Mystery Mondays: Rosemary And Thyme British Television Series

From British Mystery

April is National Garden Month, and gardening is the theme this week.  Instead of a book series, I decided to discuss the television series "Rosemary and Thyme", because, in addition to being a show about gardening and murder mysteries, there is the added attraction of actually being able to view the gardens created during each episode (something that is just not possible in a book!).  This series, which ran for three seasons, follows the adventures of two women, Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal) and Laura Thyme (Pam Ferris), who meet by chance after momentous changes (divorce for one, job loss for the other) in their lives.  Both have a penchant for plants, and they decide to go into business together running a landscaping service.  As luck would have it, though, they can't seem to take on a job that does not include a murder or two, and they are forced to become amateur sleuths as well.  There are a total of 22 episodes in the series, mostly filmed in England but a few with settings on continental Europe instead.  The two actresses, who are the only characters to appear in all episodes, are excellent and play well off of one another.  It is a pity that the series did not continue for more than three seasons.  "Rosemary and Thyme" is available on DVD, and three novels have been published based upon the series.  If you love gardens, cozy mysteries, and strong female leads in a television series, then you must watch this show!  It even has one of the most beautiful opening sequences I have ever seen:

Foodie Fridays: Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken Steamed in Wine

From Yummly

Supposedly this recipe was a favorite of Elizabeth Taylor.  While I can't vouch for that, it looks delicious and I intend to make this dish in her memory.  The world has lost a great actress, savvy businesswoman, and dedicated philanthropist -- you will be missed, Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor's Chicken Steamed in Wine

3-lb. broiler fryer chicken, cut into pieces
4 T. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
1 C. dry white wine, such as dry sauterne

Dredge chicken lightly in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.  Brown in oil about 10 minutes in heavy skillet or Dutch oven.  Remove chicken from pan. Add onions and sauté until tender.  Add garlic and cook one minute longer.  Remove from skillet and add half of wine to deglaze.  Return chicken to skillet.  Combine onion mixture with remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cover and simmer for about an hour until tender.  Serves 6.
 

This 'n That Thursdays: My Elizabeth Taylor Movies

Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 - March 23, 2011) appeared in numerous films, on both the big and small screens.  She is probably best known and admired for her earlier films from the 1940s and 1950s.  While I do not own all of her works, the seven that I do have are among my favorite movies of all time.  Not all of them were critical or even box office successes, but to me her performance in each of these films is memorable.  Here is a list and short description of Ms. Taylor's role in each movie:

"Jane Eyre"
From Strictly Vintage Hollywood

"Jane Eyre" (1944)  As Helen Burns, the orphan girl who befriends the title character, Elizabeth Taylor's uncredited appearance was brief, but her girlish beauty lit up the screen -- she stole every scene she was in.

"Ivanhoe"
From The Daily Grand and Sundry

"Ivanhoe" (1952)  Taylor plays Rebecca, a young Jewish woman who falls in love with the knight Sir Ivanhoe in this medieval tale, even though she knows this love can never be shared.  In my opinion Ms. Taylor was at the height of her beauty in this film, and you have to wonder how Ivanhoe could possibly resist!

"Elephant Walk"
From fanpop.com

"Elephant Walk" (1954)  This movie was discussed earlier in the week.  Ruth Wiley, Ms. Taylor's character, is a young Englishwoman who marries a wealthy tea planter and moves to Ceylon, only to encounter much strife.  Even though she had just given birth a mere seven weeks before beginning work on this film, Taylor again illuminates the screen, more than doing justice to the gorgeous wardrobe she is given to wear.

"Giant"
From Young Hollywood

"Giant" (1956)  To see Elizabeth Taylor age from a young woman barely out of her teens to a matronly grandmother in the course of this epic movie is truly something that should not be missed.  Her acting is solid as well, and she even holds her own with James Dean.

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
From rising waters entertainment

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958)  I think this is probably my favorite Elizabeth Taylor movie.  She and Paul Newman sizzle on the screen together, in spite of the fact that their characters are at odds until the very end of the movie.

"Suddenly, Last Summer"
From HubPages

"Suddenly, Last Summer" (1959)  This rather quirky and eccentric movie has a very dark undertone, but with a cast that includes a sexy Elizabeth Taylor, imperious Katharine Hepburn, and serious Montgomery Clift the acting is superb, which makes the story mesmerizing in a rather macabre way.

"The Taming of the Shrew"
From Heart-of-England

"The Taming of the Shrew" (1967)  The last of the Elizabeth Taylor movies that I own, this adaptation of the Shakespeare play was not exactly faithful to the original, but watching Taylor and then-husband Richard Burton chew the scenery is a lot of fun.  To my mind this Shakespearean comedy is rather outdated and out of touch, so the only way to approach it is with broad humor and a bit of irony, which the pair has done to perfection.

Dog and horse lover that I am, I consider it a serious gap in my film collection not to own "Lassie Come Home" (1943) or "National Velvet" (1944).  I hope to remedy this situation soon!

"Lassie Come Home"
From guardian.co.uk

"National Velvet"
From Top Popular

    

Wish List Wednesdays: Elizabeth Taylor Perfumes

Many women have a signature perfume, one that they prefer above all others.  My mother loved Chanel No. 5, while my sister-in-law adores Arpège.  Up until now I have never really given the subject much thought, but having recently discovered that Elizabeth Taylor had created quite an extensive selection, and I am starting to believe I may have been missing something all these years!

Everyone is familiar with her White Diamonds perfume.  Introduced in 1991, it is a light floral fragrance which includes hints of lily, neroli, rose, jasmine, amber, oakmoss, and sandalwood.  It is still the best-selling celebrity fragrance of all time.  Sparkling White Diamonds, a fresh floral fragrance, came out in 1999.  Brilliant White Diamonds from 2001 is a light citrusy floral.  Her very first fragrance, launched in 1987, is called Passion.  An oriental fragrance with floral and musky scents, it is not for everyone, but many like its bold statement.  Black Pearls, introduced in 1996, is a spicier floral scent, while Forever Elizabeth (2002) has a fruitier floral fragrance.  From 2003, Gardenia is a strong sweet floral based, as the name implies, upon the gardenia scent.  A trio of diamond and gem scents were also introduced in 2003 -- Diamonds and Emeralds (bold floral), Diamonds and Rubies (oriental floral), and Diamonds and Sapphires (fruity floral).  Elizabeth Taylor's most recent fragrance, introduced in 2010, is called Violet Eyes.  It is a more modern floral based on a much simpler blend of peach, jasmine, rose, peony, amber, and cedar scents.  Passion for Men from 1989 rounds out the Elizabeth Taylor collection of perfumes.

With such a wide selection to choose from, I will be hard pressed to decide upon a favorite.  Fragrances tend to be highly personal, however, and I have a feeling that one of them will stand out from the rest for me.  Thanks to Elizabeth Taylor, I may become one of those women with a signature fragrance yet!

Terrifying Tuesdays: Elephant Walk (1954)

Elizabeth Taylor did not make many terrifying movies.  I can only think of two that qualify -- "Suddenly, Last Summer" and the one discussed here, "Elephant Walk" (1954).  I chose this one because of its similarity to a previously described movie, "The Naked Jungle".  In both movies a young bride travels to a foreign country to live on her wealthy new husband's plantation, only to find herself at odds with her husband while the husband is at odds with Mother Nature.  Naturally, the husband cannot defy either for long without suffering the consequences!

In this movie, the very beautiful Elizabeth Taylor plays Ruth, an Englishwoman who marries John Wiley (Peter Finch), a wealthy tea plantation owner from Ceylon, in a whirlwind romance.  Their relationship begins to deteriorate almost from the moment they arrive in Ceylon, however, as Ruth feels that she is losing her husband to the plantation.  John feels compelled to run the place exactly as his father had done, but never seems to believe that he is quite up to the task.  The late John Wiley senior is something of a local legend, a headstrong man who insisted on building his mansion over an area known as the Elephant Walk, the path that resident elephants used to take to find water.  He even gave this name to his plantation.  The elephants still attempt to come through, but the elder Wiley had a massive wall constructed to keep them out, and armed guards patrol the grounds to discourage them as well.

Ruth does not understand her husband's insistence that nothing can change at Elephant Walk, but tries to create a role for herself in running the household.  She is thwarted by Apuhami (Abraham Sofaer), an elderly native who has performed this job ever since John Wiley's father started the plantation and is even more insistent than Ruth's husband that everything remain the same.  In addition to being frustrated with her situation, Ruth soon discovers that Dick Carver (Dana Andrews), the plantation foreman, is attracted to her but does her best to resist his advances.  The ghost of the late John Wiley senior seems to dominate life at the plantation, placing a strain on Ruth and John's marriage that eventually reaches the breaking point.  Just as Ruth is about to leave with Dick, however, an outbreak of cholera during a drought forces them both to stay and help out.  At first Ruth plans to leave as soon as the quarantine is lifted, but circumstances lead her to change her mind.  One of those circumstances is a spectacular scene of thirsty elephants finally reclaiming their right to the Elephant Walk, smashing walls, killing Apuhami, and causing the whole mansion to go up in flames while a horrified Ruth is trapped inside.  This finale alone makes the movie worth watching, while the beauty of the exotic locale and Ms. Taylor are additional attractions!

Interesting Fact:  For health reasons, actress Vivien Leigh was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor shortly after filming began.  Some of the long shots and shots from behind in the movie are actually of Ms. Leigh rather than Ms. Taylor.

Gore Guide (0=none to 5=extreme): 0

Elizabeth Taylor in "Elephant Walk"
From livejournal.com

       

Mystery Mondays: Agatha Christie's The Mirror Crack'd

From Amazon.com

From DVD Corral

In honor of the legendary actress who passed away on March 23rd, I have decided that this will be Elizabeth Taylor week on my blog.  Ms. Taylor starred in the 1980 film version of the Agatha Christie novel, The Mirror Crack'd (originally published as The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side), featuring Miss Jane Marple.  She played the role of Marina Rudd (Marina Gregg in the novel), an aging screen legend who comes to Miss Marple's village of St. Mary Mead for the filming of a movie in which she stars as Mary Queen of Scots.  At a reception held by the film company for the villagers, however, a local woman and ardent Marina Rudd fan, Heather Badcock (Maureen Bennett), dies after drinking a poisoned cocktail that had originally been given to Marina.  Possible suspects include Jason Rudd (Rock Hudson), Marina's husband and director of the film, who was having an affair with a crew member, Ella Zielinski (Geraldine Chaplin), and Lola Brewster (Kim Novak), an actress who is married to the film's producer (Tony Curtis) and is a known rival of Marina Rudd.  It is up to Miss Marple (Angela Lansbury) to help her Scotland Yard nephew (Edward Fox) solve this puzzling murder.

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple novels and short stories, and enjoyed the movie version of "The Mirror Crack'd" as well.  While this may not be one of Elizabeth Taylor's best movie roles, she is very effective as Marina the movie star.  The scenes between her character and Kim Novak's character are quite entertaining and definitely worth seeing.  The all-star cast is marvelous.  Angela Lansbury was only 54 when she played the role of the elderly Miss Marple, but pulled it off quite well.  Ms. Lansbury of course went on to portray another mature amateur detective, Jessica Fletcher, in her television series "Murder, She Wrote" (Angela Lansbury's current age is actually ideal for the original Agatha Christie version of Miss Marple).

Later this month I will continue with the Miss Marple theme and discuss the rest of Agatha Christie's works featuring this popular sleuth.

Interesting Fact: This novel is thought to be based on the real life tragedy of Gene Tierney.  Ms. Tierney was approached by a rubella-infected fan when she was pregnant, and subsequently gave birth to a brain-damaged baby.  Years later she found this out from the fan herself, who was unaware of the consequences of her actions.

Elizabeth Taylor as Marina Rudd (oh, those beautiful eyes!)
From cinema é magia

Holiday Hits: National Chocolate Mousse Day

By Searching for Spice

Today is National Chocolate Mousse Day!  While my husband loves dark chocolate mousse, I actually prefer the kind made with white chocolate, and I have a very easy recipe for it.  This is very rich and sweet, so a little goes a long way.  I highly recommend serving the mousse with the raspberry sauce as the tart berries help to cut the sweet richness a little.  I may just have to indulge in this today!

Two-Ingredient White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Baker's premium white chocolate baking squares
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
liqueur of choice, such as Grand Marnier (optional)

Microwave chocolate and 1/4 cup of the cream on HIGH for one minute.  Stir and microwave on HIGH again for one minute.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Cool for 20 minutes.

Beat remaining cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form (do not overbeat).  Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture until well blended.  Repeat with remaining cream.  Spoon into six serving dishes and refrigerate two hours until firm.

Strain berries, reserving juice.  Purée berries and push through sieve to remove seeds.  Slowly stir in reserved juice and liqueur if using, being careful not to thin the sauce too much.  Spoon raspberry sauce over the mousse.  Serves 6.

Note: While I have not tried this, milk chocolate may be substituted for the white.  I have not found this recipe where dark chocolate was used, but I did find one easy dark chocolate mousse recipe which calls for about 10 oz. of dark (70%) chocolate melted into 1 cup of water, then beaten over a bowl filled with ice and water until the mousse is thick and glossy but not grainy (if graininess occurs, simply reheat and start again).