Monday, May 26, 2014

Movie, Goat Untamed.

Saving Mr. BanksSaturday I watched Saving Mr. Banks which I rented from iTunes. I am now considering buying it. I thought Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks were brilliant. I was also fascinated to learn a little about Walt Disney too. As for P.L. Travers, I knew nothing about her and didn’t even realise there were Mary Poppins’ books prior to the movie being made. A lot of the story was P.L. Travers’ reflections about her childhood which was what formed the idea for her stories. I thought it was a wonderful movie and ended up in tears some of the scenes were so moving. Not being, like some of my blogging friends, a movie reviewer, I can’t break it down for you, but suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone. I thought P.L. Travers was a right itch with a b in front at the beginning. One thing I learnt from the movie, Mary Poppins didn’t come for the children. I had never realised that before. Now I need to see Mary Poppins again, I will view it with a new eye. Oh, I have also ordered a Mary Poppins book from the library to see what they are like.

This picture came in an email from National Geographic. One knows goat untamedgoats climb but this is fantastic. Can you imagine being on a slope like this and even looking back to see what’s happening behind you. If you didn’t already have vertigo, I would think it would develop. This goat only has one hoof on anything at the back. It really is incredible how they do this. Personally I think I would need fresh laundry.

This recipe came to me through Yummly and was posted at Smitten Kitchen. If you read the blog, you will find that it was based on a somewhat different recipe which she ate in a restaurant. However, this is her version and it looks delicious. She mentions red endive. Unfamiliar with that. I wonder if I can get it round here. If not radicchio might be a good substitute.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta
Adapted from Bon Appetit

As it turns out, goat cheese makes a really great quick, creamy pasta sauce. And whether you blanche your pasta with asparagus or you swap in fava beans or Asparagus Goat Cheese Lemonstring beans or seriously, you name it, this comes together so quickly that I forgave it for not winning any beauty contests.

Serves 6

1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces (unless they are fresh from the farm).
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon plus more for garnish
1 5- to 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese (the pre-crumbled stuff will not melt as well)
Fresh lemon juice to taste (optional)

Cook your pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, another two to three minutes. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl, along with a couple slashes of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if you feel it needs a little extra kick.

Have a great day
Jo (2)

16 comments:

  1. Saving Mr. Banks was a wonderful film. I watched Mary Poppins as a kid, but we're talking well over forty years ago, so I barely remember it. Outside of the dancing penguins. Which she hated.

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    1. I'm so glad you thought so too Alex. I taped Mary Poppins years ago and still have a slightly damaged copy. I think we all remember the dancing penguins. I want to find out more about her now

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  2. Jo, wanted to send you this link to some Michigan asparagus recipes: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140515/LIFESTYLE05/305150016

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  3. I try to avoid movies that make me cry!!! Yeah mountain goats...they amaze me. And also mountain climbers that set up their tents to hang on sheer rock walls. No. Freaking. Way.

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    1. It is a happy cry. Do watch it if you get a chance, it is a very good story.

      No, I wouldn't want to sleep hanging on a rock face either.

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  4. Gotta try that pasta. Sounds simple, and I just love goat cheese!
    Mountain goats are amazing. We have the Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep here, and they are fun to watch. How they navigate those walls amazes me.
    Tina @ Life is Good
    On the Open Road! @ Join us for the 4th Annual Post-Challenge Road Trip!

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    1. Me too Tina. We do a potato dish with goat cheese, I have posted it before, a long time ago, it's great.

      Sheep and goats are very closely related I gather. It's absolutely fantastic to me how they just prance around on those tiny ledges.

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  5. I'm glad you liked the movie. I am also thinking of buying it. Loved that picture of the goat.

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    1. I sure did Brandon.

      It was a good pic wasn't it. Have an interesting piece of video to show in my blog tomorrow.

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  6. Now, I will get the movie at the Library. Animals are amazing, how do they do it? Laughed at your description--I do not like heights at all. But the bees. . .I just planted several plants that attract bees, Cat Mint they call it. I used to see many more, but now I heard that the African Bees have arrived in Colorado somewhere.

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    1. Never think of getting movies from the library duuh. Have had them in the past but not lately.

      Don't know about African Bees, are they a good or bad thing?

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  7. I haven't seen the movie but I know P. L. Travers was born in a town down the road from where I live in Queensland. I seriously believe my mini-fox terrier is part mountain goat the way she scales things.

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    1. Was she, that's interesting. I need to read more about her.

      Maybe she is and has hidden talents.

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  8. That goat is fearless. I didn't get to make your asparagus pesto yet. I ended up working for one of the girls who worked for me last week when the Sweetman was going through his medical crisis.

    WednesdAy, I shall make it. Off then.

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    1. I hope nothing gets in the way this time. Hope Sweetman is feeling better too. Asparagus is very good for people with diabetes by the way.

      Enjoy.

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