While the initial intention was to time this Jurassic Park menu to the release of the sixth (and dear god we hope) final movie in the Jurassic Park/World franchise, I’ve also realized that I’m slowly making my way through the Steven Spielberg “top five”. If …
Happy 55th Anniversary to Chuck Jones’s classic TV adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!! I know there have been a number of movies based on the original children’s book at this point, but this holiday animated special always held a special place in my …
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 old aspiring rock and roll journalist trailing after a newly famous band. The performances are iconic– Patrick Fugit’s William Miller, Kate Hudson’s Penny Lane, all the way through to the Marc Maron cameo that I only JUST noticed during my most recent (fiftieth?) screening. And who could forget the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman dropping pearls of cynicism, a perfect contrast with (and sometimes complement to) Frances McDormand’s motherly “DON’T TAKE DRUGS”. I could go on, and on, and on, it’s that good.
And then there’s the soundtrack. Led Zeppelin, The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, and more– all tunes that (thanks to my badass parents) I was lucky enough to grow up with. I’m 10000% a bandaid. Sans the STD’s and waif-y body type.
Per PSH’s Lester Bangs, the only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone when you’re uncool. I’d love to think of this film and foodie nerd post (and this blog in general) as an illustration of that maxim. And so, with that in mind, here’s a menu for Almost Famous, a pretty perfect coming-of-age cinematic opus. Feel free to leave a review, and be honest and unmerciful.
The Movie
The Menu
Purple Aura
Yield: 2 Cocktails
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 16 minutes
YOUR AURA IS PURPLE, IT'S PURPLE. And you might be able to see it too after having a few of these-- a riff on a Purple Haze cocktail topped off with mint and champagne. It'll set you free.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Frozen Cherries
1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries
3/4 cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Lemon Zest
2 tsp Lemon Juice (divided)
3 shots Vodka
6 Mint Leaves
Champagne (without the Quaaludes)
Instructions
Combine water, sugar, 1 tsp of lemon juice, blueberries and cherries in a small saucepan and boil till the blueberries and cherries begin to pop (...).
Using an immersion blender, puree your berry mixture. Strain into a container to remove remnants of skin, leaveing you with a thick purple syrup.
Add 2 shots of the syrup and all remaining ingredients except for the champagne into a cocktail shaker with ice-- shake until you are sure the mint has been appropriately bruised and the flavors fully mixed. Pour into glasses and top off with champagne and more ice.
Rolling Stones
Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
There is a very LA restaurant in West Hollywood called Estrella from which I stole the concept of a Rolling Stone-- a bacon-wrapped soft-boiled egg-stuffed avocado. This ball of crispy, fatty, yolky deliciousness is a true example of Valhalla decadence that will have you screaming I AM A GOLDEN GOD after you successfully cut into it.
Ingredients
2 Eggs
2 Large Ripe Avocados
8 Strips of Bacon (not thick cut)
1 tbsp Butter
Salt and Pepper
Instructions
First, boil your eggs in salted water for six minutes and thirty seconds. Six minutes will leave you with a little bit of clear egg white, and seven minutes will make your yolks just a hint too solid. When time is up, immediately remove your eggs and place them in an ice bath or run them under cold water for another minute to prevent the insides from cooking further. Peel and set aside.
Cut your avocados in half and remove the pits. Then, using a spoon, carefully scoop the entire inside of the avocado away from the skin-- start very close to the skin seam and dig deep, being careful not to shmush the avocado innards as you remove them from the skin. Once you have skinless avocado halves, carve a bit of the avocado middle out-- you will need enough space to fit your entire egg inside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Next, lay out four strips of bacon in an L shape (see below)-- the strips should overlap slightly to prevent gaps as you wrap your avocado.
Once you have sandwiched your avocado halves snuggly around your egg, place your stuffed avocado at one end of your bacon "L". Roll up to the crux of your "L" base, where your four bacon strips meet. Then, continue rolling up your "L" so that the top and bottom of the stuffed avocado is wrapped in bacon as tightly as the avocado sides. You should have a nice little bacon-wrapped avocado package! Repeat with the other egg, avocado, and four strips of bacon.
Melt your butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your bacon-wrapped balls to the pan and fry, allowing for 2-3 minutes on each side as well as the tops and bottoms. If you notice the bacon beginning to burn a little, reduce the heat-- you don't want it to cook too fast, or you will end up with a crisp exterior but raw bacon underneath.
Once all sides are browned, remove your bacon wrapped, egg stuffed avocados from the pan and set on a paper towel to drain-- give it about a minute.
Then, using a sharp knive, cut your rolling stones in half-- be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid. Goethe said that.
I can't look away.
Moroccan Home Fries
Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This dish is for William Miller's two loves-- Moroccan spices and chickpeas for the enigmatic and beautiful Penny Lane, with a homey vegan base for his mother Elaine Miller (as long as you keep the dairy on the side...). Incendiary.
Next, assemble the rest of your home fry ingredients. If you haven't yet, chop your sweet potato, skin on, into 1/2 inch cubes. You should have about a cup and a half as a result. Before frying everything up, you'll need to par-boil your potato cubes-- add to a sauce pan of water, bring to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Next, heat 1 tbsp canola oil in a skillet. Sautee your peppers and onions over medium heat until just caramelized, about 5 minutes. Increase heat, and add chickpeas and half of the Ras El Hanout spice mixutre-- sautee until chickpeas start to crisp, about 2 more minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat remaining tbsp of canola oil in the same pan and add your sweet potatoes and the rest of your Moroccan spices. Sautee over high heat, until potatoes begin to brown.
Add the vegetable mixture to the potatos to reheat-- serve, sprinkled with parsley and with a bit of feta (on the side).
Definitely not too sweet for rock and roll.
Tangerine Jam & Creemy Ricotta Toast
Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
I had to make a dish inspired by at least one song from Almost Famous-- because it is, after all, about the music. And while everyone thinks of Tiny Dancer or Fever Dog when they think of this movie, I chose the closing song "Tangerine" by Led Zeppelin. It's a good jam. Especially on toast with some creemy cheese.
Ingredients
5 Tangerines, peeled
Peels from 2 Tangerines
1/4 cup Honey (Orange flavored if you can find it)
1/2 cup Sugar
1 shot Whiskey
½ cup Water
2/3 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 tsp Heavy Cream
1/4 tsp Lemon Zest
2 Large Slices Bread
Olive Oil
Flaky Salt to Finish
Instructions
First, make your jam. Assembe all ingredients-- start with peeling your tangerines, reserving (per ingredient list) peels from two of the fruits.
Roughly chop your peels and set aside. Using a blender, pulse your tangerines to create a pulpy juice. Now, combine tangerine peels, pulpy juice, sugar, honey, whiskey, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat-- simmer for about 30-45 minutes until thickened to a jam like consistency.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Now, for your creemy ricotta-- in a mini blender or food processor (or, if you don't have these things, a bowl and a whisk), mix the heavy cream, ricotta, thyme and lemon zest. Set aside.
Brush your bread slices with olive oil and place on a griddle pan (or in the oven). Grill/toast until crisp.
Spread your toasts with whipped ricotta and top with tangerine jam. Finish with flaky salt and consume while imagining yourself riding off into the sunset in your own private Doris tour bus.
Epilogue
Like Russell, I too am struggling with last words. Let’s just leave it at: Almost Famous is incredible, go watch it. And if you know people who don’t dig it, meh. You’ll meet them all again on their long journey to the middle.
PS I forgot to say polaroids are fun. Roll end credits.