Movie, Goat Untamed.

Saturday 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 goats 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 string 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