Films at the Table Leyla & Nico Pizzolato

In this episode,  Leyla and Nico revel into commenting some moments of Little Women (2019), a masterpiece neglected by the Academic Award and the film festivals, but an instant classic with its audience. We discuss some of the complex relationships between the characters, what makes this film great and the underlying feminist themes. As usual, we also cook. We aimed at Marmee's birthday cake, which is shown in the last scene of the movie; we have followed the recipe provided by the Boston Globe as below:

Makes one 9- or 10-inch cake

The week that "Little Women" food stylist Christine Tobin had to make a cake that would go on the set for Marmee's birthday, foliage in Boston was at its peak. Tobin and her daughter foraged leaves, twigs, and acorns around Jamaica Pond and Forest Hills Cemetery to decorate this chiffon cake, which is frosted with a simple meringue buttercream. The cake was designed to show the love of the outdoors that the March family had, says Tobin, and how they utilized its natural beauty to adorn even the simplest cakes.

CAKE

7eggs, separated½teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon lemon juice1½cups granulated sugar2cups flour2½teaspoons baking powder¾teaspoon salt½cup vegetable oil¾cup whole or skim milk2teaspoons vanilla extract1teaspoon almond extract

1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Have on hand a 10-inch tube pan or angel food pan (ungreased). Slide an oven shelf just below center so the cake will not touch the top of the oven.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar or lemon juice until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy; set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar with the flour, baking powder, and salt to blend them.

4. In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the oil, milk, vanilla and almond extract, and egg yolks until pale yellow. Add the flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites, scraping the bottom of the mixer bowl so the batter is well blended. Pour into the tube or angel food pan.

6. Bake for 50 minutes, turn the heat up to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 10 minutes. (Total baking time is 60 minutes.)

7. Set the pan upside-down on a thin-necked bottle to cool for 30 minutes. Turn out and set right-side up on a platter.

FROSTING

6tablespoons pasteurized liquid egg whites (generous 1/3 cup)3cups confectioners' sugar¼teaspoon salt1½cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature1tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, if you have one, or the whisk, beat the liquid egg whites, confectioners' sugar, and salt on low speed, until the sugar is moistened and no dry patches remain. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatlula to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Turn the mixer to medium and beat for 5 minutes.

2. Turn the speed to medium-low and start adding the butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, until it is all incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Stop the machine to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn the speed up to medium and beat the buttercream for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Use the buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with elements of the outdoors.

This intriguing premise is at the core of It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), the famed Frank Capra movie about friendship, family and the value of being there for other people. Often labelled only as a Christmas classic, this movie hides sophisticated narrative and cinematic techniques behind the overpowering moral message. Leyla and Nico watch it while cooking a comforting, Christmas-inspired candy cane ice cream pie, whose full recipe can be found here https://whatagirleats.com/candy-cane-ice-cream-pie/

What time in history would be your ideal ‘golden age’? This is the main theme of Midnight in Paris (2011), a film by Woody Allen in which the protagonist, played by Owen Wilson, travels back in time to meet artists such as Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso and Gertrude Stein while, conveniently, falling in love. We discuss the film with visual artist Monica Rivas Velasquez. At the end of the episode we cook chicken Maryland, a recipe Scott Fitzgerald was fond of, but we have our own take on it.

From the show:

Chicken Maryland by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Cut a 3 ½ pound chicken into pieces. Dip each piece into milk, season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and let dry 30 minutes. In heavy skillet heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and sauté chicken on all sides until nicely browned. Add 1 cup hot water, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon sage, and let come to boil. Immediately reduce heat, cover, and let simmer 45 minutes. Remove lid and simmer until all moisture has evaporated from pan. Serve.

From https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/03/found-meals-of-the-lost-generation/

You can find more about Monica Rivas Velasquez on Instagram.

In this episode we eviscerate Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail (1998) a film about dating online in the early age of the internet, with romcom’s star Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The film is set in New York’s Upper West Side with its rich tradition of Jewish Deli food. We discuss the ins and outs of this classic story that is a remake of the 1940s The Shop Around the Corner, but with a new twist. We also bake a Chocolate Babka, a delicious chocolate brioche that requires a long and careful preparation, and which is indirectly connected to the movie, as we explain in the podcast.

We have drawn the chocolate babka recipe from the New York Times. You can find it at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018045-chocolate-babka

In this episode, Nico and Leyla look afresh at The Godfather (1972), an account of organised crime but also of some traditional Sicilian food-making. Inspired by the legendary line, 'leave the gun, take the cannoli', they prepare 'cannoli in a cup', a variation of the classic Sicilian dessert.

For the ‘cannoli in a cup’ recipe tested in the podcast.

For the crust:

130g flour

20g lard

5g cocoa powder

30g cognac

5g white wine vinegar

10g sugar

Pinch of salt

For the cream:

500g Ricotta (better if of goat’s milk)

80g sugar

50g chocolate chips