Joan Blondell's Onion Soup

“I don't know what the secret to longevity as an actress is. It's more than talent and beauty. Maybe it's the audience seeing itself in you.”

Another winnner from my favourite of all the stars. I rustled it up for Grace and Ginger exactly as per Joan's recipe. My little copyright buster was to cut the toasted stale bread into a little circle with a pastry cutter before sprinkling on the parmesan. What a treat to find a soggy cheesy bit of bread at the bottom of your soup eh?

I must admit though when I returned to the house after watching a most entertaining independent film about Walthamstow Market it was like something out of an Emile Zola novel in there. The smell of onions was mighty strong throughout number 43. This morning in the shower it was coming out of my big old mop of hair too. Still, I amused myself by having a crack at singing, "The world is just a great big onion..." and now I am hopeful that I smell a bit nicer.

Things are afoot in the love life thank goodness.


The Artist seems to be on the verge of making a date for me to pose for him. He will be inspecting my head for bumps as he portrays everyone as a baldy. Should be fun.

Ida Lupino's Lemon Mousse

"My agent had once told me that he was going to make me the Janet Gaynor of England - I was going to play all the sweet roles."

I've been in a bit of a spin since my last entry. Just after I finished Marlene's delicious lamb chops and was just about to find out who won Big Brother the phone rang and a bombshell was dropped. I cannot reveal all the ins and outs of it here as it is sub judice but suffice to say I am just back from the Mortimer Market Centre and most definitely, for the first time in about 2 and a half years 100% single.

Anyhow, life goes on and one has to eat. I hereby give a public vote of thanks to Paulette who, completely understanding the tizz I get myself into when cooking for more than 2 other people rustled up some of Ida's mousse for the book group. It was, as usually totally delicious and at least I know that one recipe translated into English measurements actually works.

Much industry on the book proposal and sorting out my love life and not enough time cooking. Still, Joan Blondell's French Onion Soup is on the cards for tonight. Tres bien.

Marlene Dietrich's Lamb Chops en Casserole For One

"Glamour is what I sell, it's my stock in trade."

Ahhhhhhh. My 3 week writing retreat in Crouch End is almost at an end. There's a cat on the stairs, the sprinkler is on in the garden, my massive foot is elevated and propped up on a cushion, there's a Marlene Dietrich casserole in the oven and it is the final night of Big Brother 8. Hence, I am having a big night in with me, myself and I and a "6 for £5" bunch of beers.

All is well in Silver Screen Suppers world.

Gloria Swanson's Butterless Devil's Food Cake

"Hollywood abounded with driven creatures endlessly looking for solace
or compensation in alcohol, drugs, and sex."

Well after the weekend I've just had the same could be said of North London Gloria.

I am still reeling from Nazimova's party, I was so out of control my ears are still ringing...

Still, to the cooking. To celebrate the birthday of Rosalind’s beau Jimmy I made some cup cakes using Gloria Swanson’s Butterless Devil’s Food Cake recipe. The butter icing I made to go on top probably ruined the health benefits of a cake made with super high quality Green & Black’s plain chocolate and no butter, but they were pretty delicious anyhow.

Gloria was somewhat of a health freak in her day. Very interested in a macrobiotic style diet and wholefoods in general she was. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is the secret star for whom the Hollywood 12 day diet was conceived.

After my trauma over Charley’s new girlfriend I managed to knock 5 years off Jimmy’s life by decorating his birthday cakes with the number 30. At least I didn’t add 5 years on…

Greta Garbo's Swedish Meatballs x 2

"Gif me a visky, ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby."

Maybe if I hadn’t drunk so much I wouldn’t have ended up wailing and howling late into the night then waking up surrounded by piles of snotty tissues.

Charley came over for meatballs and in conversation mentioned that his new girlfriend was 14 years younger than me. Gadzooks. There aint no words of wisdom from Greta that are going to help with that.

Maybe a mantra though… "I want peace and peace I will have."

I keeled over in the library today – a humdinger of a fall which brought five people running to help me up. I decided to go home and watch an afternoon movie to get over it. Luckily “The Man Who Came to Dinner” is on and I can sympathise with Monty Woolley being wheeled around in a bath chair after falling down some steps. Out of the corner of my eye I am watching my ankle swell up to the size of a football.

The hats in this movie are gorgeous. I want a little skating hat with a pom-pom on top.

Charley’s verdict on the meatballs? Too many cornflakes, not enough meat.

Oliver Hardy's Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce

"We never see ourselves as others see us."

After a week of insane bills being run up on ebay by my internet hacker I settled down to Oliver Hardy's Spaghetti with Grace to try and forget about it all for a few minutes. We decided it was quite an apt dinner for such a bon viveur and found it easy to imagine Mr Hardy tucking a big white napkin into his bow tie to catch the spaghetti sauce splashes.

Charley was a bit peeved when I spoke to him on the phone and I revealed what I had been eating. I was supposed to cook this for HIM, as he is a Son of the Desert and all that. Well I'll have another go sometime and he can try and educate me once more into why Laurel and Hardy make so many boys so very happy.

How many women are fans?

William Powell's Beets Piquant

“I highly recommend worrying. It is much more effective than dieting.”

Well the worrying is over for Ginger. She exploded into the house yesterday evening with the fabulous news that she has scored a great new job with S&S. Yippee. We celebrated with a bowl of Beets Piquant and a glass of champagne. A very nice combination. We agreed that a big hairy steak and a healthy green salad might go down well with the beets for a big meal but Ginger was off to meet the in-laws for a family dinner and I was off to the Cafe de Paris for an industry party.

As I got purple beetroot juice all over my hands, the kitchen floor and the kettle I had a mini daydream about meeting a handsome new man at the party. Radio 2 broke my mood though as just as I started thinking about it they played a song with a chorus along the lines of, "You came on your own, and that's how you'll leave". And of course it was exactly thus...

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...

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.

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.

Margaret Sullavan's Peanut Butter Hermits

"Most actors are basically neurotic people. Terribly, terribly unhappy.
That's one of the reasons they become actors."

Well there is a word of warning for myself and Grace. Might help prevent a cat scrap over the handsome new rockabilly...

Margaret's recipe stated that there would be enough cookie dough for "eighteen Hermits" and so there was. I packed some up for Ginger to take to a family lunch where they were a great success. Both Clark and Betty declared them to be delicious and Betty said that she would eat a lot of more of them if she wasn’t trying to lose a stone by next Sunday. Cyd is worried about her hips but nonetheless enjoyed them. I know what they are saying now I have just eaten one for breakfast. The calorific content of just one Hermit is probably equivalent to a big fry up.

I took most of the rest of the Hermits up to Penny at the shop. I was musing over why they were called Peanut Butter Hermits and she decided that it was because they were designed for people who lived alone and ate a lot of peanut butter.

Well I DO eat a lot of peanut butter, but by Jove I don't live alone. Thank heavens for my wonderful housemates. We are having a barrel of fun in the Stowe and on Friday night went to a rocking Grease themed party where I won second prize for my prom frock outfit. Later I learned some legs akimbo rock chick air guitar moves from Grace who was sporting a remarkable pair of electric blue skin tight Sandy pants. Ha ha. It's a great life.

Sonja Henie's Scandinavian Cookies

“Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles.”

Ha ha! That's my favourite Silver Screen Supper quote so far. LOVE IT.

Like Sonja herself these were cute, cute, cute. Easy to make but they look impressive with their little dents filled with blackcurrant jam.

The MS Cake Break day was a roaring success. I raised almost £150 thanks to the generosity of my workmates. I was in the office kitchen all day with my pinny on cooking these, Fred MacMurray Chocolate Fudge Upside Down Cake and Anna May Wong Teacakes which I attempted to ice so they looked more like cupcakes. HOW do people make cupcakes that are flat on the top? I guess they use plain flour rather than self-raising. All mine had very pleasing mounds on top which resisted butter icing but so be it!

Verdict on Sonja's Cookies from her big fan Phil? "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!"

Fred MacMurray's Chocolate Fudge Upside Down Cake

"Suppose I bust out crying and put my head on your shoulder."

I'd give you a cuddle Fred.

It is the first post using my swanky new MacBook computer. I was seduced by the marketing campaigns but it sure is perty.

In advance of the MS Cake Break Day I made one of Fred's chocolate cakes for the girls. Luckily two hungry men turned up out of the blue to assist in its consumption because it was a great big lump of seriously heavy duty chocolate cake. I was most impressed by the way it turned out as it involved a weird process involving pouring cups of boiling water over the mixture. Bizzare but it worked.

Larry and Bogart sat on the sofa and chuckled away to themselves at the ways of the ladies in the Tri-Delta Sorority House. It seems to give them endless amusement and they made us laugh very loudly with their impressions and gags. There was much SHUSHING done when it was feared that an impression of Mr Pizzeria and his wife might be heard through the walls by them themselves next door.

Larry proclaimed of the cake, "Very ding dong!"

I shall make another today.

Gary Cooper Griddle Cakes x 3

“My wife said she'd help young people, ... That's what I'd do.
Help young people,
then buy a big motor home and get out of town.”

Had a lovely time with the Panther this weekend, he was making me laugh a lot. Even when his car got towed away he kept his sense of humour. I fed him Super Cooper Griddle Cakes and the Aunt Jemima Maple Syrup provoked a wry grin.

We got to discussing the Round 2 of our relationship when I felt he was standing me up left right and centre. He denied all of this and I said, "Well I've got it written down... because I'm a writer". He laughed and said, "NO, you've got it written down because you are a WOMAN!

Well yes of course! And indeed I am the kind of woman who enjoys, as he puts it, "donning the pinks and tottering around on high heels" and a lot of that is going on this week. I haven't had a glass out of my hand for days.

It seems that I am also the kind of woman that SCREAMS and jumps around when a mouse runs over her foot. Ginger and I had a fun half an hour yesterday standing on chairs holding on to our skirts as a mouse called "Gordon the Love Rat" terrorised us in our own kitchen. Humane traps have been purchased...

Alan Ladd's Hamburger Rodeo

"We got potato soup and mutton week after week at home.
I still turn green when lamb is served. "

Charley came round for dinner last night and because of his passion for the FRANKFURTER I made Alan Ladd's Hamburger Rodeo. What a strange dish that is. Not to mention the fat content - you have to slice the frankfurter's in half then fry them in butter before smothering them in chili. Very bizarre.

Still, even though my local Asda didn't sell Charley's all time favourite HERTA Frankfurter's (cue impression of Frank Muir) he seemed to enjoy his dinner saying, "you can't complain about a Frankfurter".

It was lovely to see his big old beared face on the pillow this morning...

Louise Brooks' Chicken Knickerbocker Supreme

“Most beautiful dumb girls think they are smart and get away with it, because other people, on the whole, aren't much smarter.”

Louise had to be the smartest of them all I think. I am loving "Lulu in Hollywood".

Thanks to Thomas Gladysz of the Louise Brooks Society I had a chance to make Louise's Chicken Knickerbocker Supreme for Ginger and Grace this week. Published in an obscure and defunkt Hollywood newspaper I had despaired of ever getting hold of a copy but Thomas came to the rescue.

Eaten during our first "house meeting" it was a very tasty accompaniment to talk of bill splitting, cleaning rotas, communal food and general house tidyness. The evening soon evolved into a gossip fest instead of the matter in hand though and we sunk so much red wine I cannot remember the judgement of my flatmates on Louise's dish. I will have to ask them for an appropriate quote...

Next morning as I flicked through a 1935 film star recipe book Grace saw a photograph of Gracie Allen and a discussion ensued about her sexuality. I am almost 100% certain that there were no other people in the whole of England sitting at their breakfast table discussing whether Gracie was more man than woman.

More Bette Davis Hollywood Salad

“I will not retire while I've still got my legs and my make-up box."

Me neither doll.

William and Cary came over for tea and we polished off the Hollywood Salad for appetizers. Cary decided that the gherkins I placed on top of each salad smeared cracker would be "the copyright buster". Ha ha!

Much fun was had as the conversation turned to Ginger Rogers' tapioca extravaganza. I revealed that I'd been so amazed to find a whole 1930s tapioca cookbook on ebay that I'd got trigger happy and bought it. The fact that the book is entitled "Miss Dine About Town" was the clincher. Ginger wondered out loud how one could Dine About Town purely on tapioca then suggested perhaps there could be a chain of restaurants called Tapioca Hut.

A late night phone message from a beau of Grace boldly demanding she meet him for a drink provoked a celebratory bout of Scottish dancing - purely due to the fact he has a Scottish name. I can see that there are going to be plenty of high jinx round at number 43.

Bette Davies' Hollywood Salad

"I didn't forget your breakfast. I didn't bring your breakfast.

Because you didn't eat your din-din."

Bette is still coming up trumps with the recipes. There is just something GOOD about all of hers I think. And I do love the use of the term "din-din" - I'd forgotten all about that - my dad used to say it.

Her Hollywood Salad was weird but good. I must say that I have never eaten so many dates in my LIFE - what was it about dates in Hollywood in the 1930s - they all LOVED them. We had the salad stuffed into pepperdew peppers and popped on top of some Ritz crackers - very 1970s dinner party stylie.

And the verdict? As Ginger put it, "There's no need to apologise for THAT!"