Summer Berry Jam

I am not very good at jam making really. I think it's a tricky business, it usually takes ages and there's always a risk it might not set properly. But if, like me, you've agreed to contribute to the school summer fair and you're not a natural, make your jam as foolproof as possible - this method takes about 15 minutes. Especially simple if you use frozen summer berries (currently £5 for 3 x 500g bags in Sainsbury's). It's a bit on the sweet side but it definitely sets.

Makes about 8 jars
1.5kg prepared summer berries
4 star anise
1 tsp black peppercorns
2kg jam sugar

Place the fruit in a large pan and heat gently to warm it through and get the juices flowing. Add the spices and sugar and heat gently until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring to the boil and once on a full rollling boil, set the timer for 5 minutes. Leave to cool a little then use a big jug to pour into hot-from-the-dishwasher jam jars.

Here Is Some Nice Music

Brigitte Bardot: Mambo Bardot (Dot, 1958)
From the album, La Belle Bardot (not that she's actually on it), this is dangerously slinky. If I knew what "cigarette pants" were I would buy some and wear them immediately. You can enjoy more of this sort of thing here.

Laurel Aitken: Sex Machine (Hebra, 1972)
You see, it sounds like he's singing, 'My baby calls me the Queen, because I'm the sex machine' but it's actually, 'My baby calls me the cream...' Or, at least, I hope it is. You can enjoy more of this sort of thing here.

Jega: Moment (Planet Mu, 2009)
I like this so much I actually need to have a bit of a lie-down and a rest whenever I think about it. There's some stuff about him here which you may - or may not - want to read. Suffice to say if you have ever thought, 'My, wouldn't it be good if Aphex Twin, Brian Eno and Shy FX, like, got together and made a record?' Well, this is a bit like that record. You can enjoy more of this sort of thing here.

Richard Walters: For the Dead in Space (Kartel, 2009)
I don't know anything about this chap. I suppose I could look here, but, y'know, time's short. Anyway, this is a very nice song. I like it. But then, I like this kind of thing, eh?

Paolo Nutini: Tricks of the Trade (Atlantic, 2009)
Lots of people (including me until a few weeks ago) think PN is in the big group of things marked, 'Not Good'. But that's not true. He's actually great. And this is, literally, lovely. You can enjoy more of this sort of thing here.

Tiger: Soul Of Africa (New Beat, 1970)
The piano on this record makes me wish my knees worked as well as they used to in the "old" days. "No matter what they say," sings Tiger. "You can't keep a good man down." That's the attitude, isn't it? Interestingly, this is on the Laurel Aitken CD mentioned ˆˆˆup thereˆˆˆ because (*reads sleeve notes*), he wrote and produced it. Yes, that'll be it.

Clint Mansell: Memories of Someone We Never Know (Black Records, 2009)
This is from the soundtrack to Moon, a film by David Bowie's son, Duncan (though you're not really meant to mention that, I think). The music is great. Perhaps the film is too, who knows? You can enjoy more of this sort of thing here.

Broadbean and Pancetta Frittata

Serves 4
100g cubed pancetta
6 large eggs
1 thick slice of crusty bread, about 100g
100g shelled broad beans
100g Parmesan, diced or coarsely grated
large bunch of chives, snipped with scissors

1 Cook the pancetta in a large non-stick frying pan for 5 minutes until crisp.

2 Meanwhile, beat the eggs with a splash of water and season lightly. Tear the bread into small pieces, stir into the beaten eggs with broad beans, cheese and chives.

3 Tip the pancetta into the egg mixture and stir well.

4 There should be enough oil in the pan from the pancetta so pour in the egg mixture. Cook very gently for 12 minutes until golden underneath and almost set.

5 Pop the pan under a preheated low – medium grill for 5 – 10 minutes until golden brown and just set. Leave to sit in the pan for a few minutes then slide out onto a board, cut into wedges and serve warm with leaf and potato salads.

This Old Record Is Quite Nice

Fanny: Beggar Man (Casablanca, 1974)
You have no idea quite how enlightening that trip to Google Images was. Anyway, Fanny. Not the greatest band of all-time. But one capable of knocking out the odd nice tune. My guess is someone breezed in from a long drive to the studio and said, "You kow what we need? A slice of melodic, funky-rock. Tap a bit of that Stevie Wonder dollar." Well, whatever the idea was, this is a choon. Make sure you stick around for the very sampleable breakbeat at 3:10. Oh yes.

Fink Estate

Fink: Sort Of Revolution (Sideshow Dub) (Ninja, 2009)
Fink seems like an interesting fellow to me. There are various remixes on this new single, but I've become particularly keen on this one, which is handy as it's Fin(k) remixing his own work. Keeps the bills down, do you see? Now, if I'd been asked to provide a dub mix - and, who knows, perhaps that day will come? - I would have woven in a wee bit more of the vocal and a tiny bit more of the very nice piano. I'd have presented it all in, if you will, the King Tubby style. But, hey, that is a tiny point and this is a lovely record.

Music For a Beautiful Summer Evening

Bizzy B: Rub-a-Dub Style (Unreleased, 1992)
From a brilliant new compilation of classic Bizzy B material on Planet Mu, this is lunatic, breakbeat jungle of the most heart-breakingly impressive kind. I would ask all listeners to, kindly, fire up their Hoovers and prepare for, literally, an all-out assault on their lugholes. Isn't it.

Music For a Beautiful Summer Day

Grasscut: Sorel Point (Ninja Tune, 2009)
I have a strong tendency to be be presold on stuff like this. Two blokes noodling about with acoustic guitars and folk and samplers and all that sort of thing, so I can only offer the weakest apology when I try and foist another one on you. Grasscut name Oliver Postgate and William Wordsworth among their influences and that just makes me love them even more. They are, clearly, old enough to know better too - another point in their favour. This is the last track on their new single, High Down, which is out at the end of July, but doesn't (quite) exist on the intranot yet. Literally, hello Grasscut, can we be pals?

Spiced Okra Ratatouille

Serves 4
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 red onions, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
large knob of ginger, shredded
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
8 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 tsp garam marsala
8 baby aubergines, thickly sliced or 2 regular, cubes
400g okra, topped tailed and halved if long
squeeze of lemon juice
naan bread, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions and pepper for 10 minutes, adding the ginger and garlic once you've chopped them, along with the seeds. Once the peppers have softened stir in the tomatoes, garam marsala and some salt (add a little sugar too, if you like) and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes are pulpy.
Add the aubergines and a splash of water then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the okra, cover again and carry on cooking for another 10 minutes or so until both the aubergine and okra are tender. Taste and balance with a squeeze of lemon.

This Is A Bit Nice

Tara Jane O'Neil: Drowning (K Records, 2009)
From a tiny hamlet called Portland, just outside the the delightful old market town of Oregon, Tara Jane is, literally, really good for the following reasons. She's quite folk, but also quite drone and quite odd and a trifle electronicy. And, you know, that makes her good (in my eyes). Anyway, the album is from the very top shelf of the topper most drawer.

These Three New Records Are Quite Nice

Astrid Williamson: Take My Breath Away (One Little Indian, 2009)
Astrid is just the right side of Dido-esque, Radio 2 cheeseology, She's also from the Shetland Isles, but lives in Brighton. I've listened to this track four times today already and, to be honest, I'm meant to be doing something else.

Ill Logic & Raf: Darkness at Noon (Bingo, 2009)
A pair of blokes - literally. This is refreshingly classic sounding, deeply melodic junglist business. And I like it very, very much indeed. The album - of the same name - is out middle of May and it's bloody great! No, really!

Swimming: Panthlassa (Russian Linesman mix) (Colourschool, 2009)
I know NOTHING about SWIMMInG (cUtE!), but I know what I like. And I like this a lot. Well, I like the remix a lot. What that proves, I don't know.

BONUS "OLD" RECORD POST
The Waterboys: She Tried To Hold Me (14th Floor, 2007)
This popped up out of nowhere this morning and I can't stop playing it. I love every single thing about this record.

This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

Jose Roberto Bertrami: Brilliante (Far Out Recordings, 2009)
Bertrami is a member of Azymuth. This is from a record he's just made that, and I quote, "mixes 60's soundtracks with 80's grooves", which, in reality, means it's like the sort of superbly produced test-card music that used to be played if something went tits up before The Love Boat. If I'm honest, that's my favourite music of all... More of this sort of thing here.

Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 41

Bert Jansch: Baby Blue (Charisma, 1975)
From Bert's - Bert! Why aren't there any pop stars called Bert anymore? - second album for Chrisma, this is a blatant stab at radio friendly niceness. It's so 1975 it actually hurts, but in a good way. From the Maggie May-like intro, to the Motownish piano, it is a work of sunshine, cheese-cloth 'n' flares wonder. Bert's voice may not be to all tastes, but the sentiment is one we can all love. "Strollin' down the high street, I see passers by, shopping at the markets with flowers you buy..." Actually, that doesn't make any sense, does it? But, no matter when the tune is this lovable. This is from a reissue of an album called Santa Barbara Honeymoon. The new, extended version doesn't exist on the intersquizz yet. But it's due out in June.


Balmorhea: March 4, 1831 (Western Vinyl, 2009)
I've only just picked up this Balmorhea record. When I say "picked it up", I mean take it off the shelves where I keep all the bits that come through the door every day, and actually play it. And I really like it. It's a little like Epic45 - *sighs* - if they came from Death Valley rather than Staffordshire. So it's almost completely instrumental, mainly acoustic, impressionisist folk-a-doodle-do a-go-go. They also have the crucial element of reminding me ever so slightly of the Red House Painters which means I sort of love them a lot already. Classic emotional transference. Sad, really. Anyway, this is from an album called All is Wild, All is Silent which is out end of June. I'm really doing the serious plugging today, eh?

Home Made Easter Truffle Eggs

If you've got two long weeks off school to fill, these eggs are easy for kids to make and they taste nice.
Makes 12
200g dark chocolate
200g milk chocolate
400g sponge cake such as Madeira or marble cake, made into crumbs
100g rasins, sultanas, dried blueberries or cranberries
50g chopped nuts or dessicated coconut
To decorate
Dessicated coconut, cocoa powder, finely grated dark or white chocolate

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth. Str in the cake crumbs, fruit and nuts.

Chill for 30 minutes then mould into 12 egg shapes.

Scatter some coconut, cocoa or grated chocolate onto a plate and roll the chocolate eggs in it to coat. Line cardboard egg boxes or egg cups with circles cut from greaseproof paper and sit in the eggs. Can be stored in the fridge but are best eaten at room temperature.

New Music That's Also Quite Good

Meanderthals: Bugges Room (Smalltown Supersound, 2009)
Sound the jazz alarm, this is, literally, delightful. Literally in the sense that it fills me with delight when I play it, despite it simply being a recording of some blokes in a room somewhere banging bits of wood and twanging wires and so forth. What's good about that? Well, perhaps lots of things. More of this sort of thing here.


Adam Franklin: Two Dollar Dress (Second Motion, 2009)
When I listened to this I thought, 'Oh yeah, who's this johnny-come-lately, noise-pop, shoe-gazing type?' Then I looked at the sleeve and realised it was the same Adam Franklin who was The Chap from Swervedriver. So, you know, I can forgive him a lot of stuff. This is, literally, good. I'm not crazy about the whole record, but there are some songs of notable quality on it. And this is one.

Faze Action: Danaes' Journey (Word And Sound, 2009)
Simon and Robin Lee are brothers. Brothers who've recorded together for years and years and years. Does this strike anyone else as sort of strange? Could you bear to be in the same small room as your brother or sister for years on end? I mean, I love mine dearly, but there are limits, right? Anyway, this is - hello! - heavenly, if not downright cosmic disco of the tremendously good variety. More of this sort of thing here. Memo to Faze Action - get some new pictures done, innit.

These Old Records Are Quite Nice

The Louvin Brothers: Knoxville Girl (Capitol, 1956)
"I met a little girl in Knoxville," Charlie and Ira Louvin sing, "a town we all know well..." Actually, I've never been to Knoxville, have you? Ira was, "an abusive, irritable alcoholic", apparently, but he also wrote the majority of the songs and croons like a dream here. More of this sort of thing here.

Mandy Smith: Boys And Girls [Acid Remix] (PWL, 1988)
Poor old Mandy. Just as she was about to enjoy pre-adulthood (aged 13), she hooked up with Bill Wyman (aged 47). It would never make either of them happy, but that's not our concern, is it? This record - made when Smith was a much more mature 18 (and married to Wyman) is an acid-house cash in that's never been released before. It's not exactly amazing, but it is an enjoyable window on - hey! - a vanished world. And stuff. More of this sort of thing here.

Larry Williams and Johnny Watson: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Okeh, 1967)
A LP of soul cover versions. The sort of thing that was considered a very good idea indeed in 1967. There are many, many treats on this LP - I'm rather keen on the version of Cannonball Adderly and Joe Zawinul’s Mercy Mercy Mercy - but most of this is actually lovely. More of this sort of thing here.