would Bond cook?

Number24 · June 2010

If Bond had access to a kitchen and good raw materials, but no cook - would he cook a dinner and would he be a good cook? Would he like it?

Mr_Ice · June 2010

I think so.
Bond is a food guy, I think it is natural that he would cook for himself and take pleasure in it. Especially as he gets older and maybe tires of eating out all the time.
In TSWLM (book) he asks the heroine for some eggs and bacon, and offers to "make it himself if you have the stuff"
or something like that. Pretty simple, but there you go. Doesn't he also cook for himself in TLD (short story)?

thesecretagent · June 2010

We all know he can cook a quiche (AVTAK). But what do they say about real men and quiche?

Lexi · June 2010

I don't think he would be a good cook per se - but I think he would know how to rustle up perhaps 4 dishes really well - classics like Spaghetti Carbonara, Eggs Benedict - a good wine reduction sauce for steaks - and perhaps a seductive dessert like a creme caramel - but that would be all - after all, after 4 dinners, he would be onto the next girl

DaltonFan1 · June 2010

Bond says in the Casino Royale that "women should be left to their pots and pans", or something to that effect, suggesting that he would consider cooking, or at least regular cooking to be woman's work. But I'm sure as a man of such fine taste he would have some interest in cooking occasionally.

Loeffelholz · June 2010

I'd frankly much rather May cooked for him

But I'm sure he'd be serviceable enough in the kitchen. It's all part of survival, after all...

Hardyboy · June 2010

Apparently, he cooks in the bedroom. . .

perdogg · June 2010

Loeffelholz wrote:

I'd frankly much rather May cooked for him But I'm sure he'd be serviceable enough in the kitchen. It's all part of survival, after all...

There is a recipe for scrambled eggs in "007 in NY".

"Scrabbled Eggs ‘James Bond’
For FOUR individuals

12 Fresh Eggs
Salt and Pepper
5-6 oz. Fresh Butter
Chopped Chives or Fines Herbes

Break the eggs into a bowl. Beat thoroughly with a fork and season well. In a small copper (or heavy-bottomed saucepan) melt four oz. of the butter. When melted, pour in the eggs and cook over a very low heat, whisking continuously with a small egg whisk

While eggs are slightly more moist than you would wish for eating, remove for half a minute, adding the finely chopped chives or fines herbes. Serve on hot buttered toast in individual copper dishes ( or appearance only) with pink champagne (Tattinger) and low music"

Loeffelholz · June 2010

perdogg wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

I'd frankly much rather May cooked for him But I'm sure he'd be serviceable enough in the kitchen. It's all part of survival, after all...

There is a receipe for scrambled eggs in "007 in NY".

Indeed...and I'd suspect that his skills would be stretched rather thin beyond that.

Mr_Ice · July 2010

Lexi wrote:

I don't think he would be a good cook per se - but I think he would know how to rustle up perhaps 4 dishes really well - classics like Spaghetti Carbonara, Eggs Benedict - a good wine reduction sauce for steaks - and perhaps a seductive dessert like a creme caramel - but that would be all - after all, after 4 dinners, he would be onto the next girl

Hi there
So a couple of Saturdays ago, my wife went out with the girls.
I decided this would be a good time to introduce my 9 year old son to Thunderball.
I made steaks, with a wine reduction and creme carmael,( because I rememberd this post)
and we watched the movie. Best Saturday ever, so thanks for the idea!

Now I noticed two things in the movie that I didn't pay attention to before:
*the nukes have the words "HANDLE LIKE EGGS" printed on them: I thought this was hilarious for some reason.

*In Bond's hotel room in the scene where he puts the awesome foot long silencer on his PPK and catches the goon in the shower. When he's telling him to 'go back and report' he's making a drink: You can see he using Campari, and some bottle of clear something. It could be a Campari cocktail (vodka). Anyone have an idea what he's making?

thesecretagent · July 2010

Bond was not a gourmet, by his own admisssion in several of the Fleming books. He used dining alone on assignment as an exercise - choosing what course went with the other, asking the waiter's approval - it was a way of killing time. He admitted to eating cold roast beef and potato salad much of the time he was at his flat. I'm not sure Bond would spend much time in the kitchen, save for boiled eggs or scrambled eggs and bacon, which he consumed more than anything else in the novels - even for lunch and dinner. I think he would tire of domestic chores easily, take women out to restuarants, clubs, casinos - eat at their places, cook them breakfast the next morning. The money wouldn't matter - the literary Bond wanted to spend it all on enjoyment and die penniless.

Lexi · July 2010

Mr_Ice wrote:

Lexi wrote:

I don't think he would be a good cook per se - but I think he would know how to rustle up perhaps 4 dishes really well - classics like Spaghetti Carbonara, Eggs Benedict - a good wine reduction sauce for steaks - and perhaps a seductive dessert like a creme caramel - but that would be all - after all, after 4 dinners, he would be onto the next girl

Hi there
So a couple of Saturdays ago, my wife went out with the girls.
I decided this would be a good time to introduce my 9 year old son to Thunderball.
I made steaks, with a wine reduction and creme carmael,( because I rememberd this post)
and we watched the movie. Best Saturday ever, so thanks for the idea!

Now I noticed two things in the movie that I didn't pay attention to before:
*the nukes have the words "HANDLE LIKE EGGS" printed on them: I thought this was hilarious for some reason.

*In Bond's hotel room in the scene where he puts the awesome foot long silencer on his PPK and catches the goon in the shower. When he's telling him to 'go back and report' he's making a drink: You can see he using Campari, and some bottle of clear something. It could be a Campari cocktail (vodka). Anyone have an idea what he's making?

Wow - what a compliment - and I'm delighted I was able to inspire.... a good wine reduction over a rare steak can't be beaten

(also very impressed -{ )

The only drink I know with Campari, is the classic Campari and soda - (not a fan of it myself, very bitter....) however, the Negroni cocktail, which is made with Campari, Gin (the clear liquid you saw?) and sweet Vermouth, and is mentioned in the story Risicio, so perhaps they added that into Thunderball as a nod.

In the short and obscure story Risicio quite a few drinks are mentioned, including the Negroni - with Gordon's gin, of course.

Could that be it?

Mr_Ice · July 2010

Aha! I bet that's it. I might have to get a bottle and try it out.
Hmm, I wonder what the odds are of the local bar tenders knowing what a Negroni is.
Currently I'm going with the much more palatable Rum Collins for poolside duty.

thesecretagent · July 2010

Good luck with Campari. Quite the aquired taste...

Lexi · July 2010

thesecretagent wrote:

Mr_Ice wrote:

Aha! I bet that's it. I might have to get a bottle and try it out.
Hmm, I wonder what the odds are of the local bar tenders knowing what a Negroni is.
Currently I'm going with the much more palatable Rum Collins for poolside duty.

Good luck with Campari. Quite the aquired taste...

Yep, with you on that one.... it's not a nice taste on it's own, BUT with sweet vermouth - à la an Americano -

Ingredients:
1 oz Campari
1 oz sweet vermouth
club soda
lemon twist or orange slice for garnish
Preparation:
Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes.
Build with the Campari and vermouth.
Top off with club soda.
Garnish with the lemon twist or orange slice.

Switch to a highball glass and add more club soda for a tall thirst quencher.

It's not so bad.... and ANY good bartender should know how to make one of these - or a Negroni if not, then you're not frequenting the right type of bars

-{

DEFIANT 74205 · July 2010

Didn't Bond teach Tiffany how to make Bearnaise sauce in Diamons Are Forever? It's been a long time since I've read it, so my memory could be failing me ...

I think James Bond can cook, but whether or not he would is a different story. Given that he lives in his apartment with his housekeeper May, I don't think Bond would ever need to cook, since May makes his breakfast every morning just the way he likes it.

Barbel · July 2010

DEFIANT 74205 wrote:

Didn't Bond teach Tiffany how to make Bearnaise sauce in Diamons Are Forever? It's been a long time since I've read it, so my memory could be failing me ...

He tells her he'd marry someone who could make that dish (as well as love, of course). She later sends him some along with a note from the ship's chef to say that she'd made it without help from him; he enjoys it and looks forward to the (metaphorical) next course.

PPK 7.65mm · August 2010

I think that he would if he were away from home, and far enough from a restaurant he would. As Fleming described his eating habits, thought it would probably be something simple, like cold roast beef and potato salad.

Mister Greene · August 2010

Absolutely, Bond was a man of the world. he may not be the greatest chef but would know how to prepare a meal

Napoleon Plural · August 2010

It's all a bit faddish, isn't it? It's like nothing off the beaten track, but a tad neurotic about how he wants things done. A bit of the Mad Men era.

But that fits in with a 1950s Britain still in the throes of rationing, where exotic food would be off limits still. It took Elizabeth David's recipe cookbook in the late 50s to revolutionise cooking in the UK; until then olive oil was something you got in a chemist.

You might think that a well-travelled hero would have a few exotic influences in his cooking mind, but that sort of thing might look a bit Johnny Foreigner, a bit flouncy or suspect at the time, it would have alienated readers most likely. It's the Eton school dinners mentality that pervades the Fleming novels. Keep it basic, and Angel Delight is as much a treat as you an expect!

Q and M · January 2011

i think that we can assume that he can cook, we see him in avtk and also in live and let die where he seems to have a pretty decent kitchen

would Bond cook?

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