Shoestring Gourmet: That’s Rice |
Rice, the grain that feeds half the world, will be our focus for April’s Shoestring Gourmet. In Thailand, there is an ancient belief that ‘we are all made of rice’, and that it is only human vice that prevents us from being able to live on rice alone. Rice not only grows in many forms, from the basmati of India, the pearl rice of China, and the sticky Japanese sushi rice to the pecan rice of Louisiana and the starchy rices grown in Italy and Spain, but is prepared by cooks in innumerable ways. You can bake it into bread, roll it, boil it, serve it sticky or soupy, or pound it to release the sugar and make a sweet dessert. For April, we are going to cook rice and anything – meat, fish, fruit, done in whatever ways your imagination takes you - that goes with it.
Our hosts this time will be Joice and Chuck Braden. Their lovely condo poolside location comes with tables, a wet bar with outlets, and barbecue grills – and it’s midtown, central to us all. Since we will be outdoors, this one will start a little earlier than normal, at 5 p. m. on Saturday, April 10. To coordinate dishes and get directions, please reserve by calling Joice at 955-1166 by Thursday, April 8. Keep in mind that one advantage of rice is that it’s filling without being fattening. After a great meal of rice courses, you will be ready jump out of bed on Sunday morning and start your taxes.
For March’s Gourmet, our theme was "Food of the Stars." Everyone enjoyed preparing plays on the names of celebrities and their works. Esther Shaw started us off with a tuna salad with thin-sliced peppers and onions: deep breath, now - Lawrence Tuna Fishburne with Red Onion Ringos and Sergeant Mellow Yellow Bell Pepper appetizer with Lorne Green Onions, with Eddie Tuna Fisher and Carrie Tuna Fisher. This went well with Billy Crystal Water and Vanilla Ice, with Krusty the Klown Bread. From Jim Morgan and Marilyn McDonald, the classic Greek meaty filling wrapped in grape leaves came retitled as Bob Dolemades. Our final appetizer was Chuck & Joice Braden’s Chuckie Baby Ice Tea with Jack Lemons and John Candied Yams with Spinach Popeye.
Ursula Gore started the entrees with sizzling roasted Lambshank Redemption, followed by roast Cornish game hen and bacon strips: Rock Hudson Game Hen with Kevin Bacon. Ken Brown had a complex and entertaining story to go with his French-Vietnamese spicy meat combination, Monkey Balls from Vietnam. Next, Jane Khatiblou brought us Anne Rice with Lorne Greene Beans. Pat Hull wound up with Sally Field Peas with "Nunions" and red onion sauce. For dessert, Jim Morgan cleared our palates with his Caribbean espresso-style Café Cubano Gooding, Jr. Diana Toone and Ray Pisar then brought out their Julia Child-inspired masterpiece Bonaparte’s Sweet Treat, made by baking a glaze onto phyllo dough, then baking it to a perfect crispness and layering it with stewed pear, chocolate and from-scratch cranberries in sauce.
At last – movie food that was good for us!