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The Academy Awards will be handed out Sunday night, and, as in years past, my eyes will be glued to the television set. When I was a little girl, I begged my parents to allow me to stay up late so I could swoon over all of the pretty dresses.
This year’s nominees are a diverse group. “Midnight in Paris” and “Hugo” are set in The City of Light. “The Help” follows the lives of women who made a difference before the Civil Rights Act became law in Jackson, Miss. The brilliant Meryl Streep portrayed the rise and fall of Margaret Thatcher, England’s first female prime minister, in “The Iron Lady.”
Hollywood’s silent film era and the advent of talkies form the backdrop for “The Artist,” a charming black-and-white gem with a cast of unknowns save for John Goodman. Uggie, the adorable Jack Russell terrier, stole the show.
The world can learn much about American popular culture just by watching movies. The women of the 1930s and ’40s such as Myrna Loy, Irene Dunne, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell and Katharine Hepburn portrayed strong, independent ladies, and their clothes were often drop-dead gorgeous.
As for the men, no one has topped Cary Grant. OK, George Clooney comes close. No man has matched his look, his accent, his swagger, the way he wore his clothes and his natural ability for physical comedy. Grant never won an Oscar although he received an honorary one in ’70.
I always set up a buffet with dishes to enjoy as we watch the Academy Awards. I keep it simple and since the plates are on our laps, I steer clear of anything drippy or messy that requires numerous paper napkins.
I look forward to the return of Billy Crystal as the host for the Oscars. I hope he and Uggie have put together an opening bit with lots of schtick.
Pimiento Cheese
(Inspired by “The Help”)
Ingredients:
1 pound of sharp yellow cheddar
4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
8 ounces of roasted red peppers or pimientos, from the jar, well drained and chopped
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
Dash of Tabasco
Dash of Lea & Perrins
Pinch of cayenne or white pepper
Directions:
Grate the cheddar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the grating disk or grate by hand using the fine side of a box grater.
Place the cheddar in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Blend well.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Makes two cups.
Note from Phyllis: Pimiento cheese is the spread of choice throughout the South. There are dozens and dozens of recipes for this savory staple. Serve with saltines, Ritz crackers and celery sticks.
Lemon-Saffron Rosemary Wings
(Inspired by “Midnight in Paris” and “Hugo”) from "The Bonne Femme Cookbook" by Winifred Moranville
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of lemon zest, freshly grated
2 large pinches of saffron threads or 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons of coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds of chicken wing drumettes
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of honey
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the first five ingredients in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Brush the wings with the oil then rub each one with a little of the lemon-saffron mixture. Place the wings on the rack of a broiler pan.
Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Turn them, drizzle with the honey and bake until golden and cooked through, for about five minutes more.
Makes about 24 wings.
Note from Phyllis: Drumettes are the meaty part of the wing, without the tips. If you purchased chicken wings, just cut off the tips and freeze them for stocks or soups. Moranville writes she has never seen Buffalo wings in France, but these wings have been served at French cocktail parties and can be found in French delis.
The Mary Pickford
(Inspired by “The Artist” from "The Craft of the Cocktail" by Dale DeGroff)
Ingredients:
2 ounces of white rum
1-1/2 ounces of pineapple juice
1 teaspoon of grenadine
1/4 ounce of maraschino liqueur
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Makes one cocktail.
Note from Phyllis: This cocktail was created at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba in Havana during Prohibition for Mary Pickford, who began her long career in silent films. SPR
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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