Tag: food

The Shift List – Matt Orlando (Amass, noma, Per Se) – Copenhagen

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Chef Matt Orlando’s Amass Restaurant in Copenhagen is a fine dining establishment located in a sprawling industrial warehouse covered in graffiti that proudly blasts obscure and sometimes aggressive hip hop. His Shift List includes Bay Area hip hop legends Hieroglyphics, plenty of Wu Tang Clan, and Scottish reggae music to round it all out.

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Matt Orlando is the head chef and founder of Amass restaurant in Copenhagen’s Refshalevej neighborhood, a somewhat secluded post industrial part of the city that you can choose to arrive to by public ferry.

Orlando opened Amass in 2013, which is a relatively short distance from both locations of Noma, where Orlando previously worked.

It turns out he actually spent two periods at Noma. His first post was sous chef in the mid 2000s, but he departed briefly for New York with his wife – who’s Danish – to take an opportunity as Sous Chef at Thomas Keller’s Per Se. Longing to return to Denmark, he got a call from Rene Redzepi after a couple of years in New York asking him to serve as NOMA’s first executive chef, a post he accepted and kept for three years prior to leaving to start his own restaurant down the street, an endeavor Redzepi was characteristically enthusiastic and encouraging of.

The result was Amass, a fine dining establishment located in a sprawling industrial warehouse covered in curated grafiti and proudly blasting often obscure and sometimes aggressive hip hop.

The juxtaposed restaurant is an extension of the chef himself, a San Diego native who grew up skateboarding and skiing amidst the graffiti’d culture of bay area hip hop legends Hieroglyphics before taking up a distinguished career in fine dining.

Chef Matt’s Shift List
Hieroglyphics – “You Never Knew”
A$AP Mob Feat. Wiz Khalifa – “Molly”
GZA – “When The Fat Lady Sings (Madlib Remix)”
Mungo’s Hi-Fi – “Scrub a Dub Style (Prince Fatty Mix)
Gentlemen’s Dub Club – “High Grade”
Tool – “Sober”

Chef Matt’s Shit List
Rasmus Seebach – “Lidt I Fem”
Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”

Amass Restaurant: http://amassrestaurant.com
Amass Restaurant’s Spotify Playlists: https://spoti.fi/2Pa8q9w

Theme Song: Jamie Drake – “Wonder”

The Shift List – Philipp Inreiter – Copenhagen (Slurp Ramen, RELÆ, Noma)

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Old school and contemporary hip hop fills Chef Philipp Inreiter’s ramen shop in Copenhagen. Beastie Boys, Wu Tang Clan, Homeboy Sandman, Dead Prez – it’s all good at Slurp Ramen Joint.

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Philipp Inreiter opened Slurp Ramen Joint in 2017, a shop near Copenhagen’s city center that merges Japanese ramen with Danish design and ingredients.

Originally from Austria, Philip has worked in kitchens around the world, most notably getting his start at noma, which originally brought him to Copenhagen, and took a detour to work in Tokyo where he discovered his love for ramen while apprenticing at Konjiki Hototogisu, one of the best ramen shops in Japan.

He soon returned to Copenhagen and worked for a while at Chef Christian Puglisi at Relae, and opened Slurp Ramen soon after to fill what he considered to be a void on the wintry city’s culinary scene.

The result is an exceptional bowl of noodles, served in a relaxed, fun, and tight atmosphere, and going through the experience of opening his own restaurant has led Chef Philipp and his collaborators to start an entirely new project called Informal – a tech-forward company that aims to be the Airbnb of the food world.

Chef Philipp’s Shift List
Orgone – “Look-A Py Py”
Lana Del Rey – “Ultraviolence”
Beastie Boys – “Super Disco Breakin”
Homeboy Sandman – “The Carpenter”
Wu Tang Clan – “Protect Ya Neck”
Dead Prez – “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop (Hip-Hop Remix)”
Christina Aguilera feat. Missy Elliott – “Car Wash”
Robbie Williams – “Rock DJ”
Wa Dai Ko Matsuri Za (Japanese Drums) – “Kabuki Gomen-Jyo!”
Iron Maiden – “Aces High”

Slurp Ramen Joint: http://slurpramen.dk • Informal Foods: https://informal.com

Theme song: Jamie Drake – “Wonder”

The Shift List – Jonathan Tam – Copenhagen (RELÆ, noma)

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Chef Jonathan Tam begins his shift with Italian love songs (against his will), ends it with R. Kelly, and puts a permanent moratorium on Johnny Cash.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • STITCHER • MP3

Jonathan Tam was named executive chef at Copenhagen’s Restaurant Relæ in 2016.

Relæ was the first restaurant opened by Chef Christian Puglisi, and Tam’s been with him from the start.

Trained at a culinary school in his hometown of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, Jonathan, he landed an internship at NOMA in 2007 and has been in Copenhagen ever since.

His elevation to executive chef at Relæ was a natural progression, as he’s been creating menus at the restaurant with Puglisi from day one back in 2010.

Restaurant Relæ: http://www.restaurant-relae.dk • https://www.relae.community

Chef Jonathan’s Shift List
Andrea Bocelli – “Con Te Partiro”
Gali – “Zingarello”
Fleetwood Mac – “Everywhere”
Gang Starr – “Full Clip”
Duck Sauce – “Big Bad Wolf”
Johnny Cash – “Ring of Fire”
Hailu Mergia – “Sintayehu”
David McCallum – “The Edge”
R Kelly – “Ignition”
Gang Starr – “Mass Appeal”

Theme song: Jamie Drake – “Wonder”

The Shift List – Tom Harris – London (The Marskman, St. John)

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Chef Tom Harris explains what a proper English pub is, throws down some amazing jazz funk playlists (among others), and explains why recipes should be described in musical terms.

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The Marksman pub in East London has been around for over 150 years, exemplifying what a pub should be – cozy wood paneling, regulars that have been stopping in for decades, comforting food and quality local beer – English hospitality at it’s finest.

Chef Tom Harris took over the place with his co-founder and co-chef Jon Rotheram in 2015, and perhaps their greatest achievement, aside from being named Michelin’s pub of the year for 2017 (the first time a London pub was awarded the accolade), is that they kept the historic pub…a pub. 

They could have easily turned the space into a fine dining establishment only –  given that Chefs Tom and Jon met while running the St John Hotel restaurant together and worked previously at London’s legendary St John restaurant under head chef Fergus Henderson – but with the Marksman Public House, they managed to leave the bar downstairs relatively unchanged and converted the second floor into a stylish yet casual dining room to showcase their English cooking.

marksmanpublichouse.com

Chef Tom’s Shift List
Johnny “Hammond” Smith – “Shifting Gears”
Joubert Singers – “Stand on the Word”
Fela Kuti – “Mr. Follow Follow”
Idris Muhammad – “Piece of Mind”
Roy Ayers – “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”
Eddie Hazel – “California Dreamin’”
The Allman Brothers Band – “Blue Sky”
Moses Boyd – “Rye Lane Shuffle”
James Brown – “I Got The Feelin’”
Eek a Mouse – “Wa-Do-Dem”
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers – “You Don’t Love Me”
The English Beat – “Mirror in the Bathroom”
Charlie Parker – “Ko-Ko”
Neil Diamond – “Desiree”

Chef Tom’s Shit List
Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”

Theme song: Jamie Drake – “Wonder”

The Shift List – Rosio Sanchez – Copenhagen (Sanchez, Hija de Sanchez, noma)

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Chef Rosio Sanchez talks techno, salsa, disco, and why ranchera music is played in the restrooms at her Mexican bistro Sanchez.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • STITCHER • MP3

Rosio Sanchez is a Mexican-American chef from Chicago who’s now spent nearly a decade in Copenhagen.

Soon after working her first job at New York’s WD-50 with pastry chef Alex Stupak, she joined Rene Redzepi’s team at Noma, eventually becoming head pastry chef there while in her 20s.

After her time at NOMA, widely considered to be one of if not the best restaurant in the world, she struck out on her own to open a taqueria in Copenhagen – Hija de Sanchez – showing Denmark how delicious tacos made the right way—with fresh ground masa for tortillas imported from Oaxaca for starters – can really be.

In 2018 she launched Sanchez in Copenhagen, which she likes to describe as a Mexican Bistro, expanding the versatility of what Mexican food can be for the country of Denmark and beyond.

Rosio’s shift list includes techno, salsa, disco, and reveals who she’d most want to sing like if she wasn’t a chef (it’s Mariah Carey).

Chef Rosio Sanchez’s Shift List
Acid Polly – “I See a Darkness”
Cafe Tacvuba – “El Aparato”
Sister Sledge – “He’s the Greatest Dancer”
ABBA – “Dancing Queen”
Buena Vista Social Club – “De Camino a la Vereda”
Margarita y Su Sonora – “Mi Bom Bon”
Los Angeles Azules – “Mis Sentimientos”
Daft Punk – “Instant Crush”
Jenny and the Mexicats – “Verde Más Allá”
Rocio Durcal – “Me Gustas Mucho”
Selena – “Enamorada de Ti”
The Distillers – “Hall of Mirrors”
Mariah Carey – “Honey”

Hija de Sanchez
Sanchez

Traveler: Your Guide to Cumberland, MD

Posted on by Editor

Cumberland, Maryland, is a mountain town tucked into the base of the Appalachian Mountains. It earned the nickname “the Gateway to the West” because of its location as a jumping off point to the western United States during the Gold Rush. It’s an artsy town with a healthy dose of a small town feel. One of our favorite artists takes over this mountainside town for four days every May for DelFest, started in honor of and in conjunction with the great Del McCoury. (If you are reading this, you know who he is, so I’ll spare you the storied history about his bluegrass career.)

Getting There

Nestled along the Potomac River, Cumberland is located in western Maryland. It’s a stone’s throw from both Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and right around two hours from Baltimore, D.C. and Pittsburgh. Airport options include Reagan, Dulles, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. Amtrak also provides intercity service to Cumberland via the Capitol Limited rail line.

Where to Stay

If you’re attending DelFest, most people camp on the ample festival camping grounds or stay at area hotels. Airbnb and VRBO are also fruitful in the Cumberland area. If Cumberland is booked, try Lavelle or Frostburg for a short fest commute. Paw Paw is another town nearby which we know nothing about, but love the name. Please let us know if you visit.

What to Do

Allegany County Courthouse Tower. Photo credit: Preservation Maryland.

A mountain town at heart means trails on trails on trails are at your disposal in Cumberland. The Great Allegheny Passage is a seemingly daunting 135-mile hiking and biking trail connecting Cumberland with Duquesne, Pennsylvania. Hiking bits and pieces of the trail is perfectly acceptable, if you’re not up for the whole journey.

The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park boasts nearly 185 miles of biking and hiking trails with parks, camping, and historical structures along the way. Take the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad from Cumberland through the Allegheny Mountains for a fascinating adventure with mountain eye candy.

If you’re mainly a city dweller, Washington Street Historic District is a neighborhood in the southern part of the city which was once Fort Cumberland, serving as George Washington’s headquarters during the French and Indian Wars. It’s a playground for architecture and history nerds.

Yellow K Records

This rural town has a quaint arts and culture scene. The Cumberland Theatre is the town’s musical theatre go-to; Graphicus Atelier is a print-making studio and gallery dedicated to fine prints; and Dante’s hosts poetry slams. We’re also fans of Yellow K Records in downtown Frostburg for your new and used vinyl fix.

Eats & Drinks

Puccini’s Pizza

Puccini’s woodfired pizza is renowned in Cumberland, plus it’s in a converted Civil War hospital (which isn’t as creepy as it sounds).

El Jinte is an unsuspecting hole-in-the wall, serving affordable and authentic Mexican food. And Ristorante Ottaviani is another classic and fresh Italian spot offering wine tastings in town. For sushi, Thai, or Chinese, head to Jins Asian Cuisine and try their Shumai dumplings. For breakfast, head to Clatter Coffee in Frostburg for some of the best smoked trout around.

DelFest Tips

DelFest. Photo credit: Roli Breitenecker.

DelFest is held at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, nestled along the Potomac River. The festival celebrates the rich legacy of the McCoury family’s music, while helping fans discover new favorites. This isn’t a stuffy bluegrass festival, but instead one where you’ll see Del on stage with Trey Anastasio one hour and Junior Sisk the next.

Punch Brothers. Photo credit: Roli Breitenecker.

In its 11th year, the lineup is more bluegrass than it has been in a while. On Saturday night, they are even holding Bluegrass Congress (the most productive Congress we can think of …) with Sam Bush, David Grisman, Béla Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, Bryan Sutton, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas, and the Del McCoury Band holding court. DelFest is a jam band-influenced festival, so of course it has copious amounts of dancing, craft beer, and staying up into the wee hours of the night.

Lede image: The Great Allegheny Passage. Photo credit: Jbrown620 at English Wikipedia.

Traveler: Your Guide to San Antonio

Posted on by Editor

San Antonio is a multicultural city with a rich history and vibrant art culture. A museum goer’s dream, the second largest city in Texas is packed with evolving and impressive museums and galleries galore. San Antonio’s music scene attracts outlaws, the art scene attracts Picassos, and the culinary scene attracts Mexican food perfectionists. Plus, who wouldn’t want to go to the city which holds a world record in tamale making?

Getting There

River Walk at Dusk. Photo credit: Tim Thompson

Located in south central Texas, San Antonio is nearly nestled against the Mexican border. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is located northeast of San Antonio proper, offering plenty of nonstop flights in and out daily. If you want to tack onto a trip to Austin or Houston, San Antonio is a one- or three-hour drive, respectively.

Where to Stay

Inn on the River Walk

The Inn on the River Walk is a classic bed & breakfast, sprawling throughout three 1900s homes along the famous River Walk, while Hotel Havana is a boutique hotel overlooking the River Walk with a noteworthy bar called Ocho. There are plenty of affordable Airbnb options, too. Stick to looking in the downtown and River Walk areas, East San Antonio, Alamo Heights, and the King Williams Historic District for staying in lively areas.

The Hotel Emma

The Hotel Emma is a destination in and of itself because of its unique trappings and in-house upscale restaurants. It’s worth a meal just to peep the decor inside.

What to Do

McNay museum. 

San Antonio is museum central. Everything from Picassos to O’Keeffes reside in the McNay, a world-class modern art museum with more than 20,000 works. The Witte Museum is an interactive science-meets-nature-meets-culture experience, and the brand new DoSeum Children’s Museum features STEM-centric, hands-on exhibits for kids like Spy Academy and Sensations Studio.

Botanical Garden. Photo credit: visitsanantonio.com

Freshly renovated, the San Antonio Botanical Garden includes a family garden, Texas Native Trail, bird watching opportunities, and a tropics-heavy conservatory.

The Alamo. Photo credit: visitsanantonio.com

Though San Antonio is a history nerd’s playground, the Alamo is a given stop on any traveler’s itinerary. Originally established as a one of the early Spanish missions in Texas, the fortress has had many uses and is now preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s free and spans four acres, so it’ll take a few hours to cover the grounds. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is home to four of the city’s five Spanish missions — outposts that date back to the 17th century.

Under construction and opening in 2019 is Ruby City, a contemporary art center designed by Sir David Adjaye — the same architect who designed the Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

If you like your learning with a side of live music, check out Jazz, TX at Pearl, Paper Tiger, and Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion fest every March.

Eats & Drinks

Hotel Havana

With more than 1,000 Mexican restaurants, authentic Texas BBQ, and international cuisine from every corner of the world, San Antonio’s culinary scene is robust. The Pearl District and Southtown are restaurant-rich parts of town where you can point to pretty much any spot on the map and strike gold. Grab a drink at Ocho (in Hotel Havana), and you’ll be situated in a glass conservatory overlooking the River Walk sipping locally inspired cocktails.

The Esquire Tavern

The Esquire Tavern is a James Beard-nominated bar with the longest wooden bar top in Texas. Its vibe is informed by the year it opened — 1933. Don’t miss their smoky, chimichurri-doused chalupitas.

Breakfast options include Bakery Lorraine, which moved from the San Francisco area to the Pearl in San Antonio and offers renowned tarts and macaroons. Chef Johnny Hernandez is a local celeb and his Frutería-Botanero will prove why. This Southtown gem serves fresh-pressed juices and smoothies by day and transforms into a Mexican-style small plate bar by night. If you’re feeling a good ole’ American meal of BBQ & beer, hit up the Granary.

Luck Reunion Tips

Valerie June at Luck Reunion. Photo credit: Nathan Poppe

An hour-and-a-half north of San Antonio, musical outlaws gather every March among the fading movie set facades for a musical reunion. Luck Reunion was originally Willie Nelson’s brainchild, beginning on his ranch in Luck, Texas.

Sure, the Reunion’s lineup is stacked with big names, but the fest is equally as dedicated to encouraging music fans to experience rising acts who are doing it all on their own terms. The festival organizers program the early slots to be filled with the artists they believe will be the next crop of rogue music legends.

The Nelson family’s cardinal rule is “Don’t be an asshole,” and that rings true during the festival. Don’t take the historic property, the people you’re surrounded by, or the music for granted while you’re (literally) in Luck. And, no, that is not a skunk you smell.

Traveler: Your Guide to Bellevue, WA

Posted on by Editor

Bellevue, Washington, is a quick commute outside of Seattle and a gateway to the beauty of the Puget Sound region. With a compact and walkable downtown, Bellevue is a culture-filled day trip for when you have an extra day in the Seattle area or want to soak up a rich bluegrass fest. The 25-year-old Wintergrass Music Festival is a compelling reason to plan a trip to Bellevue every February, boasting OG bluegrassers like Del McCoury, the Seldom Scene, and Peter Rowan.

Getting There

Just nine miles south of Seattle, Bellevue offers a quick getaway from big city life. Take a half-hour bus ride or drive from Seattle to reach Bellevue. The Seattle-Tacoma airport is a 16-mile drive from Bellevue, making Bellevue and Seattle a convenient two-for-one trip. Once in Bellevue, you won’t need a car much because the city is quite walkable, unless you want to venture to nearby attractions.

Where to Stay

Wintergrass festival-goers will want to stay at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, since it’s centrally located downtown and close to the music. Silver Cloud Inn Bellevue is also walking distance to the festival and a more budget-friendly basecamp, offering discounts to Wintergrass attendees. For a more boutique hotel experience, the Europe-inspired AC Hotel’s design marries modern with classic, serving a hearty European-style breakfast each morning.

What to Do

Bellevue Arts Museum. Photo credit: Scott Harder.

The Bellevue Arts Museum is nationally renowned for their art, craft, and design. The museum started from an art fair in the 1940s and has become a staple in the city. During Wintergrass 2018, the museum welcomes a Pakistan-born artist named Humaira Abid, well-known for her symbolically rich wood sculptures and mini paintings.

Woodinville Wine Country. Photo credit: Novelty Hill Januik Winer.

Woodinville Wine Country’s climate is ripe for grapes, boasting more than 115 wineries and tasting rooms. It’s a quick drive from Bellevue into the scenic valley of Woodinville, and it’s not just for wine lovers: Their microbreweries, distilleries, cideries, and robust farm-to-table scene are all impressive.


Bellevue Skyline. Photo credit: Visit Bellevue Washington by Merrill Images.

Bellevue Downtown Park is a 21-acre green space in the heart of downtown along with Inspiration Playground. Pit stops at Third Culture Coffee, a globally influenced coffee and tea shop, are encouraged. Try their Mexican or Vietnamese Coffee.

The 36-acre Bellevue Botanical Garden is stunning, featuring a rhododendron glen, Japanese Yao garden, and a stone garden, plus admission is free.

We recommend the punny Puget Sounds record shop and Silver Platters for your vinyl fix. Bake’s Place is Bellevue’s answer to “dinner and a show,” and the Showbox hosts gigs by indie rockers to singer/songwriters to country artists and more.

Eats and Drinks

The Lakehouse Bellevue

Bellevue is quickly becoming a foodie hotspot, drawing award-winning talent to the scene, like James Beard Award winner Chef Jason Wilson’s the Lakehouse. Japonessa fuses Japanese and Latin American flavors and is known for their extensive happy hour and traditional sushi. Locals love Lot No. 3 where the cocktail and spirits program has been recognized as one of the strongest in the Puget Sound. For breakfast goods, head to Belle Pastry on Main Street for exceptional French croissants.

Wintergrass Tips

Wintergrass originated in Tacoma and has made its home Bellevue for nearly 10 years. Home to many IBMA- and Grammy Award-winning artists, the festival takes place in the Hyatt Hotel every February and offers 70+ performances throughout the weekend. Always have your instrument on you for the various, spontaneous jam session which break out at any given moment. Don’t overlook the educational component at this fest, because who knows when you’ll be able to learn to clog at a music festival.

Ballrooms and bars in the Hyatt are turned into venues, making seating at popular shows competitive. Don’t feel pressured to buy food and drinks at bars while watching shows, which has been a point of contention in the past. The festival is laid out nicely indoors — so you barely have to leave — and the surrounding restaurants are easily walkable.

Lede: Lede Photo courtesy of Visit Bellevue Washington, by Merrill Images

Traveler: Your Guide to 30A

Posted on by Editor

Named for the scenic stretch of highway running through the 16 beach towns in Florida along the Gulf of Mexico, 30A is a curated, Instagram-able beach experience. From the tower in Seaside to the monochromatic white buildings of Alys Beach, each part of 30A has an aesthetic which breaks the beach bum mold. Among them, Santa Rosa Beach is home to the renowned 30A Songwriters Festival every January.

Getting There

Located on the northwest gulf coast of Florida between Destin and Panama City, the 30A region is easy to reach. Between Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport (PNS), and Destin/Ft. Walton Beach Airport (VPS), plenty of nonstop flights to big cities are available to the area. While there, navigating by bike is the norm, but Uber and Lyft are available.

Where to Stay

30A stretches 50 miles along the Gulf of Mexico, offering plenty of accommodations — from beachside condos to full-blown resorts to Airbnbs. Resorts abound, but we recommend the Airbnb or VRBO approach. The Songwriters Festival is headquartered in Santa Rosa Beach, but Seaside, Seagrove, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Alys Beach are all close by. If you want to spring for the resort life, try the Pearl.

Must Sees

Central Square Records. Photo credit: Dawn Whitty

In addition to beach time, 30A’s laid-back towns have a lot to offer. In Seaside’s Central Square, Sundog Books and Central Square Records are a culture lover’s dream. A book/record store combo with recommendations by staff who have their finger on the pulse. Central Square also hosts in-store performances regularly and during the 30A Songwriters Festival. Seaside is also home to a variety of art galleries behind Central Square on DiBicci Park. Check out Red Bird Gallery and An Apartment in Paris.

Grayton Beach State Park. Photo credit: Pixabay

For the outdoorsy folks, Grayton Beach State Park has cabins to rent, plus a 4.5 mile hiking/biking loop alongside the Gulf of Mexico. The stand up paddleboard craze pretty much originated in this area, so finding a guide company is easy. Paddleboard in the bay, if you’re a first timer, and we recommend renting through YOLO.

Eats & Drinks

Photo credit: 732 Whiskey Bravo

Seaside is centrally located and packed with great restaurants and bars. Modica Market is a locally owned, old-school market with anything from ibuprofen to homemade cakes. Bud & Alley’s is quintessential 30A, where you can mingle with locals — it’s been around since the ’80s and, during sunset every day, restaurant goers guess the exact time the sun will set on a chalkboard and, if you guess the time correctly, you get a drink on the house. Vue on 30A is a fancy, beachfront dining spot in Santa Rosa Beach well known for brunch.

For rooftop drinks and poboys, head to 732 Whiskey Bravo — just off Central Square in Seaside. If you want a drink without having to rinse the sand off your feet, Red Bar is your best bet. They host live music often and serve killer crab claws and Bloody Marys. Trebeache’s illustrious 2-for-1 oyster happy hour is well-loved at this upscale Santa Rosa seafood haven.

30A Songwriters Festival Pro Tips

30A Songwriters Festival. Photo credit: Shelly Swanger

The 30A Songwriters Festival is a decentralized, discovery festival taking place up and down 30A in more than 25 venues, from intimate theaters to funky bars. It’s the type of festival where you might find Zac Brown wandering into a small restaurant to hop on stage for a few songs … unannounced. Shows take place in intimate venues which make you feel like your uncle is singing you tunes while explaining what inspired him to write them. Since there are more than 225 performances, strategies are encouraged.

Grand Boulevard Stage. Photo credit: Shelly Swanger

Familiarize yourself with the schedule and prioritize your top artists because lines can be long to get into popular shows. Get to smaller venues early for artists you’re dead-set on seeing. There are free shuttles running constantly to get you from venue to venue, which are helpful and reliable. For the bigger shows at Grand Boulevard, bring lawn chairs. It’s an outdoor/indoor festival in Florida in January, so the weather can be a crapshoot. Check the forecast, but concert goers are usually fine in shorts during the fest — a perk of Florida.

Lede photo credit: Visit South Walton

Ruby’s Pumpkin Soup Surprise

Posted on by Editor

There’s something to be said about pushing yourself to get out of a rut. Google the definition of the word. It states that a rut is a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change; it’s doing the same thing over and over again just because, then starting to believe that that’s somehow your life’s fate. You start to believe that status quo is the only quo to go. (I just looked up the definition of “quo” and, although slightly vague, I think it’s safe for me to use that word as part of the quip I just went for. Just pretend that I’m clever. Now let us proceed.)

I’ve had pumpkin soup … a lot. If I see it on a restaurant’s menu around this time of year, I’m gonna order it. I’ve even gone as far as to ask friends and family for their Halloween pumpkins, after they’re done using them for decor and tablescapes so that I can make pumpkin soup. If you must know, even this pumpkin in the picture came from a pumpkin I painted that sat outside our front door for the past month that I scrubbed the paint off of to be able to cook. Let it go; shame is wasted on me.

Even though I feel the need (and sometimes, the obsession) to eat pumpkin soup every single fall without fail, I’ve been recently unable to deny that it has started to feel like a mundane practice. See, what I had tried to make myself believe was that eating this soup in the same way every year was somehow a tradition. However, I’ve begun to realize that it’s actually a closed-minded perspective, in practice, with something that has the power to be so much greater. I haven’t changed my pumpkin soup recipe in the 12 years I’ve been making it. It’s pumpkin. It’s chicken broth. It’s cream. It’s salt and pepper. It’s good … but is it great? Should I try for great or is good … enough? These are things I ask myself about the food I make quite daily, not because I’m nuts (although …) but because food makes me think about what is infinitely possible.

If you think I’m really only talking about pumpkin soup, you’re missing the point. What’s the pumpkin soup in your life? Why have you not branched out? Do you fear change? Do you think you’re incapable of creating and/or experiencing something better? Are you just too lazy to try something new? Whatever the case may be, if you ever find yourself in a rut, consider the endless possibilities — some far simpler to achieve than you might expect. Try and change your way of thinking. It’s never too late to surprise yourself.

Ingredients

Soup
1 medium-sized pumpkin (2 cups cooked), seeds removed and cut into quarters
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 small yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
safflower oil
6 cardamom pods
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/3 tsp ground ginger or fresh
1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
2 cups water
1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Red Pepper Oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Garlic Chips
2 cloves garlic
brown sugar

Chives

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pumpkin, green apples, shallot, and onion onto large baking sheet. Drizzle with safflower oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Spread evenly and roast in oven for 20 minutes. If pumpkin meat is not yet tender, remove all of the other ingredients and place pumpkin back in the over for another 15-20 minutes. Let cool.

In the meantime, preheat stove top to medium-high heat and place cardamom pods, coriander, chili powder, and ginger in the base of a deep pot or dutch oven with 1 Tbsp safflower oil. Warm spices until cardamom pods are golden brown. Lower heat to medium-low and pour can of coconut milk into pot. Add water, chicken base and kosher salt. Whisk and simmer on low.

Place pumpkin, apples, shallot, and onion into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Some minimal texture is fine. Pour contents of blender into pot of coconut milk mixture and stir. Bring stove top temperature down to simmer.

Place crushed red pepper and olive oil into small sauce pot and place stove top on the lowest temperature. Steep red pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool and strain red pepper from the oil and place cooled oil into a squeeze bottle.

Preheat small sauce pot with 1/2 cup safflower oil to medium-high heat. Thinly slice 2 cloves of garlic. Place garlic into hot oil and fry for 30-60 seconds. Do not over-fry the garlic or it will be bitter. The garlic will continue to brown even after it comes out of the oil. Transfer garlic chips to a plate and sprinkle with brown sugar and kosher salt while still hot.

Garnish soup with a few drops of red pepper oil, chives, and garlic chips.