With the help of this book you’ll be whipping up rudimentary beef stews in no time!
Good news! If you like cooking and love Columbo, you’ll be cock-a-hoop about the opportunity to win a pre-Christmas copy of the critically acclaimed Cooking with Columbo book.
That’s right folks, Columbo superfan and book author Jenny Hammerton has kindly made three copies of the book available to readers of this blog – and throwing your name into the hat is as easy as pie (pun one jillion per cent intentional)!
Simply add a comment in the comments section below outlining the three Columbo characters you’d invite over for Christmas dinner, and why, and we’ll draw three winners from all the entrants on 16 December.
UPDATE: The winners have been randomly drawn and are David, Jan and Kimberly Daroya! Thanks to all who participated, and look out for more opportunities like this in 2019…
For those unfamiliar with the book, it was released in February 2018 to mark the show’s 50th anniversary, and I have to say it’s rather good. Jenny, the proprietress of the popular Silver Screen Suppers blog, plundered her extensive archives of more than 7000 movie star recipes to come up with meal suggestions to match every Columbo episode!
Featuring favourite dishes from the likes of Peter Falk, Vincent Price, Johnny Cash, Robert Conrad, Trish Van Devere, Dick Van Dyke and Janet Leigh, there’s inspiration enough to create sensational dinners for one right through to opulent banquets and house parties – including enough chilli variations to keep purists happy (squirrel excluded).
Read more about the book here. I own a copy myself and can vouch for its quality. I even wrote the foreword!
For those who don’t want to wait, Cooking with Columbo will make an excellent Christmas gift for the Lieutenant Lover in your life, and it can be purchased online at Amazon for Kindle or in paperback, with world-wide shipping available. View a preview of the book or order online here. You won’t regret it!
My thanks to Jenny for her generosity! Get amongst it folks and you too could be dining like a Hollywood icon of the 70s in no time!
Need inspiration on who you’d invite to a Columbo celebratory dinner? Read my ‘rib-tickling’ suggestions for the perfect party guest list here.
More Columbo Christmas gift inspiration can be found lurking with intent right here.
NYOM!
Just wanted to mention that Jenny’s lovely book came last week in the mail. The receptionist at work (and myself) are eagerly debating what we’ll make first. Of course, there is also some ‘liquid filth’ to be considered…….. Thank you so very much, Jenny!
Wonderful, thanks for letting us know it arrived.
🙂
I would like Janet Leigh Johnny cash and rue maclanahan to attend a columbo mystery dinner..who dunnit dinner. they don’t make TV mysteries like they used to
Linda! This is a great trio of guests and a dinner menu jumps right out at me! All recipes in Cooking With Columbo cookbook. An individual Janet Leigh Cheese Souffle as a starter course. A big bowl of Johnny Cash Chilli each. Then if anyone is still hungry, one or two of Rue McClanahan’s Wonder Women cookies – lovely!
1 Dolores from Bird in the Hand
2 Swanny from Last Salute to the Commodore
3 Lauren Staton from It’s All in the Game
All for similar reasons, they seem fun and laid back.There would be less drama than having some of the more shouty and brooding characters that appeared.
Hi Linda – I do like your selection! For pre-dinner cocktails, you could serve the Faye Dunaway cocktail that’s in the Cooking With Columbo cookbook and Tyne Daly’s Key Lime Pie for dessert, also in the book. I’m sure Swanny would lead everyone in a Christmas Carol singalong!
First of all, I’d invite Melissa (Susan Damante from Troubled Waters) because it has been a long time since I want to explain her that smoking inside the house is not a polite and healthy thing to do. It also ruins the taste of the great wines shipped overseas from the Carsini Wineyard which ones are served to the dinner. I know, I know, but Lt. Columbo is an exception by definition, and even Prof. Heidemann liked the smell of a real person. 😉
My next guest to be invited is Tina (Rebecca Staab from Columbo Cries Wolf), just because it would be a great occasion to shoot some bikini pictures of her to use in the 2019 Calendar. I hope she accepts my kind request to attend, but it seems highly possible due to the imprisonment of Sean Brantley.
The third one is not directly invited, but it all happens by the series of weird incidents. Ruth Jernigan (Molly Hagan from Murder, Smoke and Shadows) – just heading towards the studio to record her next film – would have her taxi failing, just nearby my precious dinner. I’d be kind enough to let her join and talk through the whole night.
George! This is a very interesting trio of guests! I would suggest serving them the recipe that accompanies the Columbo Cries Wolf episode in the Cooking With Columbo book. It’s the kind of thing I am sure Sean Brantley would have for dinner-a-deux with each and every Nymph of the Month – Playboy’s Stewed Pheasant in Champagne with Dumplings.
1) Columbo- Of Course
2) Jim Ferris- Murder by the Book
3) Harry Alexander- A Stitch in Crime
Kind, sincere and genuine – this group would be a welcome way to reflect on the true spirit of Christmas after a busy season. I can only hope that they would be okay with a vegetarian Christmas dinner.
Ah, what a lovely trio Caitie! As it’s a vegetarian affair, I think that Peter Falk’s Pumpkin Lasagne would fit the bill. I made a little video demonstration of this recipe which you can check out if you like… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ffvjSX0jUU&t=6s – it’s a delicious dish!
I would invite the following:
1) Thomas Dolan (Vito Scotti) – as he would appreciate any wine that was served (possibly even the Marino Brothers) and he is a happy go lucky fun personality
2) Sergeant Wilson (Bob Dishy) – he could tell fascinating tales all evening about the many adventures of Lt Columbo, who was fast becoming a legend in the department
3) The Great Santini (Jack Cassidy) – he would provide endless entertainment with his fascinating magic tricks so there would never be a dull moment at the dinner
I love this selection Erik! I’d love to have Sergeant Wilson to dinner for sure! For this trio I would serve Jack Cassidy’s recipe for Rainbow Trout in a Pouch – each pouch has a few drops of Chablis added, I’m sure Thomas Dolan would be happy to finish the bottle!
Wow! There are some very committed Columbophiles here. I can’t claim to have any deep knowledge of this fascinating person but am just so grateful that he has spent so many rainy afternoons with me over the years. So I would invite this old friend and I’d ask him to wear a tuxedo because I know he cleans up very well! I’d also invite his lovely wife because I’m sure she will brighten the evening with her astute observations and flirtatiousness. And the third person I’d invite would be the famous Inspector Lucerne in the guise of William Shatner who would show us some wonderful verbal acrobatics as he tries to outwit the un-outwitable Lieutenant.
Ah, a lovely trio that would be for sure! As Detective Lucerne is going to be there, I think the nicest thing to serve would be one of the William Shatner Recipes that are in the book. Steak Picado, Lime-Garlic Broiled Chicken or even Deluxe Hamburgers. I’m sure Columbo and his elusive wife would enjoy whichever one of these you chose!
I would invite Lloyd Bochner’s character because the actor (a fellow Canadian) will ever be associated with “It’s a cookbook” from “To Serve Man” a Twilight Zone episode. (Has anyone noticed the French restaurant’s parking lot said parking for Kosherama.)
Also Bob Dishy ‘s cop character because he’s polite and would be a charming dinner companion and you have to eat off of plates.
Thirdly I would invite Jeanette Nolans character because Iwant to know why she didnt like Columbo and what’s in those health cookies.
Ooh, I must check out the Twilight Zone episode you mention, sounds interesting… I do love Bob Dishy, and so wish I had a recipe for him, but alas no. However, I think Jeanette Nolan’s Sizzling Liver and Walnuts would be a great dinner party dish for these three. The recipe is in the book!
To Serve Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De4u1Zz7Yt4
Brilliant – thanks!
I’d invite Bart Keppel to see if he could do an encore of that fiendish cackle from the end of Double Exposure (I’ll serve caviar); King Hamid Kamal of Suari for conspiring with Columbo (escargot will be on the menu), and Tommy Brown for having squirrel meat chili at his outdoor party.
Ooh, this is an interesting trio! I would definitely serve Johnny Cash Chili at this party, everyone would love it! A dish fit for a King!
Ooh, this is an interesting trio. I would definitely serve Johnny Cash Chilli at this party, they would all love it. It’s a dish fit for a King!
If inviting people over for Christmas dinner, I would want it to be a party atmosphere, so with that in mind …
While I understand wanting to have Adrian Carsini bring the wine, I’ll go against the grain and have Joe Devlin (The Conspirators) bring the Full’s Irish Dew. We’ll go this far … and keep on going. I know some find Devlin a little too full of blarney, he would be great at a Christmas party with the limericks and darts. Carsini can stay home; I’ll buy the cheap wine and invite Devlin for fun.
Albert from Murder Under Glass. So many cooks and chefs to pick from in that episode, but I would hope that he would make sure, such as he promised Columbo, that none of us would go hungry. (An aside: No way I would let Paul Gerard near my food after what he did, his method of murder.).
Last one is difficult. Abigail Mitchell could provide conversation, the Great Santini entertainment and Dale Kingston could provide fashion tips (I kid). But I’ll go in a different direction, and ask Goldie, Bo Williamson’s ex (Blueprint for Murder). She’s about as open and flashy a character in the entire series. While she’s only in a supporting role, she really does take center stage when she has a scene. I can’t imagine a character from Columbo being more fun to be with and more able to make a dinner party exciting and unpredictable.
Now, this would be some party! I would ask Albert if he would mind cooking for himself and your other guests. He could make Cioppino for all – maybe using the Vincent Price Cioppino recipe that’s in the Cooking With Columbo book, with some added freshly grated lemon peel of course! I’m sure Adrian Carsini could find some MARGAUX to have with the meal. I would love to be a fly on the wall!
Well obviously Columbo himself would be top of the list because he would be the coolest guest, and I’d want to ask him about his earlier years in the force, and how he learnt to ‘read’ the telltale signs of a murderer.
Second on my list would be Karl Lessing from Lovely But Lethal so we could figure out how to perfect that beauty cream without poison ivy!
Third would be Gabriel McEnery from Too Many Notes, so we could have a good sing song after dinner!
Beth, I really like your selection. I think a lovely dish to serve to these three at your dinner party would be Peter Falk’s Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers (recipe is in the Cooking With Columbo book) – maybe Columbo himself could cook it!
I enjoy quiet, uneventful meals so would invite these three:-
Milo Janus to bring the carrot juice and vitamin pills. Mmmmmmmmm-mmmmmm!
Mrs Peck to bring milk and health cookies. I’m extremely fond of health cookies.
Thomas Dolan to bring a mystery dish, the ‘prevailing theory’ being that it is a beef stew.
It would be a merry Christmas indeed with those three in da house.
haha – fab selection. For dinner you could serve Jeanette Nolan’s Sizzling Livers and Walnuts AND a beef stew. Then if they all end up staying the night, Robert Conrad’s Infamous Hangover Eggs! Both recipes are in the book!
For Christmas dinner, I’d invite Adrian Carsini who would bring the wine, Johnnie Cash would provide the music and Ruth Gordon for a fascinating conversation. Sounds like a fun night!!
I love this combo Karen! You would have a marvellous time and if you served Johnny Cash chilli, Adrian Carsini MIGHT make an exception to his idea of only bumpkins serving wine with chilli and bring a few bottles along!
My ideal party guests would be…
Janet Leigh (Forgotten Lady) – entirely for the glamour
Rue McClannahan (Ashes to Ashes) – solely for the gossip
Edith Head (Requiem for a Fallen Star) – exclusively for the gowns…
What a swell party it’d be…
Kevin! That really would be a swell party. Love this selection! I would serve Janet Leigh’s individual Cheese Souffles as a main course, followed by Rue McClanahan’s Wonder Women cookies – both recipes are in the book! There’s an Edith Head recommendation in the book too – Edith Head’s Chicken Casa Ladera. Casa Ladera was Edith’s home in Goldwater Canyon, Los Angeles. If you google it you will find some fabulous pix of the interior with Edith looking super cool in almost every one…
I think I’d like to have three people who know how to behave well (eh, other than bumping off the troublemaker in their lives)…
Abigail Mitchell (TRY AND CATCH ME)
World Traveler and very chatty woman. She even knew “Mahatma Gaandi!”
Joe Devlin (THE CONSPIRATORS)
A well-spoken fellow and also an author, so I think he and Miss Mitchell would get along great.
Paul Galesko (NEGATIVE REACTION)
An artist of a different sort, call Esco demonstrated an ability to be charming and polite when necessary, and has his own tales of traveling the world to share.
What’s these three have in common is there generally pleasing personalities of disposition. Their crimes were essentially motivated out of desperation, not by greed or evil.
The fact is, most of the most interesting Columbo murderers might have been fun to watch, but their arrogance and self-centeredness would make them very poor dining companions!
ecch, hate being unable to correct the typos in there – forgive me!
All’s forgiven!
I love this selection and can well imagine the arty conversation at the dinner table! I would probably suggest Dick Van Dyke’s Breast of Chicken Florentine for this gathering (recipe in the Cooking With Columbo book). Make sure there is a plentiful supply of Full’s Irish Dew!
😄
Loves me some Columbo dish! 😉
The three ‘Columbo’ invitees I would invite over for Christmas dinner would be:
Margaret Nicholson (Mind Over Mayhem)
Helen Stewart (Dead Weight)
Mrs. White, Roger’s Mom (Double Exposure)
I realize an expected response might have been Lt. Columbo, but his presence there might be too upsetting for the ladies as he would be a reminder of the travails they suffered during three of his investigations. And the whole point would be to give them an escape from such troubles.
What an interesting trio! I would suggest serving Suzanne Pleshette’s Bread Pudding as an alternative to Christmas pudding at this gathering (recipe is in the Cooking With Columbo book). Don’t forget the pre-dinner cocktails that Helen is used to every night at her mom’s house!
Paul Gerard for the food and Adrian Carsini for the wine — and then probably Nelson Bremer for the sheer over-the-top fun of it.
I’d love to see Paul and Nelson’s reactions if you served Donald Pleasence’s No-Name Curry for dinner. It’s a very strange recipe – in the Cooking With Columbo book! I’m sure Adrian would have an appropriate wine match though. No liquid filth!
I would invite the following guests to my Columbo themed dinner:
Adrian Carsini (Any Old Port in a Storm)
Paul Gerard (Murder Under Glass)
Eileen McRae (Publish or Perish)
The meal would be splendid until Gerard took umbrage Carsini’s wine selection. At which point, Carsini would bludgeon Gerard to death with a bottle of port only to die minutes later after drinking Cabarnet Sauvignon poisoned by Gerard during dinner.
This would give me the chance to be alone with Ms. McRae and tell her how much I love her red hat.
Alas dessert would be disrupted by a late arriving guest – Lieutenant Columbo who has a double homicide to investigate.
Great choices! When I launched the Cooking With Columbo book I really wanted to wear a red jacket and matching hat like Eileen McRae! In the end I went with the traditional Columbo raincoat – with a hard-boiled egg in the pocket of course. I’m sure you could charm Eileen by making Mariette Hartley’s Chicken Wonderful for dinner – recipe is in the Cooking With Columbo book!
For my Christmas dinner party my first guest would be Susan.
Who?
Well, I don’t actually know her name but let’s call her Susan, after Susan Jacoby, the actress who played her, as she’s only credited as ‘woman’ for An Exercise in Fatality. She’s the young, classy, unperturbed Tricon clerk who can’t be bothered to help out Columbo (and the scene) a little faster, letting the overzealous printing machine do all the work for her – the machine that won’t rest until it has printed every single item of the requested file.
The dinner won’t be due until 7 p.m. but Susan will be invited for 4 p.m., which means she’ll have to wait a while. That will teach her. I’ll fetch her a dry martini but won’t be able to entertain until 7 because I’ll be busy in the kitchen.
For my second guest I wanted to have mrs. Columbo, to finally meet her! But she had to cancel to visit her sister, who recently fell off the wagon again. But not to worry, instead I’ll invite someone who hasn’t been on a wagon his entire life. Born in a trash can, having spent his youth as a vagabond on the streets of Belfast, Joe Devlin (The Conspirators) is now a renowned poet and singer and excellent company for any festive occasion. If he can manage not to remark “A poet’s choice” every time he has to decide between sauce and gravy, we know we’re in for a treat. What better combination than food and storytelling, and perhaps a song or two afterwards? He’ll even cheer up Susan, who’ll probably be in a foul mood by the time it’s 7 o’clock. And since I’m very fond of Irish whiskey, I hope he’ll bring a bottle of Full’s Irish Dew.
To make the evening worthwhile for Susan, but even more for my own delight, I’ve asked The Great Santini as my final guest. I didn’t want to insult him by asking him to enter by jumping out of the Christmas pudding or anything like that, but we know he’s too vain not to make himself the star of the evening. So in between courses there will be all sorts of tricks and magic to be enjoyed and even Susan will end up having a good time.
And when, in the early hours of the next morning, it’s time to leave I’ll ask Susan for a date; say Auf Wiedersehen to The Great Santini; and tell Joe Devlin, when he asks for just one more drink, this far and no farther.
Oh, this is wonderful! I really love that scene with the printing machine – genius! I would suggest that you serve Jack Cassidy’s Rainbow Trout in a Pouch for this dinner party – purely so that The Great Santini can make a grand show of taking the pouches out of the oven and revealing their contents with a fabulous drum roll and cymbal crash.
Thank you, an excellent suggestion that will make for a perfect Christmas dinner!
I love that recipe! It’s an excellent excuse to drink almost a whole bottle of Chablis as you only use a few drops for the trout!
David – you are a winner! Jenny H will be in touch to sort out shipping etc…
I’m so delighted, thank you!!
David! Congratulations! If you could email me your address I’ll pop a copy of the book in the post. My email address is silverscreensuppers (@) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk – I’m putting bits in brackets to foil the spammers!
Thank you so much! I’ve sent you an email.
I would invite Detective Lucerne/William Shatner (love that episode), Robert Culp and Jack Cassidy (Murder by the book is probably my favourite episode). And Columbo, of course. Best TV show ever
There are two great recipes in the Cooking With Columbo book from William Shatner’s kitchen so you could prepare his Steak Picado or his Lime-Garlic Broiled Chicken – both delicious!
This looks fun.
I’d invite Adrian Carsini (Any Old Port in a Storm) for class. We could talk smack about the 69-cents-a-gallon Marino brothers and I could prank him with liquid filth. (I’m a terrible host.)
I’d also probably invite Paul Gerard (Murder Under Glass), so he can criticize my attempted cooking. Alternately I’d invite Vittorio Rossi (same episode), since he actually works in the restaurant biz and isn’t just a critic… but then again, he’s probably not going to cook for me, so it doesn’t count.
The last one I’d invite would probably be Col. Lyle C. Rumford (By Dawn’s Early Light). No reason, it’s pure favoritism, since he’s the baddie from my favorite episode. I probably shouldn’t, they’d all conspire against me at the end of the so-called-meal I planned for them and that’d become a Columbo episode of its own.
Is it okay if I go over the limit? Probably not, but I’ll do it just for the fun of it. Also because I just realized the Lieutenant himself isn’t ruled out at all, it’d be terrific to have him partake in all this. Dog would have to be there as well.
For this gathering, I would definitely suggest Veal Scallopini as prepared the Columbo way (recipe is in the Cooking With Columbo book) – served with lashings of MARGAUX of course!
That could save my hide in this situation. Besides I’ve always wanted to try Columbo’s Scallopini, every time I see the episode I just want to be there to taste it.
Oh me too, me too! Imagine having dinner cooked for you by Columbo – heaven!
Paul Gerard for the food and the anecdotes.
Findlay Crawford for the music selection
Dr Ray Flemming for the charades
I’d invite Columbo as well, but he’d just annoy my other guests and hog the evening.
Aha! The first selection of Findlay Crawford and Ray Flemming! For these three guests I think I would serve Gene Barry’s Kibbee – or possibly Billy Connolly’s Stuffed Trout. I’m sure that Paul Gerard would be snooty about both, but the Kibbee in particular are delicious! Both recipes in the Cooking With Columbo book.
I love the Richard Basehart recipe that’s in the book – Frankfurters and Beans – so kinda hammy!
I am assuming Columbo, the star of the dinner party is already invited. So, with that logic in place, my dinner party lineup would look as follows:
Kay Freestone (Make Me a Perfect Murder) – because of her tenacity, composure under pressure and her overall badassness. I think I could learn a lot from her. If I’m not mistaken she was the only one that told the witty detective she might even beat the wrap!
Hugh Creighton (Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star) – because who doesn’t want free legal advice and I would just be crushing on ole’ Dabney Coleman so hard. Besides I have a few questions about what he saw in that washed up rock singer.
Hayden Danziger (Troubled Waters) – I want to see if he’ll hook me up with a car and also gain some fashion insight from the 70’s seeing is some of the trends are circling back around. Hayden always had the best fashion sense of all the men. Besides he might need someone to run his company while he’s doing time and I’m just the lady for the job.
Ah, Kimberly – this is a great trio of dinner guests! If you had plenty of time to prepare, you could make Trish Van Devere’s All Day Chili in a Pot. Robert Vaughn’s Special Fettuccine Alfredo would also be a fun dish to serve or, if you really wanted to push the boat out, a New York Steak Dabney Coleman for each guest!
Kimberley – you are a winner! Jenny H will be in touch to sort out shipping…
Kimberley! Congratulations! If you could email me your address I’ll pop a copy of the book in the post. My email address is silverscreensuppers (@) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk – I’m putting bits in brackets to foil the spammers!
How awesome!!! Thank you so very much for gifting this incredible cookbook! I’m smiling so big right now my cat is suspicious!!! I will email you now!!! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you!!! Big hugs to you….
Can i have Mrs Columbo she would no doubt be a hoot with many stories to share…tommy brown to provide some great music and the great santini for entertaiment
Oh yes! Mrs Columbo would be a great dinner guest! For these three, I would definitely recommend the Johnny Cash chilli. Or, if it is to be a more sophisticated affair maybe Jack Cassidy’s Rainbow Trout in a Pouch – one each! It is a bit like a Great Santini magic trick when you open up the pouch to reveal the trout!
I’d pick my favorite eye-catching ladies.
1. Janice Benedict (Etude in Black), because of that tennis skirt
2. Jessica Conroy (Exercise in Fatality), because of that bikini
3. Lorna McGrath (Negative Reaction), because of that sun dress
This is a fabulous selection of eye-catching ladies for sure. Alas, I can’t propose any recipes for the actresses that play these parts as there are none in the book. But the episode-specific dishes might please them. John Cassavetes’ Minted Beef, Dick Van Dyke’s Breast of Chicken Florentine and (for the morning after) Robert Conrad’s Infamous Hangover Eggs!
I would have to invite Columbo himself, for obvious reasons. I wonder if he was a good cook as he leads us to believe in Murder Under Glass?
The lovely Shera Danese – I bet she could tell us some stories!
Dick Van Dyke would make up my three 🙂
Great selection Cindy! There is a really delicious recipe for Shera’s favourite Italian Stuffed Peppers in the Cooking with Columbo book, this would be a lovely dinner party dish for sure. I am SURE Columbo was a great cook, he’d probably be in the kitchen helping out…
Of coarse Lieutenant Columbo..couldn’t have a dinner party without the honored quest.
I like the aging movie star..Janet Lee and the lady taking the wrap for her daughter Fay Dunaway..Sian Barbara Allen..Vincent Price..Vera Mills..Martin Sheen..Robert Culp..William Shatner..I’d invite them all to my dinner party..What a lineup
It’s hard to choose just three isn’t it Yvonne? I love the sound of your guest selection – there are a few Vincent Price recipes in the Cooking With Columbo book, he’s my favourite movie star chef! There’s a great recipe for individual cheese souflees that was a favourite of Janet Leigh. There’s also a great Faye Dunaway cocktail recipe.
My all time favorite would be Adrian Carsini, could you image if you don’t bring a decent bottle of wine….. 2nd would have to be Col Lyle C Rumford, Patrick Mcgoohan at his finest and awesome debut on columbo, would be a militant christmas dinner. As for a woman i would have to invite Nadia Donner (Leslie ann Warren) just her without George Hamilton, she’s the prettiest of all columbo, at least i wouldn’t play mind games with her.
Oh, this is a very interesting selection! I would propose a Donald Pleasence No-Name Curry for this dinner, even though it’s not a particularly festive recipe. You could definitely trust Adrian Carsini to bring something that isn’t “liquid filth”!
Abigail Mitchell (“Try and Catch Me”) to talk about writing and how her defense team got her acquitted; Prof. Rusk (“Columbo Goes to College”) to continue the crime talk and to warn him about those two rotten students; and Goldie Williamson (“Blueprint for Murder”) because she’s a hoot…but she’s got to promise not to call anyone “lover.”
Haha – love your selection James, Goldie is probably my favourite Columbo character (or maybe Mrs Peck!). For this gathering, I could definitely recommend Ruth Gordon’s Zucchini Omelet if it was a lunchtime affair. If a dinner, perhaps Janis Paige’s Feijoada with Pepper and Lemon Sauce. Both recipes in the Cooking With Columbo book.
this has nothing to do with this contest; just with a sudden ‘banana’ epiphany…..I’m also a Doctor Who fan. David Tennant’s Doctor, in one of his episodes, famously and drunkenly extolled the virtues of always taking a banana to a party. Although it’s a reach, wondering if it might have been a Columbo homage. Anyone fans of both these shows and can render an opinion? (CP, if you want this comment deleted as not related, pls feel free!)
No need to delete! Any info exchange on the topic is of interest. I believe Tennant is a Columbo fan, and his name was mentioned a few years back in regard to a reboot. However, I think he’d be TERRIBLE as Columbo…
I love Tennant, but i think we would all want to see a Lt. that is *like* Falk’s Lt. That may not be fair, but there it is. A new generation who has never seen Columbo might be accepting of an entirely different Lt., but that wouldn’t be me. I’ll keep watching the reruns, entirely certain and satisfied that *this* is the very best. (btw, NOT shading DT; he’s a wonderful actor. I actually feel sorry for any actor who tries to assume The Raincoat)
(if Tennant is a fan, maybe that banana bit was a homage…I will just think of it that way…..)
For a lavish 70s’ dinner party I would invite Oliver Brandt, Tommy Brown and Dale Kingston.
Oooh, for these three there are some great recipes in the book. Theodore Bikel has a great Glorified Meatloaf, the Johnny Cash chilli is legendary, and my favourite recipe of all the Columbo related dishes is Ross Martin’s Beef in Anchovy Cream – yum!
My wife’s a chef and I’m a fan of the show. If I win, I hope she can whip up some of these recipes
I wouldn’t invite any murderer, either. My choices are: Elisabeth van Wick – a lovely, interesting woman, to talk about life in general; Tomlin Dudek – a witty and joyful man, to play some chess over good food (but no snails, please!); and Bo Williamson – to make that dinner a truly vivid experience and talk about Texan ranches, business and his horses (I am a horse lover myself)!
Ooh, for these three I would definitely serve the Gena Rowlands Cherry Torte that is in the Columbo cookbook. Let’s hope Bo doesn’t fly into a rage and swipe everything off the dinner table!
I’d start with Lt. Columbo, who keeps bananas in his pockets and knows something about cheese.
For the main course. Paul Gerard would be my choice here; as a chef if not a humanitarian.
I’f finish with Adrian Arsini, because the wine would be fabulous, or failing that his dressing down of the hapless sommalier would be fabulous…
Great choices – I would definitely have Adrian at my dinner party. Not sure what wine he would choose to accompany the Donald Pleasence No-Name Curry that’s in the cookbook!
Ken Franklin from Murder by the Book
Riley Greenleaf from Publish or Perish
The Great Santini from Now You See Him
I’d just love to watch them try and outsmart each other, all while I hold a pistol under the table, unsure of which one I will kill first.
Oh yes! I just love this idea! If I had these three to dinner it would be great to see them fighting over who would get the last stick of Jack Cassidy’s City Chicken! I would serve them Jack’s individual Rainbow Trout in a Pouch accompanied by his Quickie Green Bean Casserole too. What a feast.
Donald Pleasance, he can bring the wine. Patrick McGoogan, he can bring the cigars. Johnny Cash, he can bring the chili! And I agree with Jan, Dog should be the Hoover under the table.
Fun question Columbophile.
Nice selection Pee Wee! I’m still searching and searching and searching for a Patrick McGoohan recipe – all I know is that he liked fish and chips! The Johnny Cash chili recipe in the Cooking With Columbo book is a WINNER.
1: Patrick McGoohan to discuss the finer points of what constitutes great television.
2: Dick Van Dyke.. life of the party and to discuss why comedians have what it takes to play the best villains.
3: John Cassavetes for juicy gossip about drinking buddy Peter Falk.
Ooh Daniel, nice selections! If I had these three round for nosh, I’d have to decide between serving John Cassavetes’ Minted Beef or Dick Van Dyke’s Breast of Chicken Florentine. I would probably go for the beef, just because I fancy John Cassavetes rotten!
On principle, I wouldn’t invite any murderers, although I see a big difference between an act of impulse like that of Adrian Carsini and the premeditated acts of someone like Dr. Flemming. I wouldn’t even invite Columbo himself, if only because he is a smoker; not liquid filth but a different kind of filth. So I have included six invitees; three charming ladies and three men with whom I can talk about a common interest. The three ladies are Edna Matthews, Lisa Chambers and Vickie Hayward, and the three men are Tomlin Dudek with whom I’d try to get some chess pointers, Professor Rusk, since I’m interested in criminology, and Ron Cey, who used to be one of my favorite baseball players, and we could talk about the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose games I used to go to when he was playing.
Now that would be a FABULOUS dinner party! There are lots of recipes n the Cooking With Columbo book that are favourites of the non-murderous actors and actresses in the show, but you have chosen 6 tricky ones! However, I do have Kim Hunter’s recipe for New Orleans Fizz which could start the party with a bang!
I’d invite (ugh I have to use actor, not character, names, sorry):
Johnny Cash, Dick Van Dyke, and Leonard Nimoy.
Why?
Because not only would the conversation be amazing, but there would be so many songs sung! Ring of Fire? Chim Chim Cheree? Ballad of Bilbo Baggins? C’monnnn…
Love the idea of a singalong with these three! If I had them around my dinner table I would definitely serve Leonard Nimoy’s Potatoes La Jolla Chez Jay so I could get him to explain how – and why – he invented this crazy dish!
….and, my goodness, CP, congrats to you for writing the foreward!
It is a BRILLIANT foreword, naturally!
naturally! (which leads me to think that CP should be snuck into the party. He doesn’t qualify by the rules, but still……)
Yes, CP should be the guest of honour!
if you don’t have a CP recipe in your book, perhaps you might post one here….or the readers might contribute their own……For instance, mine might be “I Gotta Beouf Wellington” (a New Zealand cross over was the nearest I could get to Australia on short notice. Sorry, CP!)
Jan – you are a lucky winner of the book! Jenny will be in touch to arrange shipping. Thanks for entering!
wonderful! thank you so much, CP, and happy holidays!
Jan! Congratulations! If you could email me your address I’ll pop a copy of the book in the post. My email address is silverscreensuppers (@) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk – I’m putting bits in brackets to foil the spammers!
thanks so much, Jenny….have send you the addy and will look forward to the book!
1) the dear Lieutenant himself (d’oh!)….. because you could never have a more charming dinner guest….and you might convince him to share cooking duties which would be far beyond wondrous. Also…..because you surely would never want to miss his interaction with the other two invitees ……
2) Paul Gerard (Louis Jordan). Although the Lt. probably didn’t like most of his prey, he very candidly and without (much) rancor said of Gerard, “…..I respect your talent, but I don’t like anything else about you”. Now, *that*, to me, smacks of an interesting base for a dinner party….
3) Ward Fowler (William Shatner)……because, well…..it’s the Shat, and he’s wearing a pimp suit. Therefore, IT’s CHRISTMAS!
If we could have Dog, too, that would make everything superb. Dog would sit there, beneath the dining table and do what Dog Does. And wait for the errant scrap to fall……
Brilliant selection Jan! I wholeheartedly agree with having Dog around to snaffle up anything that gets dropped during dinner. For these three I would probably make the Veal Scallopini Columbo himself rustles up at the end of Murder Under Glass, served with lashings of Margaux of course! Mind you, to keep William Shatner on my side, I might also offer his Steak Picado or his Lime Garlic Broiled Chicken. All three recipes are in the book, I watched the scene where Columbo cooks the veal a GAZILLION times to get the recipe right. It’s delicious.
that ‘ending’ scene makes the whole episode……it’s entirely brilliant. I think that there is an essay extant about *just* that scene…….I’ll be looking forward to perusing your book…..(but….tell me….you didn’t make Shaaaaaatner a ‘ham’ recipe? Or did you crown Basehart with that honour?)
I love the Richard Basehart recipe that’s in the book – Frankfurters and Beans – so kinda hammy!
will look forward to seeing/tasting that! (During the days of “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” my BFF and I used to call Basehart and Hedison “Hot Dog and Hamburger”….kind of nonsensical, but we thought Hedison was such a ‘hot dog” (i.e. a sort of show-off) and Basehart a ‘hamburger’….an ‘item’ we liked…… Oh, how very young we were.
Hot Dog and Hamburger! That is brilliant!
we thought so at the time…..but then, we were prolly only about 12……btw, although Basehart left us some time ago, Hedison is still with us, and is a very hot-doggish elderly man. https://www.facebook.com/David-Hedison-143461369035957/ (if you care to have a look). Too bad he wasn’t on Columbo; i think he’d have made a fab villain. Perhaps I’ll make a “Hot Dawg et’ Hamburger” recipe in honor of the friendship of Basehart & Hedison.
Oh yes! David Hedison would have made a GREAT Columbo villain. You should definitely make a Hot Dawg et Hamburger recipe! Send it on to me and I’ll feature it on the Silver Screen Suppers website!
whew, that was a labor and no mistake, but sent it to you at your SSS address…..
Hi Jan – I’ve just found out that my contact form hasn’t been working since August! Eek! It should be fixed now, could you resend your message? Jenny x
hi, Jenny…..I’m sorry, I did the recipe(s) on your contact page….I didn’t save a copy and don’t have time to re do them (they took me a couple of hours). Oh well
Oh no Jan, that makes me so sad! I am so sorry for all that effort you took. Perhaps we could do something again another time? I really loved your idea.
sure. Happy holidays, Jenny!