Savouries - My Choice for something at the end of the meal rather than some whimsical, effeminate dessert

I am reminiscing this morning about food, what else? Maybe because I was watching for several hours on Sunday, BBC television and my mind went back to my good food times in the city of London.
Today, the so-called urban man eating bowl food and Asian fusion, given the choice ( real men that is) would prefer swapping those noodles for English savouries. Ah! after a meal of smoke salmon, game and beef dishes and a menu free vegetable zone what could be better than cheese and savouries.
Just to list them, brings back so many wonderful memories.
Welsh rabbit, buck rabbit ( with a poached egg on top), mushrooms on toast, Scotch woodcock ( scrambled eggs, anchovies and capers on toast), Angels on Horseback (oysters and prunes, respectively wrapped in thin slices of smokes bacon) and so many others. 

Maybe because I have never had a sweet tooth, the idea of ending a meal with savouries was always appealing to me, even today. One of the places that I can still enjoy that is Wilton's in London. 
Edwardian men ( I count myself one in spirit) love the combination of strength and sweetness in food, something that is sadly lacking today, I find. Where today are the
foods  which emphasize smoked, curried and robustly seasoned flavors? 
The English savory course ( and in America, of those who make it at home) may
feel at odds with modern cooking, but in the end, we men must stand up and be counted and bring back one of the great types of food of our youth.

The Pleasures of a Gin and Tonic - Rediscovered

When I turned 21, my first drink that was served to me as a Gin and Tonic. For many years after it, it became my favorite libation, but as I grew older and more sophisticated, my allegiance turned to the classic martini. 
As of late, I have come back to my first love and can't image why I had for so long, spurned her. 

The New York Times the other day had a story that started with this
"Sipping a good gin and Tonic is like finding a 20th-century oxford shirt in the closet and realizing that you can still wear it downtown tonight without looking out of step with the century we're stuck in'
- I have always worn Oxford shirts since I was 7 years old and I am now 70 and this is still  my go to shirt. - HL
Gin and tonics were - like gin itself - originally developed as a medicine. In this case, to help fight malaria. When the British were in the East they became susceptible to malaria and eventually found out that quinine, an ingredient in tonic water, was useful for getting rid of the disease. Well you would expect that drinking tonic water by itself is pretty nasty and so they added Gin to it and they had no problems getting the British to drink it. 
Also, lime is traditionally served with the drink and it being a citrus fruit containing vitamin C, it also helps to prevent scurvy. Ah! those crafty English.
Tonight, after many years past, I am starting to take the pleasure of drinking Gin and Tonic.
Good times remembered? eh? and yes, 

Eli Wallach - Remembered

Eli Wallach had a great career on both the stage and in the movies, but what I'll always remembered him for was his portrayal of the Mexican bandit, Calvera in the movie 'The Magnificent Seven'. Mr Wallach died this morning and so I am sitting here remembering his film work and again I  go back to his role in that western. 
Who could ever forget one of his most famous lines in the movie
"Generosity..that was my first mistake. I  leave these people a little bit extra and then they hire these men to make trouble. It shows you, sooner or later, you must answer for every good deed"

Where is The Food That Late I ..Ate?

I have been accused more than once in my long life, as to being a throw back, wallowing in my past, especially my eating past. 

I say here and now, I am proud of that. 

On this Friday late afternoon, with the world scene somewhat crashing around me, I taken great delight in remembering such restaurants of my youth as Tail O’ the Cock, Tractons, The Cove and so many others, that I grew up in and had some of the best meals of my life. One such place and its still around, is the Smoke House in Burbank, across from Warner Brothers Studios.

Even as a child, I had the great pleasure to eat there many, many times and it still has a warm corner of my heart.

What I remember best was the ‘Coast Guard orange’ colored, wonderful ‘slap you in the face’ taste of their redolent Garlic Bread.  I am told they still produce it.

Another reason I enjoyed eating here was the series Peter Gunn was filmed at the studios across the street and that one of its stars ( I was smitten by her to say the least) was Lola Albright, who to me was one of the most stylish, sultriest and beautiful actresses in Hollywood with one of the throatiest, smokiest and most distinctive voices around. She came in here on a regular basis after the days shooting.

As Geo and Ira Gershwin once penned “Who could ask for anything more”.

Why Don't Movies make You Cry Anymore?

Last night, I viewed the 1942 MGM classic film, Random Harvest and once again ( my 100th time, I think?) I began to cry as soon as the opening titles appeared. Its a film that really transcends time - of course the plot is implausible, but who cares, two eloquent speaking actors who when they come into sight and open their mouths, suspension of belief becomes effortless and pure enjoyment begins. I defy anyone with a heart to not watch this movie and not cry at the end. A cry for happiness, yes!
It has something, as many MGM films did during that time, a sweetness, that is all but lacking today in movies. 
This along with the'Enchanted Cottage', is my comfort film to go to whenever I need to rejuvenate my soul.
and did the mention the score by the not well known and under appropriated MGM composer, Herbert Stothart?

Margaret hurries to the cottage and calls "Smithy!", he turns, memories flooding back; he cries out 'Paula" and they embrace!
It does not get any better than this...................

Wine is meant to be with food - that's the point of it.” Julia Child

This is my day to rant - so be aware
Having just come back from a month in France, I am more convinced than ever that wine is meant to be eaten with food, not to just taste it. I have never seen the point of going to a winery and just having a tasting. I have had to do that many, many times in my lifetime and have always found it boring. Just tasting wine at a vineyard, I have found boring, Wine, I repeat wine if suppose to only be taken with a meal. 
First of all, let's face it, drinking wine, first of all  is for the nice 'buzz' one gets and second, its is only good because it enhances a meal. That's it.
In my latest France sojourn, I spent a few days in the Beaujolais region at the fabulous Chateau Bagnols.
http://www.chateaudebagnols.com/
The kitchen is phenomenal, with the cooking of the young chef, Jean-Alexandre OUARATTA.
But, the real joy here, what made the meal extra special was the interaction with the dining room wine steward, Robin. A man of considerable knowledge and charm. I put myself in his capable hands and we paired wine for each dish. It was through him, that I discovered a St Joseph Rhone white wine. The red St Joseph has always been a favorite of mine, but I was unaware of a white wine, and OH! what a find.
i am sure if I had the wine alone, it would not have impressed me as much as when I had it with my meal.

so, I will never be convinced to drink just wine alone, but always, always have it with a meal and cocktail parties in the States that only serve wine and not cocktails..DON'T GET ME STARTED!