Monday, January 23, 2012

Life This Week: January 23, 1939



The cover story this week is a write-up on Bette Davis. I thought I'd watch one of her films I hadn't seen before--The Sisters (1938) co-starring Errol Flynn. They meet at an election-night ball and instantly fall in love. Frank (Errol Flynn) is a sports journalist and aspiring writer; Louise (Bette Davis) is the proper daughter of a small-town pharmacist. They elope to San Francisco and try to make a life for themselves. Too bad Franks's drinking and temper get him fired. Louise tries to keep her household afloat but only manages to drive Frank away. Suddenly--it's the San Francisco Earthquake of 1904. Will Frank and Louise rebuild their marriage while San Francisco crumbles around them?

Images from Doctor Macro
The Sisters will be on TCM Friday, March 9th at 6:15 a.m. CST.

In honor of Louise...

"My-husband-is-charming-yet-worthless" Red Beans and Rice

1 lb dried kidney beans
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 cups cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir or beaujolais-villages (or similar)
1/2 cup cold-pressed olive oil
1/4 lb cooked ham, cut into bite-sized pieces
sea salt
cooked and salted white rice, to serve (I used 1/4 cup uncooked per person)

Twenty-four hours in advance:
Place the kidney beans in a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Add the onion, garlic and hot sauce then cover with the wine. Add enough water to cover the mixture by at least an inch. Soak overnight.

In the morning:
Add more water to the bean mixture so that it is still covered by about an inch of liquid.

About three hours before you plan to eat dinner:
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add the ham and sauté until just starting to brown. Add the soaked-bean mixture, bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer for two to two-and-a-half hours, or until beans are soft. Season to taste with salt.

Serves 6

Adapted from "Dried Red Beans" in The Justin Wilson Cookbook (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company, 1965), 65.



18 comments:

  1. I love, love, love Bette Davis. Interesting recipe for red beans and rice.

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  2. Cannot go wrong with a bit Bette they beans look yum! x

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  3. I had to giggle at the title of your recipe :) And I'd love to see this movie!

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  4. Love your beans and rice and recipe title! Sounds perfect for the movie.

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  5. Red beans and rice sounds nice and hearty, a good winter dish methinks.

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  6. Yum! I love beans :) Thank you for your sweet comment, Lauren.
    xxx
    Ninja

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  7. I clicked on the link for the full size picture of Bette Davis and oh what a beauty she was! In reading your description of the movie, I thought why at that time, in movies and real life, did people marry so quickly? They meet, fall in love or infatuation, and the next thing you know they are married! How about the notion of getting to know someone and finding out they have a drinking problem before rushing into marriage? Love the images from this classic film that you posted. Thanks again for a great post! You always inspire me to watch the great, classic films.

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    1. Paul and I waited 4 1/2 years before we got married, so I'm in total agreement! I think marrying somebody after a week is really risky, even if (or maybe especially if?) it's Errol Flynn.

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  8. It's amazing how pretty Bette Davis was...I just don't think of her that way! Funny recipe title - luckily your husband is charming and worthFUL!

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    1. For some reason, I'm always surprised by how pretty Bette Davis is, too. She was lucky to not even need to be pretty, though, because she was so talented!

      Yes, I think Paul's a keeper.

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  9. Ha! love the title of this dish! I havent seen this movie, but it sounds interesting! Miss Bette was so awesome.

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  10. Wow, that is one young and handsome Errol Flynn in those shots. Love the name of your dish - reminds me of the pie names in Waitress.

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    1. I loved Waitress (especially Andy Griffith), but it made me cry, so I've only seen it once!

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  11. Best title ever for a dish. I watched The Catered Affair today. I love me some Bette Davis.

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    1. Haven't seen that one. I'll have to record it next time it's on TCM.

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  12. Wow!! What a great idea for a blog series. I LOVE THIS. First time here but I'll be back. :)

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  13. I caught the first ten minutes of The Sisters on Youtube and finally had to break down and buy the VHS from Amazon so I could see what happened to Bette Davis! I love her look in these period movies with the great hair and the hands-width waists on those dresses. Errol Flynn is always a great draw in my book as well. Got a great laugh out of the title of your recipe, as well. How did you like the movie?

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