Music, Mood and Food

I have a very close relationship with my family. That's not to say we're not human - of course we have rough patches. Who doesn't? - but, even at 25 years old, when I need to talk, my mom is usually the first one to hear about it. Part of the closeness, and really some of the craziness, comes from our shared love of music. Music, to us, is our shared language, our shared passion, and one thing we agree to appreciate and never agree on.

Really, it all started with Dvorak.

In 1893, during a three year stay in the United States, Antonin Dvorak wrote his 9th, and probably most well known, symphony entitled "The New World." He was interested in the themes, nuances, and idiosycracies of local American music, particularly that of the African- American and Native American communities of the time, and tied a lot of those ideas into this enormously popular piece. He has been quoted as saying, "I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States. These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them."

Growing up, this piece was (and is) the Family Theme Song. From this beautiful and passionate composition, and my parents' boundless enthusiasm toward it, the music seed was planted and bloomed to create two professional musicians (my brothers are a violinist and cellist) and one avid music enthusiast.

These days, Dvorak and a few other great composers -Beethoven, Shostakovich, Schubert - are where our common ground as a family regarding music really begins and ends. I like to think I have the widest and most accepting view of music, and what good music really is, of the five of us. That doesn't mean I'm not a snob. I am just less of a snob. I know that, when you ask a person what kind of music they listen to, the response 98 times out of 100 is either, "Oh, I listen to everything!" or "Everything but country."

I really do listen to everything, even a little country.

Because music has such an ability to affect my mood - Ella Fitzgerald on a lazy, rainy Sunday, Hot Hot Heat when I'm working, Incubus when I am driving, Debussy when I need to sleep - I listen to certain songs or playlists when I cook. Etta James' "At Last" is the perfect chocolate-espresso souffle song. At the risk of getting too specific, I'll give my genre list for culinary awesomeness:

Rap metal (i.e. Linkin Park): Shrimp, scallops, other shellfish. Anything that cooks on very high heat very quickly

Big Band (i.e. Frank Sinatra): Grilling or Breakfast. I always think of a romantic weekend breakfast when I hear Etta belt out "Sunday Kind of Love."

Ethereal Prog Rock (i.e. Radiohead): Rice in a rice cooker, with something that requires a lot of chopping, like a stir fry or goulash.

Mid-tempo rock (i.e. Jimmy Eat World): Anything with citrus, coriander, or cilantro. Mid-tempo is usually bright, a little more optimistic, and reminds me of picnics and summer. Also, femme-pop, like older Nelly Furtado or Esthero, evokes similar culinary stylings. Don't ask me why.

Good Stuff (i.e. whatever your favorite is. For me, Incubus, Muse, and Alanis Morrisette) Culinary Therapy and Comfort Food.

Classic Rock (i.e. The Beatles): Whatever Mom used to make. Or Italian Food. Your Choice.

I use the, for lack of a better term, "mood altering" affects of music to enhance the stress relief, relaxation, and social joy I derive from cooking for myself and others. Just like the perfect song on windows-down spring drive can improve two weeks of rain, perfectly seared tuna steak can clear off any bad day blues. And when I hear that perfect song with that seared steak? That absolutely makes my life!

In honor of Spring, seasonal cuisine, and that perfect song, I am posting my glorious Orange Glaze Salmon. It's so bright, refreshing, and made for eating on a patio.

Orange Glaze Salmon

2 pounds salmon fillet
1 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger root
2 tbs. cornstarch
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Whisk orange juice and cornstarch together, then place mixture in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes, until reduced by about 1/2 and thickened. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.

Stir balsamic vinegar and ginger root into orange juice.

Place salmon fillet in a medium baking dish, skin side down. You can line it with wax paper or aluminum to make cleanup easier. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover with 1/2 the orange juice mixture.

Bake salmon in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes. Brush with remaining marinade, and continue baking 10 to 15 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork. Serve with steamed rice or naan.

Enjoy!