A survey, of sorts.

First off, is there a kitchen in your studio? If so, how well is it equipped? Details??

What sorts of dishes/meals do you like to prepare/cook in your studio on breaks and whatnot?

What kind of wines do you prefer for certain meals? Or gourmet coffees perhaps?

If you don't cook, what do you like to eat if someone is cooking for you?

If you do like to cook, what do you look for in a studio kitchen in regards to how it should be equipped?

The results of this survey will likely become the subject of an AES white paper.

Thanks in advance!

Espresso machine in corner of CR
Also Refridgerator

Delivery

Chinese is a staple evening meal and treat lunch
Lunch usually is a picknic lunch from a big supermarket
Turkish Pizza + Olives & hummous
Occaisional Pizza / fish & chips / fried chicken & chips

Paper plates, plastic knives, forks & cups means never any washing up to do or clanking noise when I get back to mixing..

We eat in the control room chatting about non music issues ideally.

yuktyy

I'm totally with you there. Don't like microwave, never use it. Open flame is ideal; unfortunately no gas lines going into my building, so I had to have an electric range/oven installed instead. It's not so bad as I thought, the sauté pans get hot rather quickly, but sadly lacking the finer sauté technique of open flame such as flambéeing bananas foster et al.

And no grilling with an electric. That's a shame, but I improvise: Marinate meats/poultry/fish, sear in the sauté pan, then onto a sheet pan and into the oven at 350 for finishing.

On a break during a session however, that takes too much time, so I'll do everything on the range. Seafood pasta dishes are a favorite here, for speed and simplicity: One burner for the hot water, and one for the sauté pan.

•Heat water to a rapid boil, add some salt, and dump in the pasta.
•Get sauté pan really hot with minced garlic, butter and olive oil.
•Throw some 41-50 count (RE: small) peeled shrimp into the sauté pan, add a pinch of salt, pepper and chopped chives.
•Flip the shrimp around for a minute or two until they're all pink on the outsides, then add some sliced portobello mushrooms and chopped spinich.
•Flip that around for a few minutes, then add some rough chopped tomatoes and a little tomato sauce. Keep the heat high, shake the pan a lot, and get it to bind.
•Throw in a few rough cut leaves of fresh basil to taste.
•By now the pasta should be al denté. Drain it BUT NOT COMPLETELY, and add the pasta and some of the pasta water to the sauté pan with the sauce.
•Flip the pan, mixing the pasta real well with the sauce.
•Plate it up, y Tutto é tavola al mangaré.

Good tip. I love Australian Shiraz. In Europe they call it Sirah...so named because the grape stocks originate from Syria.

A favorite winery for the Curve Labs is Chateau Saint Michelle, in Washington state. I haven't tried any of their wines I didn't love...cabernet, merlot, sauvingon blanc, chardonnay...they seem to do it all right, and all for $12/or less per bottle.

L-Strat,

Try a Vouvrey with spicy seafood dishes. It's a French white with a creamy texture that offsets and compliments the spice nicely.

I find the tannins in most reds clash with the spice.

Sterling Vinyards chardonnay also is good with spicy fish/poultry.

We just pull up to any restaurant we want to try out. heh heh heh

What are some good restaurants in Flushing NY?

Sorry, I thought it was obvious...

My studio is on wheels. We can go anywhere we want.

My office is in Flushing, NY. We got the best of Asia is in Flushing.

Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, et cetera, etc.

Depending on who's at the studio, we'll occasionally cook up a bowl of Florida's finest herbs/spices... Then we get hungry and go to the kitchen ... I'm a master at Orville Reddenbackers Movie Theatre Butter... Pour over butter is the best...

We have a good coffee machine, a microwave, and a fridge.

for little snacks the microwave often comes in very handy. Also to heat up water for tea / soup / etc etc ...


for the regular 'big' daily meals we go out though. Very rare that we have something delivered. I think it is good to get out for a while .... even if it is only for an hour. There's plenty of choice in the direct neighbourhood and the walk alone is usually worth it to get some fresh air.

Coffee machiene and fridge in the studio, next building over ( 20' away) has a full blown catering kitchen.

Most pop food? Rosatis Chicago style pizza, lots of chinese, indian as much as possible, and the biggest treat of all, a trip to hooters for wings, beer, and a couple hours away from the mix!

No. We're in the Fashion District of downtown Toronto...on the corner of Queen and Spadina. Food, entertainment and is readily available.

Curve,

You are the culinary ****!

All I have is a 'fridge, a microwave and one of those hot/cold water dispensers (very handy for making my cup-of-soup).

Putting a sink in at my spot would set me back two or three decent microphones, or a years payment on the truck. The pipes are at the back of the building.

Fortunately, there is a deli below me, and White Plains Road is 1 mile away (I'm in the Wakefield section of Yonkers) where all the foods I desire exist.

---

Curve, sorry I never got back to you re: venue in Philly. All I had to do was let the promoter hear your message on how improbable it would have been, and that convinced the guy....

Later,

NYC Drew

here's a late night between mixes 5-minute dinner..

- 1 cup of minute rice
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon flavored oil (cajun or garlic)
- 1/4 cup pre-cooked frozen veggies such at spinach or mixed greens
- 1/4 cup pre-cooked and peeled frozen shrimp

1) Just boil the water with the tablespoon of oil
2) when water comes to a boil throw in the rice and set a timer for 4 minutes
3) stir in the rice and turn off the heat, yet leave the pot on the burner
4) throw in veggies and shirp, and stir here and there for the next 3 minutes

takes under 5 minutes, and you can mix it up - throw some in a pita and you are stylin...

do some fried banannas w/ brown sugar over vanilla ice cream for desert and all is good....

I'm in the middle of nowhere, if your going for take out it's at least an hour each way. About two years ago I gutted my facility and I'm still rebuilding it. My house , right next to the studio has been my fill in spot since I pulled everything out of the studio. It's so cool never having to leave the house that the studio has been on hold. In fact I have suggested to my wife that We build a new house and I take over this space. I've got 25 foot cathedral ceilings and an easy walk to the fridge.
Because bands come and stay here food is almost as important as any aspect of the project and we arrange what the band likes and always bring in lots of treats. Big old wood stove always has food going during the colder months and there is a fully equipt kitchen, with a gas stove, also 'cues on the deck, both wood and gas.
Curries are a big deal here and I also have access to organic lamb and beef as well as game. We have on occasion done venison (bamby) roasts that are infused with a paste and marinade that came directly out of "Canterberry Tales"
There are big woks and bamboo steamers for Asian. During a session near Canadian thanksgiving we once did a turkey stuffed with a duck which was stuffed with a grouse, shot the duck and grouse ourselves. Hey maybe I can get the Nugent in.
Lots of good wines depending on the dish, I prefer Bordeaux but lots of Australian and Chilean, get consummed as well, hell we even break down and buy a Canadian wine once in a while. Many beers and single malts. Even been into some ports lately for evening on the deck, with reefer and cigars.
Breakfast is mostly eggs bacon homefries and whole wheat toast, with gallons of coffee from the Bodum, usually a french roast which a litttle columbian mixed in. Yep we try to eat well and we even cut a track once in a while ;-). Take care Logan

Logan,

After reading your post I'm feeling very hungry.

Me too, that was the best entry so far.

We have a kitchen . . . I am actually adding to it now. The lounge and kitchen are being remodeled. The lounge and client accomondations are very important. I never WANT to spend money on it . . . as I always want to buy new gear instead, but it is very important for the comfort of clients. I feel good lounges make a big difference.

Many times you can find carpenter / musicians to trade studio time for build out for things like this.

In the lounge we've got a microwave, a kettle, a fridge and a coffee machine, downstairs there's a café with the greatest tastiest sandwiches and sub's you ever had (we also use the café's dishwasher on a regular basis ). Often we just take a break and drive to restaurants or call a catering service to deliver.

/Mats

We have within walking distance the best Thai, Indian, French, Chinese, Sushi, Italian, Portugese, Morrocan, Peruvian, Mexican places you can dream of! rollz heh Most of them are surprisingly affordable too. Personally I sort of need the 1 hour break out of the studio to replenish my brains as well as my belly!
And the espressos and lattes at a couple of closeby Italian cafes are out of this world. (I do have a pretty decent espresso machine at the studio for when the urge is too pressing though.)
Cooking (I'm probably better at mixing spices than tracks anyway... ), I keep for my girlfriend on rest dayz... Mmm, all this food talk is making me hungry again. Luckily I have some Valrhona dark chocolate at hand!

So makin you guys hungry eh? Well any of you lads or lasses is welcome to drop by for a meal anytime. I think it really helps out the sessions, we get time to listen to roughs of the tracks while we are eating. Since everyone is sitting around the table, it cuts down on the more me stuff and makes it a better project. There's nothing like the smell of a Rogan Josh (lamb curry) simmering away to lighten everyones mood. It also enforces regular breaks and we work from about 10 am when breakfast is over until about 8pm when the big meal is ready. We stop for a light lunch mid way. By midnight everyone is full and sleepy and we have discussed the days tracks. The occasional poor fool who want to drink all night still gets rolled out for breakfast at 9 am so that doesn't happen to much, and we stay pretty productive.
Used to be that I had a huge Garden as well for all kinds of fresh vegies, there ain't nothing like a home grown tomato. Unfortunately we've had crappy growing weather the last few summers, so the garden has been not very productive.
If you can find a good tomato or 6 and some fresh basil , just add some feta and an olive oil and vinegar dressing with a little oregano and salt and chunky grind black pepper, man that's livin' . Serve it up with some lightly toasted nan, can't be beat. Take care Logan