I used to have this theory that all those evening gowns actresses wore on the red carpet were like fruitcakes, in that there was a finite number of them being traded in perpetuity amongst those well-dressed women in between award shows and seasons. Now that I have a friend who’s participating in this annual entertainment industry ritual, I decided to see if my theory was correct.
All dolled up for the Golden Globes (we're going with a low-res snapshot from home, so I don't get into copyright trouble with any of those red carpet photogs!)
So I quizzed my buddy Missi Pyle, who is currently appearing in this season’s awards frontrunner, The Artist (Woo-woo! Yeah, Missi!). That’s her on the left, wearing a gown that’s the color of my jar of tarragon mustard. Incidentally, the dazzling young woman with her is her sister, Meredith, who is also actress, hint-hint to anyone looking for not one but two lovely and talented actresses to hire.
Missi confirmed my suspicions, admitting that yes, those dresses are borrowed. (She added that after the ceremony, she turns into a pumpkin at midnight. And I’m betting that at midnight her limo driver morphs into an unemployed screenwriter.) Gone are the days of Joanne Woodward sewing the gown in which she collected her Best Actress Oscar in 1958. Today’s actresses and assorted Hollywood red carpet striders are essentially wearing the equivalent of sparkly fruitcake.
When you think about it, neither evening gowns nor fruitcakes spend very much time in any one person’s possession. This is not a problem as far as I can tell. Who wants to wear fancy gowns and eat fruitcake all the time? There are more comfy clothes to wear, more enjoyable foods to eat.
For your nibbling pleasure I suggest panforte, which is the Sienese take on fruitcake, but much better than fruitcake ever dreamed of being. Made of nuts, dried fruits, honey and spices, it’s what Tuscan soldiers carried to fortify themselves as they headed into battle. Think of it as the medieval version of the Cliff Bar. Here’s a recipe for a panforte I developed while I was a culinary student interning in the Los Angeles Times test kitchen. I devised this recipe based on local foods that I could find in area farmers’ markets.
It makes a wonderful holiday treat, great for gift giving, too, but recently Himself and I realized that panforte is just as healthy as high-protein, high-energy sports bars, but without the high price. It tastes better, too. I’ve decided to start making it throughout the year, not just during the holidays.
I think we're both rockin' those pink blankies!
As for comfier clothes, Missi and I are in agreement: Wrapping up in fuzzy blankets as we hang out on a chilly night is the only way to await the stroke of midnight, when we both turn into pumpkins.
I wonder which sparkly fruitcake she’ll wear to the Oscars this year…
