SYP Says

Liiines by Ghostpoet: Best Songs of 2011: August

"Liiines" by Ghostpoet  

Obaro 'Ghostpoet' Ejimiwe calls himself just "a lad with a lisp with some stories to tell," but this nearly unknown hip-hop artist from Coventry, England may be on the brink of stardom. His first album, Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam, has been nominated this year for a prestigious Mercury Prize (results in Sep) and is winning raves due to its hook-filled, soulful songs, evocative lyrics, and Ghostpoet's languid delivery. Even if you're not a "hip-hop" fan, give it a try. Good stuff this.

Graffiti in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

I just started a new little project over on Tumblr called GraffitiBurg. Once a week, I'll post a photo of graffiti from my neighborhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

I'll still post here from time to time (and hopefully more often than I have been), but not about graffiti. :)

Check out my first graffiti pic!

July 4th Cherry BBQ Sauce

Happy 4th of July! I'm back in NYC (hurrah!) and having a little celebration shindig. I'm making this BBQ sauce which is always a big hit--I baste it over oven-baked and broiled chicken legs, but it would be good on any broiled or grilled meat or fish.

July 4th Cherry BBQ Sauce

1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground coriander or cumin
few splashes of worcestershire sauce
few squeezes of sriracha sauce
hot hungarian paprika to taste

(You can replace the sriracha and paprika with 2 large dried ancho chiles (1 oz), stemmed and seeded. You can also replace the honey and maple syrup with 3 tablespoons light molasses.)

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until cherries are tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree mixture in blender. Return sauce to pan. If necessary, simmer uncovered until sauce is reduced to 3 cups and thickens. Season with salt & pepper. Use to baste on any grilled or oven baked chicken, shrimp, or pork. It would also be good on salmon.

Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

My version of Ancho-Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook.