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Weekend Butler: Two love songs: John Prine & Iris DeMent, The National & Taylor Swift (Yes! Taylor Swift), Best Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving
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Published: Nov 16, 2023
Category:
Weekend
TWO LOVE SONGS (LET’S START WITH THE CHEERY ONE)
John Prine & Iris DeMent
A glorious love song that could only have been written by John Prine: “In Spite of Ourselves”
To listen and smile at the live performance, click here.
Sample lyrics:
Prine: She don’t like her eggs all runny
She thinks crossin’ her legs is funny
She looks down her nose at money
She gets it on like the Easter Bunny
She’s my baby, I’m her honey
I’m never gonna let her go
DeMent: He ain’t got laid in a month of Sundays
I caught him once and he was sniffin’ my undies
He ain’t too sharp but he gets things done
Drinks his beer like it’s oxygen
He’s my baby, and I’m his honey
Never gonna let him go
Prine/DeMent: In spite of ourselves
We’ll end up a-sittin’ on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we’re the big door prize
There won’t be nothin’ but big old hearts
Dancin’ in our eyes
THE SERIOUS, ADULT LOVE SONG
“The Alcott,” by the National, with Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift, you say? Because you may know she’s a) a billionaire and 2) has a football player for a boyfriend and 3) she’s a kid.
No, she’s not a kid. She’s 33.
And when she sings with The National or Bon Iver, the songs register as adult — they deal with issues that you will recognize.
The National? They’re major (and unknown to me). They’re in their 40s and 50s who have been together for 20 years. There’s a terrific New Yorker profile. You get extra points for reading it.
Watch “The Alcott” (the name, in England, means “old cottage”) The lyrics are on the video, but when you see them printed out….
Him: I get myself twisted-in threads
To meet you at the Alcott
I’d go to the corner in the back
Where you’d always be
And there you are, sittin’ as usual
With your golden notebook
Writing something about someone
Who used to be me
And the last thing you wanted
Is the first thing I’d do
I tell you my problems
You tell me the truth
It’s the last thing you wanted
It’s the first thing I’d do
I tell you that I think I’m falling back in love with you
I sit there silently
Waiting for you to look up
I see you smile when you see it’s me
I had to do something
To break into your golden thinking
How many times will I do this
And you’ll still believe?
Taylor: tell me, which side are you on, dear?
Give me some tips to forget you
Him: You tell me your problems
Taylor: have I become one of your problems?
Him: And I tell you the truth
Taylor: could it be easy this once?
Him: It’s the last thing you wanted
Taylor: everything that’s mine is a landmine
Him: It’s the first thing I’d do
Taylor: did my love aid and abet you?)
Him: I tell you that I think I’m falling back in love with you
Him: And I’ll ruin it all over
I’ll ruin it for you
I’ll ruin it all over
And over like I always do
I’ll ruin it over for you
Taylor: why don’t you rain on my parade?
Him: I’ll ruin it for you
Taylor: shred my evening gown
Him: I’ll ruin it all over
Taylor: read my sentence out loud
’cause I love this curse on our house
Him: It’s the last thing I wanted
Taylor: tell me, which side are you on, dear?
Him: It’s the first thing I’d do
Taylor: give me some tips to forget you
Him: I tell you my problems
Taylor: have I become one of your problems?
Him: And you tell me the truth
It’s the last thing I wanted
Taylor: everything that’s mine is a landmine
Him: It’s the first thing I’d do
Taylor: Did my love aid and abet you?
Him: I tell you that I think I’m falling back in love with you
Taylor: back in love, back in love with you
Brown-Butter Mashed Potatoes
The simple act of browning butter takes this holiday mainstay from simple to superb in a matter of minutes. Russet potatoes are the perfect blank canvas for the toasty, nutty notes of the brown butter, which is lifted to a starring role as it permeates the potatoes and pools on top. Mashed potato purists may say that using a ricer or food mill is the only way to achieve a creamy texture, but a hand mixer or potato masher works just as well, as long as you don’t overmix and your potatoes stay hot. Make sure to create divots for the pools of brown butter that sit atop the dish, which make each spoonful feel extra luxe.
8 to 10 servings
1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups whole milk
1 head of garlic, halved
4 thyme sprigs or 3 rosemary sprigs
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 pounds russet potatoes (about 8 medium potatoes)
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble vigorously, cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the bubbles subside and turn into foam, and toasty brown flecks begin to float on the surface. Take off the heat and scrape the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned butter into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside to cool slightly. (Don’t clean the saucepan.)
Add the milk to the saucepan and heat over low. Give the brown butter a stir, then add all but a scant ¼ cup into the milk. Add the garlic and herbs and steep over low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Peel and quarter the potatoes (see Tip for make-ahead instructions). Boil the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork goes through them without resistance. Drain the potatoes and return them to the dry pot. Put over low heat and shake the potatoes to dry them out.
Strain the warm milk mixture over the potatoes (or just pluck out and discard the garlic and herbs) and mash with a potato masher or a hand mixer on low speed until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (If making ahead, turn off the heat and cover with a lid to keep warm for up to 30 minutes.)
Transfer to a large serving bowl. Make a few divots on the surface with the back of a spoon and pour the reserved brown butter on top.
You can peel and cut the potatoes up to 4 hours ahead; keep them in a bowl of cool water to keep them from discoloring.
