Dead Kennedys: Too Drunk to Cook

There's a lot to thank sunny California for since the 1960s – The Doors, Gram Parsons, Frank Zappa and The Eagles to name a few. But fast forward to the late 70s and 80s, and its incredible musical heritage comes alive, with more genre-defying sounds than you could possibly fathom. So I thought it best to start at the beginning – well, the band that sparked my interest in hardcore at least. 

Along with Black Flag and Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys were one of the most widely known bands to come out of the legendary South Bay punk scene. Pun-wise, there's a lot to work with here – I'm almost certainly going to figure out a way to make something that tastes vaguely acceptable out of fresh fruit and rotting vegetables and try to say 'Nazi punks f**k off' with cake. But for now, I'll stick with something simple.

It's a 'Jello Biafra', for when you're err, 'too drunk to cook'. This one goes out to all the vegans. 

Went to a party...

I danced all night...

I drank 16 beers and started up a fight!

Too Drunk to Cook

(Serves 6)

• ginger and lemongrass cordial  200ml
• vege gel  2 sachets
• crystallised ginger  1/2 jar, roughly diced

1. Mix the cordial with 750ml water in a saucepan, and when warmed, sprinkle over the vege gel and stir until dissolved and the liquid has thickened. 
2. Add a few pieces of ginger to the bottom of six glasses or jars, then pour the jelly into the glass. Chill for at least 2 hours, then add the remaining ginger to the tops of the jellies. Chill again until needed.  

Ginger Baker Creams

A post about Ginger Baker will hardly come as a shock. Even as a member of Cream, he was really asking for it, but with a name – and a career – like his, it's only right to have a whole post to himself.

Baker's unique style undeniably shaped the emerging sound of heavy metal drumming, fusing modern jazz techniques with a passionate, intense and at times aggressive diversion from the world of 60s 4/4 pop. The influence of Ginger's work with Cream and Blind Faith can be heard in the music of greats such as John Bonham and Bill Ward; but his reputation as one of the first 'wild men of rock' has also endured. Several solo albums, wives, tax evasions and years of serious addiction to the brown stuff later, Ginger now lives the life of a recluse in South Africa. But if the recent documentary Beware of Mr Baker is anything to go by, he's not lost any of that notoriously fiery attitude. 

So how can baking represent a man of such magnitude?

In the land of biscuits – and drums – quite simply, two are better than one, as the sound of Baker's double bass drum set up will testify. Although fresh cream might have been a more suitable filling, I've gone with a rich white chocolate buttercream. As for the biscuits themselves, they are inevitably packed full of ginger, with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon to offset the sweet filling, and given a more chewy texture by the addition of rolled oats. 

A Ginger Baker, whichever way you look at it, is a creature of some pretty impressive substance. 

Ginger Bakers

(Makes 16)

• vegetable oil  160ml
• golden caster sugar  200g
• egg  1 large
• black treacle  3½ tbsp
• plain flour  200g
• rolled oats  200g
• bicarbonate of soda  2 tsp
• ground cinnamon  1 tsp
• ground ginger  2 tsp
• ground cloves ½ tsp
• soft light brown sugar  2 tbsp
• white chocolate  100g
• unsalted butter 140g, softened
• icing sugar  140g

1. Heat the oven to 180C/gas 6. Mix the oil and sugar, add the egg, stir to combine then  add the black treacle, plain flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and the spices. 
2. Mix to a firm dough, then divide into roughly 32 pieces, depending on how small or large you want the biscuits to be. Roll into balls, then flatten into circles on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with soft light brown sugar then bake for 10-12 minutes until a dark golden colour, then cool on a wire rack. 
3. While the biscuits are cooling, make the buttercream. Melt the white chocolate over a pan of simmering water, then cool a little. With mix the butter and sugar with electric beaters (adding the sugar bit by bit), then slowly incorporate the white chocolate. 
4. Assemble the biscuits by piping buttercream around the outer edge of one, then sandwiching with another biscuit. 

Could fill spoons full of coffee...

...Could fill spoons full of tea...

...Just a little spoon of your precious love, is that enough for me?