The Silver Screen Oasis

AT THE RISK OF DERAILING THE CONVERSATION ENTIRELY, I WILL POST THIS, WHICH THE BRITS AMONG YOU WILL MOST DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE.
(AND POSSIBLY EVEN BE TRIGGERED BY)



PS- THIS IS DRAG, MOTHER

Some years I make a Southern version of fruitcake with brandy, but omit the traditional citron. Mine has tons of pecans with raisins, dried dates plus candied pineapple & cherries (red & green). Last year I made a cookie version that was a big hit with the family. Think the English versions are quite a bit different.

I'm very fond of Cocoon and don't share most of Tiki's opinions. To me, it moves along at a nice, comfortable pace - a feel good movie. And I thought that the pool was on a rental estate, but that could be just my imagination. Over the years, I've seen that Tiki's favorite films are ones that I usually dislike and visa versa, so no big surprise here.

dianedebuda wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 9:47 am Some years I make a Southern version of fruitcake with brandy, but omit the traditional citron. Mine has tons of pecans with raisins, dried dates plus candied pineapple & cherries (red & green). Last year I made a cookie version that was a big hit with the family. Think the English versions are quite a bit different.

I'm very fond of Cocoon and don't share most of Tiki's opinions. To me, it moves along at a nice, comfortable pace - a feel good movie. And I thought that the pool was on a rental estate, but that could be just my imagination. Over the years, I've seen that Tiki's favorite films are ones that I usually dislike and visa versa, so no big surprise here.

It wasn't your imagination. It was a rental - perhaps one that's seen better days - but there's a scene where we see Brian Dennehy's character renting the place for a month (no AirBnB or VRBO in those days). The real estate agent explains that the estate has been in extended probate or similar situation. Jack (Dennehy) declines the pool service for the month.

dianedebuda wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 9:47 am Some years I make a Southern version of fruitcake with brandy, but omit the traditional citron. Mine has tons of pecans with raisins, dried dates plus candied pineapple & cherries (red & green). Last year I made a cookie version that was a big hit with the family. Think the English versions are quite a bit different.

A couple years ago I made fruitcakes (from a Joy of Cooking recipe) for Christmas packages. I would describe the results as "generic sweetness," not worth the brandy I poured over them.

Years earlier the Washington Post food section profiled a monastery that supports itself by baking and selling fruitcakes. Per the article, they had previously made concrete blocks. The jokes wrote themselves.

When I was growing up, almost everyone liked fruitcake. This was before Johnny Carson started making jokes about it and we learned that it wasn't cool to like fruitcake. Yes, I always liked the green citrons, though the maraschino cherries were not my favorites. My mother would buy the small rectangular Claxton's fruitcakes and soak them in rum.

My aunt made her own fruitcakes, and the minister in their little town always said that she made the best fruitcakes. No one had the heart to tell him that that was because she soaked them in brandy. This was back when most of the South was officially "dry."

Every Christmas until her passing, my great aunt would send a DeLuxe fruitcake from the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, TX to my Dad. Don't know how she started that tradition. She never lived anywhere close to Corsicana, but supposedly their fruitcakes are "world famous." The bakery says Elizabeth II and Princess Grace were customers. You have to like pecans if you eat a slice. The top is covered with them. People must like them. They've been baking them since 1896.

When we closed up my parents' house, there were 20 or so cake tins in the house. My mom liked them for her sewing and crocheting notions and storing other miscellaneous stuff.

FUN FACT:

THE FDA allowed a loophole for those BRIGHT GREEN and RED MARASCHINO CHERRIES served with cocktails and desserts to be considered NOT A FOOD STUFF and as such they can legally be processed using a method that involves ARSENIC.

Cue "GOD BLESS THE USA" by LEE GREENWOOD....

As far as I've seen in recipes, candied cherries are used in fruitcake, not Maraschino. But I'm sure some baker out there marches to a different drummer.

dianedebuda wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 12:01 pm As far as I've seen in recipes, candied cherries are used in fruitcake, not Maraschino. But I'm sure some baker out there marches to a different drummer.

yeah, I just looked it up and it said in explicit terms DO NOT SUBSTITUTE MARASCHINO CHERRIES FOR CANDIED CHERRIES.

Guess they disintegrate or something.

(clearly, I am not a baker)

"The guy whose talkin' has a heavy English accent. Could be a fruitcake."

dianedebuda wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 9:47 am I'm very fond of Cocoon and don't share most of Tiki's opinions. To me, it moves along at a nice, comfortable pace - a feel good movie. And I thought that the pool was on a rental estate, but that could be just my imagination. Over the years, I've seen that Tiki's favorite films are ones that I usually dislike and visa versa, so no big surprise here.

Wow! I wasn't keeping score, but an interesting observation! I still like your views/opinions & always welcome an opposing view. Hey I never would have watched THE SEARCHERS until prodded by others to just give it a try- & LOVED it!

You are correct the abandoned house was up for rent, but the Seniors had been using the pool as long as there weren't anyone living there.
Seems expensive for a rental agency/landlord to keep the pool filled & clean with no tenants.

And I remember loving the movie too, having seen it numerous times when younger-I attribute my boredom with the movie a result of seeing more taut, less sentimental films in the decades since.
I can usually tolerate bad 80's fashion & music as a time capsule but just rolled my eyes with the unnecessary 15 minutes of "magnificent space ship" computer graphics completely lifted from Close Encounters.
But it is true, I dislike all of Ron Howards' movies & generally find Schpielberg heavy handed, but still can get sucked into some of them like JAWS which I find astoundingly good. And they BOTH USE TOM HANKS-talk about a double Soo-whammy.

I remember the conversation in a diner after seeing Cocoon in the theater, everyone was asking "would you go?" Back then I said hellno, but now that I'm at the end of my life think of course, why not?

TikiSoo wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 1:33 pm generally find Schpielberg heavy handed, but still can get sucked into some of them like JAWS which I find astoundingly good.

I agree with this, I don't think he ever did anything as great as Jaws. My favorite Ron Howard film is A Beautiful Mind

This is not my recipe for a fruitcake but I have long thought to try to make it:

Christmas White Raisin Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 t. salt
1 pound pecans, chopped
3 cups white raisins
1/2 cup candied fruit
1 t. nutmeg
1 large bottle of bourbon whiskey

First, sample the whiskey to check for quality.
Assemble all of the ingredients. Check the whiskey again.
To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
Repeat this step.
Turn on the electric mixer and beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one teaspoon of sugar and cream until beat.
Make sure the whiskey is still okay... try another cup.
Turn off the mixer. Beat six leggs and add to the bowl, then chunk in the dried flut. Mix on the tuner.
Throw in two quarts of flour. Gradually pour in the cow.
Add 2 dried anything.
If the fried druit gets struck in the beaters, pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whiskey and check it again for tonsistency.
Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares???
Check the whiskey again.
Now sift the nutmeg and strain your nuts. Add one table.
And the spoon. Of whiskee. Or something. Whatever you find left.
Grease the oven.
Turn the crake pan to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Pour the oven into the batter. Throw the bowl out the window.
Lick the batter off the floor.
Bake 300 minutes at 50 degrees.
Finish the blobble of whishy and flow to bed.

Masha wrote: ↑March 6th, 2024, 1:48 pm This is not my recipe for a fruitcake but I have long thought to try to make it:

Christmas White Raisin Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 t. salt
1 pound pecans, chopped
3 cups white raisins
1/2 cup candied fruit
1 t. nutmeg
1 large bottle of bourbon whiskey

not entirely sure why i ask since the directions are clearly in jest, but it seems to me like these ingredients minus the large amount of whiskey would work.

also, when they say WHITE RAISINS do they mean GOLDEN RAISINS?