Friday, November 10, 2017

Did You Know? Anna and the King of Siam.

I subscribe to How To Geek and every so often they come up with some information I find particularly fascinating.
In 1972, a young Serbian flight attendant, Vesna Vulović, fell 33,330 feet (10,160 meters) when JAT Flight 367 was ripped apart by a terrorist bomb. Although she suffered multiple broken bones, spent ten days in a coma, and was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down as she recovered from her injuries, she went on to live into her sixties. She holds the Guinness world record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute.

We watched Anna and the King of Siam this evening, I have seen it before, it was made in 1946 in black and white with Rex Harrison playing the King and Irene Dunne as Anna. I had forgotten how good it was. Although I have always loved the musical, The King and I, it was somewhat unrealistic and the early film conveys many years of Anna living in Siam and also covers the death of her young son. I read the book as a teenager and over the years have improved my knowledge by reading her own memoirs (a very Victorian lady) where her views of the Siamese people were somewhat prejudiced but typical of that era. I remember the first time I saw this older version of the story I was somewhat shocked seeing Rex Harrison as the King but he actually did an excellent job. Seeing it tonight I hadn't realised how much of the old film had been used for The King and I. Funny this is in colour but the movie was not.

My first game today at bowling was pretty lousy, however the other two were reasonably good. I hope I will be better on Monday, when it counts.

When I was in the Dominican Republic, I couldn't get enough of Fried Plantains. I tried to make them at home but it didn't work. From this recipe it would appear I should have flattened them. Having come across this recipe I thought I would share it.

Tostones (Fried Plantains)

"A Puerto Rican side, usually served with rice and beans in our family."

2 cups vegetable oil for frying
3 plantains, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste

1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Place a few plantain slices in the oil, and cook until lightly golden in color, about three minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining slices.

2. While the plantain slices are still warm, place them one at a time between two sheets of wax paper, and flatten by hand to 1/4 inch thick. Return flattened slices to the skillet, and continue frying until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt and garlic powder.


Author: Melanie
Source: AllRecipes

Have a great day

15 comments:

  1. In High School, we read the play out loud in English class. I was Anna and one of my lines to the King was "Have you received a letter from abroad?" The King answered "What broad is this?" Even the instructor laughed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny, didn't realise there was a play Denise.

      Delete
    2. Just saw that the play is coming to Detroit next year.

      Delete
    3. Really? That's a coincidence

      Delete
  2. I wonder what that stewardess landed on?
    I've never seen the early movie version, just the one with Yul Brynner and the one with Yun-Fat Chow and Jodie Foster.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never thought of that Alex, would be interesting to know.

      I have two copies of the one with Yul Brynner. I think I saw the second one with Yun-Fat Chow - not sure. But I like the old one very much.

      Delete
  3. I watched that this summer. I had never seen it before and they had it on the classic movie station. I love old movies. I think they took more time on plot and less on action sequences.

    I never would have thought to add garlic to plantains...aren't they banana-like?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I agree Liz. But the Yul Brynner version was a musical after all.

      Banana-like but vegetable like too. You can't eat them uncooked like a banana.

      Delete
  4. My parents took me to see The King & I up in Boston, shortly before Yul Brynner died. He was sick and it was his last tour. Great play.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucky you JoJo. Yul Brynner was always one of my favourites and I thought he made a fabulous King.

      Delete
  5. Hope you do better on Monday. And no lie, I had plantains in my hands the other day but put them back because of the renovations, I didn't know how much I would get into the kitchen. Aside from regular foods. But ... I may go back. It's been FOREVER since I've had them and I used to enjoy them fried.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ivy. Isn't it funny how things turn out. I really went nutty on fried plantains in the Dominican.

      Delete
  6. I'm laughing at Denise's comment at the top!

    ReplyDelete