The food: Growing up in the Midwest, far from an ocean, my exposure to seafood as a child was mostly limited to fried fish sticks. Although I grew to appreciate the flavor of fish, mollusks, and other deep-sea finds, I never considered cooking them. Crab cakes,…
The food: I came across a cute silicone candy mold from Good Cook at the grocer after a workout, when I felt like I had “earned” a sweet treat. I don’t decorate for the holidays, and definitely don’t cook for them. Yet for some reason, I bought…
My name is Becky Mollenkamp and music has always been an important part of my life. As a young child, I helped my mom clean the house while we listened to John Denver and James Taylor records. As I got older, I started using my allowance to buy my own LPs before switching to cassettes and CDs as a teen, and then converting to digital as an adult. A couple of years ago, I bought a portable record player on a whim and have since renewed my love for music on vinyl. I’m by no means a music expert or the most hard-core vinyl collector, but my boyfriend and I have nearly 1,000 records from a variety of artists, new and old, and we listen to at least a few nearly every day.
While music has always held a piece of my heart, cooking is a much newer love. I’m a novice chef and baker at best, but I’m quickly developing a passion for making my meals from scratch. After only a year of learning to navigate the kitchen, I’m already getting up the nerve to whip up dishes without following a recipe. Unless otherwise noted, the recipes on this blog are original or amalgams of the many I’ve tried and modified over time. No matter what I’m cooking, there’s always a record playing. I’ve discovered that music and food pair perfectly and dancing around the kitchen makes cooking infinitely more fun.
Home cooking has a lot in common with vinyl—they’re both about slowing down, reconnecting with memories, and savoring moments.
So began Cooking with Vinyl. This blog allows me to share my two greatest passions with others who care about one or both. In addition to offering recipe and record pairings, I share tips on collecting vinyl, review cooking tools, highlight places to buy vinyl, and more. I hope you’ll comment on and share posts, sign up for the newsletter for free bonus information, follow the various social sites, and come back frequently to see what’s new.
Let’s get cooking and rocking!
The food: Pulled pork is a hit-or-miss meat. When it’s good, it’s moist, flavorful, and nearly impossible to stop eating. When it’s bad, however, it’s dry, tasteless, and not worth the calories. The good news is I have an easy recipe for…
The food: Is it clear yet that I have a soft spot for foods that are best described as ooey gooey? Whether it’s super moist baked goods or extra cheesy dinners, I love rich, delicious treats. Not healthy, but absolutely delicious. This certainly holds true when… Pasta sauce out of a jar or can? Ick. In addition to being full of nasty preservatives, the pre-made stuff lacks soul. If you’re a fan of chunky, veggie-filled, and meaty sauce for your spaghetti, manicotti, and other Italian meals, give this recipe a shot. Yes,… This is the 50th post on Cooking With Vinyl, and this week marks the end of the blog’s fourth full month. We’re still small potatoes in the blog world, but 100-250 people visit the site every day. Wow! We’re also closing in on 1,000 Facebook fans,… Why buy pizza sauce for several dollars when you can make your own for a fraction of the price? Bonus: It doesn’t have all the sugar and preservatives of the store-bought junk. This super-fresh recipe is sweet and spicy, and will make a few personal pizzas…. The food: Although I love cooking, there are many nights when I stare blankly at the ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. No plan, no creativity, no energy. On those evenings, it’s nice to have an easy one pot recipe at the ready. Less work, less…
The food: Cheesecake—especially the classic baked New York style—is a true crowd pleaser. Its rich, creamy flavors appeal to most tastebuds, and both the taste and the appearance fool people into thinking it is difficult to make. In fact, it’s a relatively…
The food: About a year ago, I ate Mexican street corn for the first time … and fell in love. It’s charred sweet corn, onions, jalapenos, lime juice, and seasonings, all mixed with a healthy dose of mayonnaise. The results are spicy and creamy — the perfect side dish for backyard barbecues, family potlucks, or Taco Tuesdays. Best of all, it’s super simple to make. Next time you fire up the grill, throw on a few ears of corn and whip up this treat.
The music: Mexican street corn makes me think of a lively street festival, and there’s no better music for that environment than folk legend John Prine. “Bruised Orange” from 1978 is Prine’s fifth album. There are 10 tracks, including “If You Don’t Want My Love”, which he co-wrote with the infamous Phil Spector. This album didn’t make a big dent in the Billboard pop charts (it reached 116), but Prine was never a mass-market hitmaker. He was a true storyteller, and his work is beloved by many modern folk revival artists (Bon Iver, Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, and Kacey Musgraves all cite him as an influence). Prine’s records are also pretty collectible, so if you find one at a record store or an estate sale, grab it, then crank it up while you host a backyard barbecue with a tasty spread including this street corn.
If you’re one of those poor people for whom cilantro tastes like soap, omit it from this recipe. Just know, however, that I weep for your taste buds because it adds an awesome kick to this super flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
https://www.cookingwithvinyl.com/mexican-street-corn/ ® Cooking with Vinyl (do not reproduce without permission)
Run out of chili powder? Prefer the economics (or pride) of making your own? Either way, it’s super simple to make from-scratch seasoning for chili (or meatloaf, pasta, and more). All this easy recipe takes is five spices from your cupboard, and about one minute of your time.
When St. Louisans think about buying records, they head first to Vintage Vinyl. For more than 30 years, the store has operated out of a storefront on historic Delmar Ave., in the artsy U City Loop district just outside of downtown (and very near one of the…
The food: Every home cook needs a few tried-and-true recipes they can turn to on busy nights. For me, meatloaf is one of those. It’s an “everything but the kitchen sink” type of recipe—if you have ground beef, you can almost certainly find some…