All the books we own, both read and unread, are the fullest expression of self we have at our disposal. … But with each passing year, and with each whimsical purchase, our libraries become more and more able to articulate who we are, whether we read the books or not.
- Nick Hornby
Salad and Jazz are two things that are most often taken for granted but when done really really well can be transcendent. This past Saturday I had the totally unexpected pleasure to experience superb salad and jazz at the same time. Yeah, I am fully aware this is a strange combination of things to elicit excitement but it’s one of those thing you cannot anticipate until it happens – like the joy of eating gummy worms in the shower (try it and tell me you doesn’t make you smile).
We had spent Saturday wandering through Brooklyn with friends and by the end there were three of us left standing and we were hungry. So, we decided to head to Cubana Social for their masterful tipples and give their food a taste. As I mentioned this wasn’t a meal I was expecting to blow me away, I was simply following the collective tastebuds. After a brief stop at the bar while waiting to be seated we were shown to a table in the middle of the dining room. The CS space is incredibly well done, just enough design to establish a comfortable “lived-in” feel without looking hokey. The major bonus was even with the high ceilings and sparse decorations sound didn’t crash around; instead it maintained a slight hum that allowed for reasonable conversation without shouting.
Service was quick and kind, our appetizer – a pickle plate – was on the table in no time and within a few minutes of polishing off the very tasty selection of brined and pickled veggies out came our entrees. This is where the salad made its entrance. Originally the Summer Salad had called out to me for it’s use of chive (something I have tons of in my garden and need ideas for) but the beautiful plate that landed before showed off the absoute best of each ingredients. The combination of chive, purple cabbage, pea shoots and watercress with orange slices tossed with just enough vinaigrette to tie it all together was resplendent. All the factor were considered when putting this dish together the subtle flavor of the chive played well with the watercress and the orange added just the right amount of zip. The cabbage and peashoots provided a texture and body most often lacking in a salad. Bringing this all together in a reasonable serving and paired with one of Cubana Social’s brilliant cocktails (I highly recommend the Dill Paloma) would have been enough for me to leave with a happy tummy and praises on my lips. Then the jazz started.
The bartender had mentioned briefly that the bassist for the nights entertainment, the Devin Collins quartet, was the son of jazz great Jaco Pastorius, one of my favorite bass players of all time who passed away in 1987 so seeing him live isn’t really an option. Well, it turns out Jaco’s spirit is alive and well in the hands of his massively talented son Felix. The four fellas who took the stage Saturday night all possessed an enviable amount of talent. This was immediately apparent as they started playing. The mark of good jazz to me is performers who make music that is at once complicated, intriguing and familiar while also entirely comfortable and by this definition the set the Devin Collins quartet delivered this weekend was ace.
What began as an unassuming end to a wonderful day ended up being one of the best dining experiences I’ve had of late. I am eager to revisit the menu and music at Cubana Social again soon.
Cubana Social
70 North 6th Street • Brooklyn, NY 11211
One of my favorite parts of my job is the opportunity to do some recipe creation. Last week I was tinkering with the best ways to make sugared bacon – tough gig I know – and once I found my preferred method I began thinking of what else I could do with the sticky, salty, mapley bacon goodness that I had created. I really liked the idea of putting it in a baked good but didn’t want it to be too sweet or too buttery. I also thought a little toothiness would suit the presence of bacon so I decided to whip up a oatmeal cookie base to make a home for these bits of chopped bacon and to compliment the smokiness I included some dark chocolate chips. Continue Reading →
“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that.”
- Haruki Murikami
The Head & The Heart have been a slight obsession as of late. I initially heard them earlier this summer but it wasn’t until these last few months, as I have fallen back into my rabid music listening ways, that TH&TH began to resonate with me. So, I was delighted to find out they were coming through Philly as part of the Philly Film and Music Festival.
It seemed fitting to be seeing the Seattle six piece on an outdoor stage in the backyard of the Ukrainian Club – which I must say is a secret treasure tucked away in Northern Liberties – amongst food trucks and folks lounging on blankets. From the very top of their set it was apparent the group is at it’s core a jam band with the taut vocal harmonies of a folk group and the stage sensibilities of a indie rock group. Each of the ten tracks off of their recent self-titled release has a strong draw but when performed live you get a true grasp on the group’s soul as it’s infuses the performance. These six clearly enjoy the pieces crafted for them by Josiah Johnson and Jonathan Russel and the energy this releases was palpable from the audience. ”Ghosts” rolled out with a jazzy bounce with Kenny Hensley’s keys pushing it right along and Tyler Williams’ drums popped in the back. In fact, I admit that I hadn’t really noted the percussion from listening to the album but seeing them highlighted what the plucky and on point drummer brings tot he group.
The lone lady, Charity Rose Thielan was a real delight on the stage – her violin lines added a brilliance to songs like “Sounds Like Hallelujah” and were particularly awesome when she played them almost as vocal lines and not instrumental, standing toe-to-toe with Johnson and Russell’s lead vox. But it is when she takes to the mic for the leads as on “Rivers & Roads,” and her distinct voice is given room to shine, that you realize she is no one trick pony. I’d love to see her sing more lead in the future.
There were a few moments when I felt they got a little too comfortable with the harmonies and lost the depth and dynamism becoming slightly muddled. It was mostly during the start of the set but as they continued they kept picking up steam and the richness of their offerings were readily apparent. This is one group I will happily see again.
[MP3] Lost In My Mind
This is what a little indecision looks like. While listening to Needtobreathe’s new album The Reckoning yesterday I was inspired to make some comfort food. I have had two recipes on my “to do” list for a few weeks lately Snickerdoodle muffins and cinnamon sugar donut muffins. I couldn’t decide which to make so instead I opted to combine the two – take the fluffy body of the snickerdoodle and the sugary toothy crust of the cinnamon sugar donut. The results far exceeded my expectations. Continue Reading →
This is far from your typical “in studio” music video and I would expect nothing less from My Brightest Diamond. Backed by the the New York chamber ensemble yMusic and featuring dancer Jessica Dessner the video strikes an evocative and ethereal mood – a feeling that will be threaded throughout their new EP All Things Unwind, due out on October 18th on Asthmatic Kitty.
I love fall. I love the crispness of the colors, the cool air that greets me in the morning and numerous varieties of apples and squash that show up at the farmers market. But I really love it because it means the start of soup season; during which, at least once a week, I make a huge pot of soup and invite an assortment of characters over to feast. It’s one of my most favorite traditions because it gives me a good excuse to tinker with soup recipes and to gather people in my home. Continue Reading →
“In my world, everyone’s a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies!”
― Dr. Seuss
I don’t make carrot cake often; when I was baking professionally making carrot cake meant grating 5-10 lbs of carrots per batch so my shoulders automatically tense up when the thought of making it even crosses my mind. But, it’s my friend Miguel’s favorite and all he asked for for his 50th birthday. So, today I broke out my old recipe and got to work.
In the spirit of revisiting an old standard I figured I would drag out one of the playlists I created for the morning bake off. Because we worked in an open kitchen, so customers could watch us bakers hard at work, we weren’t able to pick the music we listened to while we labored away. This meant that during the 3.5 hours between our 4:30 am call time and the 8 am open we would blast our own playlists to keep us awake and rocking during the bake off. Luckily the three of us bakers had relatively similar tastes in music and were always bringing in different collections of music to entertain and inform each other. Sometimes it got really silly – like the mornings when we’d all sing along at the top of our lungs – others the music was a good distraction from a frustrating morning of burnt cake or failed croissants. But the power of a good kitchen soundtrack was never more apparent than during my time as a baker. The particular playlist I revisited was one I created early on and it’s real mixed bag but I figured I’d share just for a laugh. Continue Reading →
