Record Cover of the Week
July 25, 2009
Hugo Montenegro (conductor/arranger): Original Music From The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Music by Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens and Walter Scharf.
George Blondheim (original score): Bye Bye Blues
A Mighty Wind
July 19, 2009
The aftermath of last night’s storm:
One huge tree branch came down on my roof
and another huge branch snapped and is dangling a few feet off the sidewalk.
I can’t say for certain, but from what I can see it looks like the house is okay.
I went around the neighbourhood this morning surveying the damage.
This street was probably the worst – a huge limb broke off this tree completely blocking the street…
and crushing this vehicle under it…
which, it turns out, belongs to an old actor friend of mine I hadn’t seen in years.
I missed all the excitement – I was at a friend’s housewarming party in another part of town getting sloshed on tropical drinks in his basement tiki bar.
Cook Book Report
July 17, 2009
Jane Asher’s Complete Book of Cake Decorating Ideas
Jane Asher was an icon of London in the swinging 60’s – appearing in movies like Alfie (the original, with Michael Caine), dating Paul McCartney (they were engaged apparently), and of course, she’s the sister of musician Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon. I hadn’t really given her much thought since that time until I started finding her cake books in thrift stores. She’s been acting all along – mostly on stage and television – but she has another career selling rather expensive custom-made cakes and publishing books of her whimsical edible creations. You know I’m a big fan of novelty cakes, especially if they realistically mimic other foods, such as the egg and chips above (made entirely from icing, including the plate). Though out of print, used copies are abundant and cheap on the web, or try your favourite thrift store or the library.
Thrift Item of the Moment
July 12, 2009
Pineapple Passion
Pineapple corer – 50¢ at a garage sale.
It works like a big corkscrew to scoop out the insides of a pineapple
Easier than it looks in this video. I was aghast when she threw out the shell…
because my whole purpose in buying this gadget was to hollow out pineapples to make vessels for tropical cocktails.
Pina Passion
1 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce passion fruit nectar
1/2 ounce peach brandy
3/4 ounce Demerara rum
3/4 ounce gold rum
1 pineapple slice
3/4 ounce honey
Blend w/a cup of crushed ice, pour and drink.
Peach brandy isn’t available here, so I used apricot brandy. As well, after searching all over town I couldn’t find any passion fruit nectar or juice, so I used a blend of tropical juices that had passion fruit in it (as well as mango, guava, pineapple, papaya and peach). Mighty tasty regardless.
Don’t forget to garnish.
