Hoorah! It’s time for the Murder, She Wrote Cookalong! I have been overwhelmed by the amount of folks who have volunteered to test recipes for the forthcoming Murder, She Cooked book and I love you all! The next few days will be all about the favourite recipes of Angela Lansbury and her many fabulous co-stars. Get yourself some popcorn! Here we go…
Sarah Bailey was first past the post with her recipe feedback, testing Angela Lansbury’s Rutabaga Puree recipe. I was super impressed that she’d made quenelles, what a lovely way to serve mashed swede – or is it turnip?! There is much debate about what the equivalent of rutabaga is here in the UK – Sarah went with swede.
My ex-Vic surpassed himself with a super-delicious looking John Saxon’s Special Cheese Cake. Here he is in his dressing-gown, having some for breakfast maybe?
Deborah, Vic’s girlfriend declared this to be, “Very tasty but induces instant food coma.” Haha – my kinda cheesecake! Deborah volunteered for a recipe too, she chose Diane Baker’s Scampi. Don’t they look cute?!
and here’s Vic helping to prepare them (with some clothes on this time)…
Part of the feedback on this recipe really made me laugh, Vic said, “it was a pain in the arse to pick off the shells. I would rather a big machine in the factory had peeled them so I didn’t have to because I’m too lazy, and I was disturbed by their little eyes.” Not sure I can use the word ARSE in the Murder, She Cooked book, but I loved the feedback anyhow!
Vic’s work colleague John Ramchandani rustled up a Jessica Walters’ Key Lime Pie. I was super excited to get a photo of one of John’s helpers in the kitchen, his doggie BLANCHE DUBOIS – oh yes!
John’s husband Anthony’s verdict on the pie was, “Lovely, but could be sharper. Can I have some more to be sure?” Haha! John’s response was “Nice and easy, but a bit sloppy.” Well the photo looks divine!
Lovely Susan Dirks who I met at the Texas Archive of the Moving Image kindly tested a few recipes for me but the one assigned to her for the Cookalong was Lynn Redgrave’s Kedgeree. Oh my! I love kedgeree and I will definitely make this myself after Susan’s feedback. Susan and Dirk had their kedgeree with a crisp Oregon rosé and had fresh Oregon peaches for dessert. That sounds just perfect to me, and doesn’t it look delicious?
More recipe feedback coming in the next few days. All of these recipes will be going in the book, but if you can’t wait that long and want to cook up one of these dishes for yourself, just email me via the Contact page and I’ll send it on over to you.
There are still recipes available to test cook. At the end of the Cookalong I’ll be writing a post about those that remain untested. It might be too late to join in the Cookalong but I could still use feedback for the book!
Everyone who test-cooks will be getting a special “thank-you” card in the post. It’s under construction right now, but here is a sneaky peek at the wonderful recipe illustration Miriam Figueras is working on…
Love this.
Thanks Linda – I’ll be putting the call out soon for test cooks for volume 2. If you are a Murder, She Wrote fan, do check out my Substack over at https://murdershecooked.substack.com/- lots of Murder, She Wrote fun going on over there!