The Poseidon Adventure (1972) - March's Movie Suggestion

Plus Gene Hackman's Steak Diane recipe

By rights, you should watch The Poseidon Adventure on New Year’s Eve

as that is the night the ship goes down - should I have added a spoiler warning there?!

But I have a special reason for selecting it as the movie of the month for March.

My friend Orlando's new novel is launched (like a luxury yacht with champagne smashed over its prow) this Thursday

'If Agatha Christie were to go on MasterChef, this novel would be the result.' Clare Pooley

The book features a cocktail created by yours truly called The Poseidon Adventure. Hurrah!

If you have seen this movie before, you will understand the significance of the Christmas tree cocktail stick.

The cherry on the end represents Shelly Winters. She goes INTO the drink of course, in more ways than one…

If you are a murder mystery fan, you may have read Orlando’s previous book

which I loved. I did NOT work out whodunit.

Orlando was kind enough to allow me to quiz him about writing Murder Below Deck on Zoom. We talk about

• writing murder mysteries

• writing about food

• how to include recipes in novels

• our love of great movies.

  Orlando makes me laugh a lot, he’s one of the funniest people I know, do check this out for 30 minutes of fun chit-chat.

As mentioned, if you don’t have a local bookshop, you can still support independent booksellers by buying your books online from bookshop.org

Knife Skills for Beginners

Murder Below Deck

Those links will take you directly to the page for my favourite local bookshop, Rother Books in Battle, but you can switch it over to support a bookseller near you.

I have ordered the book from Ian at Rother Books and I will be jumping on the bus to collect it as soon as it arrives.

Worldwide Watch Party - all welcome!

Orlando will be joining my Poseidon Adventure watch party so we are bound to have LOTS of fun texting-along-a-movie. More details will follow, but for now, pop the date in your diary.

Join us from the comfort of your sofa, wherever you are in the world.

But if you can’t make that date, do try and catch the film this month – either on DVD or via your streaming service of choice.

This is all surely an excuse to have a cocktail, eat something nice, watch a movie and then settle down in bed with one of Orlando’s books afterwards. What a dream evening!

Coming on Friday for patrons of the arts (aka my beloved paid subscribers)

A video demo of the Poseidon Adventure cocktail

A Roddy McDowall recipe

A Red Buttons recipe

A Shelley Winters recipe

Shelley demands that you to make her Chicken a la Shelley!

I am TOYING with the idea of doing a live Debbie-Reynolds-exercise-along here on Substack sometime as Shelley makes me laugh my head off.

In Debbie’s workout video, Shelley huffs and puffs in the background, eventually giving up…

Who is in?

Recipe Of The Month - Gene Hackman’s Steak Diane

I was sad to hear that Gene travelled to that Hollywood in the sky this week. Let’s celebrate him by making his steak.

This was SO GOOD. That is all!

Star-spangled recipe books!

My books are available worldwide via Amazon (switch to your own country for the correct pricing)

or via my Etsy shop (these will come directly from me and can be signed if you wish) - my 1933 cocktail book facsimile is only available from here.

Please note, if you would like to buy the cocktail book and one of my other books at the same time, get in touch as I can send it in the same package without you having to pay extra postage.

Wanna join our club? Pop in your email to receive movie star recipes delivered directly to your inbox. Extra goodies are available too.

You see, Mr. Scott? In the water I'm a very skinny lady.