A bit of pomp, ceremony

My hubby, Martin, and I have always made a big deal about Oscar night.

We do much planning and research, culminating in a celebration with close friends and festive food.

You are probably thinking we are a bit nuts. Why would we want to make a big deal about the Oscars, another award show in a whole season of them, like another silly not-so-real reality show.

Well, perhaps if I give you some background, you can better understand our point of view…

I grew up in the film business. Most of the sets I visited over the years were for the small screen, but my Dad did work on a few feature films.

I loved the “smoke and mirrors” – the magic of how a story came together and was conveyed onto the screen.

I used to dream of seeing my father accept an Oscar when I was little. The crews of people I got to know over the years were like family, all helping to make the magic of movies happen.

Recognizing those people was important; it made the magic even more real.

Martin and I share another link to the world of film: we met in the movie business. We were both cooking for film crews when we first dated, and we quickly learned a common interest was seeing movies as well as helping to make them.

Over the years, we have seen films on birthdays, on vacation, on the night we got engaged, and even on our first night of married life. So, to say that movies hold a fond spot in our hearts is certainly not a stretch.

This year the movies we have seen have been at home, just the two of us. The last time we were in a theatre was March 12, 2020. The Oscars will not be the same show, but we will still be celebrating another year of magic on the screen and another year together.

In the spirit of keeping some traditions alive, I offer up some tips my wonderful chef hubby included when we wrote about our Oscar festivities way back in 2007.

He Says:

This weekend we will drive to Calgary to visit some friends and enjoy the Oscars with them. Just like the big movie stars in California, we will dress up, kick back and cheer for our favourite movies, congratulating the winners and celebrating so many great memories.

I thought I would give you recipes for a few simple appies, in case you are planning to watch the show, too.

Stuffed Mushrooms:

Take a white mushroom, remove the foot with a melon baller and stuff it with a mixture of crab meat, mayonnaise, and Cajun spices. Bake on a tray in a 350F oven, around 20 minutes.

Sausages on a Crouton

Grill some nice Hungarian sausages (in Kelowna, Illichman’s Deli has tasty ones). Slice them thin and place them on a piece of fresh baguette with a chipotle mayonnaise or horseradish mustard.

Citrus Thai Prawns

Choose medium prawns (21/25 per pound, 3-4 prawns per person.) Grate the rind of 1 lemon and 1 lime on raw, peeled prawns, four hours ahead of time to marinate them. In a large pan, start cooking your prawns.

Once they are almost finished cooking, add some green curry paste, the juice of a lime and a few handfuls of cilantro.

Smoked Salmon Tarts

Buy some mini tart shells and fill them up with some cooked shredded smoked salmon. Add some fresh whipping cream mixed with a bit of Parmesan on the salmon, and top the whole thing with some more parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 375F oven until done, around 12 minutes (pastry should be golden and filling bubbling).

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.