HUMMINGBIRD CAKE which is supposed to look messy like this

THE ENVELOPE…I Mean the Cake…PLEASE

Scott arrived from San Diego last night. For a visit with family, Albuquerque, cooking for the Oscars and a Bosque hike. Today is the 2^nd Annual Oscar/Food party at my place. The rules are you must see all of the nominations for best picture and then you must cook or bake or buy a dish or two that represents one or more of said nominees.

Steve, Michele, Scott, Bob and I have been preparing all day for our night at the Oscars:  Irish Stew and Soda Bread for PHILOMENA; Macaroni and Cheese for NEBRASKA; Texas Caviar for DALLAS BUYERS CLUB; Waldorf salad for the NYC entries, AMERICAN HUSTLE and WOLF OF WALL STREET, and for HER (story based loosely on Siri—sort of—who was invented by Apple) and GRAVITY (because an Apple falling led to Newton’s discovery of … Gravity?); Hummingbird Cake (from the South?) for 12 YEARS A SLAVE; Rum drinks for CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (you remember that old pirate chant ‘Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum?’)

Now it’s almost 9:30pm and we’re down to the wire. If Gravity wins I’m never watching another Oscar ceremony. Gravity had NO story. Yay…12 Years a Slave won. And our food was good. Here’s what it looked like…

THOSE PIRATES KNEW HOW TO DRINK.

BEEF, POTATOES, CARROTS, ONIONS, WINE, GUINNESS, BAY LEAVES, ETC.

The food was good and some Oscar winners were okay