Foodies

[scotchandcigar]

It surprises me how 'south' NH can be at times, especially the further north you go. You'd swear you were in Alabama if it weren't for the 2 feet of snow.

I wish I could post the video here that I put on Facebook back then. The neighbor was an accomplished bluegrass musician, and for his 50th birthday, he had at least 8 other musicians join him. Fiddles, guitars, washboards, stand-up bass, mandolin, banjo, the whole nine yards. They all alternated singing and playing, and the whole thing was unrehearsed but ran like clockwork. It was fantastic.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Through the magic of the internet, here it is!

 

[Aaron]

Yes, paella is similar to jambalaya, just different spice blends and proteins usually.

The food culture is pervasive here, not just restaurants, people here tend to learn how to cook early on.

When my Cajun brethren get back from vacation, I’ll often hear them say they went to some great restaurants but the food was ‘bland’. Most other things will seem bland when you’ve grown up on Cajun cuisine

 

[scotchandcigar]

I almost forgot, here's the paella that was served at the party in the above video

 

[sadchild]

Through the magic of the internet, here it is!

Nice!

That is the polar opposite of me musically. And I don't just mean the genre. They can all just jam along with no direction because they know their shit. I can only play what I've written and can't improvise one iota. "Mark, this is in B flat." "Ok, I'll B quiet."

 

[scotchandcigar]

Nice!

That is the polar opposite of me musically. And I don't just mean the genre. They can all just jam along with no direction because they know their shit.

That's right. They all play in different bands (or just play for fun), but they can show-up and just join in. They did this for hours. And the guitar guy would switch to bass, or fiddle girl would play mandolin. They'd switch singers too. It's like instinct.

 

[HecticArt]

I almost forgot, here's the paella that was served at the party in the above video

View attachment 9492

If you've got a pan like that, you sure as hell are making some paella!

 

[HecticArt]

Nice!

That is the polar opposite of me musically. And I don't just mean the genre. They can all just jam along with no direction because they know their shit. I can only play what I've written and can't improvise one iota. "Mark, this is in B flat." "Ok, I'll B quiet."

I can't get into the country side of it, but it's damn fun to watch bluegrass getting played live. Amazing musicians.
I'm not much for improvising either. but once and a while I can step out and go off-script for a while. Sometimes I can keep up with the song and sometimes I get lost and it ends in flames. When I CAN keep up with the song while improvising, the other difficulty is that the guys I play with can't figure out how to bring the song back around to resolve the improve back to the structured. (The rhythm guys have to be as good at improvising as the lead guys.) For as bad as we are, it's best that we stick to the script. That's why we're better off playing covers. I've written the beginnings of some original songs, but don't know enough to know how to finish them. I started one last night that had a good hook, but it'll probable end up collecting dust like the others.

I've got a lot of respect for the bluegrass guys that can rip it and keep it together.

 

[sadchild]

The closest I get to improv is just jamming with the drummer and sometimes the other guitarist, just winging it to discover new beats and riffs. But it's painful for people to listen to because I'm flubbing all over the place trying to find something I like.

I've written the beginnings of some original songs, but don't know enough to know how to finish them.

With my band in a holding pattern (since our singer had to move to Arizona to follow her military husband) I plan on setting up a PC in my basement next to my drums and collab'ing with various people who've wanted to write with me over the years. Once I get it set up, feel free to start sending me your incomplete stuff and if any of it inspires me, I'll add some options to them!

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The closest I get to improv is just jamming with the drummer and sometimes the other guitarist, just winging it to discover new beats and riffs. But it's painful for people to listen to because I'm flubbing all over the place trying to find something I like.


With my band in a holding pattern (since our singer had to move to Arizona to follow her military husband) I plan on setting up a PC in my basement next to my drums and collab'ing with various people who've wanted to write with me over the years. Once I get it set up, feel free to start sending me your incomplete stuff and if any of it inspires me, I'll add some options to them!

I can see you guys in DRC court for royalties in a couple years.

 

[scotchandcigar]

I can see you guys in DRC court for royalties in a couple years.

The question is: which one is Hall, and which is Oates?

 

[HecticArt]

I can see you guys in DRC court for splitting the debt in a couple years.

FIFY

 

[HecticArt]

The question is: which one is Hall, and which is Oates?

Which one of us can grow a fro?

 

[sadchild]

..and let a big brown caterpillar live on our upper lip.

 

[scotchandcigar]

If you've got a pan like that, you sure as hell are making some paella!

I forgot to mention they had 2 of those pans going at the same time. It was quite the block party.

 

[Aaron]

First boiled crawfish of the season, about 2 months later than normal.

Price is usually around $4 a pound, it’s currently around $9 to $10 a pound, thanks to the severe lack of rain we had in 2023. Prices expected to become closer to normal in the next few weeks.

 

[HecticArt]

Yum!!!! I did the big crawfish boil and a dozen oysters at Acme when we went there in 2002 or 3. Kind of a touristy spot, but it was good.

 

[sadchild]

Once I get it set up, feel free to start sending me your incomplete stuff and if any of it inspires me, I'll add some options to them!

I'm all set up! If you have unfinished songs you're stuck on, send 'em my way: sadchild at gmail dot therestyouknow

 

[HecticArt]

Cool. Thanks.
I've had more progress, just not a lot of time lately.

This may be the closest I've gotten to finishing something.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Over the weekend, Mrs. Scotch's wealthy but difficult clients arranged for us to be treated to dinner at one of Ogunquit's nicest restaurants, Northern Union. We've tried to go there twice in the past, and could never get in. But this time, their personal connections with the owners, chef, and staff guaranteed we could walk right in and be seated at the best table.

While we didn't go nuts with food and drink, we did get about all the courses available. I started with a specialty cocktail, and they brought us focaccia and dipping oil. The appetizers included oysters, warm bread with seaweed butter, and spinach salad. The Mrs. ordered the salmon with farro, and I got the halibut with prosciutto di Parma and artichoke, paired with a recommended wine.


We finished with flourless chocolate cake, and an outrageously good Irish coffee for me, while the Mrs. had a French press. It was an odd feeling to not be concerned with prices, and to just get up and leave when we were done. Of course we asked (it was "all-set"), and said good-bye to the staff. I'd like to go back there some time, "under my own power", so to speak.