The Delicious Miss Dahl on Escapism

It'd be rude not to review this episode of the Delicious Miss Dahl. Initial, one week, scepticism on the series was promptly washed away by episode two. Now we're over half way so may as well see it to the end. This week's escapism theme may seem a little bit ironic as it coincides so neatly with the abrupt standstill of all airline traffic. But what I find so many of the Delicious Miss Dahl episodes about are dreamscapes and ignoring real life for thirty minutes. The food this week is pushing me to the brink of having to buy the book. I can see myself having far too many cookery books which I mainly look at the pictures in so hopefully I will be fairly rational as to whether or not it would be a good buy.

Sophie Dahl is good egg. I think the food comes from good meaning and she can't help having travelled the world. Probably a few times over. Fortunate enough to be able to try and fail/quit/nonchalantly-move-on from many a glamorous endeavour like acting, modelling, writing etc. I've said it before, and probably will say it again, I like the kitchen of the delicious miss Dahl. It's kitchen aid and le creuset, sure, gastro porn enough, but it's also trinckets and treasures like retro floral stove-top espresso makers and tin bowls. Ebay here I come.

Yes, I realise it's probably a studio or not really hers, but like I say little details and reality don't fathom much with the delicious miss Dahl.
The music in the Delicious Miss Dahl on Escapism was true to form. Very apt. This week took on something of an ethereal theme in keeping with escapism, and mainly featured airy female singer-songwriter. I think this week wasn't as good as the past, and she missed a trick a bit but I still enjoyed it.

My favourite choice was Far Away by Ingrid Michaelson, perfectly summarising East Coast america as I'd imagine it. Yes a little bit Dawson's Creek, but guilty pleasures are surely what escapism is for. Escapism for me is as much the dreaming as the actual doing.

"I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay.
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea,
And close to my heart he'll always stay.
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life."

Sophie Dahl talked about Martha's Vineyard, quite probably the most bizarre place-name, but somehow it's a part of the world I'd like to go to along with Cape Cod, ever since my Grandma went and brought back pictures of auburn topped trees and rows upon rows of pumpkins.

Sophie cooked up some awesome looking New England-style clam chowder with crunchy thyme breadcrumbs.

Other music featured included Goldfrapp's Little Bird and Aimee Mann's Great Beyond:

"Go, honey go -
Into the ocean
Go, honey go -
Into the great beyond
Til you're good and gone
And you can hide away for
When everything goes wrong
Honey - go"

Aimee Mann, Great Beyond.

Obviously the featured poem excerpt could not be without a mention, Leisure by William Henry Davies. It's a beautiful poem which just takes you away for few blissful moments.

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare."

Leisure, William Henry Davies

Accompanying this audio indulgence is a sensory assault. The Mexican breakfast is fairly safe but looks great. I in fact am going to buy some tortillas right after this. I'm not sure what the mexican's would make of putting Tofu in your quesadillas. Not a lot I should think.

With black beans, an arsenal of spices and roasted pepper alongside a good smultz of guacamole it's pretty damned hot. She also made a veritable panacea for cold drizzly day with spiced hot chocolate and extolled the virtues of chocolate not difficult but also the Mexican's unabashed use of chocolate in savoury meals in a dark and mysterious manner. 

I'll skip over the Greek calamari and Chicory Salad to the Indian Supper of Dahl's Dhal. She was obviously born to make this. Or so named. Anyhoo, the rice was the star attraction for me, delicately fragranced with star anise, cinnamon, saffron and cardamom and cooked together with a good knob of butter. Butter and rice is actually a great thing as a Slovakian flat mate once taught me. I don't agree that rice should not be gloopy, sticky or lumpy. That is just how I like it.  How Sophie Dahl cooks the lentils quite as eloquently as she does is beyond me, mine always look like congealed brown goo akin to Dickensian slops but maybe the recipe will hold the key. And you literally cannot go wrong with sweet potato charred wedges. Distraction enough for any congealed goo.

Ahhh, 'til next time.

Easter Treat for your Ears: Sia Album Preview

I spent an obsene amount of time listening to Sia's album Some People Have Real Problems. It is quite a self-indulgent album in many ways, I mean that in a good way. Sometimes you're just feeling a bit sorry for yourself, and there's an album you put on to indulge in selfish moments. Well for me, that was Sia. And I didn't get overplay overkill for quite some time. Thankfully, Sia's releasing a new album in June, We Are Born. And you can listen to a six track preview now on her site.

First impressions are that it's more experimental and electronic that Some People have Real Problems. But I think ol' school fans will also be pleased. I'm really enjoying I'm In Here.

Easter is definitely in the air, and good vibes good times are to be had and shared by all. Hoorah. So far I like the tracks, but it took me a while to find nuances in Some people have real problems, so I think I will probably grow to love this album too. And trying to live up to tracks like, Lentil and Breathe Me, will always me a mammoth task. Sia, I know you can do it. If you love Sia she's also playing Camden's the Roundhouse in May as part of her The We Meaning You tour. It's a tip-top venue, and I hope you are luckier than I am, and have tickets.

I speak because I can

Today I actually looked forward to the fact it was Monday because Laura Marling released her new album. After some cursing of iTunes I managed to download it and listen to it whilst working this morning. I drank an extra cup of coffee and regaled my ears with a gem.

I Speak because I can, Laura Marling

Over the weekend I've read some reviews, the first 5 stars I've seen for a while and I was hoping it wasn't overhyped. I put off buying her first album, not wanting to jump on the bandwagon. Temptation eventually won out and I've listened to it a lot.

Her new album, on first impressions, seems a lot more developed and complex. Rambling Man reminded me somewhat of Joni Mitchell's Blue, which is obviously a triumph in itself.

"If I sit here and weep I'll be blown over by the slightest breezes...Give me to a rambling man, let it always be known that I was who I am...Its hard to accept yourself as someone you don't desire, as someone you don't want to be"

It's really strong and empowering. The instrumentation is accompanies the lyrics incredibly well and give it an american blues feel to the album. On Alas I cannot swim, Laura Marling's writing talents were really a huge strength. The lyrics are often storytelling and that continues on I Speak Because I Can. Her first album released when she was about 18 I think, now she seems to have more material and a more mature slant on things. I loved the heart-on-sleeve nature of the first album, but I think it was important for her new album to be different and a development from that. The album is really interesting because Marling can do rousing as well as melancholy, complex and stripped-down.

I think I'll be listening to this album a lot and forming my opinion based on that. But so far a stand out track for me is the title track. Sitar sounding guitars, occasional Chrissie Hind to her voice and lovingly crafted lyrics.
"I used to be so kind...In the braking of the morning we'll be dancing on my soft love, when you shaking out the anger that stops you from taking my coat, when your running up the highway singing Im the king, the king of you all, when you look back to where it started I'll be there waving you on"

Other recommendations: Alas I Cannot Swim (Laura Marling), Sea Sew (Lisa Hannigan), Blue (Joni Mitchell)