design

Mexican clay pot cooking on top of a wood fire with a day of the dead lady stirring the pot. Mayan Glyph carved in the pot.


This is the style/shape/color/texture/feel of the pot.


This is the mayan glyph to be engraved in the pot. {just the symbol, not the words} it does not have to be exactly like this, Mayan glyphs are drawn different from artist to artist, just using the same general shapes and lines. The top glyph "Manik balancing force" is just one part of the "Ochi k'ak" glyph.




This is the the feel of the wood fire for under the pot. Very open for interpretation.

Below are some day of the dead ladies. I like and dislike some elements of each.

I like the henna style design on her face, the classic lines on her mouth and I like the fact that she has a pretty face and not a complete skeleton face. One Marigold in her hair where the red ribbon is above her ear would be great.



This one is cool. A little too morbid with so much black around eyes. I like the line designs, but they are too symmetrical. The design on her chin is cool.


nice hair. long hair would be ideal.



this one is great one of the best.




Braids like this would be fantastic. longer fuller hair.

The body of the lady should be a long dress that covers the whole body so you don't see any legs or feet. She will be stirring the pot with a long wooden spoon/ stick.


Colors of the pot and fire should be earth tones red, orange brown, maroon, grand canyon, sunset. Colors of the girl... white, yellow, orange, turquoise {green and/or blue}, gold, black

Hobo Pouch

If you visit Spice Monkey, see if they have any Hobo Pouches. They are real tasty.





Tune: Only a Hobo by Bob Dylan

Tune: Did I Ever Ride Freights? Huh! - Kronos Quartet plays Harry Partch's U.S. Highball: A Musical Account Of Slim’S Transcontinental Hobo Trip
Harry Partch, American composer and instrument maker, said his music was “based on a monophonic system of acoustic intervals and an expandable source scale of more than 40 notes to the so-called scale.” He was known for his adaptation and invention of instruments, including the chromelodeon, the chordophone, the kitchara, the harmonic canon and the bloboys. “ U.S. Highball (A Musical Account of a Transcontinental Hobo Trip)” for chorus and instruments was first performed at Carnegie Hall in 1944. It is an account of a freight train ride from California to Chicago, part of a larger body of work that Partch composed after traveling the country. He and his group, Gate 5 Ensemble, recorded on his own label, Gate 5.via

the OG LP

The Harry Partch BBC documentary is a must see for all musicians and music listeners [aka everybody]

Tune: Good Day [remix] by DJ Greg Streets - Nappy Roots ft. Beenie Man & Rock City

Tune: Streets is Getting Hot - Beenie Man takes the Truth and Rights Riddim into 2009.

Age of the Sun

Today's Mystery Ingredient is from Peru.

Tune: Cancion del Maestro by Grupo Celeste
~the cumbia chicha sound.

I use mulberries and barberries for my breakfast along with the mystery ingredient...

...Turkish apricots too

...and Inca Berries

Irish Oatmeal....

And quinoa, which is also from Peru!

Tune: Beso De Fuego by Los Iluciones

Tune: Lamentos by Los Hijos Del Sol

Tune: Lamentos by Jacob do Bandolim

Tune: Lamentos by Zizi Possi

Tune: Huerfanito by Los Ovnis

Tune: Huerfanito by Los Ahijados Cuco y Martin Valoy

Tune: Huerfanito by Guillermo Buitrago [very nice song]

Just found out that Mulatu Astatke has an album with The Heliocentrics that is about to be released on Monday.
I am really excited for this album.

Tune: Addis Black Widow by Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics from Insperation Information

Tune: Phantom Of The Panter by Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics from Insperation Information

Tune: Masenqo (Radio Edit) by Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics from Insperation Information

Tune: Age of the Sun by The Heliocentrics

Cruise with Maestro Mulatu

Tune: Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis



Here is a nice mix from a few years ago with s song or two from Mulatu.
Soul Cocina Mix: Rajah's Afro Latin Mix vol 1 ~ Music from the African continent inspired by Latin America.

Itzsoweezee

It's gonna be HOT THIS YEAR!

Mysore Masala Dosa


~Making Dosa at Cidade De Goa

~Masala Dosa and Uttapam at Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai.

~Dosa batter coming out of a giant "mixy mixer". In San Francisco I let the Dosa batter sit out at room temperature for about 4 days. In Goa it only needs about a day.

What makes Mysore masala dosa different from a regular masala dosa is that the dosa is spread with a red chutney befor being rolled or folded. Mysore masala dosa is often folded in to a triangle shape instead of being rolled into a tube like a regular masala dosa.

Red Chutney for Mysore Masala Dosa:
grated coconut 1/2 cup
garlic 1 clove
chana dal 2 Tablespoons
dried kashmiri chiles 4-6
mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Toaast the chiles in a dry pan over medium heat until very dry.
Fry the dal in 2 tablespoons of rice oil over medium heat to a light golden color.
Grind all ingredients to a coarse thick paste. Thin with a little water and season with salt.

Tune: Red Hot by Lil Pocketknife

Tune: Thin Red Line by Typical Cats
"88.5 Chicago!!!" I love the piano loop and the De La reference/sample? "Takin a train"



Tune: Itzsoweezee [Hot] by De La Soul
Itzsoweezee is over ten years old already. "Go get your bowl cause we cookin' up stew" Dirtsman sample adds a HOT touch.

Tune: Hot This Year by Dirtsman

Tune: Roll Mi Gal by Anthony B on the Hot Peppa Riddim

The Whole Enchilada

Toy Selectah has put up an entire album for free. Not just a few sample clips but the whole enchilada. Some of these tracks have been out on the internets for a minute, some have not. If you don't know, Toy Selectah is one of the the forces behind Celso Pina's "Cumbia Sobre El Rio", the tune that took cumbia to the big time and popularized the use of hip hop and dancehall in modern cumbia production.

Toy Selectah's MEX MORE LP: right click to get the whole enchilada via Mad Decent

If you wanna make your own enchiladas, you might as well go all the way and start from scratch. It's not as complicated as you may believe to make your own masa for tortillas.


Here are 3 more tunes that feature Toy Selectah in one way or another.
Tunes: Sauce on the side TS mini compilation
1. Bumpin Time! (Sistema Local Mexmix Version) by King Ruly & Toy Selectah from Keepintime: Remixes
2. Mundo Insolito (Toy Selectah/Control Machete Remix) by Up, Bustle $ Out from Mexican Sessions
3. Cocobola Tripiton Remix by Japanese vs Toy Selectah

For a pair of great mixes by Toy Selectah head over to Synthetic Rocks

Another album I am excited about is the second installment of the Panama! compilation on Soundway Records.
While listening to the Ghana Soundz album and reading the liner notes, I decided to revisit the other great comps put out by Soundway. The first Panama! compilation from Soundways concentrated on "Latin, Calypso and Funk on the Isthmus 1965-75" It was filled with rare gems. To fill a record with music that is both obscure and magically wonderful is hard to do, but Panama! vol 1 delivered. Vol 2 focuses on "latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk from 1967-77" Most of the artists are Ungoogleable. Yeah it's 2009 and google is a verb. Just don't use "chef" as a verb please.
e.g. "So where ya cheffin' at these days, fella?"

More from Panama:

Tune: Regalame by Roberto y Su Zafra

Tune: Bata Bata by Latin Fresh

Tune: Muevete Cruel (dj Frais Mix) by Scaredem Fish ft Mr Vegas

Tune: Pan Caliente by Japanese
I like this tune by Japanesse with a great Soca and Punta feel and a Klezmer!? vibe.

Japanese and a bunch of other dancehall artists from Panama like to use the Vybz Kartel catchphrase "Up to the time"/"Up to the crime"

Tune: No Traigan Armas by Eddy Ranks [Honduras] ft El Bwoy[Panama] ~mas autotune!

Tune: Si Quieres Dancehall by K.O.M.

Tune: Todavia Sigo Hot by Danger Man on the wonderful Truth and Rights Riddim
Danger Man was great. R.I.P.

Tune: Bandolera by Danger Man

Tune: Quien Llego by More Fire Clan and Kafu Banton

Tune: Suena 1 2 3 by Kafu Banton

Tune: Vamos Irving by El Boys feat El Touxx

Tune: A Nuh Matey Ting by Stacious on the Wire Waist Riddim

Tune: Si El Hombre Quiere by Rude Girl (La Atrevida)
A reggae en Espanol classic, the flip side of this record has an English version of Tu Pun Pun called "Punnaney Tegereg" by Little Lenny.





Here is a response to EL Desmadre En El Baño
Tune: En El Baño No Hay Lugar by La Plaga del Hyphy

Tune: Put Frisco Up by Shay Sanchez
I bought this CD a few years back from brother Shay himself by the Powell Bart Station in Downtown SF after he spit a few rhymes.

Shay told me he'd rather be rappin than pushin dope.


If grills are part of the hyphy culture then it is still alive in the Bay. This is a pic from yesterday at a shop near the 12 street Bart in Oakland.

And look, Boima in Fader. nice.

Slow Kati Roll

When I was working at ACE in Goa, we had a great chef from Kerala visit the kitchen. He made about 5 dishes and one very special bread. It was some of the best food I have ever tasted.

Chef Wilson's Kerala cuisine. One hundred ways to use coconut!

Tune: Coconut Shell by Queen Ifrica is a big tune from her new Road To Montego Bay EP

The bread Wilson made was Malabari Paratha.



And here is one of the top students demonstrating how to "fluff" the Malabari parathas, which helps give the bread it's flaky characteristics.

These breads are actually a lot like croissants, which is one of the recipes I taught the Indian cooks how to make in exchange for the Indian cooking lessons.

Tune: Broadway by Ace DJs

Tune: Mentirosa (long mix version) by Mellow Man Ace

Tune: Asaw Fofor by Ignace de Souza and The Melody Aces

I first learned how to make Malabari paratha with Vankatesh, the South Indian chef at Cidade de Goa. My time with Vankatesh was great. He taught me how to make Goan kismoor, mung bean katchoori, aloo bondis, idlis and a lot more.

Vankatesh frying Aloo Bondas in the Cidade de Goa Kitchen

Tune: I Want To by Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubramaniyam is a crazy South Indian disco heater! vankatesh talked like Sripathi.
Vankatesh was a lot of fun and very talented. Here he is making Malabari parathas:


One of my favorite dishes from the streets of Calcutta were the kati rolls.

I hear they have good kati rolls in NYC. Kasa by Dolores Park in SF serves great kati rolls. But for the best kati rolls in the city I stay home. I made Kati Rolls at home for the Food Diva's going away dinner, instead of regular parathas, I rolled mine in Malabari parathas.

Chicken, cauliflower, peas and potato xacuti with mint and tamarind chutney, Soul Cocina special pickled onions and fried egg wrapped in a malabari paratha.

Tune: Mera Naam Hai Shabnam (from Kati Patang) from the film Kati Patang

Xacuti masala recipe
Marinate chicken in the xacuti masala for a few hours then roast with peas, potatoes and cauliflower.

Soul Cocina special pickled onions
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
2 small red onions, julienned
a small handfull of curry leaves
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 cup lime juice

~Heat the coconut oil in a wok or kadai. Add the mustard seeds and cook to pop. Add the curry leaves and toast. Add the onions and saute for one minute. Add all of the lime juice except 2 Tablespoons. Simmer for 2 minutes on low. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in the remaining lime juice and season with salt.

For the Malabari paratha

Mint Chutney
2 bunches of mint, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
1/2" ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups yogurt
juice of 1 lime
salt

~blend all ingredients together in a blender.

Tamarind Chutney
1/3 C Tamarind, seeds and stringy veins removed
1/2 C Pitted organic medjool dates
1 C Water
2 T Jaggery or Palm Sugar or Piloncillo
1 1/2 t Cumin seeds, toasted, crushed
1 t fennel seeds, toasted, crushed
Juice of 1/2 lime
salt to taste

~chop the tamarind and dates and simmer in the water with jaggery for 5 minutes. Strain into saucepan, add cumin and fennel and reduce to a nice thick consistancy over low heat. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Tune: Para el Violento by Tamarindo

And here is some more Dominican niceness:
Tune: El Tigeraso by Maluca

Tune: El Tigeraso (NGUZUNGUZU REMIX)
I like to just play the OG and the remix back to back. On repeat.

This weekend the SF Chronicle puts out their annual list of the top 100 Bay Area restaurants. I was able to get an early cheaters peek at the list by visiting the webpage for last year's list and replacing the 8 in 2008 with a 9 in the url. But word was already out that "noh-pah-lee-toe" had made the list, so no surprises there. There are actually a lot of great restaurants on the list that would probably be on my list too. I think Chef Brett's list over at In Praise of Sardines is even closer to mine. His list is called "Bay Area Shortlist: what do you crave?" and it's on the sidebar of the blog. He lists a few places I have worked at and a few places I would like to work at as well as a few places I have eaten at and a few places I would like to eat at. I actually have not eaten at most of the restaurants on Bauer's top 100 list. To grow as a cook, in addition to cook cook cook, you also need to eat eat eat. But many of these places are just out of a cook's budget. A chef asked me last year what some of my favorite restaurants in the city are to spend 100 dollars at. We were busy working, so I did not stop to explain to him that I have probably only spent 100 dollars on a meal [for 2] less than 4 times in my life. Once was with Desi at Delfina when she visited me in SF before we were married in 2000. Once was for our 3 year anniversary at Lark Creek Inn. And once was for a 75 dollar vegetarian tasting menu for myself at Aqua when I first moved to SF in 1999 because I was thinking of working there [although I was much more impressed with the free meal Albert gave me at Flying Saucer the next night back in '99 when I was thinking of working there as well] So anyhow, my answer to the hundred dollar question was Bar Jules, Nopa and Boullettes Larder. And I had never even eaten at any of them, I only know about there style, culinary philosophy and there menus. I would also like to check out Manresa and Aziza and of course French Laundry. But my budget will keep me checking out places like Oxkutzcab and Puquito. Yeah, I love food from the Yucatan. And the people I have worked with from the Yucatan over the years have brought me lots of laughs and have taught me many curse words in Mayan. My favorite Yucateco spot is Poc Chuc, without a doubt. Mi Lindo Ycatan?... not so much. Yucatasia? no way!, but just down the block, La Oaxaqueña is great! But I might have had the chance to try some Nopa grub at Mission Street Food earlier tonight if I had only kept up with the schedule.

The folks at Souljazz records have another reggae compilation out. They are starting back at 100 again, this time with 100% Dynamite NYC! "Dancehall Reggae Meets Rap In New York City"

Tune: Texas Rumpus by Jamalski from 100% Dynamite NYC!

Tune: Rough and Rugged by Shinehead also from 100% Dynamite NYC!

Smiley culture has a flow that goes from steady to quick just like Shinehead.
Tune: Shan a Shan [extended dub version] by Smiley Culture from the b side of the 1984 12" Police Officer

Tune: Sometimes I Rhyme Slow by Nice and Smooth
I liked this song when it came out and I loved the fact that they used such an unlikely sample- "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman!? Then in Jamaica they run a riddim bassed on TC's "Sorry"!? = taxi riddim - Bounty Killa , EleMan even my favorite lunatic on the M.I.C. Mr Chillin in Chile Sizzla Kalonji! and then my favorite tune on the riddim:

Tune: Driver A by Buju Banton

"Don't stop at all" Don't drive to fast or too slow!
Tune: Too Slow by The Impressions Chitown stand up!

Tune: Beside the Ackee Tree / Slow Motion (Raw) by Busy Signal 7"

Tune: Go Slow by Fela Kuti

Tune: Slow Run by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires.

Tune: Fast Lane by Buju Banton

Tune: Make it Fast by Guilty Simpson uses a sample from what was once an obscure tune from Ghana until Soundway Records put out the Ghana Soundz compilation.
Tune: Make it Fast Make it Slow by ROB from Ghana Soundz LP origionally off the Essiebons LP "Make It Fast Make It Slow". From the Ghana Soundz liner notes: "ROB is something of an enigma in Ghanian music. He cut two LPs for Essiebons neither of which sold particularly well at the time. Both were packed with hard driving Afro-Funk, unlike anything else on the scene... He still makes music but has turned to a gospel style"
Listen to more ROB and other West African gems here.

Tune: Slow Down by Lexi Lee

Tune: Slowly But Surely by Eek A Mouse

Tune: Dilly Dally by Toots and The Maytals

Tune: Drive Slow remix Feat T.I., Paul Wall and GLC by Kanye West. Play this tune next time you find yourself in the hoopty in this neighborhood

Tune: Slow Peace by Tommy Mccook & Bobby Ellis This is a great tune for toddlers to jam out to! ODub at Soulsides gave us a tip to check Mathew Africa's Twee Funk post and mix, great sounds for young folks. And also check this Episode of SOUL!. And more dancefloor heat para los ninos here.

Tune: Sometimes I Rhyme Slow (Low-key acapella) from theSometimes I Rhyme Slow 12"

Got Hip Hop? History of hip hop 1979-1999 The Rub mixtapes. get familiar.

Tune: Money (Dollar Bill Yal) by Jimmy Spicer

Xocoatl Embrujado de Mano

Tune: Hot Milk by Jackie Mitto

Tune: Chocolate City Dreaming by Oddisee

I like Oddisee's lyrics and flow and I love his beats. This is a simple groover with an appropriate title. 1 part Afrobeat, 1 part jazz, 1 part funk. Nice for making chocolate and nice for consuming chocolate. Homemade chocolate stories comming soon. The molino has been attached to the counter in the soul cocina lately for red corn and more.

Tune: Moliendo Café by Fanfare Ciocărlia



Tune: Moliendo Café by Cortijo Y Su Combo Con Ismael Rivera



Tune: Oriza by Cortijo y su Combo con Ismael Rivera

Tune: Ublabadu by Cortijo Y Su Bonche via Captain Planet

Tune: Cali Pachanguero by Grupo Niche

Tune: Llamame by Oscar de Leon y Tego Calderon



One thing you won't find us cooking in the soul cocina is Microwave Mayonaise. But you might find Luis V whipping up something that might look like Microwave Mayonaise at Orsen this month. Get in while you can before he moves on in April. Microwave Mayonaise. is a tune on MF Doom's new album, Born Like This. Dude got lyrics and beats to twist your mind and make your "eyes pop out like Popye on spinach" He always talks about food in his rhymes. My fav MF Doom line is "peace goes out to all my gingerbread bakers". He even messes with a little autotune on the tune Suppervillainz

Mos Def has an album coming out in the next few weeks or months. He also likes MF Doom:

Devil in an Apron Chocolate = Very Good [thanks for the treat Rita!]


Real chocolate does not need a mechanic for the blender. Xocoatl Puro no se necesita mecanico para la licuadora. ??

Tune: El Mecanico by Orquesta de Edmundo Arias

Tune: Licuadora by MeNeO

And here is some Gaga

Tune: Mambo Gaga by Gaga Joe y Kello

Tune: Chan Chan Chan [El Mago] by Unic Mambo

Thanks Boima for keeping the interest up on Dominican Gaga and for researching the ties and roots to Africa and beyond.

Tune: Crisis (Banana Clipz Bubustyle Remix)-Khady Black via GhettoBassquake

And props too for biggin up HYPHY NORTEÑO


Tune: Desmadre en el Bano by Los Amos de Nuevo Leon

This post right here on the internets and bloggospheres is dedicated to Jesus Malverde and La Santa Muerte


Tune: Embrujo by unknown artist from a Mission Street CDR called CUMBIAS RECUERDOS.

Here is a batucada video mashup of Grupo Guinda's Cumbia:

Nettle Season

Nettle, bacon and caramelized onion pizza ready for the oven at a Lobue Organics Event

Tune: Gutted by Nettle

DJ Rupture from Nettle will be in California for this month's Tormenta Tropical

And don't forget to pick up his latest CD Uproot

When nettles start showing up at the market that means Carnival season has arrived.

Maga Bo brings us some big choons from Trinidad. He even shares some new chutney music that is usually hard to come by.

Tune: Hum Na Jaibay by Sundar Popo

Tune: No Bag a Man Ting by TOK on the National Pride 2K9 riddim



Tune: Spin & Roll by Charly Black also on the National Pride 2K9 riddim

Tune: Roll Mi Gal by Anthony B on the Hot Peppa Riddim

Tune: Wine Fast by Fay Ann Lyons ft. Beenie Man on the Laduma Riddim


Tune: Seven Skeletons Found In The Yard by Lord Executor

Tune: Fidel Castro by Lord Invader

Tune: Carnival Proclamation by Lord Melody