Falk / McGoohan in Columbo: Identity Crisis

In a very exciting turn of events (we're watching Columbo telefilms), we stumbled across a Patrick McGoohan -directed, -written, and -acted Prisoner-esque extension of the Number 6(?) storyline. It turns out that McGoohan is in three additional Columbo telefilms too, though only this one has so many nods to the character that made McGoohan meteoric.

So, here is the first of four McGoohan-enhanced Columbo episodes. We'll watch them out of order and save them for special occasions. This episode's occasion: one and a half years of marriage (to the day)!

Columbo: Identity Crisis

sandwiches: round 20: mystery of the meat loaf identity crisis

Dave's Turkey Meat Loaf Canapés (left plate, clock-wise from bottom-right)...
a) Plain - simply AS's turkey meat loaf on gluten-free bread.
b) Plain, Sleeping - here, we put the meat loaf on a bed of white rice atop a box-spring of bread.
c) Baconnaise - Bread, meat loaf, baconnaise; simple and sophisticated at once!
d) English Formal - The Plain with Worcestershire and "Ketchup Style Sauce."

DM on DM: As we didn't exchange sandwiches this time (a first, I believe), I will only be reviewing my canapé quarters...
a) Excellent. AS's meat loaf was delicious. The bacon within it did not shine so much as it did when fried the next day, but I imagine that I'd know the difference if it was taken out.
b) Also excellent. I liked it better with the rice.
c) This year from AS's brother and family, bacon was the theme. This sandwich was a gift for all 4 bites. Baconnaise will surely sit on shelves for the long-term, nestled reliably between "Sandwich Spread" and A1 Sauce.
d) My favourite. Meat loaf, catsup/ketchup, and Lea & Perrin's is a triumvirate of taste and comfort.

Angelica's Turkey Meatloaf Squared (right plate, clock-wise from bottom right)
a) Euro Style - meatloaf topped with Mayo 
b) Asian Style - meatloaf on rice
c) Texas Style - meatloaf on BBQ sauce
d) Plain - meatloaf + bread

AS on AS:
a) I haven't eaten a savory food that couldn't be improved with a little mayo. No exception here - mayo made it even more delicious.
b) Surprisingly enjoyable. The double carb combo elevated the bite from appetizer to main.
c) My least favourite. I always think I'm going to like the addition of BBQ sauce to a dish, and then all I end up tasting is BBQ sauce.
d) As simple as can be and wonderfully delicious (although I agree with DM that the meatloaf was better the next day fried - it brought out the bacon flavour and improved the texture).

No competition this round, but I'm looking forward to trading half sandwiches again soon. (By the way, there is no official entry for it, but I'm going to give a special mention to DM's peanut butter, jam, dried current sandwiches from the day he proposed - and which we consumed out at our elementary school grounds. They were as delicious as any sandwich I have ever had. xoxo).

Danger Man

Review coming soon...

DM:
Yes, it took two and a half years to get to this - better later than never has never felt more true. On that note, and with one more thing on my to-do list complete, I reflect on the life of Patrick McGoohan: his seeming complete conquering of to-do list quagmires as well as trampling all fear and doubt on this way through a storied life as writer, actor, director - creator!

In this fine example of McGoohan's vision, we see the final episodes of his pre-Prisoner series, Danger Man, as it soars into new colour delights from its black and white origins, karate chops its way through cultural boundaries into far-flung Asia, and gives us a glimpse of story-telling interests he'll more fully explore in The Prisoner.

To properly review these episodes, I'll have to watch them again. (I feel just a little more excited to see them than I am to re-watch The Prisoner!) The impression I am left with 30 months later is this: engrossing, charismatic, exuberant.


AS: I wish I could remember more about Danger Man. It has just been too long to provide any meaningful commentary - after two and a half years I can only look back and recall small snip-its - but I do recall enjoying the episodes and wanting to know more. Who is this Man of Danger? Let's get our hands on more episodes so I can find out!

sandwiches: round 19: secret weapon

Appetizers: feta stuffed jalapeno peppers [and a magical strawberry salsa created by Dave that I hope he remembers all the ingredients for...mmm!]
Angelica's Vampire Fighter – a whole head of roasted garlic topped with double toasted cashews, hidden under a coat of brie and a dash of cinnamon.


Dave's "Burger X" - Handmade patties combine extra lean ground organic beef, chopped black olives, 1 egg, dismantled chorizo, goat feta, crushed tamari rice crackers, sea salt & fresh ground pepper, herb de provence, hints of maple syrup, Worcestershire  and brown sugar. A slug of wine chorizo was hidden in the patty and a slice of it was laid on top. Lettuce and toasted rice-base cheese bread contained it for safe consumption. 

(Note: I am sure glad I wrote about this soon after making it; I'm finally posting details about "Burger X" on August 16th, 2013.)

*****

AS on AS – well, it was interesting. Not good, not bad. Just interesting. I couldn’t tell if I was eating something salty or sweet, crunchy or melt-in-your-mouth. It seemed to be all of those things and none of those things.

AS on DM – delicious! Simply delicious. Complex yet well balanced, hearty but not heavy. This is what food tastes like when it is made with love. And there was no mistaking that this was made with a lot of love.

DM on DM - Because it's August 16th, 2013, which is nearly exactly 2.5 years after we ate these sandwiches, I'll have to defer to AS's opinion. I have full confidence in her taste whenever she has good things to say about me or my sandwiches.

DM on AS - Again, it's been two and a half years since I ate this sandwich. By the look and sound of it though, I could go for one right now. Great concept, name, presentation... and even her own description has me curious enough that I'd like to have a re-do on this whole round of Danger Man and sandwiches!!

The Verdict – hands down Dave’s sandwich. This was a masterpiece. I’d eat it again in a heartbeat.

The Prisoner: Miniseries

Talk about overdue! (This post, I mean. Well, Prisoner material too. But mostly this post, which was written 23-02-2010 and posted 24-01-2011, almost a year later.) Copy... paste:

Here's what I like about this remake of the now classic Prisoner story: it's contemporary. Sure, the endearing qualities of McGoohan's masterpiece are missing; perhaps there is little to endear us at all in this 2009 vision. But how could the quaint elements so compelling in the late 60's have delivered the same punch 40 years later? Man, if Number 6 had been living in the age of GoogleMaps, he would have been spotted on StreetView at the Village cafe.

No, the location of the Village, as with many elements of the story, has been updated to be characteristically congruent in the modern world. The cautionary notes are similarly conspiracy waking, but point to agendas and technology that have more recently emerged. The clothing though leaves something to be desired: where are the capes?! But oh! My goodness, Rover is awesome.

After the 6-part series wrapped up (it took two evenings of the valentine's weekend), I was impressed by the respect for the original material and the freshness of the new take. The questions pulling us along bordered at times on too mysterious, the movement between times and places was maybe a tad more disorienting than it needed to be, and McGoohan is an awfully tough act to follow. But. Coming into the home stretch, what a great dovetailing of story threads, satisfying reveals, a twist or two from left field, and nothing left dangling. Nicely done: entertaining, thought-provoking, engaging.

A note to anyone fishing for reviews: Quite of few of the detractors I came across online didn't give the series more than half the episodes. Some even predicate their scathing reviews by admitting they didn't get through the first episode. Others, I suppose, were expecting something more like the original and were disappointed. Fortunately, I avoided that fate by reading ahead of time that this remake was a departure. If you're thinking about seeing this series, I highly recommend it... I also recommend watching the episodes without too much time between them. Try three at a time, as they were broadcast originally.

-DM

I like the retelling of stories. I love it, in fact. I love to hear the same story told from a different perspective and to hear a story re-told in a new time. I wasn’t expecting this retelling of the Prisoner to be true to the original in plot nor in tone and this, I believe, set me up well to hear this story being told again.

I liked the re-imagining of the village. I liked the re-imagining of the back stories of the characters and the characters themselves, but what I liked most, keeping in the story theme, was the idea that the remake put forth that sometimes living a story is better than living the truth. That our lives aren’t always going to live up to our dreams, that living the highs in life come at the expense of having to live the lows. But in stories we can assign meaning to our lives in ways that reality never can, we can find the happy endings we long for yet often do not find and we can make ourselves better than we know ourselves to be. And because we can imagine it, if even for a moment, does it matter that that isn’t the truth, that it isn’t real?

And so goes the remake of The Prisoner, blurring the lines of story and reality for the characters, pulling us as viewers along into the mystery of what the Village is and who the people are who inhabit it. As in the original, the ending is a surprise. I didn’t expect McGoohan’s Number 6 to ever successfully leave the Village, especially in the romp that he did, and nor did I expect Caviezel’s Number 6 to stay, in a much quieter fashion.

I’ll admit that a year later, I am less able to piece together the storyline of each episode than I am able to do so of the original episodes which we watched much earlier. I found McGoohan’s Number 6 to be much more memorable, more quirky, more intriguing that Caviezel’s was perhaps a bit too understated. McKellan, though, made a Number 2 who rivalled any from the original series.

And so, a year later, what do I remember most…that I liked the retelling of this story, and that in the Village, not is all as it seems, but then again, neither it is in real life.

-as.

sandwiches: round 18: red redux

Valentine's Day + Olympics + Chinese New Year = red (again)

Sides: fresh tomato-avocado-red onion salsa with red and white tortilla chips

Drinks: red wine
Angelica's Grilled Red Marble: prosciutto, dried cherries and red windsor cheese on white rice bread, fried to a golden brown in lots of butter .
Dave's Protein Sizzler (for athletes, spies, and romantic festivities). Bread, butter, mushrooms, beef. (I can't remember the recipe because i'm recalling this from nearly a year ago now.)

Dessert: blood oranges and raspberries over toasted coconut ice cream

AS on AS - I love grilled cheese sandwiches. Love them. And I loved this one. The prosciutto was salty, the cheese was sharp and the cherries were sweet. It crunched, yet oozed, it caused me to lick my fingers, it warmed me and made me want to revive the sandwich challenge on an ongoing basis. But, it was a safe composition.

AS on DM - The mushroom sauce made this sandwich. The lack of time in which to stew the meat, however, left this sandwich a little challenging to chew. The taste was amazing and with four more hours in the slow cooker would have been one of my all time favourite sandwiches.

DM on DM - As Angelica's review correctly states, more time was needed for the beef to become sandwich-ready. The taste was there at the beginning and end of each bite, but the chewing between-time was too much for a sandwich. Points for taste, but not for the work required.

DM on AS - Having just read Angelica's review, i also would like to revive the sandwich events, or at the least, have some sandwich-shopping and -making dinners again soon. Angelica's sandwich was delicious and held well to the theme while introducing an unexpected red ingredient (the cheese). My mouth is watering 49 weeks later.

The Medals and Victory Ceremony:

AS: while my sandwich was nothing new, it did melt in my mouth. DM's sandwich was something new, and very tasty, but really did need more cooking time. It's a tough choice because the sandwiches did compliment each other (much like its makers). And much like figure skating, do you award a safe but well executed performance, or something that pushes the limits but with a less graceful landing or two. But like men's gold medal skating, I guess in the end, a quad isn't everything...sometimes its the fancy footwork that holds everything together that gives the edge. And so, I'll award gold for mine, but a close silver to DM.

DM: As the memories come back through these pictures and descriptions, i can clearly remember the excitement of Olympic Fever in Vancouver, the anticipation of new Prisoner material, and the perfect timing and collaboration of a prisoner-sandwich night, valentines, evening fireworks*, and the new apartment. (*Were there fireworks? I'm sure there were - it was a good period of time, Feb-2010.)

The Prisoner: episode 17: Fallout

And Well Done.

A (side of the) truth in every considered scene, distorted, confused by cacophony and simultaneously offered angles; divining a representative view, (and) composing a statement accessible by all interests (may have) required the eclectic, wild, disparate, (cubist?) style manifested in this final episode where Number Six, McGoohan, hegemony, youth, history, now (the late 60's) collide into a single, reflexive space.

Under The Village: a missile, subterfuge, new-speak, the Beatles singing "All You Need is Love," reflections behind ape masks behind theatre masks under cloaks behind cameras, resurrection, insurrection, defection, dem bones dem bones, and an open-sided trailer barreling along the highway as the greatest escape... succeeds?

The jilting journey ends with an electronic hum, and we are left wondering: How big, really, is The Village?

-DM

This post is very, very overdue…8 months overdue to be exact – perhaps the time it takes to be away from The Village and to be able to look back on it and make sense of that experience, or perhaps the time it takes to miss The Village and long to be back. And what’s not to miss. In the final episode The Village breaks down into the chaos I had hoped for, into the cacophony of sounds and the blur of images, the masks, the chanting, the singing, the chasing, the moment we always knew was coming (could we really have expected Number 1 to be anyone else?). Finally we are set in motion, perhaps propelled into motion – marching down tunnels, chasing around rooms and through rooms, barrelling down highways – all set to music, familiar enough to be catchy, ill-fitting enough to be slightly unsettling. McGoohan and Kanner put in perfectly fitting over the top performances to wrap up their characters, and just enough of the inner workings of The Village were revealed to answer some questions but leave a few mysteries behind.

…and then, like Number 6, we simply step out and disappear into the quiet of everyday life. It all ends as suddenly as it began, much like this project – but like so much in life, also with the chance to repeat itself, perhaps with slightly less anticipation and surprise than an entirely new experience, but with the benefit of familiarity and the opportunity to be retold and relived through (hopefully) wiser eyes.

as.

sandwiches: round 18: Bridge

Having been six months since our last Prisoner viewing, we needed something to bridge the time since then and perhaps to bridge into what comes next.

Drinks: to each his own


Dave's Last Quarter Kosho: Sliced roast duck with homemade plum sauce, crushed almond, and finely diced duck skin. (The name derives from my having purchased the very last piece of chicken at the Congee Noodle House: 1 quarter of duck. I was a lucky duck, as my sandwich relied on this purchase.)

Angelica's "French Toast" inside and out sandwich: polenta, raisins, pecans, cranberries, holiday syrup, salt and pepper mixed up, spread thin, cooled, cut into triangles and pan fried in olive oil and served with a sauce of blueberries, raspberries and chipotle, and a dab of sour cream.


AS on DM: a wonderful blend of flavours and the first bite made me remember how much and why I love this sandwich project. The duck was fantastic and the homemade plum sauce far better than any store bought jar could ever dream of being. I wished for a little more presence out of the cashews...they blended just a little too well and got a little lost for me. The texture was there, but not so much the taste. Overall, a delicious experience, but perhaps just a little too smooth.

AS on AS: so my sandwich wasn't exactly possible to pick up, nor did it use any real bread, but I will insist it had all the necessary sandwich elements. I was pleasantly surprised how well the polenta turned out as bread and the mixed in fillings offered a surprise with each bite. I personally enjoyed the bites with the pecans the most - a pleasant hot crunch. My fillings were on the outside, but well worth the effort of using a fork to successfully transport upwards and over for a dainty bite. My original plan was for cinnamon in the berry sauce, but the chipotle added a bit of a surprise punch and cooled off nicely with the sour cream. Served hot, it was the perfect finish (and complement) to the duck (speaking of duck, I polished off the leftover duck shortly thereafter because BBQ duck truly is a fine food).

DM on DM: Bridges = Asian flair in British Columbia (ala Prisoner world i.e. Kosho the trampoline fighting sport); getting an ingredient, prepared, at a restaurant (which AS and i frequent for non-Prisonersandwiches nights); a savoury starter leading into the more dessert-like creation of AS. On taste, the overall effect was successful, but the almonds disappeared like too-small bacon bits on a peanut butter sandwich; i need to work on balance like Number Six's Kosho opponents.

DM on AS: I liked the bridge theme interpretation. I liked the taste even more. After the salty, sweet, tanginess of the Last Quarter Kosho, this french toast was perfect. I liked the cutlery requirement change-up, and i loved the friendly bite of chipotle. A winner any time of day.

The Final Verdict:

AS: Awwww, this is the final verdict, for the official viewing of the series anyhow (this can't be it for sandwich battles, can it?). I give mine a slight edge despite it being a bit abstract as a sandwich. It's flavours popped out a little for me and each bit had an element of pleasant surprise.

DM: The edge goes to Angelica for theme interpretation, taste, and as always, presentation. i believe that i am a stronger sandwich creator because my collaborator/opponent is so strong.

sandwiches: round 17: Red

Being Valentine's Day and all, we decided on a theme of red.

Sides: no room for sides following the sea bass and Chinese parsley congee and bbq duck.

Drinks: An old Pinot Noir, hand carried back from Germany in 2003.

Angelica's Ginger Beef Sizzle: thinly sliced beef rib-eye marinated in soya sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame oil, pomegranate-habernaro jelly and toasted black and white sesame seeds in a yogurt sauce, all served on on brown rice focaccia bread
















Dave's Salmon Don: Italian meets Japanese in this piece that combines lemon-dill pan-seared salmon on a bed of sticky dill rice between brown rice focaccia bread.

















AS on AS: while each ingredient on its own was packed with flavour, somehow together it was like they cancelled each other out. Somehow the flavours just mellowed out too much, which was surprising given that the garlic and ginger had bite and the pomegranate-habernaro jelly was burning hot. There were still some hints of the flavours there, but in the end this one did not come together for me.

AS on DM: the first flavour I tasted was sour lemon and it set the stage for the fantastic flavours that followed. The salmon was the real star here and the rice was a nice surprise sandwich ingredient. I would never have guessed that rice could go so well in a sandwich, but it did.

DM on DM: The original concept was to press the rice into pan-fried patties, between which would sit the salmon. Reason won the day, so focaccia became the foundational piece. I was very happy with this sandwich because the flavours balanced well; nothing was overshadowed. And in spite of seeming to be a typical meal translocated between bread, the result felt like a sandwich in its own right. Filling, tasty, and not heavy.

DM on AS: Hearty, tasty, and it had character! I really liked this one, and without minding the "mellowed tastes." This sandwich brought a great taste combination together into one flavour that was distinct and mysteriously delicious. Writing about it now, weeks later, I could go for one.

The Verdict:

AS: an easy win for DM. His sandwich had the right flavours and the right proportions. It was simple yet innovative. A superb way to end out the official season end.

DM: i liked mine a little better this week, but i might be biased by AS's own assessment of the comparison. This was another great meal collaboration - the end of a great season, the beginning of a great series.

The Prisoner: episode 16: Once Upon A Time

A's recollections: having been six months (almost to the day) that we orignally viewed this episode, my memory is a little hazy on the details, but not on the episode overall. If this was Number 6's childhood, it's no wonder he ended up leading a life that ended him up in The Village! The episode was intense and claustrophobic and it didn't surprise me that McGoohan was taking us down this path to the grand finale. Perhaps my only surprise was that this episode seemed quite so improvised, so uncertain of how to get to actually get through to its final scenes to connect us to the end. I can't say that I enjoyed this episode much - in fact I was happy enough to prepare the final sandwich battle without having this on in the background (this may be the only episode that we didn't watch twice). Once was enough. But I suppose it served its purpose and at its end I was ready and curious about how it would all end.
D's re: collection, of a falling out at the centre of being where all points in time fall in. McGoohan's embryo, the prisoner's black board, his foil's chalk-dusted hands scrawling on the surface scraps of possible past, digging fingernails deeper, scraping away down to the core of it all in this last ditch effort. Existence itself is on the line in this ultimate test for both 6, 2, and we who wonder what's what and where it could go. Tumbling forward in trust, we barrel at top speed, crashing into the finale of it: death gives rise to birth: the end of the first 2-parter > promise of answers > to be continued. I do hope that from this chaos comes substance.

sandwiches: round 16: Breaking Our Fast

Our first morning Prisoner sandwich battle...breakfast sandwiches for breakfast.
Sides: pan fried chorizo and fresh raspberries

Drinks: wild berry cocktail and orange juice mix-up



Angelica's Raspberry Heart-wich: Nutella, fresh raspberries, melted Brie and a sprinkle of gluten free cinnamon crunch granola on toasted sourdough bread.

Dave's Upscale MacKmuffin: on pan-seared sourdough bread, we add thinly (but not too thinly) sliced maple bacon, green onion circles, stripped chevette goat cheese, sliced and seared wine chorizo sausage, egg with yolk broken (fried inside a canning lid).


AS on AS: I had recently heard about a chocolate-Brie sandwich...and it sounded like it must be tried. With a few additions, wow, this sandwich turned out amazing! The raspberries added a freshness to what could have been a very rich sandwich, and the sprinkling of granola added an unexpected texture. It ended up being a little light as a breakfast sandwich...better perhaps as a mid-morning snack sandwich...or mid-afternoon snack sandwich...or a midnight snack sandwich! This was really an all-hours snack sandwich.

AS on DM: This topped any egg Mcmuffin I have ever had by a factor of at least 10. This was an outstanding breakfast sandwich, and hearty enough to sustain me through to lunch. Seeing the ingredients stacked up, I was a little worried about this being heavy and about it holding its form, but neither were an issue in the end. My favourite part was the cheese (such a good pick!), followed closely by the chorizo (the perfect level of spicy for the morning!).

DM on DM: Liberation for any fast-food prisoner, i felt this was a well-made gateway back to the precursor of the butter-drenched and bland imitator that Ronald made normal. This penultimate of my prisonersandwiches creation was another personal victory, as it turned out the way i'd hoped. i seem to have - for now - overcome the over-cautious one when it comes to accent tastes. Here, i tasted everything; nothing was overshadowed but the health score. But then, how healthy is a life without the odd indulgence?

DM on AS: While my meat and meat-alternates combo came in throwing it's weight around, Angelica's chocolate, berry, and brie floated like a butterfly - Muhammed Ali. i saw the cheese and chocolate duet, the berry and chocolate, the cheese and berry... but was a little doubtful that all three would get along between the bread and in my mouth. Turns out they did. So much so that i asked for the first encore in this competition's history.

The Verdict:
DM: Not sure it would survive a take-out bag, but my sandwich makes my own top of the pops. Yet, i am satisfied to be Number Two another time, deferring top-man status to Angelica's Heart-wich.

AS: Now 16 episodes in and more than 32 sandwiches later, I wasn't sure we would begin to struggle with coming up with completely new flavour pairings. It seems that this is not a problem for either of us...we continue to break new ground week after week in this sandwich battle. So tough to decide between the many twists on the traditional breakfast ingredients versus the non-traditional breakfast pairings. I liked both so much and they were so complimentary to each other. I think I will have to call this one a draw.

The Prisoner: episode 15: The Girl Who Was Death

Angelica's thoughts: Like some of the other episodes, I wasn't quite sure where this one was going for the first few minutes...and not sure when the twist would come and what it would be, but I was glad to get caught up in the story. I really, really liked this episode. Sometimes when they go out of the village for an episode, I am eager to go back. But with this episode, I was on the edge of my seat with every new path that Number 6 went down. The story kept a quick pace, had interesting characters and involved many fantastic outfits (really, really great outfits...this episode easily gets the prize for Best Dressed). I wasn't sure if this was going to turn out to be a dream or an experiment inside of Number 6's head...and no, it was neither. I didn't quite pick up on the storybook element until later...could not have guessed it was simply about seeing if Number 6 would drop his guard with children. Perhaps it wasn't a story I would tell children, but it certainly gave some good insight into Number 6's character, and it's a story I wouldn't mind being told over again a few times.
Whoa, wild, wacky, whimsical. Another tricky bit of writing that allowed the creators to film outside of the Village without letting Number 6 out of the Village. And the strings that come with that: i was pretty confused right up until the end when i was assured that the oddities of character, costume, and physics were due to the imagination of children. Whew.

So, i liked this one. i'd probably will like any episode in this series. how can you go the wrong way in a place with no rules? the only rule is that the prisoner can't leave... ultimately.

Anyway, what i liked was seeing #6 in what must be something like his real life world, wandering about London like he owns the place, infiltrating ranks with clever disguises, using machines large and small as tools, solving riddles, escaping terrible traps, besting the baddies with bravado. and though i missed the Village and it's quirky denizens, these odd episodes out make the returns all the more happy.

i'm writing this after watching Once Upon a Time (which is on in the background again now), and the comparison is clear: the heavy, impenetrable psychological tours de force benefit from intermission. Give me London, give me a western town, give me a fairy tale and i'll be happy if it gives me a rest from the mental obstacle course that is Once Upon a Time.

My review here is more about types of episodes. In itself, The Girl Who Was Death is fun... and it reminds us in the end that clown dolls are creepy and do not belong in children's rooms. Number 6 is the kind of hero who takes the clown away from the kids and puts it in front of the guards' camera like, "Hey, you evil ne'er do wells, stop peeping, stop your clowning, and take a good look into this mirror."

sandwiches: round 15: Last Wish Indulgence aka The Last Meal

We went with a sort of episode linked theme tonight...if you had to choose your last meal, and if it just happened to be a sandwich...

Sides: melted brie and fresh blackberries on rice crakers; artichoke cheese squares

Drinks: Cabernet Sauvignon



Angelica's All In: lean prosciutto, spiced gouda and pecans candied in holiday syrup, all fried in a whole lotta butter on brown rice bread.


Dave's Last Meal in a Central American Slam: rice bread slightly fried, then toasted; chicken spiced with chili powder and cinnamon; strong cheddar cheese toasted melted; guacamole with pepper mixed in; served with side of fresh blackberry sauce with cinnamon.


AS on AS: there could have been too many flavours here, seeing as I put in all the flavours that I love - salty, smokey, sweet, buttery - but this all blended into a more heavenly taste experience than I could have hoped for. All the contrasting flavours simply made each other stand out. The homemade candied pecans is what put this one over the top for me...the unexpected taste of apple sweetness (from the holiday syrup) was the right kind of surprise for what looked like was going to be just another grilled cheese, and a very heavy one at that.

AS on DM: if there is one word that I would use to describe this sandwich, it would be "fresh". Even the cinnamon and spiciness tasted fresh and with every bite, I could taste summer. I loved the layers and the colours and the extra sauces to spread or pile on top. This sandwich literally felt like it could float up off the plate and into my mouth, which I think it might very well have actually done.

DM on DM: I don't feel like I have as many big successes as AS when it comes to my taste buds, but this one was really tasty and turned out as I had hoped. So, on a personal note, I was pleased with the concept-to-construct result as well as the food satisfaction. The cinnamon and chili powder seasoning was my favourite element of the sandwich, adding a little south america to the more central american tastes i went with. the leftovers were great too to the next day.

DM on AS: I called it a top 3 of the prisonersandwiches adventure and right now, a week later, I can't disagree because thinking about it makes me want another. It was a taste bonanza. Great balance, powerful tastes, lasting effect. AS has a great sense of what will work and has the proven ability to bring it to the plate.

The Verdict

AS: the judging seems to become harder and harder every episode. We seem to have, over the past 9 months, become skillful and ever more creative sandwich makers. Both sandwiches were amazing....but I think I have to give the edge to mine this round. I could not get its flavour out of my head, so much so, that the next night I could think of no better dinner than to use the left overs to make an entire one for myself and eat it all up. Which I did. And loved every bit just as much as the night before.

DM: Indelible, AS's takes this one. I have to say that I could have picked a better episode to make one of my favourite creations! But that makes for great evening of food.

The Prisoner: episode 14: Hammer Into Anvil

Dave's side: This was a great one. I'm sure the plot's been done many times, but the timing in this case made it so welcome. The tide was turned on one of the least likable Number Twos, soundly. It all reminded me of one of my favourite episodes of MASH where the ultimate prank is pulled: the prankster tells his foe that a brilliant prank awaits... and as time passes without a sign of it, paranoia blooms into sleepless, friendless, agonizing obsession. Number Six saw his opportunity in Number Two's fear of Number One. He turned the force of Number Two's clenched fist against him. And Number Two was cut down by the near edge of his own sword. Safely in my top 3 favourite episodes of The Prisoner, memorable enough to make my all-time TV list, and includes a trampoline battle scene with Asian background music. Over the top awesomeness.

Angelica's side: I really liked this episode and I really liked Number 6 in it. In this episode, it felt like he found a meaningful purpose within the village. In this episode, he found himself, at least for me, not as man trying to escape The Village, nor as man defending himself against the system of The Village, but rather as hero. He's out to avenge a death, to stand up to a challenge and to bring a man down. And that he does - with a little trickery here and a little trickery there - with a little looking for a pretend message here and leaving a pretend message there. And I ate it up. Every last bit of it. I liked watching Number 2 begin to suspect everyone around him, watching his paranoia set in - watching him dismiss everyone, one by one. And watching Number 6 run all over the Village setting up all his little deceptions everywhere. What would Number 6 think up next, what would Number 2 fall for next? This episode had me from the beginning and carried me right through to the end.

sandwiches: round 14: foundation room roams with the buffalo

Many a recent night have been spent at Foundation Room, indulging on nachos and attempting to balance things out with some healthy vegetarian dish or other...most usually Molten Tofu. So, what better sandwich inspiration than these two dishes, well, with a slight run in with some buffalo.
Angelica's Molten Tofu Buffalo Ikebana-wich: leftover Molten Tofu (tofu, black sesame paste, broccoli, spinach) mixed with ground buffalo, crushed garlic, green onion, chili sauce, rice flour, egg, salt & pepper to form a burger, served atop toasted sourdough rice bread with mayo and melted brie, garnished with broccoli/tofu ikebana.
Dave's Mexican Machete Burger Sandwich:
in the burger: ground buffalo, crushed corn chips, diced green spiced olives, shredded cheddar cheese, strips of salsa salami;
between the toasted sourdough rice bread: the burger, stuffed with a chunk of cheddar cheese and a spread of mayo, corn chips, green spiced olives, cheddar cheese, and salsa salami.

Drinks: gin cocktails

Background: episode 13 re-run

AS on AS: moist and flavourful, but missing the flavours of the dish which inspired it. But still, tasty and consistent to the last bite. And really, it's hard to go wrong with anything sandwiched between a layer of mayo and a layer of oozing, melted brie.

AS on DM: bright and lively flavours, just like a plate of nachos. The cheddar centre was a nice touch and great interpretation for the topping. This was no little nacho appetizer, but a full and satisfying meal.

DM on AS: i don't think i can say it better than above. i really like this one. looking back, i think this patty - with a little more moistness - would make for memorable canape appies.

DM on DM: turning out better than expected, i was more pleased with this creation than most if not all of my others to date. i liked the savoury, slightly sharp, nicely salty initial tastes and the apicy aftertaste was just what i was after when i conceived this one.



The Verdict: for DM, i'm going to go with my own on this. i am biased by two factors: the personal satisfaction being higher than usual and the craving of the night being satisfied. it's tough giving oneself the nod, but i just have to do it this time.

AS: my vote too goes for DM's sandwich. While both were really good, his just simply tasted better.