It's All About The Worms

Will Allen, Director and co-founder of Growing Power

Tune: The Worm by Jimmy McGriff who just passed away this week last year.
The great Jimmy Smith

Tune: All About You by Tony Matterhorn

Tune: All About My Money by Busy Signal

Tune: All About da Purple by Chuck Fender also on the Truth and Rights Riddim

Tune: All About Love by Major Christie ft. Capleton

Tune: It's All About You by Johnny "Guitar" Watson

I recognized Mr Allen from the preview for Food Fight while watching a preview for another exciting documentary on food and agriculture.

FRESH

Coming to a theatre near you.

Tune: Def Fresh Crew by Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie

A silly little discussion arguing the importance of flavor vs the knowledge of the source of food. But true flavor comes from the best sources, so why all the bickering? Funny thing is, next to two big influences of mine, the pastry fool Duff actually offers the most compelling view on the subject in this little clip. Food vs Food. Can't we all get along?

Tune: Don't Fuss Nor Fight by Barrington Levy

Tune: Dem a Fight We by Chezidek on the Truth and Rights Riddim

Tune: Below The Waist by Queen Ifrica on the Stop the Fighting Riddim

It's like Willy Wonka vs Muhammad Ali and his gang. Most of you know about Willy Wonka. He makes magical candy. But there is a lesson to be learned in each bite. But do you know about the "Biggest Fight of the Century"? Muhammad Ali and His Gang Fight Mr. Tooth Decay! Brother Ali raps about being the greatest by eating right and brushing your teeth. In the tune below they talk about organic farming and using dates to sweeten ice cream with a colorfull farm on the back of the LP, Brother Ali and his gand were on the farm to table tip over thirty years ahead of their time. The Ali vs Mr. Tooth Decay LP came out in 1975, about 4 years after the Willy Wonka soundtrack dropped.

Tune: Mr. Saint John from The Fight of the Century: Ali and His Gang Vs. Mr. Tooth Decay

Brother Ali was not the Only BMF on the organic farming tip in the mid seventies. Check The Godfather of Soul with his 1976 LP "Mutha's Nature"

Tune: If You Don't Give A Dogone About It

Need More JB?

Tune: Oompa Loompa by The Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Tune: Round 3 by The Optimist - Gza Vs Tom Waits

Tune: International Players Holiday [JBlow mix] - UGK feat Outkast vs the Meters via

Tune: Dos Pa Ti [Orion edit] - Henry Castro vs. Camp Lo
Check DJ Orion @ Orion Myspace, Peligrosa Allstars Myspace and Peligrosa blaog

Tune: Revedere Message - [dunkelbunt] vs. Grandmaster Flash

Tune: Ain't hard to Zoso - Nas vs Led Zeppelin

Tune: 3 The Hard Way - Kidda vs Beastie Boys

Tune: L'orient Est Roots by Koçani Orkestar Vs Bigga Bush aka Lightning Head

Tune: Preguntas Por Que feat. Blanquito Man aka Zuzuku by Bigga Bush from the Thirteen Faces of Lightninghead LP
This record has stayed on my turntable since I bought it last week at Amoeba. recomended.

Tune: Aguasalá by Bomba Estereo

Mas Fuego de Bomba Estereo

Tune: Fruta Madura by Pernett

Tune: Safari feat. Fire Tea by Oneshot

Tune: Rotten Town also by Oneshot

Soul Cocina's Sea to Table video EL PEZ

Soul Cocina Plant the Seed video.
Soundtrack: Kush Arora's Seed Haffi Grow feat Jukali
SEED HAFFI GROW

Soul Cocina Pasture to Butcher to Table video
Skin The Goat [warning: heavy footage]
Shot in Calcutta, Nasik and Panjim

SKIN THE GOAT

Head over to El Tecolote Verde to listen to Boima's Calypso mix.
Ghettobassquake vs Green Owl!?
GREEN OWL is a NYC-based record label started by artists for artists with the idea that great music can be sustainable—both economically and environmentally. GREEN OWL is committed to respecting this planet through the use of green technology.

Future

SF Bay Area peeps, if you have not seen The Future of Food yet, then now is a good time to head down to the Golden Gate Valley Branch Library for a free screening of the film tomorrow evening at 6pm.

Film Screening - The Future of Food

Locations: Golden Gate Valley Meeting Room
Address: 1801 Green St. (at Octavia)
Library Sponsored Public Program
Event Time: 6 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.

After watching the film, you will no doubt be even more excited about the corn crop at Mariquita Farm.

~Mexican Corn @ Mriquita Farm [pic from Mariquita photo gallery]

Tune: Future is Yours by Sizzla Kalonji from the recent album Ghetto Youth-Ology

I will be running a youth cooking program this summer at The Western Addition Beacon Center We will be cooking a different dish every week from scratch. Here's the menu.

June 22 “Be Green”
Farmers market salad w/ homemade dressing, homemade croutons and homemade fresh cheese


June 29 “Be Healthy”
Hand ground masa for homemade tacos
soundtrack: Musica Latina


July 6 “Be Creative”
Bake and Decorate Cupcakes
Soundtrack: Soul Music


July 13 “Make a difference”
Hand pulled mozarella, hand tossed pizza plus focaccia donated to a local food bank
Soundtrack: Students Selections


July 20 “Explore our world”
Moroccan Bastilla and Greek Spanikopita
Soundtrack: world music

If you have any pots or pans to donate to the project or if you would like to make a donation towards kitchen equipment, please contact The Western Addition Beacon Center



I am also looking for one more guest chef to come and cook with the kids for one day. Let me know if you are interested.


DJ Juan Data of San Francisco has a great mix called Linyerismo Episode II up for download. It's like futuristic cumbia. His unique style of blending tunes and the dope selections make for a great summertime listen.
Download here and check the playlist and watch as the songs being played are highlighted as the mix moves along here

Check his earlier mixes, filled with cumbia treats as well. And here is the link to Linyerismo part I

Revolution Never Tasted So Good

Food Fight the documentary.

LIsten to an interview with Alice Waters talking about edible schoolyards and presidential gardens as well as the director of "Food Fight", Chris Taylor discussing the film, the movement and small farms vs corporate farms.
The revolution will be televised.
The Food Fight crew will be in Chicago at Navy Pier this weekend for a few roundtable panel discussions and a screening of the film. Chicago Green Fest


Tune: Guanuanco Mayor by Orquesta Revolución 70

Tune: Tu Makinon by Revolución Tipica

Tune: Revolution (featuring Rashaan Ahmad) by Afrodisiac Soundsystem

Tune: Cumbia Revolución by Grupo Revolución

Tune: Revolutionary Warfare from Bob's Son

Tune: Sugarcane Revolution by Soulsalaam

Tune: Quireo Lucha by Actitud on the Panic Riddim. Not this Panic Riddim, but El Chombo's Panic Riddim

Tune: Si Te Vas by Caramel also on El Chombo's Panic Riddim

Unguilty Pleasures

I had to share another K'Naan video cause it is so refreshing. New hip hop that doesn't suck. Conscious without too much fromage. An unguilty pleasure like the adventures of Shammi or the cuisine of Nicole
Cooking with homegirl Nicole of LoBue Events is always a treat and a learning experience. I call her cuisine forest food. Slow, of the earth, deep, rich, reduced, light, feminine, seasonal, green, brown, fermented, handmade, traditional, wild, woodsy, healing, luscious, simple, sometimes vegaliscious, sometimes off the bone, always nurturing.

The food Diva just calls Nicole's cuisine, wet and sexy.

Nicole has a great class in session right now that I wish I could
attend/ assist. But unfortunately my Saturdays are booked. I encourage local Bay Area readers of Soul Cocina to check out the classes. The Self-Sufficient Kitchen She is doing some very interesting stuff in these classes. Bringing back dying traditions. Her classes fill up quick, so don't sleep. Here's the schedule:
June 6: fermentation
July 11: bread
August 8: canning + preserving

So, sign up today!

Also, don't miss the opportunity to try Nicole's nurishing cuisine at her upcoming event Medicinal Herbs and Wild Foods- A Dinner For Women



Tune: Wild Silence by Fanfare Ciocărlia

Tune: Wicked Wild by Junior Roy

Tune: Medecine Doctor by Big Youth

Tune: Medecine Man by Sergent Garcia

Here are some musical selections from Nicole:

Tune: Come On In My Kitchen by Cat Power

Tune: The Israelites by Desmond Dekker

Tune: Le Bise aux hippes by Brigitte Bardot with Sacha Distel & Serge Gainsbourg



For an event a little while back, Nicole had me make a myer lemon-juniper berry vinaigrette.
Meyer Lemon Juniper Vinnaigrette
3 1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup meyer lemon juice
2 Tablespoons verjus
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons crushed juniper berries
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
sea salt

Tune: Rhythm Pleasure by Jerry Lewis

Top 5 Soul Cocina guilty pleasures:
1. A bottle of Coca Cola at La Quinta before noon on a Sunday with my Birria de Chivo.
2. Irresponsible dancehall
3. Irresponsible hip hop
4. Church's Chicken... no he didn't
5. Fois Gras Ice Cream Ginger Sandwich Cookie at Humphry Slocombe

When K'Naan hollers "T.I.A.", this is Africa, it can pretty much be applied to the whole world. Cheif Boima showcases the global connection of the African diaspora with a new mix for Ghetto Palms over at The Fader. Descendants United blends coupé-décalé, Dominican gaga, punta, mbalax, marrabenta y mas! A firebomb of a summertime mix. Download it now while it is up and enjoy all summer long. Boima's got a new party starting this summer with the same name as the mix Descendents United.Chief Boima at the Elbo Room, SF for a night of Afrolicious heat.

Tune: Gaga de Boca Chica by ?

Business as usual

Although most of the hot dog vendors are gone, the strawberry vendors are out in full force. I always see them on Mission street by the Bart stations and on random corners east of Mission street, but today [Cinco de Mayo] I saw a few guys out in the more fancypants neighborhood west of Mission Street in Noe Valley. I heard that the Mission Street cholos charge rent to the vendors in their neighborhood, even the bootleg CDR and DVD guys. Up in Noe Valley there are less cholos and more well to do customers. Business is all about location. Mission street is the perfect location for the hotdogueros though, right between Beauty Bar and Baobab. But it's kinda hard to hide a whole hot dog cart when the cops come looking for your permit amongst a rowdy group of drunks waiting for a greazy 2:15AM snack. The Happy Belly kim chee hot dog cart is also gone from Golden Gate Park. But otherwise, it's business as usual.

Tune: 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do by Bessie Smith

Tune: The Bizness [feat. Common Sens] by De la Soul

Tune: Ruff Bizzness by Rivel, "a California native producer, exposes his vision Ruff Bizzness from dancehall through obscure lows fused with island rooted vocals" ~ from Filtro Records

Tune: The Ragman & the Junkman Ran from the Businessman They Laughed & Cried by Rahsaan Roland Kirk
~along with Charles Mingus and Moondog, Roland Kirk has some pretty wild titles for his songs.

Tune: Nobody's Business But My Own by Ebenezer Calender & His Maringar Band

Tune: Kizz Bizz ft. Madison by Izza Kizza adn Nick Catchdubs from The Wizzard of Iz
Download Wizzard of Iz mixtape

Tune: Bizzy Bizzy Blazz by Red Rat

Tune: It's Nobody's Business If I Do by Bert Williams

Tune: Nobody Business by Clint Eastwood

Tune: Biz Size Asik Olduk by Baba Zulu

Tune: Take Care of Business by Nina Simone

Tune: Monkey Business by Chuck Berry




Business as usual on this wonderful Cinco de Mayo. I enjoyed snacking on some of my Duqqa on toasted pita bread with olive oil.

Soul Cocina Duqqa:
2 cups toasted and peeled, hazelnuts
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup zatar
1/8 cup dried mint
1/8 cup ground sumac
3 Tablespoons toasted cumin seeds
3 tablespoons toasted coriander seeds
3 Tablespoon Nigella
1 1/2 Tablespoon caraway seeds


Grind the hazelnuts to a coarse meal. Grind the cumin, nigella, caraway and coriander to a fine powder. Grind half of the sesame seeds to a coarse powder, leave the other half of the sesame seeds whole. Combine all ingredients together.

Dip toasted bread first in olive oil and crushed garlic then dip into Soul Cocina duqqa.

Next time, I want to try the variation with channa dal [small chick peas] in place of the hazelnuts.

There are as many variations on duqqa in Egypt as there are variations
of ras al hanout in Morocco
I want to try to locate some fun ingredients for my next batch of ras al hanout like Spanish Fly/ Cantherides, Belladonna Berries and Monk's Pepper

Here is Thelonious Monk playing Fats Waller's Lulu's back in town

Migra Comida

Happy Cinco de Mayo
The chile relleno at Rivera in LA comes with a stenciled message. via.

Tune: Guacharaca L.A. by Dj Neo

Coyotes charge their fellow paisanos about three thousand dollars to take them across the border. I have heard stories of people from China going to Mexico and coming into the US via coyotes. The coyotes charge them about 3-4 times more. Working side by side in kitchens with many people who have made these types of journeys, I always wanted to try and join them to make a film. Someday.

US Immigration has come out with a CD of corridos to deter folks from crossing the border into the US.

Steady studyin'

The Food diva piping churros at a Soul Cocina party.

Red corn

Soaked overnight in cal, some of the red corn is ground for tortillas, most of the corn is boiled with pork shoulder and posole spices. It's been dreary and raining in SF. Perfect posole weather. But any weather is posole weather really. In New Mexico, Posole is served all the time, everywhere. And it is hardly ever dreary in New Mexico. Seems like it is everyone's comfort food in NM. I bet la migra loves them some posole too!

Red corn ground for masa.

POSOLE PASTE:
6 dried pasilla chiles
4 dried New Mexican chiles
4 dried mulato chiles
2 Tablespoons cumin seeds
2 Tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 chopped onion
1 whole clove

Lightly toast the chiles and cumin. Grind the dried spices and the chiles to a fine powder. Grind together with the onion and garlic to a fine paste.

Tune: Frijolero by the always politically incorrect Molotov
by Alberto Pedraza

Tune: El Otro Mexico by Los Tigres Del Norte

Tune: Immigrant Song by Amsterdam Klezmer Band

Tune: El Emigrante Latino by Juan Piña con la Revelacion

Tune: Inmigrante Illegal by King Chango

Tune: Pelame La Banana by El General

Tune: Chiclete Com Banana by Jackson do Pandeiro

Tune: Moneky Banana by Fela Kuti

Tune: Fried Bananas by Dexter Gordon

Tune: Banana Split by Al Haca

Tune: El Baile De La Banana by Dicky Ranking

A few CUMBIA MIXES from the past:
Tune: Rajah's Cumbia Clandestina Mix

Tune: Rajah's Cumbia Pirata Mix

Tune: Cumbia en Mexico is a tune about Mexico from a group from Peru called Los Iluciones

Tune: Rosa Carminia Se va Se va (son fúnebre) from Sexteto Tabalá Los Reyes del Son Palenquero feat Rafael Cassianni

Tune: Algo Se Me Va by Lita Nelson

El Huevo Criollo

Enough buggin out on Champeta, Cumbia and Migra Corridos?
Tune: Buggin Out O9 by J.Period f. Consequence & Kid Cudi from J.Period Presents... The [Abstract] Best

download J Period's entire Q-Tip mixtape now.

Tune: Rep by Tiwony