Dwayne and Leif of Orca Team

Seattle’s Orca Team have a quite a summer lined up for themselves, and their journey begins right here in NYC for Pop Fest this coming weekend.  They will be touring from the great state of Washington, making a stop off in the UK and Ireland for a little tour and the Indie Tracks festival, and then back across the states!  Orca Team create blissfully bizarre beachy pop music.  Maybe if you put David Lynch in a bathing suit, big sunglasses, and placed him in the middle of a tropical beach party that would sum up the vibe…truly dream worthy, and a soundtrack to your summer.

While all of Orca Team are food lovers the band directed me to Dwayne Cullen, their drummer, to chat about all things that are delicious. Dwayne took the time to talk to us before he had to pack his bags for their three month tour de force.  He knows his coffee, loves beer, and will eat just about anything.  He gives us his little guide to breweries and coffee shops around Seattle, some insight into the Seattle hot dog, thai food, donuts, ice cream, and more.

Orca Team tour dates, album stream, music videos and more can be found after the interview!

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Where did you grow up, and what type of eater were you?

I grew up in Lynnwood. A suburb 15 miles north. We used to hear coyotes howl in our backyard, but now its an apartment complex.  I was a picky eater for 18 years, Now I eat everything. And will try anything.

What would you say Seattle’s regional delicacy is? Where would you go to get it?

The Seafood here is probably our main delicacy. Lots of Oyster happy hours around town. Sometimes I go out to the peninsula to a friends cabin and go crabbing or grab some oysters off the shore, so I’m not huge on paying for it. However, The Walrus and the Carpenter is the absolute best! I love their smoked trout and they have regular half off oyster happy hours. It’s in Ballard (a neighborhood of Seattle) so I like to hang out by the water there, either head out to the locks, or walk along the canal.

Is the Seattle variety of hot dog a thing?

In Seattle, hot dogs are served with cream cheese and grilled onions on a toasted bun. The sausages are split in half and grilled before being put in the bun. Stands offer a variety of condiments, such as Sriracha sauce and jalapeños (via wiki)

 Yes it is a thing! When I discovered it I was very apprehensive, but now I never want a hot dog with ketchup and mustard. The cream cheese mellowing out the spice of sriracha and jalapeños is perfect. I don’t know what about it is “Seattle” but its god damned tasty.

Washington state in general is a big beer state. Do you have a favorite Brewery? Favorite Beer? And, even if it isn’t your favorite brewery, what is the best brewery to visit?

The beer I always find myself drinking here is Manny’s. In the course of an evening I may try several different beers, but there is always at least one Manny’s in there. It’s the most perfectly balanced Ale I have found. Bitter enough. Not too sweet. It is brewed by Georgetown Brewing Co. Located in an industrial part of Seattle south of downtown called Georgetown. Great Beer, Have not been to the Brewery.

Between the Fremont and Ballard neighborhood, Hales Ales has been a favorite brewery to visit. I think it’s because it was down the street from where I lived when I first moved out on my own. Going there brings back thoughts of freedom and independence. And not worrying or giving a shit. They produce a variety show every year called the Moister Festival. Its awesome. It may not be my favorite catalogue of beer, but they do have some pretty nice cream ales and my favorite is their Mongoose IPA. Killer.

Outside of Seattle there are so many. If anyone was looking for a little excursion into dark dreary parts of the Northwest I’d recommend Diamond Knot in Mukilteo, or Port Townsend Brewing CO …in Port Townsend, and Scuttlebutt in Everett.

Your band mates say that you are coffee snob: when you go out for coffee what is your local shop? What do you order? What type of beans to you use at home, and what is your brewing method?

I would decline to say that I am a coffee snob, after working as a barista at so many cafes, I got very tired of being told the “right” way to make a god damned cup of coffee. That being said, I do like a fresh roast and cup of coffee made with some effort.

I drink coffee three ways: Black cup of coffee. Black Americano with just two ounces of water. And Mochas. At home I am all about the French Press. I’ll use a caffettiera to look classy sometimes…

Caffe Vita, is my favorite place to go for black coffee. My roommate works at Fuel, which sells Cafe Vita, so there is always plenty in the house. For espresso, I really love (and I know its really more local to Portland, but it’s such high quality) Stumptown. I’ve never had a bad cup there. And you can show up any day (i think) at 3pm for a coffee tasting downstairs. Its a lot of fun and they’re all very knowledgeable.

Ok, so maybe I took some liberties with how they said you were passionate about beer and coffee…they really only said you “were the extreme one these days.”

Ya’ll are pretty close to the Canada boarder…do you have thoughts on donuts?  Dunkin Donuts vs Tim Horton? Now that we have gotten the chains out of the way what would you say Seattle’s local donut jam is?

Funny, I feel like there were more Dunkin Donuts around here when I was a kid. I just google mapped it and there is one in seattle and like two in Washington. I have never heard of Tim Hortons. Apparently they own cold stone creamery? We have those… But there are so many better little shops in Seattle to satisfy your sweet tooth.

First of all there is Mighty O Donuts; which is a major destination because they make vegan donuts that taste amazing. I used to work there; they’re top notch. (I got fired for being late too many times. What can I say I have a lot of shit to do at night.) Try the Chocolate Raspberry. Top Pot is also a big name in Seattle donuts. Go there if you want a classical beefy “hand forged donut”. Their fritters are great.

I keep forgetting that Dunkin Donuts is an East Coast thing. There have to be a hundred in New York. When I went to Vancouver the guy driving the shuttle explained that Tim Horton’s was basically Canada’s Dunkin Donuts, and if I wanted to sound Canadian I should order a “double double”: a coffee with two creams & two sugars.  Any other exciting sweets coming to mind when you think about Seattle?

For anything beyond a donut. Molly Moons is the great for ice cream. And Seattle has more than a million cupcake shops (in fact I rarely see anyone with a donut – cupcakes only). but top tier in my opinion is Yellow Leaf – their frosting is Italian Butter cream “sweet without being sugary”. Seriously check them out. Its divine. http://www.theyellowleafcupcake.com/

My girlfriend  recently flipped through the new Molly Moon cookbook…we saw a couple interesting ideas in there for our own ice cream making. We have tried out some different things recipe wise…savory ice creams and moving to egg custard bases.

Brown buttered Ice cream, sounds tasty! I’m usually a little boring when it comes to Ice Cream though. At Molly Moon’s I get two scoops of my favorite things in life. Coffee and Chocolate. The Chocolate is Theo Chocolate which is a fair trade chocolate factory in the Fremont Neighborhood and the Coffee is made with Stumptown.

I’ll be honest, I have no idea where to begin. Last time I was there I had a friend guide me to a great chinese place in Brooklyn, and an Oyster/PBR happy hour. That’s about it. What should I look for?

There are a handful of $1 oyster happy hours going on right now: Maison Premier and Lobster Joint are two that I hear are great.   If you want Chinese I would point you toward dim sum in Chinatown at Nom Wah Tea Parlor or Xia Famous Foods in the East Village. Donut wise Peter Pan Donuts in Greenpoint, Brooklyn is super old school, and makes amazing donuts. There are endless amazing sandwiches and pizza (Best Pizza in Williamsburg has both amazing pizza and sandwiches). 

I will be checking out the dim sum for sure. Its a combination of another two favorites: brunch and chinese.

Are there any cities you like to tour through just to eat and drink there? What are they and what are you eating and drinking while you are there?

Portland. I think the northwest is pretty spoiled when it comes to food and drinks. So many restaurants with different styles of high quality cuisine. Portland is very vegan friendly, which doesn’t matter to me, but when I go out to eat with Leif I can find great, tasty options. The Sweet Hereafter for example has a killer (vegan) Buffalo sub. Great atmosphere and great drinks too! Portland has so many great breweries as well. I loved Amnesia Brewing, had so many beer that day I can’t recall why except that it was a really sunny day and they have outdoor seating.

To stretch out a bit: I do love going anywhere in the south that serves Jerk chicken. I’d never heard of it till I went down to florida. Can’t get enough. Jerk sauce blew my mind.

We just got two Pok Pok Wings, a Portland institution, here in NYC? have you been?

I have not been, but I just checked the menu. I’m gonna try to go there next time we do a show in Portland.

I think you said you live in the university district…I have fond memories of Thai Tom’s (although I didn’t know much about thai food when I ate there). What is the locals’ opinion?

I haven’t met a single person who has been there that didn’t rave about it. The vegetables have always been perfectly cooked, you know where they’re still crispy? Seeing the way the cooks bustle and serve you quickly is an added pleasure. Be ready to wait outside during prime dinner time.

Twin Peaks was said to take place in Washington state. Are you a fan? How are the pies around there?

I love Twin Peaks so far, I only started watching last week. Its funny seeing Snoqualmie Falls as the intro to the series – I went there all the time as a kid. Oddly enough, we’ve had people tell us our music sounds like it belongs on a David Lynch sound track, and we just made a music video in North Bend. I went to the twin peaks cafe, but did not have any pie. Their mexican omelette was great though.

When Orca Team tours how do you decide where to eat? Do any band members opinions have more weight? What do you do if you can’t decided?

Well, last tour Leif and Jessica were Vegans, so I ate with them mostly at Co-op’s and natural food stores. Now Jessica isn’t vegan and It’ll be interesting to see if that changes the ‘where to stop for dinner’ dynamic. No one has more say really, but Leif absolutely will not let me go to McDonalds. Which is great, because I don’t want to, but when I’m really hungry its like a sirens call and Leif ties me to the mast. If we can’t decide, or if we are in a hurry then its Chex Mix dinner and Peace tea at a gas station.

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orca team

Orca Team begin their long journey right here in Brooklyn, and will be playing with the Catnaps, Cola Jet Set, Wild Moccasins, and Saturday Looks Good to Me for the second night of Pop Fest!  If you run into them give them tips on good eats in your town, watch them play, and maybe grab a tape or record (they release on High Fives and Hand Shakes AND Happy Happy Birthday To Me!  what a resume!). Check out their most recent EP here:

Follow Orca Team:
- Facebook
- Bandcamp
- Twitter

Carol Catherine

This year NYC Pop Fest brings Saturday Looks Good to Me (SLGTM) back to Brooklyn to headline a show on Friday May 18th at the Knitting Factory.  I have a long history with this band…from listening All Your Summer Songs on those hot August nights working at 52.5 Records in Charleston, SC to the endless love that The Great Pumpkin gave the genius that is Fred Thomas’s other project City Center over the past couple years.  I’ve always thought Fred Thomas was surrounded by a magical group of people, and Pop Fest this year continues to prove that…Carol Catherine of SLGTM has graced the Great Pumpkin with her presence to offer us a recipe…a first for this blog!

In addition to Carol’s talents as a musician she also writes the wonderful food blog Eating Sweet! Whether you are looking for a vegetarian pho recipe, thoughts on healthy eating, or just a little look into someone else life Eating Sweet is a blog that you should be following.  It’s extremely exciting to find other people who share both music and food as their passions, and I’m so happy to feature Carol here.

Below you will find a little bit about Carol, and her recipe for vegan chocolate chip banana bread.  After the recipe find out more about NYC Pop Fest and Saturday Looks Good to Me!

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Greetings. This is Carol Catherine, of Saturday Looks Good To Me, with a special post to satisfy all your NYC Popfest cravings. Not only am I the lead singer of a pretty cool band (by any standards), but also an almost-30-year-old unemployed former teacher with a degree in German Literature (that sounds impressive, right?). In between rocking out with SLGTM, obsessing over The Hunger Games, playing DrawSomething, and “preparing” for grad school (by reading The Hunger Games), I run a little home-cooking blog called Eating Sweet. When Tom asked me to contribute to his own (awesome) blog in honor of the upcoming festivities, I knew I needed to somehow tie it into what I was already doing. So I thought maybe I could do a SLGTM-themed recipe post. Et voila!

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I like to think of myself as a scientist in the spirit of Oswald Avery, who said: “Disappointment is my daily bread; I thrive on it.” Oswald Avery probably would have made a really good home cook, since both disappointment and bread factor heavily into daily cuisine. While we’re on the subject, can we just talk about how continually disappointing bread can be? Why are the loaves so big? Why don’t we have recipes that bake enough bread for two people, or package things more responsibly (like in half-loaves)? Why aren’t more breads chocolate-studded or shaped like adorable animals? These are just some of the serious, deep questions we in SLGTM ask ourselves daily.

bread

torn bread

Back to the topic at hand: stale bread. Half loaves shrunken and huddled in the back corner of our freezer, crusty with frozen condensation and neglect. Heels of baguettes ignored in the fruit basket (why?), their soft white innards hardened and stricken with (one can only assume) a deep and pervading sense of loneliness and ennui. Bear with me here. This melancholy is very like that which torments the lonely teenager, longing for that hopeful first interaction with her crush, or wishing he could take back the break-up and start all over again. Fred Thomas, our beloved songwriter and fearless leader, has an incredible way of taking this melancholy and weaving it into his lyrics, while building a pop melody and rhythm around it that inspires irreverent dancing, heartfelt giggling, headbanging, and all the other indoor sports associated with happy tunes.

chocolate

bananas

Personal bias aside, that’s pretty impressive, and beautiful, and resourceful. Take something “bad” and make it good again. So in this spirit, and because it has the same number of words as the band name, I chose vegan banana chocolate bread pudding as the dish to represent our band. Using overripe bananas (also an everyday occurrence up in here), stale bread, and soymilk, I pulled a Fred Thomas and made a sweet, delicious dish of warm bread puddin’.  The finished product, like true love or your favorite record, was anything but disappointing.

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Vegan Banana-Chocolate Chip-Bread Pudding

(Adapted from Mark Bittman.)

Get your spoons ready. Don’t bother with bowls to serve this from—you’re gonna want to eat it right out of the pan.

Ingredients:
3 cups soymilk
⅓ cup sugar
Pinch salt
8 thick slices day-old bread, or 12 slices stale white sandwich bread
2 ripe bananas
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment:
An 8-inch square baking dish, greased
A small saucepan
A small bowl

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the milk and sugar into your small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the milk is warm but not hot. Tear or slice your bread into bite-sized pieces.
2. Mash one of the bananas and slice the other. Stir the mashed banana into the warm milk until it’s lumpy but fairly well combined. Put the bread chunks into your greased baking dish and pour the banana-milk mixture over the top. Let the bread soak for a few minutes, making sure all the pieces are moistened. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and sliced banana.
3. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown, the chips are melty, your kitchen smells like absolute heaven and all of the milk has been absorbed. Serve warm or at room temperature with non-dairy coconut gelato or your favorite chocolate sauce.

vegan chocolate chip banana bread

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Saturday Look Good To Me is setting out on a tour this month, and Polyvinyl records just re-issued Saturday Look Good to Me’s classic All Your Summer Songs on white vinyl for record store day!  Stream that album here:

SLGTM hinted to me that there are lots of new tunes headed our way…unfortunately they are not ready for our ears in a recorded version yet.  But you may get to hear them if you are able to catch them on the road! And they will almost most definitely be playing this little number live:

With that said….

Saturday Looks Good To Me will be headlining day two of NYC Pop Fest this year, and here are all the details:

FRIDAY, MAY 18TH @ KNITTING FACTORY BROOKLYN

AFTERPARTY at CAMEO GALLERY (93 North 6th Street) MONDO NYC – INDIEPOP SPECIAL! (12-4am) FREE for Friday Ticketholders, and Festival Pass Holders.

Erika Swyler

All photos posted on ieatbutter are taken by Erika of things that she has baked…then she adds her hilarious commentary to cap off the delicious imagery.  Occasionally she posts recipes, and answers the questions from her loyal followers.

My introduction to Erika’s amazing blog was this post that she sent over:

An anonymous note was left on your desk at work. It appears that some of your coworkers find your framed photo of frosting slightly creepy.

This coming Monday, April 30th, is Story Chord’s 50th Birthday Party at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe.  Erika will be reading a new piece that she wrote specifically for the event, Emperor X will be performing, and there is an art installation by Amy Sly.  Not to mention free cup cakes from Butter Lane to the first 24 attendees!

The person who bakes in second person finally speaks in the first person.  More about Erika’s non-food writing and Story Chord’s Party after one of the most fun interviews I’ve done yet!

P.S. All photos and captions come from ieatbutter.

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When did you develop your passion for baking?  

My mom  baked with my sister and me when we were little, so I developed a sweet tooth pretty early.  We did the basics, cookies, open top pies–things a kid could really get into.  A few years back my sister gave me a cookbook for my birthday and it started me on a tear.  As a writer I collect hobbies like some people collect matchbooks.  I was poised to dive into something and that cookbook opened up a world for me.  I decided that now that I’m a grownup I’m allowed to try impressive looking things like three-layer cakes and things involving sauces, curds and caramel.  I figure the major benefits to being an adult are that nobody can kick me out of my kitchen when things go wrong, and that nobody can yell at me to not eat the batter.  That first cookbook from the guys at Baked was an inspiration.  Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.  Seriously, it’s brilliant.

Are there any local bakeries that you currently look to for inspiration besides Baked?

Sweet Melissa Patisserie in Park Slope is an old standby. Clafoutis is pretty much the way to go for me. In my neighborhood in Crown Heights, Basil has some truly fantastic desserts.  I had a lavender dusted funnel cake with lavender ice cream there not long ago that was absolutely amazing.  That probably has a lot to do with my recent fascination with frying things.  It’s interesting because it’s a Kosher establishment that does Italian cuisine, then has this insane pastry and dessert menu.  I dream about that funnel cake.  For cupcakes, hands down Butter Lane.  Their cupcakes are the perfect size, and the frosting isn’t too sweet.  I took a class with them specifically because of the frosting.  I’ll never forget, the instructor told us  not to bother measuring vanilla, that we could just throw it in.  I love that.  I like haphazard baking.  People have this idea that baking is uptight with no room for fun or experimentation.  I think that’s a terrible attitude and scares people away from trying things.  Throw in that vanilla.  Don’t think about it.  Just do it and see.

Are you still following cook books, or do you make it up as you go along? 

I’ve definitely started making up my own recipes. I’ve got a go-to way of making pie crusts, so that opens the world of basic pastry right up.  I mean, what isn’t good in a pie?  I’ll put anything in a pie.  I don’t have leftovers anymore–they all go into pie or pie crust cookies.  Same goes for cake.  If you get down a basic feel for vanilla cake, you can do almost anything.  Strawberry cake, citrus cakes, hazelnut cakes, you name it.  With cookies I tend to mix and match different recipes until I come up with something I like.  When I want to learn something totally new to me, I hit the books.  I mean, there’s no way I’d ever attempt baklava or anything like it without someone there to hold my hand.

As a person who loves baking pies has vodka worked it’s way into your crust?  I have a friend who swears by it, and I’ve started using it myself.

I’ve tried  vodka in crusts, but I don’t find it to be quite as miraculous as people suggest.  I get great results using just ice water.  The trick is to have your dough be just a little drier than you think it should be, almost shaggy.  If you use a good butter it’ll come together like it should when you roll it out. That said, vodka is a great safety net if you’re scared of working with a dough that feels a little on the dry side. People are so scared of crusts! I don’t know why. I absolutely manhandle mine and they still turn out.

What has been your most ambitious baking adventure?  

My most ambitious baking exploit had to a bunch of mini mini lattice top apple pies.

They were really small, about the size of tassies, and it took forever to cut all the strips for the lattice. The amount of time it took to make something meant to be eaten in one bite was mind boggling.  It’s far more difficult to make small things than large things.

You’ve been fired again. According to the HR director, a mini lattice top assembly marathon is not a legitimate reason to take a personal day.

Did any of the mini apple pies make it til morning?  They look delicious!

Sadly, the mini apple pies did not survive the evening.  I desperately wanted them for breakfast, but they were gone in about a half an hour.  That’s another problem with baking small things, people eat them like potato chips.  To be honest, I could absolutely eat a Pringles tube worth of mini pies in a single sitting.

What has been your most fun experience in the kitchen?

Hands down the most fun I’ve had was making pancake sandwich cookies with maple syrup buttercream.

Nobody told me how to make them, I  just thought about it, hauled out the griddle, warmed up the oven, and went to work.  I think these were probably the best idea I’ve ever had, largely because they’re so simple.  I mean, who doesn’t want bite-sized breakfast?  I got a ton of recipe requests for that, which surprised me because it’s very commonsense–make quarter-sized versions of your favorite pancakes, take out the extra moisture in the oven, do a basic buttercream with maple syrup, and sandwich it all together.

You’ve been exercising portion control by making mini pancake sandwich cookies with maple syrup buttercream. Completely unrelated, your gym has suspended your membership. Actually, they’ve barred you from ever returning.

…and the most disastrous?  

My worst kitchen disaster was hands down an orange curd cake.  The curd part scared me as I’d never made one before.  The consistency was strange and I had to start over a few times.  After finally getting it right, I poured it into a container to set aside, and then promptly tipped that container over, spilling almost a quart of orange curd down into my stove.  I’m not a person who cries in the kitchen.  I cried.  It was horrible.  That curd slapped me in the face.  We don’t speak of that cake in my house anymore.  The other total disaster was a lemon fluff pie. I got the recipe from my grandmother’s cookbook from the 1940s.  It looked fantastic coming out of the oven, but within about 30 seconds it had deflated into this totally unappealing yellow goo.  It tasted fine, but looked just awful.  I did get a picture off during the 30 seconds it looked almost appetizing. No, I’m lying. It was a fail from beginning to end.

Your friends won’t go to dinner with you anymore. They say it’s because you started bringing your own pie. You feel that if a place is BYOB there shouldn’t be an issue with BYOP.

If you are going to splurge on dinner in NYC where are you most likely to go?

I’m kind of a seafood nut, so I tend to gravitate that way.  Esca is a favorite of mine. The last time I was there I had monk fish that just bowled me over it was so good. Not to mention the gelato.  Oh, and the cheese!  How could I forget the cheese?  The Mermaid Inn is where I take people I really like. It’s refined comfort food.  Really fresh food that’s just cooked perfectly.  They also give you a tiny chocolate pudding at the end–no choice, just pudding. I love that! It’s delicious pudding.

Have you traveled specifically for food?  What is your dream destinations and what would you eat?

I haven’t yet gone anywhere specifically for food, but it’s always a factor in travel.  I lived in Florida for a little while and I’d be lying if I said I don’t occasionally plan a trip back to visit a favorite BBQ joint.  I did travel to Italy last year and that was just a parade of delicious food excess.  I probably overdosed on gelato.  I also had the best espresso I’ve ever had in my entire life in Tuscany.  Yes, yes, the wine, but that espresso was just delicious. Also,  I’d like to go back to France and eat my weight in baguettes.  The flour is different there and the crumb has a little more oomph; I think it’s the protein content.  Oh, and Vienna for the pastries.  Basically, it’s my dream to take the Orient-Express and eat my way across Europe.  Banoffee pie and scones in London, baguettes and pain au chocolat in Paris, pastry in Vienna, gelato and panna cotta in Venice, baklava in Istanbul.  I don’t think you can even do that all on one trip. I’d obviously need some sort of exorbitant food budget.

Do you consider yourself an adventurous eater?  

I’m a fairly adventurous eater.  As long as it doesn’t smell like it’s dangerous, I’m on board.  I’ve eaten alligator, frog legss, escargot, some simple things that make people cringe.  My mother is from Pennsylvania, so I’ve eaten and liked scrapple, which makes a lot of people cringe.  I suppose a lot of people would be turned off by eating sea urchin or jellyfish, but I find them both delicious.  Durian (stinky fruit) is off limits for me.  Durian smells dangerous.

Have you tried anything weird recently?

I had chicken feet for the first time not too long ago.  I guess that could be considered adventurous, though it’s such a staple for a large group of people, I don’t know.  I actually really enjoyed them.  Fried, of course.  I guess that’s probably the best way to introduce someone to a food they might think is strange.  ”Don’t worry, it’s fried!”  It’s a difficult food to eat in front of other people, the entire process is sort of continually picking something from your teeth, but they were delicious.

I like to ask every New Yorker  these next two questions…what are your go to cheap eats?

Oh, the Chat ‘n Chew on E. 16th is an old standby.  I regularly fantasize about their sweet potato fries.  Tom’s in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; they’re the only place up here I trust to do grits.  And their egg creams–oh my.  Also, I still swear by the Olive Tree Cafe in Greenwich Village.  Nothing is better than a mountain of freshly made tabouleh.  They also play Charlie Chaplin movies, which is a huge bonus.

…and what is your favorite pizza shop?

Oh, I’m insanely lucky because I live near a terrific shop that nobody’s heard of outside the neighborhood.  Kingston Pizza is brilliant.  It’s a total hole in the wall, but their crust is perfect–thin on the bottom, just the right puff at the edge, and none of that cornmeal business.  It’s great New York pizza, perfect for folding in half and letting the oil run off.  Nothing is worse than a pizza crust that snaps when you bend the slice.  Kingston’s got that handled. Also, their chicken rolls are super good. I think I prefer Brooklyn pizza over Manhattan pizza. It feels less fussy to me.  I might be over thinking this, but it’s pizza, so it’s personal.

Are you a beer, wine, or cocktail gal? How about coffee vs tea? Where is your favorite spot to get your fix? 

My standard drink is usually beer, because it’s difficult for me to drink quickly.  Delirium Tremens is a favorite, as is Edelweiss  Weissbier Hefetrüb. In the past few years I’ve developed an appreciation for bourbon, but I’m still an embarrassingly cheap date. That said, the best alcohol I’ve had in ages was Thomas Handy Sazerac, which is rye, and absolute perfection.  I drink coffee like it’s going out of style.  I’m terrible at it and use one of those Keurig machines at home, as I’m usually too asleep to make the first cup in a percolator.  One of my favorite place for coffee is Birch Coffee, up in the Flat Iron District.  The coffee is great, the staff is lovely, and the people watching couldn’t be better.  You get to see all these odd characters stumbling in and out of the Gershwin Hotel.

Why did you start writing ieatbutter?

ieatbutter started for a couple of reasons.  Once I began baking sort of adventurously I started taking pictures of everything–because food is so temporary, you know?  Pretty soon I’d accumulated a mountain of photos I had no idea what to do with.  At the same time this was going on, I also belonged to a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm share group.  I met a lot of people who were absolutely militant about what they ate. Groups of people would sit around discussing the evils of flour, rice–and sugar. Heaven forbid anyone should mention sugar. It all felt very holier than thou.  Seriously, don’t even bother trying to convince me that cake isn’t wonderful.  I’ll immediately know you for a liar. We’re so shamed about the way we eat these days, and I don’t think it’s particularly helpful. I got it stuck in my head that each night these people went home and ate bowlfuls of raw cookie dough while hiding in the secrecy of their closets. It cracked me up, and a blog was born.

Are there any questions that people have asked through “Ask Me Anything” on ieatbutter that you would like to address here?

I get lots of recipe requests and I never quite know how to respond.  First, because I consider myself to be more of a humor blogger and jack of all trades than any sort of kitchen authority; second, I think the best part of baking for me has been working my way through cookbooks, the internet, and figuring things out for myself.  If it’s something that I invented on my own I’m happy to share, but believe me, there are a million and a half great recipes for brownies and cupcakes out in the world, mine isn’t really going to be earth shattering.

People have asked about why I blog in the second person.  I started doing it to take the “me” out of it, because well, we’ve all eaten too much at some point and felt embarrassed about it.  It was important to me that the blog not be tied to a single person, but rather a common experience, so we could all laugh at ourselves a little bit.  It also gives me a ton of leeway to fictionalize.  I think ieatbutter has been through 8 roommates, 12 jobs, owns a chocolate enrober, and has been entirely disowned by three fictional families.

I have gotten some heavier questions about things like eating disorders, my overall health, and even Paula Deen’s diabetes.  I have great sympathy for anyone struggling with food issues, I’ll say that right out. It’s again strange to me that people would send a faceless internet person these very personal questions. I guess what it boils down to is that we’re in a culture that’s decided that it’s acceptable to have an opinion about someone else’s health.  That’s not okay.  I do this for the joy of food, because baking really is a huge amount of fun. If anyone isn’t really enjoying what they’re cooking or eating, they’re doing it wrong.  Believe me, if I ate nothing but pastries and butter, it wouldn’t be enjoyable.

Do you have any allergies that prohibit your eating and/or baking?

I’m allergic to almonds, which is a shame because I crave them pretty much nonstop.  The fact that I can’t eat marzipan makes me cry.

Did it happen all of a sudden?  It appears that almonds are a love once lost.  

At my cousin’s wedding the little table gift was a bag of Jordan Almonds.  I was happily munching away when my mouth began itching, I broke out in hives, and my throat started getting tight.  About a week before I’d gone on an absolute almond binge with a friend.  In hindsight, that’s probably what triggered my allergy.  It’s the worst. I have such fond memories of that almond binge.

Do you have any kitchen ware shop you want to give a shout out to?  I personally love Brooklyn Kitchen// The Meat Hook, but Whisk seduced me recently with their superior selection of pizza stones.  

I would be a horrible baker if I didn’t spread the love for New York Cake and Baking Supplies (just Cake & Bake to most). It’s just a huge roomful of every kind of thing you could ever want to bake with, kind of like wandering into Grandma’s attic, but with cake pans, piping tips, and chocolate. It’s the perfect for exploring.  I usually leave there with a 5-lbs bar of Valrhona chocolate, or Callebut.  You can’t get me out of there without at least mini melon baller.

If you were a dessert what would you be?  

Oh, I love this question!  I’d be Crème brûlée.  It’s got that lovely caramelized crust that you have to crack through to get to the good stuff.  I like to think I’m sweet but with a little bit hard shell.  Yeah, that’s horribly cliche.  I should embarrassed, but I’m not.  I just love that dessert.  It’s got all the basics–sugar, vanilla, cream.  I think that’s me, I’ve got good basic ingredients.

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Erika will be reading new original work at Story Chord’s 50th Anniversary Party this Monday April 30th, 2012 along side Michael Barron, Tobias Carroll, and Anthony Jones.  Emperor X (who has released music on my own Mirror Universe Tapes) will be performing, and Amy Sly will have an art installation up!

Story Chord 50th Birthday Party

NYC, YOU ARE INVITED to celebrate Storychord.com‘s 50th issue release on Monday, April 30, from 7-9pm at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. The birthday-party themed evening will feature art, readings, and live music from past contributors.

Admission is FREE, and all food/drink/book purchase proceeds will benefit Housing Works’ mission to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS. Also: free Butter Lane cupcakes to the first 24 attendees to arrive!

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

If you aren’t familiar with Story Chord it is a website that features one story, one image, and one song every Monday each by underexposed talent.  If you are interested in contributing to Story Chord check out their submission page!

If you aren’t already following ieatbutter you should do so now.  It’s brought additional humor to my week, and I’m grateful for it.

Erika typically writes literary fiction, and found her way there through being a self-proclaimed “failed actor.” She currently has big things in the works, but details are yet to be revealed…in the mean time you can find her stories titled “Rattlesnake” over at Story Chord and “Transcontinental” over at Anderbo.

James Hanna of Asobi Seksu.

Asobi Seksu released their fourth LP this past February on Polyvinyl Records, and will be playing a select few dates in the North Eastern United States (including the one today) before heading to Japan to tour in support of this wonderful LP (did you get your hands on the limited edition pink vinyl version?).

In the tradition of the Great Pumpkin, James Hanna of Asobi Seksu chatted with us about food, drinks, and tour to help promote the upcoming concert!  Yuki Chikudate talked to Eater last year about food, and now James talks to us about coffee in Ditmas Park, missing Carmine’s Pizza, and eating on the road.

More about Roe on the Rocks and Asobi Seksu after the interview and the jump!

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Asobi Seksu is based in New York where there is a booming coffee scene. Are you a coffee drinker? What is your favorite Local Coffee Shop & Drink of Choice?

I love coffee, Qathra near my house in Ditmas Park is solid. I either like a double espresso or just plain old French press. Generally I make my own because few places make it murky enough for me. Viscosity is very important.

Fine dining is big in this city, but it’s easy to get great food for a low price. Do you have any favorite cheap eats?

I love Wonton Garden in Chinatown. There are some really good spots down there but mostly terrible ones. I miss Carmines Pizza in Greenpoint.

Do you have a favorite New York City restaurant? Yuki mentioned in her interview with Eater that she likes Five Leaves in Greenpoint.

Yuki is a fool… No just kidding. There are too many restaurants in New York City, and not enough good ones.

Asobi Seksu has toured all over the world. Are there any cities that are your favorite just because of the food?

Taiwan, Japan, and Peru. Ceviche, dumplings, and noodles. My lord, those are my faves.

Your second album was called Citrus. What is the story behind the album title?

I like the color orange.

What type of foods do you like to cook when you are not on tour?

I cook the most boring food like peanut butter and jelly, and lentils and brown rice. Occasionally Swiss chard with tempeh and sweet potatoes. That’s my specialty and as complicated as I get, I basically eat like a yuppie hippie.

Have you ever had a food epiphany or is it more like fuel for your body?

Hmmm…Sometimes it’s def just fuel.

Have you eaten any weird or adventurous foods while on tour?

I don’t eat meat, just fish sometimes. I’ve seem my band mates get all kinds of hearts, and blood, and pigeon or whatever.

What food and drinks are listed on Asobi Seksu’s riders?

Hummus, fruit, and diet coke.

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Tonight Asobi Seksu will be joined by North Highlands and Little,Big to play Planned Parenthood’s 5th Annual Roe on the Rocks concert at the Highline Ballroom. Sara Benincasa, award-winning comedian and writer, will be hosting the evening and all proceeds from the concert will go to Planned Parenthood of New York City.

April 16, 2012 5th Annual Roe on the Rocks

A little bit about the history of Roe on the Rocks:

The Roe on the Rocks concert is held every year to recognize Roe v Wade, the historic Supreme Court Case which 39 years ago confirmed women’s right to privacy and thus access to abortion services.  The show couldn’t come at a more important time – amidst the worst attacks on not just reproductive rights but access to basic health care. Past acts have included Regina Spektor, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and (others).

General admission to the concert is $25, and it’s $75 for VIP admission.  Remember…this isn’t just any concert, and your dollars are going to a good cause.  If you have the money to spare splurge for the VIP!  BUY TICKETS HERE!

More about Planned Parenthood of New York City:

Since 1916, Planned Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC) has been an advocate for and provider of reproductive health services and education for New Yorkers.  Serving more than 50,000 clients annually, PPNYC’s health care centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island offer reproductive health services, including gynecological care, contraception, pregnancy testing, abortion, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and HIV testing and counseling.  Through a threefold mission of clinical services, education, and advocacy, PPNYC is bringing better health and more fulfilling lives to each new generation of New Yorkers.   As a voice for reproductive freedom, PPNYC supports legislation and policies to ensure that all New Yorkers—and, in fact, people around the world—will have access to the full range of reproductive health care services and information.

Asobi Seksu released Fluorescence on February 14, 2012 via Polyvinyl, and will hit the shores of Japan very soon.  Bill Pavone directed their dream like video for the single “Perfectly Crystal.”

Catch them on tour:

• 4/16 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom -TICKETS
• 4/20 - Baltimore, MD @ Goucher College Central Courtyard
• 4/28 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Vassar College
• 5/09 - Bangkok, Thailand @ SONIC
• 5/11 - Busan, Korea @ Vinyl Underground
• 5/12 - Seoul, Korea @ Rolling Hall
• 5/15 - Tokyo, Japan @ Shibuya O-Nest
• 5/16 - Nagoya, Japan @ Apollo Theater
• 5/17 - Osaka, Japan @ Shangri-La
• 5/18 - Tokyo, Japan @ Shibuya O-West

Buy Fluorescence here (grab the pink LP fast!).

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If you are reading this after April 16th, 2012…don’t for get to DONATE TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD!

sourpatch

Sourpatch just released their second LP, Stagger and Fade, on the wonderful Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (the home of 90s influenced indie darlings, and Great Pumpkin favorite, Tunabunny), and are gearing up to not only tour tour but also to food tour throughout May and June.

More about their album after our chat!

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Sourpatch is based in San Jose.  Are ya’ll born and raised there?

Rich: Yes.
Nicole: Go sharks!
Rich:  hahaha
Nicole:  I’ve never been to a sharks game in my life.

Rich told me that he is vegan, one of you is a vegetarian, and two are omnivores…how long have the vegetarians and vegans been not eating meat, and the omnivores, were you ever vegetarian?

Mander: 6 years vaginitarian
Rich:  Woah! I have been vegan for almost 11 years.  I eat fairly healthy as well, except on tour, I have a steady diet of vegan cake and coffee.
Mander: No that’s a lie.
Nicole: I’m the omnivore and I’ve never been vegetarian.
Christine: I eat what I like. I love seafood, but I’ve become accustomed to cooking vegan because Rich and I live together.

Being from San Jose I hear there is a regional delicacy the olallieberry pie, and and are you familiar with the pie?

Christine: I ‘ve never had that! Who told you that? Is that on wiki?
Rich: olala what?

I guess it’s more a Pacific North West thing, but they still grow near San Jose.  (for more details check out this link: Olallieberry )

Christine: Thanks! Have you had it?
Rich: Oh! I’ve seen it but never tasted it.

I’ve never had it.  I am very curious being that I am a fan of most pies.

Christine: Oooh! My aunt used to have these in her back yard, but they never made it to a pie. My brother and I would eat them all before she could do anything with them.

They still sound delicious.  

Have you been to the Gilroy Garlic Festival?

Mander:  I have, when I was a kid…they have garlic ice cream! I think I licked the garlic ice cream, and was like what the fuck. I don’t like ice cream
Christine: I haven’t.
Nicole:  I have.  I LOVE marinated garlic and pickled garlic.
Rich:  I drank garlic tea.

Is garlic ice cream the craziest flavor of ice cream you have tried?

Rich: There is an ice cream shop in L.A that does different flavors everyday next to where Mander’s partners use to live.
Mander: Scoop!
Rich: Yea, Scoops! I had vanilla sea salt.

Rich, have you tried this Raw Ice Cream Company?   I’m curious about the prospects of making ice cream alternatives at home.

Rich:  I have never tasted that brand, where’s it from? My favorite is Coconut Bliss
Christine: Frozen bananas work well as a base. Rich made a pecan one last week.

It’s from Long Beach, NY I just saw it for the first time the other week.

Rich: I know a guy who makes cashew ice cream for every band that records in his studio.
Christine: This place too! Scream Sorbet in Oakland.  All ingredients are locally acquired

It sounds like I need to make an ice cream journey to the west coast.

Christine: You should! Ice Cream tour!  We like to food tour when we tour tour.

I’ve asked about the berry and the Garlic Festival.  Does San Jose have any other region specialties?

Rich:  The bay area in general has good coffee.
Christine: Mexican food is like none other in the bay.  I work at a 3rd wave coffee shop called Barefoot. It’s direct trade and roasted here.

Do ya’ll have a favorite coffee shop that you are loyal?

Christine: I like Sight Glass in San Francisco, and Bellano.  It’s close and along the same lines as Barefoot.
Rich: Barefoot coffee, because it’s the closest to us and all my roommates work there.
Nicole: I like going to this place called Mission city in Santa Clara.
Mander: I like Philz, but I’m loyal to nothing.

You said that you like to food tour when you tour tour.  Is it hard to find places to accommodate all of you?  What is your default stop that makes everyone happy?

Rich: We usually all eat at the vegan spot, because they are all nice to me! I swear by the HAPPY COW APP! It’s a website that has listings of vegan/vegetarian restaurants and health food stores. I just do a search when we roll into a town, but we’ve toured so much that we already have our favorites.
Christine: I like trying at least one recommended or regional specialty while in a city.  Usually you can just do that by asking around or asking friends.

What are some of your favorite places?  You know the places you go back to when you roll through a town for the third or fourth time?

Christine: The Dutch Taco Truck and Hungry Tiger in Portland.
Rich: I only eat Taco Bell. I love Hungry Tiger too, and sticky fingers in Washington DC. We ate this place in Liverpool,UK that had the best soup I’ve ever tasted.
Mander: I love Sweet Pea in Portland (vegan bakery),  Soul Veg in Atlanta, and Watercourse in Denver.
Christine: Mr. Natural in Austin! Oh my gosh, so good and we are burrito snobs! Lucky’s in Philly, cheap delicious vegan Chinese food.

The band’s name is Sourpatch.  Is that after the candy?  

Rich: Not after the candy. Sourpatch means: to do something horrible to a person and then give them a hug and smile. Punch someone in the kidney and give them a hug.

If each of you were a candy which type would you be?

Rich: Dark chocolate.
Mander: Dark Milky Way.
Nicole: Big Hunk.
Christine: A Ring Pop, or an Almond Joy… Can’t decide so I’ll be both

Any thoughts on Ted Leo being very friendly with vegan candy Peanut Chews?  Peanut Chews sponsored the most recent How Was Your Week live that he was involved in.  

Christine:  Good for him! They’re delicious. He’s a lucky man.
Rich: That’s awesome.

Do you find it hard to find places to eat for everyone when in places like the American South? I’m from South Carolina, and that drive up I- 95 can be brutal…and difficult to find anything health.healthy.

Christine:  We tend to stock up at grocery stores.
Rich: Sometimes you gotta eat a bag of chips once or twice or 5 times on a drive.
Mander: Prepare.

Do all of you drive on tour? is coffee the drink of choice? do you ever resort to soda or energy drinks?

Christine: We all drive, yes.  I’m a coffee kind of guy myself.
Mander:  I like tea, and coconut water gets me through life. On tour especially! I NEED MY COCONUT WATER.  I have the shits bad enough already and anxiety I can have as much coffee as I used too.
Christine: Oh my gosh one time our friend Gabe drank this crazy energy drink while on tour with us and talked none stop, through the night for six hours.
Rich: Coffee is for sure my drink of choice and water of course. no soda or energy drinks.
Nicole: yeah coffee is usually the main thing

I love ya’lls honesty! Is there a tour coming up?  Any new cities//food adventures to look forward to?

Mander:  Jambalaya in the south.
Christine:  Show us good coffee.
Rich: We go on tour in May all the way through June 28th. I just like being on the East Coast in general.  I am looking forward all the food over there. Come see us on tour! And bring us your favorite vegan dessert!

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via sourpatch

Sourpatch are exactly that… a kiss and a punch at the same time.  Sugary, sweet twee then the traack changes and you find yourself in the midst of a pop punk show.  It’s a fine line between those two genres and Sourpatch are able to play both sides.  Whether you are craving a bit of Go Sailor or some Black Tambourine you are going to feel just as at home with Stagger and Fade.  The first three singles from Stagger and Fade are available to stream right here:

and their lovely video for “Cynthia Ann” (download it!):

as well as the brand new video for “Things You Say:”

Pick up the new album (and other releases) directly from Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records!

Sourpatch will be touring across America in May and June.  Those tour dates are developing and can be found here.  Get out there and find these nice people while they are on the road, and if you can bring them a nice vegan treat.  It will be much appreciated, and you might just get a hug in return.

Capybara

Capybara just released their second LP, will be playing a showcase during SXSW, and you just might be able to meet them in one of Mark’s favorite spots to hang in Austin.

The next segment of the post was written by Mark Harrison.

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Hullo!

I am Mark, drummer for the band Capybara.  A couple of weeks ago, in our four days of winter, I took shelter from the harsh sub-40-degree conditions, sat next to a fire, and came up with this list of noteworthy places to hit during SXSW. Of course you are going to chug a couple bacon bloody mary’s at Frank, but when you are ready to take a break from the lines, I hope this guide points you in the right direction. Here are a few of my favorite things, by category:

COFFEE:
Definitely the go-to coffee shop off the beaten path. Features local Cuvée roast, incredible service with super-knowledgeable staff, and a beautiful outside deck to enjoy the calm before the storm. Grab a “Rockstar” rosemary & salt bagel or walk to the end of the driveway and order a few tacos from the El Primo truck, and then come back again to unwind with a beer. Can’t recommend this place enough, but if you need some coffee in the downtown area, then snag a spot in line at Caffé Medici on Congress between 2nd & 3rd.

Once Over Coffee
2009 South 1st Street
Austin, TX 78704

TACOS:
You can’t hit a bad taco stand in Austin, but if you find yourself on east 6th past Cheer Up Charlie’s, I definitely recommend the vegetarian “Verduras” taco from “El Tacorrido” (on a corn tortilla, of course!) Get it with the green sauce, and prepare to dream of this taco until you plan your next trip to Austin. Check out El Milagro a little closer to I-35 for insanely cheap and fresh tortillas, and if you happen to see Tacodeli listed on a menu anywhere, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

El Tacorrido
multiple locations
Austin, TX

El Milagro
910 E 6th St
Austin, TX 78702

COOL OFF:
If it gets too hot and you’ve got a mouth full of sweet tooth’s like my girlfriend, you end up getting to know some pretty incredible dessert options in Austin – there are an overwhelming amount. Handshakes is definitely one of my favorites, located in the back lot of Cheer Up Charlie’s, a truly significant treat made with care and respect for the art of the milkshake. Try the “Panshake” (Pancake Shake) or the “Good Morning” (Oatmeal, Vanilla, Cinnamon), maybe even the “Texas Popper” (Vanilla, Jalapeño) if you are feeling particularly sassy – you won’t be disappointed.

Handshakes at Cheer Up Charlie’s 
1104 East 6th Street
Austin, TX 78702

CURE ANYTHING:
Home of the place with more ingredients than you can pronounce, with magical abilities that can cure just about anything that you wake up with if you party a little too hard. When you need to recover, come snag a smoothie, walk along the lake, and don’t forget to try the “Medicine Man.” Seriously. You’ve never had anything like it.

JuiceLand
1625 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704

SANDWICHES:
If you find yourself up near campus for any weird shows or simply fighting the urge to discover a new sandwich, do yourself a favor and go to Foodheads– The Pork Special and Gypsy Grove are impossible to choose between, so make sure you drag a friend with you to split halves. If you are South, and a fan of the Vietnamese Banh-Mi sandwich, check out the choice Poached Shrimp/Hard Boiled Egg on House-Baked Baguette at one of Austin’s newest additions: Elizabeth Street Cafe, which happens to also be the only place in town where you can find Stumptown coffee. If you can’t find time to fit this in, try to meet somebody who lives in Austin who is willing to ship you one of these sandwiches the following week.

Foodheads
616 W 34th St
Austin, TX 78705

Elizabeth Street Cafe
1501 South 1st Street
Austin, TX 78704

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Capybara just released their second album, Dave Dursky, last month and the rest of the band is headed down to meet Mark in Austin for SXSW!  You can stream Capybara’s new album, and buy it too, off bandcamp…and make sure to check out the beautiful live video for “Neighbor Crimes” too!

They will be in Austin this week for SXSW Music, and they will be playing on March 15th, 2012 at 9pm on the 18th Floor of the Hilton Garden Inn. This show is only $5, and not to be missed…check out the rad poster below!

live at SXSW!

After SXSW you can keep up with all of Capybara’s adventures in these places:

- twitter
- facebook
- bandcamp
- soundcloud
- blog
- and of course Capybara.com

Photo courtesy of Jeri Lynn Astra

Beer and music are two of Jim’s passions, and in this post he paired three of Pretty Things wonderful beers along with songs that represent the characters, places, and personalities that these beers represent.

Jim will be DJing a Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project POLKA PARTY at Brouwerij Lane in Greenpoint, Brooklyn this coming Wednesday, February 29th 2012 (LEAP DAY).  More details about the Polka Party can be found after the pairings.

The next segment was written by Jim “Bocky” Barnes.

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Pretty Things' Jack d'Or

Jack D’Or, a 6.5% Saisaon American paired with Manfred Mann’s “My Name is Jack.”
The image of Jack D’Or on the label shows a mustachioed, mournful grain of malt standing in a wooden mashtun conjuring himself into the beer-a sad, yet hopeful tale. The musical pairing is Manfred Mann’s ‘My Name is Jack’ a whimsical song about an orphan named Jack’s day to day life in an orphanage and whimsical tales of the other orphans there. I often picture Jack with all the other grains in those 55lb. grain sacks and wonder what they all talk and think about-much like the song.

(Buy Manfred Mann’s World of Mann. )

Pretty Things' St. Botolphs' Town

St. Botolph’s Town, 5.9% English Brown paired with The Clash’s “Magnificent Seven.”
A malty, brown ale that takes it’s inspiration from North Yorkshire UK-think Theakston’s ‘Old Perculiar’ or Sam Smith’s Yorkshire Stingo’. It’s got a hearty malt body with a clean, drinkable finish. The musical pairing to this is ‘Magnificent Seven’ by The Clash. It’s more in the sounds the song delivers, a nod to the NYC Post Disco-Punk Funk-No Wave movement during the early eighties. It’s an infectious, base-heavy track that has comforting groove whether you’re walking along the Bowery lamenting the days before boutique hotels and tiny dogs that anyone’s cat could beat the crap out of. Or it’s perfectly welcome on the sound system of any bar you may be sipping this beverage in.

(Buy The Clash’s Sandinista)

Pretty Things' Lovely Saint Winefride

Lovely St. Winefride,7% Our Late Winter Seasonal Dark Lager paired with Carol Rich’s “Computered Love.”
This is another malty dark delight that takes its unique roasted flavour from a process in the mashing process called decoction where we took a portion of the mash and boiled it at 212 for 15 minutes. Trust us, boiling a mash is rare. St. Winefride’s story is a sad, yet, again a hopeful tale of a Welsh saint that gets beheaded for spurnig a suiter’s marriage proposal. But then her uncle a preacher that discovered this re-attaches her head bringing her back to life. The song paired with this has nothing to do with headless saints or decoction during mash. But it’s the melancholic sound and melody that strikes me as representing the beer and the story behind it..There’s even a saintly choral feel to the chorus.

Barbar’s Adagio for Strings was used in a video we made announcing the beer’s release and also aptly represents the melodrama of St. Winefride.

(Purchase it here.)

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Pretty Things Polka Party at Brouwerij Lane

As mentioned at the top of this post Jim “Bocky” Barnes will be spinning music at Brouwerij Lane this coming Wednesday, February 29th, from 6:30-10:30pm for the Pretty Things Polka Party!  Brouwerij Lane is one of my personal favorite beer spots in New York City, and while I’m not sure how much actual polka will be played I can guarantee that Jim’s musical tastes are superb. I honestly was kind of blown away by the Carol Rich pick for Lovely Saint Winefrede.  That selection alone makes me think that Wednesday night will not only be a wonderful night for beer, but music as well.

Jim can be found slinging Prettying Things and spinning wax at these places too:

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project can be followed in these places:
- on the web
- Nation Wide @PrettyBeer and Jim in NYC @PrettyBeerNYC
- Pretty Things Beer can currently be found in MA, RI, NY, and PA.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Gudmundsson.

Charlotte is going to be collaborating with Brooklyn Fork and Spoon, along with several other artists, at the beginning of March to throw the Brooklyn Fork and Spoon One Year Anniversary Party!  Brooklyn Fork and Spoon is a vegetarian supper club based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  On Thursday, March 1st, Brooklyn Fork and Spoon will throw their Anniversary Party at New York City’s best beer and wine bar, the Diamond in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

Charlotte took some time to talk to me about her life, food, and a little bit about Brooklyn Fork and Spoon too!  More details about Charlotte’s work and the party can be found after the interview.

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Where did you grow up and spend your formative years?  How have those experiences affected your love for food?

My childhood was a fairly unconventional one. My mother is Swedish and my father is from Iceland, but since we speak Swedish at home, that’s what I identify myself as, even though I was born in northern California. Since then, I’ve lived in 7 more countries, moving every two or three years because of my dad’s job as an engineer working for a Swiss company. As a result I was exposed to a wide variety of exotic foods from a young age – after moving from CA when I was four years old, we moved to Turkey, which in my opinion has one of the most incredible cuisines.

In your opinion, what makes Turkish food so wonderful?

The amazing thing was how seasonally dependent cooking is there. In late summer for example, cherries are incorporated into EVERYTHING – cherry juice (vishnu), fresh cherries in salads, and my favorite, which was a delicious cherry sauce/compote that was poured over every kind of kebab you could get in a local restaurant – Doner, Adana, Iskender.

Did any other cuisines have as much of an influence on your tastes as Turkish food?  

Later, we moved to South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Syria, Sweden, Sri Lanka, then Sweden again, before I moved to Paris for my first two years of college. Of all these places, Turkish and Syrian food was always what stuck with me, because of the complex spices used that weren’t necessarily spicy – just wonderfully aromatic. It was the same thing in Syria with seasonal influences in the food. There it was the pomegranates I remember – they would sprinkle pomegranate seeds on everything and on top of all the small meze plates – tabouleh, kibbeh (which is a spicy ground beef, either served raw kind of like hummos or fried in balls), or also on kebabs.

Did you think about the foods you were experiencing as a child like this when you were young?  Were you into the variety of food that you were exposed to, or were you a picky eater?  

The funny thing is that it’s only in hindsight that I appreciate all this variety in food I was exposed to. Living abroad as a child I had a picture that swedish foods like Polar Bread, cheese and Ballerina cookies were the best thing ever, or american fast food. When we lived in Bangkok Thailand, my twin sister Amanda and I would beg my parents to take me to american fast food places like Domino’s, Taco Bell or Wendy’s, places I wouldn’t even dream of going to now when I actually live in the USA. When my older sister came to visit us in Thailand on school leave from Switzerland, she would bring us Kinder chocolates that the 11-year old Amanda and I would reverently share, rationing out a tiny square each day and enjoy solemnly together.

When did you move to New York City?  

I’ve lived in New York for four years, and I have loved every minute of it. It’s really a unique place in the world because of the immense patchwork of communities and cultures it’s made up of, that coexist peacefully. With my unconventional background, I feel at home here more that I’ve felt at home anywhere else – even Sweden, where people are always quick to point out that I speak with a slight accent. Where else can you find a place like B&H Dairy, a kosher vegetarian diner from the 1940′s (on 2nd ave just south of St. Marks in East Village), with an Egyptian guy as the main cook, making pierogis and borscht? It’s the proverbial melting pot.

Do you have any dietary restrictions that have reared your eating habits? 

One thing that has shaped my relationship with food immensely is the fact that I was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at age 14. I went to a nutritionist regularly for a year, learning how to cook well-balanced meals and how to cut out unnecessary sugars and fats out of my diet. Yet even so, it hasn’t stopped me from enjoying sweets on occasion – I just make sure to be moderate with my intake. I think that food should always be enjoyed, and not be fussed over too much either.

Do you cook at home often? Has the exposure of so many types of food in your childhood spilled over into your own kitchen?  

I do cook and bake at home quite a bit – I often make salads with some sort of grain like quinoa or rice to go with it, or maybe a veggie stir-fry. Even though I eat meat, I definitely don’t cook a lot of it at home. I also love making big brunch breakfasts, with minty fruit salads, omelettes and scones. I think middle eastern food has left me with some habits in my cooking. I put plain yoghurt on everything, and I always add about 3 more cloves of garlic than it seems necessary to any recipe calling for it. I also love parsley and za’atar, which is this dry spice blend of a middle eastern herb similar to oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. You just mix it with some olive oil and spread it on a pita – it makes a great snack.

Scones are delicious!  What are some of your favorite combinations?

I love baking scones, it’s so easy to make and easy to vary! I much prefer savory scones over sweet ones.  sometimes I make them with cornmeal and cheese, or fresh rosemary and sea salt sprinkled on top.

I love za’atar, but I don’t have a reliable place to get it.  Where can you find it in New York?

There’s a store called Kalustyan’s, 123 Lexington Ave (between 28th st and 29th st) where I get things like za’atar. It’s a bit of a trek to get there, but it’s definitely worth it – they have a fantastic selection of middle eastern condiments and spices.

If you do eat out what are your favorite spots? What do you order? 

Some of my favorite spots to eat in New York are definitely B&H Diner, which I already mentioned. I pretty much always order the feta and spinach omelette or their Borscht, and I always make sure to get some slices of their heavenly buttered challa bread, baked in-house all the time. It’s really some of the best bread I’ve had – and I’m a complete bread addict.  Another favorite for brunch is the Lodge on Grand st. and Havemeyer in Williamsburg – I love love love the chorizo corncakes, and the egg sandwich for $8 is a pretty great price – it’s also super delicious! Also, they you can’t really beat their 2-for-1 mimosas or bloody marys. Lastly, if I really want a treat, Blue Stove bakery on Graham ave and Withers St. in Williamsburg has the best muffins I’ve ever tried – blueberry buttermilk, or if you want something savory, the cheddar bacon corn muffins are incredible.

Have you eaten any adventurous foods lately?

I think one of the most adventurous things I’ve ever tried (although it wasn’t that recent I’m afraid)  was with my Icelandic grandfather on 23rd of December a couple of years back. Traditionally on that day in Iceland, you eat fermented Skate, which is a type of sting ray. It’s probably one of the most foul things I’ve ever eaten – imagine a white goopy slimy mess that smells like pee, and on top of that you pour melted sheeps fat as a sauce. The worst part was that it was alkaline, so eating it gave you the same sensation as when you eat too much wasabi – a burning sensation in your nose. My grandfather just laughed at me when I complained and told me it was good for colds and runny noses.

You are going to be collaborating with Brooklyn Fork and Spoon for their upcoming Anniversary Party.  How did you get involved with the supper club?  What will be involved in your collaboration? 

I actually met Mardi from Brooklyn Fork and Spoon at my current job, where I’ve been working as a graphic designer for almost two years. I’ve gone twice to their dinners and loved it! My boyfriend keeps bugging me each month to bug Mardi to see if there are any spots available in the next supper. I became involved with Fork and Spoon’s Anniversary Party because Mardi asked me if I wanted to exhibit some of my work. Of course I jumped at the idea, and I’m very excited to work with them. I’m going to put up something crazy and concentrated into a small format – there won’t be too much space I can fill with stuff!

Do you feel that food has an influence on you as an artist? 

In a more abstract sense my approach to food is similar to my approach to art. I like to try new things and I’m not really afraid of failing or messing up or not liking it – you don’t know if something will work unless you try it!

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Photo courtesy of Elion Paz.

Charlotte Gudmundsson’s art along with pieces by Mia Berg, Well & Often, and Caycee Black will be on display at The Diamond for Brooklyn Fork and Spoon’s Anniversary Party on Thursday, March 1st.  The Party is free.  Drinks will be available for purchase at the bar, and small bites of food will be available prepared by Brooklyn Fork and Spoon.  It will be an opportunity for the supper club to say thank you to their guests, and give people who have attended their dinners a chance to mingle.  Everyone is welcome! If you haven’t attending a supper yet, stop by get some information, have a drink, and meet the people that are involved and the some of the people who have enjoyed their wonderful food.  Both New York locals, and people from all around the world have attended Brooklyn Ford and Spoons’ dinners so it is sure to be a great evening of conversation.

More info on the event can be found at Brooklyn Fork and Spoon’s website, and you can RSVP on facebook.

9-layer screenprint by Charlotte Gudmundsson

The photo at the top of this post is a picture of Charlotte working on a mural at the St. Nick’s Alliance building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in collaboration with Amplify Brooklyn.  This mural is located at the corner of Kingsland and Conselyea.  Directly above is a 9-layer screenprint that Charlotte did depicting trolls in their natural habitat, the snowy pine forests of scandinavia.

Keep up with Charlotte and all of her projects through these sites:

- Charlotte Gudmundsson’s Illustrations
- flickr
- her online gallery.
- and soon her website.