Amy Winehouse - Wake Up Alone (Live)

A year ago this week, we unfortunately lost one of the most powerful female singers of our time. On 23rd of July 2011 soul-jazz singer Amy Winehouse passed away at only 27 years old. Her unique deep contralto vocals and her eclectic style will forever be remembered.


This performance of "Wake Up Alone" is an excerpt of her "I Told You I Was Trouble" DVD recorded live at London's Shepherds Bush Empire in London, England in 2007. There is an intimate moment during her performance where she lips "I love you" to her then husband up in the balcony.

Check out these other memorable Amy Winehouse tracks performed live; Back To Black, You Know I’m No Good, and Valerie.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones Live At The Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981

In the middle of the Rolling Stones American Tour 1981, the Rolling Stones arrived in Chicago on November 22nd before having to play 3 nights in Rosemont Illinois. The band paid a visit at the Checkerboard Lounge to see the legendary bluesman Muddy Waters perform.

It didn’t t take long before Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Ian Stewart were joining in on stage and shortly later Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Lefty Dizz also played their part. It was a unique occasion that was fortunately captured on camera. This amazing blues night has recently been released in an official DVD release, restored from the original footage and with sound mixed and mastered.

The Rolling Stones were highly influenced by the Chicago blues, the group's name actually comes from one of Muddy Waters songs.
 

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Baby Please Don't Go



Also check out Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones perform Mannish Boy and  Champagne & Reefer recorded live on the same night at the Checkerboard Lounge.
 

Jac Le Chevrier

Jac Le Chevrier is a soft paste, natural rind pasteurised goat milk cheese.

This artisanal cheese is presented in the form of a small cylinder 6 cm (2 1/2") round and 4.5 cm (2") high and weighs approximately 135 grams (4.75 oz.). Jac Le Chevrier has a golden wheat coloured wrinkly rind with a white fine chalky paste.

Jac Le Chevrier has a mild to medium intensity with a delicate goat milk aroma and hazelnut flavour. Its texture is rather smooth and creamy if ripened one month.

Jac Le Chevrier is produced by cheese-maker and farmer Jacques Mailhot on his eco-cert organic farm located in Saint Flavien in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Québec.

http://www.routedesfromages.com/repertoire/detail/413

Louie

Stand-up comedian Louis C.K. has written directed and created this television series entitled Louie. The show is a fictionalized version of Louis CK, a recent divorced stand-up comic, struggling to raise his two young daughters in New York City.

 

 

This comedy series consists of different stories and segments about Louie's life as well as fragments of his live stand-up performances.

Louis CK lets you see life as something ridiculous, vulgar, honest, funny and beautiful.

I highly recommend this hilarious comedy series. "Louie" Season 1 & 2 are out on DVD. Season 3 is currently airing on FX Network.

http://www.fxnetworks.com/louie/

Monte Enebro

Monte Enebro is an award winning soft paste full flavoured pasteurised goat milk cheese from Spain.

The striking blue-gray coloured mold rind made from penicillium roqueforti covers the 2 1/2 lbs. elongated tubular shaped log. The snow white paste is dense and chalky when the cheese is young with a mild tangy flavour. As Monte Enebro ages the paste becomes creamy and runny and the flavours and aromas strengthen and become more pungent.

Monte Enebro is very tasty on its own but it is a delight with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil or served with fresh figs when young. A more mature Monte Enebro is great served with olives.

Monte Enebro is produced by Queserías del Tiétar. This artisanal cheese dairy is located in Ávila, Spain in the La Adrada area in the Tiétar valley. The Tiétar Dairy is run by father and daughter team, Rafael and Paloma Báez Bravo-Murillo.

http://www.queseriasdeltietar.com/indexeng.htm

'Alaska' Shasta Daisy

(Leucanthemum x superbum 'Alaska')

 

‘Alaska’ Shasta Daisies are attractive large single snow white blooms with soft yellow centers that bloom in June through July. It is a hardy perennial that will thrive just about anywhere and will grow to a height of 60-90 cm (2'-3'). It grows best in full sunlight, but will tolerate any light, or soil condition. The stems are long and stiff which makes beautiful cut flowers and the blooms are long lasting.

This eye-catching Shasta daisy is a popular favourite garden plant as it mixes magnificently in any perennial garden. The plant is attractive to bees and birds and serves as a good butterfly nectar source. 
 

Waldorf Salad à la Bleu d'Elizabeth

A  Waldorf salad is usually made of fresh apples, celery and walnuts dressed with mayonnaise. The salad was created in the 1890’s by Chef Oscar Tschirky for the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. Today many variations of the salad can be found. 

Waldorf Salad à la Bleu d'Elizabeth 

Recipe Ingredients

2 diced sweet red apples

2 stalks of sliced celery

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved

1/2 cup walnut pieces, broken

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

1/2 cup crumbled Bleu d'Elizabeth

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the apples, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Add the mayonnaise and toss well. Add pepper and cayenne to taste and crumble the blue cheese over salad.

Serves 4

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

The perfect cheese to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; Le Bleu d'Elizabeth

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is an award winning blue cheese made by La Fromagerie du Presbytère. The cheese is made with thermized organic cow milk, it has a thin amber natural rind with lovely blue and greenish coloured veins running through the pale yellow paste that is semi-firm.

Bleu d'Elizabeth has a soft rich creamy texture with a well-balanced salty taste leaving a slight caramel flavour on the tongue. Bleu d'Elizabeth is not an overbearing blue cheese it can be served and enjoyed alone, as an attractive and well appreciated addition to any cheese platter or added to your pasta dishes or salads. Here's a tasty recipe for a Waldorf salad using Le Bleu Elizabeth.

Le Bleu d'Elizabeth is the second gold medal winning cheese to come from Fromagerie du Presbytère run by brothers Jean and Dominique Morin who are fourth generation farmers. The family farm named Louis D'Or (also the name of their other gold winner cheese) is located in Ste. Elizabeth de Warwick in central Quebec near Drummondville. The organic milk used to produce their award winning cheese come from the farm's mixed herd of Holstein, Jersey and a few Canadienne cattle.

http://www.fromageriedupresbytere.com/

Mozzarella di Bufala

Mozzarella di Bufala  is a fresh, stringy textured cheese made exclusively from whole water-buffalo milk from Campania in Central-South Italy. The cheese has a porcelain-white colour and a very thin rind.

Mozzarella di Bufala  has a delicate taste, with a creamy soft texture. I find it is best with a drizzle of olive oil and combined with tomatoes and basil. It can also be added to any vegetable dish, pasta or pizza to add a nice rich and delicious consistency.

Mozzarella di Bufala is very nutritional. Buffalo milk is rich in calcium, high in protein and has a high vitamin content.

Mozzarella di Bufala received the DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) status in 1993.
 

Heatwave 1980

This past Saturday the staff from La Fromagerie Atwater  and other vendors of Montreal’s Atwater Market conglomerated to enjoy a cold ale after a busy day of work. The atmosphere was quite pleasant with the funky rhythmic beats of Talking Heads being played at the Satay Brothers stand as they were closing down. David Byrne singing "Take me to the river" got some of us talking and reminiscing about bands that we saw live.

 

Yes, I did see Talking Heads live and it was quite a memorable experience.

I remember my partner Chris and I, driving down the 401 in his 1964 Chevy pick-up truck to attend one of the biggest outdoor New Wave music concerts of the summer - Heatwave Festival held at Mosport Park on August 23, 1980. Heatwave live performances included Teenage Head, The Pretenders, The B-52's, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello and the Attractions among others. Although The Clash who was also booked to play at the festival cancelled at the last minute, the line-up for the day did not disappoint. Though Heatwave was over 30 years ago, there are numerous songs and moments that will forever remain with me.

What is one of your favourite or memorable live performances?