Serge the Concierge

Dobells Jazz Record Shop Exhibit Opened Its Doors, London, Chelsea Space, April 4

On my numerous trips to London in late 70's i never had a chance to visit Dobells Jazz Record Shop (1946-1992) at 77, Charing Cross Road.

Dobell's opened after second world war and was instrumental in promoting British jazz and blues talent both though the store and its 77 record label.

To honor Dobells rich history and share it with those of us who did not have a chance to experience it Chelsea Space put together Dobells Jazz Folk Blues "The Record Shop with the Club Atmosphere" exhibit which just opened on April 4,2013.

"Prominent US musicians could be found dropping into Dobell’s including Muddy Waters, BB King, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Red Allen and members of the Ellington band. A young Bob Dylan recorded in the small basement studio there in 1963 and Janis Joplin would visit with a bottle of Southern Comfort as a gift for the staff of the store.

Dobell’s stocked American blues 78s, 45s and LPs and many British music fans got their first ever taste of Mamie Smith, Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy there. The imported US records purchased at the record shop inspired such pioneers of British jazz and blues as Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies and Chris Barber (amongst many others). All the bands of the British Blues explosion: The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Cream and Fleetwood Mac shopped there. Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Mac McGann, Bert Jansch, The Vipers Skiffle Group, Lonnie Donegan and other folk musicians raided the shop's racks of Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston records. David Bowie was also a regular customer during the early 1960s."

It includes photographs by jazz photographer David Redfern commissioned by Dobell’s to celebrate the Newport Jazz Festival in London in 1967) and graphics. 

David Redfern will discuss his career in jazz photography at Chelsea Space on May 15 from 6 to 7:30 PM. RSVP is required.

"CHELSEA space celebrates Record Store Day UK with open decks for you to play and listen to your Dobells Jazz Folk Blues records on, a pop up vinyl & books stall."

Live music will be part of the fun during the course of the exhibit which runs until May 18, 2013.

For more details visit Event Page...

I believe that admission is FREE. 

Dropping Corporate Law to Make Bread, Patrick Ryan of Firehouse Bakery and Bread School, Ireland

The Cake and Bake Show 2013 is coming to Manchester from April 5 to April 7.

One of the featured bakers is Patrick Ryan who decided to drop corporate law in favor of making bread.

You can find him most days making dough at Firehouse Bakery and Bread School in Skibbereen on Heir Island, Cork County, Ireland.

(* Photo from Firehouse Facebook page)

Chocolate Chicken Takes A Bath, Poule Mouillee from A La Mere de Famille, Paris

Would you trade a bagful of Peeps and other generic Easter candies for a chocolate chicken that takes a bath.

If you don't mind a late delivery, A La Mere de Famille, a unique Paris shop founded in 1761 has that very chocolate chicken in store with La Poule Mouillee, created by Julien Merceron for their Easter 2013 collection.

Not sure if 'label bleu' (blue label) is available only at Colette a store with more than fashion on its mind.

A giant version of the Poule Mouillee was in full display in Colette's window prior to an Easter egg hunt that A la Mere de Famille and Colette co-organized.

It took place in Jardin des Tuileries, in the afternoon of Wednesday, March 27.

(* Image of Poule Mouillee from A la Mere de Famille photo album on Facebook page)

Kerner, Lagrein, 20 Alto Adige Wineries April Visit to Denver, Washington D.C and New York, No Hay Bath

20 something Alto Adige wineries come to Denver (Monday 22), Washington D.C (Wednesday 24) and finally New York (Thursday 25) in April for Alto Adige Wines 'Discover Italian Wines at Their Peak' Grand Tasting Tour 2013.

Since it is a trade and media only event, it takes place in the afternoon. It remains to be seen whether my concierge work schedule will allow me to attend.

Winery Line Up in New York is:

Abbazia di Novacella
Cantina Andriano
Bolzano Winery
Cantina Valle Isarco
Kaltern Caldaro
Castelfeder
Colterenzio
Cortaccia Winery
Elena Walch
Erste + Neue
Franz Haas Winery
Lahnhof
Tenuta Lentsch
Manincor
Nals Margreid
Castel Sallegg
Cantina Produttori
San Michele Appiano
St. Pauls Winery
Cantina Terlano
Tiefenbrunner
Tramin
Viticoltori Alto Adige
Peter Zemmer

I don't think a hay bath is part of the offerings.

I have to thank Ines Giovanett of Castelfeder, one of the wineries present, for sending me invitation to attend.

Among Castelfeder white wines is Kerner Lahn, 100 % Kerner (a cross between Trollinger and Riesling) produced in South Tyrol since 1970's.

If you are a red wine drinker, have you tried a Lagrein?

If I can make it to New York tasting, I will be happy to see Elena Walch and Peter Zemmer again.

From 'Punk' to Milk and Cheese', Asbury Park Comic Con, Things to Do Before Easter, March 30

Comic book artists, writers and exhibitors are heading for the Jersey shore for Asbury Park Comic Con on March 30, 2013.

My personal picks in panel listing is:

12 pm Bob Camp: Ren & Stimpy and More : In a discussion with Craig Yoe, animation designer, writer, and director Bob Camp reveals his early career days at Marvel Comics, working for Rankin/Bass, his partnership in Spumco, and later years with Blue Sky on Ice Age.

2 pm Inventing Punk : John Holmstrom founded Punk Magazine with Ged Dunn, Jr in 1975. They are credited with creating the graphic look that became known as "punk," and t inspire the East Village Art movement. In a discussion with artist Cliff Galbraith, Holmstrom will recall his days as a seminal member of the punk rock movement, his work with The Ramones, High Times, and his character Bosko.

4 pm Marvel Days : Chris Irving moderates a panel with artist Herb Trimpe, editors Jim Salicrup, and best-selling author Sean Howe. Chris Irving is the author of the book Leaping Tall Buildings.

Price is $12 until March 29th. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Things to do before Easter.

Potato Flour Saves Baker, Coffee and Walnut Passover Cake Recipe from 'Jewish Traditional Cooking'

With my very limited knowledge of Jewish cooking, I went back to Jewish Traditional Cooking (Kyle Books, March 2013 for US publication) by Ruth Joseph (a Welsh-Jewish author) and Simon Round to fetch recipes suitable for Passover.

Easy Passover Cakes

Passover, with its flour ban, creates difficulties for even the most adept of bakers, and many people crave inspiration.

Here are a series of traditional cakes, along with some new, more tempting ideas. 

Passover Cake

Begin with a basic cake and make it your own with a whole host of different flavors to choose from.

Serves 8

For the basic cake

9 tablespoons Passover margarine or butter

2⁄3 cup superfine sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

4 organic free-range eggs

2⁄3 cup cake meal

2⁄3 cup potato flour

11⁄2 teaspoons Passover baking powder

a pinch of salt

3 tablespoons milk or water

6–8 tablespoons jam of your choice superfine sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 7-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. 

In a mixing bowl, cream the margarine or butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs and beat in the yolks only. Sift in the cake meal, potato flour, and baking powder, and fold in carefully.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add a spoonful of the egg white to the cake batter and mix in thoroughly. Now fold in the rest of the eggs whites, taking care not to knock out any air. Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes until risen and golden. 

After the cake has cooled, slice in half horizontally and spread the bottom half with jam. Replace the top half and sprinkle superfine sugar over the top. 

Variations 

Coffee and walnut cake (pictured): 

Add 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water and 3⁄4 cup chopped walnuts. Fold in before you add the egg whites.

For coffee frosting combine 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar with 11/2–2 tablespoons strong black coffee. Beat well and pour over the cake. Decorate with extra walnuts.

Lemon/orange and vanilla cake:

Add the grated zest of 1 lemon or orange and 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar. Cream with the margarine and sugar. 

Fruit cake:

Soak i cup mixed dried fruit in the juice of 1 orange or lemon until plump. Add with the egg yolks. 

Carrot cake:

Add 11/2 cups grated carrot, the zest of 1 orange, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add with the egg yolks. 

Almond cake:

Add 2 drops of almond extract. Cream with the margarine and sugar. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup sliced almonds before baking.

Lemon drizzle cake:

Add the grated zest of 1 lemon. Cream with the margarine and sugar. Combine 1⁄4 cup lemon juice with 2⁄3 cup sugar and pour over the cake when it is out of the oven. 

Chocolate cake:

Melt 6 oz Passover chocolate and fold in before adding the egg whites.

Cinnamon apple cake:

Spread the cake mixture into a lined jelly-roll-style pan. Top with 31/2 cups (1 lb) peeled and sliced apples. Sprinkle with 1⁄2 cup superfine sugar, and dust with 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bake and then cut into squares. Serve with Kosher non-dairy whipped cream.

(* Recipe from Jewish Traditional Cooking by Ruth Joseph and Simon Round - Kyle Books, March 2013- reproduced with permission- Photography by Isobel Wield)

11 New Books about Italy, 11 Mondays, De Bosis Colloquium, Harvard, Next Porta Palazzo on March 25

As you can see by reading event sheet from 6th De Bosis Colloquium below, books and themes run the gamut from food to Berlusconi.

This 11 books in 11 Mondays event next installment is with Rachel Black on her Porta Palazzo book about the famous food market in Turin.

To give you some sense of Porta Palazzo's scale, Cities in Migration notes that on Saturdays upward to 100,000 people visit the market which they say counts some 1000 merchants plus 600 street vendors. 

 

These events are opened to the public yet reservations by email or phone might be best.

1613-2013, Booming Amsterdam Exhibit Celebrates, 400th Anniversary of Canal Ring

Canals are part and parcel of Amsterdam's geography.

On my one and only visit to the city, I remember seeing people lift the rear of their car so it would fit in narrow parking space. There was not enough space in tiny lot to maneuver.

In 2013, Booming Amsterdam exhibit celebrates 400th Anniversary of decision by city to build canal ring back in 1613.

"The major expansions of 1613 and 1663 were gigantic urban development projects, bigger than the expansions of all other Dutch cities taken together. Maps show clearly the different stages in the city council’s decision-making process. They show how canals and districts now famous, from Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht to the Jordaan and the Plantage, were built. A new residential area was created along the main canals: houses overlooking grand, spacious canals, lined with rows of trees. The deep plots of land provided space for large gardens. Leading architects such as Philips Vingboons and Adriaen Dortsman designed monumental houses."

"Booming Amsterdam uses original maps, architectural plans and cityscapes to tell the story of a unique period in the Golden Age, the era in which the city acquired the half-moon shape for which it has become famous."

Booming Amsterdam exhibit runs until May 26, 2013 

Location: Amsterdam City Archives (Stadsarchief Amsterdam)

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Public Transport tram 16, 24 en 25 stop Keizersgracht

Admission fees:
Adults €6
Children from 12 to 17 €4, Children under 12 free of charge.

Will Have to Pass on Happiness on my Plate and Invitation to Omnivore Paris 2013, March 17-19

I will have to pass on invitation i received to attend Omnivore Paris from March 17 to March 19, 2013 at Palais de la Mutualite.

I would have definitely signed up for Masterclass Sucre with Belgian born chocolatier Pierre Marcolini. All attendees will create chocolate from scratch and (re) discover where ubiquitous chocolate comes from.

Also present and coming all the way from Hobart, Tasmania (17,270 kms from Paris), chef Luke Burgess of Garagistes restaurant who is one of the 5 chefs featured in Happiness is on the Plate a documentary by Philippe Allante and Sophie Brissaud for Arte.

You can still purchase 3 day pass (Pass 3 Jours) for Festival @ Mutualite for 99 Euros or Daily Pass for Sunday, Monday or Tuesday for 39 Euros per day.

Interested visit Online Reservation Page...

I could not just drop clients work, hop on plane from New York and go.

Nice to receive such invites though.

Merci Omnivore!

Ticket to Rhone, 100 Rhone Rangers Wineries Descend Upon San Francisco, March 22-23

it's not too late to grab a Ticket to Rhone.

A week from today, 100 Rhone Rangers Wineries will descend upon San Francisco for a Rhone fueled week-end of tastings at Fort Mason.

One of the highlights is Winemaker Dinner on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 6 PM.

Check here for full event details and ticket options.