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Braised Pineapple Panna Cotta 1 (8-ounce) can sliced pineapple in juice 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 cup pineapple juice 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin 1 cup heavy cream 1⁄2 cup sugar
Drain juice from pineapple; cut pineapple into small pieces.
Combine pineapple pieces and brown sugar in a small sauté pan over medium heat.
Sauté until sugar caramelizes and mixture is syrupy.
Divide mixture among 6 (71⁄2-ounce) martini glasses.
Place pineapple juice and lemon juice in a medium bowl; sprinkle gelatin over.
Let stand 10 minutes or until gelatin is softened. Combine cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a low simmer (do not boil). Stir until sugar dissolves.
Add gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth.
Ladle mixture into prepared martini glasses. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
Strawberry Compote
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Cook until sugar dissolves.
Add strawberries, stirring to combine.
Cook until berries are slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
To Serve Spoon strawberry compote over each panna cotta. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
3⁄4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1⁄4 cup plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
21⁄2 teaspoons sugar
11⁄2 teaspoons soy sauce, plus additional for serving
11⁄2 pounds sole fillets (may substitute flounder)
Pinch coarse salt
Pinch ground white pepper 1⁄4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided, plus additional oil for frying 1⁄4 cup diced red bell pepper 1⁄4 cup diced green bell pepper 1⁄4 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated mandarin or orange zest
1 tablespoon black bean paste
Preparation
Combine chicken broth, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, sugar, and soy sauce in a small bowl, stirring. Set aside.
Cut sole into thin strips, approximately 21⁄2 inches long by 3⁄4 inch wide.
Season lightly with salt and white pepper; drizzle with sesame oil and toss to coat well.
Place remaining 1⁄4 cup cornstarch in a zip-top plastic bag; add fish and gently shake to coat completely.
Remove fish from bag, shaking off excess cornstarch.
Pour vegetable oil into a deep-sided sauté pan to a depth of 1⁄4 inch. Heat oil over medium-high heat until simmering.
Working in 2 batches, cook fish in hot oil, tossing frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and firm. (Note: fish will not turn golden or brown when cooked.)
Transfer cooked fish to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
Pour oil out of sauté pan; discard oil.
Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan; return to stove over medium-high heat.
Add peppers and onion.
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Transfer cooked vegetables to plate with fish.
Lower heat to low; add 2 teaspoons oil, ginger, garlic, mandarin zest, and black bean paste to the sauté pan.
Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is combined and fragrant.
Add reserved broth-cornstarch mixture.
Increase heat to high; bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened.
Add vegetables and fish; toss gently to combine.
Taste, and add additional soy sauce, if desired.
Serve immediately over your favorite noodles and with vegetables (shown with asparagus). Serves 4.
Cook’s Notes
Black bean paste is a salty sauce made from mashed fermented beans, garlic, and other spices. It’s available in Asian markets and specialty stores.
New York Steak 11⁄2 to 2 pounds New York steak (1 or 2 steaks), each at least 11⁄2 inches thick 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 sprigs fresh thyme 4 garlic cloves, slightly smashed 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Gorgonzola-Spinach Bruschetta 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for brushing 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 5 cups baby spinach, stems removed and discarded 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2⁄3 cup heavy cream 1⁄3 cup Gorgonzola cheese 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese Pinch nutmeg 4 (1⁄2-inch-thick) slices ciabatta bread
Shiitake Mushroom Ragout 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 large shallots, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 3 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cut into thin strips 3⁄4 cup Marsala wine 3⁄4 cup low-sodium chicken stock 2 cups veal or beef stock 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 bay leaves Coarse salt, to taste 3 teaspoons chopped thyme
Preparation
New York Steak Let steaks stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or until they are no longer cold. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Coat the steaks lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil each and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is almost smoking, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, swirling to coat the pan. Add steaks and sear, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to a baking sheet; place thyme sprigs and garlic atop each steak. Place 2 pieces of butter on each, and sprinkle lightly with Worcestershire sauce. Roast the meat until it is cooked to your preference, about 15 to 20 minutes for medium rare (steak should register 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for medium rare). Loosely cover steaks with foil and set aside to rest.
Shiitake Mushroom Ragout Place oil, shallots, and garlic in a large sauté pan. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms. Sauté until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat, and add Marsala. Return pan to stove; bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the pan is nearly dry, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, veal or beef stock, soy sauce, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes or until reduced by half. Taste, and add salt, if desired. Remove and discard bay leaves; stir in thyme. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Gorgonzola-Spinach Bruschetta Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, tossing until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute. Add spinach, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until slightly wilted. If needed, drain any excess liquid from the pan. Add cream, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve. Brush ciabatta slices with olive oil. Toast until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
To Serve Cut the steak into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices on a bias. Place a piece of toasted ciabatta in the center of each serving plate. Evenly spoon spinach mixture atop bread slices. Top bruschetta with sliced steak. Spoon shiitake mushroom ragout around plate. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serves 4.
On any given day, stroll through Disneyland and you can find Captain Jack Sparrow bumbling about New Orleans Square or a princess stopping in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle to greet her royal subjects—er, guests. Glance over your shoulder and you might catch a glimpse of the Cheshire Cat flashing that famous grin… or Ursula’s sinister smile dripping with sublime wickedness. But it’s only around Halloween Time that you’ll find familiar faces like these carved out of a pumpkin! And there’s a good chance that these spectacular seasonal creations were put there by artist and professional pumpkin carver Jennifer Hoppert.
Jennifer got her start as a commercial artist in New Mexico. After moving to Southern California, she landed a job in the Model Shop at Walt Disney Imagineering where she worked on designs for the parks in Anaheim, Orlando, and Tokyo for several years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. “As any artist will tell you, you can’t just stop making art — that’s not how it works.” Fortunately, she found other ways to express her creativity. “I would go to a party and somebody would ask for a fruit tray, so I would bring 15 different fruits all carved, decorated, and put together,” she says with a laugh. “I also found myself doing elaborate pumpkins for my kids at Halloween.”
Release your inner artist. And the more creative you get, the more fun it is.
As fate would have it, Jennifer got a call from a former Disney colleague about a job carving pumpkins. Familiar with her handiwork, the friend suggested Jennifer for the gig. It was a match made in heaven, and five years later it’s still Jennifer’s dream job. “It was so much fun, and we got such a great response from the crowd that it kind of took off,” Jennifer says about the first year they set up shop at Big Thunder Ranch, her Halloween Time home away from home. “Every year the pumpkins get more detailed, more creative, and we add more elements — wigs, hats, pipe cleaners, paint, yarn, and buttons. You name it if we can get it to stick on, we use it. It’s gone to a level I could have never imagined.”
We wanted to share for you some of their tips on how you can create your very own professional-looking jack-o’-lantern. And however you choose to carve your pumpkin, we’re sure it’s going to be boo-tiful! And if you’re apprehensive about putting carving knife to pumpkin, Jennifer says, “Don’t be! It’s so much fun. Release your inner artist. And the more creative you get, the more fun it is.”
Start by drawing your design on the pumpkin with a water-based marker. Simply erase any mistakes with a damp cloth or sponge.
Use a sharp, straight-edged knife to cut the top and any larger areas, an X-Acto knife for details, and try the tip of a potato peeler to make small circles and curves. Please be extra careful with these sharp instruments. If you don’t have the proper tools, check out a local arts-and-crafts store. Many now sell kits for pumpkin carving with everything you’ll need, including serrated metal saws, which are safer than knives and allow younger children to get in on the action.
Always carve away from yourself, and never hold the knife in a stabbing position. Keep a portion of the blade in the pumpkin and, for a smooth finish, use slow, steady strokes as you carve. And remember, kids should carve only under adult supervision!
For a better grip, try holding the pumpkin in your lap and use your legs together with your free hand while carving.
Consider peeling off the skin to add a new dimension to your design. The flesh of the pumpkin is also much softer and easier to cut through.
Think outside the box. Get your inspiration from the shape of the pumpkin. Try turning it on its side and using the stem for a crooked witch’s nose. Stack or lay them end-to-end and incorporate the design across all the pumpkins. The possibilities are endless!
Don’t limit yourself. Try white- or green-colored pumpkins. Use small gourds for the ears and nose. Incorporate paint, stickers, pipe cleaners, cotton balls, or pretty much any other supply you can think of that suits your design.
Seal in moisture by coating all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. This will help prolong the life of your jack-o’-lantern.
Most importantly, have fun! Pumpkin carving is a great way to spend time with your friends or children and to create memories that could last a lifetime.
“To the youth of the world… in whose spirit and courage rests the hope of eventual freedom for all mankind… ” With these stirring words, Walt Disney opened his rousing live-action adventure film Johnny Tremain (1957). Colorfully recreating historic events of the American Revolution from the Boston Tea Party to Paul Revere’s midnight ride, Johnny Tremain is the story of a young silversmith apprentice swept up in the excitement of the battle for independence in colonial Boston. This engrossing tale centers on the unknown players of early American history, “the nameless ones, the unsung heroes,” as Walt called them. “The fierce desire for independence burning in the hearts of these unknown patriots made the deeds of our great men possible.” According to the great storyteller, Johnny Tremain is “about the nameless, unsung patriots whose hunger for freedom made possible the independence that is enjoyed in America today. For after all, the struggle for American independence is typical of the continuing fight for human liberty everywhere in the world.” To get your Independence Day celebration started off with a bang, here’s a sparkling star-spangled display of 13 — in honor of America’s original 13 colonies — fascinating stories all about Johnny Tremain.
The Story of Liberty: The Original Book
This extraordinary Disney film started with Johnny Tremain: A Novel for Old and Young by Massachusetts historian and novelist Esther Forbes. The author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Paul Revere and The World He Lived In, published in 1942, Ms. Forbes wrote Johnny Tremain based on her research for the Revere biography. Awarded the prestigious Newberry Medal for most distinguished contribution to children’s literature of 1943, the dynamic book has been in print ever since and is ranked 16th on the list of top-selling books for young people. Though Johnny is a fictional figure, the intriguing novel is historically accurate and full of the color and rich detail of that exciting era. For Walt Disney, history was indeed all about story, and he recognized a good historical story when he read one. Johnny Tremain is “a book about a boy who lived in the time of Paul Revere,” Walt noted, “and it tells a vital chapter of the liberty story. In fact, this book intrigued us so much that we… made a Technicolor® motion picture of it.” Reportedly Walt personally invited author Esther Forbes to the film’s opening in Boston, which she attended in style via limousine.
Walt found the ideal actor to embody Johnny in 16-year-old Hal Stalmaster, brother of legendary casting director Lynn Stalmaster.
Tremain TV
Actually, Johnny Tremain started out as a small-screen production. Walt felt the beloved story was a natural for his Disneyland TV series. “We found ourselves facing an embarrassment of riches,” Walt said of the captivating material offered by Tremain. “Every page of research revealed fascinating material fairly shouting for picturization [sic]. If all the world is a stage, then all history is a great story storehouse and casting department rolled into one.” To dramatize the award-winning book for television, Walt turned to the talented scribe who wrote Disney’s sensationally popular “Davy Crockett” shows, screenwriter Tom Blackburn. The story was divided into two separate but interrelated episodes, the first set in 1773 and centering on the Boston Tea Party, the second taking place in 1775 and focusing on the Shot Heard ‘Round the World at Lexington. Finally, though Johnny Tremain was planned for TV, Walt made the decision to instead release the elaborately authentic film theatrically. As was often the case, the savvy showman spent far above the typically low TV budgets on his television productions. “We did shorten the schedule,” noted assistant director William Beaudine, Jr., “but it was very difficult to economize to the point of making it practical just for television release, because Walt Disney expected top quality.” To celebrate the film’s release in theatres, Walt hosted “The Liberty Story,” originally broadcast on May 29, 1957, previewing Johnny Tremain as well as screening Ben and Me (1953), a more fanciful look at the American Revolution. Eventually Walt proudly showcased Johnny Tremain on his TV show in 1958, in two episodes just as originally planned.
Johnny Tremain of Old Boston Town: Hal Stalmaster
Walt found the ideal actor to embody Johnny in 16-year-old Hal Stalmaster, brother of legendary casting director Lynn Stalmaster. “My brother didn’t help me one bit,” Hal was quick to note at the time of the film’s release. “He thought I was too young to start acting and besides, he didn’t think I could act!” Walt felt differently and awarded the talented teen the hefty role even though Hal’s only previous acting experience was as the young Olympic athlete Reverend Bob Richards on a TV show in which Hal’s prowess in track and field came in handy. Hal won the starring part as the teenaged patriot over a dozen other candidates. “People won’t believe me when I tell them this,” stated Stalmaster, not quite believing his good fortune himself, “but it’s true.” To prepare himself for the role, Hal had to re-orient himself from the atomic age to the War for Independence. “Johnny Tremain sounded like history at the outset. And it is, of course, in one sense. Unless you were there. Which I was. To really feel as Johnny felt, I found I had to get with his day and times,” explained Hal. “Then it was as uncomfortable as it was exciting, believe me, and I was happy each night to leave the embattled sound stage for the peace and quiet of 1957.” Hal made personal appearances (in full colonial regalia including his distinctive tri-corned hat), for example at the Roosevelt Theatre in Chicago, where he appeared with Annette, Doreen, Lonnie and other Mouseketeers. Hal also guest-starred with the Mouseketeers on TV’s The Mickey Mouse Club on May 1, 1957, to present a Johnny Tremain “Mousekapreview.”
Sons of Liberty
Johnny’s friend and fellow Son of Liberty Rab Sillsbee is played by Richard Beymer, who would later star as Tony in West Side Story (1961) opposite Natalie Wood. Sebastian Cabot portrayed cold-hearted tea merchant Jonathan Lyte (whose ostentatious motto is “Let There Be Lyte”) in his second Disney film (his first was Westward Ho the Wagons! in 1956). Trained in Britain’s Shakespearean theatre, Sebastian went on to be heard but not seen in his most beloved Disney roles: the narrator of the Winnie the Pooh featurettes and as the voice of Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1967).
Daughters of Liberty
Well-established in such diverse classic films as High Noon (1952) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Virginia Christine plays Mrs. Lapham, who turns her back on Johnny when he burns his hand in a silversmithing accident. (Virginia would later become most famous to audiences as Mrs. Olsen in a long-running series of TV commercials for Folgers Coffee.) Her onscreen daughter in this heroic tale, Cilla, is luminously portrayed by Luana Patten, former Disney child star who appeared opposite Bobby Driscoll in classics such as Song of the South (1946). In the mid-1950s Luana took on grown-up (or at least teenaged) roles in such films as Rock, Pretty Baby (1956), starring Sal Mineo, and of course Johnny Tremain, which marked Miss Patten’s return to the Disney lot. “During my first few days on Johnny Tremain,” said Luana, recalling the heartfelt welcome that greeted her return to the Disney Studio, “people kept coming up to me, shaking my hand and telling me about incidents that happened to me as a youngster. It really gave me a warm feeling to know that so many remembered me.” One of the most fascinating members of the cast (albeit in a small role) is Walt Disney’s younger daughter, Sharon, as Dorcas, friend to Johnny, Cilla and Rab — and who according to Luana, was a friend with Miss Patten when both girls were young children who made the Disney Studios their playground.
Leaders of Liberty Johnny Tremain features a passel of real-life patriots, each portrayed by an experienced character actor, including Whit Bissell as Josiah Quincy, veteran character actor Rusty Lane as Samuel Adams and Walter Coy as Dr. Joseph Warren (who in the Tremain story surgically cures Johnny’s injured hand). A veteran of 500 movies, Walter Sande found his most unusual role as Paul Revere, to whom he bore a striking resemblance. Though the name of the horse from Revere’s famous nighttime ride is not known (as mentioned in the film, silversmith Revere borrowed the horse from Charlestown merchant John Larkin), Walter rode a chestnut mount named Sickle in Johnny Tremain, first having to master riding a small English-style saddle in two weeks of pre-production riding. For the filming of the first leg of the ride, the actor was startled by the speed with which Sickle galloped off. “I wasn’t sure if Sickle ever intended to stop,” Walter reported. “I was holding on for dear life.”
“Men seemed to gravitate toward these natural leaders by instinct,” observed Walt Disney of the heroes of the War for Independence. “But of them all, the figure of James Otis perhaps cast the largest shadow. He was one of the most brilliant men of his day and a great orator.” A large man, Otis is portrayed by larger-than-life Jeff York in a rare and moving dramatic performance. A favorite from his comedic appearances in Old Yeller (1957) and as legendary keel boater Mike Fink in the second set of “Davy Crockett” TV episodes, Jeff vividly delivers the film’s crucial speech about the importance of the cause of independence, and recognizes in young Johnny the hope for freedom’s enduring future.
The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming! Robert Stevenson Johnny Tremain was director Robert Stevenson’s first Disney film but far from his last. “I was hired for six weeks, and I stayed for 20 years,” Robert was later to marvel. Walt was so impressed with the filmmaker’s fine work that Robert became Disney’s premier live-action director; he went on to helm such classics as Old Yeller and Mary Poppins (1964), for which he was nominated for a Best Director Oscar®. Aside from his directorial skills, Robert was perhaps the ideal choice to helm a story of English subjects discovering independence in America: “I was born in England,” he revealed during production of Johnny Tremain, “but I’ve been an American citizen for many years.”
The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming! (Part 2) Peter Ellenshaw
Like Robert Stevenson, legendary special effects artist Peter Ellenshaw was British-born but found a permanent U.S. home at the Disney Studio. Having relocated from England to add fantastical effects to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Peter shone in his first Disney assignment as production designer on Johnny Tremain. The brilliant film artist used the miracle of his movie matte paintings to bring to cinematic life 18th century Boston, its ship-filled harbor and homesteads in the New England villages and countryside. For Paul Revere’s ride, he later recalled, “there was no set there at all, just the center for the rider and horse. I painted all the rest of the set in there.” Peter even incorporated a surprised patriot popping his head out an upper-story window in the middle of a matte for added realism and the famed Disney touch. The imaginative designer created dozens of evocative pre-production paintings, envisioning Johnny’s world of print shops, silversmith’s establishments, and the quaint streets and alleyways of old Boston. The film’s picturesque sets were inspired by Peter’s atmospheric paintings, including a full-scale replica of the British ship Dartsmouth that was constructed on a Disney soundstage.
March Along With the Fifer, Boys: Songs
As they had done for “Davy Crockett”, screenwriter Tom Blackburn and composer George Bruns combined their talents and created a catchy ballad that captured the main character’s spirit in song. Though this title tune’s lively lyrics are never heard in the film (the melody is played throughout the movie’s underscore as Johnny’s theme), they tell in folksy style of the young silversmith-turned-hero character (“Didn’t like redcoats worth a hoot/And didn’t like red in any suit/Boston Town was loaded with tea/He upped and dumped it in the sea”). Blackburn and Bruns also composed “The Liberty Tree,” a jubilant march performed onscreen in celebration of the Boston Tea Party as the Liberty Boys hang shining lanterns in the branches of the great elm. The infectious song remains an unforgettable tribute to both “the strong old tree” and to the inspiring ideals of liberty.
The elegant LP cover with stars Hal Stalmaster, Luana Patten and Richard Beymer front and center. The album features dramatic selections from George Bruns’ stirring score (the orchestra and chorus for the album were conducted by Bruns), as well as a jubilant assortment of patriotic standards such as “Yankee Doodle” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” Fourth of July favorites all.
Redcoats, Powdered Wigs and Tri-Cornered Hats: Costumes
To handle the many and varied costumes worn in this historically authentic period piece, Sound Stage 2 on the Disney lot was transformed into a giant wardrobe center/dressing room. Carpenters worked for a week to divide the mammoth stage down the middle into ladies and gentlemen sections. Rows of costumes — lined up under labels such as “Minutemen,” “British Troops” and “Townspeople” — were then made available to the large cast, including 250 extras recruited for the Lexington and Concord battle scenes, filmed on location at the Rowland V. Lee Ranch in the San Fernando Valley, 45 minutes from Disney’s Burbank studios.
Stick a Feather in His Hat and Call it Macaroni: Memorabilia
As with most Disney films, Johnny Tremain had a vast assortment of tie-in merchandise available for Tremain fans to take home. Offered was a dizzying variety of memorabilia, everything from pajamas and balloons to pencil boxes and even hand puppets. American Revolution-type playthings included a toy soldier-type playset complete with Redcoats and Minutemen figures; a bugle, fife and horn set (the red-white-and-blue instruments were actually kazoos); and a powder horn whistle. Best of all were the replicas of Johnny’s tri-corned hat, available in two styles (wool and felt) and in three sizes (small, medium, large), each with an official Walt Disney’s Johnny Tremain emblem affixed. “New colonial tri-cornered hat, destined to challenge Davy Crockett coonskin craze as new merchandising champ!” trumpeted the Johnny Tremain press book — and while the sales of Tremain’s hat didn’t quite uncrown Crockett’s cap as one of the top-selling movie-related headpieces of all time, the unique colonial chapeaus are rare collector’s items today.
Red, White and Blue (and Other Colors Too): Comics Johnny Tremain was translated into the comic art form to be enjoyed anew by readers of all ages. Two comic books were published: 1957’s Paul Revere’s Ride with Johnny Tremain with art by acclaimed illustrator and designer Alex Toth; and an all-new history-based adventure for the young patriot, Old Ironsides with Johnny Tremain (published in 1958), drawn by comic-book great Dan Spiegle. Fans of the funny pages could open their Sunday newspaper color comics section to discover that the weekly feature Walt Disney’s Treasury of Classic Tales was showcasing Johnny’s escapades. Written by Frank Reilly and drawn by comic-art master Jesse Marsh, the Sunday comics version of the film was featured in 58 newspapers from coast to coast, with a combined readership of 40,000,000 enthralled comics fans. Starting on April 7, 1957, Johnny Tremain ran in the color funnies for 13 consecutive weeks and came to a smashing conclusion on June 30, just in time for the Fourth of July.
Published in 1957, this magnificent comic book cover is attributed to Taylor Oughton, acclaimed for his Classics Illustrated comic-book cover paintings.
It’s a Tall Old Tree: The Liberty Tree
Walt was so inspired by the story, setting and principles of Johnny Tremain that he planned to add a Liberty Street to Disneyland as a salute to Johnny’s Boston. Liberty Street at Disneyland was never to be but it was expanded into the even more expansive Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Welcoming freedom-lovers of all ages since Opening Day, October 1, 1971, Liberty Square boasts many a Tremain touch. But the grandest sight in Liberty Square is one of the stars of the film, the Liberty Tree — a stately elm pictured on the back of the medals surreptitiously worn by the Sons of Liberty. As Walt explained, “the medallions… were the secret identification badge of the Sons of Liberty. They were called Liberty Tree Medals after the famous elm tree, which stood in the heart of Boston. The Liberty Tree was a rallying point where mass meetings were held and plans were made.” For Liberty Square, an impressive oak tree — 35 tons, 60 feet wide, 40 feet high — was found already growing on the Walt Disney World property six miles from its present site.
Moving the oak was another task entirely as it could not be simply lifted by wrapping a cable around its trunk, because vital bark and cambium layers would have been irreparably damaged under so much weight. Many ways in which the mighty oak could be transported were carefully considered until finally, holes were drilled through the massive trunk and steel rods were inserted. These rods served as grips for lifting the tree with a 100-ton crane. Carried out under the direct supervision of Imagineer and legendary landscaper Bill Evans, the transplant was a success. When the very existence of the towering Liberty Tree, already more than 135 years old, was threatened years later by an infection in the holes where the steel rods had once been, the Imagineers ingeniously grafted a second, younger oak into the base. This magnificent tree — the largest living specimen in the Magic Kingdom — was saved, and continues to thrive as a living symbol of freedom. The Liberty Tree is particularly inspiring at night when the 13 lanterns hanging in its branches (representing the 13 original colonies) shine in the dark, a luminous reminder of the ideals of the first Sons of Liberty — and Walt’s timeless tale of freedom, Johnny Tremain.
Millet Dough
1 (1⁄2-ounce) envelope dry active yeast 3⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lukewarm water 1⁄2 cups high-gluten or bread flour 1⁄2 cups millet flour 1⁄3 cup hulled millet 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder 1⁄4 teaspoon sugar
Kalamata Olive and Cheese Topping 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1⁄2 cups shredded four-cheese blend (fontina, Gruyère, provolone, Asiago), divided 1⁄2 cups kalamata olives, pitted and halved, divided
3 cups loosely packed spring greens
Preparation
Millet Dough:
In small bowl, combine yeast and water. Stir gently to combine. Set aside until frothy, approximately 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine high-gluten or bread flour, millet flour, millet, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir to combine.
Slowly incorporate yeast-water mixture into flour mixture, stirring until a dough forms. Refrigerate overnight.
Kalamata Olive and Cheese Topping
Remove dough and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour. Place a baking stone in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Divide dough into 6 equal balls. Roll each ball into an 8- x 9-inch oval. Prick with a fork 10 times. Brush each oval with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top each with ¼ cup cheese and 1⁄4 cup olives.
Bake each flatbread on the preheated baking stone until crust is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly, 8 to 12 minutes. Top each flatbread with ½ cup spring greens. Cut flatbread into bite-size pieces. Serve warm.
Spring Rolls
1 tablespoon olive oil 1⁄4 cup diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh corn
2 cups firmly packed mixed baby lettuce 1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1⁄2 cup soft goat cheese
4 (8-inch-square) frozen spring roll pastry wrappers
made with wheat flour, thawed
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying
Curry Vinaigrette 1⁄2 cup safflower oil 1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sambal olek (Asian chili paste)
2 teaspoons honey
1 clove garlic, minced 1⁄4 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
Preparation
Spring Rolls
Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add onions.
Cook for 3 minutes, until softened, then add garlic; sauté 2 to 3 minutes.
Add corn and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until corn is tender.
Add lettuce and cook for 3 minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Add goat cheese and stir until well combined.
Cut wrappers in half diagonally, forming two triangles. With the long side of one triangle nearest you, put 2 tablespoons filling along middle of long edge of triangle and shape filling into a thin log. Fold left and right corners of wrapper over filling, overlapping slightly. Dab top corner with egg yolk, then roll up wrapper away from you into a long thin roll, making sure ends and filling stay tucked inside. Place on a tray, seam side down. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, keeping tray of rolls loosely covered until ready to fry.
Heat 11⁄2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottom stockpot over medium-high heat until it reaches 365 degrees. Working in batches, fry rolls for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
Curry Vinaigrette
Place oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sambal olek, honey, garlic and curry powder in a blender. Process until smooth.
The image captures some of Disney’s best and brightest at play, including Disney Legend Irving Ludwig of Buena Vista Distribution (center), who appears to be hosting the joyous event. For these men, there was no happier place to be than here at The Penthouse, a private, men’s-only club located on the roof of the Animation Building at the Walt Disney Studios from 1940 to 1979.
Goat Cheese Ravioli
1 pound soft mild goat cheese, crumbled
5 1⁄2 ounces aged goat cheese, crumbled 1⁄2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons store-bought basil pesto
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons roasted garlic purée (recipe follows) 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
16 egg roll wrappers
1 large egg and 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Clear Tomato Broth, optional (recipe follows)
Clear Tomato Broth Makes 4 cups
15 whole vine-ripened tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Roasted Garlic Purée Makes 2 tablespoons
1 whole head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
Goat Cheese Ravioli
In a large bowl, stir together the fresh goat cheese, aged goat cheese, bread crumbs, pesto, olive oil, roasted garlic purée, salt, and pepper until well combined. On a work surface, lay out 8 egg roll wrappers and brush each with the egg wash. With a sharp knife, mark each wrapper into 4 squares, taking care not to cut all of the way through. Place about 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture in the center of each square. Cover with the 8 remaining egg roll wrappers and press the edges together. With a knife, cut each double wrapper with filling into 4 squares, to yield 32 squares of filled ravioli. Press the edges together. (If you are not using the ravioli immediately, sprinkle them lightly with cornmeal, and store refrigerated between layers of waxed paper).
When ready to serve, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain completely. Serve with Clear Tomato Broth or chopped seeded ripe tomatoes.
Clear Tomato Broth
In a blender, in batches, coarsely chop the tomatoes with the salt. Place the chopped tomatoes in a large sieve lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, and let the mixture drain in the refrigerator for 24 hours to collect the liquid. Discard the tomato pulp and reserve the liquid.
Roasted Garlic Purée
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off the stem and top third of 1 whole garlic head. Place the garlic on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic with foil, seal the edges tightly and roast for 1 hour. Remove the package from the oven, open carefully, and let the garlic cool slightly. Scrape or squeeze the pulp from the garlic cloves.
Cook’s Notes
If you don’t want to make the tomato broth, top the ravioli with chopped, seeded, ripe tomatoes-or a tomato juice “cocktail” also makes a suitable broth. Serves 4 to 6.
Virginia Davis as Alice is flanked by her sea captain friend (actor unknown, left) and Walt Disney on the set of Alice
Walt Disney often said that he would “never lose sight of one thing… that it all started with a Mouse.” But while Disney’s biggest success surely began with Mickey, young Walt and a determined crew of animators were making cutting-edge cartoons several years earlier. March 1, 1924 saw the premiere of Alice’s Day at Sea — the second Alice Comedy, the first Disney film to be produced in California and the first to achieve nationwide distribution.
What were the Alice Comedies? In the late 1910s and early 1920s, it was quite the trend for theatrical short films to combine live action and animation. Series like Max Fleischer’s “Out of the Inkwell” and John R. Bray’s “Colonel Heeza Liar” showed cartoon characters “living” in the real world. An artist’s hand would draw Colonel Heeza; then he’d jump off the page to bicker with his creators. In 1923, Walt Disney decided to reverse the idea: to put a real-life human into a cartoon world. At Disney’s Kansas City Laugh-O-Gram Films, Inc. Studio, a pilot film called Alice’s Wonderland was made. Local child actress Virginia Davis played Alice, who visited the Laugh-O-Gram studio — then dreamed of traveling to “Cartoonland,” where cartoon crowds cheered her and cartoon lions chased her. The effect, involving cutting-edge superimposition, took a sizable crew of animators to get right: At the time, the Disney crew included Kansas City buddies Ub Iwerks, Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising.
Then Walt did something amazing: He produced the next Alice Comedy, Alice’s Day At Sea, single-handedly.
A milkmaid-fish feeds her catfish milk straight from the sea cow’s udder — a rare example of animation by Walt Disney himself.
A little background: Disney’s Kansas City studio had been plagued by bad luck. A distributor called Pictorial Clubs hired Walt to produce seven Laugh-O-Grams fairy-tale cartoons, but Pictorial declared bankruptcy soon afterward, leaving Disney in the red. Alice’s Wonderland was intended as a showpiece to attract a new distribution deal. After making it, Disney moved to Hollywood, where he felt distribution would be easier to arrange and a studio easier to maintain. Ironically, Walt ended up striking a deal with a New York-based distributor — Margaret J. Winkler — and had to start work without much of a studio at all. Winkler wanted more Alice films fast; Virginia Davis’ family was glad to join Walt in California, but Disney’s artists couldn’t make the move in time to work on the first of the new shorts. Thus Alice’s Day At Sea was drawn and directed by Walt alone… and would reflect his vision precisely.
Alice’s Day At Sea opens with an alarm clock waking Alice’s live-action dog, Peggy, in her doghouse, after which the pooch escorts Alice to the beach in a kid-sized car. There Alice listens to an old captain’s fish stories — illustrated in blackboard-style animation, with a giant squid attacking the man’s boat. Alice wishes she were a sailor, too, and dreams her way to Cartoonland, where we see her ship foundering in a scary cartoon storm. When lightning sends the boat to the bottom, Alice wriggles out through the smokestack to explore the ocean floor. She thrills to a fish jazz band; then visits “King Nep[tune]’s Zoo,” where creatures like a sea lion, catfish and sea cows look just like you would expect in a cartoon.
But the fun is spoiled when a hungry shark arrives. Alice tries to flee in a nearby “sea-going hack” (a car!), but ends up getting gobbled. She slips out from inside the shark after he tries to swallow a swordfish, but more danger approaches: It’s the squid from the old captain’s story! He’s tangling Alice in his coils when Peggy and the captain awaken her, revealing that she’s actually just caught up in a fishnet — so everyone can share a relieved laugh.
The reviewers loved Alice’s Day at Sea. Clockwise from top left: Moving Picture World, May 10, 1924; Independent Exhibitor, December 15, 1924; Motion Picture News, April 26, 1924; early ad, ca. March 1924.
For a film made by one animator, Alice’s Day at Sea brims with detail. The squid’s raw, animal menace is established when we see him eat an ill-fated salmon — though he’s still human enough to use silverware and salt the salmon before eating him! Walt continues a studio tradition by featuring the character of the swordfish, who had earlier appeared in the Laugh-O-Grams Four Musicians of Bremen and Jack the Giant Killer (both 1922). Day at Sea‘s live-action scenes sparkle with invention, too: Peggy’s doghouse is visibly larger inside than outside, with a comfy human-style bed for the hound to snooze on! (We’d be remiss not to mention that outside of the Alice Comedies, Peggy really belonged to Walt’s uncle Robert Disney.)
Distributed by Winkler on a states’-rights basis, Alice’s Day at Sea was a hit and launched an exciting series for Disney. As further Alice Comedies were completed, Walt’s Missouri animators joined him in Hollywood — and the Laugh-O-Grams’ cat cartoon star, later named Julius, joined Alice on-screen for more than 50 funny misadventures. But those stories can wait for another day.
