Midday Entree: Chinese Pork-Stuffed Buns

The Music:

Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Lang Lang, piano; Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon B0003902

The Recipe:

They call these Char Siu Bao, and as described on visualrecipes.com:

"If you know what Char Siu Bao is, you already know how delicious these hot little buns are. They can be baked or steamed, but both have soft, slightly sweet, pillowy dough wrapped around a savory and sweet filling of thick sauce and minced BBQ'd pork."

What's not to like? Get the details by clicking here.

A Diversion

Tuesday night, the second game of a vital double header against the Twins.

Sitting downwind of a hot dog stand inhaling the aroma of scorched brats and cinnamon almonds. Brandon Inge at bat and 30,000 roaring fans.

Life is good.

(They won, too.)

Midday Entree: Italian Nutella Mezza Lune

The Music:

La Boutique Fantasque by Ottorino Respighi
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda, conductor
Chandos 10081

The Recipe:

In my old neighborhood we called these pierogies.

This Italian variation uses some ricotta and the chocolate/hazelnut spread Nutella as a filling to make an irresistible batch of "mezza lune," or "half moons," for dessert. To see the recipe, just click here.

Buon appetito, and thanks for listening.

Creative Downsizing?

Everybody's looking for efficiencies and clever ways to do more with less in these challenging days. That's no secret.

Now apparently Leonard Slatkin has come up with a few ideas of his own according to the DSO's blog, such as:

Most of the soloists will be surprised to learn that the tuttis that usually herald the first entrance will go away. So no more three minute intro for either the Brahms 1st piano concerto or Violin Concerto.

Slatkin has a reason for this . . .

"We are not paying them to sit or stand around."

And what about those labor intensive composers, like Mahler, for example?

There will also be a chamber version of Mahler's 8th Symphony. Sometimes referred to as the "Symphony of a Thousand," Slatkin hopes to get it down to 46.

There's more, including some suggestions for audience attire and a creative re-orchestration of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, substituting a tuba for the opening bassoon solo.

Get the complete lowdown by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Philharmonic Corn & Jalapeno Salad

The Music:

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, by Ludwig van Beethoven
New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Sony 87885

The Recipe:

Today's offering comes from a picnic the NY Phil put on in Central Park last summer.

In addition to the corn and jalapenos, throw in some feta cheese, toasted walnuts and fresh lime juice and you'll have a unique side dish with a refreshing tang. Best of all, it's very easy and quick.

Check it out by clicking here.

(And that's not all. If you scroll past the salad recipe you'll see another for Spinach and Mushroom Quiche.)

Midday Entree: Chicken Breasts Neptune

The Music:

The Planets, Op. 32, by Gustav Holst
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan, conductor
London 452 303

The Recipe:

Take some succulent chicken breasts, add a bit of crab, season with some scallions and a nice, dry white wine and you're on your way to a real taste bud party.

Interested? Of course you are. Get the lowdown by clicking here.

Midday Entree: German Autumn Strudel

The Music:

String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 131, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn, conductor
Deutsche Grammophon 463 579

The Recipe:

Fruit, nuts, cinnamon, chocolate, brandy, how can you go wrong? This Autumn strudel cannot fail to bring you the gratitude of those with whom you choose to share it.

Make them happy by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Vegetable Couscous Paella

The Music:

Fantasía Para Un Gentilhombre by Joaquin Rodrigo
Sharon Isbin, guitar; Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne, Lawrence Foster, conductor
Virgin Classics 59024

The Recipe:

Cosmo Kramer isn't the only big fan of paella. Here's a vegetarian variation from epicurious.com.

Quoting from their website,

"Saffron lends authenticity to this fragrant dish, which draws its inspiration from the paellas of Spain. Serve a green salad alongside, and uncork a bottle of Pinot Grigio."

You can get started by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Cleveland Buckeyes

The Music:

Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61, by Robert Schumann
Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell, conductor
Sony 62349

The Recipe:

The couple times I've actually seen these, it was magical. How did they make them? And they were so good! According to Lara, who posted this recipe on allrecipes.com:

"This recipe is so good that I double it whenever I make it. Since it is peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate it is almost like candy. Real buckeyes are nuts that grow on trees and are related to the horse chestnut."

Learn the secrets to this crowd-pleasing delicacy by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Russian Roasted Beet Soup and Potato Salad

The Music:

Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, by Peter Ilyich Tchaikowsky
London Symphony Orchestra, Igor Markevitch, conductor
Philips 438 335

The Recipe:

Like Gazpacho, the traditional Slavic beet soup is often served cold, as in this recipe. We realize for many this may be a challenging culinary hurdle to navigate if the only way you've ever had soup is hot. But don't knock it till you've tried it.

The accompanying potato salad is a refreshing change, too. So why not live on the edge? Take the plunge by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Irish Mac & Cheese (& Stout!)

The Music:

Symphony in G minor by Ernest John Moeran
Ulster Orchestra, Vernon Handley, conductor
Chandos 10169

The Recipe:

Normally we try to avoid recipes with several exotic ingredients but this one was too interesting to pass up. If you have trouble finding authentic Dubliner cheese we might suggest trying an aged parmesan, perhaps mixed with some more cheddar, as a substitute.

As for the "clover-shaped pasta," while that would certainly be a nice touch, some good old elbow macaroni should work reasonably well.

You can get started by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Russian Green Bean Potato Soup

The Music:

Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Helene Grimaud, piano; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor
Brilliant 92437

The Recipe:

There's no point in denying it. Temperatures are falling and soon enough a nice hot bowl of soup will be just the thing to take off the Autumn chill.

One nice thing about this recipe is that it invites experimentation. Add whatever fresh vegetables you might have on hand. Maybe a bit more fresh garlic. Have fun with it.

Get the lowdown by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Traditional English Shortbread

The Music:

Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, by Antonin Dvorak
Lynn Harrell, cello; London Symphony Orchestra, James Levine, conductor
RCA 6531

The Recipe:

We take as our "hook" today the recording's orchestra, the London Symphony, and offer this simple and tasty traditional recipe for home-made shortbread. We are assured these little squares are "delicious with afternoon coffee or tea."

Might work for breakfast, too. Check it out for yourself by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Jacques Pépin's 30-Minute Cassoulet

The Music:

Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, "Organ," by Camille Saint-Saens
Marcel Dupre, organ; Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Paul Paray, conductor
Mercury 475 6268

The Recipe:

This one comes from Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way on the Create TV service on Channel 56.3. This is a meaty stew that improves on the original version from the southwest of France by condensing a process that normally would take hours into just half an hour.

How does Jacques do it? Click here to find out.

Midday Entree: Georgian Cheese Bread

The Music:

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23, by Peter Ilyich Tchaikowsky
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; London Symphony, Lorin Maazel, conductor
London 417750

The Recipe:

As described on epicurious.com, "In the remote mountains of Georgia, the star ingredient of this bread called khachapuri—akin to pizza—is the firm but creamy salted cow's-milk cheese called sulguni. A blend of Havarti and mozzarella will give you a similar velvety texture."

Looks delicious. Try it out yourself by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Brats in Beer

The Music:

Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61, by Ludwig van Beethoven
Rachel Barton Pine, violin; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jose Serebrier, conductor
Cedille 106

The Recipe:

Making up what amounts to a hot tub for brats adds so much more than just throwing them on the grill. Whoever you're rooting for this weekend, a couple of these succulent grilled and beer-marinated delicacies will hit the spot, win or lose. All the details can be had by clicking here.

Of course if you're a veteran tailgater, you already know that.

Midday Entree: Viennese Cherry Cheese Torte

The Music:

Piano Sonata in B flat, Op. posth., D. 960, by Franz Schubert
Leon Fleisher, piano
Vanguard LEONSAMP1

The Recipe:

The beauty of this impressive dessert is you make it using handy off the shelf components. So it's not at all as hard to make as it looks. Check it out by clicking here.

Guten appetit, and thanks for listening.

Midday Entree: Russian Short Rib Stroganoff

The Music:

Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Vox 5034

The Recipe:

Here's something for a special occasion, and remember all it takes to make an occasion special is for you to say it is.

The twist to this traditional stroganoff recipe is the use of some good, lean short ribs. Get the celebration started by clicking here.

Midday Entree: Sauteed Trout with Lime

The Music:

Piano Quintet in A, D.667, "Trout," by Franz Schubert
Zoltan Kocsis, piano; Ferenc Csontos, bass; Takacs Quartet
Hungaraton 12918

The Recipe:

What? You were expecting chopped liver? Of course we have a trout recipe.

Simplicity is the key here, with a nice tang from the lime juice. Get the details by clicking here. Now before it gets too cold, get out in that secret trout stream of yours and catch some dinner.

Thanks for listening.