I finally got to see episode one of Feud: Bette and Joan and I LOVED IT.
So utterly brilliant! It’s got me wanting to cook like Joan again, so I’ve pulled out my copy of the Joan Crawford Cookbook (a book what I wrote) and am getting inspired…
The book is available from www.blurb.com or www.blurb.co.uk – £25 in the UK, $35 in the US – I think the websites will recognise which country you are in, wherever you are in the world, and switch to your currency. It’s a rather lovely coffee table type book, that contains over 30 of Joan’s very own recipes. Illustrated with postcards of Joan from my collection.
Here’s a little trailer for the book… Watch out, the music kicks in a few seconds after the video starts so don’t blow your stereo speakers by turning it up…
and there is more info about which recipes are included here….
My cyberchum Yinzerella over at Dinner Is Served 1972 is going to be cooking a Joan dish for every episode (she started with French Banana Salad, crazy woman):
and it got me to thinking. Perhaps fans of Joan, or fans of Feud, would like a copy of the book. So I’m offering a free copy, sent anywhere in the world, to one lucky reader of my blog or Yinzerella’s. Just leave either one of us a comment, telling us who – in your humble opinion – is best, Joan or Bette!
We’ll draw a winner out of the hat for the hard copy of the book – and whoever makes me laugh the most, and whoever makes Yinzerella laugh the most, will each get a free e-book version of the book. Don’t worry if you aren’t feeling funny – you’ll still go into the hat!
Competition will run for the first 4 episodes of FUED – so just over 3 weeks, which should give the lucky winners time to get their copies of the book and cook a Joan Crawford dish to accompany one of the later episodes. I think I am right in saying there are 8 episodes. BLISS!
If you can’t wait to see if you have won, skip over to Blurb and grab a copy of the book. The print version took about 10 days to get to me when I put an order through, but if you want it STAT, there’s an e-book version too… Just click no the Related Editions button bottom right as per pic below…
Here are the links again: www.blurb.com or www.blurb.co.uk – pleases send me pix of any Joan dishes you cook, I would so love to see them! Do get in touch via my contact page… I love hearing from readers of the blog…
If you want to know more about Joan Crawford, I highly recommend a website called The Best of Everything which is a huge Joan encyclopaedia – fascinating!
Competition rules: no rules really! Closing date for entries is 6th April. I will put a link here to Yinzerella’s post about the competition when it is up. You are allowed to enter once chez moi and once chez Yinzerella. WHO IS BEST? Bette or Joan? Tell us your thoughts via a comment below…
Has to be Bette . That laugh in Baby Jane when she realises Joan has lifted the lid off the silver service ! I’m assuming ‘Baby Jane’s Rat Platter’ is not in the JC Cookbook !
I’d Love Love Love to WIN this book! I just love and adore Joan Crawford! I bought her movie collection many years ago, and I am home a lot now so I’d love to make Her recipes!!! I’d be sooo honored! Thank You!!!! Love Joan!!!!!!!!
Oh, I’d love to win a copy of this! Although I’ve seen more Joan Crawford movies, I have to pick Bette Davis as better because she had the more substantial career. And for late-period cheese, I like the Witch Mountain movie more than Trog or that Wasp Woman thing.
I am LOVING ALL ABOUT JOAN!!! Who Knew!!! Can’t wait to read more!!
Thank you, Jenny!!
Oh, gee! I wish I were funny. Bette was definitely more devious and self-centered in her roles, but Joan was unbelievable in the Twilight Zone episode where she too someone’s eyeballs to restore her own vision! Plus, she swam a mile everyday and rarely wore a bra! I always had the feeling Joan was just wee bit badder in real life, so my vote is for Joan
So glad to discover your site via Dinner is Served. I’m sitting in a hospital waiting room and have plenty of time on my hands to read past posts! Thank you for this chance.
I would definitely say Joan, though it’s more out of my dislike for Bette than my love for Joan. She did have an impressive career indeed (you just can’t top films like Mildred Pierce and Grand Hotel), and she’s among my sister’s favorite actresses, so I’d love to try out some of her recipes!
ODE TO BETTE DAVIS (And why she wins the battle with Joan Crawford)
With Duke Mantee she made us see a diner could be finer.
As Alan dies, her gorgeous eyes become the main headliner.
Jezebel was just as well, so Vivien can go to hell.
The red dress isn’t Scarlett but it serves her just as well.
There was no sin with Errol Flynn as Essex we can measure,
But Vincent Price was just as nice and might have Spanish treasure.
Tallulah wasn’t cooler when it came to Southern belles,
What really shocks in Little Foxes, is that her temper tells.
With two cigarettes, just for Our Betts, Paul Henreid loved her scars,
We know the tale, as Charlotte Vale she really ‘had the stars’.
Then came Eve, you can believe, with an adoring fan,
And even Marilyn can’t win though Monroe thinks she can.
Come if you would to Hollywood; a home for Baby Jane
Ms Crawford’s there to share the scare. Which one will leave it sane?
From Mildred to The Virgin Queen we loved to see her smile
Until that time in ’89 when Death wasn’t on the Nile.
So, with choices to make by one who bakes: what of Joan and all her cakes?
How do I choose: those baby blues or talent with a steak?
I have to say that come what may, I love the girl who knows
‘I am too much’ as she once said. My admiration grows…
Has to be Joan. She is hard core, picking herself up from nothing to becoming the Ultimate Hollywood Stars.
Bette…..those eyes, those lips……
Great ladies!
Has to be Bette!! the Voice … the Eyes…Just awesome !!
Better actress: Bette
Better STAR: Joan!
🙂
JOAN is the best! Both are and were wonderful. I so enjoy them both. Would love this cookbook!
I love them both and have been lucky enough to see almost all their films. Bette was an actress of such depth and power. But Joan! OMG Joan blows everyone else off the screen. The sheer force of her will to be a star is awe inspiring!
Definitely Joan Crawford!
Kelly Bruner via email says: “Joan is the bomb, but Bette for LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!!”
They were both great, but Joan knew how to be a star and responded to Every fan letter she received. She never went out of the house not fully made up and dressed impeccably. Mother of the year she was perhaps not. Bette was a terrific actress and she was superb in All About Eve. No one could’ve played that role but Bette. I love them both and want to make some of Joan’s recipes. A fun afternoon with my mom! 🙂
Joan is and always will be a classic Hollywood star. Now a days these stars can’t even compete with her stature. Miss Crawford was a grade a class act. She paved,the way for all of these so called actresses we see now in Hollywood.
Though neither is my favorite film star, I would have to say Joan. According to what I’ve heard she seems like less of a diva than Bette 😉
Both Bette and Joan mesmerize me, especially as I’ve learned more about their personal lives and their incredible drive, but I think Bette has grabbed me just a bit more. Maybe it was the early exposure to NOW VOYAGER and its glorification of two on a cigarette. As for food: Chip and a weinie, Dr. Jaquith?
I’m letting my stomach vote. How could I not vote for Joan?
I mean that meatloaf, though……
I love Joan. Who doesn’t? She was one of the best dancers the movies ever saw! Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) was my favorite. She made some really good melodramas too, like Mildred Pierce (1945). But, as a character noted in Dancing Lady, Joan had “poison-ality” and that ruined her for me somewhat.
So I have to pick Bette–also filled with “poison-ality–but she made so many weepies! And, boy, were they good: The Old Maid (1939), All This and Heaven too (1940–with dreamy Charles Boyer!), Dark Victory (1939). But Now Voyager (1942) was my favorite, though Claude Raines with his tender performance, stole the show!
Bette Davis
Oh man! I love them both but if I had to pick one it is Joan. Joan is someone who could teach me so many of the things I’d love to learn and we’d have a blast! Joan would take me shopping for the perfect shoes at LaRose, the best lunch and vodka on the rocks at Perino’s, she’d show me how to put on the perfect Max Factor red lip, and if some thug ever tried to rob us of our sapphire jewels Joan would teach me the perfect bitch slap and those thugs would run away crying as we laugh and take another bit of our ugli fruit salad.
Adore them both, but tragically think I’m 2 late 2 win the book, &$”#%%!
But am going w/ Joan this Easter Sunday , as she was ahead of her time: Truly an organic cook! That ‘s because she knew how to wield an axe.
N my humble estimation, that’s really cooking—from Scratch!