Vive Le Beurre

One of my favourite albums: Boxer, by The National, with it’s melancholic yet demure sound. Riddled with references to someone’s detachment to society, friends, loved ones, evoking existential questioning on societies expectations. For example **”Apartment Story” putting forth a couple getting ready to go out socially but preferring to remain in the comfort of their home.

unrequited love, losing youth, putting up a front

Being expected to act a certain

I find the theme of acting like an adult, or grown-up recurring in the album. Also, the need to be something you’re not in ” Mistaken for Strangers”.

So here’s a recipe combining

The composition of the songs with the lyrics evokes a sense of bitter sweetness; the soothing melodies accompanied with a deep, melancholic voice and sometimes, intense drums. That’s, in part, what I wanted to convey in the dish here, while still remaining a dessert.

The pear poached in wine, references the motif of acting grown-up; although the alcohol is no longer present, the taste remains. In other words, the pear is putting on a front, looking like an adult’s fruit, but rather simply in appearance.

The Sweet: the honey chiffon cake. Themes like love, youth, and hope are riddled in Boxer, however in some cases, it’s unrequited love or the loss of youth. Honey