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Simon Mayo and the team chat to Ron and Russell Mael, aka art-pop duo Sparks.

Simon chats to art-pop duo Sparks ahead of their performance of 'Kimono My House' with the Heritage Orchestra at the Barbican Hall in London on the 19th and 20th of December.

Brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals) formed Sparks in Los Angeles in 1971. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling! Kimono My House, their third album, was released in May 1974 and is considered to be their commercial breakthrough album and opens with the number 2 UK hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"

There's also another listener confession, sports news with Matt Williams, business news with Rebecca Pike, and travel updates from Bobbie Pryor. Plus Nigel Barden pops by to instruct the nation how to make some edible presents for the Christmas season.

1 hour, 55 minutes

Last on

Tue 16 Dec 2014 17:05

Music Played

  • Neil Diamond

    In Better Days

    • Melody Road.
    • Mercury.
  • Eagles

    Take It to the Limit

    • The Best Of Eagles.
    • Asylum.
  • Olly Murs

    Up (feat. Demi Lovato)

    • Never Been Better.
    • Epic.
    • 004.
  • Santana

    Samba Pa Ti

    • Santana's Greatest Hits.
    • CBS.
  • Paul Williams

    You Give A Little Love

    • Bugsy Malone S'track.
    • Polydor.

Seasonally Spiced Nuts

from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson (published as part of the Nigella Collection, by Chatto & Windus © Nigella Lawson 2008)

I don’t pay particular attention to how many of each nut I put into the mix, but just go for those packets of mixed, unsalted nuts; my last bag contained (in the order listed on the pack) cashews, almonds, pecans, macadamias & pistachios.Ìý If you want to buy nuts in single packets & mix, I’d simply go for pecans, almonds, Brazils & pistachios.Ìý It’s the spicing, & the warmth, that’s key.Ìý Instead of the garam masala, you could use half a teaspoon each of ground ginger & ground cumin, & a pinch each of ground coriander, cloves & cinnamon.Ìý Indeed, it’s the ginger & cloves in the garam masala that make these taste so Christmassy in the first place.

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Makes enough to fill 2 small, not tiny, bowls

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Ingredients

500g mixed nuts

1½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp celery salt

2 x 15ml tbsp olive oil

2 x 15ml tbsp light muscavado or soft light brown sugar

3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped to make about 3 tsps, plus 2 sprigs for garnish

sprinkle of Malden salt or pinch of table salt

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Method

Put a large frying pan on a medium heat.

Line a large baking sheet or swiss roll tin with foil or reusable baking parchment & put at a handy proximity to the stove.

Tip the nuts into the now-warm pan & toss or push about with a spatula for 3 mins or so until they are lightly toasted.

Add the garam masala & celery salt & push the nuts about in the pan again so that they are evenly coated.

Add the oil, sugar & rosemary & stir about again to mix.Ìý When the nuts have darkened a little & are slicked with the sugary spice mix, tip them out briskly (before they burn) onto your prepared, lined sheet, & sprinkle with salt to taste.

Preferably when still warm, arrange in small bowls & tuck in a sprig of rosemary on top for a seasonal fir-tree flourish!

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Make Ahead Tip

The day before, make the spiced nuts & tip them out onto a foil-lined baking sheet.Ìý Sprinkle with salt.Ìý Cover with foil & keep in a cool place.Ìý About 10 mins before serving, pop the nuts into a moderate (180C/gas mark 4) oven to warm through.Ìý

Very Cheesy Biscuits

by Sarah Raven from Sarah Raven’s Complete Christmas (Bloomsbury)

These delicious biscuits are ideal for a Christmas party – quick, easy & intensely cheesy.Ìý You can use any type of hard or semi-hard cheese; they’re a good way of using up your leftovers – Stilton, Cheddar, even old dry bits of Parmesan or goat’s cheese.Ìý The stronger the cheese the better.Ìý The cayenne pepper gives the biscuits a bit of punch & the fennel seeds are a delicious addition.Ìý Also try making some topped with flaked almonds, poppy & sesame seeds.

For about 45 biscuits

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Ingredients

100g butter

50g strong Cheddar (or other strong cheese to hand)

50g Parmesan

100g plain flour

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tbsp fennel seeds or sesame seeds

Method

Have the butter at room temperature & cut it into chunks.

Put all the ingredients except for the seeds into a food processor & pulse until it forms a ball, or rub in & combine the mixture by hand.

Roll the mixture into a sausage shape approximately 3cm in diameter & wrap in cling film.

Chill thoroughly for a good hour to harden & then remove from the fridge, unwrap & cut into pound-coin-thick discs.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4.

Sprinkle the fennel or sesame seeds over the biscuits.Ìý Place them on a greased baking sheet or a silicone mat & cook in the preheated oven for approx 10 mins until pale gold.Ìý Remove from the baking sheet as soon as they come out of the oven to stop them cooking & put them on a biscuit rack to cool.

You can store these in an airtight container for about a week.

Broadcast

  • Tue 16 Dec 2014 17:05