From the Fame Hungry team, thank you for all the support and have yourself a Jerry little Christmas. Or Terry … or Larry?
No, Gary.
Since 2016 was a complete fucking jerk, we are taking a nap and will resume our regularly scheduled programming in three weeks aka 16 January 2017, ok?
It will be good … maybe. If Carrie is ok!
Congratulations – we’ve made it to the end of another year. With 2016 being a particularly shitty one I knew there was only one cast I wanted to celebrate the festive season and The O.C. sure delivered, making the 12 Days of Chrismukkah a bright spark of a tragic year.
I mean seriously, I had to lose my mother-figure Zsa Zsa too?!
As I mentioned at the start, scheduling this little event was fraught with danger, what with needing to keep Tate’s (sometime) diva antics at bay and keep the narrative poignant and true to the heart of The O.C.
Because if nothing else, this blog holds its relationship with the truth to be more important than anything else.
While we started with the chris- of Ryan Atwood, it is without further ado, that I’m very excited to announce that I spent the twelfth day of Chrismukkah with the more -mukkah half of the equation, my dear friend and portrayer of the creator of Chrismukkah himself, Adam Brody.
Fuck – take a deep breath and say that sentence out loud. Terrible. Sorry I couldn’t be bothered changing it.
As you know, I’m a dear friend of the cast Gilmore Girls in addition to being a creative force on set, which is where I met dear, dear Adam. He was playing Lane’s boyfriend Dave but I knew that he would be perfect for the role of Seth, so worked hard to lure him away from ASP and over to our new show.
Which in retrospect, probably added to my feud with ASP over the abandoned missing triplet amnesia storyline.
While I was unsuccessful in luring him to my bed, I was obviously able to convince him to take the role which I would argue, played a critical part in the show becoming the phenomenon that it was. After getting him the job, I quickly became Adam’s closest confidante and have unofficially guided his career ever since.
In the Land of the Women (working with Meg)? Me.
Scream 4? Me.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith? Not me.
See the connection – my advice is good and when he doesn’t listen he stars in a terrible movie that fostered a terrible relationship. Game, set and match.
Anyway, Ad and I have both been super busy lately – what with him starring in the upcoming CHiPs movie, which I encouraged him due to my close relationship with Erik – so I haven’t been able to see him since little Arlo’s christening last year … because yes people, I’m godfather to both Seth and Summer’s daughters.
In your face.
Since Seth was a chip – pun surprisingly not intended – off the old Sandy’s block, I had to go with my carb-tastic Adam Brodatoes.
There is nothing better than a baked potato. I mean, yes, mash and potato bakes are amazing but a simply baked potato, in duck fat from Mindy’s recipe no less, is life affirming. Crispy and golden on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside and cream all through your shorts.
Enjoy!
Adam Brodatoes
Serves: 4.
Ingredients
1kg washed potatoes, cut into large chunks
¼ cup duck fat, reserved from the Roast Melinda Duck / Portumn Reeser Gravy
Method
Place the potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water and parboil for 5-10 minutes. Drain and shake to rough up the edges.
The more edges, the crispier the potatoes.
Transfer the potatoes to a fresh baking tray, toss generously with some searing hot duck fat, season generously and bake for an hour.
Remove from the oven and devour as quickly as the heat will allow.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
It is the second last day of the 12 Days of Chrismukkah celebrations / our second last recipe of the year – can you believe it?
Instead of lamenting how sad you’re going to be during our annual Christmas break, be thankful that I was able to make time for my dear friend Autumn Reeser.
Full disclosure I absolutely hated Autumn when we first met on the set of season three where she started out as its nuisance but like her character, she wore me down and we’ve been the best of friends ever since, landing he roles in Entourage, Sully and a guest role reunion with Rach on the underrated Hart of Dixie.
I haven’t seen Autumn since the Sully premiere – I was attending as TamTom’s date, so was sadly to busy to really reconnect. Thankfully she was free for a pre-holiday catch-up and to strategise her next careers steps and have a little girl talk.
Now I know I said the duck was delicious, it can also be made better with the inclusion of some gravy. And thankfully Autumn has odd tastes and was completely cool to just sit down and gab over a nice jug of Portumn Reeser Gravy.
In retrospect, this would have made more sense to post with yesterday’s recipe … but what are you gonna do, amirite? As a stand alone, this robust gravy is delicious – fruity, rich and full of flavour – but with a freshly roasted duck, it truly sings.
Enjoy!
Portumn Reeser Gravy
Serves: 4-6.
Ingredients
2 tbsp duck fat from the Roast Melinda Duck
1L chicken stock
2 tbsp plain flour
200ml red port
Method
Transfer the duck fat to a saucepan (and decant the extract to a mug for tomorrow’s recipe) over medium heat – which shouldn’t take long, given you just decanted some from the oven – and add the flour and cook for a minute or so.
Slowly pour in the stock and port, whisking as you go, until it is all smooth. Add the charred veggies and bring the gravy to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour, or until thickened.
Strain the gravy through a sieve, pushing out every last drop of flavour. Devour on some duck … or in a jug, no judgement.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
How do I top my 300th milestone recipe? With the true star of The O.C. – I feel like I’ve said that most days … but I mean it this time – my dear friend Melinda Clarke.
Yes, I love them all dearly – well, maybe not always Tate – but every great show needs a villain you love to hate and Julie Cooper-Nichol wouldn’t have been able to pack the same punch without the stunning performance of my bestie.
I first met Mindy through her dad John when I was working as a writer on Days of our Life – which I got through Vytas and Aras’ pops via time travel. Side note: I was the one that came up with such wonderful storylines as Eileen Davidson playing seventeen roles, the Salem Stalker and the classic Marlena is possessed by the devil.
Anywho – I quickly befriended the broader Clarke family and knew that Mindy was destined for big things, making it my life’s work to see her become the star I knew she could be.
I haven’t seen much of her this year, so it was so nice to be able to have her over for an extended visit as we whipped up a Roast Melinda Duck.
I had never roasted a duck before and obviously was terrified by the entire process, so I stuck with a tried and true Jamie Oliver recipe with a few minor tweaks.
Thankfully Jamie knows his way around a bird, because this duck turned out festively fragrant, spicy and most importantly, wet & juicy.
Enjoy!
Roast Melinda Duck
Serves: 4-6.
Ingredients
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tsp nutmeg, grated
1 orange, zested and halved
1 tbsp maple syrup
a whole duck, necks and giblets reserved and roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 red onions, peeled and quartered
a few stalks celery, trimmed and chopped into chunks
3 carrots, scrubbed and chopped into chunks
½ stick cinnamon
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
freshly ground sea salt & black pepper
Method
Place the leaves from a couple of sprigs of rosemary in a mortar and pestle and mash together with the nutmeg, orange zest, a generous pinch of sea salt and some maple syrup. Rub mixture over the duck, cover and place in the fridge to baste for a few hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Stuff the duck’s cavity with the orange, some rosemary and the garlic. Line a baking tray with the onion, celery and carrot and toss with some olive oil, the ginger and cinnamon. Place the duck on top, drizzle with some oil and place in the oven for an hour.
Transfer the duck to a new pan – reserving the charred veggies and fat for tomorrow’s gravy – and return the duck to the oven for a further hour, or until golden and glorious.
Remove from the pan, transfer to a plate, cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Devour … with some gravy and potatoes, so maybe hold off two days until you make it?
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
Ok everyone, sit down because do I have some exciting news for you!
Even more exciting than it just being the ninth day of Chrismukkah, today marks our 300th recipe slash documented catch-up on the blog. Can you believe it?
I can’t … but mainly because I spend so much of my time feuding with celebrities, I can’t believe that I can fit in all these social occasions.
Thankfully my dear Mischa isn’t someone that I’m currently feuding with.
Out of all the cast members of The O.C., I knew that Mish was the one I wanted to mark the milestone with … due to us both being proclaimed IT girls in 2003 by Entertainment Weekly.
I first met Mish in ‘99 while working on Notting Hill and The Sixth Sense. While I didn’t notice her on Notting Hill, due to Jules’ neediness and inability to share me, we were able to connect on The Sixth Sense, due to the lesser demands of being a part of Tones’ entourage.
When it came time to cast Marissa, I knew my girl Mish was the only person worthy of the part give her ability to be simultaneously delicate and tough as nails, which my boy Artem can attest to during their time on DWTS.
I hadn’t seen Mischa since the DWTS finale after getting into a little tiff after I ditched her to seduce Nyle DiMarco – who I really want to catch-up with soon. Thankfully she was happy to answer my call and put the situation behind us to celebrate my milestone and Chrismukkah.
Let’s be honest the one-two punch is probably the only reason she forgave my thirst, though she also isn’t one to pass up a celebratory Peppermintscha Barkon.
Like Mish’s explosion onto the teen drama scene in the noughties, the bark is refreshing, beautiful and packed full of everything you needed in life but didn’t realise.
Plus – it is festive as fuck! Enjoy!
Peppermintscha Barkon
Serves: 8.
Ingredients
400g milk chocolate
2 tsp peppermint extract
400g white chocolate
6-12 candy canes (depending on preference), crushed
miscellaneous decorative candies
Method
Strap yourself in guys, this one’s a toughy – line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Melt the milk chocolate in a microwave – because who can be bothered with damn double-boiling – until just melted. Stir in the peppermint extract and spread out on the baking sheet and chill for about half an hour, to set.
Move quick after adding the peppermint as it can curdle and thicken the chocolate.
When the milk chocolate is almost set, melt the white chocolate -again in the microwave. Fold through half the candy canes and pour over the milk chocolate.
Top with the remaining crushed candy canes and any kitsch edible decorations. My favourite, obviously, is edible glitter.
Chill to set for a couple of hours before breaking into pieces and gifting/devouring.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
Good news – we finally have a cast member that doesn’t link into my torrid love life. I mean sure, I did sleep with Willa Holland’s current co-star Stephen Amell years ago … but I didn’t meet her through him, so technically I’m home free.
You see I met Willa through my dear friend Lisa Kudrow – who I am so overdue to see that it scares me – when Willa guested on an episode of the majestic and underrated series The Comeback.
It would shock nobody to know that my attitude inspired her characterisation of Valerie Cherish.
I was taken by her talent and she was the only person I could think of to replace my cousin-in-law Shailene when they wanted to beef up the role of Caitlin. I also put her forward for the role of Thea Queen on Arrow … not that I’m saying she should be grateful to me for her career.
But she probably should be … a little, at least.
As she has been super – get it? – busy with her role in the Arrow-verse shows, I haven’t been able to spend much meaningful time with Wills in the last few years but thankfully our friendship is so beautiful that our bond never changes.
Plus, if it did, I’d just withhold my Willa Hazelnut & Chocolate Cake until she loves me again … because that is what you do with your family during the holiday!
Combining the velvety sweet charm of one Caitlin Cooper and the brooding darkness and depth of Thea Queen, this cake is the perfect hybrid of my dear friend’s roles.
Enjoy!
Willa Hazelnut & Chocolate Cake
Serves: 10-12.
Ingredients
200g hazelnuts, peeled and roasted
250g good dark chocolate, chopped
185g unsalted butter, cubed
40g cocoa powder, sifted
30ml strong, freshly brewed coffee
30ml amaretto
6 eggs, at room temperature
275g caster sugar
ice cream, cream or fresh berries, to serve
Nutella, to drizzle on top
Method
Preheat oven to 160ºC and grease/line a springform tin.
Chuck the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz until it it is finely ground and just starting to turn to a paste. Set aside.
Combine the chocolate, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until just melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the coffee and amaretto. Set aside.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer until just combined. Fold through the chocolate, followed by the hazelnuts and pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until just set. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Once cooled, serve with a dollop of ice cream and drizzled with nutella … because we can’t get enough hazelnut!
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
At the risk of sounding like the whore of Chrismukkah, my dear friend Chris and I started off as lovers – he put the Chris in my mukkah, if you will – which makes me extremely thankful, a little surprised and at the same time disappointed, that none of the cast fought over me on set.
Our love quickly blossomed when he guested on my dear friend Amy Sedaris’ classic Stranger’s with Candy but after a few torrid months we realised we were better off as friends and parted ways.
A few years later and fresh out of rehab, I wanted to show him how much I had grown and how mature I now was and pushed for him to be welcomed to The O.C.
Despite being the first to leave the series, Chris’ career went from strength to strength co-starring in the hit Amanda Bynes film Love Wrecked, the TV movie Beauty & the Briefcase, an episode of Desperate Housewives and more recently, a starring role in Nashville.
Which is actually good.
Given his commitments to the latter, Chris and I haven’t been able to spend much time together lately. It was such a treat to reconnect and get the inside scoop on what will become of Rayna and her hair … and celebrate the more -mukkah side of Chrismukkah with my Braised Briskarmack.
To be honest, I have no idea if this meal comes close to being kosher … but I assume if you’re celebrating a hybrid holiday, you probably aren’t too staunch on eating kosher. I did avoid cooking the delicate brisket and sweet, creamy mushrooms together though.
That counts for something, right? RIGHT?
Oy – enjoy!
Braised Briskarmack
Serves: 6.
Ingredients
10 cloves garlic
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil
1.5kg beef brisket
a couple each of celery stalks, onions and carrots, roughly chopped\
2 cups red wine
800g canned chopped tomatoes
small handful of parsley
small bunch of thyme, a few sprigs reserved for the mushrooms
500g button mushrooms, quartered
1 cup beef stock
3 tbsp horseradish cream
½ cup sour cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Place half the garlic and all the rosemary in a mortar and pestle with a good pinch of salt and pepper and crush until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, combine with a generous lug of oil and rub over both sides of the brisket.
Heat a lug of oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat and sear either side of the meat for a few minutes. Chuck in the veggies, wine, canned tomatoes and herbs and stir gently to combine.
Place the lid on firmly and transfer to the oven, baking for about 4 hours. Check every hour or so to ensure there is enough liquid and to keep the meat covered – which I rarely would support. Once the meat is tender, transfer it to a board and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
While it is resting, get to work on the mushrooms by heating a lug of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Reduce to low and add the remaining garlic – which you will have minced but I forgot to tell you – mushrooms and the leaves from the extra thyme sprigs and cook for about five minutes, or until browned and soft. Add the stock, turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer for about ten minutes, or until reduced and slightly thickened. Add the horseradish, sour cream and cooking liquid and cook, stirring, for five minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
Slice the brisket into diagonal slices and serve with some latkes, topped with the mushrooms.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
I don’t even know where to start with my dear friend, confidante and ex-lover Peter Gallagher! Maybe at the start works best? Probably. I don’t know!
Pete and I first met on the set of Summer Lovers in the early 80s, falling in love instantly – but who wouldn’t fall in love with the man that put his everything into the starring role of the adaptation of your homoerotic, pornographic novella?
I mean, sure, I was hurt when Daryl Hannah was cast opposite him and that she turned out to be a female, but that was not Pete’s fault … and he more than made up for it anyway. But that is another story for another time …
While our torrid love affair ended in 1995 when he dared to co-star with my nemesis Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping, we reconnected within a couple of years after I secured him a role in American Beauty to apologise.
When it came time to cast The O.C. a few years later I was listing all of my DILF-y exes in my head but could never move beyond Pete for the role of Sandy – which coincidentally I named as a dig at La Bullock.
Despite our continued close relationship, I haven’t been able to see much of Pete in recent years – given his extensive commitments on Law & Order, Togetherness and in On the Twentieth Century on Broadway – so I was absolutely thrilled to be able to catch-up and celebrate Chrismukkah over a big plate of my famous Peter Gallatkes.
When we were dating, I’ve oft describe Pete as a potato – and no that wasn’t a dig – simply that no matter which way you have him, you’re always satisfied. Both nothing is as satisfying as a latke in all its crispy, fluffy glory, thus it becoming his namesake.
Enjoy!
Peter Gallatkes
Serves: 4.
Ingredients
500g potatoes
1 onion, finely diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt and pepper
a good lug of olive oil
sour cream and chives, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Peel and grate potatoes and place in a bowl of ice cold water for five minutes. Drain well, transfer to some muslin and wring out as much liquid as possible.
Once as dry as possible, transfer to a bowl and combine with the onion, egg and spices.
Line two large baking sheets with baking paper and take out large golf balls pieces of mixture, form into a ball and flatten out on the tray. Repeat until the mixture is all done.
Drizzle with a good lug of oil and cook for about twenty minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Serve immediately with a good dollop of sour cream and chives. Devour.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
Previously on Survivor, seventeen castaways got the chop leaving Hannah and Ken to face the jury with Adam who managed to snag all ten votes and snatch the crown – sorry, wrong show – claim the title of sole survivor.
While I am very defensive and proud of Hannah’s game, Adam’s was better and he joined the ranks of the Sandra Diaz-Twine Winner’s Circle – aside, how fucking amazing is it that Sandra is coming back for her third title? – after playing an adaptable game, ensuring he was never the biggest threat and that he stepped back from being in control when necessary.
It was a low-key dominant game and like Kristie in Australian Survivor, shows that 16 years watching the – at the risk of sounding like Fishbach and his echo, Zeke – evolution of the game prepared him to expect the unexpected and keep open to anything.
My only real criticism is his propensity to scream his confessionals, which scared me. But I mean, that should have only cost him three jury votes max.
As we are such close friends – we met when he was Regional Director for the Students for Barack Obama campaign in 2008 … as I was working in the Obama campaign, as you know – I told him that, he apologise profusely and I deemed that he was still worthy for his celebratory Adamaretto Klein Sour.
As a fuctioning alcoholic – probably – I believe that there is no better way to celebrate victory and life than with booze. And there is no better booze than a sweet and – obviously – sour, amaretto sour.
Sadly for Adam his victory ended on a bittersweet note with his dear mother, and fellow Survivor super-fan, passing away an hour after his return. If you’d like to hear more about her story and support Adam’s efforts to raise money for cancer research visit Stand Up to Cancer … or if you like a reward for your good deeds, Planet Buff.
Then toast to a game well won and life well lived – enjoy!
Adamaretto Sour Klein
Makes: 1.
Ingredients
60ml amaretto
30ml lemon juice
dash of bitters
dash of soda water (as I’m scared of egg whites)
maraschino cherry and slice of lemon, to garnish
Method
Combine the liquids in a glass over ice. Drizzle. Garnish. Down.
And repeat. Always repeat.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
Previously on Survivor, the jury convened to berate, question and congratulate the final three before casting their votes, none of which went to our co-runner-up and my future lover Kengel or my dear friend Hannah Shapiro.
While Hannah wasn’t rewarded with any votes by the jury, I was firmly buying everything she was selling during final tribal council. Yes, Adam was successful in convincing the jury that her moves were simply blunders … but they were only blunders in respect to her game.
She made it to final tribal and took risks – like leaving David in until the final four and trusting Kengel to turn on him – eliminated people that she thought would be final three fodder and convinced people to risk their game – Adam included – to save her.
So while she wasn’t able to secure any votes, she played an underrated game and I couldn’t be more proud to call her my dearest friend.
I’ve known Han for a few years now, after meeting in college while studying Professor Dawson’s Survivor course – the student became the master, it seems. After graduating I put her in touch with some comedy contacts I met through my besties Tina and Amy, and she has had the honour of working with Second City, Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade.
Anyway, while she was disappointed to not take out the title – or any votes – I was able to turn her around with a quick pep talk and a generous serving of my Hannah Shapiravioli.
It is time for your favourite part, where I liken her game to the dish!
But in all seriousness, Hannah was a soft, gentle soul, that was packed with a punch – deep down – and was able to take over the game without noticing.
Plus – who doesn’t love pumpkin, spinach and ricotta? Enjoy!
Hannah Shapiravioli
Serves: 4.
Ingredients
600g butternut pumpkin, diced
lug of olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
60g pancetta, cut into thin strips
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
½ cup basil, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
⅓ cup verjuice
1 tbsp sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
500g fresh ricotta
250g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
60 gow gee wrappers
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet with a lug of oil, toss to coat and bake for about half an hour, or until golden, sweet and soft. Remove and leave to rest while you get to work on the sauce.
Heat a lug of oil in a large frying pan and sweat the garlic for a minute or two. Add the pancetta and fry for a further five minutes. Add in the tomatoes, herbs, verjuice, sugar and a generous whack of salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat while you get er’rything sorted.
Get a large pot of salted water on the boil and combine the ricotta and spinach in a large bowl with a good whack of salt and pepper.
Lay out half the gow gee wrappers and divide the cooled pumpkin amongst the pastry, and divide the cheesy spinach on top of the pumpkin.
Brush the dough with water and top with a second wrapper, sealing each parcel to ensure no air is trapped.
When they’re all done, place all the ravioli in the boiling water and cook until they have risen to the top. It should be no more than ten minutes. Drain and add the ravioli to the sauce and return to a low heat for five minutes.
Serve immediately and cover generously with parmesan. Devour, obviously.
As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.
Fame Hungry 