If trip-hop is not one of your regular food adventures, you might give it a go.
It’s a style of cooking that arose in the UK in the last decade of the 20th century. The most famous restaurants were around Bristol.
But a warning. At it’s worst, trip-hop is electronic goulash laced with Valium.
However, at it’s best, it’s one of the world’s best fusion dishes. It’s usually made by adding finely chopped hip hop, funk and dub to a jazz stock and mixing in some soul and mildly acidic psychedelia to taste. It’s always served quite chilled.
This dish pretty well sings to you, usually with overtones of Billie Holiday and Tom Waits.
The best chefs have mastered the art of creating a meal that leaves you relaxed but with a hint of urban angst.
If you have never tried this food, I can recommend these meals, and the chefs that made them famous:
Mezzanine (Massive Attack)
Maxinquaye (Tricky)
Dummy (Portishead)
Homogenic (Bjork)
If you’re just after a sampler, try Glory Box by Portishead. It’s a brilliant entrée. Here it is, freshly made and served:
Portishead Glory Box Live
Portishead Glory Box Live
Not surprisingly, there are stand-alone dishes that still, occasionally, are served, and can delight years after their original chefs have ceased to be so popular. Martina Topley-Bird is a great example:
Martina Topley-Bird – Anything (Live Montreux 2004)
Martina Topley-Bird Montreux Jazz Festival Montreux, Switzerland 07/08/04 01. Intro 02. Too Tough To Die 03. Need One 04. Anything 05. Soul Food 06. Four On The Floor 07. Testimony (Sweet Honey In The Rock Cover) 08. Sweet & Dandy (Toots & The Maytals Cover) 09. Ragga 10. Poison 11.
And a final tip. To eliminate that doof doof after-taste, reduce the heavy sauces to about half your usual practice, and be more generous with lighter condiments. Then you can appreciate this style of cooking at maximum intensity.
Enjoy!
