Monday, November 26, 2007

Bette Davis' Marmalade


"Everybody has a heart. Except some people."

I spent most of the weekend crying and making marmalade. It wasn't the making of the marmalade that made me cry, it was, as usual a boy. A big cloud of woe hung over me whilst I stirred Bette's marmalade for about four hours and my melancholy mood spoiled the time I had with my parents which upset me more than anything.

When I got home I had a crying jag of Routemaster proportions and thanked the Lord for Grace and Ginger who got me through it just before guests arrived for dinner. I scrubbed up a bit and when I arrived all wobbly in the dining room the charming Stockabilly announced with a big smile, "You look very glamorous". I said, "I'm wearing lots of make-up because I've been crying over a boy", and gentleman that he is, he immediately opened up his big strong arms and gave me a huge bear hug. I'm a lucky, lucky girl to have such lovely friends who care about me.

My last blog entry about being well and truly single must have sent some kind of ripple out into the ether because a cage rattler sent me a disconcerting text involving the L word. The magic of the mixed message precipitated what my Alexander Technique teacher would call an "emotional gust" which blew me off kilter. However, changing the habit of a lifetime, this morning I called a halt to the nonsense that's been going on instead of just putting up with it. I would rather be a spinster for the rest of my life than feel like this on a regular basis.

Grace and I had some marmalade on toast for breakfast this morning and it was scrumptious. All that stirring and stirring and stirring and testing and testing and testing was worth it. It was also worth it for hearing my mother swear - only the second time I can recall this ever happening. When she saw how much sugar I was going to put into the huge preserving pan she said, "Christ!" which made me laugh a LOT.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Adolphe Menjou's Venetian Spiced Cheese version 2



There has been much hilarity this week with all kinds of high jinx. Myrna and William came over for a Strictly Come Dancing dinner and we had another batch of Adolphe's spicy cheese. It was very much enjoyed and I liked Myrna's observation that he was "probably the last person ever to be christened Adolphe".

Other japes have included smuggling in the military man to a Blockheads gig and a night out with Rita which had me laughing like a drain as she ran the length of Marylebone station in an attempt to catch a soon departing train, legs akimbo and arms dangling around.

It is a weird but good feeling to be completely man free for the first time in about 10 years. I am waiting on nobody...

Monday, November 12, 2007

Adolphe Menjou's Venetian Spiced Cheese


"It was my mustache that landed jobs for me.
In those silent-film days it was the mark of a villain."

If only you could tell these days if a man were a villain by whether or not he wears a moustache. There seem to be a few villains around at the moment posing as nice people...

Anyhow, those Rolling Stones boys sure enjoyed the Sunday lunch we whipped up for them. Ginger cooked up two delicious chickens with all the trimmings and Grace made two beautiful Pavlovas so there was no need for a trifle. Instead I made Adolph's spicy cheese which we had on crackers with our pre-dinner glass of bubbly. Lee Van Cleef liked the delayed reaction of the paprika and I liked him. He said, and I quote, "The delight of the initial taste of the Venetian Spiced Cheese is further excited by the after tang of the what-have-you." A drummer with eloquence...

Ginger proclaimed it to be "blooming marvellous" and now I'll have to wait for her to find out if Mr Van Cleef is interested in seeing me again. A matchmaker put me and Charley together so maybe her plan will work...

As for the New Zealander, he was a no show on Saturday night at White Mischief and not a peep out of him to say why he didn't take up his guest list spot. Rosalind and I have always considered the New Zealand male to be the nicest but as she announced with some venom, he has single handedly brought the whole country into disrepute!

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Pola Negri's Banana Trifle


"Yes, I was correctly quoted in saying I introduced sex into films in the 20's,
but it was sex in good taste and left a great deal to one's imagination."

I am going to invoke the spirit of Pola when those Rolling Stone hunks come round to dinner on Sunday, I just cannot WAIT. And Rosalind will no doubt be pleased to hear that I am planning a trifle for the occasion.

The cooking has gone on the back burner with much DJing activity around the place and my new venture into Roller Derby. There is no time to eat, let alone cook. But roll on Sunday Rrrrrrollergirls, a trifle will be created.

Ah, the pleasures of a Monday afternoon "working from home". Columbo is on and it is the "Requiem for a Falling Star" episode which features the magnificent Anne Baxter as the villain. Look at that OUTFIT! She is a DIVA.