Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Jean Arthur's Chocolate Fudge


"First I played ingenues and Western heroines; then I played Western heroines and ingenues. That diet of roles became as monotonous as a diet of spinach."

I am up way past my bedtime trying to get some of Jean's fudge to set. I just can't see how the chocolate sauce in my pan is going to turn into fudge. Characteristically vague 1930s recipe instructions have again put a spanner in the works.

I may just have to pour it out, bung it in the fridge and hope for the best. Too emotionally drained to muck about with it. I've been talking to Sidney on the phone and it has affected my equilibrium...

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Hattie McDaniel's Sweet Corn Pudding


"As for those grapefruit and buttermilk diets,
I'll take roast chicken and dumplings."

I do have Hattie's very own recipe for chicken and dumplings, but tonight it's sweet corn pudding. It's in the oven.

As per tradition, to mourn the end of a relationship I have scheduled in a private screening of Gone With The Wind. It seems sinful, particularly as it is a gloriously sunny Saturday afternoon and most of London will be cavorting in parks, swimming pools and pub gardens. But I am selfishly drinking myself stupid and wallowing in Scarlett's misery. Ha ha! There is no better cure for heartbreak than 4 hours of frocks, furbelows and flirting.

Can't wait to see Rhett at the bottom of those stairs...

Friday, May 22, 2009

Tallulah Bankhead's French 75s

“If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."

Last night saw extreme Silver Screen Supperage in action. Dinner al fresco which began with Tallulah's favourite tipple the French 75. Followed by Adolph Menjou's Spiced Venetian Cheese hors d'oevres, Errol Flynn's Baked Fish Havanaise and Joan Blondell's Peach and Cherry Compote. The first time I've attempted such a full-on menu of all-star food. Thank goodness for Ava's firm assistance in the kitchen and the kind words of my other guests Gladys and John.

Food was devoured, the wine flowed freely and revelations about the double dealings of Delia had us all on the edge of our balcony seats. I needn't have worried about cooking for a celebrity chef, he was most gracious about my food and said it was all as it should be and "delivered without fluster" which of course, for me was the biggest compliment. I guess that proof that the evening had gone swimmingly was to be found in the fact that there was no time to do a Marion Davies and work on the jigsaw.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Adolph Menjou's Spiced Venetian Cheese

"When I realized they had me pegged as a foreign nobleman type I began to live the part, too.
I bought a pair of white spats, an ascot tie and a walking stick."

I'm getting ahead of myself by preparing Adolph's cheese a couple of days before Gladys and Ava's visit on Thursday. I have proposed a rather elaborate menu - Tallulah Bankhead's French 75s alongside canapes containing aforementioned cheese, Errol Flynn's Baked Fish Havanaise with seasonal vegetables and Joan Blondell's Cherry Compote. Blime.

It's a bit daunting, but as I've just been sassyfied by Lisa over at thesassyminx.com I'm not going to panic. I can do it! I'm also going to take on her advice on how to focus my energy and get everything working together towards getting the book published.

I am going to try and live the part of a Silver Screen Hostess on Thursday evening too - what is the feminine equivalent of white spats, an ascot tie and a walking stick?

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

"I don`t think much of most of the films I made,
but being a movie star was something I liked very much."

I'm feeling rather low this weekend after Sidney & I decided to call it a day. Very sad. Very sad indeed. I feel an extended period of cooking on the way. And lots of work on the book.

I'm spending my Sunday recovering from a wild Eurovision party last night. It was just what I needed, the company of some very good, very old friends, copious amounts of booze and lots of a-whooping, a-hollering and a-warbling along. And today, I'm being very self indulgent. Drinking G&T in the afternoon, scoffing Joan's Beetroot salad and watching the Come Dine With Me omnibus. Spinsterdom. Again.

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Jane Powell's Barbecued Baked Salmon


"We need to ditch the idea that there is any value
in the strong and silent man
being in any way attractive.
Being silent isn't being strong, it's being a victim."

Well Jane sure was a cutie, both in looks and attitude. Interesting theory she has there, I'm going to mull that one over.

The salmon was quite a success. Sidney said it was "very fresh on the palate" - ooh la la. But what, I wonder, makes it "barbecued"? It was baked in the oven in a tomato sauce, it never made it out of the house and on to a barbecue. No men in aprons wielding metal tools were involved. I guess barbecued meant something different in 1949 America than it does in 2009 Britain.

I'm a bit preoccupied with the result of a freak accident this morning. I broke one of my front teeth clean in two by knocking it on the corner of a cupboard door. Bizarrely my 4 hour round trip to the dentist and £615 bill has left me feeling very calm and philosophical. There wasn't even any sedatives involved, how unnerving.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Rudolph Valentino's Chicken from Parma


“Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me
on the screen. I am merely the canvas on which
women paint their dreams.”

It helped that he was the King of the tango... Grrrr.

Rudi's Chicken was a big hit. Secret ingredient? A big mug of sherry. I made it for Sidney on Sunday for our quiet night in. I am so very, very, very happy that he turns out to be a man not averse to fiddling around with a jigsaw.

Next morning in bed he kept pursing his lips with a faraway look in his eyes and I said, "what are you thinking about?" to which his response was, "last night's chicken". Ha ha – it’s a winner!