Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Who's on first, other players second

While the Super Bowl football game has come and gone, chatter is still fast and furious about The Who's halftime musical performance.

Opinions range from baby boomer excitement over the energy, talent and excitement of the two remaining fixtures of the legendary four-man rock band to quizzical millennials asking why a couple of old geezers never profiled on TMZ or reality TV are headlining arguably the highest-viewed show in recent memory.

An entire generation seemed to ask, rhetorically, "Who Are You?"

I say go for it, Pete and Roger! If they're gonna pay you, 65,000 people are jamming to you live and half the U.S. population is looking up from its guacamole, hot wings and pizza, you still have it. There's no guarantee that someone like Lady Gaga or Beyonce could have done any better -- though their time on such a grand stage is ahead.

I still remember July 5, 1970. I got an unexpected ticket and ride downtown to watch Pete, Roger, John and Keith live for the first time.

Wow. Pete even smashed his guitar at the end of the show. Glad he didn't try it Super Bowl Sunday. I hate to see a guy with a bad hat over a balding head rushed to the emergency room with a slipped disk.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Tortilla offers simple Sunday supper

There are culinary triumphs and there are dishes that look just good enough to eat. On a leisurely Sunday afternoon, success was enjoyed on both counts.

The recipe was a simple one, right out of the local paper. The potato and chorizo tortilla would be easy to make and magically transport the diners out of the southeast Michigan winter freezer into a Barcelona tapas bar.

With the lubricating help of a Spanish Rioja, it did just that. Layers of Yukon gold potatoes, flavored by spicy chorizo sausage, onion and manchego cheese, baked together magnificently. The comforting warmth of oven and spice enveloped the house tighter than a wool blanket.

It's been said you first eat with your eyes. With this dish, I preferred running to the second step.