I have posted previously about Bridget Jones and her diary, this time around I decided to take on the next installment in the franchise, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. In this installment of the adventures of Bridget Jones, Bridget finds herself happy and in love with Mark Darcy and fully expecting a proposal. When it doesn’t come and Mark confesses that he hasn’t been thinking of marriage Bridget begins to suspect that he is cheating on her with a business colleague. In a snit she decides to work on a project with her ex Daniel Cleaver. They travel to Thailand together with Bridget’s friend Shazzer in tow and all sorts of shenanigans ensue.

I enjoyed this film in a different way than the first one because it is not just Bridget’s antics that carry the story; I really appreciate that this film gives a deeper glimpse into Bridget’s relationships and how loved she is versus her seeking out love from others. The viewer gets to see Bridget’s quirkiness in action during a relationship versus when she is trying to navigate the dating arena. It was nice to see her impulsiveness and lack of judgment stayed consistent, especially during her trip to Thailand which is where my inspiration for the Magic Mushroom Omelet comes from.

Bridget eats a “Magic Mushroom Omelet” which causes her to hallucinate, make sand angels, and admire all the “colors”. One could argue that the omelet is what causes Bridget’s lack of judgement to follow.  Having Bridget eat a magic mushroom omelet is the only way the viewer would accept what is happening. We have to believe that Bridget is out of her mind in order to sit through watching her canoodling with Cleaver.

In order to make a proper magic mushroom omelet I would have had to get my hands on hallucenigic mushrooms. Since that wasn’t going to happen I thought I would substitute some mushrooms that are frequently used in Thailand when they are not using the magic variety. In my research I found that magic mushroom edibles (and milkshakes!) are very popular tourist fare in Thailand. However, I also found out that several different types of regular mushrooms, like Shiitake, and Straw were popular as well.

I was also surprised to learn that the omelets in Thailand are not the rolled up bundles of goodness like they are here in the states. They are actually open faced and have everything cooked inside/on top of them. They also use several subtle tastes like soy sauce and fish sauce during cooking that really make this dish delicious. Finally, what makes an authentic Thai omelet is the actual cooking process. Thai omelet’s are cooked in lots of oil so they get puffed up, crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Yum!

So, I gathered all the ingredients, whisked the eggs, and added the mushrooms,  fish sauce and soy sauce. If you don’t have or care for Fish Sauce you can substitute more Soy Sauce but the Fish Sauce brings a flavor that is totally worth it!I heated a lot of oil in my skillet-a wok would also work if you have one- and poured in the eggs. A medium high heat is good but watch it; you don’t want the egg to cook too much before the mushrooms. I casually tested my patience by letting the omelet sit in the pan to brown up. It should be brown on both sides so you can flip it a few times, use a large spatula so that the omelet doesn’t break. Once nicely browned up on both sides, you can plate it up by itself or enjoy it over some rice.

Overall, this was a really fun project. The texture of the omelet was very good and the subtle flavors really make this a great dish. Even my husband, who does not care for mushrooms, declared this was good. Although it was not of the magical variety this omelet still ended up being something special.

Magic Mushroom Omelet

2 eggs

1/2 cup Shiitake Mushrooms

1/2 tsp Soy Sauce

1/2 tsp Fish Sauce

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1. Whisk eggs
2. Add in mushrooms, Soy and Fish Sauces
3. Heat oil in skillet or wok on medium/high heat. Add the egg mixture.
4. Fry on one side until nicely browned, then flip over and fry until done. Omelet should be thick and very firm, well browned and crispy on the edges.

So here we are in late January, caught between the magic of the new year and the expectations of Valentines Day; the perfect time of year for the film Bridget Jones’s Diary. Bridget Jones is an average thirty something struggling against her career, her weight, getting older, and her lack of a boyfriend. To help with her New Year’s resolutions, Bridget decides to take control of her life by keeping a diary in which she will always tell the complete truth and track her commitment to changing her life.  It is great for anyone that has set goals for the year (romantically based or otherwise) and are having trouble following through. It also gave me the idea to attempt turkey curry.

The film opens on a New Year’s Day with Bridget heading to her parents house for their annual turkey curry buffet.

It all began on New Years day, in my 32nd year of being single. Once again I found myself on my own and going to my mother’s annual turkey curry buffet. Every year she tries to fix me up with some bushy-haired, middle-aged bore and I feared this year would be no exception. –Bridget

In this scene, her mother tries to fix her up with Mark Darcy but instead of fireworks there is a mutual dislike between Bridget and Mark. Their relationship transforms over the course of the year which Bridget chronicles in her diary. However, it is in this scene that the random idea of a turkey curry buffet actually has a significance to Bridget’s life.

Her parents have this buffet every year, her mother fusses about Bridget’s clothes and tries to fix her up every time, and Bridget drinks and smokes at the party despite her claims that she is quitting (again) this year. The point is that the turkey curry buffet is symbolic of the fact that in Bridget’s life nothing changes, she does the same thing every year with the same results.

Annual turkey curry buffet also foreshadows her relationship with Daniel, not only has she not changed her habits, she also hasn’t changed her taste in men. This idea is reinforced by the fact that at the curry buffet her and Mark do not like each other, he is a different sort of man than Bridget is used to and she is obviously not ready for her life (or the men in it), to change.

According to my research, curry is one of the best hangover foods.

 In fact, the best time to eat a curry is when you’re hungover. There are several reasons for this: you can’t be arsed to cook; you’re craving carbs; the piquant flavours of a good curry will penetrate the muggy fug in your head like few other foods; eating something with a decent chilli heat feels restorative (erroneous endorphin claims or not); and it’s a great excuse to crack open what you really want, which is a belated hair-of-the-dog beer. -Tony Naylor

I have also learned that curry in general varies greatly with location. I tried to find what’s common in England but they incorporated the dish as far back as the 18th century and it has come to be a kind of common menu term. The term curry on British menus encompasses a lot of different dishes in terms of ingredients, spices and what area of the world it is associated with.

Admittedly, I have never prepared a curry before and I have actually never eaten one. Because of this I decided that instead of creating my own recipe for this post, that I would just follow one from a good source. After researching a “British curry recipe”, I was able to find one from BBC Food that sounded pretty good. I will write out the recipe as I made it below but you can find the original one I looked at here: http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/turkeycurry_78850

To make this you basically put some onion, garlic, ginger and spices on the heat. Then you add broth, potatoes and cubed butternut squash.  You wait for the squash and potatoes to soften, add the leftover turkey and the cream, yogurt and lemon juice and you’re done. I chose this recipe because it sounded easy, which it was and the ingredients sounded reasonable-nothing wacky or out of place. I was  happy with the finished product which I served over white rice. I did not expect to enjoy the seasonings as much as  I did, however I felt that this curry was extremely mild. I prefer spicy food and so I added a few dashes of ground red pepper to my plate to kick the heat up and I enjoyed it more that way.

For me, turkey curry meant a totally new experience in terms of cooking and eating which made this dish exciting for me. For Bridget, it is symbolic of things staying the same year after year. What is it going to represent for you?

Bridget Jones Turkey Curry:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1in knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 red chili pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 3/4 of a butternut squash peeled, seeds removed and cut into cubes
• 1pt chicken or turkey stock
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 3 oz cream
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 large handfuls leftover turkey, chopped

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick casserole pot.

2. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chili, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and ground coriander. Cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft, being careful not to burn the spices.

3. Add the potatoes and butternut squash and cook until the potato begins to stick to the bottom of the pan slightly.

4. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes and butternut squash are tender.

6. Stir in the yogurt and cream, then add the lemon juice.

7. Add the cooked turkey, fold in and simmer to heat through.

The 1989 film Steel Magnolias is a classic! For those of you who have never watched it, Steel Magnolias centers around the bond a small group of women share while living in a small Southern town and how they cope with love, loss, friendship and relationships. It has an amazing cast including Dolly Parton, Shirley McLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Darryl Hannah and Julia Roberts. Throughout the film, the women are beautiful and delicate, yet resilient and strong hence,  Steel Magnolias.

I remember watching the film as a kid and being envious of the friendship among the women. I remember wanting to spend my adult days in Truvy’s hair salon, gossiping and talking about weddings, babies, and sharing recipes. I was transfixed by the small town life the women lived and wished that I lived in Chinquipin Parish too.  To be fair, I have done a fair share of my adult life talking about weddings, babies and gossiping. However, I have never done any of it in a beauty salon.

I have also shared a few recipes, but again, never at the beauty salon. So, it only make sense that when Truvy, played perfectly by Dolly Parton, explains her Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa, recipe I feel like she is sharing it directly with me.

The meaning of this recipe in the film is that Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa is a reflection of Truvy herself. It is a very “What you see is what you get” type of recipe which matches Truvy’s personality in the film; she is very open and honest about who she is. When Truvy shares the recipe, she mentions that she serves it with “vanilla ice cream to cut the sweetness”, which is an allusion to the other women that Truvy keeps around her. They are always a little bit more colder (like ice cream), than she is. Overall, Truvy is uncomplicated and sweet, just like the recipe she shares.

Also the fact that Truvy is the one that shares the recipe is also meaningful. Truvy’s character is generous and giving throughout the film. The fact that she is the one that shares a recipe that parallels her own personality is symbolic of the fact that she is giving of herself throughout the film.

To make this, I just simply followed the instructions in the film. I assembled the three ingredients, baked at the proper temperature and done. Mine didn’t come out  looking super beautiful like I have seen in other peoples photos but it tasted okay. I also used the ice cream on the side to make it authentic.

Overall, the recipe is simple and good and uncomplicated. It is a mirror image of Truvy’s personality in that it is bubbly and comforting. So, although I may never have done any of my gossiping or discussing of weddings in a beauty salon it makes no difference because making Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa makes me feel as though I have at least shared recipes inside one.

Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa:

1 Cup of Flour

1 Cup of Sugar

1 can of Fruit Cocktail with the juice

1. Mix and bake at 350 till golden and bubbly (about 35 minutes)
2. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

I am a fan of the comic book films. They are action-y and fun and I think they are just great to watch. While enjoying the latest Captain America flick I happened to notice a pretty significant (well, to me anyway) food scene! Imagine my surprise and joy at discovering meaningful food where I wasn’t expecting it.  Yay!

The scene is where Vision tries to recreate an authentic dish from the region of Sokovia- hometown of Scarlet Witch. It is a Sokovian version of chicken paprikash; a  traditional, Eastern European, comfort food made with chicken, paprika, onions and love.

Watch the scene here:

This scene is significant, not only because it gives me something to cook from the film but because it hints at the relationship to come between these two characters. In the comics, Scarlet Witch and Vision fall in love and get married. By cooking for her, Vision is beginning to manifest his feelings for Wanda. This is especially evident in the fact that he cooks her a dish with meaning, not just a sandwich, but an authentic comfort food from her homeland. Food has always been instrumental in communicating love, and it’s how Vision has chosen to express his beginning affections for Scarlet Witch.  I love that this film is giving their relationship some attention amidst all the drama between the Captain and Iron Man.

In order for me to get this dish right I had to imagine where Sokovia would be if it actually existed. Luckily for me there are people out there that make maps of these things. Based on what I have found, Sokovia would exist somewhere in Eastern Europe situated between Bulgaria and Turkey.

So, I researched traditional Eastern European  paprikash recipes and I found that like American Chili, there are several variations of the dish based on geographic location and family tradition and preference. However, I did find some common denominators and went for it.

The dish calls for bone in chicken, most using a whole, quartered chicken. I happened across some great looking chicken thighs at the butcher shop and used them. The thing to remember here is that this dish relies on bone-in chicken for some of its flavor.  I sprinkled them  with a bit of salt and pepper.  Next I dredged it in my flour and seasoning mixture and browned it in a skillet over medium heat.

Once browned, I removed the chicken from the pan and added the onions; sautéing until tender and adding more paprika. Once soft,  I added the chicken back in the pot and added in the chicken broth. I brought the mixture up to a boil and then simmered, covered for about 35 minutes.

I served this dish over egg noodles but I ate bread with the leftovers. I really enjoyed this dish. It was perfect for a cold, rainy night. After making it I could completely understand why Vision chose this to make for Wanda. It is comfy and homey, like a warm hug He was attempting to give her a sense of comfort, of home and doing that for someone definitely sends a message of love. Overall, making this dish has given a small gesture in a one minute scene a huge amount of depth, while at the same time gives me the warm fuzzies about the film because it chose to include such a romantic token in such an action-y film.

Vision’s Chicken Paprikash

3-4 pounds Chicken pieces (I used bone in thighs)

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

4 Tbsp Hungarian Paprika

1/2 Cup Flour

2Tbsp Oil

2 Cups Chicken Broth

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper
2. Mix flour and half the paprika
3. Heat oil over medium heat.
4. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and brown on both sides.
5. Remove chicken from pot, add onion, and sauté until tender.
6. Add the rest of the paprika and salt and pepper to taste, cook for one minute.
7. Add chicken back into pot and add broth.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.
9. Serve over rice, egg noodles or with crusty bread.