Food & drink takeaways - 25 September
A gazpacho starter from a famous film director, Coq au vin main course from a two-Michelin star French chef and apple pie with one of the world’s foremost abstract expressionist painters.
That's our 25 September inspired menu. Click on the links for extra helpings.
A curated taster menu of every day’s food & drink associations
Food on screen
1949
Oscar winning Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar – Talk to Her, Volver, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
– was born on this day.
"Gazpacho plays a key role in the famous Spanish film
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown which is the dark comedy that made Pedro Almodóvar an international sensation.
The recipe we use
is the recipe shared in the film – minus the sleeping pills, of course."
Carmen Maura as Pepa preparing her special gazpacho in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Food birthdays
1970
Two Michelin star French chef, restaurateur and cookbook author.
On the Cooks Without Borders site, Lesley Bullen writes: "The versions of coq au vin {header photo} that most informed mine are Anne Willan’s, from her wonderful 2007 book 'The Country Cooking of France' and one from Le Grand Livre de La Cuisine Française. Published (in French only) in late 2020, the latter book — which clocks in at 1,148 pages and weighs more than 8 pounds — comes from Jean-François Piège, one of France’s most renowned chefs. His book is an instant classic."
Food in art
According to Frank Fedele's expertly researched book The Artist’s Palate (published by Dorling Kindersley), the favourite dessert of Russian-American abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko – born on this day in 1903 – was an apple pie served to him by his wife every year on this day.
The Artist's Palate (here in restricted internet access form) contains over 125 favourite personal recipes from the most celebrated artists in history and the stories behind them. Recipes, and in some cases entire menus, for 15 legendary artists were re-created by 13 star chefs such as Mario Batali, Ming Tsai, James Babian and Mary Ann Esposito.
Meanwhile, if you prefer your apples in much simplified form, our Food Art of the Day is Still Life with Apples (below) by French artist Henri Lebasque - born on this day in 1865.
