I travel to Los Angeles on Wednesday, so you probably will not hear from me till later in the week. Lots to do before departing on this wonderful trip. Hope you have a good week with sunny skies, rich dark chocolate cake, Spanish wine, long walks or bike rides, and some time in the garden.
For the first time in 30 years Miramax Films will not be part of the Academy Awards. The only saving grace, The Weinstein Company started by Miramax brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, will thanks to “Inglorious Bastards” and “Nine.” Is it true some things are too great to last?
Most people I know who worked in the film industry have great, never to be told outside the walls of a studio lot stories, but I think Miramax Films really set the bar - heck they built the bar in which the greatest stories were imagined and realized. When I worked there “lunch hour” was something people did in the Midwest in 9-5 office jobs, “bathroom breaks” were running or walking quickly to and from the bathroom with some odd assortment of papers tucked under an arm and a phone squished into one’s ear. Work began with one’s bedside alarm clock and ended late at night over cocktails with co-workers at New York City’s newest hotspot. No, I take that back, work ended late not always at a bar and sometimes not until the wee hours of the morning when you poured talent into cars before collecting your items from under the table at the Four Seasons, which had most recently become your “office.” Yes, there was screaming and even some throwing (though I only clearly remember having to duck once). There were also the coolest people on the planet in cubicles surrounding (trenches alongside) yours, crazy talented authors and talent wandering the hallways and huge acts of generosity. Miramax was a place you worked if you had no other life and wanted to give yours fully to the company. It demanded everything of you and pushed and pushed until you thought there might be nothing more to offer. It was also the single most amazing work experience I have ever had, and believe me I have had some good ones. What made it great was when you were on, had the answers, things were running in the right direction (I would not say smoothly, that is not a word I would often associate with the film industry), but when they were going well man did you feel great. The world was your oyster and this gal in her early 20s was taking it on. When I was there, at least in the beginning, there were not the layers of bureaucracy so talking to Bob and Harvey Weinstein was not abnormal. I admired Harvey then and I do now. I think he is one of the greatest film men, most passionate people I could ever have hoped to work for and his bother Bob is actually a heck of a nice guy (especially these days it seems from a recent encounter). I am grateful to have left the film business before it became vacant of such such heart and soul.
A few never to be forgotten Miramax favorites: “The Piano,” “Clerks,” “The Crow,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Blue in the Face,” “Il Postino,” “Kids,” “Mighty Aphrodite,” “Muriel’s Wedding,” “The Crossing Guard,” “Beautiful Girls,” “Trainspotting,” “Swingers,” “Cop Land,” “Mimic,” “Life is Beautiful,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Bridget Jones Diary,” “Chocolat,” “Amelie,” “The Hours,” “Chicago,” “Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2, “Gone Baby Gone,” “Good Will Hunting,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “There Will Be Blood.”
As someone who used to work in the motion picture industry I can tell you a talented film editor can make or break a film the same as any leading lady or director. It was my experience that some of the nicest people in the film industry are editors.
This year the following editors are nominated for Academy Awards in the “Film Editing” category:
Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron “Avatar”
How did I live before the cook/lifestyle book French Feasts? I made this for friends last night, ooh was it tasty!
Tarte Provencale (Provencal Vegetable Tart) from French Feasts
For 6 - Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 40 minutes
9 ounces puff pastry (ready-made or homemade)
6 cherry tomatoes
6 sundried tomatoes in oil (*when I made I forgot these)
1 zucchini
1 small eggplant
1 onion
1 bunch basil
10 black olives
olive oil
sea salt, pepper
Peel and slice the onion, and cut the zucchini and eggplant into small cubes. Saute all the vegetables in the olive oil, keeping them al dente.
Pick off the basil leaves and dress them in olive oil, pit the olives.
Roll out the pastry, and prick with a fork, then arrange the vegetables, basil, and olives on top.* If using ready-made, dough usually takes an hour to thaw. After 40 minutes my friend Elizabeth suggests to start working it with your hands to speed up the thawing process. This worked well for me.
Season.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 30 minutes.
In honor of the Academy Awards this week I’ll be posting a few of my favorite performances and films from this year and year’s past.
Best Actor - Jeff Bridges is my pick. A heck of an actor it is about time this dude wins. If you can see CRAZY HEART on the big screen. My guess is you will be downloading Ryan Bingham’s songs and falling in love with him afterwards.
I would follow April Bloomfield anywhere, which really is not all that difficult as long as I travel to NYC every few months. Say what you want about The Spotted Pig and (now defunct) John Dory, but I dare you to not have a good time or be just a little impressed with how effective this chef’s experience and sass are in her choice of menu and decor. At the John Dory my fellow diners and I embraced our meal in what felt like an aquarium or yellow submarine. Oh heck, the merits April Bloomfield brings to a restaurant are a fun and casual atmosphere in which some seriously good food can be enjoyed.
In a few weeks I will be in New York City seated for breakfast at her newest place The Breslin, inside the Ace Hotel, enjoying the Fried Peanut and Banana Sandwich with Bourbon and Vanilla. What I really love about the restaurant without having been there yet - they do not take reservations, the dark nooks I’ve heard described, and the music inspired cocktail list (Lust for Life anyone?).
A little over a year ago I began leaning toward vegan items in bakeries and restaurants. I certainly eat my portion of eggs and seafood, but sometimes there is nothing quite as moist and rich as a vegan treat. My friend Ariella is a superb baker of all things vegan, and a woman who literally does it all or about as wide a range of things as I can imagine. Mom, check, ballet school owner, check, vegan pastry chef, check, cooking school instructor, check, blogger, check. We met when Ariella was the lead instructor of a recreational baking course I took at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts last winter. Sometime after cakes and pies we became friends over chai teas and bagels (I ate bagels, and no they were not vegan and still quite good). She is one of the brightest and most interesting people I know and boy can she bake! I have not tried the most recent recipe she posted (Caramelized Onion Quiche with Greens and a Spelt-Oat Crust, adapted from 101cookbooks.com) on her blog Ari Cooks, but the ingredients are going on my shopping list later today. Enjoy!
