Lost is starting next week and we are finally supposed to get some answers. Hah, I say, hah. They lost me after the second or third season, I honestly can't remember. I did watch the season recaps, so I kind of kept up. The show has gotten more convoluted than a Univision daytime soap. I just have four questions:
1. Has this all been some kinky B.F. Skinner behaviour experiment?
2. What the hell was that smoke thing?
3. Are we gonna do the Time Warp Again?
4. Why isn't Sawyer naked more often?
These are the questions that might make me tune in for the last season. Unless it's all just a big lead up to "The Lost Movie". Then I'm really going to be pissed about the Sawyer thing.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
French 75's
As I was watching Casablanca for the umpteenth time, I thought I'd write something about booze in the cinema. It's been done, better than I ever could by a guy at boozemovies.com, so I'll just tell you about my current favorite cocktail, The French 75.
One of the drinks that everyone at Rick's Cafe Americain seems to order is a champagne cocktail. There are a zillion recipes for champagne cocktails. There is one ordered by name, not by Yvonne, but by her companion, the rude Nazi, (is there any other kind?). The French 75. It's an old cocktail from the lost generation. Named after the French 75mm artillery gun used in World War I. Apparently after you drink a couple, you feel like you've been hit by one of these guns. It has enough booze in it to satisfy a Hemingway or Fitzgerald. Now, there is some controversy as to who invented it and should it be made with brandy or gin. I hear there's a certain bartender at Arnuad's in New Orleans who refuses to make it with gin, "We do not mix French wine with English liquor", can't you just hear someone saying that with a snooty French accent? I like them made with gin. Here's my tried and true recipe. Oh, and as Bogey would say, "Here's looking at you, kid".
French 75
2 oz London Dry Gin, I like Tanqueray
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
Champagne, I like Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec, but any champagne will do
In a chilled cocktail shaker fill halfway with ice, add gin, sugar and lemon juice. Shake, then pour into a Collins glass, (who has those?), I just use a tall glass half filled with ice. Top with the champagne. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a maraschino cherry.
One of the drinks that everyone at Rick's Cafe Americain seems to order is a champagne cocktail. There are a zillion recipes for champagne cocktails. There is one ordered by name, not by Yvonne, but by her companion, the rude Nazi, (is there any other kind?). The French 75. It's an old cocktail from the lost generation. Named after the French 75mm artillery gun used in World War I. Apparently after you drink a couple, you feel like you've been hit by one of these guns. It has enough booze in it to satisfy a Hemingway or Fitzgerald. Now, there is some controversy as to who invented it and should it be made with brandy or gin. I hear there's a certain bartender at Arnuad's in New Orleans who refuses to make it with gin, "We do not mix French wine with English liquor", can't you just hear someone saying that with a snooty French accent? I like them made with gin. Here's my tried and true recipe. Oh, and as Bogey would say, "Here's looking at you, kid".
French 75
2 oz London Dry Gin, I like Tanqueray
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
Champagne, I like Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec, but any champagne will do
In a chilled cocktail shaker fill halfway with ice, add gin, sugar and lemon juice. Shake, then pour into a Collins glass, (who has those?), I just use a tall glass half filled with ice. Top with the champagne. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a maraschino cherry.
A Reliable Wife
I just finished reading A Reliable Wife. Set in 1907 Wisconsin, it's a story of love, redemption, violence, passion, and utter isolation. It's the oldest story in the world, told in a fresh, new way. Even if you don't normally read books like this, it says so much about the human condition, in such startling ways, you won't be able to put it down. It's psychologically suspenseful, you can't wait to get to the end, while at the same time, the writing is so beautiful you don't want it to end. It's erotic without being vulgar or naked in your face. Sony has purchased the screen rights, I can't wait to see who will be in the movie.
Friday, January 8, 2010
The King of Rock ‘n Roll and Ribs
Elvis would be 75 today. I can’t imagine him that old. It’s almost obscene that someone that cool could even be 75. Like Marilyn or James Dean. Believe me; before he got fat and pitiful, Elvis was the definition of cool.
I have made the pilgrimage to Graceland, in the guise of taking my 70 year old aunt to someplace she’s always wanted to see. Elvis did, indeed, have lousy taste in decorating even for the 1970’s. He did have nice chandeliers and yes, the Jungle Room is kind of awesome. He ate his breakfast there every day, right on the coffee table. I especially enjoyed his collection of TV’s with bullet holes.
As someone who likes to cook, I would have enjoyed cooking for Elvis. He seemed like the kind of guy who would have loved anything you made for him. One thing Elvis did love was ribs. Living in the Great White North, it’s hard to barbecue ribs when there is an R in the month but after much research I’ve come up with a pretty good oven method. I’m not including a sauce recipe, mine goes with me to the grave. Elvis would have wanted it that way…
Candy's Rock 'n Roll Ribs
Start with the rub
¾ cup Brown Sugar light or dark
1 Tblsp Paprika
1 Tblsp Garlic Powder
(Optional) 1 tsp Penzey’s Galena Street Rib Rub can be ordered from penzeys.com
or ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Mix the above ingredients.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
4 lbs Baby Back Ribs, some people remove the membrane on the under side of the ribs, I don’t, but you can if you want.
Salt and pepper the ribs and apply the rib rub all over.
Lay the ribs on two layers of foil with the shiny side out, cover the ribs with two layers of foil shiny side out. Seal edges tightly, turn edges up to seal really tight.
Place your rib packet on a baking sheet and bake for 2 to 2 and ½ hours, if your ribs are really meaty it could be 3 hours, or until the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.
Remove ribs from oven and turn heat up to 350 degrees.
Cut the ribs into serving size and place in baking dish, slather with your favorite sauce and place back in oven until sauce is bubbly. About ½ hour or so. I’d check on them after 20 min.
I have made the pilgrimage to Graceland, in the guise of taking my 70 year old aunt to someplace she’s always wanted to see. Elvis did, indeed, have lousy taste in decorating even for the 1970’s. He did have nice chandeliers and yes, the Jungle Room is kind of awesome. He ate his breakfast there every day, right on the coffee table. I especially enjoyed his collection of TV’s with bullet holes.
As someone who likes to cook, I would have enjoyed cooking for Elvis. He seemed like the kind of guy who would have loved anything you made for him. One thing Elvis did love was ribs. Living in the Great White North, it’s hard to barbecue ribs when there is an R in the month but after much research I’ve come up with a pretty good oven method. I’m not including a sauce recipe, mine goes with me to the grave. Elvis would have wanted it that way…
Candy's Rock 'n Roll Ribs
Start with the rub
¾ cup Brown Sugar light or dark
1 Tblsp Paprika
1 Tblsp Garlic Powder
(Optional) 1 tsp Penzey’s Galena Street Rib Rub can be ordered from penzeys.com
or ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Mix the above ingredients.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
4 lbs Baby Back Ribs, some people remove the membrane on the under side of the ribs, I don’t, but you can if you want.
Salt and pepper the ribs and apply the rib rub all over.
Lay the ribs on two layers of foil with the shiny side out, cover the ribs with two layers of foil shiny side out. Seal edges tightly, turn edges up to seal really tight.
Place your rib packet on a baking sheet and bake for 2 to 2 and ½ hours, if your ribs are really meaty it could be 3 hours, or until the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.
Remove ribs from oven and turn heat up to 350 degrees.
Cut the ribs into serving size and place in baking dish, slather with your favorite sauce and place back in oven until sauce is bubbly. About ½ hour or so. I’d check on them after 20 min.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A Bread Pudding Kind of Day
I hate this time of year. After seeing and partaking of the season’s offerings for the last two months, all anyone can talk about is dieting. How passive aggressive is that? During this time of rabbit food and rice cakes, I give you comfort food. Even though we shouldn’t, we do comfort ourselves with food. It’s solitary and instantaneous. No one has to know, unless our butts start getting wider. As someone who managed to lose ten pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I can honestly say, you can still lose weight and treat yourself now and then. I think the more you deprive yourself, the harder you fall off the wagon. You know what I mean, the whole bag of cookies, or the whole container of ice cream, or the whole bag of Dove Promises, we reach for when we can’t stand one more carrot stick and it’s been the day from Hell. Try this recipe, it’s really good. You can have a little and the world won’t end.
Bread Pudding with Norma’s Hard Sauce
1 cup raisins
½ cup whisky or brandy
6 to 8 slices of bread, depending on how big your slices are, I like to use French or Italian
½ stick butter
4 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 tsp pure vanilla extract, I use double strength, but regular will do, as long as it’s not imitation.
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 tsp to 1 and ½ tsp cinnamon, if your cinnamon is really strong, like Saigon Cinnamon just use 1 tsp, if it’s just regular cinnamon use 1 and ½ tsp.
Place raisins in a small bowl, pour whisky or brandy over raisins, let sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You will turn oven down when you put your pudding in oven.
Tear bread into one inch pieces and place into a buttered 2 and 1/2 quart casserole. Melt the half stick of butter in the microwave. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon with the melted butter. Drain raisins discard liquid. Add raisins to milk mixture and pour over bread, stir to combine. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven is heating. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake pudding for 50 to 60 minutes. Pudding will be puffy and set. I loosely cover with foil for the last 20 – 30 minutes so the raisins won’t burn. Serve with Norma’s (my mom) Hard Sauce.
Norma’s Hard Sauce
1 stick butter
1 and ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 Tbls whisky or brandy from the raisins if there is any left, otherwise from the bottle is fine.
Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together. Add vanilla and whisky or brandy. Chill until used. Put a dab on warm bread pudding.
½ cup whisky or brandy
6 to 8 slices of bread, depending on how big your slices are, I like to use French or Italian
½ stick butter
4 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 tsp pure vanilla extract, I use double strength, but regular will do, as long as it’s not imitation.
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 tsp to 1 and ½ tsp cinnamon, if your cinnamon is really strong, like Saigon Cinnamon just use 1 tsp, if it’s just regular cinnamon use 1 and ½ tsp.
Place raisins in a small bowl, pour whisky or brandy over raisins, let sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You will turn oven down when you put your pudding in oven.
Tear bread into one inch pieces and place into a buttered 2 and 1/2 quart casserole. Melt the half stick of butter in the microwave. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon with the melted butter. Drain raisins discard liquid. Add raisins to milk mixture and pour over bread, stir to combine. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven is heating. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake pudding for 50 to 60 minutes. Pudding will be puffy and set. I loosely cover with foil for the last 20 – 30 minutes so the raisins won’t burn. Serve with Norma’s (my mom) Hard Sauce.
Norma’s Hard Sauce
1 stick butter
1 and ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 Tbls whisky or brandy from the raisins if there is any left, otherwise from the bottle is fine.
Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together. Add vanilla and whisky or brandy. Chill until used. Put a dab on warm bread pudding.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
My Favorite Films 2000-2009
Traffic (2000) A brutal look at the illegal drug trade from multiple perspectives, including politicians, law enforcement, soldiers, users and dealers. Steven Soderbergh brilliantly weaves multiple story lines into the stark reality of the drug trade/culture. No one is as he seems, or as we think they should be. Lies and corruption rule. This movie stays with you long after you see it. Even though this film is almost ten years old it is as relevant as today’s news.
Moulin Rouge (2001) Baz Luhrmann’s exuberant look at turn of the century Montmartre and its Bohemian inhabitants. The first time I saw it I wanted to see it again-right away. Now, some have criticized this film for the fast paced editing and use of classic rock songs, not me. The sometimes manic editing gave this film a unique energy, and the music gave it a great operatic scope, a little Hollywood, a little Bollywood. This film popped. It was luscious to look at and just plain fun to experience. If not for this movie, I doubt we would have seen Chicago, Sweeny Todd or Nine on the big screen. Moulin Rouge revived the Hollywood Musical genre.
The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003) I know I’m lumping three movies together; however, unlike other sequel films, you could actually remove the credits and have a seamless 9 hour movie. This is the classic hero’s story, painted on an epic canvass. Filmed in New Zealand, which bears a striking resemblance to Tolkein’s Middle Earth, these films do, indeed, take us to another time and place. Peter Jackson’s world crafting is phenomenal. He captured the different cultural styles and details that most directors would not have considered. His love for the books comes through in every scene. The changes he made and the things he left out only improved a story that no one thought could be improved.
Chicago (2002) Not a lot of Fosse choreography here, and honestly, I don’t think the principals could have pulled it off. Still, the best movie released that year. It had all the greed and avarice that was the heart of the stage production. Who would have thought Richard Gere could tap dance?
Sideways (2004) A funny, quirky movie that single handedly made Pinot Noir the hottest wine of the decade. I loved how Paul Giamatti’s character was so like the wine he loved. Pinot has been called the manic depressive of the wine world because of its difficulty to produce. Along with his bi-polar issues, Giamatti is the epitome of the wine snob we all love to make fun of, while Thomas Haden Church is just his goofy self. I thought of Sideways as a middle-age coming of maturity movie.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) A gem of a film that truly proves you don’t need a huge budget or a massive production to make a great movie. What it boils down to here is the story and the actors. This movie had heart and a vitality that was beautifully brought forth by the cast. It succeeded in that very fine balancing act of making you laugh while breaking your heart.
The Bourne Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007) Yes, there is nothing artsy about these films. No deep meaning and no message. Not even an Oscar nod. They are on my list for their entertainment value. They were great action movies that let the viewer escape, and isn’t that what movies are supposed to do? Suspend your logic, sit back and just enjoy.
Up (2009) Pixar just keeps getting better and better. This film capped a decade of some really good movies like Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Wall-E. Like most of the films I just mentioned, Up is a family film that appeals to adults. It’s very funny while still having a lot of heart and even more truth. We are all getting older every day, we are all going to lose someone we deeply love and we all have regrets. Up manages to couch these realities in a beautiful way. They even managed to portray an Asian kid as just a kid, not a stereotype. The animation is fantastic and having Ed Asner as the voice of Mr. Fredricksen was genius. Dug the dog manages to practically steal the movie. I think the essence of this film is to appreciate the people in our lives while we still have them. The best movie of the year.
I started out calling this piece the best twenty movies of the decade. I couldn’t come up with twenty. Is it me or Hollywood?
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