For Starters, Turtle Soup

I wasn't feeling so well this afternoon, so during Libbie's nap I hibernated on the couch and watched one of my favorite movies, Babette's Feast. 

I absolutely despised the college class where I was introduced to the film. I need one more filler course my senior year, and dropped out of two classes before I finally settled on this one. Had it been first, I would have dropped it, too. It was a seminar on "The Gift." No, not the story The Greatest Gift or The Gift of the Magi. Just "The Gift." Period. 

It was something like a combo anthropology-philosophy seminar. How did I end up there? A professor suggested my best friend Michelle take it. But she didn't.

It stunk.

But as one of the last class sessions, the professor had us watch Babette's Feast, declaring it the best movie to watch before preparing Thanksgiving dinner. The film is in Dutch and French and is set in 19th-century Denmark. I love the plot line. I love the language. I love the darkness and moodiness of the whole picture (filmography?).

My favorite part, of course, is the actual feast. And to prove my insanity, I took notes so I could tell you exactly what they have during this beautiful French meal (which allegedly cost 10,000 francs in the late 1800s).

Turtle Soup
Blinis Demidoff - pastry with caviar and creme fraiche
Cailles en Sarcophage - Quails in puff pastry with black figs, truffles, and foie gras
Some sort of salad - endive?
Cheese
Rum Cake with Dried Figs
Tropical Fruit
and, of course, lots of wine and champagne, including Veuve Clicquot

Who wants to join me for this dinner party? (Anyone know how to cook a quail?)

It's really a wonderful movie and I hope you'll check it out!

Linked to Things I Love Thursday and Friday Favorites.

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Friday Favorites: Recipes to Try

I don't usually post more than once a day (well, unless I feel like it!) but my good friend Hillary at The Other Mama is starting a carnival this week and I want to support her! 

With all the once-a-month cooking craziness, I've been able to try many a new recipe and found some hits! I wanted to share these awesome recipes with you in case you're wondering what to cook this weekend.

I am in love with the pizza pockets, whole wheat hamburger buns, apricot breakfast bars, and sloppy joes--all from Heavenly Homemakers. Laura is obviously a genius in the kitchen AND makes everything from scratch (she even grinds her own wheat).

Jo-Lynne's tutorial for making homemade chicken stock has helped push me to do it. It's a great way to make use of a whole chicken. I enjoy having the shredded chicken meat in the fridge for pizza (I love the crust recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks), casseroles, and chicken salad. (Or more Chicken Burgers. MMMM.)

I haven't tried this yet, but I keep having fantasies of eating Kate's Spinach and Artichoke Dip Casserole for dinner. (In case I haven't mentioned it, Mr. V does not like cooked spinach, artichoke hearts, mayo, or sour cream. Wahhhh.) Maybe along with the Beet & Heat Salad I made for dinner last night (that he refused to eat). Seriously, who wants to come over so I can make this??!

Have you cooked something delicious lately you'd like to share? Leave me a link or recipe in the comments! And make sure to visit The Other Mama for more Friday Favorites.

Chicken stock photo courtesy of Flickr user Librarianguish via Flickr Creative Commons. Click on photo for source.


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