Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Janet Gaynor Ice Box Cookies


Deep in the depths of the magical New Forest another batch of JGIBCs were cooked up. Early in the morning before most of my fellow writers began shuffling into the enormous kitchen for their herbal teas and barley cups I sliced and baked whilst in my kimono and slippers.

These were gluten free versions and although more crumbly than usual they were a nice mid morning snack sitting beside the fountain with the fish beneath our feet as we tried to write a surrealist poem. What a lovely way to get away from the hurly burly...

Monday, July 16, 2007

Joan Blondell's Peach and Cherry Compote


"In the 20s, you were a face. And that was enough. In the 30s, you also had to be a voice.
And your voice had to match your face, if you can imagine that."

Well, my favourite star of all came up with another winner. Even though this dish included an alarming amount of icing sugar and MARSHMALLOWS it wasn't as sugary sweet as expected and with a nice chunk of Green and Black's Vanilla ice-cream was a perfect end to a perfect Sunday lunch.

Can't believe that my Silver Screen Suppers Sister of the Skillet has already gone back to Texas. Not long enough! We had a great 5 days brainstorming on the project but the glamorous globetrotter had to go back to the homestead. We are planning our Texas Film Round Up trip already and are aiming to cook each of our 26 star recipes at least once by the end of August. Yippe-io!

Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp


"She didn't want to be famous. She wanted to be happy."

So said Clark Gable...

Poor Jean - only 26 when she died. Lots of people were madly in love with her - including William Powell it is rumoured.

We liked her crispy shrimpy celery. We had a "taste test" involving stuffed celery to Jean's recipe and some modified with style by Ruth. Admittedly the modified version was more suited to the modern palate but we did like the subtle pinky green hue of Jean's original.

Cary and William were over for lunch and much discussion was had as to whether a sprinkling of paprika or cayenne pepper would perk it up. We may have to include a health warning though that inhalation of cayenne can cause a choking fit that might amuse other diners but isn't much fun to the pepper throated cougher.

Monday, July 09, 2007

Dorothy Dare's Flora Macaroons


As Doris observed, it looks like Dorothy Dare is WEARING her Flora Macaroons in this frock...

Much fun in the kitchen while these were being made and the resulting propped and styled photographs were as pretty as a picture. We don't know why they are called "Flora" Macaroons but this title led Doris into taking on the persona of Flora Macdonald in a tartan throw. We made her take off her head torch for the photos.

The Macaroons were very tasty indeed but the recipe needed a bit of modification. Also, where does one buy rice paper these days?

Anna Sten's Coffee Parfait


In a country kitchen in Devon with a whirlwind of cooking activity going on around me I attempted another version of the Coffee Parfait, this time from the pen of the actress Gary Cooper referred to as "Anna Stench". The fact that I was on a cookery writing course surrounded by PROPER cooks only added to my shame when the cream curdled and the resulting Parfait looked more like runny beige cottage cheese. Not a dish with the "gosh" factor the food editors are looking for by any means.

Doris Day came to the rescue with her excellent solution of heating the milky mess and adding some egg yolks and sherry thus turning what could have been a disaster into a Baileys-esque after dinner tipple for fifteen.