Recipes for foodies and film nerds. Because life's too short for stale popcorn and crappy movies.
Ahhh Call Me By Your Name, what a gorgeous film. Set in 1983, “somewhere in Northern Italy”, the plot revolves around a six-week summer romance between Oliver (a dopey, beautiful American with an insatiable lust for life and the song “Love My Way”) and Elio, …
We all know breakups suck. But the aftermath of rage, humiliation, and FEAR is far worse than the event itself– especially nowadays when you can find pictures of exes and their wonderful new existences/significant others posted in high volume on social media. We’ve all been …
I’ve been craving pizza almost as much as I’ve been craving movies from my childhood– and it just so happens that this year is the 30th anniversary of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (god I’m old). So here we are!
While looking up reviews of TMNT, I was a little bit surprised to discover that it doesn’t have the best reviews. I myself have vivid memories of running around the house screaming “Cowabunga!” after seeing it, so clearly something stuck. Though, maybe it was because I was 5 years old and I was able to look past some of the hilariously bad moments and appreciate the absurdity of giant Turtles eating pizza while fighting an insidious gang of dark ninjas in NYC. In any event, rewatching the movie now still leaves an impression– you have to admire the creature effects from The Jim Henson Company, the costuming, the production design, and the stunts. And, let’s not forget Baby Sam Rockwell as “Head Thug” of the Foot Clan!
If you’ve never seen this movie, hopefully you can appreciate these things too. And if this is a revisit for you, I know you’ll get a kick out of the cocktail at the very least. It’s totally tubular.
While not as prominantly featured in the first TMNT movie, the OOZE is the radioactive sludge that causes Splinter and the Turtles to grow bigger and more intelligent. So here's a B-Ooze cocktail with an Asian flair-- it won't make you grow and will make you more stupid, but most importantly it glows under a black light. TURTLE POWER! Combine gin, sake, mint leaves, matcha, lime juice, and riboflavin powder in a cocktail shaker with ice. Note, Riboflavin can be bought at any grocery/vitamin store-- it's an everyday supplement that just happens to glow! Be careful though, as adding more than just a pinch will make your cocktail a bit bitter. Shake your ingredients for a good minute to ensure that the mint is crushed and the flavors are infused. Pour into two highball glasses and top with club soda and a thin slice of lime. Then, get out your black light and realize what a crazy gd nerd you are. Check out this list of other foods that glow!!! I've tried a number of pizza dough recipes in the last few months and this is the best so far-- a very slightly simplified version of the recipe used at one of my favorite NYC pizza joints, Roberta's. Using bread flour is key if you can find it! In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cup of lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, approximately 3 minutes—if you need to add another tsp of water to the mix to collect all that flour, that’s fine. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. Then knead rested dough for 3 minutes until smooth and elastic and shapes easily into a ball of dough. Cut into two pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a heavily floured surface or in separate bowls, cover, and let rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature until doubled in size. You can also refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours-- just be sure to remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza. While this is perhaps the most "traditional" pizza in this post, it's definitely got a LOT going on-- thick crust, double cheese with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, onions, sausage, green peppers, black olives and NO anchovies. Just look at that nummy stretchy cheeeeese... Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (mine goes up to 500). Place your pan, pizza stone, or whatever you'd like to put your pizza on, in the oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes. I don't have a pizza stone, so I flip a cookie sheet and use the flat bottom surface. Assemble all your toppings-- the more cheese the better. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface. Drop the largest of the three pizza dough balls onto the parchment paper and shape into an 8-9 inch round, depending on your thickness preferences (and oven space)-- just remember, Mikey likes thick crust. Spread the pizza sauce thinly over the dough. Next, sprinkle the majority of the cheese over the sauce. Then, add your toppings, spreading evenly with the meat as close to the top as possible-- you want it to crisp! Sprinkle with the last of your cheese, and spritz with olive oil. Lift the parchment paper with pizza and place it onto the preheated pan from the oven-- you should hear a sizzle as the dough hits the hot surface. This means your crispy crust is already forming! Bake for roughly 15 mins, depending on the heat of your oven-- you'll be able to tell that it's done when your cheese becomes a nice golden color and your crust starts to brown. You can find my recipe for pizza sauce in the "On the Side" section of this site, here. Not QUITE a white pizza, since the base on this one is actually a creamy miso sauce-- just one of many Japanese ingredients that make this a deliciously savory (and spicy) pie. Dudes and Dudettes, major-league butt-kicking is back in town. As with Mikey's pizza, make sure your oven preheats on its highest setting for an hour before baking-- mine goes up to 500. Also preheat your pan, pizza stone, or whatever you'd like to put your pizza on for at least 30 minutes before baking. I don't have a pizza stone, so I flip a cookie sheet and use the flat bottom surface. Assemble your ingredients. Start by caramelizing your onions in canola oil over low heat (about 10 minutes). Just before they become fully translucent, add shitake mushrooms-- they won't have enough time to fully soften when they bake, so it's helpful to brown them just a bit beforehand. Next, mix your miso paste, water, sesame oil, vinegar, and chili oil until it becomes a creamy consistency. Now it's time to assemble your Ninja Kick Pizza! Drop one of the smaller of your three dough balls onto a sheet of parchment paper and shape into an 8-inch round. Spread your miso mixture on your dough just as you would pizza sauce, leaving half an inch from the edge clear. Top with your shitakes and caramelized onions, and finally with cheese. Spritz with additional canola oil. Lifting parchment paper carefully, place onto a preheated cookie sheet back-- you should hear a sizzle as the crust hits the hot surface. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust becomes golden brown. Finish your pizza off with a sprinkling of sliced scallion and a healthy drizzle of siracha, depending on how much kick you can take. HiiiiiYA! Do you like penicillin on your pizza? Turns out it's delicious when paired with green pistachios, green apples, green arugula (notice a trend here?), and a honey balsamic drizzle--it's a shell of a good hit. Hey look I made a funny. Make sure your oven preheats on its highest setting for an hour before baking-- mine goes up to 500. Also preheat your pan, pizza stone, or whatever you'd like to put your pizza on for at least 30 minutes before baking. Assemble your ingredients-- cheeses, chopped nuts, apple, and black pepper go on the pie before baking. To prep your balsamic drizzle, heat balsamic and honey in a small saucepan until slightly thickened and reduced. Drop one of the two smaller balls of dough onto a piece of parchment paper and spread into a circle of roughly 8 inches in diameter. Heat your cream cheese in a microwave until softened slightly, and spread over the crust. Next, layer apple slices over your cheese and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Top with blue cheese and a sprinkle of freshly cracked pepper. Carefully lift pizza and parchment paper and place onto your preheated baking dish-- you should hear yet another sizzle as the raw dough hits the hot surface. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Top with arugula and drizzle with your balsamic glaze. Salty, sweet, and tart YUM.
Green B-Ooze
Yield:
2 Cocktails
Cook Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
5 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Pizza Dough
Yield:
2 10-inch pizzas
Prep Time:
4 hours
Total Time:
4 hours
Ingredients
Instructions
Mikey's Bodacious Order
Yield:
1 8-inch Pizza
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Ninja Kick Pizza
Yield:
1 8-inch Pizza
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Penicillin Pie
Yield:
1 8-inch Pizza
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
As a franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been around for forever– unsurprisingly, there have been NUMEROUS iterations of recipes taken from and inspired by the movies/shows/comics. Here is a link to the official cookbook, which is a bit tamer than some of the bizarre recipes compiled by chefs and fans. If anyone is able to successfully ingest peanut butter and clam pizza, please report back…
For more menus, check out my movie directory here! ro
After twenty years (!!!), Almost Famous is still on my list of all time favorites. What do I like about this movie? To begin with… everything. An autobiographical showcase of director Cameron Crowe’s misspent youth, Almost Famous focuses on the experiences of a fifteen year …
While not part of the 1980’s fantasy collection that I grew up with, Pan’s Labyrinth is still a favorite of mine. This dark and beautiful fairy tale follows the quest of an 11-year-old heroine living in two worlds: Franco’s Spain, and the dreamy/sometimes nightmarish underworld of director Guillermo Del Toro’s imagination. Despite the subtitles, which can still (frustratingly) be an obstacle for commercial success, I remember the film doing very well in theaters. And, boy did it achieve critical acclaim.
In gloomy times (ahem, 2020), I like to return to Pan’s Labyrinth to gain a bit of perspective. In addition to the twisted creatures Ofelia encounters in the fantasy reality, the history that wraps around Ofelia’s magical adventure is fascinating. Franco’s ascendency to power and ensuing dictatorship were horrific for most of Spain’s population, and as in any war, the poor in the cities and in the countryside suffered. Ofelia’s experiences with and response to the various atrocities she witnesses resonate– as an adult, I often wish I could wish myself into a fairy tale realm where I had the magical agency to more effectively combat the “evil forces” of “the real world” (quotations applied intentionally).
I’d considered saving Pan’s Labyrinth for Halloween because it’s … pretty terrifying at times. But I’ve had Guillermo Del Toro on the brain, and I’ve also been waiting for the chance to revisit past culinary adventures in Spain. I’ve endeavored to acknowledge both the fantastical elements of Pan’s Labyrinth in this movie menu, while also staying true to the time period in which the film is set– and subsequently I’ve learned a ton about some of my favorite recipes and ingredients from that part of the world.
Enjoy, and remember to be wary of fauns.
Sangria is of course a classic wine punch from Spain-- this recipe includes pomegranate, a fruit often associated with the Underworld. Mix all ingredients together and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before adding ice. Note, if you have round molds for your ice cubes, you can go for that grotesque Pale Man eyeball aesthetic... If you don't have a Rioja on hand, here is a handy list of alternatives that you might enjoy. And, if serving kiddos, you can always forgo the brandy and wine for grape juice and seltzer! This recipe is inspired by an apparently very famous recipe, which in turn is inspired by Marbella-- a picturesque town on the southern coast of Spain. Normally you would use chicken and not pork, but at the time of Franco's regime both pork and olives were an extreme luxury (hence the General's "larder" scene in Pan's Labyrinth). It's the most delicious pork tenderloin recipe I've ever had, no exaggeration. Combine olive oil, wine, vinegar, dates, brown sugar, capers and brine, olives, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, paprika. Pour over pork tenderloin in a Ziploc bag, sealing and pressing as much air out of the bag as possible. Allow the pork to marinate overnight for the best flavor results. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high. Cook pork, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about a minute per side. Note, the sugar in the marinade will cause the pork to develop a wonderfully caramelized crust as it sears—this crust will seal in flavor. I used dates because I had them, but you can opt for the traditional prunes, or even substitute raisins. During Spain's "hungry years", much of the poorer population made do with the wealthy's leavings, including potato peels. But patatas bravas, you have met your match in this incredibly simple yet delicious recipe. And such a nice and crunchy fairy wing texture... Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scatter your potato peels onto a sil pat lined baking sheet. Toss with oil and spices. Bake for 15 minutes until blistered and crisp. Serve with allioli. Allioli is basically the Spanish version of Aioli-- and is super easy to make! You can find the recipe here. Another amazing recipe that was necessary in times of hardship, gachas is basically just a cheeseless beschamel with a custard-y texture that can be made savory or sweet. Here I've obviously gone the sweet route and added both ginger (a visual relative of the creepy baby mandrake root from the film) and sugared migas (or fried bread "crumbs", which carry their own historical significance). First, the migas-- toss your bread crumbs in a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fry until golden brown over medium heat. Drain on a towel and lightly toss with sugar while still hot. Set aside. Next, assemble your Gachas Dulces ingredients-- ginger, lemon, cinnamon, flour, sugar. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat and add flour to create a roux. Stir about a minute until raw flour smell dissapates, then quickly add the rest of your sugar, lemon zest, and ginger, stirring constantly to prevent your roux from burning. Reduce heat to low. Add cinnamon stick followed by your milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Simmer on low heat as your Gachas Dulces thickens to a porridge-like consistency. Remove cinnamon stick and serve warm, topped with migas and a healthy sprinkling of cinnamon.
Pomegranate Sangria
Yield:
4 Servings
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Total Time:
10 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Pork Marbella
Yield:
3-4 Servings
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Additional Time:
1 day
Total Time:
1 day 55 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Place a rack in the center of your oven; preheat to 325°. Remove pork from marinade (don’t throw the marinade away!) and pat dry; allow the pork to come to room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
Pour reserved marinade over pork and transfer pan to oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of tenderloin registers 145°, roughly 30 minutes.
Transfer giant monster appendage/pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute. Return pan with marinade to medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, until slightly reduced, 3–5 minutes. Stir in parsley.
In a separate pan, quickly toss torn chard with the last 1 tsp of olive oil until just wilted. 
Slice tenderloin crosswise against the grain. Transfer to a platter with the chard, and spoon pan sauce over.
Notes
Potato Peel Crisps with Allioli
Yield:
2 Servings
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
15 minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Gachas Dulces with Migas
Yield:
2 Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
Like I said, this movie is a little gruesome. Be careful with the kiddos. The Pale Man is no joke.
For more menus, check out my movie directory here!
