Food - Shrimp Boil and Raw Oysters

In celebration of Mardi Gras, the Lady of the Manor and I wanted to go to the Sazerac, one of the Prairie Capital's fine restaurants, but we were dismayed to find it closed.

This made us sad.

Word on the street is that they are temporarily closed in preparation for a move to a better location.  I hope that is right, 'cause, let me tell you, the food there is wonderful.

Instead, we decided to make our own feast and went to Robert's Seafood.

While there, we got a pound of shrimp and two large oysters, along with seasoning and riesling wine.

First up, the oysters.

We had them raw and I quickly learned that they are an "acquired" taste.

Next, the shrimp.

Begin boiling enough water to cover the shrimp.

Pour in a generous helping of seasoning.  We used Soileau's (Facebook page link here), a local seasoning company's mix, which is very tasty.

Once the water begins boiling, dump the shrimp in and let boil for about five minutes.  The guy at Robert's suggested that we watch for them to curl up a little and then take them off the heat.

Allow them to sit for about 20 minutes in the water/seasoning mix and eat.

Little hint, peel and de-vein before cooking.  It'll make things much easier.

Great Find - 5 Record Set of Louisiana Cajun Music

Here in the Prairie Capital, if you are looking for good obscure vinyl, you go to Recycled Records.

When you first walk in the door, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the artifacts and ephemera contained in the store.

But, if you go to the back and look up, you will see a sign that states....

"Stairway to Heaven"

Don't be scared of the rickety staircase and go on up to find one of the biggest vinyl collections on the prairie.

It was there that, recently, I came across this five record set of historic cajun tunes.

5 record set of "Louisiana Cajun Music"
from Old-Timey Records
purchased at Recycled Records in Springfield, Illinois

With great tunes from legends such as Joe Falcon, Cleoma Breaux, Harry Choates and the Hackberry Ramblers, this definitely qualifies as a great find.

A recipe for Absinthe (the traditional way)

Absinthe....

It has fascinated folks for many years.  

In America, it was illegal (as are so many great things) until sometime in the mid-2000's.

Anyway, enough of that, here's how you do it....

First you have to obtain a bottle of absinthe.  My favorite is Lucid and can be found at many of your friendly neighborhood liquor stores for around $60.

Second, you have to have the correct spoon.  It should be slotted and able to balance on the lip of the glass.

Third, you get some sugar cubes.

Now that your tools are ready, pour a shot of the absinthe into the glass.

Balance the spoon on the lip of the glass and balance your sugar cubes atop the spoon.  

Many mixes call for one sugar cube, but I put in two.  (I like it sweet.)

Begin a slow drip/pour of ice cold water (I mix mine at a ratio of about 3 parts water to 1 part absinthe) over the sugar and into the glass.

You will notice your drink taking on a hazy greenish color.  This is normal.

Once the sugar cubes dissolve, allow your drink to breathe for a moment.  This will help stir up all the good flavors.

Finish pouring your water in and enjoy!

Movie Night - Black Orpheus

Breno Mello as Orpheus and
Marpessa Dawn as Eurydice

This 1959 film, a retelling of the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice, is a delight to watch.

Full of vibrant colors, infectious music (by Antonio Carlos Jobim) and enough energy to power a small city, the film tells the tale of Orpheus, a streetcar driver by day and a musician by night.  

On the eve of Carnival, Orpheus, along with Mira, his fiancee, decide to get a marriage license, but, just before they go to get it, Orpheus runs into Eurydice, a beautiful young woman who has run away from her home to escape a mysterious man dressed up as Death.

As the Carnival ramps up and the sambas begin, Orpheus and Eurydice have to run from not only Death, but Mira who now understands that Orpheus has fallen out of love with her and in love with Eurydice.

A winner of the 1959 Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as an Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA winner, Black Orpheus is a wonderful movie with a wide range of emotions.

Check it out!!! (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)

Playlist for March 4th, 2011

Who wants beads?

This March, we are blessed with two bastardized American holidays.

First up, Mardi Gras, (also known as Carnival).

We have taken what is essentially a religious holiday and infused it with an all-out party spirit that everyone can enjoy, regardless of religious affiliation (or lack thereof).

While, here in America, New Orleans and surrounding areas are synonymous with Mardi Gras, celebrations happen all over the country.

Outside of America, the celebration is known as Carnival and, in recognition of that, I have included samba, mambo and calypso music in a list that's heavy on New Orleans and Louisiana tunes by greats such as Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Champion Jack Dupree and Jerry Lee Lewis (among others).



Enjoy with good food, good drink and good company!

Playlist for February 25th, 2011

If you haven't noticed, I like not only music, but movies as well.

Cinema has the ability to tell stories in a completely different way from other mediums.

Not always a better way, but a different way.

Another great thing about film is the music.

I have learned about many artists, present and past, through movies.

Our playlist this week contains music from some of the movies I have enjoyed over the years.

Some of the tunes were created for the movies they are associated with and some are originals made years before being put into a film.

They are not necessarily my favorite movies, mind you (and some of the movies I didn't like), but the music...that's a different story.



Enjoy!

Playlist for February 18th, 2011

Auto race; circa 1920's

Out here on the prairie, the cold, dreary winter weather has broken (for the time being) and has graced us with sun and mild temperatures.

When the weather starts getting nicer, it makes me think of gardening, barbecuing and getting outdoors.

But first things first...

My poor car (a 2008 black Volkswagen Beetle named Bert) has been in dire need of a good cleaning and some general maintenance since October.

This weekend, I'm workin' on the car and maybe even taking a little joy ride, so I'm gonna need some good tunes.

This week, we have lots of songs dealing with cars, roads and driving.



Enjoy!!!

Movie Night - 100 Rifles

Jim Brown, Burt Reynolds (with a horrible fake moustache)
and Raquel Welch in 100 Rifles

Opening with the prelude to an execution and ending with a battle involving Yaqui Indians, WWI-era German officers and Jim Brown (former Cleveland Brown and all-around Renaissance Man), the film 100 Rifles involves stolen money, illicitly purchased firearms and a counter-culture sensibility that bleeds through.

Brown stars as Lyedecker, a sheriff from Arizona sent to track down Yaqui Joe (Reynolds), who has stolen $6000 from a bank in Phoenix in order to procure guns for the native Mexicans fighting against the "federales".  Welch portrays Sarita, a local who cares about the native cause and fights with everything she has.

Not a great film, but not a bad one either, you should....

Check it out!  (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)

Playlist for February 11th, 2011

I procured this graphic from the Internet.
I don't know who originally did it, but if you know,
fill me in and I'll properly credit.

No theme this week...just good tunes.

A mix of rockabilly, R & B, surf, psychedelia and blues are here for your enjoyment.

Remember to tell your friends and acquaintances about the blog and help spread the word.



Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Playlist for February 4th, 2011

THERE ARE SOME SELECTIONS IN THIS WEEKS PLAYLIST THAT INCLUDE ADULT LANGUAGE!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Lux Interior, vocals
Poison Ivy Rorschach, guitar

So, as the blog progresses, I will periodically put out a list as a tribute to an artist or group that I greatly admire.

This weeks list is just that.

On February 4th, 2009, the musical world lost a great artist, Lux Interior, the lead vocalist of the Cramps, who died of an aortic dissection.

The Cramps were a band that mixed good ol' rock 'n' roll with a love of monster movies, trash culture and things that are so wrong, they are good.

Over the course of their 3 decades, the Cramps, with their core of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach, helped bring the music world a vision of delinquency, political incorrectness and good times for all to enjoy.

Many great artists were a part of the Cramps galaxy, including Kid Congo Powers from the Gun Club and Jim Sclavunos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (who has been described as an "infamous elegant degenerate").

With their sound firmly rooted in blues and rockabilly, the Cramps have performed many great covers over the years and, one day, I'll begin a series of "songs the Cramps taught us" (a phrase that not only plays on the Cramps album "Songs the Lord Taught Us", but is also the name of a great series of albums)

As a side note, if you want to see something beyond description, check out the Cramps Live at the Napa State Mental Hospital, a live show the band actually held and recorded at the Napa State Mental Hospital in California in 1980.

Crazy, man, crazy!!!

This week's list includes tunes from many of their albums along with a few live recordings.

Enjoy!