John Lennon

Mom liked Frank Sinatra. Dad liked Hank Williams. That left Rock and Roll up for grabs. My brother and I split it down the middle: he got the heavy metal, and I got the pop. Oh yeah, we were all allowed to appreciate each others choices, but lets face it, at some point, around say, age 13 or so, there comes a time when a kid needs their ‘own’ music. My parents were not unaware of the Beatles; they were, after all, alive from 1964 to 1970 when the Beatles were shaking up the cultural landscape like a 7 Richter point earthquake... they just weren’t a ‘part’ of it. Which is good, because, as I mentioned before, that left it open for me. I think it started, officially, with a posthumous Lennon original ‘Nobody Told Me There’d be Days Like These’ and its accompanying video on MTV, a Paul McCartney song ‘Take it Away’, and a Thompson Twins cover of the Beatles classic ‘Revolution’. Martha Quinn, one of the original veejays, summed it up in a 30 second song intro, ‘...song was written by the Beatles...band comprised of John Lennon and Paul McCartney...’ After having Martha’s help in putting 2 and 2 together, remembering those late night snippets on the oldies station of ‘Blackbird’, ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘Let it Be’, I slowly, cautiously, began to fall head over heels in love with this band. As luck or fate would have it, my next trip to Half Price Records and Books yielded a treasure I have not encountered in the 20 plus years since. I bought, that day, a copy of no less than 6 different Beatles albums (on vinyl, of course), all at regular (‘half the cover’) price. I have not walked past the B’s in a record shop since and have yet to replicate, or even observe the opportunity to replicate such a score. The plumpest and juiciest fruit in the bunch was an immaculate copy of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, an album that in less than an hour, armed with little more than a decent set of headphones and a stick of Jasmine incense, completely changed my musical taste, in fact the way I listen to music, to this day.

Before that spin, I never knew that music could be so completely immersive an experience. It seemed like more than just music, it seemed like I was getting to know these songwriters and performers on an intimate level. In retrospect, such coherent (arguable, I know) emotion from such young men was almost like permission to experience strong feelings myself. This was a timely message for a boy entering adolescence, and I did not take it lightly. In the ensuing months, the Beatles edged out other interests to become not just ‘my music’ but ‘my thing’. From my stringy curly attempts at the moptop haircut, Lennon specs (clear glass, non prescription...it was the 80’s), to a wardrobe pulled in whole and in part from each respective Beatles era, a favoritism for madcap British humour, a burgeoning and encyclopedic knowledge of Beatles trivia, lyrics and song orders, my love for all things Beatle became an obsession. A Beatlemania. It seems a bit odd now, heck, it seemed odd at the time that an 80’s kid would become such a complete fan of a group which had reached its creative peak 3 years before his birth, but having walked these many miles in these Beatle boots, I now know that I am far from alone and am, in fact, not even among the inner circle of the most obsessive of the ‘young’ fans.

Other young dudes were easily as obsessed as I was, but with other forms of arcana. I was a Beatles geek, but my cousin had a box of baseball cards from which he could spout off endless bits of statistical information; another cousin was a car nut and spoke fluently, years before his chance at a driver’s license, about the importance of horsepower and torque ratios. We all found our ‘thing’ and we all, I think, gained something from it. The baseball cousin is still rattling off his numbers in a successful government job and the car nut has moved from hot wheels to hot rods, finding his pleasure and escape in the fast lanes of life.

For me, the Beatles had a strong message. Humour, hope, love, general positivity, optimism...all these excuses to smile...they were more than just a warm and cozy blanket. With well rehearsed musicianship and lyrics which at their best were poetic and at their worst were at least a fun foray into some dynamic of wordplay; with fearless emotion, and fearless intelligence, and all accompanied by unequalled success, they showed a kind of cultural leadership that few others have even aspired to. They had a grace in their success; I still see Ringo get choked up in interviews, emotional and grateful for the life he has led.

John was ‘my Beatle’. His acerbic wit (my favorite collective Beatle trait) was the model for the others and in most biographies he is understood to have been, for at least the early years, the ‘leader’ of the collective. But at some point in the late 60s he did something few other public figures have done. He transformed. We, as a species, do not often allow our heroes this luxury. Very few television shows would survive a switch from comedy to drama, pop stars a shift from rock to country, sports stars a shift from football to hockey, politicians a shift from left to right; but right at the height of their fame, that’s exactly what John Lennon did, and essentially we, by proxy, as a culture did as well. Lennon’s shift was not as clearly delineated as the above examples, but it was just as extreme.

Early John Lennon was funny, yes, ambitious, yes, but also cruel, jealous, more than a little sexist (‘Run for life, if you can little girl...’), and publicly, at least for the most part, he was non-political. But in ‘68 or so, all that changed. The public Lennon became not only political but hyper-political: outspoken on issues ranging from the peace movement to women’s rights. He began to feel, I believe, that he had a responsibility to use the public voice he had been awarded for the causes he came to see as important. Celebrity is an amorphous cloud and is often only gently tested for the fear of losing it. John Lennon may have had the biggest ego alive for his blatant disregard for his chance at the loss of his fame, or he may have just not cared. I think it was the latter, I think he changed. Whatever may have led him to his particular road to Damascus is certainly a topic for discussion (Yoko? Drugs?), but the fact that he transformed is difficult to dispute.

I think that this was important to me and to us as a culture for a couple of reasons. The lesson I took was that if I identified a flaw within myself (sexism, racism, homophobia, etc.), that I did not have to cling to it like some Shakespearean tragedian. The fact that our culture still accepted and rewarded Lennon with attention after his changes also taught me that life would go on if I were to change.

We could use a little of that leadership in the world right now. Day after day I read articles where politicians parse words in sleazy attempts to escape the label of ‘flip-flopper’ or worse. I say it’s time for politicians and public figures to quit being so married to mistaken ideals and to stand up and say “I was wrong”; to step away and admit a mistake and move on.

While some may disagree, I am glad that celebrities now feel free to use their public personas in causes which move them (so much so now that it has become a cliché) because every one of those voices is a shout compared to our whispers, and though it is sometimes hard to understand all the shouting at least some important things are being heard. Bono’s work for poverty elimination and third world debt forgiveness may seem shrill in the present, but every step he helps the NGOs he speaks for and with to take will be treated kindly by history. It’s easy to laugh off political comments by Matt Damon, the Dixie Chicks or even Jessica Simpson as silly or misplaced, but they inevitably are speaking for a group that almost certainly would otherwise go unheard. When it comes to political discussion, the silence of dissent can be deafening, and our world can only improve by allowing every point of view to at least be heard.

I would say that John and Yoko’s sometimes silly, but always heard campaign for peace gave heart and courage to a generation of protestors and helped to end the Vietnam War. Though some may have wanted another course for that storyline, the bleeding stopped and the boys came home. Now here we are again facing another generation of angry hawks who think that we can kill our way to peace, and for all the bluster and talk on the 24 hour news networks, the comedy shows, the Rock and Roll arenas and even on the campaign trail, the clearest and most eloquent voice for peace, is still heard loud and strong even while it is nearly 28 years silent.

Imagine.

The branch will celebrate the life of this cool dude and incredible songwriter with a (first annual) birthday party on Thursday, October 9th, beginning at 7:00pm. We will have a few local musicians and me taking turns singing songs from the great man. Feel free to come join in, if you’d like to perform, call ahead and tell us the song(s) you’d like to play so we can plan ahead and not do too many versions of the same ones. And of course, we’ll save Imagine for a sing-along at the end.

more recipe fun...

Lots of people wonder why pumpkin pie is so much better made with a canned filling than with a fresh Halloween-style pumpkin; one is bright orange and smooth, the other gray and stringy...it seems like one of those few exceptions to the rule that fresh is better than pre-prepared. It’s probably because what we call a pumpkin these days is a variety originally selected for its seeds instead of its flesh, whereas the canned stuff comes from a fleshier, less seedy pumpkin, possibly even a squash (?!), but for some reason squash pie just doesn’t sound quite as good, does it? One of my favorite squashes for pumpkin pie and lots of other uses is the sweet, fleshy smooth skinned (read ‘easy to peel’) butternut squash. Here I’m trotting out the ‘global flavour’ side of our ‘Global Flavour, Local Colour’ motto with a Thai influenced ‘pumpkin’ coconut curry that is sure to impress! At the restaurant, we use local food as much as possible, and we easily source ingredients like the squash, onions, chilies and herbs right here at the Kemptville Farmers’ market! When we do buy from abroad, such as with most of our Asian ingredients, we always choose certified organic; you may find some or all of the ones used here in your local health food store.

Thai Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut in to large cubes (about 6-8 cups)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 small Thai chili, whole (chop it or add more than one if you are looking for more zing)
1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thin
2 stalks of lemongrass, sliced thin (or substitute 2 packets of lemongrass tea)
½ bunch (about ½ cup) cilantro, chopped, includes stems and (washed) roots
Zest and juice of one lime
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
2 cans coconut milk
2 cans water
¼ cup Ume Plum vinegar or Thai fish sauce, or salt to taste if neither is available
Thai Basil (or substitute sweet basil or sweet basil and mint) to garnish

Method:

In a pot, cover the butternut squash with salted water and simmer until just soft. Strain and reserve the cooking water.

In a separate sauce pan, combine the onion, chile, sesame oil, lemongrass and ginger; sauté lightly. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the squash and the basil garnish) and bring the mixture to a light boil, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, and up to one hour. After simmering, use a large strainer and a separate bowl or pot, and strain out the liquid, pressing on the bits with the back of a large spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. After straining, you may discard the pressed out bits. Combine the strained liquid with the cooked squash, thinning with the squash cooking water, as needed, to form the desired soup consistency. Over medium heat, bring the combined ingredients to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings and serve as is, or puree with a hand blender for a more refined presentation; garnish with the fresh basil leaves.

Recipe Fun!

New Zealand has done an excellent job of marketing its lamb to the world, which is a shame, as we in Ontario are blessed with an even better quality of lamb, actually grass-fed and explosive in flavour as opposed to the feedlot ‘beef light’ flavour of New Zealand’s finest frozen multi-thousand mile travelers (yes, that was me calling them out!). I especially love the lamb from British and African transplants Tim and Roshan from Aubin Farms in Spencerville (available at the Brockville and Kemptville Farmers’ Markets), it has a rich earthy flavour, and although I do love the spice, it really needs very little to bring out its special qualities. It tastes like food, real and hearty, and is a great way to herald in the long cool winter months. To me, it doesn’t just taste good, it tastes like Ontario. October is still mild enough to bring out the smoker (at least it is for me...), but you wimps out there can follow the same steps, skipping the smoker and going straight to the oven for an extra couple of hours to execute a simple braise. Fortunately, our local lamb is good enough that it will still present an excellent meal! This recipe is a tribute to Tim and Roshan Aubin’s African years, my Texas years and our shared Canadian present...

Smoked Lamb Shoulder with Corn Pudding, Mint-Apple Chutney and Braised Greens

1 large lamb shoulder, bone-in, about 3-4 pounds
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
3 tablespoons ground chilies
3 tablespoons Sucanat (brown sugar)
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Wood chips
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider

Preheat the broiler in your oven. Soak the wood chips in water for 30 minutes; I use local wood such as black walnut, apple and maple. If you are using a charcoal or wood smoker, start the fire first and allow to burn down to a steady even bed of coals, internal smoker temperature should be no less than 250 and no more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the spices and herbs and rub the paste all over the lamb shoulder. On a cookie sheet or in a roaster, brown the shoulder under the broiler, depending on the heat of your broiler and how far the rack is, it should take about 10 minutes per side. Turn off the broiler. Drain the woodchips and wrap in foil with some holes poked in it or place on an old pan right on to the coals or the electric coil (if using an electric smoker). Place the meat on a rack as far from the coals or coil as possible and over a drip pan, close the smoker lid and allow to smoke for two hours, keeping a close eye on the smoker temperature and quantity of smoke and adjusting wood, charcoal or chips as needed. Near the end of the two hours, set your oven temperature to 325 degrees. Remove the lamb shoulder and place in a roasting pan. Add 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup apple cider, cover and braise in the oven for at least 2-4 hours, or until the bone lifts out of the meat with no resistance.

While the lamb is cooking, prepare the Corn Pudding:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
6 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup coarse corn meal
½ cup flour
1 cup freshly shucked sweet corn
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups milk
A pitcher filled with water

To present the plate as it is shown in the picture, you will need 6 oven safe six ounce ramekins or small heavy cups and a pyrex or roasting dish that holds them all comfortably (they must sit evenly). Use the butter to grease the ramekins. Combine all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Divide the mixture into the ramekins and place in the oven (325 degrees, with the lamb). On the oven rack, to avoid spilling, fill the dish around the ramekins with the water in the pitcher, as close as is possible to the top lip of the dishes. Bake in the center of the rack for 1 to 1 and a half hours, until the puddings are set. For an easier presentation, bake the pudding in a single dish, following the same steps (the water bath promotes even cooking), and allow your guests to serve themselves at the table (trust me, this is how I would do it at home!)

To serve, allow the puddings to cool in the dishes for about 20 minutes, and then turn out onto the plates to present, they may need a little encouragement to loosen them from the sides of the dish.

Mint Apple Chutney:

1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 hot chili, minced
6 apples, peeled, cored and diced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup mint leaves, loosely packed

In a saucepan, sauté the ginger and curry powder in the vegetable oil until aromatic, add the remaining ingredients, through the salt and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Chop the mint and stir in before serving.

Braised greens

In the south, we boil greens to death, usually with a hunk of salt pork and onions. These days, I like to leave a little green in my leaves...

1 large bunch braising greens, such as Swiss chard, washed, stems removed and chopped
½ onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt, pepper and lemon to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a separate pan, begin to sauté the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat. Blanch the greens in the water for 30-45 seconds, until they just begin to soften, lift them from the boiling water with a strainer or slotted spoon, drain well, then add them to the pan with the onions. Cook the greens, stirring, for a minute or so; then season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon, and serve immediately.