Constance Bennett's Spanish Chicken

I was very down in the dumps yesterday. Uncharacteristically well and truly fed up and when I got home I was feeling very sorry for myself indeed. But there on my doormat was a small parcel, addressed to me. This was a surprise as only my mother and my sister know my postal address and I could tell from the writing it was from neither of them.

To my immense joy it was from my old friend PJ in Warrington. He'd sent it to my folks and they had forwarded it on. And joy of joys it was a MIX-CD from the legendary KING of the MIX-CD. I'd seen from his blog that he was transferring his vinyl to digital files and he's been a good and true friend and made me a CD selection. I had no time to listen to it last night so plan to do so this evening in an old fashioned style whilst eating my dinner - the leftovers of the Spanish Chicken I made for Charley on Sunday night. Can't WAIT. Thank you PJ! This has cheered me up no end.

Deanna Durbin's Santa Monica Dressing

Yes, I know it's too early to start thinking about Christmas but I just couldn't resist!

I can only imagine the shenanigans going on Stateside regarding the wedding of the century. I think it is all out in the open so I hope I'm not giving the game away by saying I'll be travelling to Austin, Texas in January to see my Sister of the Skillet tie the knot. Let's get Christmas out of the way QUICK, I can't wait! I have already bought a dress equally showstopping as Deanna's for the occasion...

Ruth is leaving the organisation to her mom, who if test cooking is anything to go by is amply equipped to organise absolutely anything! Here are her verdicts on the first three recipes she rustled up for us. Firstly Joel McCrea's Frojoles with Cheese - a one word verdict - Bad!

Surprisingly (especially as it is one of my favourites) Jean is the only person who volunteered to test cook Constance Bennett's Spanish Chicken. But the "disjoint two fat hens as for frying" instruction has been queried - one is quite enough she says!

Last but not least, Deanna's Salad Dressing. A "bit of a pain" to make as it has so many ingredients says Jean, but the verdict was "good" and "similar to a Louis Dressing". Of course I had to look this up on Wikipedia and I'm pleased to see that this is the dressing used in a Crab Louis dish.

Cary Grant's Crab Louis here I come!

Constance Bennett's Spanish Chicken

Version 3 of Constance's chicken was the best so far, by far. The secret being having a whole fresh chicken hacked into bits by the crazy Wood Street butcher I think. As Connie put it, "Take 2 fat hens jointed as for frying..."

Rosalind came over to borrow a 1930s frock for her Wind in the Willows party. She selected the Fritzi of California number, an excellent choice. Both the ladies were home too so we had a lovely al fresco dinner in the garden. We discussed how delicious the chicken was and how women of our generation have got into the habit of buying bland cuts of chicken vacuum packed by the supermarket. As Rosalind observed, when we hear a piece of plastic being pierced by a knife we think, "Ooh, someone is cooking..." But the difference between that kind of chicken and this was definitely noticable. From now on I'll try and frequent the butcher for my chooks, even though he thinks I am a figure of fun with my absurd questions about how to cook meat.

Ha ha! I am watching a great Lana Turner film on TCM and faded fashion model Ann Dvorak was just escorted out of a restaurant as she was smashed. A man offered to get her a cab and she said, "What a gentleman. My mother told me that if I stuck around for long enough I'd eventually meet one." Fabulous line, I may memorise that!

Ooh, Lana just called Barry Sullivan a "small time chisler". Ha ha!

Constance Bennett's Spanish Chicken

"I'm a lot more sartorial than thespian. They come to see me
and go out humming the costumes.”

It was lovely to be rustling up Constance's chicken for 3 whilst Grace and Jack were rehearsing their country songs in the dining room. They were on fine warbling form.

Alas, Jack couldn't stay for dinner and so I offered two thighs to The Artist via the medium of Skype. He declined. I think that really must be the end of offering invitations to The Artist. He remains untempted by my offers to pose, visits to the William Morris Gallery, dinner, Sunday lunch and two unclaimed gifts - one of which is a jar of Bette Davis marmalade that has been hanging around here since Christmas. I will have to accept that he's just not that bothered.

Grace and I had a most excellent visit to the Frillseekers sale and I came away with an superb haul. Four fantastic frocks, a pair of imitation snakeskin shoes and a fabulous titfer with spotty veil. Like Constance I am practising being more sartorial than theatrical.

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

“I turned my hair dark and

have received much better parts ever since."

Omigoodness the day I had yesterday. I know just how Joan felt having to drag that dead body up the beach in "The Reckless Moment". I was completely shattered by a combination of tellings off, crying jags, getting lost in Isleworth and ear bashings about the property ladder. I could quite easily have got straight into bed to listen to the football on my transistor radio but instead decided to follow the original plan of rustling up a Silver Screen Supper for me, myself and I.

The resulting violet tinted salad was actually quite delicious. I had a few teaspoonfuls before laying my weary head on the polka dot pillow putting my thumb in my mouth and deciding that the world and his wife could just KMSWA.

Joan was of course Constance’s sister. Unfortunatly, don't think the Beetroot Salad and Spanish Chicken would go well together. Love this quote from Joan though.

“That beautiful sister of mine was an overwhelming and volatile mixture. One had the feeling that she'd been shot from a canon and showered her sparks over an incredulous world with no thought or care where they fell, a carbon copy of father.”

So not only did Constance trail her cometary glory all over Scotland she showered her sparks all over the world. What a gal!

Hunting down recipes from her father and the third of the acting sisters begins right now.

Constance Bennett's Spanish Chicken

“I'm a lot more sartorial than thespian. They come to see me

and go out humming the costumes.”

Delicious, delicious, delicious. Constance was spreading her cometary glory all around our island last night as we scoffed her Spanish Chicken on the fuel pontoon. After much moving around of tubs in the early evening the landlady and her beau ended up with the best mooring on the island. Alas, for them it is "for one night only" (their turn to have their bottom scrubbed) so we made the most of it. Edmund and I carried the hot pots and pans along the pontoons. Landlady and beau borrowed plastic table and chairs from other residents and we quaffed wine and scoffed chicken as the sun went down and the aircraft and geese roared overhead.

Landlady's beau decided that The Fuel Pontoon would be a great name for a floating restaurant and we had a little flight of fancy as to the possibility of a Silver Screen Suppers themed club where you could eat the nosh and watch the movie. As the last recipe I did was Clark Gable's I guess the film to watch with Constance's chicken would have to be the MARVELLOUS sounding "Starlit Days at the Lido" in which they both appeared. You don't get movies with names like THAT any more do you?