Menace, Anyone?

Murder, She Wrote - S2:E20

What a wonderful time we had at the top of the Rotunda in Birmingham on Sunday. It was utterly fabulous to spend the afternoon with so many Murder, She Wrote fans. I wore an outfit inspired by the type of garb Jessica often wears on her book tours. Pussy-bow blouse, smart suit and signature brooch. Huge 1990s spectacles too!

I took my lobster - the cover star of Murder, She Cooked!

There were delicious slices of date and walnut cake made to Angela Lansbury’s very own recipe by the lovely Betty

and Tangerine Twist cocktails were concocted by the lovely Precious.

This cocktail was invented as an accompaniment to the brilliant episode Murder by Appointment Only where lipstick is a clue - it’s a colourway known as Tangerine Twist. “It’s a nice shade, not too orangey, not too pink.”

Precious made me laugh by saying she was taking care to make the cocktails not too orangey and not too pink!

They were perfect!

If you plan to visit Birmingham, THE place to stay is Staying Cool at the Rotunda. They are running lots of fun events at the moment so do check out their website if you live around those parts!

It was in their penthouse suite in 2018 when I hosted a book launch for Cooking With Columbo that the idea for Murder, She Cooked was hatched.

My chum Gavin, a superfan of the show said, “You should write a book like that about Murder, She Wrote”

and a guest at the event, Victoria Osgood said, “You could call it Murder, She Cooked”. And right there was my lightbulb moment if ever there was one!

Thanks all you lovely folk at Staying Cool - this book wouldn’t exist without you!

Just to let you all know that in the new year, I’ll be sharing videos demonstrating how to make Angela’s cake, and the Tangerine Twist cocktail for all sub-paying members of the Cabot Cove Club. I’m aiming to film demos of all the Angela Lansbury recipes in the book before the end of 2024. Even the one with oysters in! Sign up below to join the fun.

I’m also planning to host an online watch party for Murder by Appointment Only in the new year, so start getting your mauve outfits together folks!

For now, here’s the episode guide and accompanying recipe for Menace, Anyone?

In the prequel to this show, we see Jessica say that she can remember the time when tennis was a gentleman’s game.

It becomes clear that she means there used to be a certain sporting etiquette, not that women shouldn’t play. She’s the honorary chairperson for a tennis tournament

and she’s very friendly with former Cabot Cove champ, Carol McDermott played by Linda Hamilton.

There is a great character called Donny “Horrible” Harrigan who is obviously based on John McEnroe.

As I was a superfan of The Mac back in the day, it's fun to see Donny’s “You cannot be serious” antics. It's his rudeness to an umpire that prompts Jessica's “gentleman's game” comment.

Tennis promoter Elliot Robinson is played by Van Johnson,

who like Linda is pretty nifty on the court.

They play an exhibition match together which is great fun to watch. 

After all that sporting activity, I'm sure Van would have enjoyed a great big helping of his salmon salad. You could toast this episode with champagne as Horrible Harrigan and his manager do, “To tennis!”

Van Johnson’s Salmon Salad (Tinned)

1-pound tinned red salmon

¾ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice or essence

2 tablespoons of capers

2 cups of broken potato chips/crisps

½ cup of thinly sliced celery

2 teaspoons minced/finely chopped onion

Lettuce and quartered tomatoes to serve

Coarsely flake the salmon. Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together then add this and the capers, potato chips, celery, and onion to the salmon. Mix together quickly. Place in a loaf-shaped mound and decorate with the lettuce and tomatoes. Serve before the potato crisps soften.

Serves 6

Next time on Murder, She Cooked a recipe from the kitchen of Cesare Danova.

Christmas is coming!

Have you got all your presents yet? Perhaps you know someone who might like one of these?

Books are available worldwide via Amazon. Here’s a link to my UK author page where you will find them all.

switch to your own country for the correct prices if you are elsewhere in the world.

Cheerio, for now, tune in for another fabulous episode next month.