Our June movie - A Place in the Sun (1951)

Plus Elizabeth Taylor's recipe for Chicken Steamed in Wine

Do you have a love interest who always seems a bit blue?

A bit mean and moody?

Are you constantly saying, “Penny for your thoughts?”

Heartthrob Montgomery Clift looks very nice in his tweed suit

but even nicer in his white cap-sleeved T-shirt.

He is a wide-shouldered man, that is for sure.

In my younger days, I may well have fallen for his charms, just like the poor Shelley Winters’ character

but these days I prefer a more cheery fella.

The item I most covet in this film is Elizabeth’s towelling swing beach jacket. If Santa Claus is reading this please can I have one for Christmas?

Check out the back!

Want one!

I’m often asked which is my favourite movie star recipe. For many years now it has been Elizabeth’s chicken steamed in wine. It is easy, delicious and quick to rustle up for a bit of a special dinner, even on a weeknight. This is a brilliant recipe to have up your sleeve and I always have a bottle of Sauternes hanging around for this purpose. Those little bottles are 375ml so perfect for this as 1.5 cups is around 350ml. I just bung in the whole lot.

You can make this with any white wine, but Sauternes makes it a special treat I think. Peachy!

Elizabeth Taylor’s Signature Dish - Chicken Steamed in Wine

Here’s how mine turned out.

Excuse the grease spots on the pages of this recipe, I’ve made this so many times!

Beverages?

To drink with this movie? I recommend an American Tragedy cocktail (invented by Theodore Dreiser, the writer of the book on which this film is based) or a Giant Martini (this one invented by Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson apparently).

Video demo of the Giant Martini coming on Friday and the American Tragedy later in the month.

Little individual bottles of champagne would be appropriate too!

With nibbles from a silver bowl on a stand…

You could have yourself a little Hawaiian-themed dinner party too.

I will be sharing a movie star recipe for CHICKEN IN A PINEAPPLE for club members in the next newsletter too.

A shopping list for the American Tragedy and Giant Martini Cocktails

American Tragedy

Gin

Grapefruit juice

Lemon Juice

Giant Martini

Hershey’s chocolate syrup

Vodka

Kahlua

Dark chocolate to garnish

Watch Party Checklist

1 - Get your diary/calendar out and make a date with yourself.

2 - Decide if you will watch the movie solo or with others.

3 - If it’s the latter, here’s an invite you can email to your chosen ones, letting them know the time and date of your screening.

It’s your call what a “watch party” actually is. Just watching the film by yourself with some salty snacks is totally acceptable, but why not dress up, even if you are on your lonesome? If you owe someone a meal, this could be an excuse to get them over…

4 - Source the film on DVD or via a streaming service so you’ll have it to hand when the appointed time comes. Some streaming services offer watch party features, so you can even share the experience with friends or family who are miles away, discussing the good bits in a chat box. You could do this via a WhatsApp group or something similar too. The possibilities are endless!

OUR NEXT MOVIE

Keep an eye on your inbox on Sunday, July 7th when our next movie will be announced. I hope this is the style in which you’ll be watching it.

Like movie stars? Curious about their favourite recipes?

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I love you. I've loved you since the first moment I saw you. I guess maybe I've even loved you before I saw you.