and be righteous tasting in its own right. Hailing from Bellingham, Washington, Grant Eadie aka Manatee Commune has combined classical training, natural sounds, and danceable beats into a respectable measure of success (as in our selection here, "Raspberry Puree"), with appearances at SXSW and Bonnaroo, and a "Best Electronic Artist" award by Seattle Weekly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">14) Sorbet - We can't not end a tasting menu without something a little sweet, and it's hard to go wrong with a perfectly churned, tart sorbet, which can help clear the palate without adding too much more stretch to an already full stomach. Finishing our tasting menu music wise is "Sorbetes" from Bing Austria and The Flippin' Soul Stompers, the Manila, Philippines based band that pumps out a uniquely funky and jazzy groove.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-31528330863783279792021-05-26T18:22:00.005-07:002021-05-26T18:22:38.328-07:00The 614orty Platter: Fit for (Non-)Human Consumption<div style="text-align: left;">Can you believe I've been doing these playlists/blogposts for seven-plus-months now? Or for that matter, that this blog has reached seven years of age?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To be honest, I thought both these things would fade out after awhile - as pandemic stretched onward, I didn't know exactly how to continue the blog, at least as it had been run previously. The playlist was something of a last-ditch experiment (the result of working from home and a paid Spotify subscription) to keep the blog going, and to be honest, I thought that wasn't going to hold my interest for long either. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Right now, things are moving along swimmingly - my Instagram feed basically has taken over the function of my blog in terms of exposing the latest and greatest eats and sights in the Columbus area, and beyond. And the playlists have been a great to not only discover some great music from all around the world, but also really exercise my creative bones in terms of conjuring up themes. So thus, the blog rolls on, maybe not the same in the same format, but still written with enthusiasm. As author C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Onward and upward!"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleSNbvsAYWf8W2hF5Iqb5BD2CuRQRK5QJQH4HVR6Q4Gp6KWlntQTg1Utd3Q8g2Wal_-rqDE1Zu2Gb8_WMeJzP9xz-ARt8x_Gve4hKXWMSC3d5NDVpDY_8RY3cCo-af9Md9efBcBI2fY-K/s700/614animfood02.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleSNbvsAYWf8W2hF5Iqb5BD2CuRQRK5QJQH4HVR6Q4Gp6KWlntQTg1Utd3Q8g2Wal_-rqDE1Zu2Gb8_WMeJzP9xz-ARt8x_Gve4hKXWMSC3d5NDVpDY_8RY3cCo-af9Md9efBcBI2fY-K/w400-h400/614animfood02.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Chomp, chomp, chomp - as this Cheetah at the Columbus Zoo<br />demonstrates, we're not the only creatures that love to eat</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now this week's theme struck me during a National Geographic show - up until now, we've focused on human-related experiences in terms of food and beverages. But as we all well know, we're not the only living beings on this planet, and what individual members of the various five kingdoms consider food is about as diverse as the number of members themselves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So why not? What delicacies are on their plates? There might be one or two on this list that humans would at least consider, but for the most part, these things would fall under the "unfit for human consumption" label.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6F0WDg7eix7PNxAFyqCydC" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Eucalyptus - A prime attraction at almost any zoo, Australia's Koala Bear has adapted its body to eat eucalyptus leaves, which have toxins which make them inedible to most other living beings. Must be nice to have the buffet table all to yourself. To start us off, Avey Tare (aka David Portner) starts us off with his "Jackson 5" track from his 2017 "Eucaplyptus" album. Portner had been a member of the highly experimental and influential band Animal Collective before branching out on his own to create his own eclectic inventory of solo and collaborative works.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />2) Ants - Ants are plentiful, so it's no surprise that they're on the platters of numerous creatures. People who live in the Southern portions of the United States wish more creatures would feast on the notorious fire ant. Unfortunately for them, the ant's main natural predator, the Phorid Fly (which uses the heads of fire ants to lay their eggs, the larvae then devours the ant as it hatches) is still in the process of being introduced to this part of the world as a means to control these nasty hordes. The title of our track, "Goody Two Shoes" by Stuart Leslie Goddard (better known as Adam Ant) would certainly NOT apply to these pests, but it certainly is a catchy tune nonetheless.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />3) Termites - Like ants, termites are one of those "plentiful creatures on many other creatures' dinner plates" food sources (even our previously mentioned ants have termites as a potential meal item.) Perhaps the most interesting termite-only predator resides in the Assassin Bug, which positions itself at the entrance of a termite nest as if it were attacking it, then basically ambushes the hapless bugs who are roused to rush to the entrance to defend the nest. Boston-based band Helium, anchored by Mary Timony and former members of Dumptruck, bring the noise here with "Termite Tree", from the 2017 "Ends With And" compilation of obscure tracks from their former label Matador.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />4) Leaves - Another plentiful category of food, but this time the herbivores reign supreme. For this category, we thought we'd focus on one particular herbivore - deer seem to have adapted to eating leaves from the plants like the False Hellebore and Skunk Cabbage, which both contain oxalic acid and generally give other ungulates like sheep, cattle and even goats health issues when digested. Appropriately, we thought Miguel's "leaves" as the perfect song here - the San Pedro, CA-based artist has firmly planted himself in the romantic R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop vein as artists like Prince and Babyface.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />5) Ribwort Plantain - We thought we'd go leaf-specific again with this specific edible in our fifth slot, which is the realm of the Tiger Moth Caterpillar. The leaves of this plantain contain high levels of iridoid glycosides; the caterpillar eats just enough of the plant to release defensive chemicals which deter predators like ants and parasites. Born as Innocent Udeme Udofot, the Nigerian musical artist MC Galaxy represents our tasty(?) dish with his version of modern African pop rhythms from his 2017 single "Plantain."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />6) Porcupine - Members of the rodent family and found throughout the world, porcupines are fairly long-lived herbivores, much of it due to its unique defense mechanism (a coating of sharp quills which often make them more trouble than it's worth for many predators.) However, one such predator which seems fearless against this formidable defense resides in the Fisher, a North American mammal who has the quickness and the agility to avoid a porcupine's quills and take down its pointy prey. Off the classic album of the same name, Echo and the Bunnymen pump out a pulsing rhythm and angsty lyrics with their tune "The Back of Love."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />7) Bamboo - While certain rats, lemurs and gorillas will eat this member of the Grass (Poaceae) Family, most people are the most interested in one particular consumer - the cute and cuddly Giant Panda and its cousin in name only Red Panda (the two animals reside in different family groups taxonomically.) Providing the dramatic backing rhythms here is the Metro Manila, Philippines-based band Bamboo, whose alt rock sound and prideful lyrics made "Noypi" a smash hit, earning them numerous country-based Song and Group of the Year awards.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Bees - Like porcupines, bees are generally not something other creatures think of his prey due to their defense response (invaders are guaranteed to receive a swarm of painful, venomous stingers.) Still, bees are food for a surprising number of creatures, from birds to mammals to reptiles and even other insects, including the infamous 2020 appearance of the Murder Hornet outside of its usual Asian hunting grounds. With that in mind, most humans would trade a can of live bees for "A Can of Bees", the 1979 debut album from Cambridge, England based band The Soft Boys "Human Music" The Soft Boys, a band fueled unique songwriting and music vision of Robyn Hitchcock, who has had his own prolific and influential solo career after the band's disbanding in the mid-80s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />9) Clams - Okay, we thought we'd throw in something that pretty much most predators can agree on: clams are freakin' delicious. Everything from fish to seabirds to mammals (both land- and sea-based) to fellow sea creatures (crabs, whelks, starfish, etc.) love to jam to the nearest clam for a solid meal. Keeping that in mind, we wonder if Southern California snarky punk rockers NOFX had a sense of the eventual clam's sad demise with their 2000 tune "Clams Have Feelings Too", from the album "Pump Up The Valuum."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10) Algae - It's not easy being green, and algae might be proof of that. This water-based plant is a staple meal item for many water-based fish and other creatures that can be found around water such as frogs and insects. Boston-based DJ RJ Kel is relatively young at 21 years of age, but has already created a sound that "crafts intricate beats spanning a wide variety of genres and styles" (to borrow from his website, including his own version of "Algae."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Clay - We travel to the Amazon basin for this next unique food item, which is a favorite of both parrots and macaws. There are two main theories for these birds' appetites for what is essentially dirt - the most commonly accepted one is that the clay provides these colorful critters with the necessary sodium which doesn't naturally come with their other dietary choices. Providing the tuneful backing here is the Christian Alt Rock band Jars of Clay and "Flood"; their first and most successful album was produced than none other than guitarist Adrian Belew, who has performed with such notables like Talking Heads, David Bowie, and King Crimson.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />12) Skin - While many humans love a good crispy skin on your typical fried chicken and similar, a number of microscopic creatures love to munch our own dead skin cells in return. However, dining on skin is really taken to extremes by the Caecilian, an amphibian that looks a lot like an earthworm. A mother Caecilian is so devoted to her youngsters, it allows them to munch on her own skin off every three days to provide them nutrition (I can hear you saying "ewww!" even from here.) Hailing from Eastbourne in the UK, Rory Charles Graham aka Rag'n'bone Man brings the chops here with "Skin", a single which followed his first big hit, the 2016-released "Human".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />13) Tears - Humans might have a thing for spirits or beer, but for certain moths and butterflies, tears is the drink of choice. Perhaps the most infamous of these creatures lies in the Madagascar Moth, who actually have the equipment to sip tears from the eyes of sleeping birds (the birds themselves are unaware of the theft taking place.) Once the moth flies away, I suppose you can detect "The Tracks of my Tears" , the classic Motown tune from the immortal Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />14) Tarantula - Spiders tend to scare many humans, with tarantulas (which are typically larger, more furry, and more menacing looking than other arachnids) often providing the most fear-ridden responses. However, tarantulas are a surprisingly common item on many other animals' and insects' menus, including the Tarantula Hawk. In this case, the Hawk (which is actually a wasp) thinks of the tarantula as food for its offspring - after paralyzing the tarantula with its sting, the Hawk will drag it to its nest, and then lay an egg on the hapless victim. The larvae then feasts on the still living tarantula until it succumbs. Finishing off our playlist here is "Tarantula" by The Aquabats!, the Southern California band that have combined superhero personas with a ska/punk/new wave sound to generate a cult-like fanbase.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-75895066459732323832021-05-20T17:26:00.001-07:002021-05-20T17:26:49.521-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: Trending Upward<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SHLTW4nAfkNnT5p5DPqEstEVIbuRq6ROwAUuIRLkg6ZvToiyOwkShg5ssHG7sp8Eg-sCgLsuKxc0nBnSR5Mqr4pJWPuoqf9wkvtbGZYFyCepCfs10l7e7BGoQpuCaB2PX4-J0peq93iP/s700/614plat_trend.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><i><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SHLTW4nAfkNnT5p5DPqEstEVIbuRq6ROwAUuIRLkg6ZvToiyOwkShg5ssHG7sp8Eg-sCgLsuKxc0nBnSR5Mqr4pJWPuoqf9wkvtbGZYFyCepCfs10l7e7BGoQpuCaB2PX4-J0peq93iP/w400-h400/614plat_trend.jpg" width="400" /></i></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Sadly (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), Polish<br />Ham did not make our first ever list of trending foods</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not surprisingly, foods and beverages spike in popularity, seemingly from nowhere at times.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gourmet coffee cafes and micro-roasters are pretty ubiquitous nowadays, but that was hardly the case just a mere sixty years ago, when Alfred Peet opened up his namesake store in Berkeley, CA in 1966. As it turned out, his shop's beans provided the kindling for the company which broke lattes and cappuccinos into the American mainstream, Starbucks out of Seattle, WA.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">How about what goes into a coffee? While many swear by black, dairy milk and non-dairy creamer were your only options for the longest time, until the arrival of alternate milks such as soy, oat, and almond. Now, those alternative milks are easily findable at your average grocery store, and are commonly used in baking as well. Artificial sweeteners are also a bit of a recent arrival, with Nutrasweet, Stevia and Monkfruit joining Sweet 'N Low as options for those trying to avoid sugar-based substances.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Keeping in that mindset, we thought we'd look at some of the notable food trends of the past several decades, with a corresponding playlist that we hope will never fall out of fashion.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5IvX445n9D5PlzmjDi0h34" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Crepes: Originating in Brittany, France, in the 13th century, these thin pancakes became the rage on restaurant menus in the 1970s, and has become a sneaky vehicle for hand-held food creations in the recent food truck boom. Starting off our musical tapas list is the Australian-band Crepes, whose dreamy pop/rock sound is in full effect on their 2015 single "Sexyland."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Astronaut Ice Cream: The Whirlpool Corporation is the source for this 1960s pheneomenon, which consisted of freeze-dried ice cream (the lack of moisture allowed for a lighter food product) meant to travel with NASA's Apollo Program astronauts. As it turned out, these packets (which still can be found today) stayed completely earthbound; they never were included on any of the missions. This capsule of food history here is represented by Los Angeles's Sir Sly, whose track "Astronaut" is included on their most popular album, the 2017 "Don't You Worry, Honey."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Upside-Down Pineapple Cake: This now commonplace treat was initially the collision of tradition with modern convenience - skillet cakes, in which fruit is placed at the bottom of a skillet before batter was poured over it, has been a thing since the middle ages. However, the advent of canning pineapple at the turn of the 20th century made pineapple a popular variation of this concept in the United States. Coming from a country that appreciates its sweets, the Philippines-based 6cyclemind shows off its modern romantic pop/rock vibe in their 2007 debut album "Home", including their popular song we selected here in "Upside Down."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />4) Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-Dried Tomatoes are a perfect example of a trend where too much was not a good thing - these simple creations had been on stateside menus as early as the late 1960s, but it wasn't until the mid-1980s when these sweet, wrinkly textured gobs of deliciousness were commonly found on restaurant menus throughout the country. As it turned out, cheaply produced commercial versions (panned often as more bitter than less intensity than their naturally-produced cousin) pretty much put them in the home cook's realm vs. the professional chef's kitchen. Another Los Angeles-based set of performers, Jeremi and Jesse Brock aka the folk duo I Hate You Just Kidding mirrors the demise of this food item with their first set of lyrics from their song "Sun Dried Tomatoes":</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My heart is aching for a new sight to see</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My heart is aching for a new song to sing</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My heart is aching for this dry spell to end</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My heart is aching for the music to begin</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Quiche Lorraine: another trend which hit it big in the United States in the 1970s, the Quiche (originally, an egg base with creamed custard and smoked bacon) actually originated in what was then Germany in the 12th century; however, the French eventually acquired the region and renamed it Lorraine. The rest, shall we say, is history, though it took until the late 1970s and early 1980s for quiche to become a thing in the U.S. Unsurprisingly, Athens GA new wave pioneers The B-52s provide the musical napkin to wipe your mouths here, using their signature retro-1960s sound on their classic tune "Quiche Lorraine."<br /><br />6) Avocado Toast: Claimed laughably to be the <a href="https://money.com/avocados-millennials-home-buying/" target="_blank">wrecker of millenial's bank accounts</a>, the relatively recent comer to breakfast and brunch menus actually sports a multi-pronged origination story, with reports of the merging of avocado and bread perhaps originating to Mexico and South America countries as early as the 1500s. However, it wasn't until Chef Chloe Osborne of NYC's Cafe Gitane placed the item on her menu that this pairing started to take off stateside. Born in Savona, Italy, singer Annalisa has been a staple on the Italian music charts since she went solo in 2011, with her "Avocado Toast" single released in 2019.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />7) Biscuits: When we think of biscuits here, we think of the light, fluffy creations of Southern cooking, which didn't become a regional thing until flour became affordable for the average home owner as well as the creation of leavening agents such as baking soda. Similar to the hot chicken craze of a couple years ago, biscuits have made a similar trek north, with places in Columbus like Boxwood, Basic, Skillet and Dough Mama offering up their own versions, and places like fast food chain Bojangles finally making their way to Central Ohio. Offering up a very video-game electronica "jam" for our biscuits here is Evan King (appropriately, from biscuit country in Cary, NC) whose "Biscuits" track can be found his 2019 album "20XX".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />8) Crème Brûlée: This dessert has several origin stories, with a number of countries claiming to have spawned this uniquely crackly and creamy sweet treat, but the first documented recipe is dated to 1691 in France. Stateside, despite records dating back to the Thomas Jefferson, the dessert didn't achieve its fame here until NYC's La Cirque made it a dessert for the well-off in the 1980s. Appropriately enough, NYC is the home base of our featured artist, Sonic Youth, spearheaded by Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, whose no wave alt rock creations proved influential for future artists and who provides us with their rendition of "Crème Brûlée", from their 1992 long-player "Dirty."<br /><br />9) Cupcakes: Also called "Number Cakes", the popularity of cupcakes was based on their time-savings -you could cook up a batch of cupcakes faster than a standard whole cake. Later, commercialization brought cupcakes to the grocery aisle, with companies like Hostess, Tasty Kake, Dolly Madison and others making the item a lunch box staple. However, it wasn't until the 2000s when a combination of pop culture and tragedy helped the demand for nostalgic things like cupcakes go through the roof for a decade or so. Seemingly, cupcakes were as quickly not a thing as they emerged as a thing here in the U.S. "Cupcake Quemando", by Southern California's Fuerza Regiada and LEGADO 7, is representative of the so-called "Requinto Urbano", which marries Mexican folk music with modern urban sounds.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10) Hard Seltzers: I've seen a Tweet which said the much derided Zima, which debuted in the 1990s in the midst of the "clear beverage" craze, was way ahead of its time considering the popularity of Hard Seltzers. Indeed, I don't think anybody who was fully into the craft beer vs. macro beer battles of the 2010s could've predicted that hard seltzers would have snuck up late in the decade to grab double-digit market share by the 2020s, with both macro- and micro-breweries now brewing their own versions to meet the demand. Modern pop singer and producer Charlotte Aitchison aka Charli XCX, who also rose into prominence during the 2010 decade, provides the perfect chaser with her 2020 release "claws", from her "How I'm Feeling Now" album</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />11) Buffalo Wings: There are variations of the story the origin of and the reason why Buffalo Wings (traditionally, deep-fried chicken drumettes or flats coated with a cayenne-based hot sauce) were created, but all stories put the point of origin as Buffalo, NY in the 1960s. If nothing else, the chicken wing has proven to be a popular vehicle for savory and heat-laden spicing, especially with later trends to develop hotter and hotter peppers and the fusion cuisine movement. Known for his early work with Horace Silver, trumpeter Tom Harrell coats this food item with some jazzy flair, with his rendition of "Buffalo Wings", a swing number originally arranged by top composer Lyle Murphy (who was known for the so-called 12-tone Equal Interval System.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />12) Ranch Dressing: A Midwest state staple, this salad dressing and dip has its roots in, of all places, Anchorage, Alaska, where native Nebraskan Steve Henson developed the dressing as a way to keep his plumbing work crews happy in sometimes tough conditions. His success allowed he and his wife to retire early and move to much warmer California, where Henson bought a guest ranch which he renamed "Hidden Valley." To cut a more detailed story short, packets to create his dressing became Henson's main line of business, leading to a number of relocations, lawsuits, and a corporate acquisition to spark the ranch boom of the 1980s, where the dressing and ranch flavors became a prominent option for consumers. Perhaps a quirky story deserves a bit of quirky music to represent it, and we have a great selection in Martini Ranch's "Reach", the musical duo of Andrew Todd Rosenthal and Bill Paxton (yes, THAT Bill Paxton); even better, check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkz0Lx6VyxA" target="_blank">song's video on YouTube</a>, which features James Cameron as director and star power in Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser and Judge Reinhold.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) Cheese Ball/Cheese Logs: According to an article posted in <a href="https://culturecheesemag.com/cheese-bites/cheese-ball-history/#:~:text=The%20first%20cheese%20ball%2C%20however%2C%20was%20of%20grander,for%20this%20ball%20known%20as%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mammoth%20Cheese.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">Culture Cheese Mag</a>, the cheese ball (and its cousin, the cheese log) emerged as a modest yet adaptable option for get-togethers during the lean times of World War II, and has remained a popular party item well into the 21st century. Staten Island's The Melonfarmers, who tout themselves as a band you'd enjoy if you like "handsome lead singers, blingy microphone necklaces, vegans, (and) angelic voiced djembe players..." definitely play it for laughs on "Cheese Log Boy", of their punnily titled "Melonfarmers and the Infinite Sandwich" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />14) Mashed Potatoes: Mashed potatoes had always been an option at the dinner table, but the act of mashing took a bit of effort, often leaving the dish for more special occasions. However, the 1950s saw the arrival of an acceptable instant mashed potato available to consumers at large, which helped make the dish a far more common sight at the everyday dinner table. Finishing out our playlist selections is none other than Dee Dee Sharp of Philadelphia, who started off as a backup singer until she broke out with her own string of hits in the early 1960s, including her duet with Chubby Checker (Slow Twistin') and Mashed Potato Time, which was her highest charting hit, reaching #2 in 1962.<br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-35497322152431272152021-05-13T16:26:00.001-07:002021-05-13T16:26:47.733-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - A Trip To The Farmer's Market<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxYNVHiwWIHShiahy4WA-OtwPyO0CRbhaTwejHiDnZuVgu13nBlULz9faJC1eoQyGvVIjcJYHStHyKbY64bX26rriF_-n9DYrDNI58kXimznk_trwYZGGNNJzj4Hfbvt5d8Ruirjj2G5l/s700/614plat_fmark.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxYNVHiwWIHShiahy4WA-OtwPyO0CRbhaTwejHiDnZuVgu13nBlULz9faJC1eoQyGvVIjcJYHStHyKbY64bX26rriF_-n9DYrDNI58kXimznk_trwYZGGNNJzj4Hfbvt5d8Ruirjj2G5l/w400-h400/614plat_fmark.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Farmers Markets proved to be a bright spot for us during<br />the pandemic year of 2020</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One aspect that helped make 2020 much more bearable for us was the continued operation of a few select various Farmers Markets around the area. While some farmers market within the 270 Loop of Columbus decided that it wasn't feasible to run the usual market festivities, Clintonville and Worthington, with the assistance of local businesses and entities, were able to modify things enough to keep running their markets running, as well as markets in the suburbs like Reynoldsburg, Granville, and Canal Winchester. While the markets didn't have the bustle which makes these events so enjoyable, we were simply happy that they were an option to begin with throughout the prior year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2021 has seen the return of farmers markets around the area as a whole. A few markets are operational now (Clintonville, Worthington, Westgate, North Market and Granville come to mind), with many more coming back online by the end of May/beginning of June (for a convenient handy online guide, check out this <a href="https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/2021/04/27/2021-farmers-market-guide-central-ohio/7370500002/" target="_blank">Columbus Monthly article</a> detailing what's open and when.) With that in mind, this week's blogpost and associated playlist pays homage to the farmers markets around the area, highlighting both of the products and associated vendors that we've encountered as well as those you'll encounter at events throughout the next several months.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3K7KNfUb66d9DdDs1XL4M3" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Filipino Treats - leading off our local farmers market tour is one of the more unique baked goods vendors in <a href="https://www.unclegiant.com/?v=7516fd43adaa" target="_blank">Uncle Giant</a>, who combines more traditional baked goods with some Filipino specialties such as Pan De Sal (a versatile snack bread roll) to their Tokels, known as Polvoron in the Philippines. Their most decadent of the latter treats is the "Millionaire Tokel Deluxe", which coats a bit of decadence (Yema, a Filipino style Dulce de Leche, and dark chocolate) onto the base-model tokel. Leading off our music is Sheffield, England's ABC, whose "How To Be A Millionaire" is taken from their 1985 album release "How To Be a Zillionaire!"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Homemade Hummus - plying their trade since 2017, the folks who run <a href="https://hummavore.com/" target="_blank">Hummavore</a> and its organic/locally-sourced hummus have been a common sight at a number of the area's farmers markets as well as other local outlets like the <a href="https://www.bexleynaturalmarket.org/home" target="_blank">Bexley Natural Market</a>. Hailing from Belarus, relatively new on the scene singer Poni Malta sports a modern pop sound on her newest single "Hummus".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Ice Pops - local area farmers markets have seen their share of delicious ice pop makers appear over the years, from veteran vendor <a href="https://www.myjpops.com/" target="_blank">J-Pops</a> to newer arrivals like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/toogoodeats/" target="_blank">Too Good Eats</a> and <a href="https://www.rimetimepops.com/" target="_blank">Rime Time Pops</a>. Recording mainly for Blue Note records, the jazz piano trio The Three Sounds gained a national following from their constant touring and their appealing hard bop/jazz sound, including our track "Popsicle Pimp" from their 1969 "Soul Symphony" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Hot Sauces & Salsa - if you're a spicy heat lover, local farmers markets are a great destination, with vendors like <a href="http://montezumabrand.com/" target="_blank">Chuck Evans' Montezuma Hot Sauces and Salsas</a>, <a href="https://www.spicymikeshotsauce.com/?fbclid=IwAR11xCvlHDSLTdGYK0RSqaD-7fLQ64_lLlDAbOqhaxJffWwD7rpzi8vZ9O0" target="_blank">Spicy Mike's Hot Sauce</a>, <a href="http://unkletimz.com/" target="_blank">Uncle Timz</a>, and <a href="https://www.doublecomfortfoods.com/" target="_blank">Double Comfort</a>. You can guarantee that their customers are fans of the cowbell, as they already "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Carolina Reaper, in this case), the Blue Öyster Cult tune now emblazoned into many peoples' minds who saw the Saturday Night Live sketch from 2000.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Coffee - Unsurprisingly, area farmers markets have their share of excellent coffee vendors, including <a href="https://silverbridgecoffee.com/" target="_blank">Silver Bridge</a>, <a href="https://ramble.coffee/" target="_blank">Ramble Coffee</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeanAroused" target="_blank">Bean Aroused</a>, <a href="http://tworoastingjoes.com/" target="_blank">Two Roasting Joes</a>, and <a href="https://www.bottomsupcoffee.com/" target="_blank">Bottoms Up</a>. Multilingual Korea-based singer Stella Jang provides us the cream for our cup of java; her songs tend to relate with every day travails, and the smooth sounds of "Under Caffeine" fit that bill perfectly, with Jang waiting for caffeine's magic to help her take care of all the things she's got on her hands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) Cheese - They say the way to many people's hearts is through a glorious piece of cheese, and you're not without your choices at area markets, with <a href="http://www.kokoborrego.com/" target="_blank">Kokoborrego</a>, <a href="http://www.bluejacketdairy.com/" target="_blank">Blue Jacket Dairy</a>, <a href="https://fromagerieoh.com/" target="_blank">Fromagerie</a> and <a href="https://www.blackradishcreamery.com/" target="_blank">Black Radish</a> all worthy sellers of this dairy deliciousness. Appropriately enough, Richard Cheese (aka actor/comedian Mark Jonathan Davis) and Lounge Against The Machine is the perfect candidate to add to the gooey goodness here, with their lounge/swing versions of popular music, such as his cover of Young MC's "Bust A Move."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) Jams and Jellies - Market vendors would like you to get jelly and jam over to their booths every week, including vendors like (but not exclusive to) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Anns-Raspberry-Farm-Specialty-Crops-114733581872509/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Ann's Raspberry Farms</a>, <a href="http://sweetthinggourmet.com/Home.html" target="_blank">Sweet Thing Gourmet</a>, <a href="https://foragedandsown.com/" target="_blank">Foraged and Sown</a>, <a href="https://www.royalcottagellc.com/" target="_blank">Royal Cottage</a> and <a href="https://www.impossiblejams.com/?fbclid=IwAR3yY0_3fabgRqhjphxbx5D-GTUKOV5fA69Hl4zRdvUGhqpajlq7bpJMQWw" target="_blank">Impossible Jams</a>. We spread this category with a little old-school hip-hop with Newcleus' "Jam On It", a song that became a breakdancing standard when it was released in 1984.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Mushrooms - another local unique farmers market story lies with Telario Watkins II, who turned a Cub Scout project as a 7-year-old (not to mention part of his parents' house) into a thriving mushroom farm and related business (<a href="https://www.tigermushroomfarms.com/" target="_blank">Tiger Mushroom Farms</a>) selling his goods at area markets; he has also leveraged his success into roles as a food activist and youth leader. Being a "fun guy" (haha!) himself, Les Claypool, the distinctive bass player/leader of the band Primus, has released a couple of solo albums on his own, including "Mushroom Men" from the 2009 "Of Fungi and Foe" long-player.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) Honey - honey is a sneaky good pickup at farmers markets anywhere, as the honey you find is almost pretty much influenced by what the honeybees find in the surrounding terroir and will provide a wealth of taste variety as a result. Ohio's terroir and related produced honey are represented well at farmers markets by vendors like <a href="https://growthzonesitesprod.azureedge.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/1033/2020/05/Hinton_Aires_GC_Market_Menu.pdf" target="_blank">Hinton Apiaries</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarabeehoney/" target="_blank">SaraBee Honey</a>, <a href="http://hiveandhoney.com/" target="_blank">Conrad Hive and Honey</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LatshawApiariesHoney/" target="_blank">Latshaw</a>, <a href="https://www.honeyrunfarm.com/" target="_blank">Honeyrun Farm</a>, and a few others. Hometown indie folk band Caamp provides the hive mind harmony here, with the track "So Long, Honey" from their 2016 debut album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) Pickles - many market-goers in Central Ohio are more than happy to get themselves in a pickle whenever they spot <a href="https://www.the-crazycucumber.com/" target="_blank">The Crazy Cucumber</a> booth, whose home-produced pickles in a variety of flavors have earned them a loyal following since the late 2010s. As I've uncovered more than once, the next music artist, Lost Cucumber, doesn't have a whole lot of information out on the Interwebs on him - all I know is that our musical selection, "Epicenter", sports a nice house/electro beat and a good groove in a brief two-and-a-half minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Turkish Delight(s) - yes, <a href="https://www.tulipcafecatering.com/" target="_blank">Tulip Cafe</a> does have homemade Turkish Delight available at their farmers market booths, but don't stop there - everything is worth a try from their Simit, Borek, Egg Noodles, and Baklava, and they've proven they've got dinner-skills as well with a couple of Trust Fall Dinners via <a href="https://columbusfoodadventures.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Food Adventures</a>. Another Turkish delight is our song we chose here, pop singer/actor Murat Boz's "Uçurum", from the EP of the same name and one of a number of his Turkish Top 20 hits.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) Brownies - You will never lack for baked goods vendors at area farmers markets, so we decided to highlight one which has a higher purpose in mind. <a href="https://www.fourteentwentynine.org/" target="_blank">Fourteen Twenty Nine Bakery</a>, the brainchild of Amanda Caldwell, not only creates delicious baked goods like their signature brownies for public consumption, but also uses her business to help out victims of human trafficking in the area. The 1992 song "Brownies" from Mexican hip-hop duo Lighter Shade of Brown provides our musical groove here; their biggest hit came two years prior with their Top 40 single "On A Sunday Afternoon."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) The Farmers - Well, you can't have a Farmers Market without the farmers, right? Instead of specifying individual vendors (of which there are way too many to mention) we thought we'd honor everyone of you with Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers ode to the farming goodness in "Circle I", off their 1988 album "Modern Lovers 88". Unlike Jonathan's farm, we're guessing that most of Ohio's farmers are not "naked in their field" but agree with Jonathan that you "cannot top their yield."</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-30581797444834457932021-05-06T16:33:00.002-07:002021-05-06T16:33:52.954-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - Columbus Restaurants of Yore (Vol. 1)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgri8oQTZLbW5WNAtAjY26Wrb9rnVEhb7CNXt2VrHJ7k_jVMzicHdb-Cp3Df8doTNjMtexdPVfjd-8UGZ5biw4sHDkUmfwUoiMeBbnO9C_Vw3l-rxFeetKGQ2G4zf7AgX8S9ZwrBhm4u99R/s700/aande001.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgri8oQTZLbW5WNAtAjY26Wrb9rnVEhb7CNXt2VrHJ7k_jVMzicHdb-Cp3Df8doTNjMtexdPVfjd-8UGZ5biw4sHDkUmfwUoiMeBbnO9C_Vw3l-rxFeetKGQ2G4zf7AgX8S9ZwrBhm4u99R/w400-h400/aande001.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>It was great while it lasted - the bar at the gone-before-it-deserved-<br />to-be-gone German Village restaurant Ambrose and Eve</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">According to an article published on <a href="https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/restaurant-profitability-and-failure-rates-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank">Modern Restaurant Management in 2019</a>, 80 percent of all restaurants go out of business within five years. Many disappear from the landscape without much of a care by the dining public, but a select few stay around long enough and/or put out such great food during their relatively short lifespans to elicit (hunger) pangs of remorse by local diners.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you add up all the losses over the years, keeping track of all those eateries which have since departed the scene is an impossible task. However, for Central Ohio diners, authors <a href="https://www.bookloft.com/search/site/Lost%20Restaurants%20Columbus" target="_blank">Doug Motz and Christine Hayes</a> helped make reminiscing about some of these restaurants easier with their two-book series, the 2015 "Lost Restaurants of Columbus" and the 2017 "Lost Restaurants of Central Ohio & Columbus", published on the Historypress.net label.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With that in mind, I thought I'd put together a blogpost and associated playlist that reference some of those memory-inducing establishments of the past. While info for the restaurants which disappeared from the scene are referenced from the Motz and Hayes' books directly, the info related to some of the more recently lost restaurants on this list integrate our own experiences and knowledge.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4DywRHZeIe7SJAFPagzFRN" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>1) Doersam's (1921-1963) - With several locations in Downtown (including one eatery underneath a casino run by (in)famous gambling guru Pat Murnan), the 24/7-operating, American-favorites oriented Doersam's did a brisk business with gamblers, theater-goers, and downtown workers before the 1960s urban renewal movement forced it to close. Reflecting how Doersam's operated, Little Feat's "Hamburger Midnight", off their great 1971 eponymously named debut album, leads off the musical festivities.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Elmwood Restaurant (1965-1970) - If you drive around a lot in the Worthington/Linworth area, you probably have become familiar with Snouffer Road. Indeed, the Snouffer family has had their impact in the area, including the establishment of Worthington's Elmwood Restaurant. In addition to homestyle menu items like meat loaf and Johnny Marzetti, the Snouffers ensured that locally-based construction workers (Linworth was undergoing tremendous growth at the time) would be able to come in with $1 and get a good hearty meal. Also notable was their delicious from scratch desserts, including an awesome Butterscotch Pie - R&B crooner Keith Sweat provides the sweet sounds with "Butterscotch" his 2008 duet with Athena Cage.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) The Clock (1925-1979) - Another former downtown-located establishment (now occupied by Elevator Brewing Restaurant), The Clock took over the old Bott's Billiards space in 1925 and brought in two distinctive features along with its menu - a 62-foot-long mahogany bar brought in from The Philippines via the Chicago's World Fair and its namesake clock, which stood guard in front of the eatery until a storm blew it over in 1968. The Clock was known for its great Porterhouse Steaks; Berlin, Germany's Midnight Steak's serenades us with his lo-fi/underground grooves with his 2020 single "Night Grill".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Don's Briarcliff Drive-In (1958-1985) - Located in Reynoldsburg, Don's Briarcliff Drive-In (opened by The Kanatas Brothers, whose family immigrated from Greece) did a brisk business when US 40 was still the main route to drive from east to west (and vice versa) through Franklin County. The family turned out to be a helpful resource to fellow Greek entrepreneurs, highway truckers, as well as military veterans (all three brothers served in World War II.) One of their many great desserts was their Strawberry Pie (always made from fresh fruit); here, Portland's Everclear provides the fork to eat our slice with with "Strawberry", from their 1995 "Sparkle & Fade" long-player.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Presutti's (1933-1989) - The Presutti Family proved influential in the early days of Italian restaurants in Columbus, coming up with the original TAT Restaurant at 409 W. Goodale Avenue (the TAT was later sold to its current owners in 1939 and relocated to James Road) and later opening up Presutti's on West 5th Avenue in the Grandview/Fifth by Northwest area. Aside from homestyle Italian favorites, Presutti's was known for its house-made salad dressing; the epitome of Memphis R&B, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, adds in some crunchy croutons with our selection of "Soul Dressing."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) The Gloria (1925-1993) - Now an El Vaquero Mexican Restaurant, the space that housed The Gloria combined Italian food, steaks, and a lounge which featured a number of dance nights and prominent musical acts, including Dean Martin, for most of its prime operating years. In its infancy, however, The Gloria combined a soda fountain and a barbeque pit, cooking up various cuts of pork, ham and beef. To commemorate this phase of the eatery, we're putting a Punjabi twist into this list is Shivan Shibe & Sultaan's ode to "Barbeque."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) Arthur Treacher's (1969-present) - With Columbus known for its chain restaurants, we felt like we couldn't not include one here, and we chose the fish-and-chip oriented Arthur Treacher's. While the now-Youngstown-based restaurant still exists (a few outlets remain in Northeast Ohio), it's a bottom-feeder-fry bag of what it once was when it was Columbus-based and sported almost 800 stores. Perhaps the best example in Columbus of what AT looked like back in the day resides in the Fifth by Northwest-located Marino's Seafood/Fish & Chips, which took over a former franchise space in 1994. Like the perfect tartar sauce, "Fish, Chips & Sweat" by funk grandmasters Funkadelic will help you free your jaw so that your tongue will follow.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Kahiki Supper Club (1961-2000) - The Kahiki, located in the Eastmoor neighborhood, is almost certainly the "Most Reminisced About Columbus Restaurant" (though, as this recent <a href="https://www.columbusmonthly.com/story/lifestyle/features/2021/05/03/remembering-the-kahiki-incident/4923880001/" target="_blank">Columbus Monthly</a> story points out, not necessarily fondly.) Following in the Tiki culture craze (which appropriated mostly Asian cultural norms into a palatable yet exotic dive for the average American) which exploded in the United States in the 1950s, the restaurant certainly ranked as one of the more over the top odes, seating up to 500 people and featuring waterfalls, live birds, and a giant Moai Stone fireplace. Diners could indulge in 30 different tropical cocktails and indulge in any number of Polynesian-styled menu items, including the Tahitian Mermaid, Beef Tenderloins stuffed with crab & cream cheese. As a nod to both this dish and the very first such restaurant (Don The Beachcomber in Huntington Beach) we offer up "California Stars", one of the songs from the "Mermaid Sessions", a collaboration between English folk-rock artist Billy Bragg and alt-country band Wilco which set music to a number of complete-yet-unscored lyrics by folk music icon Woody Guthrie.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) David's On Main/Out On Main/Brownstone On Main (1991-1995/1996-2002/2004-2007) - The space now occupied by Sidebar Columbus has had quite a history with its previous these three iterations. David's On Main featured David Pelzman, great food and a very 1990s decor, and a number of sous chefs (including Alana Shock, Robert Keen, and Willie Curran) who would become notable in their own right. Meanwhile, Brownstone on Main sought to become a center for the local African-American Community, featuring a Southern-focused menu, club nights and slam poetry sessions. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Perhaps the most intriguing iteration was Out On Main, co-founded by Tom Grote (son of Donato's Pizza founder Don Grote) and definitively GLBT-Themed, featuring regalia related to or from a number of famous GLBT celebrities and eventually earning an equally great rep for its food, such as their cakes made with Turkey & Crawfish. Our song selection here, "C'est Si Bon" by Eartha Kitt, relates to a night Kitt was in town as part of a touring Broadway play; co-founder and partner to Grote, Michael Caven, brought her a special supper to her room at the Southern Hotel and Kitt paid the deed back with an impromptu live performance at the restaurant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) Surly Girl Saloon (2005-2015) - One of a number of Liz Lessner's popular Columbus Food League restaurants, the Short North-located Surly Girl Saloon, with its Southwest/Tex-Mex decor and menu, was one of our favorites for entertaining out-of-town guests and/or getting ourselves a satisfying brunch, topped off with one of their special cupcakes of the day. Lessner's Surly Girl along with Betty's Fine Food and Spirits proved to be one of a number of food pioneers in a neighborhood not hurting for entrepreneurs wanting to give this now high-rent district a shot these days. Perhaps the most perfect match of our playlist songs, Scotland's Aberfeldy provides the serenade with their "Surly Girl", off their debut 2003 release "Young Forever."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div> </div><div>11) Westgate Thai (2011-2016) - I recently saw a Tweet stating that the best restaurants are those attached to small ethnic markets, and if you ever were fortunate to visit Westgate Thai, you might be a believer as well. Located in Hilltop area of town, this humble operation offered up some of the most layered and, if you chose, spicy (spice levels went up to 12, though our host admitted that some diners have asked for levels up to 50 during our last visit in before they closed), and their Khao Kaphrao Khai Dao is definitely on one of our most missed dishes list. Seems appropriate to have a song from Thailand represent Westgate here, and Wanyai (formerly of the group Room 39) and the pop tones of "หัวหิน | Huahin Loop" fits the bill perfectly.</div><div><br /></div><div>12) Ambrose and Eve (2018-2020) - Ambrose and Eve, the brainchild of two of Columbus's current chefs of note in Catie Randazzo (formerly of the food truck Challah!) and Matt Heaggans (currently of Preston's Burgers and Service Relief kitchen), was unfortunately one of the more notable victims of the pandemic year. Their elevated takes on childhood/home kitchen staples earned the restaurant accolades, and proved to be a popular get for many diners (including us), whether it was their Beef Tartare, their take on Ants On A Log and "Spaghetti-OHs", or their Fried Chicken buckets. Their Scallion Rolls were always a treat to have to start the meal, and in tribute to that, we finish out "Tin Roof Blues" by Jelly Roll Morton, off the appropriately title "The Piano Rolls" collection.</div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-2003056752711774002021-04-29T18:20:00.003-07:002021-04-30T06:39:47.084-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - Movie Night!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lxeQ_ADq-mVSbQI2QiTjGe_1iOqsl5P3zusjiG5UgEgHCq04MsJ81abvVxJ0igeMJXnzdMGx0qA6MkBGnSAHFOF28kTG_PZo_3LUSBfWNGRWH_WUnLyxtjjHklpUR9F97KIoxdXOc6EU/s700/16.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="461" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lxeQ_ADq-mVSbQI2QiTjGe_1iOqsl5P3zusjiG5UgEgHCq04MsJ81abvVxJ0igeMJXnzdMGx0qA6MkBGnSAHFOF28kTG_PZo_3LUSBfWNGRWH_WUnLyxtjjHklpUR9F97KIoxdXOc6EU/w264-h400/16.jpg" width="264" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Ulam: Main Dish", a documentary looking at Filipino-American<br />Restaurants around the United States, is but one of the<br />food-related movies that we've found entertaining.</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">If nothing else, pandemic living made us realized how much of a role entertainment plays in our lives. Obviously, the absence of live, in-person events was felt by everyone, from the performers to the venues which hosted them to people who attended them as a matter of everyday living. And it wasn't merely an economic effect; the toll of not having these options to help release the stress of sometimes dire circumstances was substantial on a mental basis too. Even going to the theater to catch a matinee wasn't available for much of the last year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With many people hunkered down inside, cable and streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Sling and similar received a humongous boost to help keep people in good spirits. From "Tiger King" to "Ted Lasso" to "The Mandalorian", plus movies of all sorts (even a few which skipped the normal theater-only release), many people, including us, got to catch up on some of our backlog.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Keeping with that notion, this latest 614ortyPlatter playlist hits on a baker's dozen movies where food played a key role in the plot. The average viewer will probably recognize a few titles, but there may be a few others you may not have heard of that may pique your interest. And just based on my initial research, there are quite a few more movies out there that would make perfect candidates for future playlist renditions.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6s4TaaNcaDdeN4foYsNJHx" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Tortilla Soup" - This movie proves to be a great example of how food often plays a role in the family, and likewise movies related to family relationships. This 2001 dramedy stars Hector Elizondo as a veteran chef who is slowly losing his sense of taste, and features his sometimes contentious relationship with his three daughters as well as a divorcee (played by Raquel Welch) to stir the pot in unforeseen ways. Take directly from the movie soundtrack itself, with Brazilian singing star Bebel Gilberto contributing her soothing vocals with her 1999 song "Sem Contecao."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) "Estômago – A Gastronomic Story" Staying with Brazil, this 2007 film directed by Marcos Jorge finds the main character Nonato making his way through an unforgiving world using the one talent even he didn't know he had - his abilities in the kitchen. Representing this movie here is "Coxinha" (a Brazilian Croquette and one of the first dishes with which he showed off his talents) by Trio Chappahall's, one of the country's purveyors of Forró, a style of music which originated in the Northeast sections of the country.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) "Pressure Cooker" - Featuring notoriously Philadelphia-area teacher Wilma Stephenson, this 2008 documentary looks at her and the journey of working-class students, as they try to both acquire the skills to become capable chefs as well as responsible in life-at-large. A song featuring the so-called "Philadelphia Sound" (characterized by lush orchestral backing and a blend of R&B and jazz stylings) seemed perfect for this one, and The O'Jays' "Give The People What They Want" seemed a perfect song for what chefs all over the world try to do.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) "Ulam: Main Dish" - Filipino cuisine has been on the "next big thing" cuisine list for quite awhile, but after some false starts, this prediction seems to be taking flight, as noted in this 2017 documentary which focuses on a number of Filipino restaurants from around the country. One such restaurant featured was "Maharlika", opened by entrepreneur/author Nicole Ponseca, which proved to be a trailblazer in its decade of operation; we figured the Tagalog-language pop romance song "Hanggang Sa Muli" by Kenyo (off their 2009 "Maharlika" album) was the perfect tune for this slot.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />5) "Today's Special" - Some say the story behind this 2009 release is a bit cliched, but the story (a young Hindi sous chef with grander plans is forced to take over his family's restaurant when his father suffers a heart attack) is a fairly easy one to swallow. Indian cuisine does tend to sport a little more heat and savorines with their masalas (spice blends), so we figured Penn Masala (an South Asian a capella group formed at Penn University) and their mashup of pop and Bollywood demoed by Cake by the Ocean/Gunghroo/Stronger from their 2020 Musafir (Abridged) album is the right blend here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">6) "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" - Directed by David Gelb, this exquisite 2011 documentary examines the dedication that many chefs strive for; in this case, it is master sushi chef Jiro Ono as well as his sons' attempts to create their own legacies. to follow in his father's footsteps. Offering up a dish of equally tasty music is none other than Neneh Cherry, stepdaughter of jazz musician Don Cherry and accomplished musician herself, with her biggest hit "Buffalo Stance" from her 1989 "Raw Like Sushi" debut album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) "The Search for General Tso" - Inspired by the research of journalist Jennifer 8. Lee, this 2014 film offers up details on this ubiquitous Chinese-American Restaurant dish and sprinkles a good dose of the Chinese-American immigrant experience on top. Interestingly, this film did have an associated soundtrack, and "Enter Tsandman" by Ben Fries & Simon Beins is offered as a tasty side dish here (from what it sounds like, though, the tune is nothing like the similarly pronounced "Enter Sandman" by metal music stars Metallica.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) "Beer Hunter: The Movie" - Yes, there was a day when craft beer was not a thing, but thanks to the work of the early pioneers/brewers who forged the way post-Prohibition, as well as its promoters like journalist Michael Jackson (whose efforts are acknowledged in this 2013 documentary), the craft beer industry has never looked stronger, growing to nearly 8,800 breweries in number despite pandemic headwinds. I thought briefly about throwing in a singer Michael Jackson song, but frankly, a beer-related song was far more appropriate. The origins of the song "Beer:30" are somewhat uncertain, but it's performed quite energetically by The Reverend Horton Heat, one of the leaders of the psychobilly sound.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />9) "Big Night" - The late movie critic Roger Ebert said of co-directors' Joseph Campbell and Stanley Tucci's 1996 film that this film was "their labor of love. Their perfect risotto. They include just what is needed and nothing else." Featuring two struggling Italian immigrant brothers who are trying to save their restaurant by cooking a marvelous meal for famed bandleader and musician Louis Prima, "Big Night" is said to have some of the most reverential food scenes of any movie, including the unveiling and slicing of the baked Timpano, essentially a pasta-bake in a dough casing. Here, "Timpano" by Martijn Ten Velden, a Dutch Ibiza/House DJ/Producer based out of Haarlem, provides us with music to sigh to.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) "God of Cookery" - Director/Actor Stephen Chow has made a living at <i>Mo Lei Tau</i> (rough but not quite complete translation: "Makes No Sense") comedies that, amazingly enough, have found success in the U.S. as well, especially with the movies "Shanghai Soccer" (2001) and "Kung Fu Hustle" (2004). The 1996-released "God of Cookery" sports a similarly wacked-out premise, featuring Chow as a fraudulent "Iron Chef" type food personality who gets found out, and with the help of female street food vendor and an unexpected encounter with a Shaolin temple that happens to specialize in both Kung Fu and Cooking, attempts to regain back his title. ) Chow's character comes up with the best dish in the grand finale, dubbed Sorrowful Rice; providing the musical backdrop is Country/Bluegrass singer Patty Loveless, whose "Sorrowful Angels" can be found on her 2001 "Mountain Soul" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) "More Than Frybread" - Well, if Christopher Guest can make a series of mockumentaries, why not others? In this case, 2012's Travis Holt Hamilton's "More Than Frybread" fits the bill - we admit we pulled this film up at random thinking it was a serious documentary about Arizona tribal members in their annual frybread competition, but soon figured out that the tongues were firmly planted inside the actors' cheeks (the final climax battle involves what looked to be a fun fisticuffs involving flying frybreads.) Keeping in the spirit of tongue-in-cheek, we offer up the hip-hop beats of "Frybread Snackin'" by Pawnee rappers Lil Mike & Funny Bone (off their 2018 "Beat of the Drum" album.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Ratatouille" - Rats and fine dining don't normally pair up well, but Disney's animated dive into the culinary world made that unlikely pairing come to life and proved to be a box office smash, earning over $200 million in 2007 and hinting that "anyone can cook." Representing this movie and French peasant dish is none other than Herb Alpert, who assembled a new version of his Tijuana Brass Band for his rendition of "Ratatouille" (which added a "Rata Too Ee" subtitle to help listeners pronounce the word right), located on his 1976 "Coney Island" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) "Soul Food" - We finish out this playlist with a bookend family dramedy centered around the dinner table styled movie with 1997's "Soul Food." Featuring an all-star cast, the movie centers on the close-knit Joseph family, whose traditional Sunday soul food get-together dinners and family-unity are threatened when their matriarch Mother Joe passes away after her surgery goes awry. We figured after all this feasting, a song you can wind down to while slumped on the couch would be perfect, and Isaac Hayes' 12-minute cover of the Burt Bacharach composition "Walk On By" (off Hayes' landmark 1969 album "Hot Buttered Soul") seemed to be an ideal closer for this playlist.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-39995005739450435442021-04-21T16:12:00.001-07:002021-04-21T16:21:06.440-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - Take Me Out to the Ballgame<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavJeQqzSUlxsK28g9kedPVcsQkwO5O9UPxguiW4kcwMuQ4aCS8GJh0tppg7avg4hYZfyM0Z_WRR4SKye2yUlnLxopI0EprOoSZPKiXNO-bahQCK__ghySFdiqBprLnSNjTTpuntjh8MSy/s700/614platbpark01.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavJeQqzSUlxsK28g9kedPVcsQkwO5O9UPxguiW4kcwMuQ4aCS8GJh0tppg7avg4hYZfyM0Z_WRR4SKye2yUlnLxopI0EprOoSZPKiXNO-bahQCK__ghySFdiqBprLnSNjTTpuntjh8MSy/w400-h400/614platbpark01.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Beer and baseball is a natural match, like here in Cleveland<br />where Great Lakes Brewing is a popular destination</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of our favorite pastimes is baseball - we have planned trips both to Cleveland to watch the home team as well as to Cincinnati (to watch the team that I grew up with, the San Francisco Giants.) And as much as we do like our Major League games, our true love is with games at the minor league level. Despite the <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/02/12/minor-league-baseball-realignment-regional-divisions" target="_blank">realignment that the minor leagues</a> underwent which resulted in the loss of a number of minor league teams, many towns and cities are still home to a pro ball team within their boundaries.</p><p>One of our favorite things to check out is to see what food items might exist at every ballpark we visit. While we generally rarely stray from the good old classic hot dog and a beer combination, we do like to see what decadent treats might reside on the menus of the ballparks we do visit.</p><p>With that in mind, this blogpost and our accompanying blogpost focuses in on ballparks that are within a relatively modest drive away from our current residence in Central Ohio, and a select eye on some of the delicious eats you might find before you take your seat for a good nine innings or more of action.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1RwP7TeRxD3jEMavaFUvKs" width="300"></iframe></div><p style="text-align: left;">1) "Take Me out /to the Ballgame" - Carly Simon: It didn't feel right to have this playlist without this seventh inning ballpark standard in it, so we lead off here with as good a candidate as any, the Grammy/Golden Globe/Academy Award wining singer and songwriter Simon, who contributed her version of this ubiquitous sing-a-long song to the soundtrack of Ken Burns' "Baseball" documentary.</p><p>2) "Funnel Cakes" - Andy Cohen, Moira Meltzer-Cohen: Toledo, Ohio, is the home of Fifth-Third Field and the <a href="https://www.milb.com/toledo/" target="_blank">Mud Hens</a>, the Triple-A ball club of the Detroit Tigers. Paying tribute to one of the city's favorite sons, Farr Out Funnel Cakes gives you everything you could want in a funnel cake, and representing this food treat is Andy Cohen and his daughter Moira. The senior Cohen has quite a musical history, with roots in Mississippi Delta Blues and Dixieland Jazz, and is a strong proponent of the dolceola, described as a miniature piano by some.</p><p>3) "Kielbasa Polka" - The Dynatones: Located in Eastlake, Ohio, the <a href="https://www.milb.com/lake-county" target="_blank">Lake County Captains</a> are home to the Cleveland Indians' High-A squad. Not surprisingly, something located so close to and associated with Cleveland would have the regional specialty The Polish Boy (basically, a Kielbasa sausage in a bun covered with barbeque or hot sauce, cole slaw, and french fries) on the stadium menu, and San Francisco's Dynatones, known for their busy touring schedule and R&B/blues music sound, provide the plate to hold this bad boy treat in your lap.</p><p>4) "Hot Dog!" - They Might Be Giants: The hot dog is as ubiquitous a baseball meal item as any, and the <a href="https://www.milb.com/columbus" target="_blank">Columbus Clippers</a>, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, provide as popular a promotion as any with their Sugardale Dime-A-Dog Nights at Huntington Park. Perhaps even more popular is Disney's Mickey Mouse, and the Hot Dog song (here performed by the also very famous eclectic and witty post-punk/pop duo They Might Be Giants) always closes out the episodes on "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."</p><p>5) "Churrasco e Cerveja" - TJ Thiago Jhonathan: There be Dragons! The <a href="https://www.milb.com/dayton" target="_blank">Dayton Dragons</a>, the High-A affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds, are both a popular attraction (at the end of 2019, their record-setting sellout streak stood at 1,316 games) and have a pretty nice food options at Day Air Stadium, including a Brazilian Churrasco Sausage Sandwich. Hailing from Brasilia, Jhonathan has the perfect song for this item with his modern Brazilian pop vibe, and he throws in a beer (another baseball favorite) to boot.</p><p>6) "Crazy Feeling" - Lou Reed: Our first trip to a Major League Baseball stadium finds us across the border to Comerica Park, home of the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/tigers" target="_blank">Detroit Tigers</a>. Detroit is the home to many culinary traditions, including the Coney Dog (and related past dalliances like the Coney Dog Egg Roll and Pizza) and it's not shocking at all that you can find it on menus in the stadium. A few too many of these at one time might leave you with a "Crazy Feeling", which is found on iconic rocker Lou Reed's eighth solo studio release "Coney Island Baby."</p><p>7) "S'mores" - Aux Heat Wes: Headed back down I-75, we find ourselves at another MLB stadium in the Great American Ballpark, home of the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/reds" target="_blank">Cincinnati Reds</a> and home this year to the new S'Mores Frybox, a decadent combination of chocolate sauce, marshmallows and plain M&Ms on a bed of freshly fried French fries. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, musician and producer Aux Heat Wes (who also records under the moniker TKOOJ) swerves from old-school 808/synth sounds and more futuristic sounds, or appealingly mixes it up as in this track.</p><p>8) "Spaghetti Junction" - Outkast: continuing our MLB stadium circuit, we travel north on I-71 to <a href="https://www.mlb.com/indians" target="_blank">Cleveland</a> to visit Progressive Field and the Indians at the corner of Ontario and Carnegie in downtown. Arriving in 2016, Dante's Inferno bakes up pizzas for baseball fans, including the unique Spaghetti and Meatballs pie. Representing the more unique portion of that pizza combo is none other than Atlanta's OutKast, who offer up a whole platter of Southern-fried soul/funk/rap jaunts off their "Stankonia" album, the fourth of of a series of five masterful album releases.</p><p>9) "What's In It For You?" - Maurice Evans, Ron Hussmann: The Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the <a href="https://www.milb.com/indianapolis" target="_blank">Indianapolis Indians</a> hosts visitors and baseball fans at Victory Field, located catty-corner from Lucas Oil Field, home of the NFL's Colts. A Hoosier specialty, the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, can be had at the stadium; representing this gut-filling creation here is represented here by the soundtrack to the musical "Tenderloin", which had a succinct run on Broadway from 1960 into 1961. Interestingly, Evans, who did earn a Tony nomination for his performance, was better known both as a Shakepearean actor as well as his stint on the TV sitcom "Bewitched", which featured him as Samantha's cantankerous warlock father.</p><p>10) "Ice Cream" - Vitamin String Quartet: You can scream for ice cream if you visit Canal Park, home of Cleveland Indians' Double-A Affiliate the <a href="https://www.milb.com/akron" target="_blank">Akron Rubber Ducks</a>. Here, lactose- and full-tummy-tolerant fans can order up "The Screamer", a bowl shaped like a baseball helmet filled with 21 scoops of ice cream, perfect for sharing with gobs of kids (and maybe an adult or two.) The Vitamin String Quartet, the Los Angeles-based group known for their classical interpretations of modern songs, fits the bill here with their elegant-sounding take on the hit BLACKPINK/Selena Gomez collaboration released in 2020.</p><p>11) "Shawarma" - Louisville: Rivals of the Lake County Captains, the <a href="https://www.milb.com/lansing" target="_blank">Lugnuts of Lansing</a>, Michigan hope their players are good enough to make the 2,000-mile journey to make the big leagues with the A's in Oakland, CA. Those who opt for the Clubhouse All-You-Can-Eat option can have their option of any number of rotating menu items, including Chicken Shawarma: representing one of my favorite quick-eat food treats is Louisville, an artist based in Lagos, Nigeria artist who sings his love for this creation with an African vibe.</p><p>12) "Freestyle Dumpling" - Stereolab: another High-A rival of the Captains, the <a href="https://www.milb.com/fort-wayne" target="_blank">Fort Wayne TinCaps</a>, San Diego Padres affiliate based in Indiana, has a website which has one of the better, more informative website sections detailing their food options, including Apple Dumplings and other apple-related items (the team's TinCap name is related to a depiction of the mythical Johnny Appleseed, the former Ft. Wayne resident who reportedly often wore a cooking pot on the top of his head.) Providing our munching soundtrack here is Stereolab, the London-based outfit which combined elements of lounge music and kraut rock and splashed it with funk, Brazilian, 1960's pop, and multilingual lyrics in their two-plus-decades worth of music, including this track from their 1996 release "Emperor Tomato Ketchup."</p><p>13) "Hot Chicken" - Ocean Alley: as the Predators provide a rival for Columbus's Blue Jackets, the <a href="https://www.milb.com/nashville" target="_blank">Nashville Sounds</a> (the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A club) act as similar for the Columbus Clippers. If you think that a Nashville staple, Hot Chicken, might be on the menu at First Horizon Park, you would be quite correct; Australia's up-and-coming Ocean Alley, hailing from the Northern Beaches area north of Sydney, provide their blend of psychedelic rock with a funk twist on "Hot Chicken", a tune from their 2020 album "Lonely Diamond."</p><p>14) "Pierogi Baby Polka" - Jack Black Polka Band: our final MLB dalliance for this playlist, Pittsburgh's PNC Park, home of the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/pirates" target="_blank">Pirates</a>, is one of the more picturesque ballparks in the league, with the Allegheny River, the Roberto Clemente Bridge, and downtown skyline and surrounding heights in view for the visiting fan. Hearty food is a hallmark of this traditionally blue collar city, and the stadium's menu has happily contributed to that reputation, including a Pulled Pork & Pierogi Stacker. In many ways, the selected song has roots to Pennsylvania as well - actor Jack Black found his polka groove in the Netflix movie "The Man Who Would Be Polka King", about bandleader/Ponzi scheme perpetrator Jan Lewan.</p><p>15) "Tears Over Beers" - Modern Baseball: we go into our final inning with beer, popular at almost any baseball venue but perhaps not done much better than in Asheville, NC, where the <a href="https://www.milb.com/asheville" target="_blank">Tourists</a>, the High-A level associate of the Houston Astros, offer up a fairly copious selection of local craft beer (their merchandise shop has a selection of "Beer City" items you can don along with your pint of brew.) Hailing from the Philadelphia area, a band with a more than appropriate name, Modern Baseball, closes out the scorecard with the pop-punk sound of this song, from the 2012 album "Sports."</p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-46845507702064447682021-04-15T17:59:00.000-07:002021-04-15T17:59:08.267-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - Musing on The Museum<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLTv00bvOP9pdW4_siEIzy_X2WXqj3u2d0tHWiuozntCjmwnMWGcu9Wg00UrJYUVv4GBi68-WhLzXfzyQKKlFv2bFvncuhgJbgD38AsbrBpMCjxRNM1n2qOSUXOMSGOtT78gv2YpoUugF/s700/614platmuse02.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLTv00bvOP9pdW4_siEIzy_X2WXqj3u2d0tHWiuozntCjmwnMWGcu9Wg00UrJYUVv4GBi68-WhLzXfzyQKKlFv2bFvncuhgJbgD38AsbrBpMCjxRNM1n2qOSUXOMSGOtT78gv2YpoUugF/w400-h400/614platmuse02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>You might not truly appreciate the breadth that canned <br />luncheon meat can achieve until you visit the Hormel SPAM <br />Museum in Austin, Minnesota</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whenever you travel anywhere, we've found a that museum is almost always a safe bet to spend a solid couple of hours or so. Perhaps the best thing we've found is that museums can cover the gamut of topics, from the serious and sophisticated (random examples from our travels include the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Denver Art Museum, and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum) to the quirky and fun (e.g. The Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco, CA, The Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, WV, and The National Funeral Museum in Houston, TX.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With an eye to future travels, we thought we'd dive into the world of where food and museums intersect (my spouse and I have actually visited two on the list here, but would love to visit every other one mentioned) and give you a playlist based on that unique conjunction.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3LEV2JguE8AdQep5nAITo8" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) <a href="http://thebuttermuseum.com/" target="_blank">Butter Museum</a> - Located in Shandon in County Cork, Ireland, this unique museum details the butter industry of Ireland, with the Butter Exchange of Cork being a vital hub in the 19th century. Perhaps the most well-known brand for the Irish butter industry resides in Kerrygold - representing them is the appropriately titled "Kerrygold" by Bill Clinton. No, not THAT Bill Clinton, the former United States President who actually has Irish Heritage, but rather Bill Clinton Kalonji, a Congolese singer who released this very danceable Soukous/Afrobeat tune and others throughout the mid 2010s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) <a href="https://www.spam.com/museum" target="_blank">SPAM Museum</a> - The food everyone likes to make fun of, but often secretly love at the same time, Spam (originally created as a way to peddle off what was then an unprofitable cut of meat, the pork shoulder) grew in popularity and notoriety (both good and bad) during World War II, when it was fed to thousands of soldiers and civilians around the world. Now, this creation by Hormel has enough kitsch value to warrant its own temple of sorts, based in the corporation's home in Austin, MN. We figured we couldn't not use the Monty Python comedy troupe's take on "Spam" to represent here, considering that the museum also dedicates a section of their space to the infamous skit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) <a href="http://www.museudocafe.org.br/en/" target="_blank">Museo do Cafe (Coffee Museum)</a> - Occupying a space of the historic Brazilian Coffee Stock Exchange, this museum Santos, Sao Paulo offers a detailed history of the country's relation with coffee, with barista classes and coffee tastings available for visitors. We figured we ought to bring some music that will remind you of having a java at a local cafe, with "Cafezinho" by Dendê & Band the perfect choice.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) <a href="https://www.laciteduvin.com/en" target="_blank">La Cité du Vin</a> - Unlike many museums which are regional in scope, this Bordeaux, France institution attempts to take a look at the history of wine throughout the world, combining it with a building sporting some of the more eye-catching modern architecture in the area. Accompanying our wine glass on this is "Bourdeaux" by the Durutti Column, whose unique jazz and classical sounds were something of a stark contrast to their fellow Factory label bandmates like Joy Division/New Order and A Certain Ratio.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/china-watermelon-museum" target="_blank">Watermelon Museum</a> - Nestled in Beijing, China, this monument to this familiar fruit details its history from the southern reaches of Africa to the world at large. The building itself is said to be very futuristic with plenty of fake melons and melon-shaped edifices, with placards catered toward the natives (if you cannot read Mandarin, you're somewhat out of luck in that way), but real-life melons can be found growing outside the building. Musically, we couldn't think of a better tune here than Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man", which he released in 1962 and is now considered a jazz standard.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) <a href="https://saltmuseum.gr/en/" target="_blank">Salt Museum</a> - At one time, salt was said to be worth more than gold pound for pound. Even though that is not the case anymore, salt remains as vital as ever, and the museum at Messolonghi, Greece details everything related to this substance, from its traditional uses and origins to its impact across a number of realms from art to tourism to the economy and beyond. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, The National shakes out some rhythm with "I Should Live In Salt" from their 2013 "Trouble Will Find Me" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) <a href="https://mustardmuseum.com/visit-the-museum/" target="_blank">Mustard Museum</a> - Cheekily calling itself "The Condimental Divide", this Middleton, Wisconsin attraction features nearly 6,000 containers of mustard from all fifty states and seventy countries as well as an assortment of mustard historical and advertising media. The John Lennon-penned "Mean Mr. Mustard", included on the 1969 Beatles record "Abbey Road", provides the musical spread here, though it has been reported that Lennon himself didn't think too highly of the song.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150800-d4162281-Reviews-Museo_del_Tequila_y_el_Mezcal-Mexico_City_Central_Mexico_and_Gulf_Coast.html" target="_blank">Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal</a> - Nestled in the heart of Mexico City, Mexico, this museum caters to the tourists crowd but does a fair job of detailing two of Mexico's most popular exports in Tequila and Mezcal. Hailing from his 2020 "Man On The Moon III", the Brooklyn-via-Cleveland, Ohio rapper Kid Cudi displays a bit of the more treacherous side of this distilled spirit with "Tequila Shots", featuring lyrics such as "Hm, hear me now, hey/This time I'm ready for it/This fight, this war in me/This fight, this war in me, in me, in me."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-museum-of-celebrity-leftovers-kingsand-england" target="_blank">The Museum of Celebrity Leftovers</a> - Residing in the Old Boatstore Cafe in Kingsand, England, this very succinct display gives you food that famous (Prince Charles) and not-so-famous (your level of fame may vary) people decided was not worth finishing, all displayed in neatly displayed glass domes. Musically, the Austin-based Vallejo provides the musical accompaniment, with the "Over You (Bump Mix)" hailing from their 2006 album "Leftovers."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) <a href="http://www.internationalbananamuseum.com/" target="_blank">International Banana Museum</a> - lying just north of the Salton Sea in the small town of Mecca, this one-room museum packs a lot of punch inside its exterior peel, with approximately 25,000 banana-related items and assorted tchotchkes available for viewing by the visitor. Perhaps appropriately, you need only travel three hours (depending on traffic) to get to the San Fernando Valley, home of The Dickies, whose cover of the "Banana Splits (The Tra La La Song)" is firmly in line with their pop-punk-with a sense of humor they have been pumping out since the late 1970s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) <a href="https://www.raumen.co.jp/english/#about" target="_blank">Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum</a> - If you haven't guessed, this museum resides in Yokohama, Japan. What you might not have surmised by the name, however, is that this museum, despite plenty of opportunities for ramen education, touts itself also as an amusement park, with mimicked ramen shops and other retail stores dating back to the late 1950s inside. Based on the ongoing Dr. Stone manga series, our music comes from Hiroaki Tsutsumi's "Foxtail Ramen", which proves to be a miraculous creation to villagers in a post-apocalyptic world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) <a href="https://www.canadianpotatomuseum.info/" target="_blank">Canadian Potato Museum</a> - This O'Leary, Canada seasonally-operated museum celebrates all things potato, but they are particularly fond of Prince Edward Island (PEI - the town's province) variety and the equipment and implements used in harvesting these tubers. I'm guessing that many Canadians would consider themselves meat and potato men (and women, for that matter), and our song selection, country star Alan Jackson's "Meat and Potato Man" is chosen just for them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g50609-d279483-r500305856-Wyandot_Popcorn_Museum-Marion_Ohio.html" target="_blank">Wyandot Popcorn Museum</a> - Our final stop on this playlist takes us back to the heart of the Buckeye State to Marion, Ohio, once a central hub for all things popcorn (Oroville Redenbacher and The Marion Popcorn Company) and where the Wyandot Popcorn Museum (housed in the old post office) sports all manner of popcorn-related memorabilia. The music here ("Sleeping Past Dawn" - Cicada Popcorn) reflects another sensation which is soon to hit Ohio and other Eastern/Midwest states - the hatching of the Brood X Cicadas, predicted to emerge from underground later this spring.</div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-35642626202094213792021-04-08T14:30:00.035-07:002021-04-08T14:44:29.758-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: Kitchen Island Discs Vol. 3 (Angelo Signorino, Barley's Brewing)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BWnOGC5rgo7VGaCMjrGVV8hU1V5wRSCUdWcS-dcT83sa760PlgGahdbW2-w2Jmjzm474aAWCzgTKDIUXRnlvmIDQgzOHiP0AKt7vV3-zgRok_y9m9UgLtDv_ZGG52FOOj43SsJtuL3HN/s700/angelokid.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BWnOGC5rgo7VGaCMjrGVV8hU1V5wRSCUdWcS-dcT83sa760PlgGahdbW2-w2Jmjzm474aAWCzgTKDIUXRnlvmIDQgzOHiP0AKt7vV3-zgRok_y9m9UgLtDv_ZGG52FOOj43SsJtuL3HN/w400-h400/angelokid.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Ohio's longest-tenured head-brewer, Angelo Signorino of Barley's<br />Brewing knows his way around a wort and a musical playlist</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As I've written before, we've had a long relationship with Angelo Signorino, the longest standing head brewer for any brewery in Ohio. Most of that lies with my spouse's side of the family - her brother, who has done quite well for himself as a homebrewer, got his first home brewing kit from Angelo, and Barley's was just a hop, skip and a jump for him when he used to live in Victorian Village in the 1990s. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some of my wife's first samplings of craft beer involved Barley's beers, and the family at large have always tried to stop in whenever possible, whether it's to enjoy a lunch with beers and menu staples like their Sauerkraut Balls and Turkey Burger, or to fill up a growler or two of their Blood Thirst Wheat or Scottish Ale to bring up to the family for a celebration.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As a paying customer and guide for the former Columbus Brew Adventures, quite a few of my tours involved Angelo's brewery as a stop. And as the years have gone by, we've gotten to know Angelo a bit on a personal level - there's not too many nicer people you'd want to talk with, whether it's beer or music or life in general.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I consider it an honor and pleasure to have Angelo featured on this month's rendition of Kitchen Island Discs, which features the music of some of Columbus's most prominent food and industry members. So, if you got it, break out your Barley's pint glass (preferably with a cold beer inside) while we explore some of Angelo's favorite musical tunes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/cqo5xtao4blis14pnqs6qovpj/playlist/1bJYr1xcsHRijO8881U75m?si=66d60e5e2e7f4c23" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO SPOTIFY PLAYLIST</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. "It's Oh So Quiet" - Bjork: Starting with the Sugarcubes, lead singer Bjork quickly proved she didn't need any bandmates to forge out on her own, coming out with the wildly popular 1993 "Debut". Not willing to settle for the ordinary, the Icelandic native went even more eclectic on her 1995 followup "Post", in which her unique vocal stylings provide the glue in songs that alternate between varying extremes - "It's Oh So Quiet" sounds as if it could have been taken from an old-school Warner Brothers cartoon short.<div style="text-align: left;"><br />2. "Rhythm-A-Ning" - Thelonious Monk: One of the godfathers of modern jazz and bebop, the North Carolina-born Monk took awhile to find his audience, but once he did (starting with his 1956 album "Brilliant Corners"), there was no looking back. His future work with fellow legend John Coltrane is seminal, and Monk himself was one of only four jazz musicians to be ever on the cover of Time Magazine. Interestingly enough, "Rhythm-A-Ning", based on chord changes to George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm", similarly took its time in becoming a signature Monk tune - Monk was identified as early as 1941 on one version of the song, but Monk didn't put it on wax until 1957, as part of a recording session with drummer Art Blakey.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. "Wristband" - Paul Simon: Simon's "Stranger To Stranger" album, released in 2016, shows Simon not dabbling in the past but firmly in the present, and not seemingly in any hurry to move to the future - not surprising, with Simon approaching 75 years of age for this 13th solo album release. On "Wristband", Simon relates a tale of trying to get back into his gig without the precious wristband, and expands the experience in the last stanza to members of society at large who can never seem to land that wristband to proceed further in their lives.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />4. "Living in America" - Sault: The first of two songs that are distinctly NOT like the more familiar James Brown tune of the same title, the British music collective Sault has received acclaim for their their distinct musical pistache, which combines trip-hop, Afrobeat, old-school soul and other elements into something that goes way beyond categorization. Notoriously reluctant to speak to the media, the band has let their music speak for itself, including their dire view on the country across the pond on their 2019 album release "7".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />5. "Living in America" - Fontaines D.C.: Formed in Dublin, Ireland in 2017, Fontaines D.C. made a big splash with their post-punk debut "Dogrel" in 2019, earning themselves an "Album of the Year" nod by Rough Trade and BBC Radio 6 Music. Produced while on their debut album tour, the 2020-released "A Hero's Death" didn't quite hit the heights of their initial release, but contains some strong songs in its own right such as the title track and Angelo's selection, which infuses a sense of dread and foreboding with its ragged, buzzsaw roar.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />6. "Lost in the Supermarket" - The Clash: Universally acclaimed as one of the best rock albums period, The Clash's 1979 release "London Calling" was a double album which deftly injected punk aesthetic with a number of musical styles and sported one of the iconic album covers of all time (a riff on the cover of Elvis Presley's 1956 eponymous release.) "Lost in the Supermarket" shows off a softer side of the band, combining Joe Strummer's perception of the rough childhood of fellow band member Mick Jones and their despair over the increasing commercialization of society.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7. "In Heaven There Is No Beer" - Brave Combo: prominent in Texas music since 1979, Brave Combo has entertained their fans over the decades with their unique blending of polka, Tejano and other Worldbeat sounds. Despite the seemingly depressing title, the song, initially written in 1956 in German by Ernst Neubach and Ralph Maria Siegel, is actually an ode for getting your beer drinking done before you pass from this world, and Brave Combo's energetic rendition definitely gets one to raising their steins in quick order.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8. "Know Your Chicken" - Cibo Matto: If there was an album that was the ultimate combination of food and music, Cibo Matto's 1996 album "Viva! La Woman" might land the the number one slot. Created by Japanese ex-pats Miko Hatori and Yuki Honda, Cibo Matto (Italian for "Food Madness") unleashed the full platter of treats on their debut release, blending their trip-hop sound with spicy samples (Ennio Morricone and Duke Ellington, among others) to serve up songs like "Birthday Cake", "White Pepper Ice Cream", and Angelo's selection, which relates the tale of some fancy-colored chickens in Brooklyn.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />9. "Not Just What I Needed" - Car Seat Headrest: Originally from Leesburg, VA, Car Seat Headrest has emerged as one of the more popular and prolific lo-fi/indie rock bands to emerge during the 2010s, releasing a dozen albums on Bandcamp prior to their first major label release on Matador Records in 2015. "Not Just What I Needed", released on the 2016 "Teens of Denial" album, has its own fraught history - the original recording contained a sample of The Cars' "Just What I Needed", but permission to use the sample was nixed just days before the album's official release. Maybe that's part of why the band's singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Will Toledo <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2016/08/how-car-seat-headrest-wrote-not-what-i-needed.html" target="_blank">dislikes the song so much</a>, despite the rewrite becoming one of the band's standout tracks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10. "Something You'll Never Forget" - William Onyeabor: a return visitor to our Kitchen Island Discs segement, Onyeabor is actually mentioned in the lyrics in the previous song. The story of Onyeabor is a fascinating one indeed: born in Nigeria to a poor family, Onyeabor managed to make it over to Europe to study record making; some sources say he also studied cinematography in the old Soviet Union. When he returned to Nigeria in the 1970s, he set up his own film and music recording studios, and released a series of monster funk-oriented hit songs, including this track off the 2013 compilation album "Who Is William Onyeabor?"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />11. "Worry" - Songhoy Blues: If the description "African Desert Blues-Rock Band" doesn't make you take a few minutes out of your day to listen to this Mali-based band, then nothing will. Or maybe this band's story might do that, being forced out of Mali as refugees with government unrest and "retaliating" the best way they knew how using the country's musical traditions as a means of protest. Despite the title, the anthemic "Worry" is actually a hopeful song to those fighting the fight, with lyrics like "Work hard is the best way/Let your hope come from fight/And go through your darkness/You’ll find your light" reflecting the mood.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />12. "Stoned and Starving" - Parquet Courts: The initial album release from the NYC-based Parquet Courts has been described by lead singer Andrew Savage as "The Fall meets Neil Young." Indeed, that unique mix of influences can be found in this playlist closer "Stoned and Starving", which describes a completely New York experience pretty straightforwardly - wandering around a neighborhood full of bodegas trying to figure out what snacks will satisfy the singer's cravings.</div><div><br /></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-66433696205915570602021-04-01T15:49:00.000-07:002021-04-01T15:49:05.719-07:00The 614ortyPlatter - Hopping Down The Bunny Trail<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRiMlRsq0zFAnBheW7aHXO8rikTzoiWZRPbj_AOVpBzkHA97DUI7wqYFKR-bvg2bGZOpKQG3yyWCZ4OV17KTAAi9YMPza8eJt7lVCQo8rKnTD6MsG3JZW5g49oy0YkWdxNE4Lj6eDf9UR/s700/sassahcb.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRiMlRsq0zFAnBheW7aHXO8rikTzoiWZRPbj_AOVpBzkHA97DUI7wqYFKR-bvg2bGZOpKQG3yyWCZ4OV17KTAAi9YMPza8eJt7lVCQo8rKnTD6MsG3JZW5g49oy0YkWdxNE4Lj6eDf9UR/w400-h400/sassahcb.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Easter Munching with Rum Hot Cross Scones from <br />Worthington's Sassafras Bakery</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Growing up in a Catholic household as a kid, Easter and the period leading up to it was something of a "weird" observance from a food perspective. Yes, we did observe the fish on Fridays deal (though the very-Midwest fish fry was not a thing), but we didn't necessarily observe the fasting portions of Lent. Easter itself would sometimes have a celebratory meal, though it was never seemed as big as Christmas. We did the Easter Egg hunting thing for awhile, but eventually that faded out and was revived with my siblings and their kids. Chocolate eggs and bunnies were a little bit of a thing, but Easter Peeps were definitely not.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some things do persist - we do generally observe the non-meat Fridays, and we do occasionally indulge in some Easter-themed candies. We may or may not grab a fish fry before this year's Easter is here (we've got one weekend left to do that), and we're definitely contemplating where we can land some delicious Hot Cross Buns (or, as pictured above, a very delicious alternative like Sassafras's Rum Hot Cross Scones.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But perhaps more than anything, we're awaiting what comes beyond Easter this year - the warming weather that Spring brings, and all the food explorations that await. With that in mind, here is my latest playlist, which encompasses everything Easter, Passover, and food traditions from around the world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Butter Lamb" - Julie Byrne: Unsurprisingly, Eastern European countries have a slew of traditional culinary creations on the table for this traditional Holy day, and the Butter Lamb (basically, a slab of butter molded like a lamb, traditionally adorned with a red ribbon symbolizing the Blood of Christ) can be found in numerous households. Buffalo, NY-based Julie Byrne lived in once such household, featuring the creation on her 2016 album "Rooms With Windows and Walls."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />2) "Because the Night" - Patti Smith: Seemed like we should directly mention Easter in one of our selected tunes this week, and influential female rocker Patti Smith seemed like the ideal candidate. Her third album "Easter" saw her still trying to balance out art vs commercial considerations and balanced each nicely, helped out immensely (on the commercial side) by "Because the Night", a tune co-penned by The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />3) "Heaven Sent" - Maamoul: A cookie traditionally made in Arabic countries before Easter and Eid, Ma'amoul consist of semolina flour and typically flavored with various nuts and dried fruits. Hailing originally from Germany, the Barcelona-based Maamoul offer up an appealing funk-pop pastiche in their music, like this track off their debut 2018 album "Funky Beast."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />4) "In My Own Time" - Bee Gees: Once specifically associated with Good Friday, Hot Cross Buns are a tradition in many countries for the Easter holidays, and have a number of origin stories (the most accepted stories center around it being a monk's creation, though the century differs depending on the tale.) Featured on their 1970 debut album, the Brothers Gibb mentions the baked good in their song "In My Own Time", singing "Sitting selling hot cross buns/Thousand suckers everyone/Sounds just like a nursery rhyme/In my own time."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />5) "Dolma" - Tenzin Phuntsok: Don't discount the Greeks when it comes to creating Easter-related culinary dishes: everything from the traditional Tsoureki bread to Myaritsa Soup (created from lamb innards), roasted whole lamb and Tzatziki sauce can be found on the table at various times, as well as Dolmas, stuffed-grape leaves which are a staple in many big meals. Hailing from Tibet, Tenzin Phuntsok creates a slightly different interpretation of "Dolma", fitting in with his preferred dwelling in Tibetan-language pop/love songs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />6) "My Mother's Brisket" - Rick Moranis: while they don't always overlap, the Jewish Passover period and Christian Easter observance generally are seen as happening at the same time by the average layperson. Our little Passover segment starts off with none other than actor Rick Moranis, who waxes eloquently about her mother's brisket on his Seder table on his 2013 album "My Mother's Brisket & Other Love Songs."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />7) "Cantata of the Bitter Herbs, Op. 65 (Hymn)" - Ernst Toch: Symbolizing the harsh treatment the Egyptians gave to their Jews during their enslavement, bitter herbs are a Passover Seder must. As noted in the Milken Archive, the "Cantata of the Bitter Herbs" originated in 1937, via collaboration with Toch and two Reform Rabbis in Los Angeles to create a classical work based on the Passover story. As it turned out, Toch generally ignored the traditional songs associated with the holiday, creating a classically-based work that "(transcended) the confines of Jewish history and experience to express a universal theme: the equal injustice of all human oppression throughout the world, the natural longing for freedom by all such victims, and the legitimacy of struggle for liberation in all such cases."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) "Still Playing For Latkes" - Kugelplex: Hailing themselves as the West Coast's "most rockin’-est purveyor of klezmer and old-world party music" this San Francisco-based outfit has been knocking out traditionally-styled rhythms for weddings and concerts for two decades. Both Latkes and Kugel are both Passover food traditions, and here we get the double-dose with Kugelplex's rendition of "Still Playing For Latkes."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />9) "Let Me Get a Large Pizzelle (No Sausage)" - The Not Fur Longs: Italians have their own Easter-oriented food traditions, from Colomba (a dove-shaped almond bread) to Casatiello (a salty cake filled with all sorts of goodies like salami, cheese, and eggs) to Pizzelles, sweet wafer-like cookies which are popular with many throughout the world, and not just for Easter either. In some ways, the Jersey-based Not Fur Longs and their song aren't the story here, but rather the album it appears on. Included on the "Arbor Christmas 16" album, the "Arbor Christmas" collection was inspired by an idea by Jon Montague to mirror the old Christmas specials of the past, where a band would come by to perform a song with him. Montague died after the second year of this undertaking, but the series has continued (now on its 20th iteration) both in memory to him as well a charitable venture.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10) "Houses of the Holy (Remaster)" - Led Zeppelin: Hailing from Lithuania, <i>Cepelinai </i>(Zeppelin) are hearty meat and potato dumplings found on many Easter-time feasts. Representing this hearty dish are the hearty chops of none other than heavy rock gods Led Zeppelin, whose "Houses of The Holy" is just one of many solid tracks from their 1975 album "Physical Graffiti."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />11) "Halo-Halo" - Mikey Bustos, Bogart the Explorer: While The Philippines is one of the countries that takes its holidays very seriously (their Christmas celebration lasts for 100 days), there has never really been a dish that's been super-closely associated with the Easter celebration. With that said, Ginataang Halo-Halo, a sweet stew featuring glutinous rice balls, taro root, sago pearl, jackfruit and coconut milk, may be the closest thing that fits the bill. Admittedly, the "Halo-Halo" here sung about by Mikey Bustos and Bogart the Explorer, relates more to the shaved-ice dessert than the stewed rendition, but no one ever said there was anything wrong with enjoying either during this holiday.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Pan de Pascua" - El Wiro Cumbia: While "Pascua" in Spanish is generally associated with Passover, for the largely Roman Catholic country of Chile, their "Pan de Pascua", a fruitcake-styled creation containing things like ginger, honey, and dried fruit, is often associated with a number of holidays, including Christmas, Epiphany and Easter; here, the Chilean-based El Wiro Cumbia does the honors with the ode to this sweet tradition.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />13) "Egg & Daughter Nite, Lincoln Nebraska" - John Prine: We couldn't finish off this list without a little nod to the secular side of this holiday; in fact, some sources indicate that the holiday's observance goes back to Pagan observances related to Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring and fertility. Modern day customs traditionally involve finding eggs and bunny rabbits, with the first of our secular couplet coming courtesy of the legendary Americana/Country singer John Prine. Relating an unusual tale he had heard about how egg sellers would drop off their daughters at the roller skating rink, he turned this folklore into one of ten songs on what would turn out to be his last studio album, the 2018 "Tree of Forgiveness".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />14) "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane: Peter Cottontail, The Easter Bunny, the Easter Bilby (in Australia, rabbits are considered a pest; the endangered Bilby is far more beloved) - whatever your egg toter might be in your part of the world, we give a nod to it here with this pop classic from Jefferson Airplane, which uses a Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" motif for this surrealistic number. In true Easter tradition, most holiday diners can take inspiration from the end of the song, when lead singer Grace Slick wails about Carroll's dormouse - "Feed Your Head...Feed Your Head."<br /></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-78964340640720538592021-03-25T13:32:00.002-07:002021-03-25T13:32:54.047-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: Top Chef Top Songs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGHH3m-qj3aKKr2TnNJ0RrmVE3YewWgdDZ0lRGeV-nLQBtZm6xuBz7li5jyRPRUnhdsiEQLKPEzsVJjC3yQN2OP_Sofod81b5jHfuWKkn0GbQHH6rJoII9es-Y5qUPfbcnraotNbqdnlC/s700/kdiscs_avishar.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGHH3m-qj3aKKr2TnNJ0RrmVE3YewWgdDZ0lRGeV-nLQBtZm6xuBz7li5jyRPRUnhdsiEQLKPEzsVJjC3yQN2OP_Sofod81b5jHfuWKkn0GbQHH6rJoII9es-Y5qUPfbcnraotNbqdnlC/w400-h400/kdiscs_avishar.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avishar "Danny" Barua creating some magic on the<br />cocktail end of things at Columbus's <a href="https://servicebarcolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Service Bar</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Those in the know in the Columbus area are distinctly aware of Avishar Barua, of Service Bar Kitchen, and his way with mixing the "mundane" with the magical. Those who have seen his creative takes with lCheesy Brisket Crunch , Po' Boy, the (Not) Pad Thai, or Fish Fillet know that his creations reach levels of flavor never hinted at by their original format. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But he shows he's not a one trick pony by any means either, delving into creations like a Burmese Tea Salad, Bucatini Carbonara, or their "Very Southeast Asian Meal Kit" (featuring things like Shaking Ribeye Steak, Vietnamese Street Corn Salad, and Grilled French Onion Potato Gratin) have helped guide Service Bar through the often rough waters of the Pandemic for restaurants in general.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Plus, he's just a cool guy to talk to in general. So when it was announced that he was a contestant on the new season of Bravo's "Top Chef" (filmed in Portland during the Pandemic months), there were quite a few people, including us, that were incredibly excited to hear the news.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thus, a playlist, dedicated to Avishar and his fellow "Top Chef" contestants, Padma, Tom, and the all the rest. Eighteen songs representing the filming locations of the show, all food related, which we hope enhances the anticipation of the first show's broadcast, set to premiere on Thursday, April 1st.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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<div><br /></div><div>1) "Gumbo" - Santana: San Francisco proved to the first locale for the "Top Chef" show (won by Harold Dieterle) and we couldn't think of a better person to start us off than the city's own Santana, fronted by general guitar god Carlos Santana and trendsetter in the world of both Chicano Rock and Rock & Roll in general. Featured here is a song off their self-titled 1971 third album, titled after the Creole and Cajun soup.</div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) "Soul Kitchen" - X: "Top Chef" moved down the coast for its second season to the City of Angels, with Ilan Hall taking the championship honors. Representing this season is the Exene Cervenka and DJ Bonebrake from the influential hardcore band X. "Soul Kitchen," from their 1980 debut "Los Angeles" album, was a cover of a song from another iconic band from the area, The Doors. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) "Clean up Woman" - Betty Wright: Vice wasn't an issue when the show chose Miami for its third season, with Hung Huynh copping the ultimate prize. Here we decided for a little 70s style soul with Miami native Betty Wright; while the song is about cleaning up behind relationships, you don't have to be a top chef to know that cleaning up awaits any cook after creating their culinary feast for the night.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) "Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela) - Common feat. Vinia Mojica, Ray Hargove & Femi Kuti: The Windy City hosted "Top Chef" for season four, notable for crowning the first female winner, local Chicago chef Stephanie Izard. Off the "Like Water For Chocolate" album, "Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela" is Common's collaborative nod to the legendary Afro-beat musician Fela Kuti. Common himself has proven to be one of the most influential rappers of the 21st century, combining jazz-rap rhythms and political consciousness into a successful series of albums and a branching out into the world of TV and Film.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) "That Was The Whiskey" - Antigone Rising: The Big Apple had to come into play sometime you figured, and Season Five saw Padma and her gang center their competition in the city that never sleeps, with Hosea Rosenberg taking the final honors. Going a bit untraditional, we call on Antigone Rising, an all-female rock/Americana band which has been plying its trade since the 1990s and is still going strong today; their website touts a new album date release of June of this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) "We're So Starving" - Panic! At The Disco: Sin City was tapped for the sixth season of "Top Chef", with a whole host of high stakes enhancements added to the mix; Michael Voltaggio never crapped out and ended up cashing out his champion-chips as the winner. Hailing from Vegas, emo-pop gods Panic! At The Disco give us as good a reason to go to a restaurant based on the title of this track, which hails from their 2008 album "Pretty. Odd."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) "Mango" - Dag Nasty: Only the politics of the kitchen were relevant when the show made it's seventh season appearance in the Nation's Capitol, with Kevin Sbraga earning enough culinary votes to put him as this segment's winner. One of a number of influential DC-based hardcore bands, Dag Nasty was formed by ex-DYS vocalist Dave Smalley and Brian Baker, he formerly of The Meatmen an Minor Threat. "Mango" hails from their 1987 release "Wig Out at Denko's."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) "Head to Toe" - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam: You can't stay from New York for too long. At least, that's what "Top Chef" producers thought when they put together this competition of all-star non-winners from the previous seasons together, with Richard Blais proving the starriest of the second-chancers. Formed in Brooklyn, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam rode the hip-hop craze to several hits in the mid-to-late 1980s; "Head to Toe", from their "Spanish Fly" album, reached an impressive trifecta by topping the Billboard Hot 100, Dance, and R&B charts in 1987.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) "Mi Guerita Coca Cola" - Santiago Jimenez, Jr.: Season nine saw the first show where "Top Chef" took an entire state (in this case, Texas) and used several major cities within it to host their chef competitions; in the end, Paul Qui, who was born originally in the Philippines, took the show's top honors. We decided here to focus on San Antonio and Santiago Jimenez, Jr. - he along with his family were incredibly influential in helping traditional Mexican music styles thrive within the state, with his father pioneering <i>conjunto</i> music and his brother Leonardo being considered the greatest Tejano accordionist in all of history. Santiago Jr. himself is no slouch, recording over 700 songs and earning several commendations for lifetime achievement in Tex-Mex music.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) "The Ballad of Mr. Steak" - Kishi Bashi: The Pacific Northwest rained down its welcome mat to the "Top Chef" staff for season ten, with Boston-resident Kristen Kish rising above the notorious gray skies of the area and the smoke of the kitchen to earn that year's championship. Born as Kaoru Ishibashi, artist Kishi Bashi and his combo of unique lyrics and skillful violin playing has earned him a devoted fan base; two song features in television ads by Sony and Microsoft and a well-received cover of the Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)" certainly haven't hurt either.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) "Brazilian Sugar (feat. Phillip Manuel)" - Los Hombres Calientes: The Big Easy finally got to spice up the Top Chef staff for its eleventh season; Nicholas Elmi bested Nina Compton to become the pride of Bourbon Street. Founded by a host of talented musicians, including Bill Summers, Irvin Mayfield and Jason Marsalis, Los Hombres Calientes proved fairly influential in the world of Afro-Cuban Jazz in a relatively short time period in the 1990s and early 2000s, including this pumping track.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Cornfield" - Volcano Suns: Top Chef used its bean and brought the show to Bean Town for season twelve; Mei Lin took the win these season and bagged an even bigger prize shortly thereafter, earning the nod as Oprah Winfrey's personal chef before opening her own restaurant. Rising from the remnants of the Mission of Burma band breakup, members Peter Prescott, Jeff Weigand and guitarist Jon Williams formed the Suns for seven more years of rocking, including this "corny" song from their 1985 debut album "The Bright Orange Years."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">13) "Lady Marmalade" - Sheila E.: Using Season Nine as a template, "Top Chef" used the whole state of California to its advantage, adding in cities such as San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Palm Springs to the usual suspects, with Florida's Jeremy Ford besting Amar Santana in the final. Oakland, also featured in this season, has received its own due in a number of worlds lately, including its music - Sheila Escovedo, better known by her stage name Sheila E., took her percussion talents to great heights, with 1984's "The Glamorous Life" announcing her to the music scene at large. This cover of Patti LaBelle's classic can be found on her 1991 release "Sex Cymbal."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">14) "Homegrown Honey" - Darius Rucker: Southern hospitality was on full display when Tom Colicchio and the gang headed down to Charleston to film season 14, with Brooke Williamson taking the championship from a 50/50 blend of returning contestants and new participants. Starting off in the pop scene with his bandmates from Hootie and the Blowfish, Darius Rucker went full on into country in 2002 and hasn't looked back, earning his share of acclaim and notice in a music genre which has seen a fair amount of change in the past few years (this track is taken from his 2015 album "Southern Style."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">15) "Dudley's Kitchen (Live)" - The String Cheese Incident: home of the Mile High City and the Buffaloes, "Top Chef" raised itself in elevation using the nation's 38th state for its contestant challenges, with Chicago's Joseph Flamm coming out on top in the kitchen. If nothing else, Boulder's The String Cheese Incident loves its jam with a country/folk/pop flair, with a hint of live on stage panache to boot ("Dudley's Kitchen (Live)" from their Boulder, CO "On The Road" album, is actually a fairly short number all things considering.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">16) "Eggplant" - White Reaper: Going the state route again, "Top Chef" decided bluegrass was more to its liking, setting up its kitchens in Kentucky for its sixteenth season. We don't know if eventual winner Kelsey Barnard Clark is a fan of eggplant (we personally haven't watched this season yet), but we know that Louisville-based White Reaper has a thing for it - heard regularly on everyone's regular favorite independent station CD 92.9, the band features "Eggplant" on their 2019 album "You Deserve Love."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">17) "Fried Okra (Remastered Mono Version)" - Charles Wright & the 103rd Street Rhythm Band: "Top Chef" escaped back to the left coast for their seventeenth season, focusing on Los Angeles again to allow a collection of the show's All-Stars to battle it out for top honors (previous finalist Melissa King from the Boston episode emerged victorious in the end.) Founded in the early 1960s, Charles Wright & his bandmates released a whole host of tunes that would be influential in their own right, being featured as samples in a number of future songs, and with the band members moving on to other influential 1970s R&B and funk bands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">18) "Catcher in the Rye" - The Dandy Warhols: We obviously don't know who wins Season 18 of "Top Chef" in Portland, Oregon (we obviously hope it's Avishar ourselves), but in the spirit of being Bohemian like them, we include a song from Portland's own The Dandy Warhols, whose satirical pop-rock grooves have given the band its own decently-sized fanbase; "Catcher in the Rye" is featured on their 2016 album "Distortland", which find the Warhols continuing to mature out by lowering the winking sneer of previous hits like "Bohemian Like You" and "Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth."</div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-41919125064199925802021-03-18T15:58:00.000-07:002021-03-18T15:58:10.019-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: Know Sap on Tap<div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJNCukuPjYWcD_rr03tu9mykASwcj2zbAzbMwruu52CyelTEZ7CHBzJJhbPNK9AO8hCNCNHAmgCP4Fk83wFxBdGZEuqq3FLoHS0fARxldgclNoUA89K_FyyWRZPB1bQT9q2OlMQgpRjxp/s700/maple001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJNCukuPjYWcD_rr03tu9mykASwcj2zbAzbMwruu52CyelTEZ7CHBzJJhbPNK9AO8hCNCNHAmgCP4Fk83wFxBdGZEuqq3FLoHS0fARxldgclNoUA89K_FyyWRZPB1bQT9q2OlMQgpRjxp/w400-h400/maple001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Maple Syrup and French Toast is a lovely pairing indeed - just<br />ask the folks at Upper Arlington's <a href="http://www.southoflanecafe.com/" target="_blank">South of Lane</a></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Many food traditions have made their way across the oceans to the Americas over the vast expanses of time and been adapted to the local climate, but there are a few distinct things that remain almost exclusively from this region. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of those traditions derives from the <i>Acer Saccharum</i> tree, more commonly known as the Sugar Maple. Found exclusively in Midwest and Northeast portions of the United States and the Southeast portions of Canada, the sap from this tree has been tapped and refined to create maple syrup.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had been one who never knew the pleasures of genuine maple syrup as a kid - my pancakes were often accompanied by the artificial stuff (Golden Griddle was a common sight in my refrigerator.) I had heard so much about the genuine stuff, and figured my first trip into Canada (the largest exporter of maple syrup to the world at large) would be my first purchase of what was for me something of a luxury.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Returning from that trip, the first pairing with some of my Dad's basic Bisquick-created pancakes was beyond heavenly. Maple syrup is now almost a must now when it comes to things like pancakes and waffles, and my spouse and I have used it in a number of baking recipes to give them a nice maple-tinge.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So with sugaring season in full effect at this moment, we here decided a playlist dedicated to this golden elixir was pretty much a natural.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/7v0uDHZyPesW7sscSoUDlQ" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Trees" - Earwig: Lead singer/guitarist Lizard McGee, from Columbus's own Earwig, gave pandemic-bound folks something to watch last summer, as one of the many flamboyant folks on the ABC TV reality-meets-golf show "<a href="https://www.columbusalive.com/entertainment/20200520/i-was-one-of-weirdos-lizard-mcgee-to-appear-on-extreme-mini-golf-tv-show-holey-moley" target="_blank">Holey Moley</a>." But it's not golf that draws locals to Lizard and his band Earwig; rather, it's their hard-driving hard rockers like "Trees" off their 2014 "Gibson Under Mountain" album. The lyrics sport the very syrup-appropriate stanza "These trees turn black in winter/And sap runs through my veins/From these decisions that I haven't decided/Just mistakes that I've made."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">2) "Love & Maple Syrup" - Gordon Lightfoot: I mean, what Canadian wouldn't wax eloquently about maple syrup, and Gordon Lightfoot (best known for hits like "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and "If You Could Read My Mind") is no exception. From the 1971 album "Summer Side Of Life", Lightfoot's ode includes the lines "Love and maple syrup goes together/Like the sticky winds of winter when they meet/When lonely lovers come to rest/Beneath the trees they do their best."</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">3) "Playing Guitars" - Jim White: Waffles and maple syrup have proven to be a natural pairing; this breakfast staple here is represented by the country/folk/gospel-influenced Jim White, who cut several albums for the Luaka Bop and Yep Roc labels before releasing the "Waffles, Triangles and Jesus" album in 2017 for Loose. "Playing Guitars" is a rollicking Americana-style number on what proved to be a more reflective album for the Pensacola-born White, who grew up in a deeply Pentecostal household</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">4) "Moonlight in Vermont" - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: Vermont is by far the largest state producer in the United States, averaging roughly two million gallons per year. Originally recorded in 1944, jazz legends Fitzgerald and Armstrong released their version of "Moonlight in Vermont" (which interestingly, has lyrics that do not rhyme, nor do they mention maple syrup) in 1956.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">5) "NDN Kars (Remix)" - Keith Secola and The Halluci Nation: unsurprisingly, the indigenous peoples of North America learned to tap maple trees as a food source long before the Europeans made it over to this side of the pond. For the Ojibwe nation, residing mainly around the Great Lakes in what is now southern Canada and the northern Midwest of the United States, maple syrup harvesting has remained vital in preserving both the culture and their sovereignty over their lands. Representing this part of history is Ojibwe Tribe member Secola, who is one of the select Native Americans who have made their mark in the world of contemporary rock, folk and blues music.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">6) "Philadelphia Chickens" - The Bacon Brothers: they say everything is better with bacon, but even bacon is better with a little glaze of caramelized maple syrup, as many breakfast-goers can attest. We don't need but one degree of separation for the musical representative here in the Bacon Brothers, the musical outlet for actor Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael since 1995. "Philadelphia Chickens" is a bit of a departure for this pop-rock-oriented duo, bringing them into the swing realm for the title track for "Sandra Boynton's Philadelphia Chickens" collection, touted as "an imaginary musical revue."</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">7) "Black-Haired Québécoise" - Old Crow Medicine Show: when it comes to "Le Grand Kahuna" of maple syrup production, one need only look at the province of Quebec, which produces over 90% of Canada's supply and roughly 75% to the entire world. Any proper Québécoise would have pride in this fact, not to mention "a worn out Yank with an empty tank", from whose viewpoint the Nashville-based alt-country stars Old Crow Medicine Show sing about. This number was one of the two previously unreleased songs included in their 2017 "Best of The Old Crow Medicine Show" compilation album.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">8) "Pancakes and Syrup" - Biz Markie: of course, this is the classic combination most people think of when it comes to maple syrup, and that combo is something that starts for most as a child. Speaking of children, Nickleodeon's "Yo Gabba Gabba" combines music, puppets, and a number of regular segments and special guests as a way to give kids knowledge and the urge to dance. Biz Markie (best known for his monster rap hit "You Got What I Need") provided beatboxing beats for his "Beat of the Day" segment, and also provided the voice behind this playful tune.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">9) "Sugarbush Cushman" - Poi Dog Pondering: Originating in Hawaii, the eclectic worldbeat sounds of Poi Dog Pondering (or PDP for short) have earned them a cult following over the decades, despite some clashes with their record labels (their first major label Columbia were not too happy with their demos, which helped lead to PDP to eventually creating their own label Platetectonic for their music.) Their early 4-track cassette albums have been recently released on CD and streaming in 2020, including this original version of "Sugarbush Cushman", which tells the story of of a gal who lives "Way up high where the maple trees grow/She says "I'm from Vermont and I loves the snow"/In her floppy French cap, seated beneath the maple tree/Drinking down the sap, not a care in the world"</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">10) "C'est Magnifique (Remastered)" - Kay Starr: According to some authorities, the Iroquois Nation were the first to figure out the harvesting of maple syrup. One legend states that Iroquois Chief Woksis had struck a tree with his axe during a hunting excursion; the sap which flowed was then collected by members of the tribe for use in cooking that day's hunt. The sweet taste imparted to the meat proved to be a revelation, and tribe members soon added maple sap to their daily diet. Perhaps surprisingly to some, Starr, one the biggest singers of the 1940s and 1950s, sported both Irish and Iroquois heritage. While jazz was her primary musical focus, she branched into other genres, such as her version of this number from the 1953 Broadway musical "Can-Can."</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">11) "Katalina" - Sagaldo: Perhaps more than any place in the Columbus metro, Katalina's (with two locations in Clintonville and Harrison West) has taken the humble pancake and syrup combo to an entirely new level, with their now famous Pancake Balls (filled with your choice of Dulce de Leche, Nutella, or Pumpkin-Apple Butter) paired up with Milligan's (based out of Amesville, Ohio) Bourbon-Barrel Aged Syrup. As a nod to this delicious dish, we use this song from Sagaldo, a Cameroonian artist now based out of the United States.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">12) "Taffy Butt" - Cyndi Lauper: A huge tradition in Canada and parts of New England, Maple Syrup Taffy is made by boiling maple tree sap to a temperature that lies between that which forms syrup and that which forms maple butter or sugar. The liquid is then poured onto clean white snow, where it forms a soft-textured candy which is generally eaten fresh. Representing this sweet treat is all-around talent Cyndi Lauper, who lends her unique vocal stylings to this number for the soundtrack to the cartoon cult hit Bob's Burgers.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">13) "That Summer Feeling" - Beth Orton: With maple syrup sugaring season in full effect right now, it only seemed right to have a song from Orton's 2012 album "The Sugaring Season" on this playlist. After collaborating with groups like Sam Amidon, The Chemical Brothers, and William Orbit, Orton took her folktronica sound on a solo basis, including this cover of a 1983 Jonathan Richman song.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">14) "Maple Leaf Rag" - Scott Joplin: We close out this maple-themed playlist with one of the most familiar modern piano tunes in the world. The so-called "King of Ragtime", the Texarkana-raised African-American composer Joplin created over one-hundred ragtime pieces during his career, including this tune which has become over time the archetypical ragtime tune. His death in 1917 essentially ended the ragtime craze, with big band swing eventually taking over as the predominant musical style.</span></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-1194686565902483672021-03-11T15:41:00.000-08:002021-03-11T15:41:49.558-08:00The 614ortyPlatter: Kitchen Island Discs Vol. 2 (Lara Pipia)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWp8S3CsQMAFnyIPDg0bYksTq_aFKq8my2GnrZcdE1egbEIXhbrjT1VBWYLY-IEBRl6sVfnSJQEp9x3HeZ7_O50Mkj1u_wvJsT7EtQcicLqzAeZOnWeUk0w20oB1ou6Jp-YAM_Z6G5W37/s700/kdiscslara01a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWp8S3CsQMAFnyIPDg0bYksTq_aFKq8my2GnrZcdE1egbEIXhbrjT1VBWYLY-IEBRl6sVfnSJQEp9x3HeZ7_O50Mkj1u_wvJsT7EtQcicLqzAeZOnWeUk0w20oB1ou6Jp-YAM_Z6G5W37/w400-h400/kdiscslara01a.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>My first encounters with our Kitchen Island Discs guest Lara Pipia<br />were through events like the Columbus Knife Fights<br />at the former The Commissary in Marble Cliff</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Our guest this month for our Kitchen Island Discs segment is someone who has been behind and around many of the most promising and prominent names around the Columbus dining scene. My first encounter with Lara Pipia came at the former The Commissary in Marble Cliff, during a number of their dining events. I've also enjoyed sweet treats from the Northside Library location of <a href="https://freedomalacart.org/about/" target="_blank">Freedom A La Cart</a>, an organization she co-founded dedicated to giving victims of sex trafficking and exploitation practical job skills to help with their community reintegration. Lastly but surely not least, I've been enjoying going through the delicious dishes at Emmett's Cafe, whose menu Pipia had a big hand in developing.<div><br /></div><div>But frankly, enough of me typing away - Lara was more than eager and gracious enough to send us a little bit of her story, and what follows in this blogpost was created by her own hand. She also gave us an amazing playlist, so be sure to take a listen to it.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><p>I was born in New Orleans in 1979, so I couldn't help but grow up to be a food nerd, I guess. My family traveled a lot when I was a kid, and I was always excited to try new things.</p><p>In my early 20s, I bounced around a bit in the Columbus service industry, performing in various job titles: everything from line cook to bartender and catering coordinator. I've cooked at places where I needed to be consistent and repetitive, as I did in the first years of Northstar Cafe's existence, and I also worked at places like North Market Poultry and Game, where I could be wildly creative. I learned from both. I was also in a touring band at the time, so working in the service industry also gave me the flexibility to travel and play music.</p><p>In 2011 I assumed the role of executive chef, and in so doing co-founded Freedom a la Cart, a non-profit that helps survivors of human trafficking. It was with Freedom a la Cart that I was named a Columbus Tastemaker by Columbus Crave Magazine.</p><p>I then set out on my own in 2013 to start Two-Top Consulting. Having my own food-based business gave me the opportunity to do what I love the most - develop menu items and explore my own food voice.</p><p>I did a lot of events, themed dinners and pop-ups, my most beloved being "Warmth", a brunch pop-up I did for a year at Ace of Cups.</p><p>Most recently, I did menu development for Emmett's Cafe, and right now I am super excited to be back at Freedom a la Cart as a consultant, also working on menu development. It's really cool to come full circle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsujan9IzNYt94lnSCHExnF7pzq1HueVuSZ6g1d_8gvJbGIOC-qWadg7lC3zQfv36EzH9g54TchbpaYl8Et47i2iTi4tcalkQBOxZ0MKJWQIlY_ldfzhHzNAkqlRnp4vdAAQ2tHOK4bep/s700/kdiscslara02.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsujan9IzNYt94lnSCHExnF7pzq1HueVuSZ6g1d_8gvJbGIOC-qWadg7lC3zQfv36EzH9g54TchbpaYl8Et47i2iTi4tcalkQBOxZ0MKJWQIlY_ldfzhHzNAkqlRnp4vdAAQ2tHOK4bep/w400-h400/kdiscslara02.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, blah blah blah...let's talk tunes!</p><p>For me, music and food are inextricably linked - they are both an expression of culture, and a way to mark the passing of important events. Across the world, food is omnipresent in celebrations, rites of passage, farewells and even during loss and mourning; so (for me anyway) is music. I can link different songs to different times and events in my life, in the same manner that I can remember certain flavors and aromas.</p><p>This year has been weird - for everyone. A time of uprising, a time of social change, a time to isolate and reflect (whether we wanted to or not). I leaned on both food and music heavily this year, as I always do, but in a completely different way.</p><p>This list is made up of 12 songs that have been in heavy rotation over the past year. Many I just discovered over the last couple of years and some have been with me a long while. It starts kind of low and slow for those quiet moments in the kitchen when you first get started - firing up the oven, folding towels, doing veg prep - then it picks up into more of a go-time vibe. Hope you dig it.</p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3MFnIc76cVwMDsGOnOeIM8" width="300"></iframe></div><p>1) "Morning, Morning" by Richie Havens - this is a record I inherited from my parents and this track might be my favorite on the album, even though it's a cover. Originally written by poet Tuli Kupferberg, a founder of New York East Village beatnik band The Fugs, it's really a song about loneliness. For me, though, it's more about solace and serenity - finding space to create when no one is around and embracing it. Musically, it's a gentle way to ease into the day, and Richie Havens' deeply beautiful and gritty voice feels like a safe warm hug.</p><p>2) "Take a Message to Mary" by The Everly Brothers - OK, so a somber love ballad from the perspective of a man imprisoned after a stage coach robbery gone wrong might not be everyone's thing, but....LOL, no but stay with me... The blood harmony of the Everlies combined with the minimal but beautifully produced arrangement gives me goosebumps every single time I listen to this song. The song gains more instrumentation as it progresses, slowly awakening the senses, which is another reason it makes a great choice for an early morning kitchen sesh. I dunno, it just gets me there.</p><p>3) "If Not for You" by Bob Dylan - This song is on New Morning, which is kind of a departure album for Bob Dylan. This is another easy-going ramble, and I had always heard it as a classic love song. Until this year. Working along to this song made me hear it differently; While it's still a song about love, to me it became less about the love of a person, and more about the appreciation of a muse or creative outlet. This past year, that muse was almost always food. When things seemed hard, unsettling or confusing (which they did, almost every day) cooking was there as an escape, a place to lose myself, and a way to mark time passing. Whether it was a rack of lamb at Easter, a salad of summer bounty or a comforting soup for the longest winter, I knew where I was and I had a dish to escape to.</p><p>4) "Seabird" by The Alessi Brothers - Hmm, maybe I just have a thing for brothers? This song popped up for me in a Spotify playlist a little over a year ago and I immediately loved it. I wasn't sure if it was actually a good song, and albeit some of the lyrics are downright GOOFY, like this gem : "Like an unwound clock, you just don't seem to care"? </p><p>WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? But still, the blood harmonies get me, and the Wurlitzer vibe combined with yacht rock sensibility and slightly synth undertones makes for some solid chill time in the kitchen. Great for baking, really.</p><p>5) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" by Ananda Shankar - The nephew of Ravi Shankar gifts us with the most psychedelic version of The Rolling Stones scorched-earth Rock n' Roll classic, Jumpin' Jack Flash ever, with sweltering sitar, crazy space sounds emanating from a Moog synthesizer, and a wild backing band composed of guys in well-known psychedelic band The Electric Prunes and a bass player for Elvis! This is a great transition song when you need to start picking up the pace in the kitchen, but want to keep it more than a little bit weird - it'll definitely kick your ass right out of a midday slump.</p><p>6) "Greetings" by Joni Haastrup - I used to love listening to Afro-Pop Worldwide on NPR. There is almost always something undeniably contagious and joyful about African music in all of its genres, almost doubly so when reabsorbing international music and slinging it back through a filter of indigenous sound and rhythm. This is the case with this song - definitive disco beats backed with funk-inspired horns make it so that you can't help but move, in the kitchen or anywhere, really.</p><p>When the song begins, you aren't quite sure where it's going to go, but with the long dramatic pauses thrown into the intro, you know it's going to be stellar. If you are into this song, you can find it on a comp called "Nigeria 70 - Funky Lagos", alongside other incredible artists of the period like Fela Kuti, William Onyeabor and The Funkees. Solid Hits and positive movement all the way.</p><p>7) "No Fun" by The Stooges - Iggy Pop in his prime, and one of my long-running favorite "get up and move your ass" songs of all time. Is it the handclaps? Is it the Detroit fuzz? The snarl? Doesn't matter, it will always be a great song to carry a knife to. I'll cut the shit out of some carrots to this song.</p><p>8) "I Ron Man" by Ondatropica - The familiar melody of Black Sabbath's Iron Man, comically reinterpreted as "I Ron Man" (or, Rum Man in Spanish) is rehashed in a drunken and almost careening cadence in the style of Cumbia - a music native to Colombia. It's about as fun and motivating as music can get, and the album is definitely a high energy romp throughout. Ondatropica is a curated group of Colombia's most accomplished musicians, released on a 3 LP set that showcases not only classical Cumbia songs, but modern interpretations and styles of Colombian music as well. Highly recommend listening to it in its entirety.</p><p>9) "Fever" by La Lupe - So, I've always been obsessed with this song; at first the Peggy Lee original, and then many subsequent covers that I was exposed to over the years. But when I heard this version for the first time, I was seriously shook. La Lupe's full-on Latin FIRE is evident in the first seconds of this cover and the Cubanness of it all becomes more evident as the song progresses and diverges more from the original. If you can't cook to this song, I'd dare to say that you just can't cook. Maybe it's my Spanish roots talking, but come on! This song could raise the dead.</p><p>10) "Fantastic Man" by William Onyeabor - This song came onto my radar a little over a year ago before everything changed. What hasn't changed about this song is that it's weird and wonderful, with a sunshine-y bop beat backed up by layered synth tracks that dually function as rhythm and melody drivers. Mostly, what I can say about this song is that it is 100% a good mood driver. This has probably been the most omnipresent song in my life this year - literally, I've heard it dozens of times and it always makes me feel good. I really believe that for food to turn out right, there has to be some love in it. This song feels like the musical equivalent to that sentiment.</p><p>11) "Gin House Blues (Mono, Single Edit)" by Nina Simone - I try to avoid cooking when I'm in a bad mood, but sometimes culinary professionals don't have the luxury of deciding when we want to cook. Sometimes we want to be left alone so that we can just do our thing. Sometimes we want to do it while having an adult beverage.</p><p>Nina Simone had a gift of turning that "fuck off" kind of sentiment into something that could be both empowering and somewhat amusing. When we're living through a stinker of a day, we need that introspection; we need to be able to laugh it off, say "ok, I've got this" and get back to work. This is that song for me.</p><p>12) "Road to Nowhere" by The Talking Heads - Experimentation is a must for me in the kitchen. I like playing with flavors and delivering them in a way that isn't too TOO challenging. Sure, I want to be creative, but ultimately, what I do has to be marketable - thankfully my friends and family are more than happy to let me go whole hog with my ideas, but when working as a consultant, I definitely pull back from my initial impulses. Also, in my line of work I'm never quite sure what the next thing is going to be; this song, with it's super-driving rhythm and reassuring lyrics, is a great mantra jam. It makes it feel OK to be unsure while reminding me that I am part of a great collective consciousness which also has no idea what's going to happen next. There's peace in that.</p><p><i>Are you someone in the local Columbus food & restaurant scene who has a thing for a good tune or two? Drop me an IM on my Instagram account and I just might include you on a future "Kitchen Island Discs."</i></p></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-31293530407362878082021-03-04T17:31:00.004-08:002021-05-16T08:55:28.720-07:00The 614ortyPlatter: Food Holiday Road<div style="text-align: left;">If you're keenly interested in food, the modern day calendar has transformed into a source of inspiration. Every month, and increasingly, more weeks and individual days, have been dedicated to enjoying some sort of food or beverage, from the familiar (National Pancake Day, on February 16) to the novel (National Coffee Milkshake Day, on July 26.) Even newer food trends have their days, from National Keto Day on January 5 and World Plant Milk Day on August 22.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Unsurprisingly, these days have been used by those in the restaurant and food business around the world to help drive customers to them; local ice cream maker Jeni's Ice Cream encouraged everyone to break from tradition and eat one of their pints for "National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day" a few weeks back on February 6. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With that in mind, we thought we would pick out a few days throughout the calendar year, and link them both to a song as well as a few local establishments where you can find the particular treat in mind.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5mpIu4DqtW9nleSoMbNp20" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">January 15 - National Bagel Day: Columbus has plenty of places to grab this now-ubiquitous breakfast handheld, which has its origins to the Jewish areas of Poland. Places range from national and state chains (Einstein Bros and <a href="https://barrybagels.com/" target="_blank">Barry Bagels</a>) to local purveyors (<a href="https://www.theloxbagelshop.com/new-page" target="_blank">The Lox Bagel Shop</a> on the more recent side and old-timer <a href="http://www.blocksbagelsdeli.com/" target="_blank">Block's Bagels</a>), but we chose <a href="https://www.sammysbagels.net/" target="_blank">Sammy's New York Bagels</a>, a staple in a number of local cafes and a godsend during pandemic because of their home delivery service. Music-wise, we start off nice and smooth with Köln-based artist DJ Soundtrax's "One Bagel Love" from his appropriately named album "Bagels."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA1ALMrNGJVgo9Xtv7EohFGS2EyPGFPtFOHOApNDh-gtBVpy6W8LoZN_ZEbVfclxbh52RufrwXB6B97C7QMWmFRLutV46UJ92Q_WYGbWEHc3IGxyYEz5jdGe0XHnmdGI7dCMTYhfemNp4/s700/natldaysammys.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA1ALMrNGJVgo9Xtv7EohFGS2EyPGFPtFOHOApNDh-gtBVpy6W8LoZN_ZEbVfclxbh52RufrwXB6B97C7QMWmFRLutV46UJ92Q_WYGbWEHc3IGxyYEz5jdGe0XHnmdGI7dCMTYhfemNp4/w400-h400/natldaysammys.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">February 21 - National Sticky Bun Day: much like the Cinnamon Roll, you'll find these sweet treats all over the place: notable ones cover the range from the old-school places like <a href="https://reschbakery.com/" target="_blank">Resch's</a> and <a href="http://www.theoriginalgoodieshop.com/" target="_blank">The Original Goodie Shop</a> in Upper Arlington, to fancier renditions from places like Worthington's <a href="http://www.thewhitneyhouserestaurant.com/" target="_blank">The Whitney House</a> and the German-Village located <a href="http://www.skilletruf.com/" target="_blank">Skillet</a>. Here we enthusiastically feature our favorite Vegan one in the bunch in Clintonville's <a href="https://www.pattycakebakery.com/" target="_blank">Pattycake Bakery</a>, and pair that up with the energetic "Sticky Buns" from David Maxwell, a longtime sideman in Boston's blues scene who started heading up his own band in the 1990s.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtNCS0mNBVDZLbZzhNIcKIGz32NWvxdJte1UBBQ8CKK_yA26U6-Tb19BNgK4ZjTq4uddaB_lfeeCsoTEZQd-Q64W3AkAKjEfoLge-efnhsxD7IkamhT0752f9YeNY8-RlP6AANNs0VgyG/s700/natldaypatty.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtNCS0mNBVDZLbZzhNIcKIGz32NWvxdJte1UBBQ8CKK_yA26U6-Tb19BNgK4ZjTq4uddaB_lfeeCsoTEZQd-Q64W3AkAKjEfoLge-efnhsxD7IkamhT0752f9YeNY8-RlP6AANNs0VgyG/w400-h400/natldaypatty.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">March 9 - National Meatball Sub Day: similar to pizza, you might get as many opinions on who's got the best meatballs in the Columbus area. We certainly have not had all of them, but we can vouch for the open-faced Meatball Sub Sandwich from <a href="https://www.pizzahousecolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Pizza House</a> in the Salem Village neighborhood. Our song we chose to represent this date is even older than this restaurant: the World War II-era "One Meatball", a duet with The Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjrrVHxcm8HfJ18NC8yacUGzxhVDDjc5By7qLRHlFFKiWvYbZxgWBhcn8n_ajAD2VvN5mcPnzgshYaovJLqBrgUyjQJbYNxnTXGoHpa3sApP-VD90VPk1FfUc_RuGBfTiae_T_RESz_0e/s700/natldayphouse.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="700" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjrrVHxcm8HfJ18NC8yacUGzxhVDDjc5By7qLRHlFFKiWvYbZxgWBhcn8n_ajAD2VvN5mcPnzgshYaovJLqBrgUyjQJbYNxnTXGoHpa3sApP-VD90VPk1FfUc_RuGBfTiae_T_RESz_0e/w400-h286/natldayphouse.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">April 5 - National Deep Dish Pizza Day: while Columbus does have a Chicago-based representative in town serving this Windy City treat (<a href="https://giordanos.com/locations/columbus/" target="_blank">Giordano's</a>), the local pizza scene has had its own purveyors in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meister's%20Bar/110587559032325/" target="_blank">Meister's Bar</a>, <a href="https://www.masseyspizza.com/menu/" target="_blank">Massey's</a>, and <a href="https://www.angespizzaonline.com/" target="_blank">Ange's in Hilliard</a>. Perhaps the most revered of the bunch is the version from Olde Towne East's <a href="http://www.yellowbrickpizza.com/" target="_blank">Yellow Brick Pizza</a> - their version is a very close copy of the one the former Tristano's in Grove City pumped out to diners on a regular basis. Unsurprisingly, we call on one of the most ubiquitous yellow brick songs in Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", off the smash 1973 album of the same name.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbjqC2xvxgCWYSCRlRAntlVjU_GvhANp9uxK4sboFerVR0M9OOc0tkC4UVpkCBpbnBZYQ9MompvV4NbOv-KqfT7GT0zmHdExQPQ8q0EXDx4BIBUHf-KJYLHPe7-tsOkLUfpT6ly0JqUjC/s700/natldayybpizza.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbjqC2xvxgCWYSCRlRAntlVjU_GvhANp9uxK4sboFerVR0M9OOc0tkC4UVpkCBpbnBZYQ9MompvV4NbOv-KqfT7GT0zmHdExQPQ8q0EXDx4BIBUHf-KJYLHPe7-tsOkLUfpT6ly0JqUjC/w400-h400/natldayybpizza.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">May 13 - International Hummus Day: We've encountered a number of notable hummus dips during our eating here, from <a href="http://pitahutgrill.com/" target="_blank">Pita Hut n Grille</a> to <a href="http://www.mazah-eatery.com/" target="_blank">Mazah Mediterranean</a> to <a href="https://yemeni-restaurant-yemenite-restaurant.business.site/?fbclid=IwAR0r2BR7Z5I1IBpAWJXNYzmvNpo0XTSOhWq130KK4AvwzW91h1r7BtcC6T0" target="_blank">Yemeni Restaurant</a> and more. But our favorite of them all still remains the version <a href="https://www.lavashcafe.com/" target="_blank">Lavash Cafe</a> in Clintonville has for your dining pleasure. The Nashville-based Hummus For Days provides the musical pita for dipping here, with a cover of the Arlo Guthrie version of "Saint James Infirmary", a song which actually dates back to the days of Louie Armstrong.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj9-DrDTNxJAJuViAK2wQ3OZvndAsEc6ZH9-2paL3pCbC2_ERqhEn4filmjOWu6F10Zjt-Rc8BySL-AqQR-7RoYy2hFnhwsF798Nsj4aYFWy9KTR_P0g2EPfI1A-7Ojpi-aYBJahTmxSo/s700/natldaylavash.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPj9-DrDTNxJAJuViAK2wQ3OZvndAsEc6ZH9-2paL3pCbC2_ERqhEn4filmjOWu6F10Zjt-Rc8BySL-AqQR-7RoYy2hFnhwsF798Nsj4aYFWy9KTR_P0g2EPfI1A-7Ojpi-aYBJahTmxSo/w400-h400/natldaylavash.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">May 28 - National Hamburger Day: Yes, <a href="https://www.shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shack</a> has proven popular since their arrival here in Columbus, but that has hardly dented the love for this American staple in this town with both the chain and local purveyors. Our local go-to remains <a href="https://prestonsburgers.com/" target="_blank">Prestons' Burgers</a>, which as a result of and despite the chaos of pandemic moved into a slot at the North Market. Kool & The Gang provides the side of fries here with their rendition of "Raw Hamburger", off their 1970 debut album gives just a hint of what would emerge with their later 1970s hard funk jams like "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging" and "Ladies Night."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2xN-aqsTjzdpJrislNPSb4pqn-4gdHPD7j0jwIFNksWCqyPp7nc4GvE6LKZoL8UHQv-q44k6CqCzny7O4mvhHYQB7V0-YIP962pRs1YE6k0uWBNNcxjlMBihGJ1frTbsItVkekNfOaH8/s700/natldayprestons.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2xN-aqsTjzdpJrislNPSb4pqn-4gdHPD7j0jwIFNksWCqyPp7nc4GvE6LKZoL8UHQv-q44k6CqCzny7O4mvhHYQB7V0-YIP962pRs1YE6k0uWBNNcxjlMBihGJ1frTbsItVkekNfOaH8/w400-h400/natldayprestons.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">June 14 - National Bourbon Day: Columbus has seen a number of distilleries pop onto the scene in the past few years, but it's only the two O.G.'s of the scene in <a href="https://middlewestspirits.com/" target="_blank">Middle West</a> and <a href="https://www.watersheddistillery.com/distillery" target="_blank">Watershed</a> as well as Gahanna's <a href="http://noblecutdistillery.com/" target="_blank">Noble Cut</a> that has a local bourbon for sampling. With that in mind, it seemed like a great opportunity to feature another local in Watershed (the band), whose "Laundromat" is off their terrific and somewhat overlooked 2005 "Fifth of July" album and is still cranking out great music even now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTQCvncpN4ExsUFWVgwggj2Uft3jl7JwXFyaC1cA8Z6Vb0iNoAinJaAHcpTxLJFftmArsQmqYgvC7s-m6KjGzyJT9_Ru-UfqiEi0Aaj__L_UETOPRKVY59NcPyy-6KKWx1q80PnSIchyV/s700/natldaywshed.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTQCvncpN4ExsUFWVgwggj2Uft3jl7JwXFyaC1cA8Z6Vb0iNoAinJaAHcpTxLJFftmArsQmqYgvC7s-m6KjGzyJT9_Ru-UfqiEi0Aaj__L_UETOPRKVY59NcPyy-6KKWx1q80PnSIchyV/w400-h400/natldaywshed.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">July 18 - National Ice Cream Day: Everyone knows the big names here (<a href="https://jenis.com/" target="_blank">Jeni's</a>, <a href="https://www.graeters.com/" target="_blank">Graeters</a> and <a href="https://www.graeters.com/" target="_blank">Handel's</a>), and other locals like <a href="https://johnsonsrealicecream.com/" target="_blank">Johnson's</a>, <a href="https://www.diamondsicecream.com/" target="_blank">Diamonds</a>, <a href="https://www.getcrmd.com/" target="_blank">CRMD</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DulceVidacolumbus/" target="_blank">Dulce Vida</a> have earned their devoted followings. But here we go to the Smoky Row area of town for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Mardi-Gras-Homemade-Ice-Cream-195252517183012/?__xts__[0]=68.ARBQ9FiRugvtoiYrzs_P7IoPt-gbbQJ3r6HRdA_E0ih8_meYF_NS01gfSQ-lBwfBtE9cy1Q0GIN4ZYU158w06D6rQHei3vn3x459csXuZbc_tjT0Xl0maIWMnHFOIJN3BnraBXVl_BEPskPx-MrtAXz0lAOr5v5SBVQw-PpSq-exAvjOLAi01h17V2HVhe4gkID_jdNMwZhEFRYap9V8OY9d-KRfWsaKVcnE-3Bw1A7_k7OzbioYrCymf2qz3Zx6GiDEsqWslpfSK9xlZHdRfvgKz8tBGSu_i6BJ2YJNeemQ_lR_sZz3W2D3KiujPQcRpi4" target="_blank">Mardi Gras</a>, who has been pumping both traditional and Indian-inspired ice cream flavors (it's hard picking a favorite) for two decades. We don't know if it was ice cream which helped Antoine "Fats" Domino with his girth, but it sure didn't hinder his talent, as in his rendition of the Professor Longhair tune "Mardi Gras in New Orleans."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv41jTxcSdAZl2LTMATNTswq0P9-wo4ghUnT2XVemtWXp-q0Pk6J0LVcuYmB-U1hkDmXd2aQEvMtT13GbxvVszmiGgJpGH1rvodi7BCjrmznlMz61KoRo8klOsPLvOHOYeExRvGFKuwQoe/s700/natldaymardigras.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv41jTxcSdAZl2LTMATNTswq0P9-wo4ghUnT2XVemtWXp-q0Pk6J0LVcuYmB-U1hkDmXd2aQEvMtT13GbxvVszmiGgJpGH1rvodi7BCjrmznlMz61KoRo8klOsPLvOHOYeExRvGFKuwQoe/w400-h400/natldaymardigras.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">August 6 - International Beer Day: Despite the challenges of pandemic, the area's breweries have soldiered on, using things like canning and home shipment to keep enough money flowing until times return to something similar to pre-pandemic days; we ourselves have received shipped beer from Powell's <a href="https://www.nocterrabrewing.com/" target="_blank">Nocterra Brewing</a>, Granville's <a href="https://threetigersbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Three Tigers</a>, and Dayton's <a href="https://www.branchandboneales.com/" target="_blank">Branch & Bone</a>. One brewery near and dear to us is Clintonville's <a href="https://www.lineagebrew.com/" target="_blank">Lineage Brewing</a>, a spot that was a favorite destination for a post-work-night beer and hanging out. Grammy-nominated and Houston-based FKAJazz (aka Samir Zarif) provides us the music accompaniment with "Unfurled World", off his 2020-released "Lineage" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBBQi5E1EbGT80yfXoQZ_xBBuelCr0vJ-os8Dw3lMpwHH3Xccf3u5lx2rlxlFLN200XnIrN8Ykk3EHq0JPhwovrmpXyLQmgSxuk5ovVhk-elkSyW9mPtDgvGcEJR6hkiaWwD2oon2-hcp/s700/natldaylineage.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBBQi5E1EbGT80yfXoQZ_xBBuelCr0vJ-os8Dw3lMpwHH3Xccf3u5lx2rlxlFLN200XnIrN8Ykk3EHq0JPhwovrmpXyLQmgSxuk5ovVhk-elkSyW9mPtDgvGcEJR6hkiaWwD2oon2-hcp/w286-h400/natldaylineage.JPG" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">August 24 - National Waffle Day: Before the biscuit and birria craze, waffles (often paired up with fried chicken) were the rage in the city, and frankly it really hasn't stopped, with places like <a href="https://www.whatthewaffle.org/" target="_blank">What The Waffle</a>, Dublin's <a href="https://www.henquarterdublin.com/" target="_blank">Hen Quarter</a>, and Upper Arlington's <a href="http://www.southoflanecafe.com/classes" target="_blank">South of Lane</a> being just a few of the many places offering their takes on this combo. But perhaps the most unique is the Ube-laced rendition that 5xNW's <a href="https://bonifacio614.com/" target="_blank">Bonifacio</a> puts together for their modern Filipino take. Nu-Metal and Atlanta-based Sevendust adds the syrup to our dish here with "Waffle", a track from their second album "Home" and featuring members of The Deftones as guest vocalists.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkINO1fqhqwZkBveEea49C8b6IaszkiC46turrBFPD1BGOMqNyYMHe7nkk4ZizPRkfqrW4dOBjeVigLhhQklue20RW9AZvc8hyphenhyphenLTqeI5fjkj1u0d-m8jTmbEjzGJtBHPLMqgEGHSQa2Sc/s700/natldayboni.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkINO1fqhqwZkBveEea49C8b6IaszkiC46turrBFPD1BGOMqNyYMHe7nkk4ZizPRkfqrW4dOBjeVigLhhQklue20RW9AZvc8hyphenhyphenLTqeI5fjkj1u0d-m8jTmbEjzGJtBHPLMqgEGHSQa2Sc/w400-h300/natldayboni.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">September 26 - National Dumpling Day: Dumplings, whether it's at a Chinese place like <a href="https://www.eatxixia.com/" target="_blank">Xi Xia</a> or <a href="http://www.jiu-thai-asian-cafe.com/" target="_blank">Jiu Thai</a>, or Nepali/Tibetan (the momos of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/momogharohio/?__xts__[0]=68.ARChqgkTWroOzU5azztp4Gly6jkI_4CwQNRluJtW031p4SlUSKM7v2kBbKqajkaGv-isTQ6LUYym7CnvHQcIgYlTFSQjfl6HkmLHGEBOKrHDtVG_cxyhQEirjQ_AObRYFJeGHX8lpJ5_LmlXYieRaifFcCBBNqzfUsNOc-lnJBNiLgPfKymErBb_5AAGbcWhN6GVMfFyliddlD6hvADura5OdkaMZZKFlvb_fitP7SHld4el2ZHTGaov_lZeOZhoTvmH2qePl8FDT5sgTm11BiQHPqKm-a4zOXuMZKPLgFKLk9iX5TqUXFosKNK_IU_hVQsZnF-IekediJiKL-qGuW4KCGzj" target="_blank">Momo Ghar</a> or Worthington's <a href="http://everestcuisinecolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Everest Cuisine</a>), is as favorite a side order as any for us in general. Along with the Spicy Cauliflower, dumplings are a must at the Sichuan-oriented <a href="https://www.helencolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Helen's Asian Kitchen</a> on the Northside. Dipping sauce here is provided by the rather unique Moonpools & Caterpillars, a Glendale, CA-based Filipino-American alt-rock band who pumped out three albums during the 1990s, including "Lucky Dumpling" the album from which the track "Ren" is from.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqCBfe2AJoEJeDNePkExQnGvwGZd0s68xSy3-uAm-EsKgFPvkKsgCRwHtJEXy-bLPNiv0lQ0mX4Pz9OJmuPU3V0O0fKZwa6OYDbt0cCEU9JMKboCKRhyphenhyphenFjglH3EzzTWMkFERHMRsIfOBO/s700/natldayhelens.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqCBfe2AJoEJeDNePkExQnGvwGZd0s68xSy3-uAm-EsKgFPvkKsgCRwHtJEXy-bLPNiv0lQ0mX4Pz9OJmuPU3V0O0fKZwa6OYDbt0cCEU9JMKboCKRhyphenhyphenFjglH3EzzTWMkFERHMRsIfOBO/w400-h400/natldayhelens.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">October 4 - National Taco Day: We use this day for a truism that so far hasn't failed us yet - we have never had a bad taco from a legit taco truck. We've had many great tacos from the area's trucks, and the birria craze has got our mouths watering, but the Al Pastor Tacos (the glorious trompo from their original food truck is pictured below) from <a href="https://www.losguachostaqueria.com/" target="_blank">Los Guachos</a> still reign supreme in our mind. Founded in 2007, the Seattle-based Tacocat has been pumping out a decidedly feminist-leaning punk-oriented sound on their four albums, but definitely channels a bit of R.E.M. on their "Night Swimming" track, though in this case, the band from Athens is not on the playlist ("There's no one else in sight/Just all our friends/You can bring a boom box/But you can't play R.E.M.")</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8uckTWEG_W3Bc4tX4ZBh6QzFKh8vD51lE84xlmMYBSnzFItli8UUnfBSqMQv_BBh_AppfuVImEuHIyrwR0zO2XzpG4cN6_pmAfAQj-0yFEO_3hLRhykc2s8QhqPLX_8kNcDDMplKscA1/s700/natldayguachos.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8uckTWEG_W3Bc4tX4ZBh6QzFKh8vD51lE84xlmMYBSnzFItli8UUnfBSqMQv_BBh_AppfuVImEuHIyrwR0zO2XzpG4cN6_pmAfAQj-0yFEO_3hLRhykc2s8QhqPLX_8kNcDDMplKscA1/w400-h400/natldayguachos.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">November 26 - National Cake Day: We admit, we're more pie people than cake people, but in our opinion, it's hard to beat the Carrot Cake that Clintonville's <a href="https://mozartscafe.com/" target="_blank">Mozart's Cafe</a> bakes (in fact, we had it for our wedding reception in the Hocking Hills.) If the Sacramento-based band Cake were a cake, they just might be a <a href="https://rasamalaysia.com/kek-lapis-indonesian-layer-cake/" target="_blank">Kek Lapis</a> - the band features country, folk, rock, funk and various world styles in a multi-colored and -layered song pastiche, including "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" from their 2001 release "Comfort Eagle."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJc7MujaAgBBuQF2_NIBBKFfxmw-JOKlPD3wpEDuUNWLREq8fjzxQ9hVzIw8zeN_0zB9SG7M8s6ru3lAL8c8NAB9m_6ESax5AW0SHRj7jxw8BfO94vGxm8iw7y_UDDCFj1x7gvnNlt1j1/s700/natldaymozarts.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJc7MujaAgBBuQF2_NIBBKFfxmw-JOKlPD3wpEDuUNWLREq8fjzxQ9hVzIw8zeN_0zB9SG7M8s6ru3lAL8c8NAB9m_6ESax5AW0SHRj7jxw8BfO94vGxm8iw7y_UDDCFj1x7gvnNlt1j1/w400-h400/natldaymozarts.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">December 20 - National Sangria Day: When you think Sangria, you think Spanish tapas, and first and foremost you think of German Village's <a href="https://barcelonacolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Barcelona</a> for this particularly enticing combo around Columbus. Finishing us off music wise is the irreplaceable Freddie Mercury of Queen, whose "How Could I Go On" was but one of his vocal contributions to "Barcelona", a number of songs in collaboration with opera singer Montserrat Caballé inspired by the city's awarding of the Summer Olympic Games of 1992. The revised version picked here features symphonic instrumentation as opposed to the original synthesizer and percussion on the original 1988 release.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQCcciO1o6oBr5K2nRQi3SfTMCaPnuSFPkMl0DdQqVLmGUy5-8pdbIjLIgweGDvPE7q2BlnqraTAAJOC8CuOyQ3Km1zY7zgFCat7xceC0Jv8aTA6EPlcjrSHqPUAcvgf_7ldlajS4jnuG/s700/natldaybarcelona.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQCcciO1o6oBr5K2nRQi3SfTMCaPnuSFPkMl0DdQqVLmGUy5-8pdbIjLIgweGDvPE7q2BlnqraTAAJOC8CuOyQ3Km1zY7zgFCat7xceC0Jv8aTA6EPlcjrSHqPUAcvgf_7ldlajS4jnuG/w400-h400/natldaybarcelona.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-7939521660994972402021-02-25T17:59:00.004-08:002021-02-25T17:59:40.339-08:00The 614ortyPlatter - Free Music!...and a little Samin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZYxjiR_8uTZFs2hcGyq519KNyQd6ug89s6zfPsuG-qembO9U0GVqoUVRuiyujIHbYFAbicT1Aw33YOCGglQjc5Y2wVKUJP-gpIfzmoYCw2olG6hue1qE_ndu2KULgUR_K_S2GpdY1r2T/s700/614platsamin.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZYxjiR_8uTZFs2hcGyq519KNyQd6ug89s6zfPsuG-qembO9U0GVqoUVRuiyujIHbYFAbicT1Aw33YOCGglQjc5Y2wVKUJP-gpIfzmoYCw2olG6hue1qE_ndu2KULgUR_K_S2GpdY1r2T/w400-h400/614platsamin.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Along with music, Samin Nosrat was a constant companion<br />while working from home during 2020</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For those of you who have followed along since I have posted my playlists, the amount of music I was listening to while working from home proved to be the inspiration for these food-meets-music explorations. Like many, I definitely miss live music and concerts; frankly, if it's been hard for the consumers like us, it's been multiple times harder for the musicians who make at least a part of their living from their musical pursuits.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As a result, I've been making sure to supplement my Spotify listening (which as everyone knows, pays a pittance to artists for their streamed songs) with actual purchases of merch and music. I've encouraged those of you who have read and listened along to do so too, and I figure a way I can do that even more is to provide a little bit of a carrot. Thus, I'm giving away up a $20 gift card to <a href="https://bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>, home of many independent music artists towards that effort. If you came here first, check out my Instagram page (@CAlipinOH) to get the details on how you can enter the giveaway.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">With that out of the way, let's get to this playlist's theme. I admit, I have a bit of a crush (my wife I'm certain does too) on chef/author/cooking world personality Samin Nosrat. Her easy-going manner and gregariousness have had many compare her favorably to Julia Child, but in many ways Samin is her own personality, and as distinguishable a cooking personality as any there is out there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>We got our first taste of her through her cookbook "<a href="https://www.bookloft.com/book/9781476753836" target="_blank">Salt Fat Acid Heat</a>" and the related <a href="https://www.netflix.com/TITLE/80198288" target="_blank">Netflix limited series</a>; our early appreciation turn more into being smitten during a public talk in Upper Arlington featuring Nosrat hosted by Columbus's ice cream maven Jeni Britton Bauer in October 2019. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>During our work from home stints in 2020, Nosrat was a constant work companion with her pandemic-inspired "Home Cooking" podcast with co-host Hrishikesh Hirway. Sadly for us, the podcast started and ended in 2020, but we stand excited at the promise of a new cookbook, which Nosrat announced she'll be devoting her full time toward at the beginning of February.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>And thus, this list is dedicated to Samin, with three "Salt Fat Acid Heat" foursomes to inspire you to cook up a storm...or maybe dance while you're planting those bagels in the toaster.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/19YVzIM0zX6r2MmLNivpdW" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Do You Want Me" - Salt-N-Pepa: A perfect start for our first Salt Acid Fat Heat foursome, the first female rap group to hit it big proved with their 1990 album "Blacks Magic" they were more than a one-hit wonder (the 1986 smash "Push It.") Featuring a New Jack hip-hop vibe, the album spawned three hits in "Expression", "Let's Talk About Sex", and "Do You Want Me", where the crew tries to convince an impatient boyfriend that going slow is the right way to go.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) "Butter" - A Tribe Called Quest: Butter is a familiar source of fat for cooks around the world to enhance their cooking. For A Tribe Called Quest's 1991 release, "The Low End Theory", the group broke away from away from the more positive and humorous sound which marked their fellow Native Tongues collective of hip-hop artists and stood in direct contrast to the Gangster Rap emerging from the West Coast. This new direction was a dual effort, with Q-Tip's mastery of blending jazz and bebop riffs with booming beats, and the emergence of Phife Dawg, who brought a welcome dose of sass to the proceedings in tracks like "Butter" after being something of cipher on the group's debut.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) "Flor de Maguey" - Vito (David Rebollo), Acid Lemon: Like butter, Lemons are a familiar source of acid in a number of sweet and savory cooking recipes. On the other hand, producer Acid Lemon, based out of Barcelona, Spain, has produced for a number of Spanish music artists, including rap/hip-hop group Lágrimas de Sangre and the smooth sounds of Homes Llúdriga. In "Flor de Maguey", Acid Lemon produces chill beats for his partner Vito (aka David Rebollo) on their 2019 release "Peces en un Charco."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) "Boogie Nights" - Heatwave: Come on - the band has "Heat" in its name already. The UK-based Heatwave was a true United Nations of a band, sporting members from Czechoslovakia, the UK, Switzerland, Jamaica, and the Wilder brothers of Dayton, Ohio. Off their 1976 "Too Hot To Handle" LP, the funk-meets-R&B-meets disco "Boogie Nights" proved to be an international smash, earning a number one spot in New Zealand and number 2 in the UK, the US, and Canada.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) "Salty Dog" - Cat Power: The second of our Salt Acid Fat Heat foursome is as salty as any. Born as Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall, Cat Power has blended a number of musical styles (blues, folk, rock, and later R&B) in her songs to much acclaim, starting with a couple of small label album releases in 1995 in a musical career that continues to this day. "Salty Dog", a traditional number originally performed by Papa Charlie Jackson, comes from her 2000 "The Covers" album, along with covers of such artists as The Velvet Underground, Johnny Mathis, and The Rolling Stones.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6) "Eleven Days (featuring Cyndi Lauper)" - David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: I imagine Norman Cook, the man who would become Fatboy Slim, had little idea that he'd become one of the most influential big beat/electronic producers in the world while plucking a bass for The Housemartins (known best for their huge UK/Irish hit "Happy Hour".) I imagine also that he had no clue he would be involved with the Talking Heads' former front man David Byrne on his 2010 Imelda Marcos concept album "Here Lies Love." Byrne brought together 20 fairly prominent female singers (including Cyndi Lauper on this track) to sing the viewpoint of Marcos in tunes that were meant to intersect theatre and the club scene (the songs were indeed later adapted into a stage musical in 2013.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) "Umeboshi" - Gilberto Gil: Umeboshi, otherwise known as the Japanese Sour Plum, more than fulfills the acid part of this second "Salt Fat Acid Heat" foursome in a puckering way. The performer here, Gilberto Gil, has proven to be a musical pioneer on the Brazilian music scene, blending a number of traditional styles with jazz and rock and the Tropicália artistic movement. His popularity and influence was seen as a threat by the ruling government - after a brief exile to London, Gil returned in the 1970s and has become a prominent politician and environmental activist since.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) "Fried Neck Bones and Some Home Fries" - Willie Bobo, Dan The Automator: Puerto Rico-born Willie Bobo has brought the heat as a percussionist for a number of prominent musicians, including Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, and Carlos Santana. Frying, of course, requires heat, and Bobo's classic tune is double-heated in this case by producer Dan The Automator (aka Daniel Nakamura), who has worked with a number of prominent artists during his unique career (including Prince Paul of De La Soul, Kool Keith, and The Gorillaz.)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) "Prosciutto" - Hebdo: Delicatessen meats are among the saltiest things (in a good way) around, and it's hard to turn down a really good thin sliver or three of an Italian dry-cured prosciutto. For Columbus, Ohio-raised Joey Hebdo, California proved responsible for his version of "Prosciutto" - after his old band Blackcoin broke up shortly after reaching Los Angeles, Hebdo bought a digital voice recorder and in a burst of creativity, recorded seven songs that would make up his 2010 album, including the title track.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) "Human Beat Box" - The Fat Boys: Our final fat representative is well-represented indeed in The Fat Boys, an early pioneer in rap music from Brooklyn who used their sizable talents and bodies for a number of best-selling albums throughout the 1980s. Sadly for the band's fans, Mark Morales aka Prince Markie Dee, who moved on to a successful career in music production (including Destiny's Child and Jennifer Lopez) and as a radio station disc jockey, passed away in mid-February this year, leaving Damon "Kool Rockski" Wimbley as the only surviving member of the band (the Human Beat Box, aka Darren Robinson, passed away in 1995.)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) "Jump 'N Move" - The Brand New Heavies: Originating in London-based clubs in the mid-1980s, the Acid Jazz movement mixed up elements of jazz, disco, funk and soul into its own distinctive vibe, with bands such as Digable Planets, Us3, and Jamiroquai emerging as the genre's leaders. Starting off as Brothers International, the musician collective that would become Brand New Heavies rates as high as any of them, sporting nearly four decades of music under their belt, including this track off their 1992 album "Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1" with guest vocalist Jamalski.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Shahre Paiz" - Tahdig: I can't think of a better dish to finish out the final "heat" portion of this Salt Acid Fat Heat themed playlist than Tahdig, the Persian rice dish that Nosrat herself grew up in her home loving and something you can't do right unless you control the heat right. And the Farsi funk band Mitra Sumara seems to the perfect closing band to do that too, whose 2018 album "Tahdig" gives their takes on 1960s to early 1970s Iranian pop songs, which sported a blend of traditional instruments and era-appropriate funk and Latin beats.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-71177588309777921252021-02-18T18:31:00.001-08:002021-02-18T18:33:45.215-08:00The 614ortyPlatter - Kitchen Island Discs (Laura Lee, Ajumama)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXoQ_0Y9GLSeMv4_6IrOYKpV28OjNBQ-KmmrB_gpHOpTeEXFQZ7-4eN3WsYFPXBzJ1lT-xRdIRciFzRURwMl1dRChI7ITF2hdKeQuR41ga_H7Ivme2ZBJI8rqyi1O3KyG3OFLZKxEt0Ap/s700/towerrecs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXoQ_0Y9GLSeMv4_6IrOYKpV28OjNBQ-KmmrB_gpHOpTeEXFQZ7-4eN3WsYFPXBzJ1lT-xRdIRciFzRURwMl1dRChI7ITF2hdKeQuR41ga_H7Ivme2ZBJI8rqyi1O3KyG3OFLZKxEt0Ap/w400-h300/towerrecs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Tower Records, one of my favorite haunts as a teenager<br />(Photo from <a href="https://theoutline.com/post/3601/russ-solomon-tower-records-obituary" target="_blank">The Outline.com</a>)</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'm finding as I'm continuing this playlist theme, I'm learning a lot of history along the way. Take this week's playlist, which was based on a concept I first encountered as a teen but I found has a much older origin story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As a teen, the local Tower Records, which was founded in 1960 by Russell Solomon and existed in brick & mortar form in the United States until 2006 (a new <a href="https://towerrecords.com/" target="_blank">online version of the store</a> was opened up November of last year), proved to be one of my favorite haunts as a teen and young adult. One of my favorite past times was to grab the latest Pulse! Magazine and read through reader's submissions of "Desert Island Discs", music they'd take with them to play were they stranded on a desert island. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Little did I know until I did some research that the BBC in the UK has run a radio-based "Desert Island Discs" segment since 1942, with each guest imagining themselves as castaways and choosing 8 recordings to keep themselves company.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to a new segment on my themed playlists which I've called "Kitchen Island Discs." My concept is simple - what groovy songs or albums keep the people involved in Columbus's food scene motivated while they're cooking up a storm in their restaurant, food truck, or kitchens?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE57N_lCXXpMnXctK8xjEVgXhV4PZYk-wrHvSytCX9vbALb_mP1KZPPxM80XWBVaMbBQ6T_Y6fvOwwCjeCf_P5t40xteaQ0Rw2ZNQCpRP5LGK_Oov_6_hUxRDEluTn1JQsPX5kzGuJ1SeP/s700/llee_guys.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE57N_lCXXpMnXctK8xjEVgXhV4PZYk-wrHvSytCX9vbALb_mP1KZPPxM80XWBVaMbBQ6T_Y6fvOwwCjeCf_P5t40xteaQ0Rw2ZNQCpRP5LGK_Oov_6_hUxRDEluTn1JQsPX5kzGuJ1SeP/w400-h400/llee_guys.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Laura Lee (here paired up with Columbus-based baker Aaron Clouse<br />on "Guy's Grocery Games") has made a dent on the TV screen as well<br />locally with her Korean-meets-Midwest dishes for Ajumama</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I couldn't think of a better person to start this off than Laura Lee, long time owner of the <a href="https://www.ajumama.com/" target="_blank">Ajumama Food Truck</a>. Regular readers of this blog know we are big fans of her Korean-meets-Midwest menu items such as her Bulgogi Cheezesteaks, Dduk 'n Cheese, and Kimchi Bratwurst. The world of food television has also noticed Lee's talents as well, as she has made appearances on <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/comfort-food-tour/episodes/more-cheese-please" target="_blank">Comfort Food Tour</a>, <a href="https://www.columbusunderground.com/local-chefs-to-appear-on-episode-of-food-networks-guys-grocery-games-ls1" target="_blank">Guy's Grocery Games</a>, <a href="https://www.hulu.com/series/the-grill-iron-ccab7714-4129-46bf-beca-950c1a2c2b0a" target="_blank">The Grill Iron</a>, and <a href="https://www.hulu.com/series/the-grill-iron-ccab7714-4129-46bf-beca-950c1a2c2b0a" target="_blank">Eat St.</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The pandemic has seen her Ajumama Food Truck pivot to social-distanced family style menus (get on their weekly e-mail list, if you haven't already), making Laura's culinary talents across a number of cuisines evident, from some food truck specialty favorites like Filipino and Hawaiian Plate Lunch dishes (with the help of her fellow partner Sean Cristales) to Thai, Latino and New Orleans favorites, as well as more traditional Korean eats.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And last but most definitely foremost, Laura is a super nice person who I am very happy to have gotten to know during my years here in Columbus.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So what favorite music does Laura bring to her Kitchen Island? We asked for 8-12 albums or songs, and Laura contributed a dozen albums that show her taste in music is as diverse as the dishes she cooks for the public.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2jPZaCrrNKELgFXJHev9N6" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">1) Various Artists, "Soundtrack to The Big Easy" - Released in 1986, the crime thriller "The Big Easy" was a case of a somewhat light plot being raised by the on-screen chemistry of co-stars Ellen Barkin and Dennis Quaid, not to mention the musical enhancement of some New Orleans-area musical classics. The soundtrack itself is out of print even on Spotify; however, several users have put together their own playlists mirroring the album, which includes "Tell It Like It Is", a song originally released in 1966 from the incomparable Aaron Neville.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">2) 2NE1, "Crush" - 2NE1 in some ways was swamped in visibility by the monster that was fellow countryman's Psy and the "Gangnam Style" phenomenon. Still, the all woman 2NE1 made a mark with their three albums and numerous singles released during their time as a group from 2009 to 2016. 2014's "Crush" held the mark at that time for highest selling and charting K-pop album in the Billboard 200, and we get a dose of 2NE1's undeniable flair here with the album's title track.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">3) Van Halen, "1984" - While people may argue whether this was Van Halen's best album, it certainly was their most popular, spawning several top ten hits and putting the band (with the help of catchy videos on the still relatively novel MTV) into the public spotlight. Sadly for many, namesake member/co-founder/general guitar god Eddie Van Halen passed away in October last year - he naturally puts on a trademark blistering guitar solo on "Panama", a song which fits in with the 1980s top hits theme of songs that mix hot cars and hot women.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Matthew Sweet, "Girlfriend" - The remnants of decaying relationships have proven fertile ground for some of the best music around, and Matthew Sweet's 1990 release "Girlfriend", released shortly after his divorce, most certainly qualifies. It certainly didn't hurt that Sweet's love of Japanese Anime was featured in the videos for the biggest hits off the album, including the title track (from the movie "Space Adventure Cobra") and the song we selected, "I've Been Waiting", which features Lum Invader from "Urusei Yatsura."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Material Issue, "Destination Universe" - Pure power pop will always have its appeal, and the Chicago-based trio Material Issue certainly came out swinging with its full length album releases through the bulk of the early 1990s. Sadly, the band never found the audience it probably deserved, as their lead singer Jim Ellison committed suicide shortly after the band was dropped from its label in 1996; let our selection "Girl From Out Of This World" from their second album be our tribute to him.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">6) Lady Gaga, "The Fame Monster" - Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, has been compared to similarly mercurial singing superstar Madonna. However, Gaga has carved out her own distinct path, adding in her own significant theatrical talents (she enrolled at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in her younger days) to reach her own heights such as a recorded album with legendary Tony Bennett and an Oscar-nominated role in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born." The 2009-released "The Fame Monster" continued the momentum of the previous year's release "The Fame", with her duet with Beyonce "Telephone" being one of several hits from the new material.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">7) Various Artists, "Soundtrack to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" - Released in a usually dead month for movies (February) and an almost exclusively U.S.-only distribution, this relatively low-budget film ($6.5 million total) proved to be a modest hit, grossing over $40 million dollars despite only two names of note at the time (comedian George Carlin as Rufus and Columbus East High School graduate Bernie Casey as Principal Ryan - Keanu Reeves was still a relative unknown at the time.) The soundtrack in many ways mirrors that lineup, with one notable name (Extreme, best known for their monster ballad "More Than Words") among relatively unknowns. We decided to choose "I Can't Break Away" from Big Pig, a band who charted regularly in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1980s and whose lead singer, Sherine Abeyratne, sports Sri Lankan heritage and has sung backup for a number of notable bands (U2, INXS, and The Models.)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Taylor Swift, "1989" - Swift proved she wasn't just meant for the country music world when she released her 2012 smash hit "Red", which announced her first dabbling with modern pop sounds. This move has only accentuated Swift's popularity and she hasn't stopped since, keeping her groove with songs such the one we chose here, "Blank Space", from her fifth studio-based album "1989".</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) The Flaming Lips, "At War With The Mystics" - Oklahoma City's The Flaming Lips have performed a notable feat of sorts, keeping true to their unique and very individual blend of psychedelia and eclectic rock sounds into a long-lasting career and well-received body of works. Their creativity shows no signs of diminishing, judging from their pandemic-inspired bit of novelty with two <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/flaming-lips-stage-unique-space-091541473.html" target="_blank">Bubble Concerts</a> in January, 2021. Their 2014 "At War With The Mystics", released four years after their influential "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots", was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of critical reception, but did sport its gems such as the track we selected in "The W.A.N.D."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">10) The Lemonheads, "It's a Shame About Ray" - One of the few albums that most people will say is perhaps a little too short in length, Evan Dando and his bandmates nevertheless pack a seriously catchy pop-punk punch in less than a half hour in this 1992 release for Atlantic Records. The title track and their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" are the most well known of the tracks here, but any of tunes included here make for good listening, including the track we chose in "Hannah & Gabi."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Chris Isaak, "Baja Sessions" - Isaak's good looks, velvety voice, and focus on a retro 1950's and 1960's sound has carved himself out a solid music career, starting with his 1985 debut "Silvertone" (side note: early editions of the album were recorded on CD+G format and included some Minecraft-stylized graphics videos of several album tracks) and continuing well into the 2010s. 1996's "Baja Sessions" includes covers and Isaak re-recordings and originals, including our selection "Waiting For My Lucky Day."</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) Ludwig von Beethoven/The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, "Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 I. Allegro Con Brio" - really, who can argue with the classics? Known by most as "Beethoven's 5th", this composition, which took four years to complete, has perhaps the most well-known four-note beginning in all the world. And when it comes to the classics, they translate around the world, as we see here with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra recording of this standard.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-11301817632108012902021-02-11T15:57:00.000-08:002021-02-11T15:57:26.146-08:00The 614ortyPlatter - Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwhoQ3mDM-7pFkiV95SfNdHBpylJzpdoyFk1r_zTFUEPIvW4iFhw9bjmt_6mYHgxtXCiA6LydiG4X4Mgyw-J6cp02Ii5YBYjV_iu9GXws0-0PnYXx5Gsj_WTbklAg0YC40ItHj9zw3Dn3/s2048/7F69CDD3-5F2F-41BA-B894-A115F93347D3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwhoQ3mDM-7pFkiV95SfNdHBpylJzpdoyFk1r_zTFUEPIvW4iFhw9bjmt_6mYHgxtXCiA6LydiG4X4Mgyw-J6cp02Ii5YBYjV_iu9GXws0-0PnYXx5Gsj_WTbklAg0YC40ItHj9zw3Dn3/w400-h400/7F69CDD3-5F2F-41BA-B894-A115F93347D3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Even the local supermarkets like Kroger have gotten into<br />the Fat Tuesday groove of late...</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Fat Tuesday (or, depending on where you are in the world, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, or Carnival/Carnaval) has become essentially a day of excess pleasures for the public at large. Historically, it marks the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten period for a number of religions, including Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Anglicans. Typically, for those who observe this period, Lent involves 40 days of self-reflection and -denial, moderation, and reflection on the life, sacrifice, and rising from the dead of Jesus Christ.</p><p>In that light, Fat Tuesday essentially is the last day to let out all your excesses, and observing Lent is not required to join in the festivities. On the food side of the equation, many regional specialties are typically in plentiful supply, and in terms of Columbus, some of these treats have slowly but surely gained shelf space in a number of eateries, bakeries and supermarkets in the area in the past decade.</p><p>So in that spirit, we share with you a nice dozen's worth of songs that hint at some of the food traditions found around the world on this decidedly unique tradition celebrated (and ingested) by millions of people.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/7xTdcQ92QbaSxVboRHkBLb" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Bacalao Con Papas - Los Karkik's: Portuguese Carnaval festivities, like others around the world, end on Ash Wednesday. But here, the Portuguese actually hold a feast called the "Batatada" or potato feast, where Bachalao (salted cod) and Potatoes are supplemented with eggs, mint, bread and wine for one last chow down before the Lenten period. But as it turns out, many communities enjoy this salty creation, and Los Karkis from Guerrero, Mexico, add their praises in their ode.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Tylko bądź - Pączki W Tłuszczu: Pączki is the Polish sweet treat of choice to consume en masse before Ash Wednesday. Essentially a donut, the Polish Pączki version features a sweeter dough, is filled with fruit jellies or pastes, and is often fried in lard. Pączki W Tłuszczu are the duo Tomasz Karolak and Bartek Miecznikowski from Germany (just kidding...Poland, of course) whose songs have an appealing pop-folk-rock vibe to them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Isolation - Souvlaki, Deborah Grandi: Souvlaki, an ever pleasing combination of meats and vegetables on a skewer, is but one of the many culinary treats you'll find for munching if you attend the ten-day long Limassol Carnival on the island of Cyprus. From the music side of things, Souvlaki here is a Milan, Italy musician who has been releasing electronica tracks since 2005, including this 2020 release with vocals from fellow countrywoman Deborah Grandi.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) Jambalaya (On The Bayou) - Hank Williams: Pretty much all the culinary staples of the New Orleans area are consumed in large quantities during their Mardi Gras celebration, including Jambalaya, a Creole dish with multicultural origins consisting of meat, vegetables and rice. In many ways, Hank Williams needs no introduction; his status as one of the most influential 20th century music artists (country music or otherwise) is even more amazing considering his incredibly and tragically short life (Williams died on his 29th birthday.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) Corn Soup - Marcia Miranda: While the official Carnival celebration for the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago is technically only the two days before Ash Wednesday, Carnival festivities actually start shortly after Christmas and continue onward through the official dates, with corn soup being a popular dish for dancing long into the night. Native islander Miranda is one of the more prominent Soca Parang entertainers, performing for well over decades and surviving a bout with cancer in the early 2010s.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">6) Shrove Tuesday - Deadly Nightshade Botanical Society: For many European countries, pancakes (or shroves) are the traditional gluttony target food item before Ash Wednesday as a way to use up excess eggs and dairy in the pantry. This tradition eventually led to this day being known as Shrove Tuesday in those regions of the world. Hailing from Tacoma, WA, the Deadly Nightshade Botanical Society describes themselves as a "steampunk project in touch with their Goth roots" who have put out nine albums since their 2010 debut "Accoutrements & Oddities."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">7) Goroki Na Ka Gnocchi - L'orchidee D'hawai: Verona, Italy has one of the oldest Carnevale celebrations in the country, dating back to 1531. Interestingly enough, their biggest culinary tradition doesn't fall on Mardi Gras itself but rather the Friday before, when Gnocchi Friday takes over the city. A member of the community is designated the "Papa' de' Gnocco" (the Father of Gnocchi), and all bars and restaurants serve up some rendition of this pasta favorite. Hailing from Chambéry, France, L'orchidee D'hawai and its music be described as a little surf, a little electronica, a little clever, and a whole lot of quirky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">8) Orange Crush - R.E.M.: Oranges play a large role in both the Mardi Gras celebrations in Binche, Belgium and Ivrea, Italy. Their Carnival celebrations are concluded by celebrants engaging in a huge food fight, hurling oranges at each other until the supply is exhausted. Of course, the "Orange Crush" sung about by R.E.M., one of the most successful and well-respected bands to come out of the so-called New Wave of music, is a far more serious matter, being a reference the indiscriminate use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. However, as detailed in this <a href="https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrJ7FWLrCVgOxYAKxhXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZANCMjk0NF8xBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1613110539/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.loudersound.com%2ffeatures%2forange-crush-how-rem-wrote-the-song-that-kickstarted-their-career/RK=2/RS=32Klz.2hPcpd5skYwawqpGST8dI-" target="_blank">Loudersound.com article</a>, it was intended to be a fairly subtle anti-war song; as explained by Mike Mills, "Yes, there was some irony in the sweet deliciousness of the pop drink versus the horrible effects of this chemical. The ironic juxtaposition of those two terms was no accident.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">9) King Cake - Lisa Haley: Perhaps the quintessential dessert for the New Orleans, Louisiana version of Mardi Gras, the brightly colored King Cake cake was imported from France in 1870. Tradition has it that whoever finds the baked-in figurine (representing the baby Jesus Christ) in their piece wins the opportunity to host next year's party and bring the King Cake. Lisa Haley, along with her backing band the Zydekats, have carved out a successful career in the Cajun and Zydeco music world, earning a Grammy nomination for her 2007 "King Cake" album.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">10) Bocadito - Cadereira: Argentina celebrates Carnaval with a large assortment of foods, including corn and seafood in the form of tamales, stews, and the ubiquitous Bocadito, which are simply-constructed finger sandwiches. Performing this track and hailing from Mexico, Cadereira is a trio of performers who tout their music as an infusion of Cumbia with Reggaeton rhythms.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">11) Goa - Sonia Shirsat: While not as pronounced, Portugal had colonial influence on the Indian subcontinent, most prominently in the Goa region. Unsurprisingly, Carnival traditions with a local flair continue here, with Bebinca (a cake made with coconut milk, eggs, butter & jaggery), Chicken Cafreal (with the bird marinated in a spicy marinade and vinegar), and Fish Curry being prominent favorites. Shirsat is one of the founders of Fado, a uniquely Goan singing tradition, and has performed all over Goa and the rest of India.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) Fejioada - Stan Getz: Last but certainly not least, the Carnaval do Brasil may be the most audacious celebration in the world, with lively parades, brightly colored costumed dancers, and much drinking and eating to be found throughout the country up until Ash Wednesday. Feijoada, a rich stew with meat, black beans, and herbs served over rice, is the perfect sustenance to keep your body moving through the night. World-renowned tenor saxophonist Getz proved proficient across a number of jazz movements, but is perhaps best known for ushering in the bossa nova sound, most prominently in the 1964 crossover hit "The Girl from Ipanema", featuring the vocals of Astrud and João Gilberto.</div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-68181845362438377432021-02-04T18:11:00.000-08:002021-02-04T18:11:28.763-08:00The 614ortyPlatter - Rhythm Kitchen 1811<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DwiOtPsiFS1OzdU8xMkLVBmnBacHgYefiM8V7trkuT2FzZIIDjy2xWTorEhIe4HJbWLuG-AUFIRXM-NDDeNidvRLrzFr4Iu74zEq9ACCgyCfRykMQYBN4FQ96FA0kjuogp1SyccDo1vL/s700/614plataoc2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><b><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0DwiOtPsiFS1OzdU8xMkLVBmnBacHgYefiM8V7trkuT2FzZIIDjy2xWTorEhIe4HJbWLuG-AUFIRXM-NDDeNidvRLrzFr4Iu74zEq9ACCgyCfRykMQYBN4FQ96FA0kjuogp1SyccDo1vL/w400-h400/614plataoc2.JPG" width="400" /></b></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The sign outside Columbus's Ace of Cups, one of the many music<br />venues/bars which has managed to eke by during the pandemic</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I must say, these food-meets-music playlist have all played off the various food themes from last week's chocolate to holidays to "dumpster fire" foods to local neighborhoods have been very fun for me, and in many ways it's the perfect intersection of two things that have been my main pathways of exploration the past several years. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">However, one theme that hadn't occurred to me until it was pointed out to me (and I thank Bethia of <a href="https://columbusfoodadventures.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Food Adventures</a> for doing so) was the very obvious intersection of music business and food ventures. Some of the ventures familiar to many include Sammy Hagar and his Cabo Wabo Cantina, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, and the Wahlberg Brothers and their Wahlburger fast food chain. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In many ways, this diversification works on both the celebrity and the local level. For the celebrity (musician or otherwise) restaurant owner, it offers exposure to the public in another multi-billion dollar industry. For those whose fame is more locally based, there's a sense of community ties as well as an added source of income (this article from <a href="https://www.insidehook.com/article/food-and-drink/why-indie-rockers-open-bars-and-restaurants" target="_blank">Inside Hook</a> has a nice perspective on this side of things.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Interestingly, if I had just known a little more about the local music scene, I could've had even had a Columbus-based band represent in the Italian Village playlist I released not too long ago. So I figured this would be the perfect week for hitting on that theme for this week's playlist, with a perfect split of local Columbus flair blended with some familiar (but not TOO familiar) musicians and their ties to this intersection of food and music.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/3SYZ1vS1E6p13gOgY7PfuP" width="300"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Breaking The Law" - Judas Priest: No, Rob Halford and his gang have no ties to Columbus that I know of (other than their 1982 concert at the Ohio Center and their 2002 concert at The Newport); this cut, from their "Screaming For Vengeance" album, is one of their most durable. However, if you drop into Merion Village into <a href="https://www.geordiesrestaurant.com/dinner" target="_blank">Geordie's Restaurant</a>, you can sample the British-styled eats of Chef Glen Hall-Jones, a Northeast England native who has catered for Judas Priest and other notable musical acts like Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, and The Killers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) "Rapper's Ball" - E-40, Too $short, K-Ci & Jojo: Born as Earl Stevens, Vallejo, California's E-40 has proven to be one of the most prolific West Coast hip hop artists, collaborating in (such as this 1996 jam with Oakland's Too $hort and R&B duo K-Ci & Jojo) and/or releasing nearly 30 albums since his 1993 debut album "Federal". E-40 has been busy on the restaurant front as well, putting his name on a few Fatburger and later Wing Stop franchises, a wine and malt liquor line, and a share of <a href="https://sf.eater.com/2019/9/9/20857515/e-40-lumpia-company-co-owner-sf-oracle-park-filipino-food" target="_blank">The Lumpia Company</a> (unsurprising, with his hometown sporting a large Filipino population and Filipino eateries.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) "Little Rock" - Los Gravediggers: The song that really should've made the <a href="http://614ortyniner.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-614orty-platter-invested-in-italian.html" target="_blank">Italian Village playlist</a> a couple weeks ago. As it turns out, Los Gravediggers is the creation of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/littlerockcolumbus/" target="_blank">Little Rock Bar's</a> owner Quinn Fallon, originally as a way to continue his outlaw country music leanings after the breakup of his former band, the X-Rated Cowboys.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4) "Rydeen" - Yellow Magic Orchestra: Perhaps the most unique mashing of restaurant and musician on the list, renowned Japanese composer <a href="https://www.kdfc.com/culture/staff-blog/ryuichi-sakamoto-restaurant-playlist/" target="_blank">Ryuichi Sakamoto</a> loved everything about his favorite New York restaurant Kajitsu (sadly, closed due to the pandemic) except the background music, which he thought was awful. He asked to speak to the chef and offered free of charge to curate a background music list for the restaurant, an offer which the restaurant gladly accepted. Sakamoto got his start in the 1970s with the Yellow Magic Orchestra, which proved influential in the development of techno-pop; "Rydeen" is from their best-selling 1979 album "Solid State Survivor."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJMis1KqliQQaea_Cg0wqZ6ZDOj4wrMerGc-ja6BJTiB-tKN9ywwBb8lMjYImtYIqQACpnQWNOW_hLBJ03jsnfeNdeHjeZyR6skdngMDu_K_mpo2ODQP6yHOnZr9Ut4AEcR9cU_MQdHjH/s700/614platccof.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJMis1KqliQQaea_Cg0wqZ6ZDOj4wrMerGc-ja6BJTiB-tKN9ywwBb8lMjYImtYIqQACpnQWNOW_hLBJ03jsnfeNdeHjeZyR6skdngMDu_K_mpo2ODQP6yHOnZr9Ut4AEcR9cU_MQdHjH/w400-h400/614platccof.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5) "Bleeding on the Blank Page" - Watershed: If your travels take you into Upper Arlington, you can get yourself caffeinated at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Colins-Coffee-199129576778911/" target="_blank">Colin's Coffee</a>, owned by Colin Gawel. And depending on the night, you might be able to catch Colin performing locally solo or with any number of his bands, such as the League Bowlers, the Dead Schembechlers, The Lonely Bones, and Watershed, which has been cranking out music since their debut in 1994. This track, released on the 2020 EP "Extended Player", shows that the band is still kicking out the jams even now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />6) "Mi Tierra" - Gloria Estefan: Starting with the band the Miami Latin Boys (later the Miami Sound Machine), the Cuban-American Estefan hit it big in 1985 with the infectious "Conga" and hasn't looked back since. Even a serious car accident which fractured her spine couldn't hold her back, as evidenced by the selected tune from the 1993 album of the same name. Released three years after her accident, the album earned her three number one hits on the Latin chart and a Grammy award for Best Tropical Latin Album. Estefan has diversified her ventures since, including a couple of Cuban-themed restaurants in Bongos Cuban Cafe and Larios On The Beach.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBHPbq53A0jVXiOBUBZr9qvdS5i_D6Sy1ZdE2dT16ti1opeQagmWNNjW-kif7S88ezRyYi9HTBnG18XKdX9e0gTigUvi-9j5LRkZv1QpAlp9Vj_ywBtcNXlHurqIWnRl4-XVZx_rgxV6f/s700/614plathill.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBHPbq53A0jVXiOBUBZr9qvdS5i_D6Sy1ZdE2dT16ti1opeQagmWNNjW-kif7S88ezRyYi9HTBnG18XKdX9e0gTigUvi-9j5LRkZv1QpAlp9Vj_ywBtcNXlHurqIWnRl4-XVZx_rgxV6f/w400-h400/614plathill.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">7) "8 Miles Down" - Big Back Forty: While Big Back Forty turned out to be a brief blip on the alt-country scene, their lone album proved to be a worthy one-and-done, appealing blending country sounds with 70's hard rock rhythms. Bassist Dan Cochran, who joined the band when they started touring, ended up playing with a number of Columbus musical acts before venturing into the craft beer world by opening up Four String Brewing in 2011, and later acting as brand ambassador for <a href="https://www.hilltoplager.com/" target="_blank">Hilltop Lager</a>, which was broken out as a separate venture when Four String closed its doors in 2018.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />8) "Go (Radio Edit)" - Moby: Perhaps it's unsurprising that the New York-born DJ/music artist Moby, a noted vegan and animal rights activist, would venture into opening a vegan restaurant. And indeed, that's what happened in November 2015, when Little Pine opened up in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles as a way to generate funds for various animal rights causes. The <a href="https://la.eater.com/2020/4/15/21222234/moby-musician-little-pine-restaurant-los-angeles-closed-coronavirus-social-media-anger" target="_blank">restaurant's closing due to the COVID pandemic</a> in early 2020 led to a bit of controversy for the artist as the eatery's employees felt they were left high and dry, but thankfully new investors took over operations in the summer. The featured track here proved to be Moby's first big hit, reaching the Top Ten in the UK after its release in March, 1991.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZhdpnl9LQ4AZ_cizlcU1fh2h2SPoWNSh_ZfuL-FZe9VLaN20VfIbK40hqe8sAziCnm7iav_ff3nhHKGZLtqgXWMzjz5mo8_UkLp3hDVoabNY4biHPMcwtueL0cOORzXpfiGjjNHb3KKy/s700/614platymt.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZhdpnl9LQ4AZ_cizlcU1fh2h2SPoWNSh_ZfuL-FZe9VLaN20VfIbK40hqe8sAziCnm7iav_ff3nhHKGZLtqgXWMzjz5mo8_UkLp3hDVoabNY4biHPMcwtueL0cOORzXpfiGjjNHb3KKy/w400-h400/614platymt.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">9) "Yeah Me Too" - Gaunt: Perhaps the most unique coffee shop in Columbus (as noted in <a href="http://614ortyniner.blogspot.com/2019/10/hitting-grounds-on-indianola-yeah-me-too.html" target="_blank">this previous blogpost</a>), Yeah Me Too is run by Jovan Karcic, a former drummer for a number of bands considered local legends in The Haynes Boys, Scrawl, Burn Barrel, and Gaunt. Karcic is still active as a solo artist, but it is the title of Gaunt's 1995 release which provides the titular inspiration for the coffee shop itself. The coffee shop has began to operate again after being temporarily closed due to the pandemic; even if you can't make it in, you can order some of his house-roasted beans through <a href="https://yeahmetoocoffee.com/" target="_blank">their website</a> (and if you're lucky enough to live close by, get it delivered to your doorstep for free.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10) "Milkshake" - Kelis: there aren't too many musicians that claim to be graduates of the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, but Kelis Rogers is perhaps the most prominent of that select group, graduating in 2008. Her love of cooking gained from her school education led to a couple of cookbooks, a line of sauces, and a couple of TV series appearances. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, her biggest hit is also food-themed, as the rollicking "Milkshake" reached number three on the Billboard charts in 2003 and was featured in a number of television ads.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1C2PF-zgbswnXkiL787XWabbnKAU-Pnt1ciVhc7FteUKu7BHzqdmXPh6rzIuWjfJRRajzBxNarvwwt-wS_3D4gX037dRAUBJaycvz7gK5q7ubzD8c_ZyZoXmuBIoH_369_7OnZrNk2Tc/s700/614plataoc.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1C2PF-zgbswnXkiL787XWabbnKAU-Pnt1ciVhc7FteUKu7BHzqdmXPh6rzIuWjfJRRajzBxNarvwwt-wS_3D4gX037dRAUBJaycvz7gK5q7ubzD8c_ZyZoXmuBIoH_369_7OnZrNk2Tc/w400-h400/614plataoc.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">11) "Prize" - Scrawl: Columbus's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aceofcupsbar" target="_blank">Ace of Cups</a> has been a live music anchor for many years now; the pandemic hit this Old North institution as hard as any business, and might've gone under if it weren't for the efforts of owner/former Scrawl lead singer & guitarist Marcy Mays (the bar has recently changed hands, as noted in this <a href="https://www.columbusalive.com/entertainment/20210129/ace-of-cups-changes-hands" target="_blank">Columbus Alive article</a>, ensuring that Ace of Cups will continue as a music venue into the future.) Scrawl in many ways was a bit before their time, emerging a few years before the so-called riot grrl movement gained prominence, but their music is more than worth delving into, such as this cut from their 1993 album "Velvet Hammer."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Catch You on the Rebound" - Cota: Danny Trejo has carved out a bigger career than he might have seen for himself after working as a construction foreman and being in and out of prison as a younger man. Besides being one of the more recognizable actors in a variety of television and movie roles, Trejo has opened up his own restaurant chain (Trejo's Tacos) as well as his own music label: this song is off his label's first release, "Chicano Soul Shop, Vol. 1."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFASAWtrMMemJ8IyNvtc80uYpXpJXnt2OB2JETeiwmQvw1vOD82R4U9HWAUD92QasdSj7D480YiFmH-TekShldkJz6q5N9dfk6WVipzyGLFTBaQ532emqE_X2KiI_1oo3C0LTSr0x2cehd/s700/614platybp.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFASAWtrMMemJ8IyNvtc80uYpXpJXnt2OB2JETeiwmQvw1vOD82R4U9HWAUD92QasdSj7D480YiFmH-TekShldkJz6q5N9dfk6WVipzyGLFTBaQ532emqE_X2KiI_1oo3C0LTSr0x2cehd/w400-h400/614platybp.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">13) "Trance Figure" - Brainbow: Olde Towne East's <a href="http://www.yellowbrickpizza.com/" target="_blank">Yellow Brick Pizza</a> resides in that vast ground between genuine Columbus old-time pizza join and brand spanking newcomer, but it is as much a destination place as any of them, with their creative pies (including their take on a Chicago deep-dish, gifted to them by the former Tristano's Pizza of Grove City.) Co-owner Bobby Silver has also made his name in several local bands, including Nick Tolford & Company and Brainbow; the selected track is perhaps the most abbreviated one in two albums' worth of generally slow-building sonic epics.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">14) "Fever" - The Black Keys: We end this list staying in the state of Ohio with Akron-based The Black Keys (the duo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney) who started recording at the start of the millennium and really hit their commercial stride a decade later starting with their sixth album "Brothers." "Fever" was the first single off their 2014 album "Turn Blue." As for the food connection, Auerbach grew especially fond of the city of Nashville, TN; he eventually relocated to Music City and partnered up to open up Barista Parlor, which now sports two locations.<br /></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-50932339610158576392021-01-28T17:11:00.000-08:002021-01-28T17:11:51.736-08:00The 614ortyPlatter: It's Never Too Late For Chocolate<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil_mgaBgIhlPfcUa2vORK3IK9M2jAp2xd6ulUOJuZqxvhhVktacAQ4ZDAOMTM6N09lr4M5d-rNtAMRnwjnKnirCwgbUNOhoycPGK-dzd8luhipxMTcYyMAHxj2AcIwiTBmlyiRQgYMCjH/s700/bandf001.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiil_mgaBgIhlPfcUa2vORK3IK9M2jAp2xd6ulUOJuZqxvhhVktacAQ4ZDAOMTM6N09lr4M5d-rNtAMRnwjnKnirCwgbUNOhoycPGK-dzd8luhipxMTcYyMAHxj2AcIwiTBmlyiRQgYMCjH/w400-h400/bandf001.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>What can't you do with chocolate? These chocolate-coated strawberries<br />from Clintonville's Eagle Family Candies were divine</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">While most people really don't need a reason to enjoy chocolate, the national holiday calendar gives us multiple days to at least give an excuse for indulging. National Chocolate Cake Day just passed us by, and National Hot Chocolate Day comes at the end of the month. Other days that await chocolate lovers throughout the year include (but are not exclusive to) National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15th), National Fudge Day (June 16th), National Chocolate Milkshake Day (Sept. 12), and the all encompassing National Chocolate Day (Oct. 28th.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ohio itself has its fair share of chocolate makers, from the old-school producers (Canton's Ben Heggy's, Dayton's <a href="https://estherprice.com/" target="_blank">Esther Price</a> and <a href="https://www.winanscandies.com/" target="_blank">Winan's</a>, Cincinnati's <a href="https://www.fawncandy.com/" target="_blank">Fawn Candy</a>, Findlay's <a href="https://dietschs.com/" target="_blank">Dietsch Brothers</a>, Cleveland's <a href="https://malleys.com/" target="_blank">Malley's</a>, and Columbus's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Eagle-Family-Candy-Company-LLC-747983091930203/" target="_blank">Eagle Candy</a> and <a href="https://www.anthony-thomas.com/" target="_blank">Anthony Thomas</a>, among others) to newer purveyors like <a href="https://maverickchocolate.com/pages/about-us" target="_blank">Maverick</a>, <a href="https://coblentzchocolates.com/" target="_blank">Coblentz</a>, <a href="https://michaelsartisanchocolates.com/" target="_blank">Michael's Artisan</a>, <a href="https://cococatconfections.com/" target="_blank">Coco Cat</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dbcooper383838" target="_blank">Pure Imagination</a>, and many many more.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So yeah, this playlist is a pretty sweet one, so to speak, one that you should let melt in your ears and not in your hands.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2YKtV8a4FWZ66jxmc4Rw6F" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1) "Volcano Girls" - Veruca Salt: Out of the finders of the Golden Ticket made famous in Roald Dahl's novels (as well as the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"), Veruca Salt was the spoiled brat of the bunch, famously meeting her demise down the garbage chute when Wonka wouldn't sell her one his worker squirrels. Hailing from Chicago, the band Veruca Salt hit it big right out of the gate on the alternative charts with "Seether" in 1994; the 1997 song "Volcano Girls" gained notice as the opening song to the teen comedy movie "Jawbreaker."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />2) "Chocolate City" - Parliament: When you talk influential music of the 1970s, the discussion must include George Clinton and his P-Funk stable of groups, including Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns, The Brides of Funkenstein, Funkadelic, and perhaps the most dance-oriented outfit of the bunch in Parliament. The term Chocolate City refers to any city with a sizable African-American population, but it's clear from the album cover that the nation's capital, Washington DC, is being referenced by Clinton and his bandmates.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />3) "Cadbury Creme Egg Song" - Boo Detch: I can't tell you how many Cadbury chocolate bars I downed as a kid, and my wife has a thing for the Cadbury Creme Egg, a popular treat for many around Easter. Sadly for many, the company fiddled with the recipe for the Creme Egg in 2011, prompting Barbara "Boo" Detch, who was then pursuing a career in music (she currently works in social media marketing), to put her distress into song.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />4) "Good Enough" - Mudhoney: While fudge (a mix of sugar, milk and butter that is heated and then beaten into a smooth consistency) doesn't necessarily have to have chocolate, chocolate fudge is perhaps what most people think of when they hear the term. While Seattle's Mudhoney never hit it as big as their fellow grunge compatriots like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, their status as forerunners of what would become grunge can't be underestimated. They could also have a little fun too, as in this track off their 1991 album "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />5) "Ghirardelli Square" - Matt Mclarty: as world-famous as the Ghirardelli name is in chocolate (the company was established in San Francisco, CA in 1852; Ghirardelli Square, located in the company's old chocolate factory, is now a retail center), Matt Mclarty is equally as obscure, knocking out this pleasant track along with seven others in his one and only 2013 album "Travelogue."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />6) "Buckeyes" - MF DOOM: the news of the death of 49-year-old influential rapper and record producer MF DOOM (aka Daniel Dumile) was perhaps a final extremely sour cherry on top of a very forgettable year of 2020 sundae. While his death actually took place a few months before in October, the news of MF DOOM's unfortunate passing wasn't released until the last day of 2020. The title of this instrumental track, released in 2004, is also the state of Ohio's signature chocolate candy, a ball of peanut butter coated with chocolate which resembles nut of the Buckeye tree.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />7) "Schokolade" - Tok Tok Tok: Germans do love their beer and sausages, but they also love their chocolate, which arrived to the area in the 17th century. German for chocolate, "Schokolade" here is performed by the European acoustic soul band Tok Tok Tok, which knocked out a fairly successful run around the continent from 1998 thru 2013.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />8) "Cocoa Hooves - Stripped" - Glass Animals: a cousin of chocolate, cocoa is a powder that is most often used in baking or in hot cocoa drinks; in fact, you can't open up food-related Instagram these days without at least one reference to <a href="https://nextpittsburgh.com/latest-news/hot-chocolate-bombs-the-festive-food-fad-of-2020-go-viral-in-pittsburgh-and-beyond/" target="_blank">Hot Cocoa Bombs</a>. Speaking of hot, the Oxford, England based Glass Animals has been heating up the charts with their 2020 release "Dreamland"; the song included here, "Cocoa Hooves", came off their 2012 debut EP "Leaflings."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />9) "Every 1's a Winner" - Hot Chocolate: continuing with the hot beverage and British vibe; the London-based funk outfit Hot Chocolate found their most success during the 1970s Disco era, with "You Sexy Thing" (which hit the charts again when featured in the 1997 movie "The Full Monty") and this song, which were top 10 hits in both the US and the UK. Although their founder and front man, Errol Brown, passed away in 2015, the band continues to record and perform today.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />10) "Lava" - The B-52's: One of the many influential bands to emerge from Athens, GA, the B-52s retro vibe and danceable grooves have won them fans across several generations, including this cut from their first (and perhaps still best) self-titled album. When it comes to chocolate, the Molten Chocolate Lava Cake might be as decadent as any dessert out there, and definitely one of the more popular ones.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />11) "Cariñito" - Cacao: Of course, you can't have chocolate without the cacao bean, which may be Central and South America's greatest culinary treasure; in fact, cacao beans were once considered so valuable, they were used as currency in some parts of Mesoamerica. The song "Cariñito" started off as a Peruvian cumbia song, but has been adapted by numerous musical acts across a number of Spanish-speaking countries, including the Guatemala-based Cacao.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />12) "Vanishing Girl" - The Dukes of Stratosphear: Meant as a side project of the English band XTC, the the 1960's-psychedelic-music-inspired Dukes of Stratosphear actually proved more popular than the band that spawned them for a time, with their "25 O'Clock and "Psionic Psunspot" releases outselling XTC albums released at the same time. Songs from both, including "Vanishing Girl", were combined and released on the 1987 compilation "Chips from the Chocolate Fireball."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />13) "Mississippi Mud" - Dean Martin: A Mississippi Mud Pie comes in many variations, but a constant lies in its graham cracker crust and at least one (and sometimes, more) source of decadent chocolate goodness. Sung here by Steubenville, Ohio's, most famous son Dean Martin, "Mississippi Mud" was originally released in 1927 by Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys. This singing group proved to be just the beginning for one member who went on to bigger and better things - the one and only Bing Crosby.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />14) "Lady Godiva Blues" - Mother Love Bone: Founded in 1926, this Belgian chocolatier (which is now owned by a Turkish conglomerate) has been one of the more prominent names in the luxury chocolate world. But even they were not immune from the worldwide effects of the COVID pandemic, as they announced just a few days ago the closure of all their stores in the United States. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the other hand, Seattle's Mother Love Bone, a conglomeration of several area band members (Green River, Malfunkshun, and Ten-Minute Warning) time in the public eye was far too short, releasing a few singles and an EP before their one and only full length album, "Apple." Just a few days before the album's scheduled release, frontman Andrew Wood passed away from a drug overdose (the album was released to good reviews several months after the tragedy.) For all intents and purposes, Wood's death ended the band, despite a couple of later one-off reunion appearances from its remaining members.</div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-76597917973944793462021-01-22T15:10:00.000-08:002021-01-22T15:10:46.575-08:00The 614orty Platter: Invested in Italian Village<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ7oJwLhH4uNzA744JHqiyZFTcnuv_HfFHnpswNs26Ah7ehP5pyCoNNlFeI-qC3Pg-O-et-Ck_uJTfy3GVM_ZixKK__zpojbVie4Sq5Rvee-ShTzcaI65z6VFqMVRPUhyphenhyphenAYMEnSplBZB0/s700/cosech07.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ7oJwLhH4uNzA744JHqiyZFTcnuv_HfFHnpswNs26Ah7ehP5pyCoNNlFeI-qC3Pg-O-et-Ck_uJTfy3GVM_ZixKK__zpojbVie4Sq5Rvee-ShTzcaI65z6VFqMVRPUhyphenhyphenAYMEnSplBZB0/s320/cosech07.JPEG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Cosecha Cocina, one of the culinary bright spots in<br />Columbus's Italian Village before the COVID pandemic<br />forced it close in 2020.</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've always thought Columbus's Italian Village neighborhood was older than it was; in reality, the truth is it is and it isn't. The Italian Village moniker isn't even 50 years old, but the area dates back to the 19th century. And contrary to its current moniker, the area, just outside of downtown proper and bordered by High Street on the west, the railroad tracks on the east, East Fifth Avenue to the north, and I-670 to the south, has been home to a number of ethnic groups over its lifespan, including Italians, obviously.</p><p>Back in the old days, Italian Village was home to a wide variety of industries, including Wonder Bread, The Clark Grave Vault & Auto Equipment Company, Smith Brothers Hardware, and the Jeffrey Manufacturing Company. Remnants of that industrial past still remain (namely, the Smith Brothers and the Wonder Bread buildings), but the focus of the neighborhood nowadays has changed, become both a residential and culinary destination area for locals and visitors alike.</p><p>For this week's 614ortyplatter, I thought I'd give a bit of a musical guided tour what exists culinarily in this up-and-coming Columbus neighborhood. As Italian Village overlaps with Columbus's Short North neighborhood, I will focus mainly on the more exclusively Italian Village eateries with this list, and I promise it will be more than a tasty-enough list.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1LOuBgQyIq0zThEy2j0K53" width="300"></iframe></div><p>1) "Italian Village" - Todd Eckart: The perfect starting song I figured was a song that matched the neighborhood name. Described as "part wistful crooner, part country song-smith, and equal measure rock-n-roll heart throb" on his website, the Minnesota-based Eckart deftly displays that blend of musical styles on this track.</p><p>2) "The Fox In The Snow" - Belle & Sebastian -and- 3) "Egg Sandwich" - The Macpodz: In many ways, <a href="https://www.foxinthesnow.com/menus/" target="_blank">Fox in The Snow</a> (the Italian Village coffee shop/bakery) has developed as precious a reputation as the Glasgow-based band from which they drew their name. However, precious is hardly a bad thing here - both the band and the bakery have produced some excellence and a considerable fan base in their respective fields, with a dozen well-received albums from the former and delicious treats such as the Souffled Egg Sandwich, Blueberry Galettes, and Buttermilk Biscuits. In fact, their Egg Sandwich is so good, we decided we needed to dedicate our third song to it alone, with The Macpodz (an Ann Arbor-based band who describes their sound as "Disco Be-Bop" and equal parts Frank Zappa and Miles Davis) doing the honors.</p><p>4) Tåsi - Reflect: The first of several solo and collaborative singles, this Austin, TX-based rapper (otherwise known as Marlon Hedrick) sports a unique heritage, hailing from Saipan (the largest island of the Mariana Islands Commonwealth) with a Filipina mother and White father. Spelled without the Chamorro "å", <a href="https://www.tasi.cafe/menu" target="_blank">Tasi Cafe</a> has been a popular breakfast and lunch staple of the Italian Village/Short North area for 15 years now, being the last of several restaurants in the area founded by the Rigsby family.</p><p>5) "Village Market" - Deep Sea Peach Tree: Another nice match of band and eatery. The New York-based Deep Sea Peach Tree has blended a a surf rock sound with more dreamy, jazzy vibe ever since their 2016 debut. Ever since its debut in 2014, <a href="https://www.themarketiv.com/" target="_blank">The Market Italian Village</a> has blended grocery store, beverage depot and restaurant to varying degrees, and made a fun little pivot to combat COVID restrictions with its Dairy Dose remake, which offered summery takeout fare like fancy hot dogs and fries.</p><p>6) "Mission" - Catfish and the Bottlemen: This Welsh band dates back to 2007, but it took several years before they debuted with an album ("The Balcony" in 2014). Now with three albums under their belt, the band's songs are a staple on radio, including on Columbus independent radio institution CD 92.9. For awhile, the Italian Village Annex was where the Short North-based <a href="https://www.missioncoffeeco.com/" target="_blank">Mission Coffee</a> ran their roasting operations and educational classes; however, COVID has temporarily closed the Short North location and made their Annex their hub for all things coffee.</p><p>7) "Suedehead" - Woodhouse: Another one of those mystery bands that don't have a heck of a lot of information on them on the Internet despite two album releases, Woodhouse nevertheless does a pretty nice cover of the debut single from the Manchester-born Morrissey. From our neighborhood lens, Woodhouse would be a reference to <a href="https://www.woodhousevegan.com/" target="_blank">Woodhouse Vegan</a>, which started as a pop-up in 2016 and was among those at the forefront of the vegan and plant-based wave of restaurants which have blossomed in the Columbus metro area the past couple years.</p><p>8) "Zaftig" - Paul Meyer: We go to France for this tune from Paul Meyer, who is considered one of the country's premier clarinetists, dabbling both in classical and modern music styles. Thankfully, you don't have to travel that far to get to the Italian Village brewpub of <a href="https://www.drinkzaftigitalianvillage.com/" target="_blank">Zaftig Brewing</a>, a brewery whose focus is on higher-gravity beers and whose second location in Italian Village features an in-house restaurant.</p><p>9) "Little Rock" - Reba McEntire: McEntire has been one of country music's most enduring stars, with nearly thirty albums to her credit and ventures into movie acting and Broadway. "Little Rock", from her 1986 album "Whoever's In New England", is but one of 32 singles to top the country charts. 27 years after that event, <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/little-rock-bar-columbus" target="_blank">Little Rock Bar</a> made its appearance in Italian Village, adding a hangout spot for the locals to what was still a then-developing neighborhood.</p><p>10) "Pizza" - OOHYO: A name that could be pronounced "O-hi-o" if you stretched it a bit, the artist known as OOHYO (also known as Woo Hyo-eun) was born in South Korea, but you wouldn't know it from the near lack of accent on her English-language synth-pop songs like Pizza, originally released as a single in 2017. Not counting the co-located Short North/Italian Village pizzerias, Italian Village sports two pizza-oriented places in <a href="https://delbaggios.com/40162" target="_blank">Del Baggio Pizzeria</a> and <a href="http://goremadepizza.com/index.html" target="_blank">GoreMade Pizza</a>.</p><p>11) "The Seventh Son" - Willie Dixon: Dixon really needs no introduction, being instrumental in fashioning the Chicago jazz and blues scene in the 1940s and 1950s as a songwriter and performer. On this track, he does both, composing the tune for Willie Mabon and playing the double bass. Fourth and Fourth is the home for Columbus's <a href="https://www.seventhsonbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Seventh Son Brewing</a>, which was one of the first of the third wave of craft breweries to establish a home in the metro in 2013.</p><div style="text-align: left;">12) "Los Dos Hermanos" - Vicente Fernandez -and- 13) "Aloha ʻĀina ʻOiaʻiʻo" - Hāwane Rios: Like many breweries, Seventh Son's food is provided by any of a flotilla of mobile food trucks in the area. Two of the most familiar food trucks here are the taco-oriented <a href="https://doshermanoscolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Dos Hermanos</a>, which has been patrolling the streets since 2012, and the Hawaiian with a modern twist fare of <a href="https://streetfoodfinder.com/alohaaina614" target="_blank">Aloha 'Aina</a>. Representing these two vendors is none other than iconic Vicente Fernandez, known as "El Rey de la Música Ranchera (The King of Ranchera Music), and Rios, a native Hawaiian hailing from Waimaea.</div><p>14) "Take Me Home (Wankelmut Remix)" - Saint James: According to Soundcloud, Saint James (as in Peter St. James) hails from Vancouver, but many of his songs have been recorded on a Swedish record label, including this pleasant electronic jam recorded in 2016. Perhaps its only fitting that we end this Italian Village oriented list at none other than <a href="https://streetfoodfinder.com/alohaaina614" target="_blank">St. James Tavern</a>, which in its early days was known by its regulars as a neighborhood bar without a neighborhood, with its surroundings being somewhat abandoned. Nowadays, its "No Crap On Tap" motto is just one of many reasons why the bar has become a popular destination for folks even beyond traditional neighborhood borders.</p>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-86830662730257221882021-01-12T17:56:00.000-08:002021-01-12T17:56:48.978-08:00The 614ortyPlatter: Trust Falling The Top Of The Pops<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8bzPPmSzI3mUvsuTm52NSSEin6Rvyno_HpjuXFwejRkri6eJF6EzLkWrMP3UpvM9JeELjiKwCiLDDLyO8Ad4O-UDo5pGcOGdqukrSvK4gLJ5te7vOAA4mvxI-iBRKh-L18OmNsps45gd/s700/yemeni001.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8bzPPmSzI3mUvsuTm52NSSEin6Rvyno_HpjuXFwejRkri6eJF6EzLkWrMP3UpvM9JeELjiKwCiLDDLyO8Ad4O-UDo5pGcOGdqukrSvK4gLJ5te7vOAA4mvxI-iBRKh-L18OmNsps45gd/s320/yemeni001.JPEG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Columbus Food Adventures' Trust Falls, such as this one from<br />Yemeni Restaurant, has become one of our favorite pursuits</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: times;"><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div>One of our favorite developments of 2020 in the local food scene was one made of necessity. Built around guided tours, Columbus Food Adventures (note: I was slated to be one of the tour guides last year) pivoted to the Trust Fall with the COVID pandemic putting a halt to the traditional tours. Essentially a delivery service, the Trust Fall delivered meals to your doorstep many international and other intriguing restaurants around the area. The only catch, if you can call it such, lies in the name - you don't know what restaurant you will be getting for your meal.</span><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">As noted on <a href="https://columbusfoodadventures.com/2020/blog/trust-fall-2020" target="_blank">their blogpost</a>, their Trust Fall proved to be quite successful, bringing 3600 meals representing 40 nationalities. Discovering staples from various nationalities and countries has always been one of our favorite things while dining out and traveling, and the Trust Fall proved to be a great way of doing that last year in a low- to no-contact manner.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Taking that desire for discovery in mind, this latest playlist takes some of the countries/restaurants featured on the Trust Fall last year and gives you a small sampling at what was popular in music in those countries during 2020.</span><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4u2yQdxqb2eO0EOVbNbL7H" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
1) “Habib Galbi” - A-WA: Formed by three sisters from Yemen, A-WA has proven to be an international sensation, with "Habib Galbi" becoming the first song ever in Arabic to top the Israeli pop charts. In Columbus, you can get all things Yemeni such as Lamb Haneeth and Chicken Mandi at the appropriately named <a href="https://menupages.com/yemeni-restaurant/5426-cleveland-ave-columbus" target="_blank">Yemeni Restaurant</a>.<div><br /><div>2) “Bet You Wanna (feat. Cardi-B)” - BLACKPINK, Cardi-B: From my research, K-Pop groups reigned supreme on the pop charts of numerous countries. BTS is definitely the big dog here, but the all-girl group BLACKPINK, formed in 2016, had as big a year as any group, including this team up with female New York-based rapper Cardi B. Last year's trust falls included Korean-inspired specialties from eateries like <a href="https://www.poongmei.com/" target="_blank">Poong Mei</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ajumamacbus/" target="_blank">Ajumama</a> and <a href="https://nara-korean-cuisine.business.site/" target="_blank">Nara</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) “Un Dia Mas” - Corina Smith, Akapellah: Hailing from Venezuela, Corina Smith made her first mark on the Latin charts with her "La Dificil" and has been pumping out the music ever since, with a number of singles released last year, including this pairing with fellow countryman and rapper Akapellah. Long time staple <a href="https://elarepazolatingrill.com/" target="_blank">Arepazo</a> and newcomer Los Andes, working out of the kitchens of <a href="https://www.sisenorcolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Si Senor Columbus</a>, provided a bevy of Venezuelan food items on last year's Trust Falls.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) “Marikit” - Juan Caoile, Kyleswish: Tik Tok has taken over the social media world for viral sensations, and Filipino youngster Juan Caoile and his friend Kyle Capiles themselves the beneficiary of such, with a dance challenge that caught fire with a number of song lovers. Filipino food is not a huge presence in Central Ohio with two eateries, but both of them (<a href="https://bonifacio614.com/" target="_blank">Bonifacio</a> and <a href="https://www.kuyaians.com/" target="_blank">Kuya Ian's Bistro</a>) made appearances on the Trust Fall last year.</div><div><br /></div><div>5) “Mojito” - Jay Chou: Similar to J-Pop, what's now known as Mandopop had its origins in jazz music of 1920s and 1930s. Nowadays, all forms of Asian pop borrow liberally from each other and other genres of music, and the Taiwan-born Chou, nicknamed "The King of Mandopop", has done this to much success since his debut in 2000, and as shown here in his mambo-styled "Mojito". Chinese restaurants are some of the longer-lasting institutions in Columbus proper, but more regionally-focused eateries have gained popularity of late, including Trust Fall participants <a href="http://www.jiu-thai-asian-cafe.com/" target="_blank">Jiu Thai</a>, <a href="https://www.eatxixia.com/" target="_blank">Xi Xia</a>, <a href="https://www.nechinese.com/" target="_blank">N.E. Chinese</a> and <a href="https://www.noodletopiadublin.com/" target="_blank">Noodle Topia</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>6) “Titliaan” - Afsana Khan, Harrdy Sandhu, Sargun Mehta: India's music scene is as diverse as its food, with a number of charts covering the various regions of the country (Telegu, Bengali, Mirchi, and so forth.) Titliaan, a Punjabi song about a deceptive lover (translated sample lyrics: "The days of him deceiving in secret are gone/Now, he looks in the eyes while he scams"), might be one you hum along to Trust Fall meals from <a href="http://aanganbistro.com/" target="_blank">Aangan Bistro</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tandoorigrillcolumbus" target="_blank">Tandoori Grill</a>, whose menus contain many dishes of that region.</div><div><br /></div><div>7) “Esta En Ti” (It’s In You)” - Adriana Rios: Putting out music during this pandemic has been a challenge for many musicians, but the Tijuana-born Rios did it better than most, putting out a song which was voted the best Latin quarantine-related song by <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/fans-voted-adriana-rios-has-the-best-quarantine-inspired-latin-song/ar-BB13HJaQ" target="_blank">Billboard Magazine</a>. While Tijuana-based Mexican food isn't a thing in Columbus, plenty of other Mexican food options are prominent in the area, including Trust Fall participants <a href="https://doshermanoscolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Dos Hermanos</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Alebrijes.614" target="_blank">Alebrijes</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>8) “Mis Sentimientos (Version Salsa)” - Daniela Darcourt, Los Barraza: Born in Peru, Darcourt is one of the leading current voices of Salsa music, getting her start with in ballet, followed by numerous talent show successes, a stint with Son Tentación, and a solo career with has seen numerous accolades and awards for the twenty-four year old performer. Representing Peru on the Columbus Food Adventures has been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sisenorgrandview" target="_blank">Si Senor</a> and the intriguing Somali/Peruvian mashup of <a href="https://themixcharcoalchicken.com/" target="_blank">The Mix</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>9) “Ntyilo Ntyilo” - Rethabile Khumalo, Master KG: This South African pop star has good musical genes: Khumalo's mother Winnie has been one of the country's top entertainers for decades before Rethabile made her mark via the South African version of Idol singing competition shows that started in Great Britain. Columbus has two excellent examples of South African cuisine which made appearances on the Trust Fall last year in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hishamsfood/" target="_blank">Hisham's</a> (Cape Malay-style cuisine) and the South African/Thai/Indian dishes of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fettysstreetfood/" target="_blank">Fetty's Street Food</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>10) "Mufasa" - Amaal Nuux: Originally from Somalia, Nuux has been called the "Somali Beyonce", with several well-received albums as an independent artist in Canada until being signed to RBMG Records in 2018, the same label as Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. With the second-highest Somali population in the United States, Columbus is not unsurprisingly home to several Somali or Somali-inspired restaurants, including Trust Fall eateries <a href="http://hoyoskitchen.com/" target="_blank">Hoyo's Kitchen</a>, <a href="https://themixcharcoalchicken.com/" target="_blank">The Mix</a>, and <a href="https://www.afragrill.com/" target="_blank">Afra Grill</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>11) “Plaigant” - Jahman X-Press: This relatively recent newcomer to Senegal's music scene has ridden his mix of Afro-Soul and Hip-Hop to a series of hits on his country's musical charts, including this 2020 release. Senegalese food has proven to be one of our most exciting finds of late, with Columbus's <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/dabakh-restaurant-columbus-2" target="_blank">Dabakh</a> as the place to go (or, if you're lucky, get it home delivered via a Trust Fall.)</div><div><br /></div><div>12) “Level Of Concern” - Twenty One Pilots: Of course, plenty of American-styled cuisines based here in Columbus have made their way onto the Trust Fall, often with some special, fancier-style menu items (<a href="https://www.eatchapmans.com/" target="_blank">Chapman's Eat Market</a>, <a href="https://servicebarcolumbus.com/" target="_blank">Service Bar</a>, <a href="https://www.comune-restaurant.com/about/" target="_blank">Comune</a>, and <a href="https://www.cravingscafe614.com/" target="_blank">Cravings Cafe</a> come to mind.) Perhaps it's only appropriate that we pick out a Columbus-based band to end this list, and perhaps no one is better suited than Twenty One Pilots, whose "Level of Concern" proved to be a catchy tune inspired by the pandemic, one that assured you that we'll be all right, we'll be okay, even if only for a few minutes.</div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105486109756890110.post-102224450298650672021-01-04T15:43:00.003-08:002021-01-04T19:33:43.143-08:00Exploring Egg-Free Breakfasts in Columbus (Guest Blogpost)<p><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoxgumUfDgv7JVMeCORFHNonogrztWBdBOKzaLe4wZq9OPWQF1Q9CN7gmBjZZdcJjkNzK8WA-p4AGKTQwnBUimBHHZiS4kX5deNArr114YLALn-JJIF2rHcmS3Jtkk5mMCiY3YI-7WLsf/s700/ef_pattycake.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoxgumUfDgv7JVMeCORFHNonogrztWBdBOKzaLe4wZq9OPWQF1Q9CN7gmBjZZdcJjkNzK8WA-p4AGKTQwnBUimBHHZiS4kX5deNArr114YLALn-JJIF2rHcmS3Jtkk5mMCiY3YI-7WLsf/s320/ef_pattycake.JPEG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Pattycake Bakery's Sticky Buns are but one of many<br />delicious egg-free options available for the diner</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>(Note: This is a guest blog post from my favorite dining partner in the whole world Kris - you can catch what she posts on her Instagram account @aimless_rambling)</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the summer of 2020, I discovered that I was allergic to eggs. I had experienced symptoms of itching and occasional hives for at least 6-7 years but only in June did I make a connection to eggs (versus other suspected culprits such as soaps/shampoos). Testing confirmed the egg allergy and a few others which were also a surprise. My allergist was surprised as well, since egg allergy is rare in adults and even then usually develops in childhood. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">To my knowledge, I had no food allergies in childhood though there is a family history in both children and adults now confirmed in five generations. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am fortunate that my symptoms are mild and mostly annoying rather than dangerous. I’ve had no anaphylaxis symptoms though I do now carry an Epi-Pen. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">What it has done is made eating out a bit more tricky, especially since we have always enjoyed going out for breakfast and brunch. Do you know how hard it is to find breakfast and brunch options that don’t include egg? Even pastries that do not include egg in the dough or filling are often coated with an egg wash to make them nice and shiny. And many of the egg-free options are things like granola. Guess what else I’m allergic to? Almonds, oats, and strawberries (and I suspect a few other things that weren’t on the test).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought about challenging our fellow blogger Nick Dekker of </span><a href="https://www.breakfastwithnick.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breakfast With Nick</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to come up with a list of Columbus area options of egg-free breakfasts, but decided to explore the subject myself. My goal was to find breakfast/brunch items that did not require me to ask for “no egg” (though when I’m in the mood to do that, the corned beef hash from </span><a href="https://www.delaneysdiner.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Delaney’s Diner</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is the best in town IMO). In no particular order, here are 10 to try if you are looking for egg-free options yourself<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) <a href="https://www.pattycakebakery.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;" target="_blank">Pattycake Bakery</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sticky Buns - Vegan bakeries are a great way to ensure egg-free, though I could potentially react to almond and oat milk which are common dairy substitutions. So far, though, I have not noticed an issue, and these sweet buns are delicious. They also do not dry out as quickly as standard ones as we noticed when we had day-old ones.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2L_aHzy2uRLcz-0HphMpb9LkC-ydEZHbiIewqizJYPyRwsbH6fsxVPJ0kCrsop-G15XywXw_SMoOGOiKIhQmVFNfylOCY9MlhGTj4YP9Txij5mTEsy5MI3FwC1Fmn9Rktg6bDhvp7a2C/s700/ef_woodbury_sm.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2L_aHzy2uRLcz-0HphMpb9LkC-ydEZHbiIewqizJYPyRwsbH6fsxVPJ0kCrsop-G15XywXw_SMoOGOiKIhQmVFNfylOCY9MlhGTj4YP9Txij5mTEsy5MI3FwC1Fmn9Rktg6bDhvp7a2C/w400-h400/ef_woodbury_sm.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://woodburycbus.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;">The Woodbury</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shrimp and Grits Tostada - I love shrimp and grits and enjoy making it myself. I found this option when I searched for area restaurants that had it on their menu, and the tostada was a fun take on the standard. The tortillas were crisp, the cheese grits satisfying and the shrimp had a nice char. The Buffalo style sauce was fine but I would have preferred a more complex sauce. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp-YykEOjqwEbIAuJoayrtpEBAGA-ryYjIWkb5yxKDkGg1KoJn8W_bN7w7JOpSx_QmnqRpeTttbZFhwriezAkXjTP7Ls2KmVGjALdI4zvVeKvs-RgDhecUUiS0KDcKGyhEOHZmdimyrYu/s700/ef_dmama.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp-YykEOjqwEbIAuJoayrtpEBAGA-ryYjIWkb5yxKDkGg1KoJn8W_bN7w7JOpSx_QmnqRpeTttbZFhwriezAkXjTP7Ls2KmVGjALdI4zvVeKvs-RgDhecUUiS0KDcKGyhEOHZmdimyrYu/w400-h400/ef_dmama.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.dough-mama.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;">Dough Mama</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avocado Smoked Salmon Toast - Avocado toast is a good option at a number of places when I want a lighter option. However, the addition of smoked salmon elevates this one to my favorite in town.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2KH-Nyzi2_-bJHx6VFMfozFQ_uOAxAEJvWDl7LDNHX2qJPeZD086NvI18u5Fb9kYtrkPakG1va7Y3NwyovD1jBWnargxMHBFAo5IAFR05uyMtDQl3bNMZ9dnU4Q00lzLAuuXtGMh-pLj/s700/ef_molletes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="700" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2KH-Nyzi2_-bJHx6VFMfozFQ_uOAxAEJvWDl7LDNHX2qJPeZD086NvI18u5Fb9kYtrkPakG1va7Y3NwyovD1jBWnargxMHBFAo5IAFR05uyMtDQl3bNMZ9dnU4Q00lzLAuuXtGMh-pLj/w400-h346/ef_molletes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>4) </span><a href="https://www.cucostaqueria.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cuco’s Taqueria</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Molletes - We first had these when we joined the inaugural </span><a href="https://columbusfoodadventures.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Columbus Food Adventures</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> breakfast tour a few years back, led by Nick Dekker himself. These open faced sandwiches with chorizo, beans and cheese with a side of potatoes are quite filling and very delicious. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-1K2xPziqUz1ZELpRMiKmEayGFRKVWcnwuygZkqeMgC0WBWtRhZ2KpazogLK25GoRl2HPLOibjq52g25a778FzskLCEH6flCD4Huj6bv0081f5XAnzQSuwxaeIM11JTwrAlALchvZj_I/s700/ef_columba.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-1K2xPziqUz1ZELpRMiKmEayGFRKVWcnwuygZkqeMgC0WBWtRhZ2KpazogLK25GoRl2HPLOibjq52g25a778FzskLCEH6flCD4Huj6bv0081f5XAnzQSuwxaeIM11JTwrAlALchvZj_I/w400-h400/ef_columba.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>5) </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/columbafoodtruck/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Columba’s Food Truck</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Tamales - the only one on this list that I haven’t actually had this year, mainly because we made only rare visits to the </span><a href="https://www.worthingtonfarmersmarket.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Worthington Farmers Market</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (we joined the </span><a href="https://www.newcenturycsa.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Century CSA</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> this year to get our summer veggies). However, in prior years we often enjoyed a tamale or two as part of our Saturday morning wanderings through the market when we wanted a light and savory breakfast vs one of the many sweet options to be found there. I can’t pick a favorite of the flavors, as they are all delicious. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dp9TvI-ftUuB5078E9Ucqg1VDoO61wXGqoWe0aUhz5t5Nd9A7XHk_8fPs3np5aL_0Oa96lTkhjS_kiyY6KORXLXaPZ59UW1ggvhpzRi8guxz2mGhj78lpgonMjzWxvIpN8QVhTJrFN1W/s700/ef_thelox.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dp9TvI-ftUuB5078E9Ucqg1VDoO61wXGqoWe0aUhz5t5Nd9A7XHk_8fPs3np5aL_0Oa96lTkhjS_kiyY6KORXLXaPZ59UW1ggvhpzRi8guxz2mGhj78lpgonMjzWxvIpN8QVhTJrFN1W/w400-h400/ef_thelox.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />6) </span><a href="https://www.theloxbagelshop.com/new-page" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lox Bagel</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shop Lox Sandwich - I love a good bagel and lox, and this sandwich does not disappoint. I usually get it on an everything bagel but the sea salt and herb is equally as good. For those who also need to be dairy-free, I can also confirm that the Woodhouse vegan cream cheese is a delicious option on any bagel. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGhf7v9p_Wwe6LOL9hyc_xDOZ3g4DKdi-BSAVtH7bJ0t-XJYC7FfGOBSDr3m1dgtPnV3gw9AZwa7rAu9BRoSQ_9bB_P35dLFrjB8SIiLNJjSVoPGHjQe1Iv19AIh-6ML9l-yZYewo0q1F/s700/ef_elenas.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGhf7v9p_Wwe6LOL9hyc_xDOZ3g4DKdi-BSAVtH7bJ0t-XJYC7FfGOBSDr3m1dgtPnV3gw9AZwa7rAu9BRoSQ_9bB_P35dLFrjB8SIiLNJjSVoPGHjQe1Iv19AIh-6ML9l-yZYewo0q1F/w400-h400/ef_elenas.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />7) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://cafeelenas.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;">Cafe Elena</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cozy Vegan Skillet - This is a great way to start your day with a lot of vegetables, some black beans for protein, and a savory sauce. If you think a breakfast skillet can’t be as good without eggs, give this one a try and it will change your mind. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm5XUavS-EmZQF_hBWxGNp0iacq-iXbqwSukwOeSBcVovFLoRyOFs-MZR7Uc1ZmL0u0SvmY6a1qMIqXVmgqY7SK-BY6ADfMp9EGD_UiX28mgFX2UMqDh-zHkHbTgRGoU5Ww1LWxhriRCQ/s700/ef_basic.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm5XUavS-EmZQF_hBWxGNp0iacq-iXbqwSukwOeSBcVovFLoRyOFs-MZR7Uc1ZmL0u0SvmY6a1qMIqXVmgqY7SK-BY6ADfMp9EGD_UiX28mgFX2UMqDh-zHkHbTgRGoU5Ww1LWxhriRCQ/w400-h400/ef_basic.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />8) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://getbasicbiscuits.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;">Basic Biscuits, Kindness and Coffee</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sausage and Cheese Slider and Sausage and Gravy Biscuits - Biscuits have been a bit of a craze around Columbus this year, with </span><a href="https://www.boxwoodbiscuitco.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boxwood Biscuit Company</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> having a pop-up at </span><a href="https://www.lawbirdbar.com/togococktail-menu" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LawBird Bar</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://kolacherepublic.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kolache Republic</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://prestonsburgers.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preston’s Burgers</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> adding biscuits to their options, and <a href="https://www.columbusmonthly.com/foodanddining/20200403/fox-in-snow-cafe-shares-its-recipe-for-sky-high-biscuits#:~:text=%20%20%201%20RECIPE%3A%20FOX%20IN%20THE,Brush%20a%20generous%20amount%20over%20biscuits...%20More%20" target="_blank">Fox in the Snow</a> releasing their biscuit recipe for all. Basic Biscuits does not use an egg wash on their biscuits and we enjoyed our first biscuit breakfasts and fully intend to go back. If you go, go early if you can because they do sell out. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijukT4gJ62_bOT6VsP7Y8Ceggt1kBaLK37XhOa78vRUCyGRbL1pOtGfrRNq23T8hsiUNfrqIRtWEGH1GWOHTIWqbQxwiKQWFcX4POh8Smp4R4Gum33X5vu1JsMhv1AK9RDp3dVs-8wAml_/s700/ef_comune.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijukT4gJ62_bOT6VsP7Y8Ceggt1kBaLK37XhOa78vRUCyGRbL1pOtGfrRNq23T8hsiUNfrqIRtWEGH1GWOHTIWqbQxwiKQWFcX4POh8Smp4R4Gum33X5vu1JsMhv1AK9RDp3dVs-8wAml_/w400-h400/ef_comune.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />9) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.comune-restaurant.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;">Comune</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fried Mushroom Sandwich and Poutine - There are vegetarian and vegan options so if in doubt, choose vegan. When we saw that Comune had added a brunch option a few weeks ago, we knew we had to give them a try having previously had dinner with them. Both of these items are delicious, though I could wish for a bit more seasoning on the cornmeal crust for the mushrooms.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lue1Em_ck0L-7KvpQTAqMx-xmOrfE_6Y_6aqyKlxBezDWTmM6ItcK8Q5KUGjLFv_dZnSoAjLZZsGl0tNTgg8UhZIsYFmVPQ6_4RNgdJrbwFzrZWW6pcjIgbl2lgPIF8tb20MSSuaXqHr/s700/ef_happylil.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lue1Em_ck0L-7KvpQTAqMx-xmOrfE_6Y_6aqyKlxBezDWTmM6ItcK8Q5KUGjLFv_dZnSoAjLZZsGl0tNTgg8UhZIsYFmVPQ6_4RNgdJrbwFzrZWW6pcjIgbl2lgPIF8tb20MSSuaXqHr/w400-h400/ef_happylil.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><br />10) </span><a href="https://www.happylittletreatsbakery.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Little Treats</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Pop Tarts - We have had these a number of times with all sorts of flavors and all are good. However, nothing is better than the peanut butter and jelly version. If you are a PB&J fan, you will love these. One thing to keep in mind is that they are crazy flaky so you will likely end up wearing some delicious crumbs on your shirt. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a running list of some other breakfasts I want to try such as Chilaquiles from </span><a href="https://www.spicycupcafe.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spicy Cup</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the Hummus and Lamb from </span><a href="https://oliveandthymecafe.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olive and Thyme</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Also, an honorable mention goes out to the </span><a href="https://www.dough-mama.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dough Mama</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cauliflower Reuben. The regular sauce has mayo (which has eggs) but they have a vegan option. It was my choice one morning when my hoped-for Smoked Salmon and Avocado Toast was not on the menu. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally I also want to thank </span><a href="https://www.sassafrasbakery.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sassafras Bakery</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://kolacherepublic.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kolache Republic</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bibispatties/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bibi’s Patties</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://prestonsburgers.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preston’s Burgers</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://getbasicbiscuits.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basic Biscuits, Kindness and Coffee</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://dan-the-baker.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dan the Baker</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.threebitesbakery.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three Bites Bakery</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://streetfoodfinder.com/thefet" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fetty’s Street Food</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.sammysbagels.net/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sammy’s New York Bagels</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.theloxbagelshop.com/new-page" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lox Bagel Shop</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.ajumama.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ajumama Food Truck</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://columbusfoodadventures.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Columbus Food Adventures</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://johnsonsrealicecream.com/" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Johnson’s Real Ice Cream</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and anyone else that I’ve forgotten for patiently answering my questions about which (if any) of their food items I can have without trouble whether for breakfast or any other meal. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ajumama and Fetty’s in particular made some adjustments upon request and Bibi’s Patties (which I have not yet ordered but will soon) has said they can skip the egg wash. While I do not have the serious reactions that others with food allergies do, I do appreciate the extra effort it takes to make a special order. </span></div></div>Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124791266308914779noreply@blogger.com0