Chef Sharon Van Meter

PIE-EYED PREPARATION
By Cody Rubio

The beauty of our Milestone Cooking Class is that everybody walks away from it with new, universal knowledge. I say “universal” because - unlike the Ballroom Dancing lessons, the upcoming Italian lessons, or any of the other learning adventures we’re offering during this summer’s Figaro in Flip-Flops event series – cooking is something we all do every day and something we all strive to do better. Everybody appreciates those who know how to cook a good meal and when you’re single, being able to satisfy somebody else’s appetite is a great weapon for your arsenal. If you’re as single as me, you need all the help you can get!

So, this month we celebrated our upcoming production of Roberto Devereux by featuring an all-English cuisine menu. By “we” I mean Chef Sharon Van Meter developed this delicious British banquet and we helped - much like the children on the classic Shake-n-Bake commercials. Prior to preparing our very traditional English meal, we awakened our senses with a refreshing Wimbledon Cup, which includes Pimm’s No. 1, gin, strawberry syrup, cream, and blood orange juice. It was frothy, pink, and something I’d never order at a bar - but girly-gin is better than no gin! We started with the Scotch Eggs by chopping hard boiled eggs, mixing it with Stilton and curd cheese and shaping them into balls. After chilling for about 10 minutes, we wrapped the balls of filling with sausage, rolled in beaten egg, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried for about 8 minutes. In the end, they weren’t bad but I think we may have used too much Stilton and curd cheese in the filling and I think Scotch Eggs are usually served with a dipping sauce which might have added a little something.

COUGARS: ELIZABETHAN STYLE
By Suzanne Calvin

As Monty Python used to say, “And now…for something completely different!”

This month’s book club discussion will focus on “Older Women, Younger Men: New Options for Love and Romance” by Felicia Brings and Susan Winter.

For those “women of a certain age” who don’t rule vast empires and can wiggle their big toe to get any man they choose, this book is a helpful compendium of the rewards and pitfalls of a relationship with a man at least ten years younger. How common is it? Well, the “Los Angeles Times” reported a few years back that nearly 24% of American women have married younger men and, for women between the ages of 35 and 44, that number jumps to an incredible 41%!

DIVA + DREAMBOAT = DYNAMIC DUO
By James Hampton

I just left the Inwood Theater and I can’t stop humming the “love theme” that Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed for the score to The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Korngold was an established composer and had several operas, ballets, and orchestral works under his belt before Hollywood pressed him into service. He was nominated for 4 Academy Awards and won twice. But I digress from my title…

The Diva is, of course, the incomparable Bette Davis - the Dreamboat is Errol Flynn. The two stars didn’t enjoy working with each other…well…OK…they really despised each other - but the film is a wonderful technicolor adventure and relates directly to our January opera - Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux. Both the film and the opera explore the relationship of Queen Elizabeth I and her last lover, Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex. We may never know the extent to which either version is historically accurate - but there is no doubt that each telling of the story is engaging.

Many thanks to all that came out to join us this evening. I hope to see you at other “Figaro in Flip-flops” events.

TEA AMO
By Sadie Prater

I just came from our Afternoon Tea at La Duni on McKinney and it was delightful. La Duni offered a latin twist on the classic “cream tea” version of Afternoon Tea featuring Harney & Sons tea blends and replacing the clotted cream and scones with their own Cuatro Leches Cake & Venezuelan Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake. Yum! Everyone had a great time and we even offered up a surprise to all of our Afternoon Tea participants…a tee-shirt.

Our next series of events in September focuses on “La Boheme,” French cooking class, Gallery walk, and wine & cheese tastings are just a few things we have planned. I expect it will be our most popular “Figaro in Flip Flops” week so far, so be sure to RSVP early.

Who knows what surprises we will have in store for you next time!

NEED EXTRA TICKETS?

Subscriber and Donor single ticket presale begins Tuesday, September 2nd. Subscribers can also start exchanging their tickets starting on the 2nd.