The Jasmine McCann #FoodNFlix

This month's Food'N'Flix event was hosted by my friend Courtney over at Fictional Fare. You can read her invitation: here. She asked us to watch Secondhand Lions.*

I had never heard of the movie much less watched it. But with a cast that includes Haley Joel Osment, Michael Caine, and Robert Duvall, Kyra Sedgwick, and Josh Lucas, I knew it had potential. Little did I know that it would become a family favorite; and we watched it twice in one day!

On the Screen

Let me set the stage: Walter (Josh Lucas) gets a phone call that his two uncles - Hub (Robert Duvall) and Garth (Michael Caine) have died. Then, you're dropped straight into 1950s Texas when young Walter (Haley Joel Osment) is being dropped off at his great uncles' house by his flaky mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick).

When they see Mae approach, they are standing in their pond, fishing.

[Hub and Garth look up, staring between Mae and each other in confusion.]

Garth: Huh?

Hub: You send for a hooker?

Mae: Uncle Hub, Uncle Garth- it's me, Mae!

[Hub and Garth stare at her, still confused.]

Mae: Mae! Pearl's daughter! And I brought Walter, your nephew!

Garth: Relatives.

Hub: [Groans] Damn.

There were so many laugh outloud parts of this film. But there was also a great love story, a tragic, beautiful love story when Hub fell in love with Princess Jasmine who was betrothed to a sheik. Jasmine chose Hub but they didn't live a fairy tale ending because, well, you'll have to watch it to find out. Okay?

movie still from Secondhand Lions

Hub tells Walter, in his speech that he gives to all boys on the cusp of manhood: Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things that a man needs to believe in the most: that people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love, true love, never dies... No matter if they're true or not, a man should believe in those things because those are the things worth believing in.

And, before I tell you what I made for this round, I want to make sure you know that next month, Eliot's Eats will be hosting us, watching To Kill a Mockingbird.* I love that it's another film I haven't seen. I've read the book, more than once, but I never watched the movie. It looks like a great one.

In My Glass
Inspired by Hub and Jasmine's romance, I knew that I wanted to use fresh jasmine blossoms. I asked all my local gardening gals and found a blooming bush. Though true love never dies, the jasmine bush does. I picked just a few sprigs.

There wasn't quite enough to do what I wanted, so I used some jarred jasmine jam to make a simple syrup. This is a great trick to making a small amount of syrup; I do this when I don't have enough of whatever I'm trying to infuse.

Jasmine Jam Simple Syrup

Ingredients

• 3 T jasmine jam
• 4 to 5 T water

Procedure
Add ingredients to a small pot and bring to a boil, whisking to break up the jam. Simmer until slightly thickened. Strain out the petals and wet aside to cool.

The Jasmine McCann

I set out to make a cocktail with the jasmine jam simple syrup. I thought I would just call it 'The Jasmine,' but it turns out there is already a cocktail with that name. That figures. But it uses Campari and, while I would enjoy that, it didn't seem to go the direction I wanted. So, to marry Hub's life with Jasmine and his life in Texas, I used jasmine syrup and whiskey! Violà - the Jasmine McCann!!

Ingredients makes 1 cocktail

• 1-1/2 ounces whiskey (I used Jefferson's Ocean Bourbon Whiskey)
• 1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur (I used St. Germain)
• 1/2 ounce jasmine simple syrup
• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• fresh jasmine blossoms for garnish
• thin slice or organic lemon for garnish
• Also needed: ice and cocktail shaker

Procedure

Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour in whiskey, elderflower liqueur, jasmine simple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake for 30 seconds. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with jasmine blossoms and a lemon slice. Serve immediately.

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