Cecil B DeMille's Cajun Chicken

"Creation is a drug I can't do without."

I am feeling the same myself this week Cecil - I am ON FIRE!

Had a fabulous, fabulous day today pottering around in the kitchen making the Sunset Boulevard Luncheon. There is definitely a new calm descending on these kind of events as much hilarity was to be had over the fact that my William Holden Gelatine dish hadn't set - it provoked gales of laughter in the kitchen as I approached my guests wobbling the plate of goo...

Cecil's chicken was a big hit. Just the right amount of spice I think and a big ole chicken from the butcher just about served 5 - Rosalind, Jimmy, King, me and special surprise guest John G who came mostly on the promise of seeing Charley who alas couldn't make it.

Jimmy looked marvellous in his baker boy cap, short trousers and argyle socks. I wish I'd had time to make him a megaphone... King looked impeccable in his bib and tucker and Rosalind was resplendent in her mini-me "good angel" Norma Desmond outfit. I was all in black velvet and she was in white turban and flashy wrap around number. John G came at the last minute so proclaimed, "I'm in my jummy" and it made me laugh as he looked just cosy in his cardi.

After lunch we all flopped on the sofa to watch the movie and it wasn't until John shouted, "Is anyone awake?" That we realised that we had all slept right through the first half. Shades of the VERY FIRST Silver Screen Sunday - "All About Eve" at Rosalind's place over 3 years ago - May 2006...

Gloria Swanson's Butterless Devils Food Cake

The cake is made but there is much more to do before everyone arrives at 1 o'clock for the Sunset Boulevard extravaganza. I should be getting on with it but I MUST report on my date last night with the New Yorker.

He took me to dinner at Nobu. A place I didn't think someone like me was allowed to go into...

We were supposed to just meet there for a cocktail and when he asked me if I liked sushi I didn't get the chance to say, "it's my least favourite food" as he was already halfway up the stairs trying to secure us a table. This he did, best seats in the house and I felt like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" as he ordered all kinds of revolting sounding things for us to eat and instructed me on the best way to hold my chopsticks. I did try and stick up for myself by saying, "I learned to hold them the Essex way" but I don't think he got the cultural reference.

Despite my horror at the idea of eating eel, I have to admit that this was - without a doubt - the most delicious meal I have ever eaten - bar none. Everything was DIVINE including the squid with its gelatinous suckers. At one point I pointed with my chopsticks at some unidentified crispy things sticking out of a crab roll, "what's that?" I asked, "crab" he replied. "What, his little legs and everything?" I asked, amazed that there was a miniature half a crab in crispy batter just sitting there for me to eat. So I did, his little legs and his little claw - just like that!

When my date asked if I liked fat salt pork I didn't get a chance to say that my only experience of it was trying to buy some (and failing) for the Bette Davis' Boston Baked Beans recipe. I was wary of it at first - thinking it would be all fatty like spare ribs but I can honestly say it was the most delicious thing I have EVER eaten. From now on that would be my death row meal request. Just one single square of that.

I can't even begin to tell you where we went after we had eaten, but I CAN tell you that at one point I could see Rosalind's 9th floor flat WAY BELOW ME as I was 385 feet above London!

Cecil B DeMille's Cajun Chicken

Excitement is mounting about Sunday's Sunset Boulevard Luncheon Party. The menu will be as follows:

SPOILER ALERT - if you are an invited guest, look away now!

Gloria Swanson's Cocktail Canapes
Gloria Swanson's Champagne Cocktails
William Holden's Lime Gelatine with Carrots, Olives and Nuts
Cecil B DeMille's Cajun Chicken
Gloria Swanson's Devils Food Cake

Rosalind and Jimmy were making me laugh this morning with their antics. Jimmy wants to come dressed as a "Monkey Butler" but Rosalind said, "You are going as Erich von Stroheim and that's that!" Ha ha!

Last night I introduced the New Yorker to the seedy underbelly of the East End of London. I took him to a burlesque night at the Bethnal Green Working Man's Club. Lord it was saucy! He seemed to take it all in his stride though, and scoffed both the Anna May Wong Tea Cakes in the taxi on the way home. He was pleased to get a cherry...

Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cakes

It was "cherry roulette" in the office today as I experimented with glace cherries on the top of my AMW tea cakes last night. They sank to the bottom so I didn't put any on the second batch. The cakes all disappeared in double quick time so they were definitely a hit. I received several emails from folks either exhalted or dejected about the discovery (or not) of cherries. The big boss is still dubious about "recipes by dead people" but they looked so cute in my retro dot baking cases that even he couldn't resist!

I kept two aside as it's my second date with the New Yorker tonight. Wonder what he will make of them...

William Holden's Lime Gelatine with Carrots, Olives and Nuts

"The older you become, the more you know;
your bank account of knowledge is much richer.”

I agree William. And for once in my working life my bank account of DOUGH is richer after filing my tax return rather than much, much poorer as it usually is... Yippee.

I've had a fabulous weekend in the countryside trampolining, watching the tennis and eating a tonne of Silver Screen Supperage. Paulette made a magnificient Gloria Swanson Devil's Food Cake and I did canapes. The centrepiece was William's crazy lime jelly extravaganza. I made it in a rabbit mold and Paulette said as it plopped out, "it looks like some kind of Damien Hurst artwork". It really was quite a sight to behold! Not much of it was eaten but it certainly was a talking point. We also had Gloria Swanson's Caviar Canapes and the old faithfuls Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp and Adolph Menjou's Spiced Venetian Cheese. All washed down with some extremely strong martinis. Hic.

The young Rebel Without a Cause James made me laugh when Paulette brought the cake to the table. When she mentioned it was a very special cake he just asked, "Betty Crocker?"

Alan Ladd's German-Style Potato Pancakes

"As long as my pictures go into theaters
and we ask people to pay to see what I do on the screen,
I should not object if customers want to know what kind of man I am."

You seem like a nice guy Alan, but how can a girl be sure?

It's been quite a week! A guy that I met at the Singles Night on Saturday is doing a pretty good job of sweeping me off my feet, but I am trying to resist! Ha ha! My mother is counseling me to find out everything I can about him but it's not easy is it, when you meet someone at random? Anyhow, it has put a spring in my step this week, despite a bit of cage rattling this week by an ex.

It's going to be a big weekend for Silver Screen Suppers too as I'm off the the countryside with Paulette, Ivor and Shirley to a big dinner party with lots of film star fodder. Will report back. For tonight though I am planning to rustle up some of Alan's pancakes as I am now working my way through the book recipes in alphabetical order and Alan is numero uno. I might have them with a fried egg on top....

Gary Cooper's Buttermilk Griddle Cakes

"To get folks to like you, as a screen player I mean,
I figured you had to sort of be their ideal.
I don't mean a handsome knight riding a white horse,
but a fella who answered the description of a right guy."

Fortified by the last of Constance's Spanish Chicken I went to a singles night last night to search for a "right guy". I had to steel myself to do it, as the friend who was supposed to come with me chickened out (boom boom), but I remembered the new warning motto, "resistance is the ego sensing danger" and got myself psyched up for it.

It was really good fun. Surprisingly so, and it was a real fillip to see that there were fanciable men out there (as one of the ladies put it) "apparently" single. Not sure that anything will come of any of the encounters but at least it has reminded me that they are out there, somewhere...

I've got the whole day to myself and am RELISHING it. Have just made myself a batch of Gary's Griddle Cakes and they were delicious. These are such a treat and it seems quite extravagant to make them just for one, but I'm on a testing frenzy at the moment.

Marion Davies' Rarebit a la Marion

"Gandhi had eaten the whole welsh rarebit."

I wonder if this is the very same doggie that ate the Welsh Rarebit Marion was so looking forward to at San Simeon. I laughed so much when I read her story about it in "The Times We Had" and it's a perfect anecdote to accompany her recipe in the book. I read the story late at night and was so tired I didn't blink an eye about Gandhi being at San Simeon watching movies and eating Welsh Rarebit late at night. It was only in the morning I remembered that one of Marion's dogs was called Gandhi.

I've just eaten TWO slices of Rarebit and very nice it was too. The mixture was a bit runny and Marion didn't specify grilling it so I did it just as she said and just poured the mixture over the toast and scoffed it. Yum.

It's Marion night in Crouch End tonight. I am now going to turn the TV off and write the first draft of the mini biog that will accompany Marion's recipe in the book. What a shame her movies are so hard to get hold of on DVD, I could have rounded the evening off with a screening... Instead I shall start planning the Sunset Boulevard lunch party I am having in February. Gloria Swanson's Caviar Canapes here I come!

Myrna Loy's Senegalaise Soup

“I think that carrying on a life that is meant to be private
in public is a breach of taste,
common sense, and mental hygiene.”

You could be right there Myrna. I had to take a post down this week as it upset someone dear to me so I guess I have to be a little more careful about what I share with the world on this blog. HOWEVER, it is lovely that when I posted how miserable I was the other day I got nice messages to cheer me up, so hurrah for the interweb!

Back to the point... Nazimova sent a grand and celebratory email to say that she'd made Myrna's soup again at the weekend and "everyone loved it". Her mum - visiting from Belgrade - said she could eat it every day and asked for the recipe! Naz suggests having the soup as a starter with liver and mash to follow, using the onion and apple bits Myrna says to discard to go with the liver. Genius!

I am very pleased that we have been pro-active about the Serbian cooking weekend and got a date in the diary. Naz's mum speaks no English and I speak no Serbian so it's going to rock!

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.

Rudolph Valentino's "Secret" Spaghetti Sauce

“To generalize on women is dangerous.
To specialize on them is infinitely worse.”

I have given up trying to fathom it out myself Rudolph. It's just a ZOO PARK!

I'm back from the wedding of the century. My sister of the skillet is hitched. It was such a lovely affair and a whistle-stop tour of Austin for Edmund. Even though we were only there for a week we managed to squeeze in some of the best, best spots of the town. Highlights for me were: getting my first glimpse of the diamond as big as a bath math on Ruth's finger, two-stepping with a Hot Rod Spare Parts Dealer at the Broken Spoke and the moment Lawrence stamped on the glass at the wedding - MUSELTOF! I'm so happy for them both and wish them every happiness in their new life.

Another great thing was meeting some of the test cooks who have been cooking up a storm in the US. Dale (our "Star Spangled Rhythm" party thrower) was there. As was Gene (great to meet her, Edmund's favourite!), Irene - the wonderful and generous mother of the bride, the two beautiful cousins and many, many, many assorted Frick, Bush and Page relatives. How utterly wonderful to be a part of such a humdinging event.

So now I return to my little garret in Crouch End. New Years Resolutions are kicking in and test cooking has resumed. Tonight's cookathon has put me in a quandary. Rudolph's Chicken From Parma is such a favourite BUT, his "Secret" Spaghetti Sauce is (to copy one of the Bush cousins) AWESOME so a decision will have to be made. As Valentino was famously a superb cook - always rustling up pasta for his fellow film stars - it may have to be this one...

There is a Shahrukh Khan movie on C4 and I am watching it in Ruth's honour (Shahrukh is her own Ricky Whittle). At her hen night we had a Bollywood dance lesson so I am waiting for a big number so I can do the "snake" and the "lightbulb" moves here all alone to try and work off some of this pasta... Must remember to pull the blinds though so the neighbours don't have to witness it...

Silver Screen Saturday - Gone With the Wind

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

Hell yeah Hattie!

In the first of my monthly Silver Screen Suppers extravaganzas today we had a FEAST proposed by Hattie McDaniel in a 1941 edition of Modern Screen Magazine.

Plantation Chicken with Dumplings
Corn Bread
Sweet Corn Pudding
String Beans
Cranberry Jelly
Tomato and Watercress Salad
McDaniel Dressing
Cracker Cake

It was a bit like cooking a Christmas Dinner. Elaborate but absolutely DELICIOUS. Luckily I had lots of helpers. Charley came back after beers in the old man's pub last night and offered to assist. Although the lovely King had brought me back some Graham Crackers from the States I couldn't get my act together to go to Maida Vale to pick them up (what was that New Year's Resolution again?) so I used Digestives for the cake. Charley whacked a plastic bag containing over a whole packet of biscuits with vigour. The resulting cake was quite amazing. Picture viewable on the flickr site! We decorated the cake with candles and celebration glasses of So-Co (Southern Comfort). Birthday boy James said that it was like a massive Custard Cream.

The Cranberry Jelly in a mould the shape of a rabbit was weird but tasty. Dumplings aren't my cup of tea but were enjoyed by the guests (Rosalind, Jimmy, James and Ava), the corn bread was corny and the chicken yummy. All in all I would say that this was probably the best meal I ever cooked!

"Gone With the Wind" was screened as I prepared the lunch. Rosalind screeched for me every time there was a classic moment and I legged it up the stairs for the best bits. I loved being in the kitchen, remarkably calm considering all the dishes I was juggling and hearing Ava in the distance laughing at the film. Rosalind said, "I'd forgotten how funny it is", during the first half and then handed out some tissues during the second half for a big blub.

A wonderful, wonderful way to spend a Saturday and a great precursor to the trip to Texas tomorrow. Yeehaw and toodle-pip for a week or so. Wishing all my readers a humdinger of a year ahead. I've a feeling it is going to be a fantabulosa year. Love. happiness and healing via the power of classic movies to you all!

Jean Harlow's Celery A La Shrimp

“I like to wake up each morning feeling a new man.”

Ha ha, me too Jean, me too!

For the first time in living memory however, I have woken up on the first day of a New Year totally on my lonesome. Not too hungover to make myself laugh by saying out loud immediately upon waking up, "Happy New Year To Me!" All sorts of resolutions have been made for the new decade, one of which is (broadly speaking) to just get my act together. It's vague I know, but it has to happen.

My New Year's Eve was lovely. Spent in the bosom of my pals in Crouch End drinking copious amounts of bubbly, eating a few Hollywood canapes including Jean's classic shrimp dish and entertaining each other with "turns". Shirley played us a song on the piano, Paulette gave us a tune on the accordion and Ivor led us all in a game of bingo. Marvelous. I did a family friendly version of my paper tearing act.

So the new year begins with preparation for a grand luncheon tomorrow with all recipes by Hattie McDaniel. There is much to do but I'm managing to squeeze in a cheeky drink with Charley at Villiers Terrace later. We are both agreed we are going to dance on the grave of 2009. And besides, my mum has sent some Christmas cake for him...

Myrna Loy's Senegalaise Soup

“Life, is not a having and a getting,
but a being and a becoming.”

I'm going to ponder that over the next few days Myrna, what with the end of the decade fast approaching and resolutions to be made...

I had a go at Myrna's soup for the first time, simplicity itself and yummy too. I did prefer Nazimova's version but maybe that is because other people's cooking is always nicer than one's own. It's a good little recipe though and a definite for the book. Apples, onions, curry powder and chicken essentially. Mmmmm.

I'm busy, busy, busy this week. Trying to get a head start on my tax return before I head off to TEXAS. I am beside myself with excitement.

Roland Young's Rissoles

I'm as surprised as Roland is that the rissoles are not an annual tradition as I first thought. The last time I made them was the year before last and they didn't make an appearance in 2008. I am shocked!

I hereby pronounce them an annual tradition. The best, best, best way of making the most of the annual post Christmas food parcel. I chopped up the turkey slices, pigs in blankets, stuffing and bacon and mixed them up with the other ingredients Roland suggested and they made the most yummy little patties ever.

I had to make a last minute plan today. Charley was poised for a trip to the countryside but Rosalind and Jimmy had to wait in for the cable guy. Hence a luncheon party in the Crouch seemed the best option and we had a late lunch (Linner / Dunch) incorporating Roland's Rissoles.

Alas, nobody knew the classic phrase to quote when invited to such a repast, as Ginger would have put it when invited to a last minute lunch: "I'll be round like a rissole!"

Betty Grable's Watermelon Pickles

“It's loud, it's cheap, it's gaudy.
It's like everything I've ever done - I LOVE IT!”

Well, Betty's pickles were sampled on Boxing Day with a large amount of cheese and cold meats. My mum, as always, was very polite and said, "I would class these as an acquired taste" and they were certainly unusual as pickles go. I pronounced them to be "clovetastic" as they smelt and tasted like a visit to the dentist. But many thanks go out to Cary who had the patience to make them for us and I'll ask him what he REALLY thought of them when I see him next.

Christmas was LOVELY. Just me, my folks and 2 waifs and strays who couldn't get to their family because of the snow. My favourite part of Christmas Day was when we all had a "zizz", as my dad calls it, after lunch. He set the alarm so that we could have an hour and a half of shut eye and wake up in time for a game of Walkers Whist before Poirot. Ha ha - a trad Christmas alright!

And today I must rush as I have Rosalind, Jimmy and Charley coming round for rissoles...

Rita Hayworth's Angel Food Cake

I am seeing my Shellac Sister Jean this evening and I'd forgotten that she had quite a success with the Rita Hayworth cake. We are DJing at Kokos in Camden (formerly the Camden Palace) and I'm going to ask her about her egg white whisking between discs.

It's the first time I have really felt sad about the hundreds of records I had to leave behind when I split with Sidney. My CHRISTMAS 78s are all there so I have nothing festive to play tonight. Let's hope Clara has some Xmas Swing in one of her boxes.

Jean took her cake to work and got great feedback from colleagues, most saying how light it was (in marked contrast to the brick I made at the weekend). Some suggested accompaniments such as peach / apricot compote (Will in the Arts team), fruit and yoghurt (Auntie Jean) and stem ginger (Denise in the Sports team). Mmmm, that would be nice and Christmassy.

Speaking of which I'd like to wish all my readers the most fabulous Christmas and fantabulosa New Year. 2009 has been a bit crummy at times, but 2010 is going to be ace. As Bob Hope puts it, "My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" Right on Bob!

So let's all have a great big love in, not just for Christmas - for always! Happy holidays.

Clara Bow's Vanilla Marlow

"A sex symbol is a heavy load to carry when one is
tired, hurt and bewildered"

I've been feeling a bit like that myself lately Clara but it's getting better...

London is FROZEN. It took me two hours to get home from work as trains were on go-slow, buses were cancelled or turned back from slippery hills and I had to walk all the way from Archway. Blitz spirit prevailed as we all tried not to fall over shuffling down Crouch Hill to the Broadway. It's like a Victorian scene outside my house, I just looked out the window and there is a bunch of boys chucking snowballs at each other. Lovely.

So it seems an apt kind of evening to blog the results of Lita's testing of the Marlow - not a success alas. I'm going to have to write more in depth instructions about cream whipping and milk steaming I think. Lita approached the recipe with gusto - but rather too much gusto unfotunately and the resulting curdled mess did not impress her husband! Attempting to fix the marlow reduced this very glamorous domestic goddess to a jibbering wreck but she did volunteer to give it another go once she has recovered from her diva moment!

Not right now though, too bloody cold for ice-cream!

Gloria Swanson's Butterless Devil's Food Cake

"I feel sure that unborn babies
pick their parents."

Well if that is true Gloria, I have very good taste!

Today I went up to Suffolk for a surprise 80th birthday party for my lovely mum. Miraculously all 5 of us kids made it - despite the snow, plus assorted partners and a smattering of grandchildren. We had a lovely time as the wine flowed freely as did the conversation. It was just wonderful.

My plan of taking a Gloria Swanson Devil's Food Cake AND a Rita Hayworth's Angel's Food Cake FAILED. I blame two things firstly, not using the right tools for the job (my soup masher just would not whip the egg whites to stiff - it got very, very hot and smelt a bit like a fairground dodgem - it may well be bust) secondly RICKY WHITTLE. Gloria's cake stuck to the cake mould and ultimately never made it out of the kitchen because I lost track of how long it had been in the oven due to Mr Whittle's Cha-Cha. My goodness me. Rita's made it to Suffolk but although it looked lovely, had the texture of a brick. More testing required and a wire whisk to be bought.

Despite me feeling like a very poor cook today it ultimately didn't matter as there was mountains of food and mountains of love so a stodgy birthday cake wasn't really anything to worry about...

Rita Hayworth's Angel Food Cake

"We are all tied to our destiny
and there is no way we can liberate ourselves."

Hmm, but what does destiny have in store for me Rita, Rita Peanut Eater?

I have a Rita Hayworth's Angel's Food Cake in the oven, to be followed by a Gloria Swanson's Devil's Food Cake. These are for a very special event happening tomorrow but I can't reveal what it is in case a certain someone reads this blog and twigs that there is a surprise party being hatched. It will be intriguing to see which of the guests chooses to be Angelic and who Devilish...

Yesterday was a lovely, lovely day. I finally got my waist length hair chopped to collarbone length so I can do some Rita style hairdos. Pincurls here I come. My new hairdresser is a peach! Her salon in Primrose Hill is full of original 1920s bits and pieces and she knows all about vintage hairdos. My appointment was at noon and the first question was, "Do you feel it is too early for a mulled wine?" Hell no! There were also homemade biscuits, yum, yum, yum!

I'd never met Lisa before, but she and her mum have test cooked LOTS of the Silver Screen Suppers recipes as my lovely friend Hugh had told them about the project. So I'll be posting their feedback here soon. Great, great, great to meet in person some test cooks who were previously just an email address...

Lisa's lovely salon - http://lisahauck.com

Ann Sheridan's Chili Casserole

"They nicknamed me "The Oomph Girl",
and I loathe that nickname!"

Ann's casserole is in the oven. The first in my new batch of test cooking. I'm really doing it properly, making copious notes and working my way through the whole list of sixty something - even Katharine's Eggplant dish - yeach! Everyone is welcome to join in!

There is something really nice about making something then leaving it to cook for an hour or so and doing something else while delicious smells fill the air. Maybe that's why most of my star favourites are casseroles - Marlene's Lamb Chops, Constance's Spanish Chicken and Ann's Chili. All gorgeous. There's a picture on the flickr site...

By a fantastic quirk of fate I have switched on the TV to find that "Who Do You Think You Are "is on and for reasons I can't explain right now (top, top secret) I am particularly interested in this one as it is all about Alastair McGowan finding out exactly what Anglo-Indian actually means... Fascinating stuff....

I'm off now to switch on my birthday electric blanket - the perfect gift from the lovely Rosalind and Jimmy. My room is awful cold!

Dorothy Lamour's Strawberry Ice Cream

"I felt like a wonderful sandwich,
a slice of white bread between two slices of ham."

So said Dorothy of working with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby - ha ha!

It's been my birthday week and chock full of fabulousness. My feet have barely touched the ground and it isn't over yet! I've seen many friends old and new, received two sung birthday greetings and many felicitations through the post, interweb and telephone. Feel very loved, and happy to be alive. Birthdays. Good. As Gloria Swanson puts it, "I don't let age bother me. Whenever I am a year older, everyone else is too."

So it's a chance to blog Dale's findings on Dorothy's Ice Cream Recipe. Dorothy was born on the same day as me but around 50 years earlier (you can do the "math" if you care to!) so she is my honorary birthday buddy. Can you see a likeness? The conk is big enough!

I haven't made her ice cream myself but Dale pronounces it time consuming but good. "Fat + sugar + strawberries = super easy deliciousness," she says. Dale is one of our most dedicated test cooks and she made two versions - one in her ice-cream maker and one in the old fashioned way (using the NORGE!) - verdict? Her guests preferred the flavour of the latter and the texture of the former.

When the weather gets warmer I shall have a go at this recipe. At the rate I am filling the house with purchases from the Crouch End kitchen shop I will probably have an ice cream maker myself by then!

Rita Hayworth's Angel Food Cake

"After all, a girl is - well, a girl.
It's nice to be told you're successful at it."

I should say you were Rita! Extremely successful at it!

I'm going to be channeling Rita's spirit during my birthday week. I have bought myself a birthday gift - heated rollers - and will be attempting to do the Hayworth "do" for the work Xmas party tomorrow. Watch out Gilgamesh!

I thought as yesterday's post was about Devil's Food Cake, it would be nice to blog the Angel's Food Cake today. Olivia made this AGES ago so apologies for taking so long to write it up. I haven't tried this recipe myself but it's next on the list of things to offer to work colleagues for approval. Olivia proclaimed the cake to be highly enjoyable with a "light and slightly marshmallowy texture". Good for the waistline too as it is low in fat. Mind you, it does contain 9 eggs! No wonder it serves up to 16. These Hollywood folks sure knew how to feed the five thousand...

Gloria Swanson's Butterless Devil's Food Cake

"Because I take care of my body,
it doesn't look like the body of a woman of my years."

Same here Gloria, honestly!

Wow, I have had such a great reaction from work colleagues to Gloria's cake. Admittedly it did contain over a bar of Green & Black's Expresso Chocolate but yes, to paraphrase Mr Tibble downstairs, it was freakin awesome! I shall make another soon to test the cooking time. I made it in my fancy silicone tube pan thingy so I'll need to test it as a plain and simple sponge cake too.

Had SUCH a lovely weekend with Ginger and Grace - our annual girls weekend Christmas shopping at the seaside. Who would have thought it, when we all decided to live together we were three single girls and now look at the pair of them! Ha ha. One is married and pregnant, the other is heading that way - tee hee! So they both gave me a good talking to about how I should give a NICE man a go for a change.

Sigh. Not sure I am wired up for a nice boyfriend, but I might give it a go...

William Powell's Beets Piquants

"Cultivate solitude and quiet and a few sincere friends,
rather than mob merriment,
noise and thousands of nodding acquaintances."

I am trying to William, but it is DECEMBER and therefore I have the double whammy of Christmas and my birthday which, I'm afraid, always results in mob merriment. I guess I'll just have to relax and enjoy it...

I've been thinking a lot about dating this week. Ava persuaded me to try the dating website she's been using but it's just made me very depressed about the prospect of trying to get to know somebody via a short profile and a photograph. Would I have begun communication with William Powell for example, if this was his profile picture? Hmmm. I don't like this game. I'm going to forget about it all for a while.

It's a Silver Screen Sunday and I'm just about to retire to the kitchen to cook some Rum Jam for Christmas presents and some Beets Piquants to go with my fishcakes. I am going to seriously campaign for the Beets to replace the Artichokes for Mr Powell's recipe in the book. Although I know that my co-writer is not a fan of the beet...

Colleen Moore's Shamrock Salad

It's taken me ages to find out if Colleen actually was Irish - as her Shamrock Salad would have us believe. An excellent source on the internet - The Colleen Moore Project - says she was half Irish, half Scottish but born in the US. After my visit to Cardiff and in-depth chats to Anna I am currently VERY interested in the promotion of stars as being of a particular nationality. Colleen often played colleens if you know what I mean, but I LOVE this picture all Americanized. I would like an outfit like this to wear to the forthcoming wedding in Texas...

Today I had an email from Mickey in Athlone, Ireland which reminded me that I hadn't blogged the results of his testing Colleen's recipe. I loved his question, "what exactly is “chill in the Norge?” Ha ha - Colleen's recipe appeared in a fantastic promotional booklet for Norge fridges. All the recipes say things like, "leave overnight in the Norge", or "chill in the Norge" and there are various pictures of stars such as Ginger Rogers posing with Norge fridges. It reminds me of my lovely two years in Walthamstow with my own Ginger and Grace. We always referred to the fridge as The Norge.

Neither Mickey nor Katharine were mad about this recipe. It's a novelty one I agree. Katharine suggested using very small peppers which I think is a good idea. I also loved Mickey's point about pimentos - he left them out as he hadn't a clue what they were! A recurring problem for the Silver Screen Suppers cooks. We may have to have a little section in the book to clarify some of these ingredients.

Silver Screen Sunday Extravaganza

What a FANTASTIC afternoon we had in Cardiff at the Silver Screen Suppers event. There was a lot of love in the house and a LOT of cream cheese too! Chefs Ruth C, Katharine and Anita rustled up tonnes of Silver Screen Supper foodstuffs and the guests wolfed the lot washed down with champagne cocktails and lashings of wine! It was a stardust sprinkled buffet table groaning under the weight of Greer Garson's Gucamole, Lana Turner's Simple and Easy Salsa, Anna Sten's Russian Sandwiches, Katharine Hepburn's Brownies, Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies, Colleen Moore's Shamrock Salad and - my fave - Mae West's Pumpkin Pies. YUM YUM YUM.

Lots of guests came done up as their favourite film stars (Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, a singing cowboy (not sure which one!), Cary Grant and Lauren Bacall to name but a few), Anna ran a fabulous film quiz and I gave a little 10 minute introduction to the project. Several people volunteered to test cook (email me at silverscreensuppers@yahoo.co.uk for a list of recipes) and there may be a chance for me to visit St Donat's - former holiday home of MARION DAVIES in Wales sometime soon.

The event was all in a very good cause - raising money for Theatre Versus Oppression - see http://www.theatreversusoppression.com/ and photos of the splendid food can be seen here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzyritz/ or by clicking on the picture of the heaving buffet table in the side bar. I put on 3 and a half pounds - that's how GOOD it all was.

Oh and if you are wondering, I have put ROMY SCHNEIDER at the head of my post to welcome Joan and Bette's brand new bundle of joy into the world. She goes by the name of Romy so how can she fail to be fabulous?

Marilyn Monroe's ???

"I don't want to make money.
I just want to be wonderful."

Same here Marilyn.

It's rare that I write a post without it relating to a star's actual recipe but this week has been Marilyn week and there is still NO RECIPE. I guess Marilyn was outside the key era for film star recipes being published (1920s and 1930s) but there MUST be one out there somewhere. The call is out. If anyone knows of one, please let us know. We know from Katharine in Cardiff that Marilyn DID cook but it would be just ELEGANT if we could find one of her actual recipes.

I am off to Cardiff this weekend - very exciting. There will be a Silver Screen Suppers extravaganza on Sunday with many, many film star dishes on offer. I'm going to give a little talk about the project and hopefully score some more test cooks. The call for second round of testing should be going out this week so if you fancy having a go at one of the recipes that hopefully will make it into the book drop me a line.

Last Sunday I was invited to Paulette & Ivor's place for a screening of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was the first time Shirley (aged 9) had seen it and it was great to see her reaction to the whole shebang. The funniest moment was when Ivor said something about how his wife was just as beautiful as Marilyn and Jane. Their little angel Shirley (sitting between myself and another female guest) said, "What about these two?" pointing to us. She followed this up with the statement, "Just because you are old and withered, doesn't mean you're not pretty".

I THINK that it was meant as a compliment....

I'm watching "The Seven Year Itch" and Marilyn has just gone upstairs and changed into a fabulous frock as she thinks that, "it just isn't right to drink champagne in Matador Pants." Ha ha! Billy Wilder was so right when he said of Monroe, "There has never been a woman with such voltage on the screen, with the exception of Garbo." Voltage. Hm. Interesting. I think I may have to replace my fuse. I've been operating at low voltage lately. But birthday / Christmas season is coming up. I am going to crank it up.

Myrna Loy's Senegalaise Soup

"Some perfect wife I am. I`ve been married four times,
divorced four times, have no children, and can`t boil an egg."

Well I'm not sure that Myrna was being totally honest about the egg boiling, because her recipe for Senegalaise Soup was absolutely scrumptious.

A bunch of us from work had a fantastic evening at Nazimova's place last night. I made her put on the oven glove she burned a hole in the last time she cooked for me TWICE because it makes me laugh so much. It was great watching her cook Myrna's soup through the hatch. When I grow up I want a kitchen with a hatch!

We had no idea how a soup incorporating apples, curry powder and chicken would turn out but there is no doubt about it, this recipe is a HIT. Naz also prepared us some traditional Prebranac and Ajvar which we set upon with gusto. I resisted the toast with special "G. Butter" though, as I vividly remember what happened last time...

A screening of the legendary Rum Jam films "Milkman" and "The Proposal" followed dinner. There was much hilarity when someone we know and love from the office popped up in the back seat of a Citroen looking mightily dishevelled. How very cool to have a screen to pull down and a DVD projector in your own living room. I want to live like Nazimova! She has promised to teach me how to make Prebranac sometime which I am very much looking forward to...

Joan Bennett's Baked Salmon

"With all of Constance's juggling of dates over the years,
I started out as the youngest, then became her twin
and finally wound up as the oldest sister."

It's a Bennett sisters bonanza this weekend. My very own Sister of the Shellac Veronica is coming over tonight for baked salmon then I'll be cooking up Constance's Spanish Chicken tomorrow for Ava and Edmund. "Sisters, sisters, never were there such devoted sisters..." I am enjoying lots of sisterly stuff at the moment both from my real one (love the email system) and my surrogate ones. Lots of girl energy this week.

Isn't this picture of Joan amazing? I shall be channeling her energy this evening as I am going on what feels like my first night out as a single woman for around 15 months. Weird. After the salmon Veronica and I are going OUT. Yes, OUT. I've forgotten how to do it...

Regarding the salmon, it's a bit of an experiment. Joan's recipe includes bacon and as Veronica is a veggie I am replacing that with tempeh. Could be good, could be a disaster, we shall see.

Tallulah Bankhead's Coconut Jumbles

“Nobody can be exactly me.
Sometimes even I have trouble doing it.”

Got a fab freelance commission this week - selecting fashion films of the 1940s and writing about them. Film archiving doesn't get much better than that! In discussion over a burger and fries my commisioners concluded that although folks have a strong idea about what 1940s fashion looks like - the 1930s is a bit of a forgotten era fashion-wise. But here is Tallulah rocking the very best look of the era - a white, slinky, silky, bias cut evening gown. YUM.

I'm getting excited about my impending visit to Austin. Not least because I am going to meet some of the lovely test cooks who are doing sterling work in the Lone Star State. One such is Gene, who gave a detailed response to the challenge of Tallulah's Coconut Jumbles. Again, Tallulah's dough was too sticky for rolling and Gene offered the alternative of making dropped cookies instead of cut out cookies. Makes sense! Although her hubby liked them, Gene thought they tasted like a "heap of cooked flour more than anything else". Hmm. This one may need another attempt in the Crouch End kitchen. Food dye and dessicated coconut here I come!

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!

Lupe Velez's Orange Flower Appetizer

All is right with the world. I have an afternoon of writing ahead, there is a casserole in the slow cooker and an episode of Columbo has just started on ITV. A perfect Sunday.

My most excellent weekend began on Friday with me being hostess for the book group. As we'd been reading "Me, Cheeta" it was a jungle themed evening with Paulette and myself sporting leopard print and preparing some Tarzan related foodstuffs together. First as a starter, Lupe's Orange Flower Appetizer which was quite, quite charming. Fun and easy to make - half a greengage with a little swirl of cream cheese making the centre of the flower and orange segments forming the petals. There was a complaint that I hadn't (as Lupe prescribed) presented it on crystal plates but that just made me more inclined to buy some - ebay here I come.

The William Powell Beets Piquants which accompanied Nigella's fishcakes were very much enjoyed. Deceptively simple ingredients yet again surprising the palate. Paulette's wonderful rendition of Johnnie Weissmuller's Apricot Meringue Pie rounded off the evening and I am very pleased to report that I have some leftovers in the fridge for my tea.

More good feminine energy was provided over the weekend by Joan and Bette. I nipped down to Brighton to see them yesterday and it was great to find them both in top form getting ready for the imminent arrival of their baby. Talked long into the night with Joan about volatile relationships. Fascinating...

Lilian Gish's Lemon Pie

"The older I get, the more I believe in what I can't
explain or understand, even more than the things
that are explainable and understandable."

Yes Lilian, I understand. Or at least I think I do. Please explain.

I can't really understand or explain how I managed to get my hands on my number one heart-throb Ricky Whittle on Saturday night in Blackpool. The universe works in mysterious ways and this glorious encounter has given me enough good palpitations to last for a fair few months. Ask, believe, receive indeed. I know that some of the ladies who read this blog and know who Ricky Whittle is will want more details but alas, I'm afraid that,"What happens in Blackpool stays in Blackpool."

Anyhow, I am VERY behind on reporting on the test cooking that has been going on all over the world so am planning to get right back into that this week. We are putting out a second call for testers very soon so if you are game to assist please just drop us an email at silverscreensuppers@yahoo.co.uk

Ruthie's cousin Judy had a go at Lilian's Lemon Pie and the report back was very pleasing. "It was a hit" said Judy and elaborated: "It's a light and fluffy way to approach a lemon pie. Really refreshing and not too heavy. Good spring or summer recipe. (And this is perfect for Ms Gish, as she probably would've been watching her weight anyway...)" Very true - she was a teeny tiny little thing La Gish. And not as sweet as you'd think according to Marion Davies...

Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies

I have had a terrible few days. Disappointed in love (amazed at how low some people will go), disappointed in my handwashing skills (shrank a gorgeous vintage frock) and disappointed with Amy Winehouse's Beloved Camden Cobbles (ripped the heel off a favourite pair of shoes). Was feeling very down in the dumps until I checked my emails and found I had WON AN AWARD!

I feel like I have won an OSCAR as Matthew over at Movietone-News has awarded me a Kreativ Blogger award. Yowzer. Soooooooo chuffed. Apparently there are two conditions involved in accepting the award. First, one must list seven other blogs to receive the award, and secondly reveal 'seven things you don't know about me'. So here we go. My current favourite 7 blogs - click on the blue name to check them out for yourselves:

Silent Stanzas - wonderful poetry about stars of the silent era
Carole Lombard - my favourite single star website - just gorgeous
Allure - I'd like some please
Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog - one of the first blogs I ever read, and it still tickles me
Matilda's Delights - always something lovely to look at
Sassy Minx - my cheerleader
Kemp Folds - silly but I love it

And seven things you MAY not know about me:

1 - My hair IS longer than Anna Mae Wong's (see post from Oct 16th) - 25 inches long in fact, from centre parting to split ends.
2 - Like Marilyn Monroe in "How To Marry A Millionaire" I am far too vain to wear my glasses.
3 - I come over all peculiar if I ever see Fran Healy or Ricky Whittle on the telebox.
4 - I strongly dislike my best friend's favourite classic movie (she does not know this).
5 - The film I have watched more than any other is Gone With The Wind.
6 - I don't like to touch any tea towel unless it belongs to me.
7 - Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies are my favourite thing to cook.

I shall now bask in the glory of being an award winner - how utterly, utterly lovely!

Vincent Price's Sweetcorn Fritters

"I sometimes feel that I'm impersonating the dark unconscious
of the whole human race. I know this sounds sick, but I love it."

I am learning a lot about the dark unconscious of the human race this week Vincent, but luckily I am also doing things to balance it out.

Like running up and down the stairs every five minutes for the trick or treaters last night. What kind of INSANITY was going on in the streets of the Crouch? When I got in loads of goodies when I lived in Amersham not a single child knocked on my door. Last night there were HOARDS of them. Madness. By the time Shirley and her posse got here all I had left was ONE chocolate eyeball and 15 chocolate skeletons. I am buying 3 times as many treats next year. I had to stop answering the door.

I had Vincent's corn fritters with my steak last night. I have to say it was the most delicious steak I have ever eaten - apart from maybe the steak at the crazy Italian place I used to go to with Charley. Luckily Vincent's recipe was very generous so I only ate half of the steak last night and had the rest of it tonight. Double bubble!

Vincent Price's Peppered Steak

“It's as much fun to scare as to be scared.”

It's Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen. How exciting. The pumpkin is carved and on the doorstep, there are treats to be dished out to any children of the night that come round to call and I have a very, very, very large spider in my hair.

I know for sure that Shirley and five of her chums will be rocking up later. It's her first time trick or treating and she is very excited. I have chocolate eyeballs and chocolate skeletons for them. And when all the little critters are tucked up in bed I shall have Vincent's Steak which is marinating in the fridge right now. It's garlic a-go-go which will keep the vampires away.

It was great seeing Charley on Thursday. He really is a lovely man and it was good to get his perspective on everything that's been going on in my love life. I am following his advice and slamming the iron door. I'm very pleased that he is giving it another go with A.M. Good for them. Gives me faith in the modern man...

Oh my LORD! I've just had 3 visitations from 3 different bunches of kids in 15 minutes. Hope I am going to have enough treats!

Marlene Dietrich's Lamb Chops En Casserole

"Without tenderness, a man is uninteresting."

That is so true Marlene - but the question is, how to tell the real tenderness from the fake...

Well, sometimes you know for sure and tonight I shall be having Charley to dinner, a man for whom I have always felt great tenderness, and I hope and I'm pretty sure, he has for me. As I know he is a fan of a lamb chop, there was not too much agonising over what to cook. I shall report on what he thought of it tomorrow, but I wanted to do a quick post today as I am very excited about this:

www.queensofvintage.com/eat-like-the-stars-%E2%80%93-silver-screen-sandwiches

My little article about film star sandwiches in the Queens of Vintage online magazine. If you've never visited their site I whole heartedly recommend it - gorgeous!

I don't know how to make the above a "hyperlink" but to go straight to the article you can click on the picture of Tallulah Bankhead eating a sandwich in the sidebar!

Margaret Sullavan's Peanut Butter Hermits

"This little box makes you candy conscious!"

So said Margaret (in The Shop Around the Corner) to a rather hefty customer who didn't like the song a particular music box played when the lid was open. Margaret's sales patter was to suggest that every time the lady opened the box to get another chocolate, she'd be reminded of the sin she was about to commit!

As discussed here before, Margaret's Hermits are pretty sinful. Not for those on a diet... My lovely (and very knowleagable) work colleage Renee made some of these despite not having baked for about 20 years since Home Economics at school. As we are not in the vacinity of Graham Crackers, Ms Adoree used crushed up digestive biscuits. This will be suggested in the book. As I am planning a trip to Austin soon (top secret) I will bring back some Graham Crackers and try both versions side by side and have a taste test.

I do love it when test cooks send a photo of their finished items and when I get around to jazzing up the website I'll have a page for these. Renee's pic of her Hermits was utterly charming and she was very pleased with the results saying, "I may even attempt the recipe again and perhaps feel confident enough to let others try my cooking!'

I say YES my dear, and bring them into the office!

Jimmy Stewart's Chicken Pie

"I lasted one night.
They said my playing spoiled people's appetites.”

Well Gene's appetite certainly wasn't affected last night. He ate TWO pieces of the pie and took one home with him this morning. We christened the splendid beast the "Piewacket" after Kim Novak's cat in "Bell, Book and Candle". OK, so I fell asleep on the sofa while we were watching it, but it wasn't because of Jimmy's acting.

Jimmy's Pie takes a LONG time to make but I consider it worth it as it is so scrumptious. In another kitchen elsewhere in London, Basil was having a bash at it too. He made his half the size of mine, using chicken thighs and proclaimed it to be "absolutely delicious!" adding, "If you commit to making it, the rewards WILL justify the efforts!" He admitted that he and his lovely wife Bettina ended up eating the whole pie between them (even though it should have served 4). I don't blame them, it's virtually impossible to resist.

Also virtually impossible to resist is Gene, but resist each other we did! He was charm itself and took himself off to the spare room to get his beauty sleep after pie and a movie. I did enjoy the business with the apron strings though...

What a lovely day today. It began with a text from the very top of the house to me down in the kitchen asking if there would be crumpet for breakfast. For comedy factor I got two out of the freezer. Later on I had lunch with my mentor Hugh. How lovely to spend quality time with two people I am VERY fond of in the same day. Lucky me.

Bing Crosby's Turkey & Eggs A La Crosby

“Where the blue of the night
Meets the gold of the day,
Someone waits for me.”

Bing’s Turkey and Eggs sure pokes a snook at Harold Lloyd’s Eggs Dolores for a Saturday brunch. Delicious! I’ve just scoffed an enormous helping of it in front of the TV and I am so full I think I may have to have a snooze.

Day 1 of a whole weekend set aside for Silver Screen Suppers business and so far so good. I nipped into the Crouch for some bits and pieces and got a great haul of classic movies on DVD in the second hand record shop. There are 2 Jimmy Stewart films amongst them, which is great as tomorrow The Artist Formerly Known as Gene Kelly is coming to dinner and I’m making Jimmy Stewart’s Chicken Pie.

Unlike when I lived in Beaconsfield, there are 3 places within walking distance of my house where a friendly butcher will chop up a “fricassee chicken” in front of your very eyes, and give you all the yucky bits in a separate bag in case you want to do something with them.

And now Joy of Joys “The Shop Around The Corner” has just started on TCM. If only I had some Margaret Sullavan’s Peanut Butter Hermits to munch on...

Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cakes

"It's a pretty sad situation, to be rejected by the Chinese
because I am too American."

Jennifer has not only posted some fabulous pictures of home movie day here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onedollyshoe/sets/72157622488364579/

but she has also made some Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cakes. These are proving to be a hit with most testers but they are not really what we in the UK would expect from tea cakes - no sultanas in these babies. Jennifer proclaimed them to be like vanilla fairy cakes - not sure if that would translate for our USA based chums - but she is right about possibly jooshing them up with some lemon flavoured icing. Nice.

I particularly liked the fact that she took some of these into a work meeting! Love the idea of archivist types over there at the Wellcome Trust sampling some film star fodder!

Lupe Velez Tamale Pie

“I have flirt with the whole film colony. Why not?
I am not serious. What harm is a little flirting?
No I do not kiss many mens. But when I kiss them, they stay kissed!”

Ha ha, Lupe is my inspiration today. Partly the quote, but also the coat. I wish I had one of those on today, it is FREEZING in my office.

Well, encouraged by Moya in New York I finally made the Tamale Pie last night. As expected, I failed. I don't think cornmeal in the UK is the same entity as cornmeal in Mexico - or possibly my mistake was to buy "fine" cornmeal. Jeesh. It was, as anticipated, rather semolina like in consistency. Reminded me of cremola - which was something I hated as a kid - a custardy kind of semolina thing. YEUCH! I think I need to get me over to Texas though, to see what a real Tamale looks like.

Luckily I can use up some of the enormous bag of cornmeal I have for some Gary Cooper Buttermilk Pancakes. Now HE is one hot tamale! (Or can that only be applied to women?)

Claudette Colbert's Claudette Colbert Cake

"I know what's best for me, after all
I have been in the Claudette Colbert business longer than anybody.”

Oh what a lovely day it was yesterday! I was DJing with my wind-up gramophone at the Home Movie Day at the Cinema Museum and it was so gorgeous to see everyone dressed up in cinema uniforms from the 1950s. Looking utterly charming in her usherette's outfit, Dorothy was not only mistress of ceremonies, she had also taken the time to make a Claudette Colbert Cake! Superb it was too. I had a great big slice with a cup of tea while I wondered if I'd ever get the sound system to work.

Another of our lovely test cooks, Jennifer, had asked her boyfriend's flatmate to lend us his valve amp and such a splendid thing it was too. Like something from a Frankenstein movie we had to wait for the valves to heat up, jiggle around with various wires and hope for the best. It worked! I fell in love with the way the element in the four glass tubes glew red as the sound of movie related 78s filled the room. I want my own valve amp! My favourite part of the day was playing tunes to fit a screening of Phyllis Calvert's home movies which her grandson had brought along.

Magic!

Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cakes

"I've come to the conclusion that everybody should marry,
including me."

Well, I'll see if anyone ever asks me Anna...

I love this picture, and I am going to measure my own hair when I get home to see if it is as long as Anna's. Could be...

Had a lovely time with little Shirley last night working on her papier mache project. She seemed most peturbed that one of the legs on her trouser bowl was wonky - having one wonky leg myself I couldn't really see the problem. Tonight we shall paint it.

Paulette had made some AMW Tea Cakes and totally delicious they were too. MUCH nicer than the ones I made, I think she adds some secret ingredient when she is baking things to make them taste so good. Or maybe it is the magic of the heart shaped baking cases. I bought Paulette some of these as a "thank you" gift for looking after me during my post-break-up-trauma-period and they are such lovely things.

I was extremely happy to be back in the fold there, especially when Paulette had to search for something in the food cupboard near the back door. Pleased to see that the lightbulb has STILL not been replaced, making it necessary for Paulette to do the thing which always makes me laugh: don the head torch.

Vincent Price's Pepper Steak

“A man who limits his interests,
limits his life.”

It warms the cockles of my heart (and believe me at the moment they need warming) to hear from test cooks who don't know myself or Ruth, but just like the idea of being involved in our cooking project. I've been having a lovely email correspondence with Mickey in Athlone, Ireland who has tested three recipes for us with great vigour!

I loved his report on Vincent's Steak: "A mighty lump of meat as they say in Ireland. Goes well with chips and onions." That makes me STARVING for a good hairy steak! I guess the amount of garlic in Vincent's recipe would keep the vampires away for sure. I may rustle this one up for myself on Halloween night then watch a scary Vincent Price movie. Rosalind and Jimmy are currently residing just under the Hollywood sign and a neighbouring (and by all accounts spooky looking) house was once owned by Bela Lugosi. Alas we have no recipes for him but they might try out Boris Karloff's Steak and Kidney Pie on the 31st whilst hiding somewhere in the garden. Ha ha!

I've got some brilliant CDs of Vincent Price's radio cookery show which I heartily recommend. Sometimes I listen to them while I am cooking for inspiration. He sure knew how to throw a dinner party. If you are clever enough to work out how to do it, you can listen to them here...

http://calliopyranch.com/this-n-that/cooking-with-vincent-price - happy listening!

Lupe Velez's Tamale Pie

“The first time you buy a house you think how pretty it is
and sign the check. The second time you look to see
if the basement has termites.
It's the same with men.”

I am loving that hat Lupe!

Well, I failed in my attempt to make the Velez Pie last night, the filling was all done and in the fridge and I was going to cook up the cornmeal for the base and top but copious amount of booze waylaid me. My new landlord insisted on pouring me two very large glasses of wine and singing me several songs (he is Welsh).

Luckily, I have a report of this recipe being made Stateside by Ruthie's brother's wife's mum. What relation therefore she is to Ruth I am not quite sure, but it was very kind of her to test the recipe for us. The verdict? Sis-in-law proclaimed it DELICIOUS and we received a hilarious photo of little Spanky in his high chair chowing down on some. The youngest participant in the project since Baby Peggy! Hoorah!

I may get around to making the pie on Sunday but I have to admit, cornmeal gives me the fear - especially now I have found out that it is the same entity as Polenta...

Bette Davis Hollywood Salad

"That's me: an old kazoo with some sparklers."

Ooh! A lucky shamrock charm bracelet. I want one!

I'm feeling a bit like an old kazoo myself today so have cheered myself up by re-reading Rita's verdict on the Bette salad recipe. I haven't seen Rita in a LONG time which is something I must rectify as she is one of the funniest people I know. Always a tonic.

The salad was rustled up in Cape Town (isn't this project getting cosmopolitan?!) and Rita shared it with her cleaner Busisiwe - they both loved it. Although Orson professed to not liking three of the main ingredients (figs, dates and sultanas) once he'd had a bite he ate whatever was left on the plate. Rita said she wouldn't bother with the figs next time as she "didn't give a fig" about figs and they were hard to get hold of in Cape Town.

The thing that made me really laugh was in reference to a conversation we'd had ages ago about Bette Davis. She said that she might add olives the next time she'd made the salad as they would, "add a twist of acid which is precisely what I would have expected from Bette - having seen her at the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon, you know: 1973". Ha ha! Perfect.

Maurice Chevalier's French Onion Soup

"Many a man has fallen in love with a girl in a light so dim
he would not have chosen a suit by it."

Ha ha, how true. It's true for women too, I'm only going to brightly lit nightspots from now on. And I shall get my failing eyesight checked.

I didn't get around the Lupe's Pie last night, the household chores and the making of Rum Jam took over, so instead I shall blog the results of Joan C's testing of the soupe a l'oignon. Joan thought the soup delicious and shared it with Bette saying, "Ma petite cherie scoffed deux helpings (as did I)". The croutons were much savoured and she suggested adding a note not to skimp on these. As she points out Monseiur Maurice did amiably warble, "Thank heavens for little (cheesy) grills." Groan...

She also made one comment about husbands and soup on the feedback from that is not suitable for a family forum. Her sense of humour is so blue sometimes it takes me about half an hour to work out what she is actually referring to! Naughty girl, I do miss them both now they are living down there in Brighton.

Harold Lloyd's Eggs Dolores

"The pain was considerable,
but trivial compared with my mental state."

Hmm, yes, well my mental state has been somewhat rocked by your Eggs Mr Lloyd!

Revolting they were, almost inedible! It's a long time since we had a failure in the Silver Screen Suppers kitchen but Harold's eggs were it. He might as well have called them Eggs Dolorous (meaning sorrowful) as the pile of them all pink and scrambled was not a pretty sight to see. Sigh. Luckily I had some nice crispy bacon on the side to allieviate the pain of wasting 3 perfectly good eggs by adding cheese and TOMATOES. Bleaugh! Bring back Dorothy Dandridge's Emotional Omelet.

I am hoping for better things from Lupe Velez's Tamale Pie which I'll be attempting later today. I have never had Tamale Pie, I do not even quite know what it is, but I'm going to find out...

Ida Lupino's Lemon Mousse

"Keeping a feminine approach is vital -
men hate bossy females."

I'm taking a break from the unpackathon to watch Strictly and report on the gorgeous Jessica's experience of Ida's mousse. I've spent more or less all day doing the lock-up rock-up and scrabbling around in bags and boxes. Unrolling newspaper wrapped mystery items has brought exclamations of great joy when things I have totally forgotten about (my Japanese owl mugs for example) emerge like rubies in the dust.

Jessica's verdict on the mousse? "It was awesome and all my housies loved it". Fabulous. Love the idea of these dishes being shared with loved ones - the way it should be. I have taken on board Jessica's comment about maybe specifying a shorter freezing time. A perfect excuse for me to rustle up another batch and scoff it spinster style straight out of the tupperware with a soup spoon. Just testing you understand...

Diana Dors Bhuma Ghosht

"I was the first home-grown sex symbol,
rather like Britain`s naughty seaside postcards."

Oh my stars, Diana was so LUSCIOUS. Just gorgeous. And our viewing of "Yield to the Night" proved that she could act too, given half the chance. What a humdinger of a movie.

It was a long awaited Silver Screen Supper in West One last night. Edmund rocked up with the Diana Dors boxset, Rosalind cooked up a curry and our surprise handsome guest sprawled on the sofa wolf-whistling and making comments such as "She's a STUNNER" regarding the lovely Ms Dors. Rosalind made two versions of the dish, one to Diana's specifications and one a bit spiced up for the modern palate. Being a purist, I liked the authentic one.

Rosalind made me laugh by saying that when she told her mum she was making a curry her mum said, "An INDIAN curry?" as she legendarily prefers curry that comes from a Chinese takeaway. Rosalind also commented on Diana's pneumatic physique, "She must have eaten a lot of Bhuma to get those Bhumas..." Indeed!

Ann Harding's Hollywood Salad Dressing

Just a quick post today as I'm off to get my fringe cut - I'll not be taking this picture of Ann to the hairdresser though.

Another feedback report from Dale's Star Spangled Rhythm party. As she is off this weekend to turkey wrangle at the annual Turkeyfest in Cuero, Texas I thought I would wish her luck. Apparently she gets to wear an umpire's outfit and blow a whistle, I am so jealous.

Ann's Salad Dressing turned out to be a bit like Thousand Island - with caviar. I am loving Dale's detailed information about pimento though! A recurring theme throughout this project is how to define the pimento. Dale used a "jarred whole fire roaster pimento" in this dish. Where on earth would I get one of those outside the Lone Star State? Pimento, Pimiento, shimiento...

Maurice Chevalier's French Onion Soup

"It is always the same: women bedeck themselves with jewels and furs,
and men with wit and quotations."

Rosalind came to dinner last night, my first supper guest in my new home and Maurice's crouton bedecked soup went down a storm. I had forgotten to ask Rosalind if she liked onions but we both agreed that EVERYONE liked onions, didn't they? Rosalind's parting comment on the subject being, "if you don't like onions, I don't like you!"

My new pad meets with Rosalind's full approval and as we toasted each other with multiple cans of beer she announced that for the first time in a long time I was, "sitting pretty". She also asked the rhetorical question, "Who am I? Angela Lansbury?" at some point. And in respect of housing, and children, "why buy when you can rent?"

Side by side in bed next morning, she dispelled my doubt that I would ever succeed at buying a place of my very own with the exclamation, "you got the Kaiser Chiefs tickets didn't you?" Which I have to admit, made me have to examine my negative thinking pattern on that one...

Ronald Reagan's Corned Beef Hash in Bell Peppers

"All great change in America begins at the dinner table."

And possibly all over the world too. I suggest that we all work towards world peace by eating like the stars!

I'm always intrigued when test cooks choose a persona of a different gender. So it is with Oliver. He / she sent feedback with an apology that it had taken so long as, "the corned beef sat ominously on my shelf for a while before I was brave enough to try it." I'm the same with the Tea Matzos! Maybe next weekend for the Matzo Ball Soup. I dreamed about it last night.

Oliver - like others who have tried this dish - suggested roasting the peppers rather than boiling them. And s/he loved the popping of an egg on top at the end, "providing protein so the post-war generation grew up big and strong..." Ronnie's dish was proclaimed as being definitely worth trying as a quick journey into the past and Oliver summed it up thus, "It really felt like retro gastronomy - the techniques and the result were so incredibly different from our Nigel Slater dominated, balsamic vinegar and olive oil idea of cooking nowadays."

Absolutely!

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

I have found the cigarette pen that Ruthie and I had so much fun posing with in her jeep, pretending to be smokers, and also the fabulous cowboy hat ashtray she gave me. So now I really feel my dressing table is complete. When I was walking through the park that is a stone's throw from my new place this morning I felt a sudden surge of happiness. I am truly in the right place for me, right now.

Tonight I will have an evening of self-indulgence. I shall make Joan's Beetroot Salad and watch her and James Mason in The Reckless Moment. I haven't seen this for over 20 years and am intrigued to see if the scene that has stuck in my mind ever since is just as I remembered it.

Joan Bennett is dragging a body along a beach wearing the most divine sunglasses ever. The thing I remember about the scene (apart from the accessories) is the absence of music. It was such a dramatic moment and it seemed all the more ghoulish because all that was on the soundtrack was the sound of Joan's efforts to get rid of some evidence... We shall see.

Ann Sheridan's Chilli Casserole

Work colleagues were joking about my potential author's photo for the book on Friday so it is an ideal opportunity to post this fab pic of Ann again. I really think Ruthie and I should have twin pics like this side by side. Who wouldn't given half the chance? We'll need someone ace on the photoshop though to make us look this good.

First night in my new flat and it is so exciting. Ann’s casserole is in my new oven in my new casserole dish. I spent over £100 in Budgens to stock up my new kitchen cupboards. Foxgloves and Baby’s Breath decorate my new room and I plan to spend the rest of the weekend right here, in my new home relaxing and writing. New room, new life.

I’ve settled in for the evening in front of Strictly Come Dancing. Missed the first couple due to preparing the dinner and am REALLY hoping it wasn’t Ricky Whittle from Hollyoaks. It is very rare that I fancy someone on the telebox, but for him I will make an exception!

Bruno himself has personally approved myself and Rosalind being on the guest list for the big event at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool mid November. It will be this year’s romantic mini-break for myself and Rosalind – an annual tradition. Thank you Groucho! He’s not working on the programme any more, but he’s obviously still got the influence. I owe you some Matzo Ball Soup Mr Marx. This year Rosalind and I won’t make the same mistake as last time. Who knew you needed a passport to fly from Stansted to Blackpool? We missed our hairdresser’s appointment and everything! After an interminably long coach journey we made it to the show though. And sat on the same table as Brucie’s charming wife. And chatted to Len at the after-show party.

Major excitement is that Rosalind has booked us a room at the Helmshore Hotel. The location of our first trip as groupies for the Penge Latin American Formation Team in 1991. Ah, memories... I seem to remember VERY high beehives were in evidence.

Ingrid Bergman's Trout in Cream Sauce

"Success is getting what you want;
happiness is wanting what you get."

On a day when the subject of cosmic ordering is foremost in my mind, Ingrid's quote is rather apt. As the first cosmic order I placed (a lovely flat - nice and cheap) came in a month before I requested delivery, I am planning to place another. Not sure what to wish for though...

Paulette and I wondered how long it would be before Ivor made a joke about "old trouts" when he found out what was for dinner - answer, approximately 30 seconds. Alas, I forgot to buy the cream (dolt!) so in the end it was a modified toasted almond scattered version and tasty it was too. I made my first batch of Alan Ladd's Potato Pancakes and they were a good accompaniment. Shortening is now on my list - Paulette says I am to look for TREX.

Tomorrow I leave my lovely friends and trundle round the corner to the new place where I shall leave my hat... It's been utterly fabulous living at number 3 and I feel very lucky to have such gorgeous and generous benefactors. Another suitcase in another hall...

Alan Ladd's German Potato Pancakes

"I just want to make pictures that are entertaining.
I'll leave the scenery chewing to someone else."

I wonder if Alan was thinking of someone in particular...

Further to yesterday's post I'm wondering if some of Alan's Potato Pancakes would be a suitable accompaniment to Veronica's Spiced Beef. I'm going to try it. In fact, this may be my first Silver Screen Suppers dinner party when I move into my new abode (this weekend I hope) alongside a screening of "This Gun For Hire" - tagline "Lover without a heart...killer without a conscience!"

Alfred cooked up a batch of these and suggested fancifying them in several ways. He added some grated cheddar cheese and chives to his second batch and suggested other possible tweaks such as wholegrain mustard or chopped anchovies, or even chopped crispy bacon - oh YUM. He also proposed using circular moulds to make the pancakes more celeb-chef style looking, even topping with a poached egg or kipper for a special breakfast. Mmmmmmmm - I want some right now.

He also flagged up something we'll need to address in the book, Alfred wasn't sure what shortening was. He isn't the first either - this is now top of the list of test cook queries, overtaking the confusion over pimientos. In fact, the very first person to volunteer to test cook (our David Niven lookalike) sent me a text after receiving his Errol Flynn's Baked Fish Havanaise recipe which simply said, "What is pimiento?" That was on the 3rd of August and he hasn't been heard of since!

Veronica Lake's Spiced Beef & Peas

"You could put all the talent I had into your left eye
and still not suffer from impaired vision."

Said by the woman with the best assymetrical fringe since Phil Oakey of the Human League! Well, she was first of course but you know what I mean...

The Daricraft booklet mentioned in the previous post also supplied Veronica's signature dish. My lovely artist friend King ("The Man Whose Face Is As Familiar As The Man In The Moon") volunteered for this one and I'm certainly glad he did. We were all pretty puzzled by what exactly Veronica meant by her ingredient of "spiced beef" and it took 3 generations of Americans to figure it out. By the process of lateral thinking King decided to try it with pepper-crusted pastrami and it was an enormous hit with him and his friends who had gathered together to watch Mildred Pierce. They also managed to put away Joan Crawford's Creamed White Onions in a Red Pepper Cup AND Rudolph Valentino's Chicken from Parma - what a FEAST!

King said of the Spiced Beef, "this is SO delicious I might make it often. It makes a bit of a mess out of the frying pan though. But you can always lick it if no one is looking, or if you don't care."

Oh those ARTISTS!

Paulette Goddard's Creamed Sprouts

"You don't have to be a Freud to know that the most fascinating
person in the world- actors or anybody - is yourself."

'ave a banana!

Paulette is one of those stars that we REALLY want to feature in the book but hasn't furnished us with a very inspiring recipe. In fact, the Creamed Sprouts is only recipe we have for Paulette, originally featured in an advertising booklet for Daricraft - a brand of evaporated milk.

Even for someone who counts sprouts as one of her three favourite vegetables (me), this recipe doesn't really tickle my tastebuds. However, Dale out in Austin made these as part of the Star Spangled Rhythm party and reported that her guests did enjoy them. She's a natty cook though and added a few items to joosh up the recipe including breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and thyme. Actually, now I fancy some!

I mentioned recently that my book group is reading "Me Cheeta" the spoof Hollywood biography. I am NOT recommending this to my blog readers because it is far too rude. I particularly objected to his salacious description of Paulette's behaviour at a Hollywood party. The author is denigrating my idols! Nasty man!

Groucho Marx's Matzo Balls

"From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down,
I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it."

My meeting on Thursday was fabulous. I am inspired, enthused and excited about the nebulous entity that will be the book AFTER Silver Screen Suppers. Better get on with this one first though I guess. As Groucho says, "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."

I am loving the surreal banter that I am having with test cooks all over the world via the medium of the email. Katharine in Cardiff is now my official advisor on all things Matzo related. She has cleared up my confusion as to the exact definition of a "Tea Matzo". She also tipped me off to the fact that Matzos with butter, apricot jam and little morsels of cheese dotted on top are utterly divine.

When making Matzo Ball Soup you could of course buy some "kneidlach" (Matzo ball mix) but where's the fun in that?! Ms H. said that it was the first time she had made Matzo balls that weren't out of a packet and they turned out "a million times better". Although alarmed at the amount of chicken fat in the recipe, she later came to the conclusion tht this may be the secret of their success. After popping up to the top of the chicken broth and bobbing around for 15 minutes or so they emerge, "very soft and light and fluffy and tasty".

Katharine also let me know some delicious nuggets of information about Marilyn Monroe. Apparently when she was married to Henry Miller she once helped her mother-in-law prepare chicken soup and matzo balls. For a while Marilyn embraced domesticity and learned to make pasta. She draped sheets of it over the back of chairs and dried it with a hairdryer. Superb! But where are Marilyn's favourite recipes. In our collection of over 3500 we don't have a single one. The call is out!

Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies

I love this picture of Janet - she is looking so perky! Very much not how I am feeling but I may try and channel this kind of attitude tomorrow. It's going to be a big day.

The cookie dough is in the fridge doing whatever it does overnight in readiness for my important meeting tomorrow. It's going to be a scramble to get there in time as in the early afternoon I'm going to look at what may well be the answer to my cosmic order - a sunny studio flat in a leafy North London suburb.

Apologies to all the test cooks who have sent in feedback but haven't seen their verdicts on the blog yet. I've been a bit preoccupied with moving. Planets are realigning though and soon I will have the time and the head space to forge ahead with the feedback. Onwards mighty Silver Screen Suppers!

Carole Lombard's Cherry Tart

“Don’t kiss and talk about it - men don’t.”

OK then Carole, I will keep schtumm. Carole looks so MODERN in this photo, so much so I am going to double check with the lovely Carla over at www.carolelombard.org just to make sure it is really her...

Back from a wonderful weekend camping in Epping Forest with my Crouch End family. On the way there, Paulette cracked me up by doing her “Cleopatra” line-dance routine in the car and losing the instructions to the campsite through the car window. We found it though, and fabulous it was too.

Those who weren’t born and bred Essex like Paulette and myself were astonished at the lawlessness of the campsite. Nothing new to us though, we Essex folk don’t like living by the rules. We two Essex girls weren’t surprised at all at the amount of axes lying around the place next to the fire pits and the number of fireworks going off at all hours.

I didn’t mention the delicious cherry pie that Paulette made for the book group in the previous post. As the original 1950s housewife she is queen of baking and I loved her variation on the theme – using cherries soaked in kirsch. She was a little alarmed at the amount of sugar in the recipe and yes, it was very sweet but as Jane said, “Sweet, schmeet”, we all loved it.

Today Shirley told me that I was her favourite grown up in the whole wide world, which after the week I’ve had has done my self-esteem the world of good. I even forgave her for attempting to curl my hair and getting it in such a tangle that Paulette had to use scissors to remove the hairbrush.

Alan Ladd's German Style Potato Pancakes

"Time scoots along pretty fast when you grow up."

Another suitcase in another hall... I am back in the Crouch and hopefully for a while this time around. This moving around business is getting a little tiresome. At least nobody here minds me wearing a tiara while I am blogging though...

On Friday Louise made Alan's Potato Pancakes for the book group and they were enjoyed by one and all. Quite, quite delicious - especially with Moroccan spiced salmon. Yum. There was much to talk about around the table and we eventually got on to the book at around 10.40pm. Paulette's husband Ivor keeps saying we can't really call it a book group as we never talk about the book. But I say phooey to that, we have too many other things to discuss.

Next up is "Me Cheeta" and it will be my turn to host. Where? Who knows. I do know one thing though, it will be a Tarzan and Jane themed night which will feature Johnny's Weismuller's Rhubarb Pie and Maureen O'Sullivan's Bridge Cakes.

Katharine Hepburn's Eggplant in Casserole

"I'll be a boy... and rough and hard!"

I'd forgotten all about Katharine posing as a boy in "Sylvia Scarlett". Maybe it would be a good double bill with Louise Brooks in "Beggars of Life" or even better, Jessie Matthews in "First a Girl" my favourite of all her films...

By a weird coincidence we have had another report of a power cut caused by a Silver Screen Supper this week. Well, it was probably caused by a raging Texas storm, but I like to think it was the power of Katharine's eggplant dish that did it.

Gene reports that the recipe could do with some oomph - she added Parmesan cheese, garlic and rosemary which I think is a mighty fine idea. We shall have to fiddle with this recipe quite a bit if it is to make it into the book. As Gene observes, "I think it was her long legs and patrician accent that won Spencer's heart, and not this dish...."

Oh how I do miss the Texas thunderstorms. I have a particuarly vivid memory of driving through a humdinger with Ruth trying to obtain free watermelons from a man dressed as one by the roadside. Or did I just dream that?

Greer Garson's Guacamole

“I do wish I could tell you my age but it's impossible.
It keeps changing all the time.”

Dorothy's feedback on Greer's Guac did make me laugh. Several times.

Firstly there was the response to "Was the recipe easy to follow?" which was, "Yes, but avocados are difficult to peel." which in my sleep deprived state just sounds like some kind of 1930s musical theatre joke, the meaning of which is lost in time.

Then, she posed the rhetorical question, "Er, by any chance did Greer die of a heart attack? This recipe has a LOT of salt!" Well yes, apparently it was "heart problems" that caused her death, but not until she was 92 so pshaw to that!

Finally I loved the fact that because Greer had said not to mash the avocados the Guac turned out very lumpy. As Dorothy likes her Guac more creamy she decided to pop it in the blender to smooth it out a bit. Her blender threw a wobbly, blew a fuse, and knocked out the power in her whole house. Ha ha! Oh the misadventures of the Silver Screen Suppers test cooks. I love it.

Merle Oberon's Chicken Creole

“Without security it is difficult for a woman to look or feel beautiful.”

There has been a rather subdued atmosphere this Sunday in the shadow of the power station. Partly due to a late night and partly due to a big blue over some slippery gramophones. The dinner will probably be a bit subdued too, as the ingredients of Merle's Chicken dish are somewhat low-key. Still, you never know with these 1930s recipes, sometimes they surprise the palate.

There was no cinnamon to be had for love nor money in this stretch of Battersea. It's the last weekend for the Somerfield store and shopping there is quite hilarious. People stroll around like it is a post Armageddon experience, shaking their heads with bemusement at the empty shelves. "It's like being in a pre-capitalist Russian supermarket," a complete stranger said to me yesterday. And today half the shelves were completely bare - naked. In the spice section all there seemed to be were a few mixes to add to sausages to make a casserole and some jars of Tahini. Only 60p off those so still awaiting the final price drop. What a canny shopper I am!

Gary Cooper's Buttermilk Griddle Cakes

"Dad was a true Westerner, and I take after him."

Dang the Montana Mule sure looks good in a cowboy hat!

I am craving some of Coop's Buttermilk Griddle Cakes this Sunday morning. I was DJing last night wearing long silk gloves and every time the canape waitress came past I had to take one off to grab a nibble, hence I am ravenous, I gave up in the end...

I will have to live vicariously through Una's report on her bash at the Griddle Cakes as there is no time this morning to cook up a batch here. Una declared them "quite wonderful" both with, and without syrup. She also observed that they "went amazingly well with bacon" - can you hear my stomach rumbling from where you are?

She writes, "pancakes are almost always great with bacon, but something about this recipe made that relationship extra special. And the cakes seemed to get a little more cornbread-like as they sat in the oven, which just made them get yummier and yummier." She admits though, these are not for everyday munching, signing off her email saying, "they're just sitting like rocks in my stomach now though!" Ha ha!

Gene Kelly's Greatest Man Sandwich in the World

“I got started dancing because I knew it was one way to meet girls”

It's a double whammy today with a tester Stateside (Jeanne) and a tester Thameside (Hedy) both trying out the "Greatest Man Sandwich in the World". It's quite a claim isn't it? And particularly surprising in that it doesn't contain the one thing that most men seem to deem necessary in a sandwich - a great big slab of meat.

And did these ladies make these sandwiches for their men? No they did not! They wolfed them down themselves both announcing the mashed potato stuffed french bread adorned with mayo and red onions to be a great combo. Hedy proclaimed it "The ultimate carbfest for real men!" and Jeanne said, "This is a total YUM! recipe and I give it 5 stars out of 5!" Who knew a potato sandwich would be such a winner?

I may have to include a "photos" page when I fancify the website a bit as Jeanne sent a hilarious photo of her sandwich "before and after a bite". It is making me hungry just looking at it! Gene would have been proud of our testers, for in his recipe he acknowledges that the sandwich is not just for the boys, saying "be sure your wife has at least one bite"!

Ann Sheridan's Chili Casserole

"I used to go to Grauman`s Chinese or Pantages and sit there
waiting to see my faceless body on the screen.
Texas began to look awfully near and awfully good,
and "Clara Lou" had a sweet sound to my ears."

I am thinking a lot about Texas today and sending many positive vibes to Ruthie out there. I am also thinking a lot about fringes ("bangs" to our American readers) and I hereby pose a rhetorical question could ANYBODY rock a fringe better than Ann Sheridan?

She was born Clara Lou, hence the quote...

I am quite the 1930s housewife tonight. The casserole is in the oven, the washing up is done, my man is on his way home from the film set, all we need now is the pipe and slippers. I am enjoying the experience of cooking in the umpteenth abode of this project. Am loving the big wooden chopping board and Le Crueset saucepans in Sidney's kitchen. But most of all am enjoying the view from the massive 10th floor kitchen window. The Millennium Wheel, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Battersea Power Station and - when the sun goes down and the bedroom lights go on - everything that goes on in the block of flats opposite.

I have my favourite window to spy upon already. Tonight, my favourite couple are turning their mattress....

Claudette Colbert's Claudette Colbert Cake

“It took me years to figure out that you don't fall into a tub of butter,
you jump for it.”

I'm going to the hairdresser tomorrow - I may well take this picture in and get my fringe done like Claudette's. She is the star I am supposed to look most like - according to the special face measuring wheel in my "Westmore Beauty Book" of 1939. I don't have that moody face on much though...

Marion, our super cake tester from Texas, reported back that Claudette's eponymous cake was rather good. In fact, so good that she has decided to tinker with the recipe and add it to her collection. I have not attempted this one myself, mostly because the first ingredient is "1 Angel Food Cake" so I think I need to master that first!

Marion suggested, "I bet this is the cake Claudette served John Wayne when he brought her "wings" back in Without Reservations" and continued, "I find it amazing that she did so well with her career because she wasn't that dazzling good looks movie star variety...just cute and clever." Hm, bearing in mind that I am supposed to look like Claudette, perhaps that applies to me too?!

A big thanks to Marion for mentioning Silver Screen Suppers in her blog - http://texasjot.blogspot.com/2009/09/across-pond.html - and a heads up that her "Chocolate Crimes" book will be out very soon...

Katharine Hepburn's Eggplant in Casserole

"Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other.

Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then."

I'm hoping that LOTS of people test Katharine's Eggplant recipe so I can populate the blog with her wonderful quotes.

As I am not a fan of the eggplant (aubergine to us Brits) I'm very happy that Gloria in Bristol has had a go at this one for us. It's one of the few veggie options lined up for the book - those stars sure liked their meat so it's slim pickings for the non-carnivores. Interestingly, Gloria made the eggplant dish as an accompaniment to grilled lamb steaks and prounounced it "utterly deliciously buttery".

With a flair quite befitting of someone I met on a cookery writing course, Gloria made two versions of the dish. One, as per Katherine's recipe, and a second "jooshed up" with pistachio nuts and crumbled feta. To my great joy, Gloria perferred the 'silver screen' version - hurrah!

Judy Garland's Vegetable Salad

"It's lonely and cold on the top... lonely and cold."

It's a real family affair this week as fresh in from my sister is a report on Judy's Vegetable Salad. I absolutely LOVE the fact that my sis made this for the Sudbury Town Twinning BBQ!

Ida said it "went down a storm" with the twinners In fact, they polished off the lot. Apparently this has never happened before with Ida's contributions to these pot-luck affairs so she was, and I quote, "dead chuffed".

Judy's recipe calls for endive and there was much searching of Suffolk supermarkets for some of this to no avail. So Ida plumped for replacing it with chicory, finding out later that the entity Americans call endive we call chicory. No wonder the Wikipedia entry for endive states: "There is considerable confusion between Cichorium endivia and Cichorium intybus." Indeed there is!

Josephine Baker's Spaghetti Bolognaise

"Beautiful? It's all a question of luck. I was born with good legs.
As for the rest... beautiful, no. Amusing, yes."

Since my dad retired he's been getting a dab hand in the kitchen. This began when he started an evening class called "Cooking for Men" taught by a down to earth Home Economist called Violet. I have a handwritten recipe that goes by the name of "Violet's Cheese Pate" which was one of the first things I ever remember eating that was made by my dad and I love it. Not least because it has gherkins in it.

Anyhow, he volunteered to test cook Josephine's favourite Spaghetti recipe and when I asked how it turned out he said, "not as good as mine" which tickled me! It didn't surprise me at all that as veal stock wasn't available in the wilds of Essex he replaced it with extra wine! Like father like daughter on that one...

Rudolph Valentino's Chicken from Parma

"To generalize on women is dangerous.
To specialize on them is infinitely worse."

Back from the seaside after a week of intense recipe-wrangling. My mind is reeling with all kinds of nonsense - is a frying pan the same as a skillet? What English cheese would be roughly equivalent to Asederos - the Mexican cheese used in Lupe Velez's Enchiladas? And of course the continuing conundrum of how much fat salt pork would Gary Cooper have been able to buy for 15 cents in 1936?

Returned to my new home in Battersea with renewed vigour for recipe testing. Planning to test every one of the metric-ified recipes in the next few months. I will be very fat indeed by Christmas. It's definitely worth doing though, the very first test revealed that although there was flour in the recipe ingredients for Rudolph's dish, I hadn't specified when to add it. Rectified!

Sidney's verdict? "Very succulent. The sauce was to die for..." Better to die of a delicious chicken sauce than a perforated ulcer and blood poisoning at 31 like Rudolph I would say.

Sidney's local Somerfield supermarket is closing down in a couple of weeks, so the sherry for the sauce was HALF PRICE! So were many other things, so we had a bit of a spend up. The kitchen is full of booze, cleaning products and extra virgin olive oil...

Tallulah Bankhead's Coconut Jumbles

"...all my life I've been terrible at remembering people's names.

Once I introduced a friend of mine as 'Martini'.
Her name was actually 'Olive'.”

Tallulah's excuse for calling everyone "dahling" rings a bell with me. I'm getting terrible at remembering names. Which puts me in mind of my dad once saying, "that whatsisname is really good at remembering names..."

Today's report comes from our favourite type of tester - the "mum" tester! They sure know what they are doing these mums. Taking a totally different approach to test cooks of our own generation. They just get on with it and have no qualms about leaving ingredients out or modifying oven temperatures or cooking times. Genius.

What a pedigree for me. My own mum has selected the persona of Vivien Leigh for the blog. As my dad wants to be Burt Lancaster that makes me feel pretty special. And my mum's verdict on Tallulah's biscuits? "Will be offering friends these when they drop in for a cup of tea." So they are definitely good enough for guests! Vivien left out the milk altogether (a good solution to avoid sloppy cookie dough) and her superb innovation? Topping the biscuits with glace cherries. I am LOVING that idea!

Lana Turner's Super and Easy Salsa

"I would rather lose a good earring than be caught without make-up."

I know JUST what you mean Lana. And I would rather wear a sparkly hairpiece like this than a shower cap when taking my morning plunge. I may ask my personal milliner Shellac Sister Veronica to rustle me up one of these so I can glam it up in the tub like Ms Turner.

We have our youngest Silver Screen Suppers participant! Baby Peggy over there in Austin Texas already has an appetite for Lana's Salsa. I am so pleased that the recipe was attempted by a resident of the Lone Star State. Back here in the UK I'm not sure most cooks would know the difference between a poblano pepper and a hatch green chilli but Eve sure does.

Mmmmm Mexican food. I am MISSING Austin. Not least because in her feedback form, Eve mentioned the phrase "pico de gallo" which would have meant nothing to me were it not for the Taco Shack a hop, skip and a jump from Ruth's place in Austin. No quesidillas, chimichangas or enchiladas out here in Herne Bay. But plenty o' fish & chips.

Maurice Chevalier's French Onion Soup

"If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive.

Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved."

Shirley (who is 9 years old) was very excited to be at her first hen night on Friday - mine. Well, a hen night of sorts. I'm taking Maurice's advice and not waiting for the perfect moment to arrive, taking the plunge and giving it a go with Sidney.

Paulette made Maurice's soup, her hubby rustled up some spicy grilled mackerel and Shirley prepared her speciality cous cous to go with the fish. A delightful evening was had by all and Shirley observed that it was "love at first bite" when she bit into Maurice's parmesan bedecked french bread croutons. There were no "L plates", no strippers and no discracefully drunk women shouting like fishwives across crowded discotheques. But Shirley DID stay up until 11pm.

Now I am in the lock-down that is writing week at the seaside. Sidney has been here for two days, assisting me in spending two pounds in two ps on the coin pushers in order to win a gherkin shaped keyring and other such delights. He left today so I am in the Herne Bay B&B that goes by the name of "The Priory". Perfect spot for a de-tox head-down recipe-wrangling 4 days. I admit it was partially chosen so that if anyone asks where I went for my week off I can say "The Priory"- which for our American readers is a bit like saying, "The Betty Ford Clinic".

Marlene Dietrich's Lamb Chops en Casserole

"It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter."

Oh what a find! A fabulous picture of Marlene doing what she loved best, off set - cooking. Browsing the site where I found this picture has made me WISH that I lived in Denver. The Denver Public Library is offering a writing class based on the wonderfully surreal book "Marlene Dietrich's ABC" AND Knitflix. A screening of "The Man Who Came To Dinner" with special lighting for knitters. Does Denver need a film archivist by any chance?

Joan C channeled the spirit of Marlene last week and charmed her own Blue Angel with Marlene's Chops. Like many of our testers Joan wondered about the lack of seasoning and herbs in Marlene's dish but quipped "I zuppose zimple iz bezt, darlink." I love the fact that she replied to almost all of my feedback questions in German - I have no idea what the first part of her final comment is, but I get the second!

"Sehr einfach und sehr lecker. Marlene, Ich liebe dich!"

Ann Sheridan's Chilli Casserole

"I can whistle through my fingers, bulldog a steer,
light a fire with two sticks,
shoot a pistol with fair accuracy, set type, and teach school . . "

Spoken like a true Texan Ann. Reminds me of the multitasking Ruthie gets up to over there in the Lone Star State...

Alfred, the handsome new man in Marilyn M's life, turns out to be quite a cook. He's rustled up a couple of dishes as a tester and provided very useful feedback. He made an observation that this recipe comes from an era when people had less adventurous palates. Indeed it is true, this isn't a HOT chili, as Alfred puts it, "more a kind of chunky pork and tomato soup."

He suggests serving it with Alan Ladd's potato pancakes (see yesterday's post) which makes me wish Ann and Alan had appeared in a film together. It could have been a perfect match of both menu and co-stars. Could you see them together as a couple? I could. As Ginger sometimes puts it, "they have a marriage likeness".

Alan Ladd's German Style Potato Pancakes

"Being a good host offsets the deprivation and loneliness of my youth."

Aw, come over here Alan and let me give you a cuddle...

Our most prolific tester so far, Dale in the TAMI office over in cowboy country threw a "Star Spangled Rhythm" party last week. Dang I wish I'd been there. She selected recipes by several of the stars in the movie and had a right old cook-up. I'm going to blog them one by one to savour the enjoyment of it all!

Of Alan's Pancakes she observed that potatoes and onions must have been smaller in Alan's day, the proportions of the recipe were all out of wack and had to be fiddled with - I have taken note. Love the modern modification Dale suggested of topping some with creme fraiche, some with applesauce and some with caviar. What would Alan have thought of that?!

As some of you may know, cowboys are my weakness and that Alan sure was a tall drink of water. I can't think of him however, without recalling the debacle Ruthie had when she organised a screening of "Shane" in the town where it was made. Horses went wild and trampled on cars. Parents were grabbing their tiny Shanes left right and centre as the gee gees rampaged through the streets. Yee-haw!

I sure do miss seeing men wearing stetsons on a daily basis... I want to be in Austin.

Dorothy Dandridge's Emotional Omelet

"...no producer ever knocked on my door.
There just aren`t that many parts for a black actress"

Much debate via emails flying between Cardiff and London about why Dorothy's Omelet is "Emotional". Plenty of chopping of onions it is true, but I wonder if it is more that Dorothy would whip one of these up when she was feeling particularly low. An emotional actress without a doubt, Dorothy's autobiography is entitled: "Everything and Nothing: The Dorothy Dandridge Tragedy". If anyone knows the origin of this strange recipe moniker please let us know.

Well, our first Wales based test cook knew that she couldn't make an omelet without breaking eggs and she did so with vigour to make this dish. Reporting that the recipe was very much "of its time" Marilyn H. suggested adding a couple of items to make it slightly less meaty for the modern palate - some tomatoes and mushrooms. Mmm, it's Sunday morning and that is making me very hungry for breakfast.

Marilyn has also volunteered for Groucho Marx's Matzo Ball Soup so that will be coming soon. We've been swapping Groucho food related quotes and as he once said, "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" so I'm off to rustle up brunch. What a shame that Sidney is anti eggs, I quite fancy getting emotional...

Gracie Fields' Lancashire Hot Pot

"At Mary Ellen's Hot Pot Party
The lads & lasses all were gay and hearty"

How wonderful that Una in Charlottesville, Virginia had a go at Gracie's Lancashire Hot Pot! At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains a traditional Lancashire recipe got a good going over and the results were rich but very tasty - especially the leftovers next day. Una made a few subsitutions for ingredients not as readily available as they would have been in the North of England in the 1930s and we may suggest these in the book.

We may also suggest that like Mary Ellen in one of Gracie's best loved songs, everyone have a Hot Pot Party. You can invite your guests to rattle up wearing clogs and evening dress, fill up the wash-hand jug with ale and find a "gormless" conjuror to entertain!

If you are unfamiliar with "Our Gracie" you can listen to the jolly ditty here. I warn you though, it's an ear-worm and you'll be humming it all day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOf_NRKLDb8

Ee by gum!

Dick Powell's Corn Chowder

"The best thing about switching from being an actor to being a director is
that you don't have to shave or hold your stomach in anymore."

Had a very lazy weekend after an old skool style night on Friday with Sidney and his chums. We didn't get home until 5am. Outrageous. There has been a lot of falling asleep in front of the sofa during the athletics to catch up. Luckily we managed to stay awake to see Usain Bolt break the world 100m record. Sidney was full of national pride and is still shouting, "YES, JAMAICA" every now and then....

I made a batch of Dick Powell's chowder for the two of us even though it stated "serves 6". We almost ate the whole saucepan between us, and Sidney may have been correct in his observation that it might serve 6 short people or 4 long people. Maybe people weren't so greedy in the 1940s... In a reversal of Dick's roles I'm going to have to hold my stomach in tomorrow.

Maureen O'Sullivan's Bridge Cakes

"Cheetah bit me whenever he could."

I just adore this picture of Maureen - she's all aquiver - boom boom.

Oh what fun to get feedback on the recipes, there sure are some erudite chefs out there. Marion made me laugh with her suggestion that we change Maureen's recipe to include 12 shop bought cup cakes. She wrote: "I realize Maureen didn't have time to bake from scratch. She spent the good part of a decade swinging through the trees with her mate Tarzan. " Mind you, even though Marion herself has a cookbook coming out soon she sympathizes, "I don't even want to make sponge cake, so who would?"

She also reported on the results of of her testing Fred MacMurray's Chocolate Fudge Upside Down Cake: "This is not a pretty looking cake but it's delicious". I wholeheartedly agree. The recipe reminds her of one in her collection that goes by the name of "Volcano Cake" which is perfect - chocolate fudge lava!

Marion loves Fred in "No Time for Love with Claudette Colbert where he displays his hunky body ripping off his shirt while digging a tunnel, and also "Take A Letter, Darling with Rosalind Russell" where a female executive uses Fred as a little bait for the wives of her advertising clients. As Marion says so eloquently, "Gee, they just don’t make them like that any more!"

Fred McMurray's Chocolate Fudge Upside Down Cake

"Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet" the saying goes and it is so lovely that people neither Ruthie nor I have ever met are rustling up Silver Screen Suppers dishes in kitchens all over the world. So a big thankyou goes out to Shirley in Wisconsin for testing and devouring Fred's Chocolate Cake.

This recipe certainly holds a few surprises the first time it is made and I love the fact that Shirley said, "the cake unexpectedly rested on a sea of fudge" - doesn't that just make you want to try it immediately?! It definitely is a gooey, chocolatefest of the highest order so be prepared to make a mess if you have a go at this one! Shirley took some pix of the process which you can see on her fab blog here: http://supperseed.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-is-it.html

I also love the fact that Shirley felt a swell of state pride as she whipped up the cake, as Fred hails from her in-laws' hometown of Beaverdam, Wisconsin.

Wonderful! Don't forget that you can always have a bottle of Fred McMurray wine to go with your cake - still being produced at his former vineyard in California - www.macmurrayranch.com - yum!

Carole Lombard's Cherry Tart

“You ought to see the map for my face in the Makeup Department.
It looks like a landscape of the moon.”

I've been dying to post this amazing picture of La Lombard for ages and now I get my chance. Dorothy over at the British Film Institue made Carole's Cherry Pie on Sunday for her housemates. I won't say what she wrote on the feedback form about spitting cherry pips and the French, but by all accounts the pie was quite a hit. We may have to tinker with the sugar measurements though as like my pa, a couple of the housemates found the pie a little too sweet.

I do like the reasoning behind Dorothy's selection of her film star persona for the blog - she says, that just like La Lamour, it is her dream to be torn between the love of two song and dance men.

By the way, if you are a fan of Carole Lombard and you haven't paid a visit to www.carolelombard.org I heartily recommend it. My current favourite film star website.

Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies

Veronica over in Westbourne Grove had a go at Janet's Ice Box Cookies this week and sent me an evocative account of her mishaps. Firstly there was a misunderstanding in the late night shop where she went to buy the dates, as the shopkeeper kept thinking she was asking him what the date was.... Reminds me of a similar conversation I once had regarding avocados...

Veronica baked the cookies in three batches and I quote: "The first lot were a bit of a funny shape as the ‘banana-size’ rolls had got a flat edge from their overnight stay in the fridge. I re-rolled the rest of the ‘bananas’ so that they were round again. The second lot were a great shape but got a bit singed because I was drying my hair and didn’t hear the timer go off. The last batch were perfect … gorgeous golden brown circles! The phone rang while I was lying them out to cool and while I was yakking the dog licked them all!"

Naughty Tia! Still, her squeeze took all the singed ones off in a box and the dodgy shaped ones were devoured by a dinner party crowd on a boat and they were apparently enjoyed by all. She didn't say what happened to the dog-licked ones though...

Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cakes

"Every time your picture is taken, you lose a part of your soul."

All the recipe-wrangling over the last week or so is beginning to bear fruit. Our first feedback form arrived this morning fresh from the floral-bedecked marital home of the new Mr & Mrs Day in West London.

As a wedding gift I gave them heart shaped muffin cases and the lovely Clara reports back as follows: "I made about 18 tea cakes in wonderful heart shaped cupcake cases. They were so delicious that Mr Day and I polished off the whole lot within about 15 minutes of them coming out of the oven!" Asked if she would make them again the response was, "Absolutely – but not too often as our fish supper sat uncooked in the fridge as we had no room for anything else!"

Any modifications suggested? "Raisins," superb!

Still time to test a recipe for us if you are game - just email silverscreensuppers@yahoo.co.uk - a lovely picture of Clara's Tea Cakes can be perused in the sidebar.

Hattie McDaniel's Sweetcorn Pudding

"When I was little, my mother taught me how to use a fork and knife.

The trouble is that mother forgot to teach me how to stop using them!"

I know what Hattie means, I ate almost ALL of her sweetcorn pudding this evening even though big enough for 2. It is sooooooo delicious.

I've spent the whole weekend typing up recipes and I'm realising how much work there is still to do. My mind is spinning with mathematical conundrums - translating cups to grams and quarts to milileters can result in some very odd recipe directions. Also, what does one do with the instruction: "Cut up about fifteen cents worth of salt pork."? How much salt pork would Gary Cooper have been able to buy for 15c in 1936?

I've had to sit myself down with "Hollywood Wives: The New Generation" on the True Entertainment channel featuring Farrah Fawcett (RIP), Melissa Gilbert and Robin Givens to rest my mind. Superb!

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."

The response to the call for test cooks has been enormous - how very, very exciting. I'm intrigued by the range of choices - are people selecting based on the star or the recipe or both? Hard to say! Still plenty on the list of 100 though so if you'd like to join in, don't hesitate to get in touch.

I've moved to my cat sit spot in Crouch End and had a fun night last night with eating Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp and Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad as accompaniments to the genius fishcakes Paulette rustled up.

For the first time in my life I have coveted my neighbours goods, Paulette has the most beautiful set of 1950s plates with fishy illustrations. There is a gorgeous gravy boat to match with a scary looking lobster decorating the sides. Ebay here I come.

Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies

Much excitement in the Silver Screen Silver camp as I'm off to a big dinner party at the home of Gladys tonight. There will be not one, not two but three other celeb chefs there too. EEK. I am taking some Ice Box Cookies all wrapped up in cellophane as party favours...

Also this week we had a lovely piece on the Sassy Minx website - here is a link:

http://www.thesassyminx.com/girls-on-top/silverscreen-suppers/

and I will try and put a button on the side bar too.

RECIPE TESTERS NEEDED!

I'll be sending out the list of 100 stars and recipes that we plan to feature in the Silver Screen Suppers book at the end of the week to anyone who fancies testing one for us. Your name will appear in the acknowledgments so drop me an email at silverscreensuppers@yahoo.co.uk if you'd like to give one a whirl. A tiny taste of fame can be yours, and you'll get to sprinkle some stardust around your kitchen as you eat like the stars!

Louise Brooks' Knickerbocker Supreme of Chicken

Louise, you rock.

My beautiful friend Ava came round for dinner tonight and we discussed the perils and pleasures of letting men into our lives, the horrors of self assessment tax returns and the chances of being struck by lightning if wearing an i-pod. It was a Prosecco fueled chatathon and long overdue.

I made every single thing in Rosalind's kitchen a candidate for washing up whilst preparing Louise's dish, but it was worth it. My mum's delicious home cooked gammon tucked underneath the cream and flour encrusted chicken gave it the saltiness it needed. It was quite, quite delicious.

Ava cracked me up once again with the tale of her pyjama clad terrine pressing adventures. She managed to avoid telling the nurses at the casualty department how a grease infested terrine was the cause of her sliding across the kitchen floor and gaining a leg black and blue with a severe oblong shaped bruise.

The terrine came out of it unscathed apparently.

Marlene Dietrich's Lamb Chops en Casserole

"I was raised almost entirely on turnips and potatoes, but I think that the turnips had more to do with the effect than the potatoes."

Marlene was not only androgynous, but asymmetrical too!

I went to my lock up this morning with heavy heart as it always depresses me to see how much junk I have in storage. However, as Blessed was on the security desk and told me that I looked like I had "just arrived from Hollywood" I left there with a spring in my step. I think it was my 1950s sunglasses.

On my way to work I stopped off at a traditional butchers shop - he had such a magnificent display of meat in the window I couldn't resist buying two big lamb steaks which I'll cook for a romantic dinner a deux tonight a la Marlene.

It must be my lucky day - the man on the veg stall had turnips! And no joke about having them in his trousers either...

Anna May Wong's Tea Cake

There is a mini Vesuvius erupting in my oven. I decided to make Ruth a birthday cake using Anna Mae Wong's Tea Cake recipe. I made twice the mixture and instead of making individual muffin type cakes, bunged it all in a cake tin. As Sidney and I waited for the spare ribs to come out of the oven I noticed it was rising in the tin like a round loaf of eggy bread.

Sidney suggested placing the cake tin on a baking tray and I nearly resisted his practical advice. When I had a look just now it had exploded, flowing down the sides of the tin and collecting around the bottom like a fluffy petticoat. I have popped some foil over the top and will hope for the best.

As Della Reese puts it "It's so nice to have a man around the house", while I was making the cake, Sidney fixed four pairs of sunglasses and one brooch that have been in my mending box for a donkey's age...

Marion Martin's Peanut and Bacon Bouchees

Those little Bouchees sure are a crowd pleaser!

Had a lovely evening on the balcony with Ruthie, her new beau, Ava, Sidney and Edmund. My Sister of the Skillet has arrived during Britain's heatwave. It is amusing her greatly that the Brits are huffing and puffing about the heat when his is actually COLD here compared to Texas.

Ava entertained us with tales of working at her loom in a sequined bikini - she conjured up a lovely image. And I was very pleased that two of my guests, when trying to pick me out of a line-up of 12 naked women in last week's colour supplement chose a woman of 29! As Ruth observed, we should all try and see ourselves as others see us.

Ruth and I are debating who Mr Goodsnog should be on the blog. "Strong face" Ruthie is saying as she's trying to put a name to the star she is thinking of... Ronald Coleman!

Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies

Love that Tam O'Shanter!

I made a big batch of Janet's cookies for my Cinema Museum lecture and they were wolfed down by the lovely folk who came along. The lecture was lots of fun but I had a few technical problems. When my Greta Garbo clip failed to play I had to do the quote myself, "Gif me whiskey, ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy baby." Ha ha!

I met some lovely people and had a chat after the event with a potential publisher for the book over beer, fish and a "little bit of chip".

Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp

“No one ever expects a great lay to pay all the bills.”

A feeling of great joy today after a lovely evening with the E17 posse. They came round armed with gallons of fizzy wine in an attempt to make a dent in the Cassis left in the number 43 cocktail cabinet via the medium of Kir Royales. Ginger, Grace, Cary, William, Jack and Grace's new beau polished off the canapes with vigour - favourite seeming to be Marion Martin's Peanut and Bacon Bouchees. We have christened the new beau Douglas Fairbanks Snr as he is full of vim. He said he wasn't sure about the combination of peanuts and meat though - to which Ginger's response was, "it's a good job you don't live in Thailand!"

I'd had a weird day in which my fortunes rose and fell to the tune of £300 over the space of an hour. I thought my battle with the storage company was won until - crazy archivist mentality not withstanding - I realised I hadn't kept a copy of a crucial email. I blame the stress of that for the amount of fizzy wine I consumed. I knew I was really, really drunk when after getting into the bath to scrub my black flip-flop encrusted feet clean I heard someone say, "Come on now, be sensible" and it dawned on me that everyone else had gone home...

Mae West's Salada de Tuna

"Cultivate your curves..."

Sure thing Mae, I will!

Doesn't Salada de Tuna sound much more fun than Tuna Salad? I was rustling some up in the kitchen just now when I heard a really, really loud plane fly past. This sometimes gives me the heeby jeebies, being so close to Centre Point - a very tall skyscraper - but then I heard them announce a fly past to celebrate the Queen's birthday on the radio. So I ran out on to the balcony and although the plane was gone, a beautiful big fluffy red, white and blue vapour trail was puffing up in the sky. Gorgeous.

It's day 1 of a 2 day writing jag. I'm working mostly on a talk I am going to give at the Cinema Museum on 28th June about the Silver Screen Suppers project. If you are London based, please come along. Free Janet Gaynor's Ice Box Cookies! It's at 3pm and more details are here - www.cinemamuseum.org.uk - no idea why they have christened it "Eat to the Stars" - eating your way to heaven perhaps...

Ann Sheridan's Chili Casserole

"They nicknamed me "The Oomph Girl", and I loathe that nickname!
Just being known by a nickname indicates that you`re not
thought of as a true actress . . . It's just crap!"

Not sure if that's a matching headscarf or a hood, either way it is very desirable beach attire.

A batch of Ann's Chili Casserole is in the oven and Celebrity Masterchef is about to begin. I am loving the spinster life! The fact that the Chili is baked gives it an extra something I think. The flavours develop somehow. I've added a few shakes of the secret ingredient Gladys' mother adds to her potato salad to give it Oomph - Maggi Sauce.

I just cannot wait to get a big bowl in front of me and dig in...

Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp

“Underwear makes me uncomfortable and besides
my parts have to breathe.”

Isn't this just the BEST picture of Jean ever? I think Ruthie and I should pose like this for our author photos, leaning on the heads of two polar bears facing each other.

I'm thrilled that the lovely Matthew over at movietone-news.com has done a fab piece about my Silver Screen Suppers blog. You can see it here http://www.movietone-news.com/2009/06/eat-like-your-idols.html - I am bashful but chuffed! Welcome new readers!

I've been in Brighton today for Joan's birthday. It was lovely except for the fact I seem to have developed an aversion to being touched by babies - and there were two there... Joan kept dandling one of them and propelling it towards me then away from me from me like Vic Reeves' and his spirit level. I seemed to be the only non-broody woman in a coven of them.

Home to safety, Casualty and Jean's Celery a la Shrimp. I've been craving it throughout my booze binge and tonight's the night. I might just go the whole hog into spinsterdom, put on my kaftan and do as Jean does - go commando.

Marion Martin's Peanut and Bacon Bouchees

"Ducky Wucky"

Well I knew as soon as I spotted the pics for Marion that she was a bit of a one. Love the fact that her nickname was The Blonde Menace. I am desperate to see her in Queen of Burlesque which has the tagline "Thrills and Tears of Backstage Queens - to the Rhythm of Gay Music!" That's either got to be really really good, or really really bad...

Her little Silver Screen Snackettes were very tasty. I used some pancetta that I had left over from a salad and Rosalind declared that she liked the combination of "crispiness and fat". We had two each before I met up with Sidney for some beers and a snooze in St James' Park.

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...

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...

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.