A Tale of Two Kitchens (Documentary; Weekend Cooking)

I'm not quite sure how I missed this gem of a documentary, which--according to IMDb--came out in 2019.

A Tale of Two Kitchens, directed by Trisha Ziff, looks at two sister restaurants: Contramar in Mexico City and Cala in San Fransico. Chef-owner Gabriela Cámara's restaurants may share fundamentals, but those concepts are manifested in slightly different ways in Mexico and the US. Cámara's menus feature fresh seafood with the idea of transporting diners to the beach through their meals. The dishes feature fresh ingredients and Mexican flavors and are presented beautifully.

Though the restaurants and the food are important elements of the documentary, A Tale of Two Kitchens is really about the staff and a work culture of found family. In Contramar (Mexico City), the staff puts mutual help and support, both on and off the job, at the center. Workers are looking for a better life and a way to give that better life to their children.

In Cala (San Francisco), there is very much a sense of second chances. Everyone is given the opportunity to make a fresh start, and the staff includes ex-convicts, immigrants, and recovering addicts. People are hired on their own merits, not on what they did in the past. In both restaurants, workers are given respect, friendship, and the possibility of a bright future.

In just 29 minutes, A Tale of Two Kitchens gives a unique perspective on how restaurants--and any business for that matter--can be run. Everyone deserves dignity and respect in the workplace. Chef Gabriela Cámara proves it can be done.

If you take a look at the trailer (below), you'll learn one of the sad truths of how many (most?) Americans think of their brethren south of the border. A Tale of Two Kitchens can be streamed on Netflix

Note: photo from Nextflix.

Shared with Weekend Cooking, hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader (and Baker)

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Weekend Cooking: Barbecue (Documentary)

With Canada Day and Fourth of July right around the corner, we here in North America would normally be planning a cookout of some kind with friends and family. Sadly, few of us will be celebrating with non-household members this year.

If you need your grilling or barbecue fix, then I recommend the 2017 documentary Barbecue directed by Matthew Salleh. I loved this film, which is not about famous pit masters and restaurant owners and does not offer any recipes. Instead, it’s about what barbecue means in a dozen places throughout the world.

We are introduced to everyday people who embrace food cooked over fire, coals, or gas; on horizontal or vertical spits; in pits, over wood, under rocks, and more. I enjoyed meeting each cook (mostly men), who waxed poetic about the meaning of shared meals around a fire or in the outdoors.

From South Africa to the Philippines, and from Mongolia to Texas, people have strong traditions of grilling out. I loved evident passion the cooks and their families had for gathering with others to share food preparation and to savor the delicious results.

The filming is beautifully done, with gorgeous scenery and mouth-watering food shots. The conversations with the featured cooks are interesting and engaging and respectfully done. Barbecue is a joy to watch.

For me, there were two major takeaways of the Barbecue documentary. First, people everywhere have the same feelings that cooking out means more than just sharing a meal with others. There is something about barbecue that says community, family, and festivities.

The second was how many amazing and wild techniques exist for cooking food (mostly meat). Cooks used hot rocks, pits, indirect heat, and flattops over gas. They cooked over synthetic materials and of course over wood and charcoal. Animals were cooked whole and cut up and few people grilled vegetables. I don’t want to spoil the surprises, but some of the cooking methods were definitely unique.

Now for a couple of warnings. Most of the people featured in Barbecue did not speak English, so if English is you’re primary language, be prepared to read subtitles. Second, if seeing raw meat or butchering is upsetting to you, then you won’t want to watch this documentary.

I highly recommend Matthew Salleh’s Barbecue; it may inspire you to try some new techniques at your next cookout. Here’s the trailer.

Shared with Weekend Cooking, hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader (and Baker)

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Weekend Cooking: The Heat: A Kitchen (R)Evolution (Film)

If you're looking for an interesting food-related documentary to watch this weekend, I recommend Maya Gallus's The Heat: A Kitchen (R)Evolution (2018; 1.25 hr).

This film introduces us to seven successful women chefs in the United States, Canada, England, and France and primarily addresses the issue of why the restaurant industry is still so male dominated. Is it the restaurant culture, the media, or men in general?

These women, most of whom run or own restaurants, talk about their experiences in the abusive atmosphere of professional kitchens. The restaurant system is likened to the military: with strict hierarchies and no room for questioning. The women also compare and contrast their experiences in the (male-dominated) kitchens they were trained in to their own styles in the kitchens they run.

Restaurants are not easy places, and it's difficult for women to get ahead, to get attention, to get the financial backing, and to be treated with respect. Those difficulties are compounded for women of color.

Chefs Suzanne Barr, Victoria Blarney, Amanda Cohen, Angela Hartnett, Ivy Knight, Charlotte Langley, Anita Lo, and Anne-Sophie Pic talk about their struggles and successes to gain recognition and to break the cycle of aggression and abuse found in restaurant kitchens. There is some mention of the #MeToo movement and of being afraid to speak out or of being the first to speak out.

In the end, all recognized the need for change and the need to give women professional chefs their due, but no one really had any good ideas for how bring this revolution to fruition.

Gallus does a good job transitioning us from one chef and location to another and of showing us that, despite each woman's unique situation and personal history, there are universal problems in the restaurant industry that are shared by all. The film also makes us aware of the importance of supporting women-owned restaurants of all kinds. The Heat: A Kitchen (R)Evolution will give you something to think about.

Here's the trailer:

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Weekend Cooking: Somm 3 (Documentary)

I really enjoyed the documentaries Somm, which followed four men on the quest to earn their master sommelier diplomas, and  Somm: Into the Bottle, which told us 10 stories about wine from different perspectives.

Somm 3, directed by Jason Wise (2018), has two main threads: a blind taste testing of Pinot Noir held in New York with a group of some of the best wine experts from around the world and a gathering of three wine gurus who hold a different kind of tasting in Paris.

The documentary starts off with some discussion of the yeas and nays of blind tasting: what is the value and why? Wise then goes on to talk about the Judgment of Paris, which was the famous blind taste testing held in 1976 when--to the shock of the world--two California wines beat the best of the French vineyards. At the time, blind tastings were not very common.

Somm 3 then takes us to New York, where master sommelier Dustin Wilson (whom we met in the earlier films) hosts a different kind of judgment day, in which he asks some of the current best tasters in the world to gather for a blind tasting of six red wines. This time, all the wines are Pinot Noir/Burgundy and were made in the United States, France, Australia, and Chile (I think). Wilson asked his guests not to identify the wines but to simply pick their top three.

It was interesting to listen in as the tasters discussed the wines and then to see their reactions when the winning wines were revealed. This exercise again showed that more affordable New World wine (if you consider $50 a bottle affordable) holds up well to the esteemed French Burgundy, which is often well outside most people's wine budget.

Meanwhile Somm 3 introduces us to the three wine greats. First up is Jancis Robinson, a British wine critic and writer who has never been in the wine business. She has, however, written some of the most important books about wine we have, is a master sommelier, and is very well respected.

Second, we meet sommelier Fred Dame, who has one of the best palates in the world. He is well know for winning awards for developing impressive restaurant wine lists. Third is Steven Spurrier, the man behind the famous Judgment of Paris. Together these three shaped the modern wine industry and our relationship with wine. They meet up in Paris, each bringing along the wine that changed their lives, that gave them that ah-ha moment when they saw what wine could be and turned their life's attention to the drink.

It was amazing that they could find the exact wine that made them who they are today . . . they probably drank many people's yearly salary in that sitting. As they shared those wines with each other, they talked about why that wine means so much to them and whether it held up after such a long cellaring.

Then Wilson served them the top three winners from the New York experiment, had them blind taste the wines, and asked their opinions. Very interesting results!

One of the overriding themes of Somm 3 is how blind tastings, ratings, and critics have changed the wine business over the last 40 years or so. Still, the final lesson is always to drink what you like, find a critic whose tastes are similar to yours, and trust your instincts.

Somm 3 will appeal to wine lovers of all kinds. I hope this isn't the final documentary in the series, I would love to see more from Jason Wise about the wine world. Here's the trailer:

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Weekend Cooking: Always Be My Maybe (Movie)

I'm always on the look-out for a good foodie movie, so couldn't resist trying Always Be My Maybe (Netflix, dir. Nahnatchka Khan, 2019), starring Ali Wong and Randall Park.

This cute rom-com is about how childhood neighbors and friends went from BFFs to virtual strangers after high school graduation. Sixteen years later they are united again by chance . . . and you can generally guess the rest.

Sasha Tran grew up with hardworking parents who weren't around much, so she spent a lot of her time next door with Marcus Kim and his parents. Sasha always loved to cook and eventually became a celebrity chef, opening restaurants throughout the United States.

Marcus loved music, started a high school band, and became a popular local rap musician. He, however, chose to stay home after high school to live and work with his widowed father. Marcus is more cautious than Sasha and feels a strong sense of responsibility for his dad.

By the time they meet up again, when Sasha is back in San Francisco to open her latest restaurant, she's rich and famous and Marcus is content but not at all rich or famous. I liked the way Marcus still saw her as his childhood best friend and that Sasha didn't snub him. Their relationship seemed realistic, both as kids and as adults. Other themes of Always Be My Maybe had to do with friendship, family, and following one's dream.

 There wasn't a whole lot of food porn in Always Be My Maybe, but I had to laugh at the $6400 dinner (paid for my Keanu Reeves's character), with its multiple pretentious courses. Still, I enjoyed the movie for its restaurant and cooking underlayer and especially for the diverse cast; in fact, Reeves, who a plays a parody of himself, is one of the few white people in the entire film.

Is Always Be My Maybe utterly predictable? Yes. But is it fun? Also a yes if you like rom-coms. If you're looking for a light foodie-type movie for a relaxing evening, give this Netflix Original a go. Here's the trailer (warning: adult language and themes):

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Weekend Cooking: Neat: The Story of Bourbon (film)

Thanks to the holiday last week and a women's weekend right now, I've had two short weeks in a row. That means I haven't been doing any fun cooking at all. No time to try new recipes, so nothing new to share.

Fortunately, I spotted an interesting documentary on Hulu that fits Weekend Cooking perfectly. Before I get into my thoughts, I wanted to let you know that I won't be able to read your posts until late Sunday, but I promise I'll come around to see what you've been reading or cooking or to get a look at where you've been traveling.

Neat: The Story of Bourbon (written and directed by David Altrogge) introduces us to some of the history of the great American spirit. At one point in the film someone says (and I'm paraphrasing), "The history of bourbon is the history of the United States itself." Another person says, "Bourbon is history in a glass." (You'll hear these quotes in the trailer.)

From the moment the Mayflower anchored off the eastern shore of America, we've been brewing something: beer, moonshine, whisky, cider, and wine. As Neat points out, because colonists weren't under obligation to send their surplus grains and harvest off to the king, they had the foundations for making a home brew.

Bourbon is the only completely American whiskey. If a similar whiskey isn't distilled here in the States, it cannot be called bourbon. What else makes bourbon unique? First, it relies on a New World plant and, by law, must be distilled from at least 51 percent corn. It also must be aged in brand-new charred oak barrels. That creates an unbreakable chain connecting the forests, the farmers, and the producers.

Neat introduces us to distillers, bartenders, tasters, and more. We learn about purity laws, the effects of climate change, the microclimates within the aging sheds, small-batch and single-barrel bourbon, and archaeological digs. We also learn how sociocultural norms affected bourbon sales in the 1970s and 1980s. We even learn about cocktails (see the still) and what goes on in a tasting room. Warning: you'll want to pour (and drink) a shot of bourbon . . . neat.

The filming itself is well done, with plenty of beauty shots of bourbon in a glass, with the light streaming through. I liked the peek inside distilleries, seeing the barrels being charred, and especially meeting the variety of people who have a passion for all things bourbon.

I really enjoyed Neat and recommend the documentary to anyone who is interested in the history of bourbon. If I have a complaint, it is this: I would have liked to have seen more about the effects of Prohibition on the industry. But, really, that's a minor point.

Take a look at the trailer. I watched the film on Hulu, but it may be available via other streaming services too.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Weekend Cooking: Maacher Jhol (Movie)

As you know, I love a good foodie movie, especially one that has some depth. Maacher Jhol (2017; written and directed by Pratim D. Gupta) hit all my buttons.

A famous Paris chef is called back to his native India when his mother falls ill. Dev hasn't been back home for over a decade, when he left his engineering job and arranged marriage--without his father's blessing--to enter the Cordon Bleu to learn to cook.

After years of hard work, Dev (played by Ritwick Chakraborty) owns several restaurants and is a celebrity chef. His success in France, however, came at the expense of lots of unfinished business back home, which he must face upon his return.

On one level Maacher Jhol is a light family drama, but on other levels it's a commentary on Bengali culture, feminist issues, and marriage. Oh and there are some incredible scenes of Dev making several variations of fish curry.

The movie also stars Paoli Dam, Mamata Shankar, and Arjun Chakraborty. I thought the acting was believable, and I loved the street scenes in Paris and the open market in India.

One thing to know is that the movie is subtitled. You'll hear French, English, and Bengali and perhaps other Indian languages as well. I'm not always a fan of subtitles, but I had no issues with this movie. All in all I liked the food references and the empowering message.

Here's the trailer.

Maacher Jhol is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Weekend Cooking: A Year in Champagne (Film)

A few years ago, I reviewed David Kennard's A Year in Burgundy, which introduced us to the region's winemakers and what it takes to grow wine in that part of France.

The second documentary in Kennard's series is A Year in Champagne (2014; currently available via one of your streaming services). As in the first film, Kennard takes us to a variety of vineyards in the Champagne region, where we visit family-owned estates, big-business growers, and wine producers.

The documentary starts in April, when the vines just start budding and ends in late winter, after the winemakers have bottled their wines for the year. Although I didn't find this film as engaging as Kennard's look at Burgundy, I still enjoyed it.

As several people in A Year in Champagne note, what's a celebration without champagne? What's more, it's perfect all day long, from breakfast to past midnight. I'll start with some of the interesting things I learned:

• During the fermentation, champagne bottles need to be rotated an eighth turn every single day.
• Throughout history, the British connection--especially from the royal family--has very important to the development of champagne as a quality wine.
• There are hundreds of miles of cellars in the Champagne region.
• The Champagne growers association has an incredible amount of rules and regulations for everything from pruning the vines to exactly when the grapes can be harvested.

The Champagne region is the northernmost wine-growing region in France, and the climate can be brutal for the grapes. The documentary was filmed in 2012, which was a year of cool temperatures and little sun. Despite that, there was a harvest, and champagne was bottled.

Unlike Kennard's first film, almost all of this movie required subtitles. I don't mind subtitles, but sometimes I find myself doing more reading than looking at the images on the screen. In addition, I didn't connect as strongly with Champagne winemakers as I did with the Burgundy families.

In any case, I'm glad I watched A Year in Champagne, and I hope David Kennard continues the series, so I can learn more about wine making in France. Here is the trailer.

Note that I'll be at a lacemaking workshop all weekend, but will visit your blogs just as soon as I can.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Review: Mrs Wilson (on PBS Masterpiece)

Mark your calendars for March 31 and April 7, you won't want to miss MRS WILSON on PBS Masterpiece (check your local listings for exact times; likely 9pm). You've heard the expression that truth is stranger than fiction, and this story is the proof.

In Mrs Wilson, actress Ruth Wilson (The Affair, Jane Eyre) plays her real-life grandmother Alison Wilson in this true account of the older woman's relationship with her husband, both before and after his death. Alison met Alexander Wilson (played by Iain Glen) when they were both employed by MI6 during World War II. The two fell in love, despite their age difference (he was much older), and Alec divorced his wife to marry Alison.

They had 20 years of stable marriage, raising two sons in London. While continuing to work for the Secret Intelligence Service, Alec wrote a number of well-received spy novels during his down time. He appeared to be a good family man, even when some of his undercover work took him away from home or forced him to pretend to be arrested for various petty crimes.

After he died suddenly in the early 1960s, Alison quickly realized that Alec had deep secrets, and not all of them were related to his espionage work. Alison tried her best to protect her sons from learning that they'd been deceived by Alec, waiting until the new millennium before revealing part of her story and saving the rest for after her own death.

Ruth Wilson, the actress, knew her grandmother, and grew up having no idea that her late-grandfather led a double (triple? quadruple?) life. Once Alison released her memoir to her sons (saving the most difficult details until after her death), her sons and grandchildren discovered that Alec had multiple wives and fathered at least seven sons. His ongoing relationship with MI6 and British Intelligence is still unclear, and many facts about the man remain unknown. The British secret service will not release Alec's records, claiming that they still contain sensitive material.

The story is fascinating in of its self, but Mrs Wilson stands out in the way it follows Alison's reactions as she discovers her husband's true nature. Her emotional journey and ultimate choices are believably portrayed by the fabulous Ruth Wilson. One can only imagine the horror, shock, and devastation of learning your whole life had been a lie, and Wilson (the actress) helps us feel it all.

The production focuses solidly on Alison, and Ruth Wilson, easily carries off the entire show. The supporting actors (including Keeley Hawes, Patrick Kennedy, Fiona Shaw, Anaupam Kher) who play Alison's sons and her husband's colleagues are also fantastic, projecting authentic emotions to match their different situations and relationship to Alec.

The costumes and set details are excellent, clearly distinguishing between the show's present (the 1960s) and past (World War II). The music, the cars, and even the lighting matched the different moods.

Just when you think Alison has Alexander Wilson all figured out, she is presented with something new. I don't know where she found her strength. Ruth Wilson and Iain Glen shine in Mrs Wilson (Masterpiece; March 31 and April 7), and after it's over, you'll be racing to the internet to find out more. Don't miss this incredible mini-series.

Here are two trailers to pull you in.

Many thanks to WGBH Boston for the advanced review screener of Mrs Wilson.

Mrs. Wilson is a Snowed-In Productions production for the BBC co-produced with MASTERPIECE in association with All3Media International. It is written by Anna Symon (Indian Summers), produced by Jackie Larkin (C.B. Strike), directed by Richard Laxton (Mum, River) and executive produced by Lucy Richer for the BBC, Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE, Ruth Kenley-Letts (The Casual Vacancy, The Strike Series), Neil Blair (The Strike Series, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them), and Ruth Wilson.

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Review and Giveaway of The Little Mermaid (Movie) 30th Anniversary Edition

It's hard to believe, but Walt Disney Studio's double Academy Award-winning The Little Mermaid is celebrating its 30th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, the studio has recently released an updated anniversary edition, complete with all new bonus features and now available digitally as well as on Blu-ray.

Thanks to Walt Disney Studios, I was able to revisit this now-classic movie, which is based on the Hans Christian Andersen tale about a young mermaid who dreams of becoming a human. I loved the digital edition of The Little Mermaid just as much as I loved the feature film when it was first released. I had forgotten how great the songs are (especially "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World") and that plot is more than just a love story, thanks to the evil Ursula's treachery.

The fantastic cast includes Jodi Benson as Ariel, Pat Carrol as Ursula, Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian, Christopher Daniel Barnes as Eric, and Jason Marin as Flounder. There wasn't a weak link among the actors, though you have to love Sebastian and Flounder, don't you? The colors are super, and the movie doesn't disappoint in terms of action, humor, and drama (hello, sharks, shipwrecks, and storms).

I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes features of The Little Mermaid, in which the actors talk about their experiences making the animated movie and how closely they worked with the artists. I also enjoyed seeing the deleted and alternative scenes. Besides the classic bonus features, the anniversary edition includes a sing-a-long mode, which would great fun to watch with your kids (or when you're home alone).

The digital edition has some exclusives. First is "Part of Your World--A 30-Year Retrospective," in which songwriter Alan Menken and Jodi Benson sing and talk about the movie's hit song "Part of Your World." There are also a series of music videos, Easter eggs, and other bonus clips. In fact, there are so many extras, I haven't had time to explore them all.

GIVEAWAY: Again thanks to Walt Disney Studios, I'm able to offer one of my readers a copy of the digital Anniversary Edition of The Little Mermaid to help celebrate the movie's 30th anniversary. All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is to have a USA mailing address and fill out the following form. I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner on March 6. Once the winner has been confirmed, I'll pass his or her mailing address along to the publicists and then delete all data from my computer. The publicists will ship a digital code directly to the winner. Good luck.

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Weekend Cooking: Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table (Film)

Have you ever heard of Ella Brennan? I hadn't, but I sure have heard about her restaurants and the chefs she nurtured into fame.I have also heard about (and experienced) the world-renown food scene of New Orleans, for which she deserves much, much credit.

The documentary film Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table (directed by Leslie Iwerks, 2016, streaming on Netflix) introduces to this amazing NOLA native through vintage photos and film, visits to her restaurants, and personal interviews.

When Ella was just 20 years old and with no business experience, her much older brother put her in charge of a newly acquired family restaurant, which was to be called Brennan's and which soon changed the face of the New Orleans restaurant scene. It was at that restaurant that she came up with the dessert Bananas Foster, which is now served the world over.

From there, she bought and revived the Commander's Palace, which eventually became one of the best restaurants in the country. Her vision brought Cajun food to the general public after she hired a young local chef no one had ever heard of by the name of Paul Prudhomme. Later, she took a chance on another unknown, the 24-year-old Emeril Lagasse. Ella not only encouraged her staff and chefs to do their best for her own restaurants but she relished their growth and celebrated their decisions to move out on their own.

The documentary is Ella's story, the story of a family, the story of American local cuisine, and the story of a city's evolution into a major food destination.  Ella Brennan ends with the rebuilding of the restaurant after the devastation of Katrina, highlighting the determination it took to start over again after the loss of absolutely everything.

Ella was an amazingly generous person and an extremely hard worker. Despite several setbacks--some personal, some financial--she never gave up, moving forward to help her family and her staff.

The film focused on Ella's life in the restaurant business and her influence on New Orleans food and American tastes. Still, I wish director Iwerks had featured the city and its diverse population more strongly. Despite that, Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table was a fascinating introduction to a shining star in the American food world.

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International Freebie!

If you'd like a PDF copy of the cookbook that accompanies Crystal King's The Chef's Secret (see my post from Monday), either comment on this post or link up your own foodie post and then fill out this form. Everyone who provides his or her email after commenting or participating will get a copy. Fun fact: I adapted one of my grandmother's recipes for the book!



I'll delete your email from the Google form after I send you your cookbook.
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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Off the Shelf; or What's New in My Corner of the World 2

Life in General: This has been one rough week! You may have noticed that I've barely had any social media presence at all. Work has slammed me. While this is a really, really good thing, I wasn't really prepared for it.

January has always had a sane workload. This year, however, Yikes! It seems that almost all my focus has been on editing and writing. I'm so grateful for the work and feel very lucky to be among those who managed a successful freelance career, but sometimes it's overwhelming.

Book to Movie: I was looking through my blog's archives, and I can't believe I never wrote about Susannah Cahalan's Brain on Fire, a memoir that truly had a lasting impact on me. If you don't know the story, Cahalan, a journalist, suddenly and unexpectedly started showing symptoms of some kind of psychological breakdown. She was on the verge of being institutionalized, when a neurologist asked her to draw a clock. Through this simple test, done hours before her doctors were going to commit her, it was discovered that she had a brain infection and was not, in fact, undergoing a psychotic episode. That book had such an effect on me, I made Mr. BFR promise that he would make sure I was tested if I ever displayed similar symptoms. The other day, we caught the Netflix movie (directed by Gerard Barrett and starring Chloë Grace Moretz). While I don't think the movie packs the punch of the memoir, it's still worth watching.

In the Kitchen: Three cheers for my pressure cooker! I've used it twice already this week: We had beans and rice on Monday and chicken curry on Wednesday. Tonight I'll put it through its paces again for split pea soup with ham. It's cold outside and hot, flavorful, one-pot dinners are so welcome.

Knitting: I've been on a knitting kick lately. I recently finished a white wool scarf (there's a photo on Instagram), and now I'm quickly working on a matching hat. With temperatures dropping below zero, I really, really need that new hat! I was so inspired, I picked up a new pattern book: Cascade Yarn's 60 Quick Knits, which has, as the title says, patterns for 20 hats, 20 scarves, and 20 mittens. The cover shows some of the projects, and I'm already planning next year's Christmas gifts!

My phone: I had a request to talk a little bit about why I picked the iPhone 8 when I bought a new phone a couple of months ago. Here's what my research told me. First, the 8 was half the price of the XS, and I really didn't want to spend $1000 just before the holiday season. Second--and more important--my understanding is that none of the current iPhones are G5 ready, and I knew that if I spent $1000 on a phone, I wouldn't want to replace it in 18 months or so when the new network is released. I won't have an issue ditching the cheaper model when Apple produces G5 phones.

In my cup: Although coffee is my go-to morning beverage, I'm an afternoon tea drinker. Iced in the summer, and hot in the winter. These days I can't get enough of Harney & Son's Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea, which has been one of my favorites for years. I've been drinking it by the pot full all this month.

Making plans: Never mind the -8F temperatures, I've started eyeing up the seed catalogs. I know it sounds crazy, but we're really not all that far away from starting the seedlings and dreaming of this year's garden. Besides, just looking at the photos of the flowers makes me happy and warms my soul.

What's going on your part of the world?

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Weekend Cooking: The Trip to Spain (Movie)

Way back in 2013, I wrote about The Trip, a funny mockumentary about two friends who hit the road to sample food in northern England and muse about all things middle-age, movies, and more.

Although I missed comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's second film, in which they travel to Italy, I'm glad I took the time to see the third in their projected 6-part series. It's true that The Trip to Spain (directed by Michael Winterbottom) doesn't offer too much new, but that didn't matter me.

Coogan and Rob and are clearly having fun, and their banter about movies and actors and their delightful impersonations still made me laugh. Food doesn't have quite the center stage in this film as it did in The Trip, but many of the scenes are shot in restaurants, with cutaways to busy professional kitchens.

The cinematography and Spain's spectacular scenery often stole the spotlight. If you hadn't had Spain on your list of destinations, this movie will correct that lapse. The countryside and small towns are simply beautiful.

The Trip to Spain may have lacked a little in the foodie-porn department and may have been a kind of rehash of the duo's earlier work, but that didn't stop me from laughing at their antics, impressions of the famous, and oohing and aahing at the scenery.

Take some time to see at least one of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's movies; I bet you have some some laughs. Here's the trailer for The Trip to Spain.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Weekend Cooking: Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent (Film)

Do you know who Jeremiah Tower is? I hope you do. But regardless of whether your answer to that question is yes or no, you should take some time to see the 2016 documentary Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent, directed by Lydia Tenaglia and Morgan Fallon. Anthony Bourdain both appears in the film and is one of the producers.

I know Chef Tower first from his association with Alice Waters and Chez Panisse and later from his San Fransisco restaurant Stars. He also had a brief tenure at Tavern on the Green. He is most known for transforming the American food and restaurant scene and for being one of the first to promote the idea of eating local foods.

Beyond his resume, however, I didn't know much about who Tower was as a person. The movie is primarily documentary, mixing vintage footage and family photographs with more recently shot scenes. The film also uses some reenactments when Tower tells us stories about his privileged and eccentric but less-than-ideal childhood.

After watching Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent, I have a different view of the chef as a man: I admire how he rose above a difficult youth and his vision for how best to pursue one's passions, yet I wonder how much of his aloneness is his own fault or perhaps manufactured to create a kind of mystique.

I loved hearing from the range of food elites who appear in the documentary, such as Martha Stewart, Ruth Reichl, Stephen Torres, Wolfgang Puck, and Anthony Bourdain. We also meet other people who knew the chef well, such as friends and people who worked with him.

If you're interested in the rise of the American food scene and the local food movement, then you should get to know Tower, one of the very first celebrity chefs. Although food and cooking are strong threads in Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent, the focus is much more on the chef than on showing beauty scenes of the food he cooked and served at his restaurants.

The documentary is currently streaming on Netflix and is well worth your time. Here's the trailer.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Review: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Movie)

In these heavy days of never-ending news broadcasts and the importance of being involved with politics and voting and the #MeToo movement and every other big thing I believe in, I relish every second I have for fun, entertainment, and escape.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again hits all my take-me-away buttons. From the singalong songs to the beautiful seaside setting and all-star cast, this movie--written and directed by Ol Parker--puts a smile on my face. It's now out on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4k Ultra HD, and digital download, which means I'll be able to watch Mamma Mia 2 whenever I need it most and on whatever device is handy.

A big shout-out to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for sending me a review copy. I loved all the amazing extras: deleted songs and scenes, enhanced music, interviews and behind-the-scenes insight, the sets and costumes, and commentary from the director and producer.

Okay, so let me tell you what I really think! Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is both a prequel and a sequel to the story of Donna (played by Meryl Streep), the single mother we met in the first Mamma Mia! movie. The film begins with Donna's daughter, Sophie, getting ready for the grand opening of their refurbished Greek Island inn but soon turns to stories of how Donna met three great guys (all Sophie's dads), had a singing group (the Dynamos), and ended up moving to the island permanently.

I thought the actors who played the young fathers (Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan, Jeremy Irvine) and young Dynamos (Jessica Keenan-Wynn, Alexa Davies, and Lily James) were fantastic matches to the older actors (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters). The dancing and singing were toe-tapping good, and I like the way ABBA's songs inspired the action. Plus, did I mention Colin Firth?

Although I know I'll watch Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again a few (okay, a zillion) more times, I have to admit the plot was a little thin. I was also a little disappointed in Cher, who was not at the top of her acting game here. Finally, I missed Meryl Streep as the main character. But, honestly, I wasn't expecting this movie to be an Oscar contender. I was looking for singing, dancing, fun, and a little romance, and Mamma Mia! Hear We Go Again gave that to me in spades -- even if I sobbed at the end.

Put the Blu-Ray, DVD, digital download combo pack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again on your holiday gift list. I bet you know a few people who would love to escape to Donna's island at a moment's notice.

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Weekend Cooking: Review: Burnt (movie)

What do get when you mix a chef's story with actors Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Emma Thompson, Daniel Brühl, and Uma Thurman? The movie Burnt (directed by John Wells, 2015).

This is the story of Adam Jones, a two-star Michelin chef in Paris who lost it all thanks to drugs, sex, and a uber-diva attitude. After hitting rock bottom and letting down his mentor and friends, Adam hides out in New Orleans as an oyster shucker, while cleaning up his act.

We learn all that through the backstory. Burnt opens as Adam leaves NOLA for London, hoping, with the help of his old friends, to find a restaurant that will allow him to earn that third Michelin star.

I liked the premise of Burnt, and Bradley Cooper is certainly easy on the eyes. Adam Jones is one of the world's best chefs and has an artist's temperament to match. He's determined to take advantage of his second chance, staying focused on his career and hiring the best kitchen staff to help him. Besides proving himself to his backers and to the critics, he has to contend with the dirty laundry of his past, including drug dealers and pissed-off fellow chefs.

While there were plenty of pretty plates of food and a developing relationship with his second-in-command, Helene (Miller), I found it hard to connect with Adam's struggle to rise out his self-made ashes. First, I was not wowed by the kitchen scenes and didn't sense Adam's love of food, flavors, and the perfect dish. Second, although we get a few teasers of Helene's story (she has an adorable daughter, for example), we don't learn enough about her to root for her relationship with Adam.

Burnt was nicely filmed, and I appreciated the use of creative lighting in a few scenes. Unfortunately, good acting and artsy restaurant meals weren't enough to make this a Michelin-starred movie for me. Burnt is, however, a pleasant enough way to spend a evening. Here's the trailer:

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Weekend Cooking: Off the Menu (movie review)

Oh what a week this has been! A huge news week, plus torrential rains, plus . . . I had a half bushel of roma tomatoes to process. Oh and did I mention that I'm getting ready to go on vacation?

In between the busyness, I found some time to get lost in a light rom-com with a food theme. Off the Menu (directed by Jay Silverman and written by Jennifer Goldson) is streaming via my cable service, and I'm so glad I took the 90 minutes or so to watch. It's just what I needed to unwind and get inspired to get into the kitchen.

Javiera Torres (Dania Ramirez), a single mom to Sophia (Makenzie Moss), lives in a small town outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she runs a small cafe that's open only for lunch. Once a week -- or when she's in the mood -- she cooks a special dish for family and close friends. Her cafe has become a foodie destination and is praised by food bloggers near and far.

Meanwhile in Irvine, California, Josh Flanagan (Santino Fontana), a sometime lawyer and co-heir to the fast-food chain Tortilla Hut fortune and business, is tasked with finding a new dish to add to the menu. He's a health nut and somewhat clueless and selfish. Nevertheless, he heads off to the Southwest and makes an effort to eat authentic Mexican-inspired food.

Of course, he stumbles on Javiera's restaurant and of course, he doesn't tell her exactly who he is. Romance, misunderstandings, growth, and love ensue.

Is this the best rom-com you've ever seen? Probably not. But I promise you'll be craving some Southwest/Mexican food within about 3 minutes. The setting is beautiful, the food is to die for, and the acting is just fine. If you're looking for a foodie flick with pure escapism as the draw, Off the Menu is for you.

Take a look at the trailer and put this one on your watch list.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Book to Movie: A Wrinkle in Time

One of my favorite childhood books was Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, an action-adventure story that transports us across the universe as the Murry children and a friend search for Mr. Murry, who went missing four years earlier.

You should have seen my smile when I learned Disney was bringing A Wrinkle in Time to the big screen. I was even happier, though, when Disney gave me the chance to help celebrate this week's release of the Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital download versions of the movie.

Thanks to Disney, I was able to watch A Wrinkle of Time in the comfort of my own home. And, as of this week, you too can own a copy of the movie. Disney made my viewing experience red-carpet special: I snuggled up in a plush throw and drank tea from my Wrinkle in Time mug.

This weekend I plan to re-read the book and was happy to see the movie tie-in paperback has a color insert with photos of the cast! I love the sparkly lined journal, which is perfect for recording the ways I can bring light into the world. (see the photo at the right)

If you're unfamiliar with the book or movie, A Wrinkle in Time is the story of how Meg and Charles Wallace Murry and their friend Calvin search the universe to find Mr. Murry, a scientist who has discovered a way to travel faster than light. They get help and advice from otherworldly beings but in the end must rely on themselves to face down the ultimate, dark evil.

The movie thus has two sets of stars. The three women who help the children are played by Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling. The kids are played by Storm Reid, Levi Miller, and Deric McCabe. The casting was a piece of brilliance, as there were no weak links in either set of actors. Reid, who plays Meg, was especially believable and shines in almost every scene.

As with all book to film adaptations, A Wrinkle in Time doesn't follow L'Engle's plot in scrupulous detail, but the screen play captures many of the major moments. The settings are gorgeous, and I loved the soundtrack. I also appreciate that the movie includes a diverse cast.

Director Ava DuVernay and writers Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell sure know how to tug at your heartstrings. As the younger crowd used to say: OMG.All.The.Feels! You'll definitely want to keep the tissues handy while you get ready to find your inner strength and the courage to become a warrior.

The themes in A Wrinkle in Time include self-acceptance, love, faith, and trust. The novel stresses more traditional forms of faith (Christianity), but the movie takes a broader view of healing the world through love.

The movie version of A Wrinkle in Time condenses the novel and tweaks the perspective for a twenty-first-century audience, but Meg's personal journey to self-acceptance is worth the trip. Note that you don't have to be a science fiction fan to enjoy this movie. Check out the trailer:

Thanks again to Disney for the opportunity to review the movie and for the very cool swag.

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