OK, so I'm not going to give you a cannibalistic recipe for "Soylent Green"...but I will tell you a bit about one of my favorite grind-sludge-metal bands, Soilent Green.
In 1988 from the depths of New Orleans, Louisiana, Soilent Green was born. They didn't, however, become known until the release of their first album in 1995, Pussysoul.
Their line-up consists of Ben Falgoust (vocals), Brian Patton (guitar), Tommy Buckley (drums), and Scott Crochet (bass). Crochet joined the band in 2004 after previous bassist Scott Williams was fatally shot by his roommate with a .38 caliber revolver.
Ben Falgoust's ravenous screams, immortal energy and sublime charisma make him one of my favorite front-men in heavy metal...don't even get me started on how he kicks it up to a whole different level in Goatwhore...but I'll talk about them some other time :)
I've had the brutal pleasure of seeing these guys play twice and both
times had the most epic "bang-overs" and hearing loss the next day!
My all-time favorite album would have to be their 2001 release, A Deleted Symphony For The Beaten Down. Here's the sixth track off that album called "Later Days"
Last night I had the pleasure of dining out at a quaint, cozy neighborhood restaurant, that for many years I have strolled by but for one reason or another, never actually explored.
The Whip Restaurant and Gallery with it's classic brick walls and rugged wood flooring gives it a warm and traditional style atmosphere. The bold and eclectic lighting compliments the architecture well and the close-together seating is intimately suggests European discernment.
On the walls, local artisans display their work, available for sale. January's featured artist is Luke Behrndt.
While the ambiance seems classic, the menu is clearly modern, fresh and very west coast. There's a variety of organic, vegetarian and vegan options which is no surprise due to the observation that The Whip's clientele is defined mostly by new-wave trend setters, hipsters, musicians and anyone who advocates "artsy" nature.
Upon being seated, my friend and I were greeted promptly and throughout our meals were attended to appropriately.
I say appropriately with conviction.
Have you ever been to a restaurant where you almost have to tackle your server to get their attention?
On the contrary, there's nothing worse than a server who clearly wants a big tip and tends to you so frequently that you can't even have a decent conversation without being interrupted every second sentence!
Back to the food...I enjoyed the "Organic Monterey Bacon Chicken Burger", served with a pile of crispy yam fries. I'm picky about yam fries, and I gotta say, these rocked! As for the burger, the chicken was juicy, the bacon crispy and the veggies, crisp and fresh, all stuffed inside a perfectly toasted kaiser. YUM. My friend had the Oven Roasted Lamb heaped on top of a thick wedge of toasted focaccia and drizzled with a scrumptious rosemary jus. FANTASTIC.
Their drink list is extensive, especially the beer. In 2007 The Whip partnered with R&B Microbrewery and hence every week offer a featured cask from a different BC brewer.
Inviting atmosphere, quality food, intriguing beer and local art. You can't go wrong. Oh, and did I mention the prices are reasonable?
Wow. The Whip gets my vote for sure. 5 " \m/ " for these guys!
Who isJerk?...An industrial nu-metal band from Sydney, Australia formed in 2000. They released a self-titled EP in 2001, but their only full length album was When Pure Is Defiled, released in 2003, one year before they broke up. In 2006, singer Johnathan Devoy reunited with former guitarist Charles Cilia and bassist Leeno Dee to form the band Ink.
Now I must say "nu-metal" is not really my favourite sub-genre due to the predominant emphasis on anger and severe emotional distress rather than melody and, in a lot of cases, actual musical talent!
I'll admit, I do have some guilty nu-metal pleasures such as Korn (pre-1999), System of a Down (when the mood strikes), Slipknot's Iowa and Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory...but that pretty much sums it up.
For some reason I thought of this song when I woke up this morning and it took me right back to high-school!
Jerk: My Friends All Lie
Now, for a delicious recipe that suites the mood...
Jerk Chicken (serves 4)
All my measurements are approximate, so feel free to tweek it to your liking.
3 tsp coriander
3 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chili flakes or cayenne pepper (I like hell-ish hot food, but if that's not your style you will want to decrease this measurement!)
2 cloves garlic, smashed, crushed...DECIMATED
4tsp ginger, fresh and just like the garlic, ANNIHILATE it
2 tbsp allspice
2 tsp KOSHER SALT (did you read my last post about SALT? DO IT!)
3 tbsp Jamaican rum
6 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup works too...)
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c parsley, fresh and chopped
4 pieces of chicken, can be bone-in, boneless skinless, if you're using drumsticks maybe use 8...you get the idea, just enough assorted chicken to feed 4 people!
1 lime
How to execute this recipe:
1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a skillet over medium heat and toast until aromatic, about 2 minutes...watch it carefully, continuously shaking the pan as you don't want them to burn!
Toasting spices brings out their natural oils and intensifies their flavour. I recommend that you toast whole spices and THEN grind them, but if all you have is your pre-ground dried spices in your spice rack then I suppose they will have to do.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and add the toasted spices. Stir well. The marinade should be a paste-like consistency.
3. Lather your chicken with the marinade and transfer to a large ziploc bag. Try to get as much air out of the bag as possible. You can marinate in the bowl or other container if you wish, but bags are always the most effective as they eliminate the amount of air around the product and "press" the marinade into your protein more effectively.
4. Let the chicken marinate for at least 5 hours, but I highly recommend leaving it overnight for maximum flavour absorption.
5. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
6. Place chicken on a baking sheet or uncovered casserole dish.
For boneless breasts bake for about 20 minutes.
For bone-in you're looking at closer to 35 minutes.
Alternatively, cooking on the BBQ will get you that nice blackened colour and smoky taste.
I suggest grilling boneless for about 5 minutes on each side, and bone-in for about 10-12 minutes each side depending on the size of the chicken.
To check if chicken (or any poultry) is cooked through just make sure the juices run clear and are not pink or bloody!
7. Squeeze the fresh lime juice over your cooked chicken and serve!
After posting my earlier "assault" that made me think about, well.....SALT!
Salt may seem unimportant to you, but the fact of the matter: it is important.
No kitchen is complete without salt.
Salt, as you probably already know is a mineral, so it's not really a seasoning in itself. The "definition" of a seasoning is an herb or spice, but salt is usually clumped in to the category as well.
However, I prefer to think of salt more as a flavouring; a flavour enhancer or intensifier. To season and to flavour are not the same thing...salt is added to seasonings to create flavour...follow me so far? For example if you add salt to something sweet, it will get sweeter. Salt can also reduce bitterness, draw out liquid and aid in the preservation of foods.
Let's talk types of salt...
Table Salt: A refined, bleached and usually iodized salt. Why is it iodized? In many countries, iodine deficiency is a major public health concern and can be cheaply addressed by iodisation of salt. Iodine deficiency affects about two billion people, worldwide and is a leading cause to mental disabilities. It can also cause thyroid gland problems. As far as taste goes though, it's nothing to phone home about.
Kosher Salt: A purified rock salt that contains no iodide or additives. The funny thing about kosher salt is that the salt itself is not actually what the term "kosher" is describing. Over the years, like many other words and phrases, it has been shortened...the correct term would be to call it kosheringsalt. According to the guidelines for kosher foods, nearly all salt is kosher, including ordinary table salt, so that would be a redundant adjective! It's rather descriptive of the fact that the salt is used to make meats kosher by removing surface blood. As written in the Torah, it is forbidden to consume blood, for it is believed that the life of the animal
(literally, the soul of the animal) is contained in the blood. Yikes!
Due to it's purity, kosher salt is ideal for preserving and pickling. The reason being, an iodized salt can be oxidized by the foods and darken them; a harmless but esthetically undesirable effect....imagine eating blackpickles! Also iodide and anti-caking agents will sometimes impart an "off" taste to preserved food.
I mentioned the reduction of bitterness earlier. If you enjoy eggplant I suggest sprinkling the cut slices with some kosher salt and letting them sit for about 15 minutes before giving them a quick rinse with cold water and then patting them dry so they are ready for preparation. Since kosher salt grains are coarse, their increased surface area allows them to draw out the bitter juices without dissolving and leaving you with super salty eggplant that will be inedible (so don't use table salt for this!).
Sea Salt: A salt obtained by the evaporation of seawater, go figure! It is usually used in gourmet cooking, and it can get quite pricey. You do get what you pay for though...sea salt promotes stability in metabolism and is also helpful in minimizing the effects of stress. It's also the most diabetic-friendly salt on the market. Oh, right, and it tastes great too!
Fleur de Sel: A delicate finishing salt used to lightly sprinkle over food seconds before consumption. It's that little extra touch that gives your dish that tantalizing little kick that your guest will love, but can't quite put their finger on why!
Rock Salt: Used on your driveway in the winter so your mail-carrier doesn't fall and break their hip! It's not edible...do not confuse this with coarse salt--which is edible and only refers to the size of the grain!
Black Salt: Contrary to it's name, black salt is actually more of a pinkish-gray colour. Traditionally it is used in
Indian dishes such as fruit salads, chutneys, and raitas. The flavour is
vaguely reminiscent of eggs and is sometimes used by vegans to add an eggy taste to
salads and tofu dishes. It is a salt mined from the
earth and should not be used as an all
purpose salt because of it's sulphuric flavour.
There are many other types and sub-varieties of salt, but unless you are willing to let me babble all night about salt, I'll call it quits with these more common varieties.
If you are more interested in salt, check out food writer Mark Bitterman's reference/ cookbook:
Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) and Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad), a pummeling duo from Oslo, Norway. Their first studio album in 1993 Dark Medieval Times was raw and unyielding and focused on their fascination with the Middle Ages. Although the medieval influence has always been a relevant theme in their music, Satyricon has manifested by experimenting with some industrial and straight up rock and roll inflections throughout the years.
This track: "Black Crow On A Tombstone" is taken from their 2008 album The Age of Nero. It's dark, aggressive and extremely catchy! Enjoy...
HAIL Disciples, and Welcome to the lair of The Gruesome Gourmet.
To give you a brief overview on what this blog will be directed at, let me tell you a bit about myself...
I am an avid chef, a heavy metal worshipper, and a general enthusiast in regards to blood, gore and utter chaos.
I will frequently be posting recipes >>HEADS UP, some of them are rather wild and unconventional, but tasty nonetheless! I will also be reviewing restaurants, expressing my view on food trends and including other culinary related anecdotes.
As far as as the music goes, I usually listen to whatever suits my current circumstance, mood, outlook, etc, so I will acquaint and educate you on the various artists who dwell in my extensive repertoire. It won't all be heavy metal, but brutality will outweigh civility by far, hah!
The gore is mostly my means of conveyance and a very general theme...From time to time I will reference various horror movies, zombies and I'm a Halloween MANIAC so October in it's entirety will be a blood-splattered butchery!
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned as I will be adding content frequently...if you have questions or comments feel free to contact me.
