Nine Ways to Wine and Dine, Musically
Grace Under Fire Chocolate Bar
With the announcement that 90s boy band Hanson was creating their own beer – “MmmHop” – we realized that there are a slew of culinary musicians who have also brewed beers, opened restaurants or created snacks for our gastronomic pleasure. We pulled together nine notable culinary creations from musicians – ranging from upscale restaurants and bistros to beer and wine to chocolate bars and barbeque rubs.
Grace Potter – Grace Under Fire Chocolate Bar
Fiery songstress Grace Potter and her rocking band partnered with Vermont company Lake Champlain Chocolates to create “Grace Under Fire,” a bold chocolate bar. With a little heat (red pepper) and a little crunch (roasted pistachios) mixed into the dark chocolate, the combination is a pretty suitable taste for the Nocturnals. Grace also joined forces with another Vermont company – Cabot Cheese – for a little tour bus cooking demonstration.
Tool – Maynard Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards
When Maynard Keenan isn’t making sold-out crowds headbang into a frenzy, he spends his time tending vineyards as the owner of Merkin Vineyards/Caduceus Cellars, and co-owner of Stronghold Vineyards in Arizona. The prog-metal vocalists list of wines includes his “Nagual del Judith” Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Petite Sirah and the 2006 Merkin Vineyards “Chupacabra.” In addition to his wines, Keenan also is co-owner of the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors, and owns a produce market in Arizona where his products are sold.
Performer/producer Moby owns a little café in the lower east side of Manhattan. This small shop hosts a large assortment of teas, beers and wines as well as bistro-type sandwiches – like the vegan BLT and chicken salad sandwich.
Justin Timberlake – Southern Hospitality
While he is known for bringing sexy back, the lower Manhattan resident Justin Timberlake grew up in the south and co-owns a southern style barbeque joint on the Upper East Side. The place serves an assortment of barbeque and soul food, like deep fried pickle chips (it might sound weird, but fried pickles are incredible) and pulled pork sandwiches and smoked brisket sandwiches. Timberlake himself is even known for dropping in and even playing some short acoustic sets!
Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident)- Hoopla Pale Ale and More
String Cheese Incident keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth has been an active homebrewer for years. In 2009, Hollingsworth teamed up with Mountain Sun Brewery to celebrate the release of his album Then There’s Now with his first beer, the Hoppingsworth IPA. Earlier this summer at the Bonnaroo “Broo’ers Festival” , Hollingsworth and Colorado’s Boulder Beer Company created the Hoopla Pale Ale, a “festival drinking pale ale” that according to Hollingsworth, is “the perfect beer for watching live music.”
_Andy Farag’s “Rippin Rub” _"Umphrey’s McGee – Andy Farag’s “Rippin Rub” ":http://umphreysmcgee.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?pc=UYAM65
A chance encounter with a mislabeled package from Chicago’s Frontera grill led Umphrey’s Mcgee keyboardist Andy Farag to receive a large amount of spices in the mail, an event which led to the creation of “Andy’s Rippin’ Rub.” The mystery blend of spices debuted this past summer at the Summer Camp music festival, and is recommended to be used with ribs, pork, chicken, steak, or assorted vegetables. According to a statement by the band, with the help of Andy’s Rippin’ Rub “your taste buds will be dancing like they’re riding the rail at an Umphrey’s show.”
Jay-Z is quite an entrepreneur. Not only has the rapper risen from the projects and established himself as a widely acclaimed artist, he also co-owns the New Jersey Nets and has shares in record companies and clothing lines. Jay decided to co-open a high-class sports bar in New York City, the 40/40 Club, which features class bar food like lobster and crab sliders, catfish fingers, and Baja tacos.
Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) – Watershed in Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia is home to Watershed Restaurant, a converted gas station owned by Indigo Girls’ Emily Saliers. The award-winning restaurant boasts fresh, locally grown organic ingredients. Chef Joe Truex cooks up inspired Southern cuisine, like their renowned southern fried chicken. The restaurant is currently closed, though, as they are moving locations. It is set to reopen this spring.
Gladys Knight & Ron Winan’s Chicken And Waffles in Georgia
If you have never ventured below the Mason-Dixon line – or haven’t tried traditional southern cooking – you’re missing out on a delicacy: chicken and waffles. Gladys and Ron’s Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta. Start with fried green tomatoes and then opt for the Midnight Train – southern fried chicken wings on a waffle.
James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) Creating Espresso Blend
Rolling Stone just reported that LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy is working on his own espresso. The magazine reports that he plans to “‘just go to a roaster who lives near me and start tweaking beans and temperatures’ in order to engineer the ideal cup of coffee. ‘I thought it would be fun. I have beans that I like. I like this sometimes and that sometimes. Sometimes in the middle.’”
