StrawChocolatey Goodness

Hello everyone!

Just a reminder that this Sunday is our June Too Many Cooks! with Libby Glover!

Join us at 7:00pm on the 1st as we explore the love affair between two indulgent, summer favorites: chocolate and strawberries. Prepare your taste buds for Libby's lesson in the art of mingling, marrying and melding this delectable duo.

We hope to see you all there! Check out our website,
www.wildgoosecreative.com, for more details!

Third Thursdays Reminder!

Come join us this Thursday, May 15th, 2008 for the next installment of our monthly event, Third Thursdays. Last month we listened to and discussed a couple songs with music critic, Andy Whitman, and this month we'll enjoy the musical giftings of Pennsylvania native, Kate Meyer. Kate, an opera singer and jazz chanteuse extraordinaire, will share an evening of some of her favorite songs ranging from exquisite arias to swingin' jazz standards.

The fun takes place this Thursday, beginning at 8 p.m. Join us at a new location, Shanahan's Dance studio, located at 3041 Indianola Avenue in Columbus.

Hope to see you there!

Too Many Cooks! Mustard edition.

This past Sunday we explored the art of the world most popular condiment at our mustard-centric Too Many Cooks! It was an exciting evening featuring mustard themed slam poetry, improvised scenes from mustard history, and a mustard infused Shakespeare performance. If that wasn't enough mustard fun we also hosted a delicious mustard tasting and offered a hands on workshop for creating homemade mustard masterpieces!

Needless to say good times were had.

A few random mustard facts from the evening for those of you who couldn't make it:

• Canada produces about 90 percent of the world's supply of mustard seed
• The Mustard Club was formed in England in 1926 to tout the spice's healing qualities through consuming and bathing.
• In one year at New York's Yankee Stadium more than 1,600 gallons plus 2,000,000 individual packets of mustard are consumed.
• Pope John XXII of Avignon (1249-1334) loved mustard so much that he created the post of “Grand Moutardier du Pape” (Mustard-Maker to the Pope), and gave the job to an idle nephew who lived near Dijon.

Next time you're at a get together and they happen to be serving mustard just casually toss out one of those gems. You'll be the highlight of the party. Guaranteed.

Also in case you're wondering how in the heck we taught people to make mustard in the comfort of their own homes here's a simple recipe that will get you started on the road to mustard success.

Ingredients
2tsp mustard flour
2 tsp cool water
1/8 cup mustard seeds (yellow, brown or a delightful mix)
¼ c vinegar (white, apple cider, red wine, balsamic, etc.)
¼ c additional liquid ingredient (wine, beer, water, cranberry juice, etc.)
1tsp salt
Various spices, herbs, extra ingredients (honey, brown sugar, wasabi, Tabasco, etc. Be creative!)

• In a medium sized dish (avoid using aluminum containers as they will react oddly with the mustard) mix mustard flour and water.

• Add mustard seeds, vinegar, other liquids, salt and spices and additional ingredients. Mix well. At this point your mixture will not resemble mustard just yet, it will look very much like seeds floating in liquid. Do not be alarmed, your mustard simple needs time.

• Let sit in an air tight container at room temperature for 5-10 days. The flavors in your mustard will mellow over time. Refrigeration will halt the mellowing process. Mustards containing perishable ingredients should be left un-refrigerated for a shorter amount of time.

• Since mustard’s pungency is caused by a chemical reaction do not be tempted to speed up the process by cooking. Heating your mustard will cause it to lose flavor.

• Once your mustard has achieved the flavor you desire, blend using food processor to reach optimal consistency (a blender works just fine).

• Homemade mustards can be refrigerated up to two months.

Happy mustard making and thanks again to everyone who helped make this event a success!

Col. Mustard, in the Kitchen, with the Mustard Jar

Come join us this Sunday, May 4, 2008 for our second monthly culinary series Too Many Cooks! Last month Marcia Meyer taught us how to make basic red and white sauces, and this month we look at one of America's favorite condiments: mustard! Our very Ryan Hoke will showcase a variety of mustards, then teach us how to create our own.

The mustardry takes place this Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m. Join us at 2595 Summit St. in Columbus. Suggested donation is $5.

Hope to see you there!

Son Lux

This past week we held our April Third Thursdays, featuring music writer Andy Whitman. Andy spoke about his career in engaging, reviewing, and writing about music. He played two songs, Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" and Son Lux's "Stand." It was great to just sit there as a group and LISTEN. When's the last time you sat and just listened to a song? Typically we listen to music while we're doing something... at work, running, traveling in the car, at a social gathering. But it's rare that we focus ourselves solely on the music.

The first selection Andy played came from this guy named Ryan Lott, who plays under the name Son Lux. (Check out his blog or his Myspace page.) It was a really fascinating mash-up of drums, piano, electronics, samples of opera singers, and much more. He sings only one line, "You stand between me and all my enemies," over and over again, as the music changes in tempo, intensity, and instrumentation behind it. It was mesmerizing, and that night I bought the album, At War With Walls and Mazes, on iTunes.

It really pleased me to be part of an exchange that connected Andy, everyone in attendance, and Son Lux. Andy had discovered the music, shared it with us, and now we've had the chance to support the musician and Andy. There's just something really cool about that. And Son Lux's album is AMAZING. Thanks to Andy for speaking at Third Thursdays, and introducing us to some new music!

Third Thursdays, April!

Join us this Thursday, April 17, as we welcome Andy Whitman, music columnist and freelance writer for Paste Magazine and other publications to share stories and insights about his life as a writer and artistic critic. Along with sharing thrilling tales of his life penning columns, he’ll take us through a basic workshop on how to critically listen to albums, artists, and songs.

When: Thursday, April 17 at 8 PM
Where: 2595 Summit St. Columbus, OH 43202

Pictures of Too Many Cooks!

Did you miss April's Too Many Cooks? Check out these pictures of the event. Special thanks to John McCollum for taking them!