Ponder if you will, the unique selling points of every major city in the world. Dublin is famous for producing a particularly popular dark beer. Rio has a massive statue of Jesus. London has that wacky Windsor family living in a palace. When you think of Nashville, the first thing that will come to anyone’s mind, is country music.

So it should come as no surprise that even it’s native Indie Rock acts may want to embrace some of what their city is best known for. It was no shocker to any of us when The Silver Seas announced that their fourth crack of the studio whip would be a country album. What I did find a little more startling was that even though their lead singer Daniel Tashian can have his pick of the finest Southern Barbecue known to man right on his Nashville doorstep, he is in fact non carnivorous. This came to my knowledge after I asked him about Tennessee cuisine and what his favourite hangover food was, “Yeah it’s all about hot chicken and pulled pork here. For the morning after, I like eggs, toast and tortillas with hot sauce and maybe some veggie sausage because I’m a vegetarian.”

Lead Singer with The Silver Seas, Daniel Tashian. Catch them in Whelan’s on June 29th

While the barbecued aromas of fowl and swine may not tempt him, he sure isn’t afraid of hitting his food with the levels of spice he grew up with. The dish he shares with us is a wicked stew loaded with ginger and Sriracha, the Thai chilli sauce that makes Tabasco taste like lite beer.

“It comes together quickly and would be a great weeknight meal. If you love spicy flavors like me, don’t hesitate to use liberal amounts of ginger and garlic.”

Daniel, we salute your unique take on Southern comfort.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 litre low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch strips
• 3/4 cup unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
• 1/2 cup tomato paste, or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• Sriracha hot sauce, use to taste but don’t hold back
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted  peanuts, for garnish

METHOD

In a medium sized stock pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and salt. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Grab another pot and combine the peanut butter and tomato paste, then transfer 1 to 2 cups of the hot stock to the bowl. Whisk the mixture together until smooth, then pour the peanut mixture back into the soup and mix well. Stir in the collard greens and season the soup with hot sauce to taste. Simmer for about 15 more minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often. Serve over cooked brown rice if you’d like, and top with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.

The Silver Seas play Whelan’s on June 29^th and their album “Alaska” is released on July 5^th. This piece is also available in today’s Irish Times.

Music merchandise has gone way beyond the realm of the humble button badge. Beyonce has her own highly lucrative perfume range. Should any Beliebers feel the urge to see Justin’s image on a shower curtain they need only whip out the credit card. And the rock band Kiss released a customized coffin emblazoned with their imagery all over it.

Putting singer songwriter Frank Turner’s wheat beer into that context doesn’t actually make his product sound too odd. But considering he is an ex graduate of the London School of Economics, is this brew part of his corporate masterplan for world domination? “I learned nothing of economics in college! The Signature Brew Company approached me about the concept of releasing a beer together, what guy in the world would say no to that?” To add to that dream partnership, the flavouring selection for the beer was actually done in a boozer. “The master brewer met me in a pub and presented me with a massive array of beers. We opted for a Belgian style wheat beer that has a big citrus kick off it.” Named after his 2010 single, “I Still Believe” Frank’s Wheat Beer Believe is not just a tasty beverage; he assures me that it can be utilized very well for cooking with too. You just have to make certain that you don’t consume them all before you get any into the food.

PORK SHOULDER COOKED IN FRANK TURNER’S BEER

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder

1 bottle of Frank Turner’s Believe or any other good wheat beer

500 ml of good chicken stock
12 garlic cloves

2 shallots
3 bay leaves

1/2 tablespoon of sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary cut finely
1 teaspoon of dried sage

2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a pot and set your oven to 120 degrees. Remove any rind off the shoulder and discard it. Cut the pork into fist sized pieces and brown them off in small batches. Remove them with a slotted spoon to keep the fat in the pot. After you’ve browned the pork, peel the shallots and garlic. Slice the shallots into rings and coarsely chop up the garlic. Fry them for 30 seconds before adding in the rosemary, sage, salt and pepper and fry for just a few seconds. Then add in the beer, stock, honey, cranberries, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and sugar and give it a good stir. Raise the heat and when it comes to the boil, throw in the bay leaves, put the lid on the pot and stick it in the oven.

Leave it in for 2 hours, then take it out and give it a stir. Then stick it in for another 1.5 hours. Serve with some buttered baby potatoes and of course, plenty of Frank Turner’s Believe Wheat Beer.

Frank Turner plays The Academy on May 11^th

^{This piece is also available to read in The Irish Times.}