Babette’s Feast (芋稞巧)

          The story happened in a remote and poor community on the east coast in Denmark. 

          People there lived a very simple, self-disciplined life. They refused to enjoy the material things and only the basic needs for living. The pastor’s two beautiful daughters even sacrificed their romance, so they can serve God. Babette’s arrival symbolizes a different thinking of life for the people in the community. She had them realize that people are born with cravings. When God created humans, he didn’t mean that we should restrain the craving especially for the beauty of art which includes food; on the contrary, craving is supposed to help us to enjoy our lives.

          We see a lot of counterpoints in the movie. For example, it was a stormy night when Babette first arrived at the community. She was hopeless and exhausted with a broken heart. But, the second time she arrived (or we should say that she “came back home”) from shopping in Paris for the feast, she was on a horse and carriage with a confident smile on her face along with the fine weather. The elder daughter’s love for a soldier who became a general at last showed the church members how to appreciate fine food and wine. The general was another contrast which also played as one of the elements that brought the church members together through the commentary on the food and his speech at the end of the feast.

          The astonishing counterpoint is the food. The gruel-like meal made of dry fish served in a wooden bowl that the sisters taught Babette how to prepare for their everyday lives contrasted to the colorful feast in beautiful tableware. Babette is a real artist who turned the feast into a love fair. After the feast, the church members left the house, they voluntarily formed a circle around the well while holding hands and singing songs. Unlike before, we see the happiness on their faces.

            One of the reasons Babette would like to prepare a Real French feast was she saw that two daughters didn't know how to handle the church member’s quarrelling after the pastor passed away. Day after day, the situation got more intense. She spent all her money that she won from lottery which is about 11,000 U.S. dollars to prepare a French feast on the pastor’s 100^th birthday anniversary for the church members. Babette’s feast eliminated all the ill will between the church members and all the problems were in the past; just as the general said to the elder daughter that he found “in this beautiful world of ours, everything is possible.”

           Babette was a famous chef in Paris and her creative cooking melted people’s hearts. She helped two daughters reunite members in the church. On the other hand, her decision to stay in the poor community instead of going back to the prosperous city, Paris, awakened us that there is something more important in our lives than indulging in the vain world. The purpose in life is not only to enjoy but to appreciate what we have and have a balance as the general’s speech at Babette’s feast, “Mercy and truth… Righteousness and bliss shall kiss one another.” 

        

          The ultimate message of the film to our present day world is how to balance ourselves before we make our choice and after having made our choice because grace is infinite. All we have to do is to be confident and to appreciate.

Babette’s Feast (with English and Chinese subtitles)

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Oq2PcYtZPxE/

Babette's Feast (Danish: Babettes gæstebud) is a 1987 Danish drama film directed by Gabriel Axel. The film's screenplay was written by Axel based on the story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). Produced by Just Betzer, Bo Christensen, and Benni Korzenwith funding from the Danish Film Institute, Babette's Feast was the first Danish cinema film of a Blixen story. It was also the first Danish film to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The menu

The menu responsible for their pleasure features "Blini Demidoff au Caviar" (buckwheat cakes with caviar and sour cream); "Potage à la Tortue" (turtle soup); "Caille en Sarcophage avec Sauce Perigourdine" (quail in puff pastry shell with foie gras and truffle sauce); "La Salad" featuring Belgian endive and walnuts in a vinaigrette; and "Les Fromages" featuring Blue Cheese, papaya, figs, grapes and pineapple. The grand finale dessert is "Savarin au Rhum avec des Figues et Fruit Glacée" (rum sponge cake with figs and glacéed fruits). Numerous rare wines, including Clos de Vougeot, along with various champagnes and spirits, complete the menu. Babette's purchase of the finest china, flatware, crystal and linens with which to set the table ensures that the luxurious food and drink is served in a style worthy of Babette, who is none other than the famous former Chef of "Café Anglais". Babette's previous occupation has been unknown to the sisters until she confides in them after the meal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babette's_Feast

the general's speech in Babette's Feast

http://walsinghamsociety.com/babettes-feast-the-generals-speech/

I told Mick I want a Turkey Feast after watching Babette’s Feast last night. He answered me absentmindedly, “OK, I’ll check where we can go.”

I said, “I don’t want a turkey meal; I want a Turkey Feast.”

HA HA!

This is what was on the grill when I got home from class.

A Turkey Feast in March

My turkey wing!

The second wing!! (Sometimes it’s so nice that I don’t have to share; for example, I got only one wing on Christmas and Thanksgiving. )

And a leg! (Gee~ I feel like a pig.)

A very satisfied feast. I appreciate. 

I think the flowers are confused as my stomach.

February flowers

May flowers

But, it’s March, isn't it.` 

今天想吃炒米粉...
我有好香菇

   

我有好米粉

Yum...

   Happy Saturday!   ^ _ ^

I suddenly got a sweet tooth. 
Might as well make more so I can share with my friends on this raining day.

Happy April Fools' Day!

I knew it'll be a big meal, so I skipped lunch.
Sauced is usually packed but since we arrived early, I got a chance to take some pictures. ^ _ ^

I need to go on a diet after this meal... 

I wanted some Taiwanese street vendor food tonight.

芋稞巧

Ingredients:

Taro root 200g (diced)

Ground pork 80g

Dried mushroom 3 (diced)

Small dried shrimp 20g (diced)

Small red onion 20g (diced)

Seasonings:

Soy sauce ½Tb

White pepper ¼ tsp

Salt 1/4 tsp

Sugar1/2Tb

1). Stir-fry the ingredients with 1Tb oil

2). Add the seasonings

3). Mix sweet rice powder (150g), brown rice powder (25g), water (3/4C), and stir fried ingredients well

4).form any shape you want (the original shape is a crescent) and put on bamboo leaf

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E8%8A%8B%E7%A8%9E%E5%B7%A7&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=xNk8U7nOK8bS2QX9-oEw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1242&bih=585

5). Steam for 12m’

 Delicious!!!

淡水阿給

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E6%B7%A1%E6%B0%B4%E9%98%BF%E7%B5%A6&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=g9o8U4azA-jR2wXNioDwDQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1242&bih=585

It’s good for frozen food.

Huna dish on the right
http://club.chihe.sohu.com/food/thread/1lnfwzda2uq

This is the best chocolate chip cookies recipe I've tried.
http://www.marthastewart.com/344840/soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies

PS. add 2 cups of chopped walnuts if you desire.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

好久沒吃到排骨了...下次別忘了煮飯