Cable TV — the “love stories” channel, no less — had “The War of the Roses” on the other night. What a strange and wonderful movie. I loved it when I first saw it and I loved it the other night, but I know a bit more about marriage and divorce than I did then. At the time it was first out, a friend was going through a split no less painful than the Roses’, only without the Staffordshire dogs. He saw it before me; I asked for the 10-second review. He thought a minute and said, “Very true.”
There are some wonderful moments in it. I especially liked Kathleen Turner’s expression when Oliver reads her the note he wrote her when he thought he was dying, a very nice bit of acting-with-eyes. Man, KT was a dish back then (and still is, I suppose). I love the way she filled out a dress in unexpected ways, with natural breasts and the teeniest bit of tummy, all drowned out by those fine gams. And Michael Douglas, a truly unlikeable actor with a real comic gift. Why did he make such overwrought crap like “Fatal Attraction” when he does so much better with lighter material?
Here’s something else: I didn’t understand fighting over a house and its contents then. I do now. Alan and I will stay together forever, bound by our child and our Audubon prints. And our looooove, of course. Can’t forget that.
Big doin’s here at NN.C. More on that in a day or two. In the meantime, I had lunch with reader Mindy today, who presented me with a Barbie ornament for Kate’s Barbie Christmas tree, which went up recently. I have such wonderful readers; I believe her last gift was a hand-knit cotton washcloth, for NN.C’s cotton anniversary. Since we’re approaching birthday number four, I guess that makes Barbie ornaments the traditional tribute.
I plan to keep her around until 25. Silver, you know.
Linda said on December 7, 2004 at 2:02 am
Off topic: Those of you who made the Indiana Sugar Cream Pie, how long did you have to bake it? I can’t figure out what I did wrong, but after almost two hours in the oven at 350, it was still runny and didn’t show much sign of setting. The top was all crisp and crunchy, but the inside was runny. I finally gave up and took it out.
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Kim said on December 7, 2004 at 9:15 am
I join Linda off topic, on pie. Made it last night and swore I’d kill myself if ever diagnosed as a diabetic. While the inside was gooey and unset, the filling did a Mt. St. Helen’s and bubbled over the crust onto the oven, which is now caramelized. Not that I’m complaining.
So, how long? Do you beat the whole mess till it’s like whipped cream, wait 20 min., then re-beat to whipped? Many thanks.
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Mindy said on December 7, 2004 at 10:16 am
Oh, dear. Few things are worse than giving someone a favorite recipe only to have it flop. Possible explanation: Was heavy cream, a.k.a. whipping cream, used in the recipe? Half and half won’t do, nor will milk, for this recipe. Also, when any dessert recipe calls for milk, that means whole milk. All things fat free or reduced fat need not apply as the result will be runny ruin. I learned this the hard way, but not with this recipe. Grandma shook her head sadly when I told her what happened and then set me straight. Haven’t had a problem since. As for mixing the ingredients, simply mix them as you would for pumpkin pie. Just combine them with a spoon and let it set for the twenty minutes. Then stir again before pouring into the pie shell.
My apologies to Kim and Linda. Shows to go ya that easy isn’t always easy. I hope that you’ll try again someday because it really is the best sugar cream pie ever.
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4dbirds said on December 7, 2004 at 10:29 am
I made the pie twice. The first time I used a spoon to mix. It came out perfect. The second time my 14 yr old daughter helped me and she used the electric mixer. She mixed for what I thought was too long, let it sit for 20 min and mixed it again almost to the point of it turning to whipped cream. We filled the shell but like Linda’s, it didn’t set at all. I’m going to try it again with the spoon only, because it was simple deeelish. Kim, I am a diabetic and when I have rich foods, I make sure I do a little extra at the gym and adjust my insulin. 🙂
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brian stouder said on December 7, 2004 at 10:35 am
OK – you’ve inspired me.
I’m going to make this pie
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juan said on December 7, 2004 at 10:47 am
And you’ve inspired me…
I’m never going through a divorce again. I laughed my ass off at that movie as a young man. Now, after a divorce and five subsequent custody modifications… Given a choice between watching “WotR” and sliding down a razorblade banister into a vat full of iodine: I’d have to sit down and think about it. Guh!
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Danny said on December 7, 2004 at 11:16 am
I’m inspired here, too.
I am going to buy a pie and eat it. And since my wife is “Mrs. Smith,” technically, I can justify that store-bought = homemade.
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Kim said on December 7, 2004 at 11:35 am
Thanks, Mindy. I’m down with the real dairy. The problem here was likely the mixing. And to the diabetic poster an apology and this: I have no safety whatsoever when it comes to sweets. Just got back from a 20-mile bike ride and can’t … keep … hands … off … sugar … pie. Maybe if I rode and ate ….
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4dbirds said on December 7, 2004 at 11:59 am
Juan, I also went through a custody battle during a divorce. It was awful. Now that the subject of that battle is 28, I can look back and see that it was really over power and control. Not of the child but my ex’s desire and my desire also for control over each other. I remarried, had three more children and told my new hubby that if we ever divorced, he could have the kids. I was serious. I would never go through that again. He could have physical custody and I would gladly pay child support. We’ve been together 26 years. Not sure if my threat to NOT take the children had anything to do with it. 😉
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John said on December 7, 2004 at 12:08 pm
My marriage has lasted nearly 25 years (come Groundhog’s Day, knock on wood) based on the promise that the first one out the door had to take the kids.
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Linda said on December 7, 2004 at 12:38 pm
I did use Whipping Cream. I mixed with a wooden spoon, but I am wondering if maybe I did not let it sit long enough before baking.
However, I did take it out of the oven and let it sit on the counter overnight and the runny part did finally get a little more solid. It’s actually not bad tasting, just a little more like pecan pie than sugar cream, what with the crunchy top and all. ha ha I probably will try again. I have another frozen crust anyway.
I always loved those Wickes Sugar Cream pies too. My mom always bought those for family dinners and I loved them when they were still chilled in the fridge from the thawing-out process.
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brian stouder said on December 7, 2004 at 1:41 pm
Wickes – yes indeed! Wickedly good!
Also, back in the day there were Bluebird southern custard pies…used to love those.
Banquet used to have a line of frozen cream pies (maybe they still do); they were mostly terrible, except for the banana cream pie.
It didn’t taste like bananas – but it was good!
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Caleb said on December 7, 2004 at 2:24 pm
Nancy, please please tell me you’ll make the raspberry mousse/chocolate brownie crust pie by Dec 23…
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brian stouder said on December 7, 2004 at 3:18 pm
By the way, agreed about Kathleen Turner’s classic Hollywood beauty.
I’ve never been a Marilyn Monroe fan, but Jane Mansfield, or Lana Turner, or Penny Singleton (Blondie!)…or Marilyn, for that matter – were at least not built like coat-racks with bowling ball bags slung onto them. In the pre-silicone augmentation days, a robustly busted woman had a (pleasing!) coke-bottle shape to match, instead of being built like a capital P
A somewhat more modern actress (although still 20+ years in the past) who was always pretty, and in a pleasantly ‘real’ way – is Molly Ringwald
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Danny said on December 7, 2004 at 5:21 pm
Man, this thread is starting to remind me of that scene from Wayne’s World where Garth asks Wayne if he was ever attracted to Bugs Bunny in drag.
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Mary said on December 7, 2004 at 5:22 pm
Brian
Did you see Scarlett Johannson in that movie with Bill Murray? She’s got a pretty real looking body. I know my teenaged son finds her interesting.
Mary
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brian stouder said on December 7, 2004 at 6:29 pm
Mary – when I went and saw her pic, it was an “aha!” moment!
(found her with google, but the site won’t let me post the link!)
Have you ever seen a quirky movie called Run Lola Run? The title character is played by the same woman who starred in The Bourne Identity, Franka Potente…and she has a lot of the same appeal as Scarlett, to me.
http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/runlolarun/runlolarun.html
You know, another woman who I find striking – arresting, really – is Natalie Merchant.
And considering where this thread began, we have digressed all the way back on topic! – sorta
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