The day Morrissey came to tea: an extract from Dave Haslam’s memoir

The day Morrissey came to tea: an extract from Dave Haslam’s memoir - The Observer
In book Sonic Youth Slept on My Floor, the DJ recalls how the Smiths changed British music, and his charming days spent with Morrissey – on photo shoots, at the Haçienda, and over cauliflower cheese

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Also, interview with Miranda Sawyer in which the changes in Morrissey are mused upon - Morrissey is now "...uninformed, charmless, bitter and twisted..."

Dave Haslam: ‘That music changed lives. It made Manchester what it is’ - The Observer

Excerpt:

What about Morrissey now? How do you feel about him?
In the context of music, the Smiths were so valuable, they made such an impact… But I have no explanations for why Morrissey ended up saying the stuff he does. It is almost as though he’s another person. Everything he was – informed, charming, gentle – he is the opposite now – uninformed, charmless, bitter and twisted. It’s a strange one, especially because he says he hasn’t changed. From my perspective, he has.

 

[Anonymous]

Not a big fan of califlower meself. Belly bloat and all that goes with it.

Morrissey hadn't had his tea, History will reveal, but decided not to chance it, for fear his farts would be recorded for posterity.

Nowadays, whatever he eats, he farts quite often during interviews. With his mouth most of the time.

Foreign journos then remark " Ooh! You're very comfortable in your body!" which doesn't mean anything, and he complacently agrees that life's a gas.

 

[E Scott]

Jamaican chow chow is my favourite dish with cauliflower amongst plenty of ingredients. It's so tasty.

 

[Peppermint]

Loads of people find the notion of giving up bacon the deal breaker in any decision about going veggatarian.

Yes, I've heard that. It wouldn't be for me but I have health issues which mean a very restricted diet, which is challenging in itself but without meat it would be nigh on impossible.

 

[Peppermint]

Jamaican chow chow is my favourite dish with cauliflower amongst plenty of ingredients. It's so tasty.

What's in that? I love anything spicy but I can't eat sugar/high carb foods.

 

[E Scott]

Jamaican vegetable stew very delicious and healthy. The vegetable itself is like a type of squash but it's also name of jamaican stew with loads of vegetables including cauliflower.

 

[Peppermint]

Jamaican vegetable stew very delicious and healthy. The vegetable itself is like a type of squash but it's also name of jamaican stew with loads of vegetables including cauliflower.

Just Googled it but I can only find recipes for a sort of mixed vegetable pickle. Am I looking at the wrong thing?

 

[E Scott]

Yes it can be pickle - but never had that version. The one I have has red/green peppers/ celery/carrot/courgette/cauliflower/onion/baby turnip/spring onions/chow chow/ had a ginger/ garlic/ pepper stock.

 

[g23]

It’s sounds like it has a lot of potential, though. I like cauliflower and cheese. How could that go wrong? Please describe.

Overcooked rubbery chunks of cheese, mushy cauliflower. Worse, it could be too dry. The best course would be to make a bechamel sauce combined with some of the cheese to get a uniform flavor throughout, and then add more cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.

 

[g23]

Allow me to explain, TAT, as I've probably made all of the official cauliflower cheese errors over the years:
1. Lumpy cheese sauce (from an inexperienced/incompetent sauce maker)
2. Mushy cauliflower due to over-boiling
3. Flavourless sauce due to cheap quality (or worse still, 'low fat') ingredients: it should use butter, full fat milk and plenty of mature cheddar
4. Failure to put extra cheese on top, resulting in less intense flavour
5. Failure to bake until golden brown, also resulting in less flavour

That's great. I added my two cents on it as well. There's a reason I'll never be skinny, and that is knowing the true power of good fresh butter. I suppose it makes sense that I'm happy to cook and often cook rich foods. Julia Child and I are birthday buddies.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

Allow me to explain, TAT, as I've probably made all of the official cauliflower cheese errors over the years:
1. Lumpy cheese sauce (from an inexperienced/incompetent sauce maker)
2. Mushy cauliflower due to over-boiling
3. Flavourless sauce due to cheap quality (or worse still, 'low fat') ingredients: it should use butter, full fat milk and plenty of mature cheddar
4. Failure to put extra cheese on top, resulting in less intense flavour
5. Failure to bake until golden brown, also resulting in less flavour

Thanks so much, Pep! That was more than I could ever hope for and I feel if when I attempt my first cauliflower cheese, it will be my own fool fault should I make it wrong.

So basically the cheese sauce, you’re making a roux and adding the cheese, and I think maybe some cream (screw the milk!,) and a good cheddar? I am terribly particular about my cheeses having worked the cheese counter at a gourmet food store when I was in college. Domestically, I’m thinking either an extra sharp Cabot or Tillamook (for Americans looking to make it along with me.) So a roux then?

I’m also fantasizing about some roasted garlic with it. I think that might be nice. Some night this week, cauliflower cheese will be mine!

 

[Try Anything Twice]

Mix cheddar and guyere cheese with a bit of mustard in sauce - this is my method.

I’m so with you on that! When I make macaroni and cheese from scratch, I always add mustard and a bit of curry powder. Gruyere is so great for melting. Now I want to make a cheese fondue, too!

 

[g23]

Thanks so much, Pep! That was more than I could ever hope for and I feel if when I attempt my first cauliflower cheese, it will be my own fool fault should I make it wrong.

So basically the cheese sauce, you’re making a roux and adding the cheese, and I think maybe some cream (screw the milk!,) and a good cheddar? I am terribly particular about my cheeses having worked the cheese counter at a gourmet food store when I was in college. Domestically, I’m thinking either an extra sharp Cabot or Tillamook (for Americans looking to make it along with me.) So a roux then?

I’m also fantasizing about some roasted garlic with it. I think that might be nice. Some night this week, cauliflower cheese will be mine!

Tillamook's extra sharp aged cheddar (black package) is to die for. Also, the factory is only about an hour and a half from my front door so I feel good about their product, having seen it made and knowing how far it travels to get to me. Not that carbon footprint is something I consider with cheese very often. Some of my cheese gets to me pretty far from its home.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

If I make a veggie roast dinner I always have nut roast with cauliflower cheese as a side. I think bacon would make it a different dish like a bake or gratin. Americans are keen on adding bacon to things - aquired taste.

Not this American. I love nut roasts. Sounds like a good combo. The nut roast and cauliflower cheese, that is, sans bscon.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

Overcooked rubbery chunks of cheese, mushy cauliflower. Worse, it could be too dry. The best course would be to make a bechamel sauce combined with some of the cheese to get a uniform flavor throughout, and then add more cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.

That I can do. So the baking is mainly just to get the brown crusty cheese, right? So bake at a high temperature? Seems like what Pep described everything was precooked before baking.

 

[g23]

That I can do. So the baking is mainly just to get the brown crusty cheese, right? So bake at a high temperature? Seems like what Pep described everything was precooked before baking.

I don't know that I'd do much more than a quick blanch on the cauliflower before baking it. Once it goes mushy there's no bringing it back. I'd bake it at 350 f for probably 30-ish minutes, and if the cheese hadn't cooperated by then, a quick broil to color it maybe.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

That's great. I added my two cents on it as well. There's a reason I'll never be skinny, and that is knowing the true power of good fresh butter. I suppose it makes sense that I'm happy to cook and often cook rich foods. Julia Child and I are birthday buddies.

Butter us one of the primary reasons I have not gone Vegan yet. Well and cheese. I can’t imagine giving up Brie and Camembert yet. I’ve been imaging a good crusty bread with tons of fresh butter along side this cauliflower cheese. You and Julia are born under similar stars. How fortunate!

 

[Try Anything Twice]

Tillamook's extra sharp aged cheddar (black package) is to die for. Also, the factory is only about an hour and a half from my front door so I feel good about their product, having seen it made and knowing how far it travels to get to me. Not that carbon footprint is something I consider with cheese very often. Some of my cheese gets to me pretty far from its home.

Ha! Tillamook it is cause were both talking about it! Tillamook is an exceptional cheese. I feel the same about Cabot as I have family in Vermont and and been to their creamery.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

.






the dairy industry is uninformed, charmless, bitter and twisted, etc,etc....

 

[g23]

Butter us one of the primary reasons I have not gone Vegan yet. Well and cheese. I can’t imagine giving up Brie and Camembert yet. I’ve been imaging a good crusty bread with tons of fresh butter along side this cauliflower cheese. You and Julia are born under similar stars. How fortunate!

Without delving too far into my tragic backstory, there wasn't a lot to eat when I was young, so the first chance I got, I started working in restaurants so I could eat at work and learn while I did so. I try to go meatless most days, but vegan? Never. If I were rich, I'd probably have the animals on my land and treat them like royalty, but I'm with you. There is very little in life better than a nice cheese plate with rustic crusty bread, fresh fruit, pickle, and butter.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

I don't know that I'd do much more than a quick blanch on the cauliflower before baking it. Once it goes mushy there's no bringing it back. I'd bake it at 350 f for probably 30-ish minutes, and if the cheese hadn't cooperated by then, a quick broil to color it maybe.

So is the cauliflower enrobbed in the cheese sauce? Or is more of a generous drizzle?