Classics for a Reason

Sometimes old recipes kick around catering menus for so long, it makes me think, "What is the point of even making that anymore?" Aren't there any new ideas? Can't we come up with something better?

Then I make the recipe and realize, no, maybe we can't.

Talking about this recipe feels especially timely to me on the day we lost Elizabeth Taylor. Another classic, who made herself so by virtue of sticking around, sticking to her guns and enjoying every tiny luxury she could however she damn well pleased. Oh, also, as Eatocracy mentioned earlier today, eating a shitload of chili. 

Cucumber Cups with Salmon will get made by every catering bitch in the universe until the day the sun burns out. Just as every actress in the history of actresses will need to study Suddenly Last Summer until their eyeballs pop out or they get eaten by the natives in Cartagena (sorry, I'm a huge loser for Tennessee Williams). Because they're both perfect. They both seem stodgy and old fashioned at first, but then, once you are actually eating or watching, you find them to be refreshing, well balanced and totally elegant. We'll miss you Liz.

Cucumber Cups with Salmon

Peel a thick cucumber with a fluted knife and cut across into pieces one and one fourth inches deep. Remove centers, leaving enough cucumber to form a thin case. Marinate these cases in French dressing, and prepare a salmon filling as follows: break cold, broiled, smoked salmon into small pieces, mix with enough Sauce Tartare* to moisten, pack into the cups - rounding them a bit over the top, - cover with grated fresh horseradish root and put a border of chopped green pepper around the edge.

*Cheater's note: the idea of mixing the salmon into Tartar sauce gave me the willies. Instead, I mixed it up with some creme fraiche, lemon and thyme. I KNOW, you guys, I'm trying.