‘Django Unchained’ although brilliant, is not for the feint of heart.
From start to the finish this latest film from Quentin Tarantino is filled with violence of every kind.
At times the violence was so cartoonish that it was laughable – and yet at other times you could hear the audience gasp at the sheer nastiness of it.
Set in the deep south of America in the 1830s, this film presents a complex picture of slavery from those involved in the ‘human flesh’ trade and there is a strong cast of credible baddies including Leonardo DiCaprio, Don Johnson and Samuel L.Jackson.
However the real standout is Jamie Foxx as the runaway slave Django. As our stern-faced western gunslinger he reminded me of a cowboy-Bond 007; someone who manages to survive all manner of catastrophe with pluck and aplomb.
If you’re debating whether to see this film or not think loud, bold, violent and entertaining: the Tarantino hallmarkers.
PS As with all Tarantino films this one comes with a language warning
One of those mysterious spring vegetables that catches my eye every year is the Globe Artichoke.
It’s a spectacular looking vegetable that I am yet to truly discover. I’ve had the Italian style of artichoke hearts in oil – but it’s the fresh leaves off the bud that I really would like to master.
Globe artichokes are most frequently prepared for cooking by removing all but a small section of the stem and often cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns on some varieties that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating. The artichoke is then boiled or steamed until tender – with or without salted water, and usually with the lid off the pot to let any acids boil out into the air.
The leaves are then often removed and eaten one at a time, sometimes dipped in vinegar, butter, aioli or other sauces. And the remaining heart is then eaten after the removal of the choke. A delicious Spring snack!
So if you’ve unlocked this mysterious vegetable then I would love to hear from you –
how do you get the most out of this exotic vegetable?
Fiddleheads are in season right now and if you’re looking for something new and wild to add into your diet then these delicious leaf vegetables are a perfect addition. The best way I could describe them to you is a delicate cross between asparagus and green beans.
They are the unfurled fronds of a few particular varieties of fern – with the Ostrich fern being the most common source in North America. The fronds straighten out as the plant grows so it is a short season and they’re generally harvested in the spring before the frond has opened.
It gains its name from its’ resemblance to the scroll end of a fiddle and as such these would have to be one of the most ornamental of all edibles. They make any meal look exotic.
Fiddleheads contain shikimic acid so you can’t eat them raw or undercooked. So if you’re going to give them a try; the best way to prepare them is to wash them thoroughly before boiling or steaming them for at least 12 minutes – until tender.
Fascination is one of those words that can mean anything from morbidly curious through to mysteriously enchanted and out the other side to borderline stalking.
For myself, being fascinated is one of the highest compliments I can pay a person – and so I prefer to think of ‘fascination’ as unashamedly sweet – much like the Nat King Cole song:
It was fascination
I know
Seeing you alone
With the moonlight above
Then I touch your hand
And next moment
I kiss you
Fascination turned to love
When I hear lyrics like these I just can’t help but think of Johnny and June: my all time romance role models. I never get tired of their love story. It’s one that continues to amaze, inspire and fascinate me – and perhaps it always will.
A fascinator is a lovely and frivolous piece of head wear that is a wonderful alternative to the usual head gear. They may be worn to any kind of formal occasion where hats are traditionally worn, such as a wedding, an evening event or even to the races.
Originally they were a fine lacy covering that was used to the cover the head and made from a fine wool or lace, but nowadays they are often made from feathers, felt, beads and/ or jewels. They usually attach to the side of the head with a clip or a comb and are sure to get attention wherever they are worn.
I had the good fortune of purchasing a beautiful fascinator in Edmonton this weekend at Head Case Hats and I would like to give a shout out to this wonderful hat shop. (www.headcasehats.com). Not only is this shop a true fedora heaven, but they have lovely fascinators and expert and friendly staff.
Below is a photo of the lovely item and I look forward to showing it off in the summer months.
Spaghetti Westerns are a sub genre of Western films so called because they were mostly directed and produced by Italians. The typical team was made up of an Italian Director, Italian-Spanish technical team and cast – with the occasional fading Hollywood star and sometimes a rising one such as Clint Eastwood. The films were typically shot in cheap locations (with lots of Spanish extras) that resembled the American Southwest and between 1960 and 1975, European film companies made nearly 600 hundred Westerns!
These films were often panned by the critics for their brutality and high body counts but for me what remains long after the final credits have rolled has really got nothing to do with the bullets or bodies falling.
It’s the lonely trumpet that plays a dirge for those about to die, the piercing blue eyes of Frank as he sizes you up, the black clad specter dragging a coffin through the streets, the foreboding whistle of a mysterious stranger as he rides into town….
Spaghetti Westerns are one of my secret indulgences. I love their combination of sweat, grit and straight up characters. In these films the good guy doesn’t always win and there are no apologies for the over-the-top violence (this is where Tarantino got his inspiration).
If you’re just starting out I would suggest beginning with classics of the genre such as ‘Once upon a Time in the West’ (my personal favorite), or the Dollars trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars’, ‘For a Few Dollars More’, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’) – all directed by Sergio Leone.
However, if you’re looking for something a little rarer – and by a director other than Mr Leone – ‘Django’, ‘Death rides a horse’ and ‘Day of Anger’ are all forgotten gems and well worth a look.
Saskatoon is known as the city of bridges – but perhaps it should be known as Western Canada’s hidden gem. With the Saskatchewan river running through the middle of the city it’s hard not to take an instant liking to this beautiful place.
It’s one of those cities that seems to have found that delicate blend between town and city. It’s small enough that you can get anywhere in the city in ten minutes, and yet it still has ethnic diversity and plenty of independent businesses.
It has a slow growing population but in 2006 it became the most populous city in Saskatchewan when it passed Regina with a residential population of just over 200, 000. At 9% it has a higher percentage of First Nations population than any other major Canadian city, and with the average age of a Saskatonian sitting at 35, it’s 4 years younger than the Canadian average.
These are the kind of demographics that make for the true Canadian mosaic and everything a city needs to thrive.
Did you know that alligator pears – or avocados as they are more commonly known – are actually a fruit? It’s a fruit because technically it is a large ‘berry’ that contains a large seed. It belongs to the same flowering plant family as cinnamon and camphor and is native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America.
There are all different types of avocados but the Hass is the most important commercial avocado worldwide.
All Hass avocado trees have been grown from the seed of a single tree that was raised by a mail carrier called Rudolph Hass. Hass patented the tree in California in 1935 and made a contract to grow and sell the trees produced from its seeds. The nurseryman he sold them too ended up specialising in the Hass and often sold out of the trees – particularly since the Hass yields year round and has bigger and more fruit with a longer shelf life and richer flavor.
By the early 21st century the Hass accounted for around 80% of all avocados grown worldwide and a billion dollar industry.
Mr Hass is long gone but his legacy lives on –
and I will be sure to thank him the next time I delight in one of these beauties.
