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.

 

[g23]

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

I'd pour half in the pan, add the cauliflower, then top with the rest and let everything love on each other and combine in the oven.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

.

I know, I know. I am drooling over a big dish of rape and murder. <sigh> As of today, I am an imperfect person.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

I know, I know. I am drooling over a big dish of rape and murder. <sigh> As of today, I am an imperfect person.

yes, it's easier to make jokes.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

I'd pour half in the pan, add the cauliflower, then top with the rest and let everything love on each other and combine in the oven.

Sounds amazing. I’m doing this some night this week. I had a boyfriend who used to do a cauliflower roast with soy sauce that was really tasty. This sounds even better!

 

[Try Anything Twice]

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.

I’m glad you included the pickle in that list. Make it all so much better. All this talk earlier already had me thinking gooey cheese. When my mom wanted to go to a Greek Coney Island for her mother’s day thing today, I had to order the saganaki. Now I have this cheese bomb hanging out in my stomach. I’d do it again, though!

 

[Try Anything Twice]

yes, it's easier to make jokes.

I know you don’t know me so you don’t know all the things I do to benefit animal welfare. I’m a good guy who makes the right choices, generally. I’ve been veg for 30 years and never vary. I’m really strict once I make a change. I’m not ready to go Vegan as I’ll not only have to tackle the food aspects but things like wool (and I’m a knitter with a huge yarn stash) and leather shoes I already own, etc. I am likely to let all of that go. I have vegans in my family and I may very well get there. Just not today.

 

[Try Anything Twice]

So one more question on this dish. The cauliflower, how is it presented? Is it cut into steaks/slabs? Or is it florettes? Trying to envision what it looks like.

 

[nicky wire's legs]

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.

speaking of Tillamook cheese a lady at my work is going to Portland and was raving to me about the Tillamook cheese and said that she would bring me back some as it's the best cheese ill ever have, apparently. I thought that was a strange offer, i dont know that i've ever been gifted cheese, but hey, ill take it!

 

[Try Anything Twice]

speaking of Tillamook cheese a lady at my work is going to Portland and was raving to me about the Tillamook cheese and said that she would bring me back some as it's the best cheese ill ever have, apparently. I thought that was a strange offer, i dont know that i've ever been gifted cheese, but hey, ill take it!

Enthusiastically support you accepting block of Tillamook as a gift. Be greedy and ask for two! Take the sharpest cheddar she brings back.

May I suggest how you use some of it? You must make a grilled cheese. Get some good bread and some butter and grill it up, panini press even better. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt/powder on the buttered bread, too, to take it up a notch. Also grate a bit of the Tillamook and dump it in the bowl of tomato soup you should have with the grilled cheese. It will get all gooey in your soup. It’s the bomb-diggity!

 

[Mr. Jackpots]

From total sympathy for the plight of the miners to the right-wing goon. What a journey.

 

[countthree]

You can agree with Morrissey or not agree at all, but he is not uninformed. Maybe he's not a disciplined or trained thinker, but he never was and -hopefully- he will never be.

Above all, Morrissey is one of the most charming men on earth.

 

[gordyboy9]

From total sympathy for the plight of the miners to the right-wing goon. What a journey.

dont hear from skinnybaws for weeks then he rears his ugly head,he lurks on here till the story fits his agenda then cant help himself.skinny looks in the mirror and sees a big brown shiity anus looking back at him.

 

[Peppermint]

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.

Fat is fabulous. And the weight gain thing is not a given; I think it's carbs that do the most damage on that front. I'm doing the GAPS diet at the moment to try and fix ongoing gut problems. I'm eating staggering amounts of fat, never feeling hungry (although quite bored) and losing 1lb a week.

 

[Peppermint]

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!

Oooh, yes, roasted garlic would be lovely. Yes, a roux. I don't know those cheeses but any firm cheese with a good strong flavour. Chop your cauliflower into florets, boil in salted water until just cooked but still firm (ie not mushy) and be sure to drain well - otherwise you end up with watery sauce. Put into an ovenproof dish, pour your cheese roux over and grate a little extra cheese on top. Bake at 190/375/5 for about 25/30 mins, or until golden. If you're feeling like showing off, top with chopped parsley. Let us know how it goes!

 

[nicky wire's legs]

Enthusiastically support you accepting block of Tillamook as a gift. Be greedy and ask for two! Take the sharpest cheddar she brings back.

May I suggest how you use some of it? You must make a grilled cheese. Get some good bread and some butter and grill it up, panini press even better. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt/powder on the buttered bread, too, to take it up a notch. Also grate a bit of the Tillamook and dump it in the bowl of tomato soup you should have with the grilled cheese. It will get all gooey in your soup. It’s the bomb-diggity!

oh tat, that all sounds so delicious but also oh-so-complicated! I have an adaptive disability when it comes to cooking, so as it happens, I cant do any of that. im afraid there is nothing else to be done but for you to box up a grilled cheese and tomato soup and send it to me--along with the biscotti, thunderstorm and cauliflower cheese. but maybe not at the same time, of course. if i am to recieve the cauliflower cheese tomorrow, then maybe if you could have the grilled cheese and tomato soup to me on Tuesday? that would work brilliantly. thanks in advance!

 

[Anonymous]

dont hear from skinnybaws for weeks then he rears his ugly head,he lurks on here till the story fits his agenda then cant help himself.skinny looks in the mirror and sees a big brown shiity anus looking back at him.

How dare you suggest that Dear Uncle Peter has an "agenda"! He is the most liberal, understanding, empathetic and wonderful of all those post on here. He is a Wall-Eyed God amongst men and DEFINITELY NOT A RACIST! He even wears "I'm not a racist" socks...what other proof do you need?

 

[Anaesthesine]

Anaes, since you bring up the subject, whenever I read your posts, I picture a tall scintillating figure dressed in white, not at all a wistful monkey (although it's a cutie). I'm not drunk or anything and not used to paying compliments as let's face it most people only show their baboon faces online and in reality, so forgive me if this is embarrassing. But to me you're the archangel of this site.

Now, most people, if they had to deal with problematic angels, would just kick their arses, pull their ears, and make them call "mummyyyyy!?!!!!" in a terrified voice. I for one, though I like to think of myself as a bit of a hippie, would enjoy doing that very much, as I believe it would be educational (in spite of the evidence that it isn't).

But you wouldn't do that. You would just look at them, tilt your head and tut tut quietly and your disappointment in them would just about kill them I'm sure.

When I grow up I wanna be just like you. ( < and I don't do that very often, trust me.)

High praise - thank you : )

The monkey is an antique caricature of an aesthete (meant to belittle the tribe); but still we gaze at sunflowers, unashamed.

Sadly, I do tend to befriend difficult, volatile, creative types who burn their bridges. Beware: hair pulling only makes things worse.

 

[Mr. Jackpots]

This song sums up very succinctly what Morrissey means by "the loony Left" and it also perfect illustrates people like Uncleskinny.

And Ochs WASN'T a conservative, any more than Morrissey is. Most people can only exist in one end or the other of the ideological spectrum, Right Or Left, and if you don't side with every single value held by the one then you are automatically assumed to be fully in line with the other.

Sad that people like Uncleskinny don't have the capacity to grasp nuanced, non-partisan political and societal opinions and can only think within the construct of a politically correct dogma.

 

[Pablo Honey]

Enthusiastically support you accepting block of Tillamook as a gift. Be greedy and ask for two! Take the sharpest cheddar she brings back.

May I suggest how you use some of it? You must make a grilled cheese. Get some good bread and some butter and grill it up, panini press even better. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt/powder on the buttered bread, too, to take it up a notch. Also grate a bit of the Tillamook and dump it in the bowl of tomato soup you should have with the grilled cheese. It will get all gooey in your soup. It’s the bomb-diggity!

Some years ago I took a tour of the Tillamook dairy factory with some ice cream tasting to end it well. I think their dairy is comparable to Canadian. It's honestly produced with no growth hormones unlike the majority of American dairy products on the shelf. All Canadian milk on the market is hormones free hence the higher price than its American counterpart.
It seems very hazy to me now, but the ice cream and yogurt was very tasty, but I still prefer Canadian milk.

 

[Peppermint]

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

Enrobed! Such a good word! But yes, you want it well covered so the cauliflower doesn't dry out and so there's lots to go round when you dish it up. The surplus is particularly nice spooned over a jacket potato.