One recurring feature this blog will have is a segment we’ll call Album Menus (until I can think of a better name).  In this segment, each song off a specific album will be paired with it’s own unique course. No big deal.  Typically, the album menu will not logically flow.  For example, dessert can come whenever it makes the most sense given the mood / lyrics of a song on said album.  As long as each song is well represented with its own unique dish, then it’s at least a partial success.  If Thomas Keller by chance reads this post and gets a boner, then it’s a complete success.

Ideally, I’ll post a video for each song on the album, but that doesn’t always work, so if a song doesn’t have a real video, then I suggest you download the album by following Billy’s instructions.

Below each video is A) The course for that song B) A brief comment describing the reasons for that course, and C) An alternative vegetarian option.

First up on Album Menus is Akron/Family: Set ’em Wild, Set ’em Free

1) Everyone Is Guilty

-Red Snapper crudo, drizzled with jalapeno vinaigrette.

-This song kicks ass. It makes you wanna snap your fingers and groove.  The jalapeno vinaigrette accentuates the vibe of the song brilliantly.

-Vegetarian Option: Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes

2) River

-Plank Roasted Salmon, with coarse sea salt and rosemary.

-“once this spark met kindling, forgets its gentle ambling. Becoming heat, becoming steam, becoming luminescent glee”.  The Salmon (preferably Copper River salmon), is plank roasted over an open fire.  The coarse sea salt and rosemary accentuate it beautifully. “you and I and a flame make three”… right on.

-Vegetarian Option: Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

3) Creatures

-Cornish Game Hens with Sweet Potato and Sausage Stuffing

-The rhythm of this song sways you back and forth, similar to how a Cornish Game Hen flaps its wings.  “Up and then…” signifies the last flight path the Game Hen took before the hunter shot him “down down down”.  The stuffing accentuates the flavors in the hen splendidly.

-Vegetarian Option:  Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

4) The Alps & Their Orange Evergreen

-Oysters 3 ways: 1) Raw with blood orange mignonette. 2) Barbecued with chorizo and cilantro. 3) Deep Fried: breaded in flour and bacon bits mixture

-A peaceful song, referencing “the sea”, a “water body”, and “swimming”.  The trio of oysters harmoniously accentuate the cleanliness of the song.

-Vegetarian Option: Blood Orange mashed potatoes

5) Set ‘Em Free

-Free Range lemon roasted chicken with Wild Rice.

– “Set ‘em wild, set ‘em free”…it makes too much sense…  The lemon accentuates the chicken subtly, yet perfectly.

-Vegetarian Option: Lemon Mashed Potatoes

6) Gravelly Mountains of the Moon

-Slow Roasted Mountain Goat, with chipotle mole.

-This song begins quite peacefully, like a Mountain Goat awaking from a nap.  It then builds into a wild rush of beautiful noise, like a Mountain Goat clanking his hoofs racing after whatever Mountain Goats eat.  The slow roasted cooking method accentuates the tender meat gracefully.

-Vegetarian Option: Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

7) Many Ghosts

-Linguini with Black Truffles and Butter.

-Many Ghosts is really a great song.  Great songs deserve great ingredients.  The black truffle gives this dish an earthy feel, and the butter accentuates this dish traditionally.

-Vegetarian Option: Black Truffle Mashed Potatoes, with extra butter. Eat your fucking heart out Paula Deen

8 ) MBF (excuse the lack of real video for this “song”)

-Oreo Mud Pie

-Dessert comes early with this mess of a song.  Why does this song exist? It’s awful. The Mud Pie, however, is delicious and the oreos complexly accentuate the texture of the pie.

-Vegetarian Option: Chocolate Mashed Potatoes

9) They Will Appear

-Surf N Turf: 24 oz Peppercorn Crusted Wagyu Porterhouse with Maine Lobster tail.

-This song kicks all sorts of ass and this course will knock you on your ass.  The peppercorn crust accentuates the deliciousness of the beef magnificently.

-Vegetarian Option: Mashed Potatoes with lots of Pepper

10) Sun Will Shine

-Vanilla Flan

-This song is bland. It just doesn’t live up to the majority of songs on this album. The vanilla accentuates the blandness of the flan elegantly.

-Vegetarian Option: Vanilla Mashed Potatoes

11) Last Year

-Shot of Maker’s

-“Last year was a hard year for such a long time, this year’s gonna be ours”.  I’ll drink to that.  The bourbon fiercely accentuates the mood of the song.

-Vegetarian Option: Makers Mark Mashed Potatoes.