Cow lactation

A throwaway comment on Countryfile last night caught my attention, nothing startling, they were commenting that bobby calves were effectively useless - except that this farm was keeping them for 12 months and selling as rose veal. Their point was more that the main function of the calves was to put the cow into lactation, allowing milk collection.

All of which requires artificial insemination (or old skool bull rogering). There's a 2 month period between lactation and birth before allowing the teats to recover.

So, why can't cows be genetically engineered to lactate all the time? or for a 9 month period? In some countries cows are already fed a large number of vitamins, which arguably do more harm than genetic engineering.

Obvious problem is the consumer, for some reason they're happy to accept meat/milk choc-full of vitamins to improve milk and meat production. Probably as they don't realise it's happening. But genetic engineering, which is labelled, is rejected. It is, largely, ignorance, but I suspect if people realised how their meat/milk was actually produced then GE would be less contentious.

any thoughts why it's not looked into?

b

Top albums 2014 numbers 1-5

So the top5.

5 - Swans 'To Be Kind'
It took the previous Swans album, The Seer, and added Krautrock. There's almost trance-like vibe in some of the tracks, although it's still brutal and an almost physical aural assault. Which is nothing compared to seeing them vibe, the manchester uni O2 has a cavern like approach to sonics and adding in the nut shredding volume the Swans play at, somewhat intimidating.

4 - Jakob 'Sines'
New Zealand's post-rock lads delivered a superb album this year, strings by Rhian Sheehan (who has popped up in other years top10 lists). All win this album.


3 - Alcest 'Shelter'
More post-rock/shoegazer, this time French. Alcest have dropped the cookie monster vocals, and gone for glorious soaring melodies. Definitely worth a punt.


2 - Abel Ganz 'Abel Ganz'
It appears to be my most played album this year (from a quick look at last.fm), prog / rock / pop / celtic - a little hard to categorise this one. But it's wonderfully tune/melody based. It also has a brass band, more pop music needs brass. [that may not be true] Apparently AG have been going for some time, but this album is a big departure for their style. I've since picked up the previous album, and I'd strongly recommend this new one.


1 - Opeth 'Pale Communion'
The days of Opeth as a black metal band are well and truly behind them. The previous album was a big lurch towards 70s prog, and Pale Communion continues that. A quite stunning combination of prog, jazz, funk and metal, which reflects how the band approach playing live. Admittedly live you get the feeling all band members are doing all those styles within the same track, and not at the same time. Brilliant album.

Love, B

Top Albums 2014 : Number 6-15

It's more usual to have a top 10, but I usually struggle with that and have at least two tenth equal, and 2014 was a brilliant year for music. So I decided 15 was reasonable, unlike some (ehh HippyDave) who went for 25.
I decided the top5 could probably be ordered, and the next 10 were a block. So you get the block now, and the top5 shortly.

Firstly, as usual, the disappointments.
Anathema - Distant Satellites
The last few albums have been, for me, of diminishing returns. The passion present in A Natural Disaster seems to have bled away to a bland mix of vaguely new-agey lyrics and portentous music. None of which sits too well for me, but I'll freely admit it's working for a lot of other people. Half of Distant Satellites was an improvement on the previous two albums as they were trying something new (almost hints of Mogwai?) but it didn't save it for me. As a friend put it, when he heard they were doing a tour of cathedrals, 'well they've gone right up their own arse', hard to disagree.

Amplifier - Mystoria
Octopus, the sprawling, complex, intense, confusing, brilliant double album from a few years hooked me. The follow up felt like a band trying to record something quickly to stop going insane, this new album feels like a punk album. Direct and short. And it didn't work for me.

Pineapple Thief - Magnolia
Never thought I'd put a 'thief album in my disappointments! I can see why they released it, it builds on (and is very similar to) the previous album which did well. Unfortunately having enjoyed the progression and changes in each album, this one doesn't have anything I haven't heard before.
Having said that, they are still on the best bands playing live, so go see them.

And so to the 6-15.
Don Walker - Hully Gully
Fair to say it wasn't easy to get hold of this album from the main songwriter of Cold Chisel. But it's worth it. And his website (link above) now has a bandcamp page. Kind of pub blues with great observational lyrics.


David Kilgour - End Times Undone
What is it about The Clean and their alumni? Can they produce a bad album, ever? Apparently not. This one takes the guitar based music of Left by Soft which is also a favourite album, and moves it to almost psychedelic overtones - particularly on the superb Christopher Columbus.

Robert Scott - The Green House
The Bats, solo, he can't make a bad album. Particularly if you like jangly guitar pop, this stuff is perfect. Being an addict I grabbed the deluxe OTT package from FlyingOut which was ridiculously good value. I felt guilty the amount of crap I got and minimal outlay for it. Yes, me, guilty. Weird.


Jonathan Crayford - Dark Light
Brings back memories of sipping cocktails/craft ale at Havana bar with others trying to forget their PhD's. Superb piano based jazz trio. It was a close run thing between this and Matthew Halsall + the Gondwana Orchestra, which Neil suggested. But the memories of Crayford and beer trumped Matthew, just. Both are well worth checking out. There's some sound samples of the Crayford here.

Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems
How does an 80 year old make on the best albums of the year (and it's not just me, he seems to have popped up on a number of best-of lists)? Eh who cares, Len's renaissance is great, and there's still a very wry sense of humour in those lyrics.


IQ - Road of Bones
They appear to be on a bit of a roll with their last few albums. But this one steps up, it's heavier (kind of), the new keyboardist has changed their sound - making it darker, and everything seems a degree better than the last album. Sure it's prog, and they ain't no pretty boys, but damn it's a fine album that pulls you in making you listen to the full 50+ minutes. There's not as much prog on this list as normal, and I'd really recommend giving this a spin.


Behemoth - The Satanist
Fuck me. Behemoth disappeared after the previous album with the lead singer Nergel being treated for leukemia. They came back with this, by far their best album (and Evangelion was superb). It's brutal riff based black metal, and in a year of some stunning metal releases, this stands above them all (honourable mentions to Scar Symmetry and Epica). It is everything I want in a metal album, aggression, riffs, tunes ... go forth and spin the video. It's also one of the best metal vids in years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQVVS0pFn0

Scott Walker+SunnO))) - Soused
We appear to be getting almost regular releases from Scott Walker. This can only be a good thing. Although described as a collaboration, it feels more like a Scott Walker album with SunnO))) as the backing band. There's a bit more of their noise/sound scapes in there, but it's certainly very close to what you'd expect (?) from a SW album. It's dark, intense, and unsettling, so no change there. If you haven't heard SW before, this isn't a bad place to start, but I'd recommend watching the documentary 30th century man first.


Pink Floyd - The Endless River
A bunch of leftovers from the Division Bell sessions? Nick had mentioned in his book there was enough material for an ambient type album which the band had briefly thought about as a companion to TDB. I had low expectations, but what the hell, I knew I'd be buying it. It's a wee bit good. There's a lot of haters out there, but really as a parting shot for one of the most influential bands, it's a perfect eulogy. Lots of Rick Wright throughout, and lots of referneces to earlier Floyd albums. I'm not convinced the lyrics are the best for the one song, but eh, they could be a lot worse.


Robert Plant - Lullaby and ... the ceaseless roar
I'm not a LedZep fan, at all. But Plant solo? yep, it's interesting and varied. This new one is probably the best of his solo work, what struck me is the space within the tracks - it's beautifully recorded. Yeah I'm sure someone out there is criticising him stealing from xx or yy, but what the hell, it's a great album.


So there ya go. And three kiwi albums in there. Great stuff.

More to come.
B

So this is christmas...

Had a great time pre-xmas up in Scotland. Started off better than expected by flying out of Luton, which was pretty quiet.
Pottering around galleries, parties and great food/booze. Too much of both. As usual, GoMA was a nice relaxing place of calm in a morass of humanity out xmas shopping. There were very nice macaroons at the xmas market, but my tolerance of people meant that didn't last long. Most excellent farewell (possibly) to the ProgHof on the Saturday.
We left Queen St station about an hour before the tragedy which we didn't hear about until much later in the afternoon since we'd gone direct to SMWS for lunch.
Came back on xmas eve, nice relaxing train trip down the soon to be buggered by Virgin, east coast line.
Cooked an average, not spectacular, dinner on xmas day. And then promptly came down with food poisoning (or gastro something anyway) which has had me knocked out for 5 days. Great times.

But I've sorted out the top 15 album list, so that'll go up soonish.

advertising

I suspect the fact you are having to advertise means that your line of everyone is talking about xxxx is a lie.

English as what she is spoke

From a recruiters ad for an FM service delivery person.

Whisky Cabal XV: Heavyweight challenge: Ginger Ninja v the Beast of Islay

The full cabal assembled, laid out our wares, sorted out glasses and commenced the fifteenth whisky event. Admittedly none of realised that, but y'know it explains the special, almost magical vibe. That or the booze.
Where possible I'm linking to the lovely people at Good Spirits Co in Glasgow. Go spend money with them. We don't even get kick backs to say this!

121.39 SMWS Easy-drinking dram

Nose: xmas cake, ginger, sherry
Palate: warm, ginger, xmas cake, sherry
Finish: ginger, medium

The return of a cabal favourite, great stuff - and don't bother checking with SMWS there's none left. It was such a win when we tried it the first time all of us bought a bottle, and only Dr Death had some left. We've always liked Arran whiskies, but the ginger in this one makes is quite special.

8.5-9 /10

Cu bocan (Sherry Cask finish) 46%
N: rubber, dark chocolate, 'sweaty crotch', 'choc salty calls' Jayne (firefly): 'smells like crotch'
P: chocolate, peat
F: zombie finish. there's nothing there and then it sneaks up

Quaffable session whisky (will go on the now mythical pub list).
7.5 (A) - 8/10 (rest of cabal).

Provenance - Bunnahabhain dist 2001 12yo 46% sherry butt
N: chocolate, sherry, xmas cake
P: musty, sherry, xmas cake
F: med-long, very smooth

We didn't think it was a very complex whisky, but, to quote Dr Death, it was 'imminently chuggable'. I'm going to presume that puts it on our pub list too.

7 (A) - 8 /10 (rest of cabal).

Glendronach 15yo 46% Revival
N: sherry, raisins, molasses, sultanas, treacle, sherry toffee xmas cake
P: sherry, watery, strong, chocolate, long (or hairy, my notes are illegible)
F: medium

Return of the 15yo - we've had it before, and goddamnit, we'll have it again. Very very quaffable. Sadly unlikely to be a pub whisky.

7 (B) - 8/10 (rest of cabal).

Kilchoman Cask Strength 59.2% 
N: bacon, crisps, frazzles, peat smoke, rubber.
P: wow, peat, sweet, peat, bacon crisps, peat.
F: lovely as fuck, peat, sweet, bats arse mental.

Fair to say we liked this. It's the first easily available cask strength from Kilchoman and it delivers everything the new spirit I had years ago promised. It is superb.
Further research with Neil over the weekend suggests it's the cask strength version of the Coull Point as we tried the two of them and they're very similar.
Note: do not add water, it kills it something chronic and brings out a strong nose of urine. The effect was summarised as 'a night in chesterfield'.

9 (rest of cabal) - 10 (B) /10

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 
N: peat, smoke, rubber, phenol, medicinal
P: salty, long, sweet
F: long

Very quaffable, this is the sherry finish (kinda) from Ardbeg and therefore doesn't have the usual nut sack ripping qualities of Ardbeg. nice stuff.
7 - 7.5 /10

Carn Mor 17yo 46% 469 bottles, Benrinnes dist 1996 bott 2014.
N: bourbon, sweet
P: bourbon, spicy, meh
F: short-med

Benrinnes is a pretty rare distillery to find a single cask whisky from, and I think this one suffered from being drunk after two Islay monsters. I think we should revisit it, as ratings were:
6 (rest of cabal) - 7 (G) /10

SMWS: 9.68 Plentiful fruit - super charged sweetness 22yo dist 29/08/1990 188 bottles, refill hogshead, ex-bourbon 53.8%
N: mango, fruity, orange, wood glue (PVA)
P: tropical paradise in my mouth, mango
F: long sweet fruity

At the time of writing there are 8 bottles left at SMWS, and as we say to all Glen Grant bottlings from SMWS, you need this.
9/10

No bottles killed, no permanent damage to participants, it's like we're managing this quite well :)

Slainte, B

Cooking with Bruce : Ginger Loaf

For the strange people out there, this one is gluten and dairy free. For the rest of us, it tastes great with cream and butter :)

Ingredients
250gm honey
50ml plain tasting oil
3 eggs
[small amount stout would work well here too]
300gm stem ginger (chopped)
3cm fresh ginger, grated
4t ground ginger
1t cinnamon
1 - 2 c gluten free flour
2t baking powder

1. Heat oven to 170C /gas 3, line loaf tin
2. Whisk eggs, honey, oil and stout (if using).
3. Stir in everything else, as different gluten free flours vary in binding ability, you'll need to judge the mixture until it's thick (mine was about 1 3/4c flour).
4. Bake for 60-70 mins.

Eat. 

Metal vids

A couple of dark metal vids that I'm liking right now.

The new Bloodbath album looks to be a winner, or rather the single is great:

And while spinning around the dark reaches of death metal, I came across the new Belphegor single 'Conjuring the Dead'. This should appeal to anyone who likes the last couple of Behemoth albums:

me x

Cooking with Bruce : Pecan Chocolate Mousse pie

Again, a fair gap between food blogs. But rest assured, I haven't starved. There is still significant (muscle) mass on the bones.

This blog gives an example of how the kitchen doesn't follow recipes - other than by utilising a few key ingredients. I had been told to make a gluten and dairy free dessert, and been sent a recipe for what was proudly (fuck knows why) called 'Gluten-free tofu peanut butter pie'.
Our kitchen doesn't respond well to being told to do anything, and I really don't like peanut butter, and putting tofu in a dessert seemed a really dumb idea. So things weren't off to a good start. I did like the concept of chocolate and maple syrup though. And so, plans were formed.

Here's what the incredibly sexy kitchen turned out:
Pecan Chocolate Mousse Pie
Base

1x pack gluten free digestives

3T cocoa powder

25gm pecans

115gm dark chocolate, melted

Combine first three in blender, mix in chocolate and pour into lined/greased cake tin. Place in fridge to chill and set.

Mousse

4 eggs separated

2t sugar

180gm dark chocolate, melted  [this gives 20gm for taste testing]

1t vanilla essence

2T maple syrup

1/4c chopped pecans  [in my case, beaten up with my fist in the plastic container]

Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and beat in.

Mix egg yolks and melted chocolate, add vanilla, maple syrup, and pecans. Fold in egg whites.

Pour into the base, and leave for a few hours to set.

For those of you interested in the original recipe, and no I can't remember where it came from, other than hell, it's included below (edited for brevity).

Love, B

<<<

Gluten-free tofu peanut butter pie

base

• 2 x 155g packets gluten-free, vegan ginger-nut biscuits or similar
• 6 tablespoons deodorised virgin coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 115g dark chocolate, melted
• 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

filling

• 450g silken tofu, drained and patted dry
• 2/3 cup natural smooth peanut butter
• pinch sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or runny honey (if not vegan)
• 145g dark chocolate, melted
• 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

Line the base of a 22cm (9-inch) cake tin with baking paper (parchment). 

Place the biscuits and cocoa into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times before blending on high until finely ground. Add the melted coconut oil and blend until well incorporated. Press mixture into the lined cake tin, lining the base and coming up the sides by approximately 5 cm. Spread the melted chocolate over the base and spread a little up the sides too. Sprinkle with peanuts and set aside.

Place the tofu, peanut butter, a pinch of sea salt, vanilla essence and maple syrup into the food processor bowl (cleaned), blend on high until smooth, scrapping down the sides at least once to make sure it's all incorporated.  Add the melted chocolate and blend until evenly distributed. Pour mixture into the pie case, smoothing off the top as you go. Chill in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.