It Was A Dream Of A Party

When girls in fluffy dresses and young men in formal white jackets come together in a garden, memories are likely to linger on. Especially when the party is as cleverly thought out as one given in Hollywood on a recent starlit night.

At this party, swimming was last on the program. Which meant there was no problem about make-up or hair or any other detail of grooming. A party that begins with swimming, let’s face it, is held up by the time it takes the girls to get back in romantic-looking form—and some never make it.

Also from the beginning of this party to the end, there was music. Everyone brought records; Charleston music, ballads and classical selections for “listening around the fire.” Even when the guests went swimming there was music. Dusty serenaded with his guitar. The supper table stood before the barbecue pit. And there was a big white bowl filled with carnations, corn flowers and Ranunculus. Hurricane lamps with candles cast a soft glow.

Before the supper there were games. In one, the guests had to enact scenes from their pictures. Vera-Ellen did a dance routine from “Three Little Words.” Bob Stack, who is making “Torero,” showed how to fight a bull. Dusty, who is one of the most popular TV stars and recording artists on the West Coast, did a fast takeoff of his television show. Barbara Lawrence did a scene from “Peggy.” Allene Roberts played the poor blind girl from “Union Station.” Johnny Sands was a real threat as the heavy from “The Lawless.”

Joan Evans played one of her “brat scenes” from “Our Very Own.” Wanda Hendrix, whose latest picture is “Saddle Tramp,” and Rod Cameron, soon to be seen in “Lost Stage Valley,” rigged up a sawhorse with a broom tail at the edge of the pool and “rode like the wind” to escape Rock Hudson, who was whooping it up around the barbecue pit, shades of his role as an Indian in “Winchester 73.”

A good game this, and it can be adapted to any party, the guests enacting a movie role they’ve seen recently.

Undoubtedly, the most thrilled person at the party was young Mary Willis. Mary was the contest winner from the “Carnation Family Party” radio show, chosen as the real American movie fan and her reactions to the party were broadcast on the next CBS “Family Party.”

The midsummer menu included: Mixed green salad with Roquefort French dressing, home baked beans and brown bread, hot dogs with chili in chafing dish, molded salmon mousse with sour cream dressing, whipped cream angel food cake and fruit festival punch.

ROQUEFORT FRENCH DRESSING

Makes ½ cup

Crumble: 2 tbsp. Roquefort or bleu cheese. Add this to ½ cup bottled French dressing, or to this homemade dressing:

Measure into bowl:

6 tablespoons salad oil

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon paprika pinch of dry mustard

Beat well together with rotary beater.

CHAFING DISH CHILI FRANKS

Cook 2 lbs. of frankfurters in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain. Place in chafing dish. Empty 1 (12-0z.) bottle chili sauce into saucepan. Add 1 tsp. celery seed, 1 tbsp. prepared mustard, ½ cup sweet pickle relish, and ½ cup water. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until hot and well-blended. Pour over franks and keep over low heat until serving time. Serve with buttered frankfurter rolls.

SALMON MOUSSE

Mix together:

1 envelope unflavored gelatine

¼ cup cold water

¼ cup vinegar

Let stand 5 minutes or until soft. Place over boiling water, and stir until gelatine is dissolved. Add: 1 teaspoon each of sugar, salt, dry mustard

Stir until blended. Cool. Stir in:

2 cups flaked salmon or tuna

1 cup finely diced celery

1 tablespoon capers (if desired)

Beat until stiff: ½ cup heavy cream

Fold into salmon mixture. Turn into large or individual molds. Chill until firm. Unmold. Garnish with paprika, lemon wedges. OK, Serve with sour cream dressing.

SOUR CREAM DRESSING

Wash, but do not pare: ½ cucumber.

Chop very fine, seeds and all. Drain well.

Add: 1 tbsp. vinegar. Season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and a bit of scraped onion or celery seed. Combine with 1 cup sour cream. Remove cores from a large green pepper. Trim to form a hollowed cup. Use as a container for dressing.

WHIPPED CREAM ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Makes two 8-inch layers

Sift and measure:

½ cups cake flour

Sift again with:

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Beat until stiff:

½ cup egg whites (3-4)

Fold in: 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Beat with a rotary beater while adding gradually: 1 cup granulated sugar

Beat well after each addition.

Add: 1 teaspoon vanilla

Then fold in sifted dry ingredients. Pour batter into two ungreased 8” – layer pans. Bake in a slow oven (300° F.) 10 minutes. Increase heat to moderate (375° F.) and bake about 15 minutes more. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost with creamy butter frosting.

CREAMY BUTTER FROSTING

Work with spoon until soft:

½ cup butter or margarine

Sift 3½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Gradually beat 2 cups sugar into butter.

Add:

2 unbeaten egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

Beat well to combine. Gradually beat in remaining sugar.

Add: ¼ cup light cream

Beat until smooth and light. Remove about 1 cup, tint, and set aside for decoration. Spread remainder between and on top and sides of layers.

FRUIT FESTIVAL PUNCH

Makes 10 servings

Combine:

1 cup lemon juice, canned

1½ cups canned pineapple juice

1½ cups canned orange juice

1½ cups light corn syrup

1 cup grape juice

Place in punch bowl on ice. Just before serving, add 1 large (28 oz.) bottle pale dry gingerale.

Garnish with lemon slices if desired.

THE END

—BY KAY MULVEY

 

It is a quote. PHOTOPLAY MAGAZINE JULY 1950