Julie & Julia, or (more appropriately) Julia & some-random-girl-named Julie

Sunday, I finally convinced the hubby to for the successful new film Julie & Julia.

First Impression: Good (Great? I'm so bad with praise) movie.Why? I absolutely loved Meryl Streep here, her uncanny voice, and addictive awkwardness which (I'm going to have to gather because, frankly, I've never heard the voice of Julia Child, to my memory) must surely be a dead-on impression of the magical woman. In all honesty, Julia, if this IS accurate, reminds me of said hubby, who was being very quirky and fabulously awkward the entire weekend. So it could matter who is sitting next to you (slouched in his seat, fiddling with a pair of Ray-Bans like a baton twirler from Britain's Got Talent. Ok, so maybe not quite like that...I digress.

Verdict: See it. Theater-viewing optional. It's a perfect Saturday afternoon flick to get you motivated to cook something delicious for dinner. Actually, you probably DON'T want to see this movie UNLESS you have time to cook afterward. It's that appetizing (can I even say no pun intended here, is this a pun? Help me Englishy people out there...)

Reservations: My only issue with the film is based off my background. I'm a writer, so books-come-movies always are a difficult genre to, um, swallow. This spring I had, coincidentally, bought off a rack of "$4.99 Bargain Books" the first 2005 edition Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen (which I have to say has the most hideously bland yuppie cover for such a multi-faceted narrative...bad editor, bad, BAD!). I later discovered a book was being made about the film, and vowed to read the book before the movie, in case anything was going to get "spoiled" by the film (how many freakin' food metaphors can I accidentally use here...another post surely). And oh how the film spoiled so so much.

Poor Julie looks like every aspiring writer, aspiring cook, aspiring wife, sometimes even aspiring ADULT. One friend, C., who didn't read the book ask, "What was the whole point of the story, though?" Exactly.

First Words Out of the Theater: "I'd be pissed if this was the movie that they made out of my book. She comes across like such a whiny bitch." Such a departure from the at-times-tear-inducing Julie Powell of the book.

Ultimately my beef is with the marketing of this film. You think, oh, it's a movie version of the book. FALSE. It's a combination of TWO BOOKS, Julie Powell's memoir, and Child's autobiography, My Life in France. So of course Julia steals the show. You can't put a budding NY writer up against the tour de force that was Julia Child. And especially never can you cast Meryl Streep without full knowledge that her character will not be overshadowed by, no offense, a newcomer.

And frighteningly I just made the connection that this isn't even the first time Amy Adams and Meryl Streep have shared a screen (2008's Doubt, also starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, also recommended). That's how much this movie has dazed me!

There's an A.V. Club review that point out the same problem, but I'll take it a step further. Maybe I didn't see the narcissism, since Julie Powell comments on her awareness of blog-as-self-idolatry. It just seems so damnable to criticize someone who already beat you to the punch with self-criticism.

Wishful Revisions: What do I wish the movie really portrayed? Powell's memoir is more than just a cutesy romantic-comedy blog. I was really struck by the metaphor of what's missing. Julie doesn't have the sense of direction all her friends seem to have. The memoir is her finding of inspiration. But Julie works for an organization that deals with the fallout from 9-11, and the conference room looks out over "Ground Zero."

In my eyes, it's a subtle post-9-11 narrative told through the eyes of a woman who may or may not realize that she's being so universal. I wanted to see THAT type of collective literary catharsis, the connection on the screen of food and soul and loss and being lost. I wanted JULIE to shadow Julia, the real triumphing over the mythic. Ephron's film to me is a Bifteck Sauté Bercy that's missing the marrow and the rich, meaty, intensity of a "life, well lived" (Powell's description) that deeply richens the original memoir.

I thought I'd share part of an old poem of mine that seems a fitting close...

I remember after the funeral, playing hide and seek

with my brother, and crawling under the bed finding, alone,

my grandfather’s reading glasses. Surely, they could have only

fallen from his face as he collapsed, here, beside the bed. It was

too much of the past to stomach, like a funeral banquet grander

than any wedding feast because the caterer knows we must

always fill ourselves against a loss: the meal itself, a new story,

the first bite an opening line repeated like a chorus for hours.

from "Doggerel"
© 2009 Lindsey Gosma Donhauser

Teachable Moment - Business Memos

And I thought I knew just about everything, j/k...

I'm teaching 3 sections of a professional writing course this semester, and, as always, the first assignment proves to be a bit of a challenge for my students, i.e. omg wtf do you want me to do?!?

The Assignment: Write a memo evaluating a sales message for effective communication.

The Question: "I don't have my book yet, so I what is 'memo format'?"

The Answer: I'll just google "memo format" and get something easy as a proxy.

The Complication: This article, which I desperately want to share, but seriously, not as the very first thing I show an assignment-overwhelmed student. HA!

The article provides a cogent, near-academic (but somehow SO NOT academic) approach to the science of visual rhetoric, document production, and the ills of worshipping at the altar of Word Defaults. The writer is truly taking the audience-centric "You" attitude I preach, and is considering (on a tab and space and leading level) how we actually SEE a memo and the DECODE that information more or less quickly. It's brilliant, and frightening, and, well, the kind of stuff that just gives me the willies.

I have never so seriously considered my entire writing life with a healthy dose of oh-god-did-I make-the-Example-3-mistake!?! dismay. In some ways it is an epiphany and a radical departure from everything I've ever thought to consider about the banality of business document composition. In other ways, it's the kind of tedious, nit-pickingy type of thing students despise instructors for expecting. Thus the perils of the academy and its academicians perched precariously on the edge of obsessive attention to curricular detail (we so desperately want to teach everything, really, even the crazy, tiny stuff like this).

I'm thinking now that this blog might just be the best thing going for my teaching. I can obsess and digress, they can inquire and be inspired, and we can carry on these fabulous discussions without the formality of the classroom, or the stingy "allotments" of the classroom.

If only I can get them all to read it...at least a little...without me.

Recipe Revision - Layered Eggplant, Zucchini, & Tomato Casserole

So I have to admit I've been saving this one for a "rainy day" though that's a bit of an oddity in Phoenix.

I found this recipe about a month ago in Food & Wine magazine for Layered Eggplant, Zucchini, & Tomato Casserole




The recipe immediately struck my eye, since I've completely changed my work schedule at the cafe for "Farmer's Market Therapy" (as I like to call it), and there's one guy there with the most AMAZING zucchini. I'm talking zucchini bigger than my forearms, some bigger than the hubby's forearms (and he's 6'5"!)! It is the sweetest, fleshy-est goodness and has become a quintessential summer favorite in the Donhauser household.

Needless to say, I buy it religiously and found this to be a great way to showcase the texture and flavor of a beautiful veggie.

The original recipe is good, though I think it's a great "base" for vegetable casseroles that can serve as a light, one-dish summer meal. When I made the original recipe, I found it to be a bit "wet" (unlike some of the other reviewers), probably because of the fabulous squash. I tend to find that store bought squash seem dried out, so I also try to keep what I do buy in the more-humid fruit drawer in my fridge. (Though now that I think about it, I'm probably caught in the age-old vegetable/fruit debate. Anyone? What's a squash, really? Ha.)

Since there's an easy link, I won't repeat the original recipe here, but I'll start with my revision.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing
1 large zucchini (1 pound), sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
2 long, narrow eggplants (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large shallot, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
8 ounces greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Oil 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Put the zucchini slices on one sheet and the eggplant on the other. Brush the slices all over with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the slices on each sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Bake for 15 minutes, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat until slightly softened and bubbling, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Oil a large, shallow baking dish (about 10 by 15 inches). Lay half of the eggplant in the dish and spread one-fourth of the tomatoes on top. Top with one-third of the greek yogurt (in spoonfuls). Sprinkle with one-fourth of the panko and basil. Layer all the zucchini on top, followed by another one-fourth of the tomato and one-third of the panko and basil. Layer with the remaining eggplant. Top with the remaining tomato, greek yogurt, and basil. Mix the remaining panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes, until bubbling and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot or warm.

Ultimately, you can play around with this recipe in innumerable ways. The ingredients above also reflect more eggplant than the way I made the revised recipe originally, as it tends to release less water into the bottom of the casserole (and I love roasted eggplant, period). You could use other squashes, add some chilies for a kick, or even use just a single veggie if your garden is only singularly prolific.

Also, as an end note, the greek yogurt revision was, in all honesty, a last-minute substitution. I spaced on feta, coming home without such a necessary ingredient, and looked for anything remotely dairy and mediterranean lurking in my fridge. I lucked out as the greek yogurt ended up basting the diced tomatoes in a creamy-dreamy goodness that no feta could have ever imagined. I'd also recommend a ricotta substitute (maybe with a bit of nutmeg?), and perhaps also a parmesan-panko mix on top if you like the extra cheese (please!).

All in all, this is a fail-safe, (vegetarian, even) summer dish that reheats amazingly when it's 118 outside and you can't imagine cranking up the oven again!

Marketing Tools - Restaurant Menus

I recently had the opportunity to redesign the entire set of menus for the Coronado Cafe, a restaurant near Downtown Phoenix. I love this place so much, I work here a few days a week. It's a great spot for dinner and cocktails, and the staff is amazingly fun and courteous.

Some of the revised design elements were an integrated lunch/dinner/brunch/drink layout; landscape orientation for a more appealing table-presentation; more modern/retro feel to go with the funky personality of the cafe itself.

I think the final product turned out quite nicely.

If you've got feedback, especially from a customer's point of view, please leave comments, as I'm always up for a critique toward a revision!

Sweet Tooth - Cuisinart Elite Die-Cast Food Processor

So I officially put my order in for the new Cuisinart Elite Die-Cast Food Processor. It involves an unspecified waitlist-wait and an ominous phone call from the local W-S. Who knows how long this will take, and I'm practically foaming at the mouth for this one.





For those of you familiar with the old-school Cuisnarts, this handy guide (which I happen to think is a fabulous marketing tool...it's practically dripping with WIIFM, and it's audience-centered for those who only need to know "why it's BETTER than what I already have") should do all the convincing--8 new features.

Honestly I only need 3 of the new features to shell out $300 for this baby:

1. Three (count 'em 3) Bowl Sizes - I love my little Mini-Prep, but seriously, 24 ounces does not a true "food" processor make. I have a "sauce" processor and a "nut" processor, but nothing that in and of itself resembles a full serving of "food" comes out of my Mini-Prep, at least not in less than a few,messy batches. I've longed to upgrade for several months, and have often borrowed my friend J.'s Prep 11 Plus (a very strategic wedding gift from me to her, haha), but I still like how when I just need a little chop-chop, the smaller bowl on my Mini-Prep is perfect (and fits comfortably on my dishwasher's top-rack). So what's better than having two food processors, in appropriate sizes? Having one that does the work of a mini and a maxi. (Oh, and did I mention they are NESTING BOWLS, so yay for more cabinet/counter space for additionally fabulous small electrics!)

2. Spill-Proof Blending - I like to make saucy things in my food processor. With any older version, you get the "slosh factor," especially when you're pulsing. (Like, how many times in a row can I possibly fling some brightly-colored sauce base all over my kitchen counter? And do remember I have grouted tile countertops.) With a new rubber gasket on the lid, I have no fear of any "slosh factor." Bring it.

3. Cord Storage - Three words: Retractable Power Cord. 'Nuff said. (And for those anal-retentive kitchen-keepers out there, you don't need another reason, period.)

Given that there are 50 reviews on Williams-Sonoma's website (with an average rating of 4.9 stars), I think this is a true cook's tool, with a battery of new "revisions" to make this piece of equipment a beloved staple in a serious kitchen.

Let me know if anyone else has experiences with food processors and/or Cuisinart. Let's share the love!

Infusions - Spicy Globe Basil Vodka

I've been enamored lately with vodka, especially of the "additionally flavored" kind. I've come to discover that many cheaper vodkas contain chemical cocktails that taste like berry/melon/lemon/bubblegum/etc, but often don't contain anything remotely close to the original "flavoring substance." Most of the higher-end liquors don't call themselves flavored, but "infused," a term that implies a gentler, natural process of extracting flavors from organic material.

With a little background research though, I realized that even this naming was a marketing ploy. How much "faux flavor" vodka/soda have I been drinking at the Recovery Room, thinking I'm getting something that's less, how do I say it, "concocted."

I came across instructions for infusing spirits, so I'm trying my hand at a truly infused spirit. I had some leftover Smirnoff in the freezer and a potful of basil in the backyard (variety: spicy globe). I snipped 2 good size springs, filled a "sun-tea" pitcher with about 700 mL of Smirnoff, tossed in the basil and gave it a hearty good shake. I figured this would be a good experiment, since I can't stomach Smirnoff, even with soda, and my article reminds us that

just as during Prohibition, when mixers were born to make bad liquor more tolerable, flavoring makes a cheaper vodka more tolerable.

I'll let you all know how it turns out, 3-5 days from now. If it works, I think I'm going to have on well-stocked, organic-herb-infused-vodka bar.

Out of Sight, but Still Shaping...

Ack! I've been on end-of-semester-grading hiatus and have totally spaced on my blog. Since I'm also about to run out the door yet again, I thought I'd give you all an interesting link. I found another Sales Machine post that just reiterates what I've been teaching in ENG 301 - Writing for the Professions for the past few years. You have to think about your audience--what they know and what they want--and give them a message that's clear, concise, and somehow unique at the same time. In other words, write something that's momentarily evocative, then shut up. Sounds like a good flash fictions piece, doesn't it? Enjoy!

How to Write a Killer Sales Message

Teachable Moment - PowerPoint-ers

Today's lesson involves a much-bemoaned topic among academics and business professionals alike: PowerPoint (and death thereby). It's a technology with so much potential, yet it is used, quite frequently, as a torture device.

Tonight, I am teaching presentation strategies to a group of upper-division writing students. A lecture I did previously involved the most heinous PowerPoint presentation ever. It involved a pink-on-pink color scheme, a swirly, unreadable font, and an inordinate amount of "Animations." The pièce de résistance in the whole affair was my appearance -- no makeup, a ball cap, and some seriously ratty pajama pants. It was dramatic, and tragic, but utterly the most engaging lecture I've ever put together. Freak them out a little, and students will listen to what you have to say, well, for at least 10 minutes or so until Facebook-withdrawal kicks in.

As I was preparing my lecture materials this morning, (more accurately, as I was blog-hopping trying to avoid preparing my lecture materials) I ran across this video as part of a Sales Machine blog posting, a comedy routine by comedian Don McMillan entitled "Life after Death by PowerPoint." I think it's just as convincing, and his delivery is quite nice in the 4 minute skit.

If I can save one room full of potential clients from a near-death experience, I think that's justification for a teaching career, don't you think? Enjoy!