Tag: sausage

Uncle Buck

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 

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own

So last month kind of sucked for women. Actually, it really really sucked. But all the more reason to watch A League of Their Own– 30 years old on July 1, 2022 and a wonderful film to spend your afternoon with if you’re not feeling 

Young Frankenstein

Young Frankenstein

Here it is: my favorite Halloween movie and perhaps my favorite Mel Brooks film, Young Frankenstein. Fans of the director will immediately recognize hilarious throwbacks (and throw forwards) to his other movies– walk this way, wasn’t your hump.. on the other side?, etc. But of his library, Young Frankenstein was always particularly special to me, and stands out as unique within his opus. Maybe it’s the well-known origin story? Mel does have a way with outsider characters. Or maybe it’s the ballsy commitment to black and white footage? (I gave it a shot below, not bad).

black and white Young Frankenstein meal

Or maybe it’s Inga’s pronunciation of the word MOOCHAL? I couldn’t say– I just know that I’ve spent every Halloween (and many non-Halloween related days) finding ways to quote the film. PUT. ZE CANDLE. BACKH.

If you want a stellar critical review, there are many (here’s one). Otherwise, just believe me when I say Young Frankenstein, starring Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, and Cloris Leachman, is funny, whimsical, wonderful, and FUNNY. 

And so, I made a lovely German/Transylvanian/Ritz-on-fire dinner to go with it! Trust me, you’ll be making yummy mmmmmMMMMMMMMMM noises while eating. 

 

The Movie

 

The Menu

ritz fire

Puttin' on the Ritz/FIRE GOOD

Yield: 1 cocktail
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Sometimes, true, FIRE BAD. But in this case, it's the opposite. As the Creature eventually learns, a bit of flame can really accentuate the ritzy things in life-- including the complex and elegant Ritz cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 shot Brandy
  • 1/2 shot Triple Sec
  • 1/4 shot Maraschino Cherry Juice
  • 1/4 shot Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1-2 shots Champagne
  • 1 Orange Peel
  • All the matches..

Instructions

Mix the first four ingredients in a cockatil shaker with ice-- shake until chilled and pour into a coup glass. Top off with as much champagne as you'd like.

Now it's time for the FIRE GOOD part. Orange peels have natural oils that ignite when spritzed onto an open flame. All you have to do is light a match, and hover it just above your Ritz cocktail-- squeeze your orange peel next to it in order to release the oils in a spray-- you'll see the flame bloom as the oils make contact, and taste the orange essence in your drink!

ritz fire

PS it might take a few tries. My own BTS photo of the aftermath here:

orange peels

Notes

If you want to attempt other cool tricks with alcohol and FIRE, here's a fun article that tells you what not to do. ie don't like alcohol on fire.

brat

Adequately Sized Schwanzstucker

Yield: 2
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

The schwanstucker-- a word Mel Brooks invented that translated perfectly into a Two Crumbs Up menu item. While these brats are not enormous (potentially to Elizabeth and Inga's disappointment) you'll find that they are still flavorful and juicy-- especially when braised in beer with onions. OOOOH MYYYYSTERY OF LIFE AT LAST I'VE FOOOOUNND YOUUUUUUUU

Ingredients

  • 2 Bratwurst Sausages (I used chicken here, 'cause I'm scared of high cholesterol)
  • 1/4 Large Onion, thickly sliced
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  • 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 12 oz Bottle of Lager Beer
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Add butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add onion slices along with red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper. Sautee for two to three minutes until just starting to caramelize.

Pour beer into the pot and bring to a boil, scraping up any and all crispy bits. Reduce heat and add brats to the saucepan-- simmer for roughly 10 minutes.

beer braised onions

Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan to medium high. Remove brats from the saucepan and place directly onto the griddle pan. Continue cooking the onions and beer until liguid is reduced to a gravy like consistency-- you can do this simultanesouly while grilling your brats. Both should take an additional 10 mins-- brats should be turned 5 minutes in.

brat

When ready to serve, spoon onions over brats and perhaps some polenta (in which case, don't clean out your saucepan!).

cheese polenta

Gouda Muenster Polenta

Yield: 2 Servings
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Half and Half
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/2 grated Gouda/Muenster (equal parts mixed)
  • 3 tbsp Cornmeal
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

This recipe is SUPER simple-- only a few ingredients required.

young frankenstein polenta ingredients

In a saucepan (or alternatively, the same pan you used for your sausages and onions, with the sticky bits still in), combine half and half and sour cream. Bring to a simmer, and add corn meal and cheese. Sir until thickened (you can add a bit more half and half or chicken broth if it becomes to firm. Add salt and pepper to taste.

cheese polenta

abby normal

Abby Normal's Pickled Brains

Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 1 day
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 day 10 minutes

...or perhaps they belonged to Hans Delbruck. You'd have to ask I-gor, Froderick. Either way they're a delicious accompaniment to sausages and creamy polenta.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 3/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Beet Juice
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Whole Grain Mustard
  • 2 Scallions
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/2 Head of Cauliflower

Instructions

GIVE MY CREATION LIFE.

Assemble ingredients.

cauliflower ingredients

In a small saucepan, combine liquids, seasonings, and mustard. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat-- you want the salt and sugar to be completely dissolved.

Peel garlic cloves and cut scallions into 2-3 pieces (white and pale green parts only)-- these will season your pickling liquid. Add cauliflower, garlic, and scallions to warm liquid and allow to cool completely.

cooking cauliflower

Pour into a sealable glass jar and allow to rest, at least 3 hours or overnight (can keep up to a week).

abby normal

young frankenstein cupcakes

Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte Cupcakes (w/Ovaltine)

Yield: 12 Cupcakes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

One of the few dishes actually featured in Young Frankenstein, Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte is really a Black Forest Cake filled with brandied cherries and topped with whipped cream. But I didn't feel like making an entire cake, so I thought cupcakes... IT. COULD. WORK.

And I had to pay homage to my favorite moment, 20 minutes into the movie. I don't know why, but the way Frau Blucher (neeeeeigh) pronounces Ovaltine has always made me giggle.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 6 tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Ovaltine
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Canola Oil
  • 1/2 cup Coffee
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
  • 1/4 cup Half and Half
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 cup (8oz) Cherries (frozen or fresh
  • 6 tbsp Brandy
  • 6 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 6 tbsp Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • Maraschino Cherries for topping
  • Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings for topping

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350. Change the poles from plus to minus, and minus to... shit wrong recipe.

Sift first five ingredients together in a small bowl. Next, mix oil, half and half and sour cream.

young frankenstein cherry filling

Add sugar to the dairy mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Gradually stir in dry ingredients. In the now empty dry ingredients bowl, whisk egg, coffee and vanilla briefly so that the yolk is broken up. Add to batter, and stir to fully combine. You should end up with the below, ovaltine-y goodness.

cupcake batter

Using a 1/4 cup, pour batter into paper lined cupcake pans. Bake for 17-18 minutes-- you can tell they're done when you stick a toothpick in and it comes away batter free.

cupcakes baked

Now for the cherry filling!

cherry ingredients

Roughly chop your cherries and add them to a saucepan with sugar and brandy. Bring to a boil and reduce heat-- simmer for 10 minutes until liquid has reduced to a syrup. Set aside to cool completely.

Scoop out the innards of your cupcakes, and fill with cherries. Feel free to reserve the juice for future cocktails and/or general slurpage.

filling cupcakes

On to the whipped cream topping. Beat cream, vanilla, powdered sugar and corn starch with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form-- the latter ingredient will help stabalize the cream so that it doesn't melt or bleed (and so you can pipe it onto your cupcakes if you're fancy!).

whipped cream

Top your cherry filled cupcakes with whipped cream-- as previously mentioned, if you are fancy you can "pipe" it with a piping tip and a ziploc bag that has one of the bottom corners cut off. Finish by shaving a bar of bittersweet chocolate on top of each cupcake and a final maraschino cherry.

young frankenstein cupcakes

Notes

Ovaltine

 

Epilogue

Outtakes from Young Frankenstein below. You’re welcome.

Also. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (Unless you’re reading this in May. In which case I encourage you to watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights next. That’s my second favorite Mel Brooks film. Movie menu is forthcoming.)

 

For more menus, check out my movie directory here!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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,