You know the phrase, “Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet”? Well, one of the things I LOVE about having a blog is meeting people through the internet that I KNOW would be friends if they lived around the corner. One such person is Kelli Cline who lives 4,781 miles away from me in Seattle.
Kelli first got in touch with me in 2016 offering to test cook recipes for the Cooking With Columbo book. She did sterling work on Martin Landau’s Jerk Beef Steak, José Ferrer’s Eggs Ferrer with Fried Potatoes and Vincent Price’s Cioppino. When I announced the Murder, She Wrote Cookalong Kelli was one of my first volunteers. But do you want to hear something FABULOUS? Kelli threw a Murder, She Wrote Cookalong PARTY for a big bunch of friends, each of whom tested a different recipe. What a blast!
Check out this amazing spread!
David Hill made Jerry Orbach’s Tough Guys Dessert
Mandy Hill made Eileen Brennan’s Scalloped Potatoes
Jake London made Adam West’s Cast Iron Skillet Pot Roast
Antonia Blume made James Coburn’s Cheese Souffle
Stacia Beer made Gene Barry’s Green Bean Casserole
Daniel Pickford made David Birney’s Persimmon Pudding with Lemon Sauce
Kurt Bloch made Robert Vaughn’s Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini
John Ramberg made Hoyt Axton’s Cornbread
Kelli made Kim Hunter’s New Orleans Fizz
and here’s Kelli in her kitchen cooking up some Lucie Arnaz’ Shrimp and Yellow Rice. I LOVE THOSE PATCHWORK KITCHEN TILES!
Here’s the finished dish
This photo Kelli sent me of preparations for the dish really piqued my interest (I am VERY nosey about what people have in their kitchens)
Is that NAPOLEON on top of a jar of spice? Yes, indeed it is. I asked Kelly about this and it turns out that she has created a few of these decoupage lids for her spices. WATCH OUT CHUMS, as soon as I saw these I wanted to make some myself, and you probably will do too!
Booker T. and the M.G.s (Green Onions) = onion powder
Sherilyn Fenn = fennel
Serge Gainsbourg = sage
The Zombies (Time of the Season) = thyme
Count von Count = garlic powder
Napoleon (aka Rod Steiger as Napoleon) (lover of pickles) = pickling spice
WHAT GENIUS!
Kelli and her gaggle of lovely chums have been sending in really excellent feedback on the recipes for the forthcoming Murder, She Cooked cookbook and I am just so chuffed that they all got together and had this wonderful party to enjoy so many movie star dishes. It made me want to jump on a plane to Seattle and invite myself round for dinner. Haha!
There will be more Murder, She Wrote Cookalong shenanigans to come, and there is still time to choose a recipe to join in – just zip over here and scroll down to the bottom to see what’s still up for grabs.
How cool is this? So fun!!!!
I was just so thrilled to get all the lovely photos and write-ups from this party!
What a fab spread…. and im so stealing that lid idea (but with a classic horror theme)
Isn’t it FABULOUS?!
You’re right . I love those spice jars !
Haha, I am sooooo tempted Mark! Such fun!