On Broadway - Jake Durkin & Barbequed Mushrooms
On Broadway is a bi-monthly web series that delves into the food memories of the talented musicians of Broadway in downtown Nashville. Every other week, we’ll pair those memories with a relevant recipe and information on how to listen to each musician’s material. Our aim is to connect the passion of food to the passion of music—two mediums that evoke instant reactions and memories, and remind us of the incredible people that pour their heart out every day to make their living in our backyard.
For singer/songwriter and musician Jake Durkin, “simple is better.” All you need to do to learn that about him is catch him at one of his gigs, guitar in hand, seamlessly weaving soul and R&B into the air through the microphone. Whether it is an original or a fresh take on a Rihanna song, his ability to reconnect the audience with well-thought out, passionate music is stunning. Remember the last time you sat in a room, grateful for the beverage in your hand, the company around you, and the beat of your heart in your chest? No? Pull up a seat.
Mostly self-taught, Jake believes playing an instrument should be done with feeling and by-ear and has a general distain for reading music. “I had one lesson with a woman from down the street who played guitar, and she just showed me chords. And then I went off of that and just played guitar from there.” It would seem as though instinct plays a large role in all aspects of his life, including the decision to trade studying business and the Chinese language for music- an easy choice for someone who only needs the simple things.
Jake grew up part of a large, Irish Catholic family in the south shore of Massachusetts. “We all used to have dinner. We’d sit down at this large wooden table. It’s still my favorite table. It’s this huge wooden table with drawers in the side, old, rustic… just all us kids.” As you can imagine, family get-togethers were no joke. Comforting dishes from chicken parmesan and slow-cooked osso buco to Aunt Laurie’s bountiful baked confections were staples, as were his Dad’s grilling skills.
“My dad makes the best steak. Everybody says that. He’s not great at everything, but he can grill really well because he knows what to do with the meat, when to flip it, how to cook it properly, how to let it sit… and it’s just making it simple, salt, pepper… garlic powder. You don’t really need a lot more than that.”
Jake’s most memorable dishes are brown sugar soy baked chicken wings and sausage stuffed mushrooms. “Those [mushrooms] are the first things gone at the party”. Man, do I believe it. Ground sausage, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and garlic stuffed into earthy mushroom caps and baked at 450 degrees until golden, poppable perfection. Is it just me, or do you suddenly have a craving for large family parties?
If you’d like to combine the ideas discussed above, check out this recipe for barbequed mushrooms with rosemary, garlic, and soy butter. If you’d like to check out Jake Durkin’s music in person (and I suggest you do), pop into Margaritaville on Broadway, The Slider House in Midtown, or follow his Instagram page @jakedurkin for all the details on his upcoming gigs.
