Uncle Buck
Uncle Buck was a childhood fave of mine. Is it the best movie in the world? Maybe not. But it’s god damn funny, and it’s got a lot of food in it that I’ve always wanted to make. Namely, really enormous pancakes. The plot itself …
Uncle Buck was a childhood fave of mine. Is it the best movie in the world? Maybe not. But it’s god damn funny, and it’s got a lot of food in it that I’ve always wanted to make. Namely, really enormous pancakes. The plot itself …
“If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.” Out of the mouths of rats… Ratatouille is, to this day, one of the best foodie films ever made. Even Anthony Bourdain thought so! Once you get past the very …
The Breakfast Club– a perfect back-to-school time movie and perhaps the most famous in the John Hughes coming of age oeuvre. Sure, a case could be made for Ferris Bueller, and I do love me some Uncle Buck, but The Breakfast Club is the movie in which five of the eight core Brat Pack members exemplified a certain set of 1980’s identities– or, alternatively, where they demonstrated that those identities are actually not as inextricably separated as angsty teens might think. After all, we’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.
Set in Hughes’s oft used but fictional Chicago suburb, Shermer Illinois, The Breakfast Club begins with visuals of empty school hallways that have always made for uncomfortable flashbacks. It’s a Saturday, and each of the film’s protagonists arrive one by one for detention– there’s the “brain” Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), the “athlete” Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the “basket case” Allison (Ally Sheedy), the “princess” Claire (Molly Ringwald), and the “criminal” John (Judd Nelson). Stuck in a library and instructed by the tyrant Vice Principal Richard “Dick” Vernon to capture their identities in 1000 words, these five teens inevitably clash, break a bunch of rules, and have “profound” conversations about peer and parental pressure, why life generally sucks, and how when you grow up your heart dies. And then hey presto– turns out they all have some key things in common.
It sounds a little trite now, but at the time The Breakfast Club was one of the first cinematic attempts to portray adolescence in a way that was relatable to actual adolescents, not to mention the adults that couldn’t (or wouldn’t) understand them. And, the performances (particularly Judd Nelson’s) are legit wonderful. Now, I do not condone the homophobic slurs and references to impregnating the prom queen. Despite John Hughes being an insightful writer/director, there are some VERY cringeworthy moments in his collection of teen films (I can’t even watch Sixteen Candles anymore). That said, The Breakfast Club is one of those decade defining films that otherwise holds up.
One of the best scenes in this 1980’s classic is, conveniently for this blog, the lunch scene. Food becomes one of the many indicators of each Brat Pack personality type, and in several instances the audience is meant to cringe as much as the characters on screen. With the following movie menu I’ve attempted what I think are slightly more delicious versions of each lunch, with a common through line that you may or may not recognize– but maybe more importantly, every component of this Breakfast Club school brunch/lunch is relatively portable and ok to be stored at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Because who the hell brings raw fish to an unrefrigerated environment around other people CLAIRE??
Because despite Allison's alleged predilection for vodka, obviously bad boy John deserves a character based brunch cocktail the most. ESPECIALLY one that celebrates a mental and emotional victory over "don't mess with the bull" Dick Vernon. In a perfect world, someone would step in and fuck that bull up. Plus, Bender is the only one who doesn't come with a lunch, and while a boozy beverage might not seem like a great idea for a teenager, at lease this one has nutritional heft? Vegetables! So smoke up Johnny! Being bad DOES feel pretty good... Start by grilling your cherry tomatoes-- spray with a bit of oil, and sear on a hot griddle pan. The tomatoes should just begin to burst when they're ready. Set aside (or store in an air tight container). Mix the next 9 ingredients in a glass or cocktail shaker. Then, using a cocktail smoker (see note) smoke your mix within the container. At this point, you could store for future consumption-- but if you're ready to indulge, pour into an ice filled glass and top with charred tomatoes. So good, you'll be all: If you don't have a cocktail smoker, you can always set some wood chips on a fire proof dish/pan and light them until smoking-- invert your glass over the smoke and allow it to permeate the inside. Flip the glass and immediately pour your cocktail ingredients into the residual smoke. It won't be as strong as with a cocktail smoker, but you'll still get a delightful hint of smoke. But advocating for the purchase, cause cocktail smoker guns are actually pretty cheap! Here it is, a sandwich so big it'll leave you totally totaled. Unless of course you blaze up beforehand and then it's just the right amount of fuel for a manic parkour sesh in a large room. Though Andrew's enormous lunch featured what looked like a plain old turkey on white, I went with a recipe inspired by one of the better sandwiches I've had at Chicago's own Publican Quality Meats. And then added some bacon and firm fried eggs for the brekkie club element. Honestly, chef's kiss. ...But also I still really wanna know what the hell kind of strain Bender's dope was to cause that kind of reaction... Begin with the avocado aioli. Add avocado, yogurt, mayo, garlic powder, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a small food processor-- blend until fully smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to assemble sammies. For your sandwich innards, begin by frying your bacon, laying slices on paper towels to drain when finished. Lightly wipe the pan free of bacon bits, keeping a bit of oil in the pan. Over medium heat, fry eggs about 3-4 mins per side-- you want the insides to be firm, but still slightly jammy. You could of course go for the full egg porn yolky-ness, but it doesn't transport so well... Toast your bread slices lightly and cut in half at a diagonal. To assemble your breakfast clubs, layer as follows: avocado aioli, turkey, peppers, bacon, egg, lettuce, cheese. Then, repeat, creating a double decker sandwich. Cut in half at an angle, and stack. Then, eat. it. all. Gotta get all those nutrients in if you don't wanna BLOW YOUR RIDE SON. But seriously-- raw fish and seaweed at room temp for hours Claire??? I love sushi, don't get me wrong, but I also hate people who are olfactory-ly selfish in a group setting. So, here is an alternative, sushi-esque side of all veggies with a tart and sweet ginger dressing. Nutritious, delicious, and still appropriately snobby. Start with your ginger sesame dressing-- in a small food processor, combine peanut oil, sesame oil, chili oil, vinegar, miso, carrot, ginger and honey. Puree till as smooth as possible (see below). Cut cucumber into four chunks about 3 inches long. Hollow out the seeds to create a hollow center. Next, slice your bell pepper, radish, and avocado into long strips. Using a chopstick to help, line the inside of the cucumber lengthwise with bell pepper, followed by radish and avocado-- fill the rest of the gap in with sushi rice, pressing down for a tight pack. Slice each cucumber segment into 3 pieces, and serve with ginger miso dressing topped with sesame seeds. Poor Brian-- a whizz in the math club, uh, the Latin, and the physi... physics club. Who needs friggin' lamps or a sex life when you can have PB&(cherry)J sans crust? Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place about 6 small dollops (about 1 tsp each) of cherry jelly onto the parchment paper. Place in the freezer for about an hour to allow the jelly firm up. In the meantime, mix cherries, oats, flax seeds, honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt until combined. Using your hand scoop out some of the dough and flatten into a disk shape. Then, place a dollop of frozen jelly in the center of each disk. Fold up the edges sealing the jam in the center, then roll between your hands to form a ball. Like the other kids, I found Allison's butter, cereal, and pixy stix sandwich to be the most... .... But I was always curious. Curious enough to try it? ...nah. That said, the ingredients had promise, and turns out you can make a bad-ass rice krispy style treat with enough sugar to keep you awake through all eight hours of detention. HA! Get all your cereal treat ingredients together and remember to play all the games on the back of the captain crunch box. Melt the butter and marshmallows, stirring frequently, until almost entirely smooth. Mix in your cereal and stir to combine. Add to a buttered 9x9 baking pan and press into the square shape. Refrigerate for an hour. Meanwhile, mix confectioners sugar, coke, corn syrup, cocoa powder and pixy stick in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. When cereal treats have set, remove from baking pan and drizzle with coca cola pixy stick icing. Cut into 9 squares and serve-- alternatively, if you store in your hoarder bag with all your other shit, a ziploc is recommended (sticky). A Smoked Bloody Bull for John
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A "Breakfast Club" for Andrew
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"Sushi" for Claire
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PBJ, No Crusts, for Brian
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When ready to serve, sprinkle with minced peanuts! Isn't life swell? A Sugary Treat for Allison
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I haven’t even mentioned The Breakfast Club soundtrack yet! And I highly recommend you listen while you cook– it’s one of the best.
For more menus, check out my movie directory here!
His Girl Friday– the film that crushed the 90 word per minute standard for humans with a whopping 240 word per minute average. Per Director Howard Hawks: “we wrote the dialog in a way that made the beginnings and ends of sentences unnecessary; they were …
I’m now back in Los Angeles after an almost 6 month hiatus in my home state of Florida– and yes, it’s often as weird there as the internet says. However, now that I’m back to my regular life on the West Coast, I’m finding that …
Hi, hello, and welcome to a screening of perhaps the scariest “kids and family” movie ever made: Return to Oz. Trust me, it’s on lists. You’ve got mental institutionalization, Frankenstein-d animal/vegetable/furniture hybrid creatures (sometimes with or without a head), the witch actress from Willow, evil rock monsters, and (eeeee) the Wheelers. No idea how baby Fairuza Balk made it through without serious trauma. But I guess I did as a child, so here I am, telling you all to suck it up– because this is a wonderful 80’s fantasy film.
Return to Oz picks up where Wizard of Oz leaves off… kind of. Taking more directly from L. Frank Baum’s series of books than its predecessor, this non-sequel follows the adventures of a much younger Dorothy Gale who has returned to Kansas and is experiencing some serious insomnia. As you continue to make your way through the film, you quickly realize that Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion are, at best, peripheral. There is no singing, there are zero Munchkins, and Glinda has seemingly peace-d the hell out of Oz. And that’s understandable, because some shit has gone down since Dorothy left.
But I won’t spoil the movie. Except to repeat, “Beware the Wheelers”. SCARY SCARY.
There was so much I wanted to do with this menu– but let’s just say my thinking ran down. In the end I settled for an Oz-adjacent luncheon featuring (of course) CHICKEN eggs and loads of green stuff.
“OZ!” <poof>.
You've gotta give it to the Nome King-- he seems to have a pretty good palate. I opted for an iced version of his melted silver cocktail (because who wants warm gin?), accompanied by a rock candy swizzle (which was surprisingly easy to make). Be forewarned, this is a strong drink. See that you don't lose your head-- who knows who will pick it up for their own, personal use. Several days beforehand, start your rock candy. Bring 2 3/4 cup sugar and water to a boil and reduce heat-- simmer until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Stir in your food coloring-- add a few extra drops for a more vibrant emerald green. Pour into a mason jar. Using your string and tape, hang your swizzle stick so that it is at least an inch and a half away from the sides of the jar, and an inch from the bottom: If you don't have a swizzle stick with a hook to hang on your string, fasten with more tape, or alternatively use a clothespin to fasten the stick in place. Cover the jar with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool, dry place. Crystals should begin to form over the next few days-- the longer you allow the sizzle stick to remain in the sugar syrup, the bigger your crystals will be (the below took about 3.5 days). When you're ready to drink, remove your rock candy and set on parchment paper to dry. Mix gin, egg white, sugar, lime juice and silver glitter (if you're bougie like me) in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for a minute or two until frothy. Pour into a glass with additional ice and top off with club soda and rock candy swizzle. The visual of Dorothy picking her lunch pail from a tree always stuck with me-- it's very much like the sandwich scene in Neverending Story. I always felt a special kinship with kids on epic quests who had sense enough to look for (and savor) sustenance during their journey. So here's a spin on Dorothy's lunch pail ham sandwich that also pays homage to those freaky Wheelers-- Dorothy's first encounter in this new terrifying version of Oz. Begin by mixing the cream cheese, scallions, parsley, a pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper, 1/2 tbsp of the bell pepper, and the half and half-- this last ingredient will help the cream cheese mixture more spreadable. Spread cream cheese mixture onto your spinach wrap. Sprinkle remaining bell pepper pieces over the cream cheese (I did a spiral yellow brick road pattern cause I'm fancy). Sprinkle spinach over the cheese and bell pepper, and top with ham slices-- these should be evenly spread over the surface of the wrap. Beginning at one side of the wrap, roll tightly to the other side, applying a bit more of the cream cheese mixture to the very edge if needed-- this will help glue the wrap shut. If you'd like to wait a beat before serving, you can wrap your pinwheel sandwich tightly in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or so-- this will also allow the sandwich to set. When ready to serve, slice your wrap into wheels, starting at the center. Each pinwheel should be about an inch to an inch and a half thick. If you think you'll miss Dorothy's old Wizard of Oz friends, don't worry-- the non-human, not-always-alive sidekicks in Return to Oz are more complex and (dare I say it) more endearing. This three-in-one recipe is a tribute to Tik Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Gump, and Dorothy's CHICKEN Billina (or perhaps more accurately her eggs. look away, no spoilers here). Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 eggs to the water (or, if you're like me and want a spare in case of peeling accidents, 4 eggs). Boil for 10 minutes. Remove and place immediately in cold water. While eggs cool, add pepitas/pumpkin seeds to a saute pan with schmalz, cumin, chile, garlic, salt and pepper. Toast over medium heat for a couple of minutes, keeping a close eye on the seeds to prevent burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping in a small food processor or with a knife. Next, assemble a deviled egg assembly line-- one egg per recipe. Cut your eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks-- add one yolk to each of your bowls. Now, it's time to assemble. For Jack's eggs: Spread your chopped pepita/pumpkin seeds on a cutting board and place each egg-half face down in the "dust"-- when you lift, there should be a nice coating of pepita seeds around the rim of the egg (if the seed pieces are not sticking, you can add a bit of water to the rim before coating). Then, thoroughly mix yolk with mayo, mustard, half of the paprika, and apple cider. Scoop the filling into each egg white hollow, and sprinkle remaining paprika on top to achieve a more orange-y color. Finish with three chive pieces inserted into the filling to look like pumpkin stems. Now it's time for Tik Tok. Mix yolk, mayo, caper juice, lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme until smooth. Scoop filling into hollowed egg white halves, and top with a few thyme leaves, pepper, capers, and one more spritz of oil to prevent your action from running down. Next up, Gump-- a weird reindeer/couch creature who merits a horse-radishy deviled egg. Mix yolk with mayo, mustard, horseradish, and half of your dill (aka the powder of life for most great deviled eggs). Scoop your filling into the egg white halves and stick some parsley leaf "wings" into each side of the filling. Finally, proceed with remaining dill(/powder of life) in accordance with the following instructions: Sprinkle lightly one dusting dose on static object to be brought to life, speaking the words "WEAUGH, TEAUGH, PEAUGH". Repeat if no reaction. If you like certain flavors more than others (or characters, you meanie), you can make just one of these deviled egg recipes and increase the quantity accordingtly. That said, I (like Mombi) prefer an assortment of toppings to choose from. Admitting it freely-- baking is not my strongest talent. But these personal sized pies were relatively simple, down to the "decor" on top. And the lovely ruby-red stone fruit filling is a nice visual tie to Dorothy's Ruby Slippers and their (albeit brief) appearance in Return to Oz. Assemble crust a couple of hours in advance: in a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt. Cut the stick of butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the flour mixture. You can cut the butter in with knives (tutorial here), but I prefer to get in there with my hands. Break up the butter into the flour, until you are left with a mix that looks a bit like wet sand. Add cold water by the tablespoonful until a loose dough forms. Dump your dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rough disk-- wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about an hour. Combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and bring to boil-- reduce heat and simmer berries for 5-10 minutes until fruit is just bursting. Remove about half a cup of berry juice and mix the cornstarch into the juice-- doing this before you add the cornstarch to the pot prevents lumpies. Mix your cornstarch berry mixture into the rest of the filling, and simmer for a few more minutes until it is thickened to a loose jam consistency. Set aside to cool. It's now time to assemble your limestone pies! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, grease two ramekins with butter, and (in a separate bowl) whisk your egg with a splash of water-- this will be used to brush your pie crust before baking. Remove dough from the fridge and cut into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll two of the dough balls into appx 8-inch circles, about 1/4 inch thick. Fold these into your ramekins-- these are your pie bottoms. Then, take your other two pieces and roll them into 4 inch circles, still about 1/4 inch thick (reserve any extra dough-- these will be used for topping decor). Spoon your filling into the dough filled ramekins. and top with your 4-inch rounds-- push down around the border to create a mound shape (see below), and seal the edges. Brush the top of your pies with egg wash. From your excess dough, cut petal/leaf shapes and a two small balls for the center of your flower toppings (see image below). Place on top of your pies, relying on the egg wash to help these pieces stick in place. Using a fork, press around the rim for a final decorative flourish! Bake for about 40 minutes until crust turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 mins. To remove the individual pies, twist gently at the edges of the crust-- if you need a little help, use a sharp knife to run around the inside rim of the crust (though your butter should make this process relatively smooth). Serve your limestone pies warm or at room temperature. If you don't have 12oz ramekins, you can make this as one full size pie-- the dough recipe supports a single double crust pie.Liquid Silver with Emeralds
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Lunch Pail Pinwheels
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Sidekick Eggs
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Limestone-Fruit Pie
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While your dough rests, make your pie filling.Notes
I dunno that I need to write anything else for this supremely creepy movie. So here’s this:
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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, …
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 …
I spent many, many hours binging TCM in my youth. And Sabrina was one of my first loves from the 1950’s. A then modern-day fairy tale, the film features a gruff and vulnerable Bogie, and a beautifully idealistic Audrey Hepburn. Need I say more? The clothes alone…
But what I always found most attractive about this film is Sabrina’s culinary education (something which was, annoyingly, replaced in the less awesome 1995 remake). There aren’t a great many food scenes in the movie, but when they happen, they stand out– specifically in Sabrina’s case as moments of self realization and self confidence.
I learned to make a soufflé after watching this film, and aspired to Sabrina’s ability to improv a meal out of the contents of an office cocktail cabinet. I hope the menu below (could be brunch, lunch or dinner!) comes close to evoking the simple sophistication of our beloved chauffeur’s daughter, and leaves you humming La Vie en Rose after consumption. Just don’t get too fancy, you’ll miss out on life’s fun.
Bon Appetit.
While not quite a rose colored glass, the pink champagne in this cocktail does help get the point across. And sugared rim felt like a nice Larrabee Corporation tie in! It's really too bad David couldn't have had a few of these before he sat down... IBA says rations are 2-1-1-4, but go with whatever conversion makes you happy and bubbly! I prefer not so sweet (if it were a mimosa I’d be the “splash of orange juice but still mostly transparent” girl), so I adjusted a bit to get to the above. Making a souffle seems challenging, but the hardest part is serving before deflation! Just moniter the oven closely, and remember--a woman happy in love, she burns the soufflé. A woman unhappy in love, she forgets to turn on the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Set oven rack in lowest position. Grease interiors of two 12 oz ramekin with softened butter. Add some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, rotating ramekin so that entire interior is covered. If you have excess parm, feel free to snack whilst you cook! Wipe the top rim of the ramekin and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to use. Continuing to whisk, add heated milk gradually. Make sure you break up or prevent any lumpies. Whisk in salt, mustard and cayenne. At this point, your sauce should be pretty thick. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Wipe the rim for a clean look, and feel free to smooth the tops with a small spoon for an even bake. Souffle is often served with a light salad. You can always toss mixed greens in a bit of olive oil and lemon juice, but this vinaigrette has a touch of dijon and honey that goes perfectly with the savory egg dish above. While I chose to forgo a souffle out of stale crackers, I did feel inspired to make a delicious tapenade out of some of the Larrabee cabinet inventory. Puffed rice and sardines didn't make the cut, but go nuts if you're feeling inspired! Using a small food processor, blend all of your ingredients and allow to sit, refrigerated, for at least an hour before serving. If you don't have a mini food processor, no worries-- just mince all choppable ingredients and whisk your olive oil and juice rapidly to help it emulsify before adding to the rest of the ingredients.Rose French 75
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Start by wiping the rim of your glass with a lemon wedge. Dip in sugar to fully coat the rim. Next, shake all ingredients ex-the champagne and the lemon twist, pour into a champagne flute, and finish off with the final two ingredients.Souffle For Two
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Now for the beschamel, or white sauce. Microwave your cup of milk for one minute to heat. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until just frothy. Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to whisk until you smell mostly buttery goodness, about 1 minute.
Transfer béchamel sauce to large heatproof mixing bowl. Whisk in egg yolks one by one—it’s important to whisk constantly, or you’ll end up with scrambly eggs. Mix in cheese, and let sit while you take care of your egg whites!
In large mixing bowl, using a French whisk, electric hand blender, or stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until firm, glossy peaks form (takes about 2 minutes with an electric hand blender).
Using a rubber spatula, stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites to béchamel base until thoroughly combined. Then, very gently fold in the remaining egg whites. The texture should be very light and fluffy.
Remove ramekins from refrigerator and set on rimmed baking sheet. Scrape soufflé batter into each ramekin, filling it up to the inner ridge, but not to the top (discard any excess).
Transfer soufflé to oven. Bake until well risen over the top of the ramekin rim and very nicely browned on top, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately before souffles deflate.Notes
Tomato Juice Tapenade
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While you cook, I highly recommend getting into the Sabrina state of mind by listening to this vintage French playlist on Spotify. Starting a little early on your cocktails would probably help too.
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