As you have likely heard by now, yesterday the world lost one of disco era’s greatest performers Donna Summer. Ms. Summer was and can still get a dance floor heaving like an ant attack on a discarded lollipop.

One of my all time favourite Donna Summer song’s is MacArthur Park, wherein love is compared to a cake left out in the rain { food + music + love }. Little known facts: this song was written by Jimmy Webb and was covered by several artists in addition to Ms. Summer. It was also, Donna Summer’s first number 1 hit on the US billboard hot 100.

We will miss you Donna, but through your music you’ll live on and on and on.

elderflower from ikea – image by me

An unfortunate incident with the first shot of tequila I ever had has left me with a strong dislike of taking any beverage in ‘shot form’. Hence, I tend to sip my libations. This weekend’s libation is no exception. A quick, tart shot of a drink, I like to sip it chilled and pucker up as each taste makes my face unwillingly contort!

image by me via instagram

You will need:
3/4 shot glass of Silver Milagro Tequila*
1 tbsp of elderflower cordial
1tsp of lime juice

Then you must:
Combine all the ingredients in a shot glass. I highly recommend pre-chilling the tequila.
Stir.
Sip and enjoy

*Yes I was comp’ed the booze, but let’s face it. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t write about it. See the previous drink in this series here.

I thought it only fitting to have this song represent this weeks Food & Music post. What with a tea-centric post earlier today!

Have a good weekend folks!

image by me via instagram

I really do love gin. I am not quite sure why. Maybe it’s the slight herbacousness of it or the mild citrus tang it has when coupled with tonic. All I know is that when I have a glass of gin in hand, I nurse it lovingly and deliberately. It is no wonder then, that this week’s libation not only contains gin but is called A Girl’s Best Friend.

This drink utilises a summer staple – iced tea. However, I use Yogi Moon Cycle tea bags in my iced tea. A self confessed ‘womens tea’, it’s chock full of Dong Quai, Organic raspberry leaves, fennel seed and a juniper berry extract that perfectly compliments the gin AND brings relief during that less than pleasant time of the month!

Don’t worry lads, you can certainly enjoy this tea without compromising your testosterone. In fact, I highly recommend this as a breezy summer’s day drink–to be enjoyed outdoors with a liberal serving of friends and chat.

image by me via instagram

You will need:
Half glass of iced Yogi Moon Cycle tea
A tablespoon of ginger laurel dark simple syrup
A shot glass of Hendrick’s Gin*
Sprig of lavender
Ice

To make the iced tea:

In a 32 oz pitcher, steep 4 bags of Yogi Moon Cycle tea in hot water.
Cover the pitcher and allow to cool in the fridge.
When the tea has cooled stir, discard the tea bags.
Keep refrigerated.

To make the ginger-laurel dark simple syrup:

Peel an inch square nob of ginger and place in 2 cups of water.
Bring water to a boil
Stir in 2 cups of raw brown sugar
Turn the heat low and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Add laurel leaves and turn off the heat
When the syrup has cooled to room temperature, pour into a sterilized glass jar and keep refrigerated.

Want to be A Girl’s best friend? Then you must:

Pour yourself half a glass of the Yogi Moon Cycle Iced tea
Add a tablespoon of simple syrup. Stir.
Add a shot glass full of Hendrick’s Gin. Stir.
Top the glass up with crushed ice
Add a sprig of fresh lavender.
Add a straw.
Enjoy.

*Yes I was comp’ed the booze, but let’s face it. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t write about it. See the previous drink in this series here.

Beck’s beer have collaborated with a multidisciplinary of six artists to create limited edition label designs. Turning an every day item into a collectors piece changes one’s perception of that which is taken for granted. Few things are as commonly disposable as a beer bottle. These designs change all that, and turn the receptacle of this common object into a serious art piece.

The artists range from a musician to a calligrapher; a sculptor to a performance artist–with each one’s independent way of thinking reflected in the outcome. I love this and am going to try and get my hands on one of each of the designs.

Check out my favourite interview above, with artist Willy Chyr and follow the links below to hear other artists involved in the project talk about their process, independent thinking and how it affects them.

London Musician M.I.A

LA based graphic design and artist Geoff McFetridge
Design: all of one of us

NY based designer-calligrapher Aerosyn-Lex
Design: aquarellvm

LA Performance artist Bert Rodriguez
Design: where i need the most cheering up

Miami uber-pattern artist Alvaro aka Freegums
Design: a bit of spacial tension

carrie mae smith’s work can be found at MARCH SF through May

Despite being a vegetarian, I am quite the fan of the meat-centric artwork of Carrie Mae Smith. The daughter of a butcher, this artist was a fan of foodism at a young age–from making mud pies to dressing like Julia Child for halloween. Through the end of this month catch her work at MARCH San Francisco.

Carrie Mae’s images have strong brush strokes that juxtapose subdued neutral tones. The cuts of meat are a startling subject matter that draws one in to the intricacies of the image as a way to comprehend the thoughts behind such an often seen, yet rarely displayed object.

her subdued tones are gentle versus the stark subject matter

It is hardly surprising that this artists work is such an ode to food, having traveled abroad and participated in a farm exchange program, called Willing Workers On Organic Farms. Smith also learned to milk goats and raise chickens in Connemara, Ireland and picked grapes in the Pyrenees and Swiss Alps. Throughout all this her sketch pad was ever present to record and capture the gastronomic pleasures she was exposed to.

For more details about March SF go here. And for more work from Carrie Mae, go here.

image by me via instagram

A few months ago, the people who represent a few fine libations sent me samples of their clients work to play with, taste test and give my viewpoint. Although a Brit, I am not a huge drinker, but I do like a glass of something every now and then and love to mix it up in order to invent something new.

I’ve taken my time with these drinks. Carried them to dinner parties, intimate music shows and the ubiquitous girls night out. Overall the reaction was positive. So for the next few weeks, I am going to post a weekend libation for you to try at your whim. The first in this series is what I like to call, the Icelandic Sunrise.

image by me via instagram

You will need:

Reyka Vodka*
Mango based fruit smoothie ( I prefer Bolthouse Farms C-Boost Smoothie )
Frozen Blueberries & Cherries
Touch of Orange Juice

Then you must:

Half fill your favourite Old-Fashiond glass with mango smoothie. Add a shot of Reyka Vodka, then stir.
In a blender whizz a handful of frozen blueberries and cherries. They will look like chopped fruit NOT runny. Slowly add orange juice ( about two tablespoons at a time ), until the mixture is thick yet more liquid than solid.
Gently ladle the icy,berry mixture into center of the mango/vodka concoction.
Add a straw and serve.

The frozen berries add a nice crispiness to the thick mango smothie. The Vodka provides a kick – a real sunrising.

*Yes I was comp’ed the booze, but let’s face it. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t write about it.

Growing up in London, I remember seeing many a Oxfam shop on the high street. Their diligence in calling attention to world aid was a reassuring constant. But in the 21st century the charity has come a long way from selling second hand wares to raise money and attention to their causes, as the above video will attest.

Dark and satirical, the recently released Food Games call to action alerts the populous of the proliferation of special interest groups who financially benefit from funds that could instead improve the world food crises. “We grow enough food on this planet to ensure everyone has enough to eat, but political obstacles, like unnecessary food aid regulations, get in the way.”

Shocking, but sadly not surprising. Enjoy the powerful message in the video above, and revel in it’s styling by Kinfolk Brooklyn Dinner contributor The Jewels of NY.