Those that know me know that music has always been a big part of my life. I love live music, I used to love performing music and since my iBook operates as more of a portable cookbook, I love combining good eats with good beats. For a while I was on a bossanova kick and had a lovely sauté soundtrack the likes of Sergio Mendez, Getz or Gilberto. Sometimes I cook with Kanye or whatever I might be in the mood for. It really is no secret that culinary enthusiasts and music enthusiasts tend to have overlapping hobbies and interests.
The music/culinary connection goes even further when some of our favorite musicians enter the game by producing and selling food & drink items.
Alcohol seems to be the product of choice for many hip-hop and rock stars, for obvious reasons. I suppose the exposure to every available top shelf alcohol allows them to develop a palate for what they believe tastes best and what they can produce to fill whatever category void they feel existed. OR they are all just raging alcoholics and have little else to do with themselves than slap their name on a top shelf liquor to make more money. Okay, okay, let’s just suspend disbelief and pretend that these guys are genuinely passionate about the food and drink items they slap their names on.
The slogan for Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Tequila is “You Don’t Have to be a Rock Legend to Enjoy Cabo Wabo Tequila”. I’m assuming this is his capitalizing on recently being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Anyway, his tequila story goes like this- Sammy was fishing in Cabo San Lucas where he had his first taste of premium white tequila. Immediately a convert, in 1996, he formed the Cabo Wabo Company. Cabo Wabo is now available in four varieties: Blanco (white), reposado, anejo (aged) and Uno which is the extra special signed & numbered edition.
Puff Daddy endorses the Diageo produced Ciroc Vodka. While I’m not exactly sure what the terms are of his involvement with the brand, whether he’s invested in it, or his role is purely one of endorsement. I have seen him appear in their television and print advertising, beyond that, I’m not sure how vested he is in Ciroc. We all know that Diageo produces everything from Guinness to Tanqueray to Bailey’s and everything in-between.
Kiss Hot Sauce.
A few years ago when Kiss had kind of disappeared, the band started to earn their money in a new way, which was basically merchandising the crap out of the Kiss name. It kind of became a joke to see how many things could bear the Kiss logo. For $9.95 you too can purchase Kiss Hotter than Hell Habanero hot sauce - “the hottest sauce on earth from the hottest band on earth”. Other musicians have also played in the hot sauce field, so you can also purchase Lynyrd Skynyrd hot sauce, Joe Perry’s Rock Your World Hot Sauce and Mad Anthony’s Hot
Sauce (another member of Van Halen).
Sauce (another member of Van Halen).
Marky Ramone’s Pasta Sauce- We are all familiar with the Ramones and I was fortunate enough to see them perform several times. Three of the Ramones are no longer with us, but their Gabba Gabba Hey contribution is forever solidified in the industry. The guys came in during a post punk period of the New York music scene and served up the most basic music with pretty much equally simple and ridiculous lyrics. Love them or hate them, but you have to respect them.
Marky Ramone, the known conservative member of the group apparently is a food enthusiast! Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Marky’s grandfather was a chef at New York’s legendary 21 Club. Marky now bottles and sells his grandfather’s secret recipe, which is appropriately called “Marky Ramone’s Pasta Sauce”. The price of a bottle of Ramone’s secret sauce doesn’t come cheap $88 for 12 jars available on markyramone.com. I have to admit, I’m curious to try it! On his website, Marky claims that the true secret to the sauce is the music he listens to while he cooks which run the range of The Rolling Stones to Frank Sinatra. I suppose shaving your garlic into super paper-thin slices is a more inspiring task when listening to Frank, I however prefer Louis Prima.
Okay, maybe he’s not a musician, but who doesn’t love the movie Ghost Busters? Were you aware that Dan Aykroyd had a vodka company? Were you aware that the packaging is totally cool and looks amazing in a bar? Crystal Head Vodka contains deep glacial aquifer Newfoundland water (supposedly) that is distilled four times, contained in a glass skull designed by American designer John Alexander & inspired by the legendary 13 Crystal Heads that have been found throughout the globe (see Indiana Jones & The Legend of the Crystal Skull). The vodka itself has a great, smooth vanilla infused flavor. Definitely give this one a try or order one for your bar. I guarantee instant bar style upon purchase and display.
Crystal Skull Vodka http://crystalheadvodka.com/pool
Have you tried some sort of musician endorsed food or drink item? Honestly, I can say that some celebrity endorsement rarely encourages me to purchase anything. I have seen the Dan Aykroyd Vodka at local bars and was immediately drawn in by the skull bottle- I was shocked when the bartender told me that Dan Aykroyd makes it! If I purchase it, it will be because it actually does taste great and will look fantastic in my bar. If any of these items deliver good taste, then they are truly worth the purchase. Otherwise, it just might be another attempt to bring in extra bucks from a $10 hot sauce.
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