Robin Hood. Could have been good, too.

Watched Robin Hood last night. Underneath all the Hollywood clap trap and tropes there was probably a pretty decent film but gah!

I can't comment on the technology and stuff although I'm sure somebody already has but there was so much to boggle at.  My first boggle was Marion stringing a long bow WHILE WALKING DOWN A CORRIDOR! Men had to train for years to be able to string these things, if you couldn't string it, you sure couldn't draw it. I love you Cate, and you were spectacular in it, but no no no no no.

John was twenty years OLDER than Isabella. But the timeline was pretty good, otherwise.

Richard's death—all wrong. He didn't die on the way back from a Crusade, pillaging a few castles on the way. He was shot by a lucky archer though, but not during battle. And he died IN THE ARMS OF HIS MOTHER. What always annoys me is the films always show Richard and LURVING England and wanting to get back to it. He HATED the place, and he spent almost no time there. Aquitaine was his heaven.

But the invasion?  The CLIFFS OF DUNGENESS?  I think the director had had some kind of mental brainstorm by that time.

And the horses which only go at one speed. Cantering everywhere.

And horses that used the Famous Kevin Costner Shortcut from Prince of Thieves – because they could canter from Nottingham to Dungeness (Kent, on the south coast) in 2 days – OVER A HUNDRED MILES A DAY. no. Just NO.

There's a massive list of other stuff here. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0955308/goofs

Hollywood pap. What a blooming shame because many of the performances (let's gloss over the "everyone is Irish and Robin Hood can't keep the same accent for two seconds altogether)were stellar

Recipe: Chicken, Leek & Mushroom pie

Something I never do, because good lord, who is interested in recipes any more than anyone is interested in dreams or other people's horoscopes, but the pie was SO delicious I thought I'd share.

Filling

Five or six wings and legs of chicken (yes, don't really do measurements)

two leeks, slicked quite thinly

twelve button mushrooms

one large onion

Fry the onion and leeks gently in a good dollop of olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms until they are slightly wilted. Remove from the pan.

In the same pan melt a large knob of butter, then add a tablespoon of flour, and mix quickly – brown the roux for about 30 seconds making sure it doesn't catch on a lowish flame. Gradually start to add milk, stirring all the time until you have a white sauce the consistency of double cream. Taste and add more seasoning—black pepper and salt—to taste.

Cook the chicken in the microwave or over. Cool and remove all the flesh – add the flesh to the vegetable mixture then mix the whole lot together. Put the mixture into pie dish.

Pastry: Rough Puff a la Gordon Here:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2403/roughpuff-pastry-

roll out, brush with beaten egg, make a hole in the centre or add a pie funnel. Bake for about 20 mins until the pastry is golden and fluffy. scoff till groaning.