Old Hollywood Kitchen: Glenda Farrell

For the first time in the Old Hollywood Kitchen we have a repeat celebrity, the wonderful Glenda Farrell. This is a recipe I've had tucked away for the right occasion, as mentioned in a previous post. When St. Patrick's Day rolled around last Sunday, her Irish Beef Stew was a natural choice.

Glenda Farrell's Irish Beef Stew

Meat mixture:

3/4 lb. round steak

1 cup carrots

1 cup potatoes

1 cup celery

1 tbsp. parsley

1 cup onion

1 cup beef suet (I omitted)

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

Biscuit dough:

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp. salt

*3 tsp. baking powder

3 tbsp. shortening

1 cup milk

*Note that the instructions state to sift in 6 tsp. of baking powder. I'd stick with the 3 tsp. instead, though you'll see shortly that there were other problems...

This one started out easy enough. I rounded out the meat and vegetable mixture with Worchestershire sauce and black garlic powder seasoning to stave off potential blandness. I didn't substitute anything for the beef suet, and I'm wondering if 1 cup of beef or vegetable broth would have benefited the proceedings.

This is when the worry sank in.

No matter, as the biscuit dough tested both my limited skills and patience. I sifted and mixed the ingredients as directed, but the "dough" was too dry to hold together. I splashed in a tiny bit more milk...and it got so much worse. Nothing but a gluey mess to contend with and try to form into a reasonable facsimile of pie crust. Truly an amateur hour, I forgot to flour my countertop before rolling out the dough, and so resigned myself to patting sticky globs of dough at the bottom of the casserole dish and over the top of the meat mixture without attempting to balance the dough with flour (and possibly more milk). I'd had enough. I waved the white flag.

Not ready for primetime.

As with many of these older recipes, it was done in less time than specified (only needed 45 minutes of the hour). The taste test yielded no surprises: flavorful meat and crisp vegetables, buried beneath (alternately crunchy and tacky) dough that you could use to grout tile. Doubtful I will attempt this again anytime soon, not at least until I get a better handle on making biscuits. The failure here is my own, but I'm looking onward and upward. At least we'll always have that fine Devil's Food Cake.

I've recommended several of Glenda Farrell's films in her previous post, but to end on a positive note, I'll keep with the theme and highlight a short film I watched on St. Patrick's Day, the enjoyably spooky Return to Glennascaul, featuring Orson Welles, golden timbre and all, and an unusual old house in Ireland. More recipe tests forthcoming, and I guarantee more favorable results.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Glenda Farrell

When I began my search for these vintage recipes, there was one star I had always hoped to find. Once I picked up a copy of What Actors Eat When They Eat, I was thrilled to see that Glenda Farrell was featured in the collection, having had no previous luck turning up one of her recipes. I plan to make that recipe sometime this winter as it's best suited for cold weather. What a pleasant surprise to chance upon another vintage cookbook, Famous Stars Favorite Foods, and flip to this page:

Glenda Farrell's Devil's Food Cake

3 squares chocolate, melted
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

I'm growing in confidence with my cooking, but baking is still largely a nerve-wracking affair. I halved the recipe for a two-layer cake, and it turned out fine though a bit on the dry side. I'm not sure what the recipe might need to add some moisture, but it's simple enough to lend itself to experimentation. I also substituted an oil and cocoa powder mixture for the chocolate since I don't keep baking chocolate around.

Topped with a simple buttercream frosting, it's just the way to satisfy that cake craving. I first baked this for Glenda's birthday back in June to complement a marathon of her films. If you haven't yet experienced her acting, any of her Warner Brothers features would be a good start, particularly the one that brought her Torchy Blane to acclaim: 1936's Smart Blonde. You can also tune in to TCM every Monday in November to celebrate her reign as Star of the Month. Long may she rule.

The more Glenda, the merrier.

In continued celebration of the lovely Glenda Farrell's birthday (June 30), what better time to share more wonderful portraits?

Promotional portrait for The Secret Bride (the snipe refers to the working title of Concealment).

Swathed in stripes. Portrait by Elmer Fryer.

"Glenda Farrell, star of the films, is shown here in her latest gown for formal evening wear. It is a tuxedo suit of claret colored satin. Her tailored blouse is flesh marquisette with tiny pleated cuffs and a bow tie at the neckline. Her poke bonnet hat has a starched veil of the same shade as her suit."

"Glenda's Weakness is Black and White. Glenda Farrell, star of the shadow drama, can't resist costumes which feature the ever popular black and white motif, and in this one she found a really unique adaptation of the blending. Her dress is of black woolen cloth and the lapels, hat and high gauntlet gloves are of leather."

Promotional portrait for The Keyhole. A fantastic animal print combination that looks...

...quite familiar! Still from The Mystery of the Wax Museum.

Glad tidings.

Warmest wishes to all this holiday season! A new job (among other things) has kept me busy, but I wanted to take the time to spread some joy and cheer, this time in the form of the wonderfully hardboiled Glenda Farrell. She's become a perennial favorite and my go-to for comic relief, and she could do it in style...

Promotional portrait for Man's Castle. "The dress has a definite [bateau] neckline with a border of galyak that emphasizes the shoulders. The sleeves are modified leg-o-mutton and the belt is black suede. An unusual belt clasp has a very cute holder for a red lipstick in the center. A red pin is fastened in the black galyak trimming. Black purse, black kid shoes, black galyak hat and cream suede gloves are used with the dress."

Promotional portrait for Go Into Your Dance.

The first Glenda Farrell photo I ever purchased, featuring a dress worn in Havana Widows. I adore the beaded starburst design.

Promotional portrait for Man's Castle. "This swagger suit is fashioned of rough grey wool alternately striped in black and white and trimmed with a broad mannish collar of black Persian lamb fur. In this photograph the broad shoulders are stressed, proving once again that Hollywood creates its own fashion decrees. Miss Farrell has chosen a grey cloth hat fashioned of the same plain material as the skirt of her suit. Her other accessories for wear with this outfit are of black, resulting in an effective blend of gray, black and white."

Promotional portrait for The Big Shakedown. "Her fall street frock is of brown crepe trimmed with stitched white crepe, and the matching hat is created along the new Chinese trend, with a pointed peak. Orry-Kelly designed them."