Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Life This Week: July 18, 1938

Silver Fizzes look like a used bubble bath, but they taste pretty good.

Not to be defeated by Gin Juleps, I put on my game face and got ready to attempt another Hiram Walker Gin recipe: Silver Fizzes.  Boy, am I glad I don't buy eggs from battery chickens, because this drink calls for raw egg whites.  These two coupes represent just half a recipe (I was apprehensive about committing two jiggers of gin to something that could be a complete disaster).  I used:

  • the juice of a lemon
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar
  • 1 jigger of gin  
It gets really thick and viscous and difficult to pour out of the shaker.  I divided the mixture between the two glasses and topped with soda (which comes out of my very own siphon!).  The drink feels like drinking bubble bath, but is surprisingly good and quite possibly a more enjoyable way of using up leftover egg whites than making a meringue, or (shudder) an egg white omelet.  I have to admit being rather prejudiced toward the egg yolk.

There's also an article about the influence of the Hays Office on films.  The best of the listed films (that I've seen) are:





Wings of the Morning (1937), the first British technicolor film, starring Annabella and Henry Fonda (and Leslie Banks in a small part).  It's just your average horse-racing, cross-dressing romantic comedy. (Plus gorgeous color shots of Ireland and London.)


Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert (in their last pairing), Queen Christina tells the story of a rebellious Swedish queen (Garbo) who falls in love with a Spanish envoy (Gilbert) after he unwittingly offers to share a room with her in a crowded inn--she's dressed as a man.  Is a pattern emerging?  No romantic comedy, Queen Christina is one of the best films ever made.


Fredric March plays Robert Browning opposite Norma Shearer as Elizabeth Barrett.  This film tells the story of their courtship and their determination to have a life together despite Elizabeth's illness and overbearing and icky father, played by Charles Laughton.


Bette Davis (in an early publicity photo, above) plays the unsympathetic role of Mildred in Of Human Bondage (1934), but she knocks it out of the park, constantly torturing Leslie Howard's Philip Carey.  Despite skipping all of Philip's formative years, Of Human Bondage is an excellent adaptation of the Maugham novel.  (I'd still recommend reading the book, though.)  Leslie Howard was made to play Philip Carey.  I also think he'd have been a smashing Lord Peter Wimsey, by the way.

Fun items:

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21 comments:

  1. LoriJuly 20, 2011 at 5:05 PM

    Drinking bubble bath? Okay... Certainly hope it tastes better than it sounds! Can't beleive that's Bette Davis - what a gorgeous picture! Have a great day with Grandma and Grandpa!

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  2. CakelawJuly 20, 2011 at 5:20 PM

    I think the gin fizz looks and sounds delicious - my kind of cocktail, none of that nasty whiskey. As ever, I love your movie star rundown - I have never heard of these movies, but this time I have heard of most of the stars.

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  3. Ton S. July 20, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    I'll definitely watch the Garbo film.

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  4. superheidiJuly 21, 2011 at 2:59 AM

    That drink looks so elegant! But I don't dare to use raw eggs anymore.

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  5. RandiJuly 21, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    Mmmmm I'll drink anything with gin in it but I've always been nervous to fix myself something that calls for egg whites. Glad to know you found your fizzes enjoyable!

    Some great movies this week. I'm going to keep my eye out for The Barretts.

    And what a shocker, men bathing without tops?!? How dare they. hahaha. Fun links, I love the princess with the penguins!

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  6. Karen/Small Earth VintageJuly 21, 2011 at 9:36 AM

    Those gin fizzes look delish! I really need to see Queen Christina.

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  7. EmilyJuly 21, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    Last semester I had my students (who were studying the Hayes Code from old micro film) watch Of Human Bondage. Most of them were surprised at what the film did get away with and that the studio was willing to make a film that had so many scandalous topics. I must head over to your link and read the article. :)

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  8. LauraJuly 21, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    Great movie list . . . an interesting article choices. I had no idea that male topless bathing was once illegal. The article on censorship was really, really fascinating. I was shocked by some of the pictures. I had no idea that earlier films had been so racy.

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  9. LoraJuly 21, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    Love the still of Bette and Of Human Bondage is one of my favs. I would love to try that gin fizz.

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  10. KelseyJuly 21, 2011 at 2:48 PM

    One of my favorite things is making fancy cocktails! I have finally built up my liquor stash to have multiple options and things to play around with... I might have to try this! Although i usually make deviled eggs with my leftover eggs because I LOVE the yolk! I also have a few failed meringues under my belt :)

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  11. mentoschicJuly 21, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    I am LOVING that photo of Bette Davis. Also love the last shot of Queen Cristina...that long gaze...with no blinking! Go Garbo.

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  12. sorelle in styleJuly 21, 2011 at 8:25 PM

    Eeek - raw egg whites?! Too daring for my taste! But that bubbly drink does looks tempting! ;)

    -j
    sorelle in style

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  13. Emma LittonJuly 21, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    Such beautiful pictures! Love the one of the young Bette Davis.

    xo,
    Em

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  14. The Cat HagJuly 21, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    I can almost taste those fizzies in my mouth, yummy!!

    And I am a big advocator of eating only free range eggs too, I can't abide the thought of chickens being caged up. :(


    xoxo,
    Addie
    The Cat Hag

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  15. aki!July 22, 2011 at 12:21 AM

    I've never heard of a jigger. O.o But it looks frothily delicious.

    seven-percentsolution.blogspot.com

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  16. Joy @ Joy Of DessertsJuly 22, 2011 at 3:34 AM

    Betty Davis is absolutely stunning in this photo. Best one I've seen of her. The gin should kill any potential bacteria from the egg whites, but what are they doing to our food? We shouldn't be worried about the safety of food, and I miss a good Orange Julius with real raw eggs in it.

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  17. KatJuly 22, 2011 at 10:31 AM

    that drinks looks soo yummy! :D

    katslovefashion.blogspot.com

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  18. Liz That Skinny Chick Can BakeJuly 23, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    I love these old fashioned recipes you try...another winner here!

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  19. HannahJuly 23, 2011 at 12:01 PM

    Oh, I love cocktails in champagne coupes. So elegant! I like your bubble bath description...bubbly drinks are so much fun.

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  20. Emily & GracieJuly 26, 2011 at 5:49 PM

    Oh, what a great post! I loved the link up to the article on the Hays Code, I learned some things I'd never known before! And your recommendation also makes me actually want to watch Of Human Bondage - I got it as part of a 'classic hollywood' collection of films at Target a few weeks ago, but i've been postponing it thinking it was going to be super depressing. But I'm excited to watch it now, i'm starting to notice a pattern of liking all your movie tip-offs.. :)

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  21. SoapyMermaidAugust 25, 2011 at 7:05 AM

    I really did not know that we could use egg white in a coktail. as you said it is an original way to use leftover eggwhites!!

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