cheese

Sing Along Snacks: Ojala que llueva café

With new digs in Madrid, Sing Along Snacks are now being enjoyed in Spanish as well. It's good to have a varied snack menu!

This is an incredibly charming song by Juan Luis Guerra. Check out the translated lyrics below (original and translated) and I dare you all to not start swaying around the kitchen with this playing on repeat.

Ojalá que llueva café en el campo
que caiga un aguacero de yuca y té
del cielo una jarina de queso blanco
y al sur una montaña
de berro y miel
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh,
ojalá que llueva café. 
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
and a shower of yucca and tea would fall,
from the sky a sprinkling of white cheese,
and in the south a mountain
of cress and honey.
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...
If only it would rain coffee.

 

Ojalá que llueva café en el campo
peinar un alto cerro (d)e trigo y mapuey
bajar por la colina de arroz graneado
y continuar el arado con tu querer.
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
combing a high hill of wheat and mapuey,
descending the slope of grained rice
and continuing to plough with all your love..
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh..
.

Ojalá el otoño en vez de hojas secas
vista mi cosecha de pitisalé
sembrar una llanura
de batata y fresas
ojalá que llueva café.
If only autumn would clothe my harvest
with pitisalé instead of dry leaves, 
sowing a plain with
sweet potato and strawberries,
If only it would rain coffee.

Pa'que en el conuco
no se sufra tanto, ay ombe
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
pa que en Villa Vásquez
oigan este canto
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ojalá que llueva,
ojalá que llueva, ay ombe
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ojalá que llueva café.
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...

So that on the small farms
they won't suffer so much, oh man.
If only it would rain coffee in the fields
so that in Villa Vásquez
they will hear this chant.
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
If only it would rain, 
If only it would rain, Ay, man,
If only it would rain coffee in the fields.
If only it would rain coffee. 
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh... 

Ojalá que llueva café en el campo
sembrar un alto cerro de trigo y mapuey
bajar por la colina de arroz graneado
y continuar el arado con tu querer.
oh, oh, oh-oh-oh...
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
sowing a high hill of wheat and mapuey, 
decending from the hill of grained rice,
and continuing to plough with all your love.
oh, oh, oh, oh

Ojalá el otoño en vez de hojas secas
vista mi cosecha de pitisalé
sembrar una llanura
de batata y fresas
ojalá que llueva café.
If only autumn would clothe my harvest
with pitisalé instead of dry leaves, 
sowing a plain
with sweet potatoes and strawberries.
If only it would rain coffee.

Pa que en el conuco
no se sufra tanto, oye
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
pa que en Los Montones
oigan este canto
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ojalá que llueva, ojalá que llueva, 
ay ombe
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ojalá que llueva café.
So that on the small farms
they won't suffer so much.
If only it would rain coffee in the fields
so that in Los Montones
they would hear this chant.
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
If only it would rain, if only it would rain,
Ay, man,
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
If only it would rain coffee

Pa que to(dos) los niños
canten en el campo
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
pa que en La Romana
oigan este canto
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ay, ojalá que llueva,
ojalá que llueva, ay ombe
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
ojalá que llueva café...
So that all the children
will sing in the fields,
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
so that in La Romana
they will hear this chant.
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
Ay, if only it would rain
If only it would rain, man,
If only it would rain coffee in the fields,
If only it would rain.

Friday Faves No. 187

favorite finds from the front lines of food

Its been a very busy spring and this just shows how busy we are feeling lately! 


Happy Mother's Day weekend folks!  Find you mom, a friend's mom or just a girlfriend and head out for brunch and/or cocktails! Seriously...it will be better than this Mother's Day gift from the Colonel.  That's right, KFC has done it again. We have seen and documented the "Extra Crispy Sunscreen", the fried chicken room candle and now its the publication of "Tender Wings of Desire", a Colonel Sanders romance novel. Just in case you thought we were joking....here is what the cover looks like. (AdWeek



We knew it! Cheese is not bad for you and we have the science to prove it! 

The findings, from an international team of experts, contradict the view that dairy products can be harmful because of their high saturated fat content. The experts dismiss that fear as “a misconception [and] mistaken belief”. (Guardian)

So if a daily dose of cheese and exercises is the order of the day, one can always try their hand at Stilton Cheese rolling. That's right, cheese rolling. Every year, in May, people congregate in the village of Stilton to watch teams made up of 4 persons roll a whole stilton down the street. Each team member must "roll" the cheese during the course. You know what, just watch the video! (BBC)


Earlier this past April, the Aquarium of the Pacific came out with a short film about perspectives on the state of California Aquaculture. It features prominent scientists and experts on the topic of marine aquaculture in California and the U.S. In this film the experts discuss marine aquaculture’s role in the global food supply and as a conservation tool, the state of domestic marine aquaculture, and the future of marine aquaculture in the U.S. and California. Experts featured are:


And last but not least, don't become an avocado statistic! Stay safe out there folks. (Munchies)

 

 

Friday Faves No. 148

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Could triple-decker floating farms (like above) address future food issues? They sure look awesome. "Forward Thinking Architecture’s triple-decker Smart Floating Farms would feature 2.2 million square feet (2.04 sq km) of fish farm, hydroponic garden, and rooftop solar panels to power a floating barge, which could be anchored to the beds of oceans, lakes or rivers. The company estimates that each of its floating farms could produce about 8 tons (7.3 tonnes) of vegetables and 1.7 tons (1.5 tonnes) of fish per year." (Nisa Media)

Underused species of fish to schools is expanding. “'We wouldn’t be able to meet their price point for wild salmon and other fish...The only way we can offer the program is with species that are undervalued.” The CSF also found a bycatch species with a mild flavor kids want to eat – similar to tilapia. “It is not mainstream and we are hoping it doesn’t go mainstream, because the price would go up.'" (Seafood Source)

Is the Democratic Republic of Congo the Switzerland of Africa? Let's hope it can be. "Cheesemakers in this region are thriving, despite having survived decades of tumultuous warfare." Culture)

A formerly downright nasty stretch of Market St. in San Francisco has been getting a food-focused spiff-up.  "A new culinary scene has been born seemingly overnight, the child of a three-way love affair among real estate developers, tech workers and food professionals that many say is unprecedented." (New York Times)

Pacific to Plate allows public seafood markets to set up like farmers markets. "Pacific to Plate streamlines the permitting process so that commercial fishermen can organize under a single permit—just like certified farmers markets—allowing public seafood markets to operate as food facilities and fresh fish to be cleaned for direct sale." (San Diego News)

Texas-based supermarket chain H-E-B strikes import deal directly with Italian trade bodies for specialty foods. (Houston Chronicle)

EU Looks into Insects as Food. This is where food processing really earns its keep. Turn them into textured protein. "How and to what extent the inclusion of insects in gastronomy can impact the general consumption pattern in the population is unclear but (it) holds the potential for a rapid change in future consumption patterns," EFSA's report said. You're going to need some serious marketing with that. Best line of understatement: "Belgian supermarket operator Delhaize in 2014 introduced tapenades based on mealworms in its Belgian supermarkets, but they were not a hit." (Reuters via Specialty Food)

Scientists say Maryland’s gigantic new oyster reef is a pearl that could save the Chesapeake Bay. "Maryland can lay claim to the world’s largest man-made oyster reef. It was finished just days ago, and rests at the watery bottom of Harris Creek on the Eastern Shore, spread across more acres than the national Mall." (Washington Post)

Friday Faves No. 131

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

The ladies-only beer club of Sweden launches their first pale ale (above). Tired of the guys at the bar mansplaining beer to them, they took brewing into their own hands. (PRI/The World)

'Cheese Cupid' Is Like Tinder For Wine And Cheese, But It's ALWAYS A Match (Huffington Post)

Mardi Gras is around the corner. The real story of Gumbo.  (Serious Eats)


That’s not a sheep, it’s a WiFi router! It’s also a sheep. (Grist)

Helena Bonham Carter strips off with a tuna in ad campaign against overfishing. Alas, click bait has not been proven to lead to activism, or even good everyday choices. (London Evening Standard)

Siracha has gone about as mainstream as an ingredient can go — it's now a new Heinz ketchup flavor.  (Laughing Squid)

Moxie — it makes Mainers mighty. Turns out that the treasured New England soda also makes a mean cocktail (or six). (Bangor Daily News)

Friday Faves No.110

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

A summer ride worthy of Wallace & Gromit!

A summer ride worthy of Wallace & Gromit!

Orange is the new black...Close call for the Tillamook Cheese micro-buses. They were stolen last weekend but they have been recovered and arrests have been made. These custom mini-buses are worth $100,000 each! (ABC)

This past week we saw Bastille Day come and go...but the debate is still on about the merits of France's "fait maison" law. Will chefs be able to keep their heads? (Guardian)

First the sugar companies and brewers were fined for price-fixing....now it's the würst-case scenario for 21 German sausage manufacturers slapped with a whopping 338 euro fine. (Guardian)

Italian in-mates on Italy's last island prison of Gorgona are learning the craft of high-end wine making. This Vermentino and Ansonica grape blend production is only 2,500 bottles, selling in the U.S. at $90 each. (The Salt, NPR)

In other news from Italy, Alberto Alessi talks about many of their iconic designs. Kettles, coffee pots to juicers, this is pure design poetry. (Dezeen)

Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Heather Ale" beer-themed poem was turned into a comic book for Glasgow's Comic Con. What's next? We can only imagine.... (Dram)

SPOILER ALERT! Real food truck owners review the new movie Chef.  We loved it!  (watch the trailer)

Friday Faves No. 104

our favorite finds from the front lines of food

Kitchen table social history in old USSR: "This is how this subversive thought grew and expanded in the Soviet Union, beginning with free discussions at the kitchens."  (NPR)

France’s legendary House of Moët & Chandon has made its initial foray into India with the premiere release of Chandon India "Nashik’s diurnal temperature creates an ideal growing condition for Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc — wines perfectly suited for India’s hot weather and spicy foods." (Zester Daily)

We were particularly struck by this radio interview with James Beard Award winning chef Daniel Patterson. His thoughts on why food commands such dedication for those who work with it (despite how difficult it can be) spoke to us, as well as his thoughts on finding your voice in the kitchen. (Forum)

This week the world lost a remarkable voice as poet Maya Angelou dies at age 86. Many of us know her poetry on the page, but she was also a poet in the kitchen, as this tribute explores. "She took as much care with her cooking as with her writing. And to her they were similar exercises. You have to know the way a red pepper will act in hot oil, she said, as clearly as you know how a particular verb will behave in a sentence." (American Food Roots)


Weird Britain: Brave Daredevils Roll With the Cheese in Annual Cheese Rolling Race – Video (Anglotopia)

Coupe d’État: The Rise & Fall of the Champagne Flute What the evolution of Champagne's drinking vessel—from coupe to flute to wine glass—says, not only about how the wine has changed, but how we, the drinkers, have changed. (Punch)

Sorry guys, you can't have all the whisky. The Top 10 Women in Whisky (Drinks Business)

Sing Along Snacks: Cheese Alarm

 It's never too early or too late for a snack, so crank up that volume on your computer.

Robyn Hitchcock sings about one of our favorite food groups in Cheese Alarm. Why are there not more love songs to cheese?

"Roquefort and Gruyère and slippery Brie
All of these cheeses they happen to me
Oh please
Rough Pecorino and moody Rams Hall
Stop me before I just swallow it all
Oh please
Somebody ring the cheese alarm"

Friday Faves — notes from the new gastroconomy, No. 59

weekly round-up of our favorite finds from the front lines of food

 

  • International style reigns: The Liberation of Paris  Vibrant, young, adventurous, international chef shake it up (in glamorous slides from the New York Times).
  • View the other worldly Vanishing Spirits: The Dried Remains of Single Malt Scotch "'After first noticing the patterns left behind in his glass, Button began experimenting with other Scotch residues, shining different colored lights on them and photographing them up close. The results were strangely beautiful. 'A little celestial, or extraterrestrial, almost,' says Button."

Friday Faves — notes from the new gastroconomy, No. 53

weekly round-up of our favorite finds from the front lines of food

 

  • Granny among the apples (above). French photographer Cerise Doucède creates photos of people posing amidst flying objects.
  • Poetry among the cheese, New York City cheesemongers get funky with their ripe prose. A favorite from Bedford Cheese Shop: "Andante Dairy Nocturne Icelandic ponies. Japanese cats on the Internet. Yawning puppies. Toddlers who give each other hugs. Goats climbing all over everything. Pink and green macaroons. Red pandas. Sparkly nail polish. Do you get where I’m going? Cute things. This cheese is so perfect and cute and delicious you just want to marry it. Or buy one and eat it."

 

Friday Faves — notes from the new gastroconomy, No. 53

weekly round-up of our favorite finds from the front lines of food

This week we're waxing 70's and 80's nostalgic with Time for Timer, the cartoon champion of healthy eating.

The PSA classic, You Are What You Eat

And our personal favorite, Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese (which we pretty much do all the time)

 

 

 

Sing Along Snacks: Parmigiano Reggiano

It's never too early or too late for a snack, so crank up that volume on your computer.

Italian advertising delivers with a musical tribute to a classic cheese. These veggies have dance moves to put the Fruit of the Loom boys to shame.

"Ero annoiato ed abbastanza giù, Non c’era niente, neanche in TV
All’improvviso, tutto è cambiato, Del suo sapore mi sono innamorato."

[I was bored and quite depressed, There was nothing to do, and nothing on TV
All of a sudden, everything changed, I fell in love with his taste]