interview: sam pearce
sam pearce is the handsome horn player of england's premier guns n' roses/madonna/ricky martin cover brass band, oompah brass. he is also my coffee time facebook chat friend {it works out perfectly with the time difference: i wake up early, sam rolls out of bed late and groggy from last night's gig}. there are lots of things that sam talks about that no one else i know talks about, for example, eating the pheasant he just killed. however quirky his brass band is, that is also how quirky his food world is. and i will prove it to you now:
me: do you eat lots of marmite?
marmite is the one thing that gets me out of bed in the morning. and don't believe australians, it is much better than vegemite.
describe the history of english cuisine in ten words or less.
"all the better for the introduction of garlic."
if everyone in oompah brass were a food item, what would they be and why?
nathan {tuba}: a filet steak. top dog, classy, and lean.
patrick {trombone}: a steak pie. quintessentially english, and often to be found at soccer matches.
lucy {trumpet}: probably a pot of beef bourguignon. dark, rich, and very french.
ben {trumpet}: a kangaroo burger, because he's an aussie through-and-through.
me {horn}: probably a langoustine, because i'm happiest in the sea, a bit unusual, and cheaper than a lobster.
what do you eat after a show?
mostly kebabs, of varying quality. and schnitzels.
have you ever eaten animals that you've killed?
yes, and i'm proud. i grew up in the countryside and we often ate pheasant, rabbit, and pigeon that we had got ourselves. you know where it came from and it was free to roam. it's sustainable, cheap, and completely legal.
do the following things exist in england...
bagels: yes, but not to the extent that nyc does! i saw a friend eating one today and i thought it was a bit unusual.
donut burgers: no, but i really wish we did.
girls who wear juicy couture all the time: i have to put my hands up and say i have no idea what that is.
shamrock shakes: i had to wikipedia this, so no but i now wish we did!
food trucks: yes, and they are becoming very popular... my favorite one is the pitt cue co.
what was the most shocking culinary delight that you experienced when you were here for the castleton festival?
the drive-thru taco bell in culpepper, virginia.
spare a recipe?
{mum's leek & potato soup}
1 large potato, chopped into small cubes
2 leeks, topped and tailed
1 small onion
bouillon stock powder
some ground cumin
salt and pepper
a little cream to finish if you like
chop up the onions and the leeks, and let them sweat out until they are translucent, then add the potato cubes and cover with water. add bouillon stock and cumin to taste {probably about a tablespoon of each}, cover, and leave to boil away for about 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked. whiz it all up with a blender, season with salt & cracked black pepper, and add a bit of cream if you like. that's old-skool home comforts right there.
-yeh!! thank you, sam!!