The Night of the Long Potatoes

I have a feeling this blog is going to meander a bit but, of course, there are those who maintain that the journey is of more importance than the arrival so..... To start with, what happened to Autumn? One day it was hot, the next it was cold and we're in mid-November and the trees are only just beginning to consider turning that fabled Japanese russet-brown colour.
Talking of seasons, my wife, Chiaki is, as you may know, from Sapporo. And twice a year her mum sends us a big, beautifully packed, box of seasonal vegetables. This year was no exception As Chiaki opened the box to discover potatoes (2 varieties) onions( rather a lot, but of course they keep) and 4 packets of Hokkaido curry (keeps forever) I could see from her slightly glazed expression that imminent, if short term, dietary changes were on the horizon.
I willingly complied. French ONION Soup, mashed POTATO (with a beaten raw egg) Spaghetti Bolognese ( more ONION,) Jacket POTATOES - I thought I was doing OK. Then one Sunday Chiaki suddenly mentioned 'potaffu' I'm sorry but that's the best I can do- you see though my wife is talented in many, many ways, I'm afraid French pronunciation isn't one of them.) As the day went on, I gradually realized that what she kept referring to was, in fact 'Pot au feu" the traditional French beef and vegetable stew cooked for many hours. Or rather it WASN"T that, but the Japanese version which seems to include pork, chicken stock and a tin of tomatoes, and is ready in just over an hour. "No. I don't really fancy it" was my murmured reply the first fifteen times 'potaffu' was suggested. Then it hit me. THE LONG POTATOES (from her mum) We hadn't used any of THE LONG POTATOES. (particularly good in stews) We were disrespecting THE LONG POTATOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Culturally sensitive as ever, I rapidly counter-suggested that "Guiness Stew" could easily be adapted to include some, in fact quite a few, LONG POTATOES. And that's what I cooked the next day. Very nice it was too. Chiaki looked up from her plate from time to time and gave me her 'You're in my good books for the moment' smile. And peace reigned once more in this small corner of Japan.

There's very little evidence as to what Jimi Hendrix actually thought of potatoes, but he was a genius. I'm not really a huge Hendrix fan, but when I listen to the bass figure in "Hey Joe" Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum ..... badarbadak daar, it never fails to thrill me. The story goes that the bass player (Noel Redding) had gone to the pub. When he came back, the bass line was done! By Mr H. I doubt very much that Jimi actually invented the line, but if you or i had found it, we'd have probably built a career around it. Jimi uses it just three times! And one of those is on the fade-out.
And if you listen to Dylan's original 'All along the Watchtower' (which is good) and then to Hendrix's version - WOW!!!! It;s a guitar symphony. Jimi beats the shit out of the white blues boys like Clapton, because while they were sitting around learning solos from blues records, he was out on the road playing soul and R'n B. So he plays rhythm AND lead, often at the same time. Behind the electric guitar gymnastics on 'Watchtower" there's a 12-string acoustic (or two) being rhythmically hammered to death. By Mr H. Genius. Two songs my I-pod can shuffle forever.