Another Year

Another Year (2010) directed by Mike Leigh is a film we didn't want to wait another year to watch. (ha! I know, that was terrible writing...) With an Oscar nod for best writing and several other Award nominations for acting, we had high hopes for a wonderful film. Set in London, the story revolves around Tom and Gerri, a blissfully married couple and their interactions with their closest friends and family over the course of a year. Having seen the trailers, I did not expect that Tom and Gerry's friend Mary (played by Lesley Manville) was such an integral part of the film–I must say Lesley's performance was phenomenal. While this was a lovely film and the acting was superb, there was some dozing off during many of the slow segments which I believe stemmed from the lack of a substantially interesting central plot. 

We give this movie the prize for: 

BEST MAIN CHARACTER NAMES—Tom and Gerri—too cute!)

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 3 stars

Cinematography: 3.125 stars

Acting: 4.125 stars

Average: 3.42 stars

Movie stills found here.

Toad in the Hole

definition: a traditional english dish consisting of sausages in a batter, usually served with vegetables and an onion gravy. The name derives from the dish's resemblance to a toad sticking its head out of a hole.

I could translate this from the English way it was written, but that would take away its charm. I have provided the conversion though!

Ingredients:

100g (7/8 cup) flour

1/2 tsp English mustard powder

1 egg

300ml (1.5 cups) milk

3 thyme sprigs, leaves only

8 plain pork sausages

2 TB sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced

1 tsp brown sugar

500ml (2.1 cups) beef stock

Directions:

Make the Batter: Heat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (420F). Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the mustard powder with a good pinch of salt. Make a well in the center, crack in the egg, then pour in a dribble of milk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating some of the flour, until you have a smooth batter in the well. Now add a bit more milk and continue stirring until all the milk and flour has been mixed together.

The batter is ready: You should now have a smooth, lump-free batter that is the consistency of double cream. Tip it back into the jug you measured your milk in, for easier pouring later on, then stir in the thyme. Use scissors to snip the links between the sausages, then drop them in a 20 x 30 cm roasting tin. Add one tablespoon of the oil, tossing the sausages in it thoroughly to coat the base of the tin, then roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cook the batter: Take the hot tray from the oven, then quickly pour in the batter—it should sizzle and bubble a little when it first hits the pan. Put it back into the oven, then bake for 40 minutes until the batter is cooked through, well risen, and crisp. If you poke the tip of a knife into the batter in the middle of the tray it should be set, not sticky or runny.

Make the gravy: Soften the onions with the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden brown. Sprinkle in the sugar for the final 5 minutes. Add the spoonful of flour, then cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes so it coats the onions and there is no dry flour left. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 4–5 minutes to thicken, then season. Cut the toad in the hole into large wedges and serve with gravy spooned over.

We served this with pan-seared tomatoes, simply prepared by cutting plum tomatoes in half vertically and placing them cut side down in a hot, oiled, skillet for 5–10 minutes.

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 3.75 stars

Taste: 4.5 stars

Average: 4.125 stars

Tom and Gerri were adorable while working in their vegetable garden or cooking together in their kitchen. Other foods that would pair really well with this movie are:
wine, tea, thyme, french press coffee, tomatoes and other garden vegetables, salad, curry, cake