This has been the biggest week *ever* in my career as a film archivist. It’s been fab! Here I am on TV with the big news from AP and Movietone…
Oooh, soooo exciting! Here are the links to the channels if you want to have a mooch around:
I’d recommend having a look for your favourite classic Hollywood movie stars in the Movietone channel (I didn’t know until recently that you can search within a channel by using the small magnifying glass icon that is in the menu underneath the channel name). There are all kinds of wonders there, including my favourite – coverage of Marilyn Monroe’s arrival in London in 1956.
If you listen very carefully you can hear one of the reporters ask Marilyn, “What do you think of Miss Dors?” – how cheeky! A reference of course to my much beloved Diana, Britain’s own Marilyn.
You will also see my weekly “Archivist Presents” spot, where I choose a film from the Movietone collection to highlight. Here’s a fun one which features glamour girls and grapefruit…
Doesn’t my hair look nice?! Haha!
Any road up, enough showing off. You want a recipe don’t you?! Here’s something I made a while ago for me and Mr R. It was tasty, but mild for the modern palate. If you like strong, robust flavours this one might not be for you. But it’s still worth me putting this up for all the Ian MacDonald fans I think… They would be nice to rustle up to accompany a showing of High Noon…
Ian MacDonald’s Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
4 centre cut pork chops
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 rounded teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
black pepper (coarse)
1 tablespoon soya sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
3 strips lemon peel
In a skillet with a cover heat oil until it smokes. Turn heat down. Brown chops slowly on both sides in the oil. Transfer to a casserole. Pour off all but two tablespoons fat in the pan, add onion (a bit of garlic if desired). Stir and cook until yellow. Sprinkle cornstarch over onions, stir well and cook 5 minutes. Add pineapple juice, brown sugar, soya, vinegar, pepper, lemon peel. Blend well and pour over chops. Cover and cook at 350 degrees (180 degrees C / gas mark 4) until tender – about 75 minutes. Serve with fluffy rice. (Careful with salt as soya and vinegar contribute.)
Right, I am off to Worksop! Why am I going to Worksop? Because tomorrow I am doing a food photography workshop at the School of Artisan Foods with my all time favourite food photographer the glorious and fabulous Joan Ransley. To say I am excited is an understatement.
Expect a vast improvement to my photography from this post forward! Compare and contrast…
