Acoustic Chef is a book/CD of delicious, easy, and unique recipes from around the world with stories and music to go with each.
(Recipe for Nisu Christmas bread below!)
Listen to clips of each song below and you can request a download of the music if you ordered the softcover version. Acoustic Chef is listed as #1 in “17 Best Gifts for Travelers” and Guitar Girl calls it a “Perfect Holiday Gift for Music Lovers, Travel Buffs and Foodies Alike.” It was nominated for best album in the Concept/International category for the WAM awards. The CD on inside cover also becomes part of the artwork on the front of the book.
*Free Shipping for hardcover to Europe! (Note that shipping will first be charged and we will refund shipping fee within 48 hours or when product is shipped.)
Join me on a virtual tour around the world. This book with accompanying CD are the culmination of many years of savoring great food and music as I tour.
I hope to give you a taste of these treasured adventures with friends and fellow musicians in the stories, music, and recipes
Upcoming Livestreams Lots to check out! INFO HERE.
Cooking, art, and music all encourage inventiveness. I’m honored to be joined by great musicians from each country represented in the book, including Tuvan throat singers, Lulo Reinhardt (Django’s Grandson), Zoltán Baranyi on gypsy fiddle, Rory Hoffman on accordion, Lee Nourtsis on bouzouki with string quartet.
Nisu Finnish Christmas bread
1 cup scalded milk
½ cup sugar
one stick butter cut into pats
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp cardamom seeds crushed (6 seeds)
2 – 3 cups flour
1 yeast cake in ½ cup warm water
About 12 Maraschino cherries
1½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp almond extract
Prep Pour scalded milk over sliced up butter, sugar and salt. Mix to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, let cool until it’s slightly warm. Add yeast that has been dissolved in warm water. Crush the cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle (1 tsp crushed), and add to beaten eggs. Add egg mixture to milk mixture, stir in 2 c flour until smooth, continue to add flour gradually. Turn dough onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Return dough to bowl, cover and let rise until double. (1-2 hours)
Return dough to floured board. Knead just a bit. Cut dough in half, then each in thirds to make two braided loaves. Roll each piece into snakes about 1½ ft long. Braid together three pieces loosely and place in bread pan. Cut maraschino cherries into thirds and tuck into braid. Cover and let rise until double, 30 min – 1hour. Cooking Preheat oven to 350º F. Just before baking, brush top of bread with melted butter. Bake 25-30 min at 350. Take the bread out of the oven when golden brown and brush with melted butter. Make icing drizzle by mixing together 1 ½ cups powdered sugar with ½ tsp almond extract. Gradually add just a very little bit of water, less than ¼ cup, adding just a little at a time until consistency of a thick batter. The exact amount of water varies with the humidity. When nisu is close to room temperature, remove from pan and drizzle icing on top. Slice and serve.
Here’s the full-length track of The Immigrant to enjoy with your Nisu!
* If you have the Softcover version via print-on-demand, EMAIL HERE along with your order number for a download of the music.
Recipe & Music Pairings
Music excerpts below recipe photos. (All music composed by Muriel Anderson except “Under Paris Skies,” “Tater Patch Medley,” and “Dance for Muriel.”) *Wine pairing for Ammirabile Waltz / Eggplant Parm.
Goulash/Paprika
Karjalanpiirakka/The Immigrant
Tuvan Lamb Dumplings/The Tuvan Horseman
Mummu’s Kukumber Pikkles/A Fine Pickle
Crepes de Blé Noir/Prelude to a New Morning
Bruschetta/Crystal Horizon
Salmon in Boats
Bluefish à la Muriel
Bluefish à la Bryan
Old Man and the Sea
Eggplant Parmesan/Ammirabile Waltz
Leo’s Sherry Mushroom Nudeln/El Léon
Quiche Yin Yang/Under Paris Skies
Rosemary Roasted Roots/Tater Patch
Steak Chimichurri/Dance for Muriel
Muriel’s Marvelous Asparagus
Brussels Sprouts
Baklava (with Love)/JS Baklava
Strawberries Pasquet/Mansikka
Blueberry Soup
Nisu Finnish Coffee Bread
Coconut Amaretto Nests
Music credits
- Paprika (by Muriel Anderson) With Zoltán Baranyi on gypsy fiddle, Rory Hoffman on accordion, Muriel on Doolin harp guitar
- A Fine Pickle (by Muriel Anderson) With Roland Barber on tuba, trombone, trumpet and sax, Muriel on Klein steel-string guitar *
- Ammirabile Waltz (by Muriel Anderson) With Rory Hoffman on accordion, Danny Gottlieb on drums, Charlie Chadwick on bass, Muriel on Tierra Negra flamenco guitar
- Tuvan Horseman (by Muriel Anderson) With Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, Ayan-ool Sam, and Ayan Shirizhik on vocals and traditional instruments. Lyrics by Alash. Muriel on Charles McCormick harp guitar *
- Tater Patch Medley (Traditional tunes Tater Patch, June Apple, and Sally Goodin) With Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Jack Pearson on clawhammer banjo, Mike Bub on bass, Muriel on Martin D35 guitar *
- The Old Man and the Sea (by Muriel Anderson) With Danny Gottlieb on drums, Raul Ramirez on congas, Charlie Chadwick on bass
- The Immigrant (by Muriel Anderson) With Rory Hoffman on accordion, Muriel on Klein steel-string guitar
- Prelude to a New Morning (by Muriel Anderson) With Elisabeth Small and Karen Winkelmann on violin, Betsy Lamb on viola, Anthony LaMarchina on cello, Muriel on Klein steel-string guitar *
- El León (by Muriel Anderson) With Leo Henrichs and Raughi Ebert on flamenco guitar and palmas, Luis Gallo joins on palmas, Muriel on Tierra Negra model flamenco guitar ***
- Dance for Muriel (by Jorge Morel © Cheska Music, 2001 ASCAP) Muriel on Banchetti classical guitar **
- Orizzonte di Cristallo (by Muriel Anderson) With Alberto Lombardi on 2nd guitar, Victor Wooten on bass, Tom Shinness on cello, Danny Gottlieb and Beth Gottlieb on percussion, Muriel on Klein steel-string guitar and vocals LYRICS
- Sous le Ciel De Paris “Under Paris Skies”(by Hubert Giraud and Jean Dréjac) With Lulo Reinhardt on gypsy jazz guitar, Rory Hoffman on accordion, Muriel on vocals & Doolin 20-string harp guitar
- Mansikka (Trad Finnish tune, arrangement by Muriel Anderson) Muriel on Doolin 20-string harp guitar and vocals, with sisters Marguerite Re and Liisa McMahon, Kasha Breau and Senni Eskelinen on kantele
- JS Baklava (by Muriel Anderson) With Lee Nourtsis on bouzouki, Elisabeth Small and Karen Winkelmann on violin, Betsy Lamb on viola, Anthony LaMarchina on cello, Beth Gottlieb on percussion, Muriel on Doolin harp guitar
Music by Muriel Anderson © 2019 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI. All rights reserved. Recorded in Nashville TN. Mixed by Muriel Anderson and Brad Cole. *Recorded at The Colemine, Brad Cole, engineer. **Mixed by Kim Person. ***Mixed by Raughi Ebert. Mastered by John Mayfield. Recorded on Dirk Brauner and Sony microphones.
Thank you to sous-chefs Bryan Allen, Andrea Anderson, Marguerite Re, Liisa McMahon, Vivian Fabbro Keenan, Eszter & Tom Lumen, Leo Henrichs, Jorge Morel, Grazia Ammirabile, Flavia Brandoni, Eric Pasquet, Alash, Carol Gal, Mary Kravec, Adam Johnson, Jeff Scheer, Tom Hankinson, Rob Taylor, Annabel Chiarelli, Pamela Hardy, and Anne Roos.
If you subscribe to my Truefire Channel, some of the recipes, stories, and videos are available there. More Recipes