All About Eve (1950)

Plus Bette Davis' Red Flannel Hash Recipe

Welcome old friends and new to a brand new online mash-up of a movie club and a supper club. I hope you’ll have lots of fun watching classic films accompanied by star-spangled dishes from the kitchens of the stars.

The first film I’m proposing we all watch together, on our own sofas, in our own sweet time, is All About Eve. So grab it on DVD or via your favourite streaming service, plump up your cushions and wallow in the glamour of it all.

It’s a humdinger of a film starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, Thelma Ritter and Marilyn Monroe - what a stellar cast!

BETTE’S SIGNATURE DISH

This recipe for Red Flannel Hash was a favourite of Bette Davis and is a quick and easy dish to rustle up to scoff before your film screening. You could boil up your potatoes the night before for even more speed. Here it is in her very own handwriting…

Here’s how mine turned out. Unphotogenic but utterly delicious.

For those who weigh ingredients rather than using cups or would like some tips on cooking this dish - skip over to this post on the Silver Screen Suppers website for more information.

Thanks to Cheryl @queenofmarkets who pointed out that in some parts of the world corned beef is known as salt beef.

MINDFUL WATCHING TIPS

Are all mobile phones switched to silent, chatterboxes banished, salty snacks and beverages within arms reach, last minute wees done, pillows plumped?

Then relax and enjoy.

EXTRA GLAMOUR

This month’s extra content is a kitchen video demonstration of Gibson cocktails and Bette Davis Eyes Canapés. This taster of what to expect if you are a sub-paying club member will drop into all subscriber inboxes on Friday.

Shopping list for the extra treats

Gin or vodka

Dry vermouth (the white one)

Cocktail onions

Grapes

Boursin or another soft cheese

Pistachio nuts

Take photos of your Hash, Eyes and Gibsons. I wanna see ‘em! If you use the hashtags #silverscreensuppers and #dinnerandamovie on social media, I should spot them. Or you can share them in the Substack app.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FILM AND MOVIE STAR VITTLES?

I’ll kick off the chit-chat on Sunday, 16th of April. So keep your eyes peeled and join us after seeing the movie. There may be spoilers!

If you don’t have the app, here’s a handy joining button.

Think of the app space as our private cinema club where you can discuss the movie with other lovely people as you drink ice-cold Gibsons in an Edith Head hostess gown.

We’ll be chatting about important matters such as our favourite lines of dialogue, who wears the best outfits, and whether we will ever be able to forget the sight of Eve Harrington ripping a wig.

Spring onions at the ready, chums. See you in the chat!

WHERE IS THE FILM PLAYING?

UK - Flicks Guide

USA - TV Guide

Australia - Flicks Guide

If you are elsewhere, search for - All About Eve streaming - then your country name for the swiftest results.

DVDs of the film can be obtained through sites like eBay or have a rummage around in your local charity shops.

LINKY-LINKS

Eighteen years of movie star recipe experiments can be found on the Silver Screen Suppers website.

Here are links to my themed cookbooks featuring the favourite recipes of tonnes of movie stars. These links will take you to the UK Amazon site, so switch to your country for the correct postage costs.

If you prefer not to buy via Amazon, all are available to order from bookshops except Cooking with Joan Crawford. This is currently only available via Blurb, but a new, more affordable version, is coming soon. You will hear about it first here!

JOIN ME AGAIN NEXT MONTH?

Our next movie will be announced on Sunday 7th May, and I hope this is the style in which you’ll be watching it.