Dinner and a Movie

You might remember last year, I posted a note on here about a recipe I had done on my movie blog that had been inspired by a movie.
Well, few weeks ago I did another one. This time, inspired by the movie Lost Boys.   I was planning on waiting awhile before posting the note on here, because I have a list of movie inspired recipes I plan on doing over the next few months. But, after searching for a few recipes, I decided I just couldn't wait (the movies are picked, the menu is being researched, and until I get the recipes right, I'm not posting them)
So in the meantime, enjoy the show. 

Sushi and Ramen

Been awhile.  I've been working on my movie a day blog and been a bit of a zombie lately.

I saw the film Jiro Dreams of Sushi  today.   I didn't care for it.  It's a documentary about this 3 Michelin star Sushi master and his son.
Besides the usual complaint I have of subtitles that are too tiny to read, it just sort of doesn't explain anything.  You go in circles with this guy and why he refuses to retire.

And I just read  The Ramen King and I   an autobiography about this guy who becomes obsessed with the creator of instant ramen, and how he becomes the model for how he ends up living his own life.
This I liked a lot.

Popcorn?

I was thinking about a few ideas for the movie challenge blog and recipes from movies.  And started to think about finger foods and eventually, popcorn.

I know that popcorn can be added to soups/stews and snacks you would maybe serve at kids parties.   Then I thought it would be interesting to see what other recipes people might have for using popcorn?

If you've got a popcorn related dish, leave a comment and link.

Recipes that the movie inspired

I just finished posting over on my movie challenge blog, about what the movie Elvira Mistress of the Dark had inspired in me to cook.

I had planned on adding the recipes here to this blog, but after spending over a half hour posting it once, I'm just going to take the lazy way out and link to the post.

The post link

Till next time

Food and Movies

Last week, after watching the movie Julie/Julia for the millionth time, I decided to challenge myself to watching one movie a day for a year.
I'm a week into the challenge. 

Two of the films I decided to watch have been  Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs  and Tortilla Soup. 
Neither of which I had seen before. 

{Julie/Julia of course was day one, TSoup is day five and CWACOMeatballs is day seven.} 

Love's Kitchen (2011)

Plot: A chef who's lost his desire to cook  is given a second chance to prove himself three years after his wife's death.  After a bad review that he becomes self aware and starts over in a little country Inn. Little does he know his new girlfriend is the critic who wrote the damaging review.

The selling point of this film was that Gordon Ramsey is in it.  For like three minutes bookending the story.
I'm guessing this was a made for tv movie? It sure had that feel to it.

It was a sweet film, with the food scenes done to make you melt. But the story itself was a little thin. I was reminded a lot of the film Rare Birds  which also had a small town chef starting over.

Rent this one,  do not buy.

Bitter Feast -dvd

Plot: A blogging food critic gives such a bad review that he puts a star chef out of work.  The chef who feels his life is over, kidnaps the blogger and forces him to make variations of the items he talked about in his blog. If he fails, he dies.

I am not sure how I feel about this movie.  
It is in the tradition of classic horror films, with a heavy set of plot and characters before the violence sets in.  Which is always a bonus in my book.  I had not heard anything about this film til I spotted it at the blockbuster few days ago.  I was flying blind on it and wasn't too sure I should even buy it. (yes it was for buy only)
Right off you get an understanding for the two leads, and find yourself for the first half cheering on the chef.  Around the turning point of the film (the last 40 minutes) it starts to resemble a higher class of slasher film.

Throughout the movie, there are these gorgeous shots of food being prepared that seem to be almost poetry on the screen; then are balanced out with the brutality of the horror elements.

Little hard to sit through, but worth it.  I have to say, for myself, one of the reasons it was difficult to sit through had to do with the fact the critic is a writer who has hit rock bottom; that for me hit little too close to home.

A Philly Moment

I know many of you have joined the race to be part of the Real Women of Philadelphia contest.  Good luck to each and all who have entered.
I'm kicking around over there on the community, but I can not enter. (If you wish to friend me on there, poke me in the tummy, or just share some links you can locate me under the name Domestic Damned)

So I thought I would share my favourite Philly cream cheese cheat.  Yes, I call it a cheat.   Why, because it's a too simple recipe for cucumber sandwiches.  

 I used Italian bread, and the Philadelphia Herb and Garlic cream cheese, sliced cucumbers. 
Honestly, it's the easiest thing to create.  Simple, fast, and a perfect for when you get company last minute. 

I'm sure some of you are more skilled at making things look pretty compared to me.  But if you like cucumber tea sandwiches, you have to try it.

Sidenote,   I just got my hands on a copy of As Always, Julia The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto Food Friendship and the Making of a Masterpiece  by Joan Reardon

You know the book that was inspired by all the letters in the movie Julie/Julia.

Though, I have no idea when I will have the chance to read it.  I might try sneaking in bits and pieces between the books I do for review.

Did you see the Promo for Iron Chef?

I was just checking out stuff on Food Network Canada, and caught the promo for the show this coming Sunday, and got very excited when I saw there was an embed code.  So, just helping to spread the word. 

Why do you cook?

Everyone has to eat.  But not everyone has to learn to cook.

I know there are a few Spudguns (my blog readers/fans), out there who read some of my other blogs, but for those who are just foodies and maybe stumbled upon this here blog,  I want to share.

For those who are loyal Spudguns you can just skip to the QandA part of the post which is ....Why did you decide to get into cooking? 

I've actually been trying to figure that out for myself. 
I think it just boils down to the fact I love to eat. And I love to create stuff.  If you've been reading my other internet stuff, then you know I'm sort of going through a Julie/Julia  stage right now.  Trying a few hobbies on for size and seeing what fits.  I keep coming back to cooking.

Sidenote* I finally got around to doing some form of review on the Jamie Oliver cookbook -Jamie's America -  a few of you have commented on the other site and you know where I'm headed here.  I'm not even going to bother linking it, as it was a disappointment.

And in other news... Looking extremely forward to Top Chef Canada! which is set to start airing next month on the Food Network Canada.  Hopefully they will post it online for TC junkies worldwide.

My Thoughts on the Book....

Cleaving by Julie Powell.
I finished reading it last night.  And have posted it to my book club blog.  Which you can check out here 

Let me know what you think of it, if you read it or if you are going to read it.

I liked this book.  Not as much as the first one -Julie/Julia-  but I did like this book.

It surprised me on a few levels, one of which was the stark honesty of the butchery scenes and how the author translates those scenes into her emotions. Or I should say, how she translates and connects her emotions to the slicing of the meat.

Food Inc -dvd

This is a documentary that sort of opens up a few facts that have been hidden from the general public.  And that is how much of the food we eat is

1. Controlled by the same four companies
2. The way the animals are raised and slaughtered
3. The main ingredient in 90% of what we buy food and otherwise

Did you know that the same item that is used to make diapers is what is found in pop, syrup, and also fed to the livestock?   I had no idea till I saw the film.  And it's simply corn.  Corn.  I knew that corn was used as the main thing to feed animals, but was clueless that it's byproducts were used so widely.

The tagline for this documentary is "You'll never look at dinner the same way again"   And it's very true.  I've been a vegetarian now coming up 10 years, and seeing this film has made me even scared to eat anything. 

The main subplot of this is that we need to get more involved with what it is we are eating.  The school system needs to really start to rethink what they allow in grade schools for meals. And of course, we all need to support the organic food suppliers but buying at local farmers markets and growing our own gardens when/where we can.

This is not for the faint of heart, as they actually show footage of chickens and pigs being slaughtered.

Soul Kitchen - DVD review

Plot: Zinos owns a small diner that serves nothing but deep fried frozen foods.  A real estate agent wants the land for development, his staff haven't been paid in a while, and the tax man is after him. Meanwhile, his brother who is a con-man with a gambling debt comes to work for him, just as Zino's girlfriend dumps him.  Can he survive the next two months or will he loose everything and everyone he's worked the last few years to call his own?


This is a brilliant German film. (I had a subtitled version.)  It's a comedy and a drama all rolled into one and somehow manages to hit the right notes at the right time while still keeping it's balance.

There isn't alot of food in this foodie movie, but it does center around the diner itself.  Udo Kier has a small two minute cameo in this film, (who is usually known as a horror film icon) that adds a touch of solidness to what at times is just a light hearted display of fun. 

There is a scene where the chef makes a love potion and serves it to a packed house while a rock band is playing, giving everything to the Dionysian vibe.  And having the lead actor look like a sloppy Jim Morrison really adds a punch to the movie's title of the borrowed song Soul Kitchen. You're constantly reminded that food and music go hand in hand as both feed the senses and the ... well soul.

Again, I have to say there is a sense of balance in this film which plays up the opposites between Zinos and his brother Illias. Zinos for all his failures at the beginning is the responsible one (ironically the comedy element) where as his brother is the screw-up (ironically the dramatic element) who thinks he's got everything under control when he really does not.
We see an evolution with a few of the main characters, Zinos obviously being the one with the largest arch. The montage of his cooking skills comes right back to a basic thought, follow your heart, dedicate yourself to your passions, and of course anyone can cook. 

I would have liked to have seen a few more food scenes, but all in all, this is one to rent on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Ratatouille- Movie

 I put a link out on my Twitter (coffinscookies)  the other week to my last post about foodie movies, and ironically Chef Michael Smith (Chef at Large, Chef at Home)  put up a Twitter saying Ratatouille was one of the best foodie movies he'd ever seen. I became obsessed for the last week trying to get my hands on a copy.  I admit, I had originally  stayed away from it because it was a "kid's movie", but beyond glad that I took his advice and found a copy at the rental place. 

The message is simple, anyone can cook.  Which is true, just look at me.  With it being a Disney film, I was thinking for sure I would cry, but I found myself laughing the whole time and craving vegetarian stew. 

Food in movies, seems to flow with the theme of self discovery, and this is no different. The subplot deals with a guy who just learns who he really is and what is expected of him, giving him for the first time not just a passion for something but an identity.  (which was the main theme in Julie/Julia, Ramen Girl) 
 This is one that I am going to have to add to my movie collection.

Tuesday Morning Thinking of Food

 This was originally posted on my main blog on Nov 16th 2010   So don't worry, I haven't lost my mind completely yet and mixed up my days of the week. Yet.  but I did realize I had forgotten to add it here to my list I've been trying to create of foodie movies/food in the movies posts.


Taking a short break this morning from the book reviews cause I'm getting a headache, and have Julie/Julia in the dvd player.  It's got me thinking, about a few foodie movies that are on my can't wait list.

One is Soul Kitchen  which I believe gets a Canadian dvd release next month.  It's a subtitled film about a guy who's cafe is going downhill till he hires a prize winning chef.   I saw a trailer for it months ago and have been waiting as impatiently as I can for it to be released here.

Today's Special  was just released in the cinema this week.  Of course, it's not scheduled for my city cause Thunder Bay sucks.  But it's on my can't wait list.  When I first saw the poster for this one few months ago, I wasn't too sure about it, as it's about an East Indian chef, and after having been greatly disappointed by another East Indian foodie film Cooking with Stella; well the trailer for Today's Special changed my mind.  It's suppose to be about a sous chef who has to return to his family diner and take over the business.

The last foodie movie on my can't wait list is a documentary called Kings of Pastry  which also was just released in Canada about a month ago, which once again did not come here and I have to wait for the dvd.  My city sucks I know.  But it's a documentary on the pastry masters competition.

They all look yummy and I can't wait....

My Life in France- by Julia Child

I bought this book last November. Every time I picked it up to read it, I was overloaded with books for review (I have a whopping 8 to still review before the first of December!)  I finally decided to just add it to my book club list and spent the last week reading it (when I should have been reading books for review)

My book club will be meeting on the weekend, but I thought I would talk about it a bit here now. While it's fresh in my mind.

I understand why they decided to make this into a movie, her life was just amazing in every turn.  Though I did think she spent too much time on the first half of things and not enough on the later half of her cooking life, (but it was about her start in cooking so it makes perfect sense)

From her friendship/partnership with Simone Beck, to her partnership with her husband, their research and dedication to creating the perfect cookbook took them close to 12 years. The ups and downs of such a project would be more then I think I could handle. 

Almost every page is a listed with menu items that she adored. I can not tell you how many times in the last week that I got it into my head I wanted something from the pages (to the point I invaded my mom's kitchen two days ago and made a creamed potato soup from scratch)
Those of us who do not speak french it did get bogged down at times when she would list off recipes without a translation.  I can also see why with her energetic flavour for things when she describes the recipes; she inspired so many to become cooks.  I found myself scrambling online for episodes of her show to see a few of the recipes first hand.

I, as you can see from the photo,  have the movie tie in version, that does not have the photos and extra indexes that the original printing is suppose to contain. 

I am now on the hunt for a copies of her cookbooks. 

Cooking with Stella -review

Cooking with Stella

I was thinking,  Don McKellar and food how can you go wrong.  There was even a small nod in once scene to his character of Curtis from Twitch City by having him flipping channels watching tv on the sofa,  so I thought I was in movie heaven. 

But I was wrong.

This film starts off strong, setting up what looks like a journey of food and self  but once you hit the second act it becomes weighed down with a teenaged love story between the nanny and the cook's god-son.   Then act three turns political. 

Plot: Micheal and his wife are moved to India as diplomats, while his wife works he stays home with the baby.  Being a chef in Canada gave him a purpose, now he's not even having fun in his own kitchen until the house cook starts giving him lessons in Indian cooking.  Soon things start to disappear from their rooms, as a new nanny is hired and Stella's family members start showing up.   Before long, Stella is missing too. 

I thought act one was brilliant but quickly lost interest as the movie turned directions.  This one hit a sour note with me.

Episode #4 of My Newfie Kitchen

While my oven is still broken, I went to mom's and we made bread. First try, and here is the comedy routine that it turned out to be.



That's what makes life what it is; food, laughter and bad camera work.

MNK Video #3- Ugly Ramen

While I was at mom's, I made another broth and noodles.




Colour in food is a very foreign idea to Newfies. No matter what we make, it always seems to come out transparent.

Food in Movies. Part One

Food has been used as a metaphor and a costar thousands of times in films.

The Hours threaded together the lives of the 3 women with the use of food. More accurately eggs. As each character began their decent into their own depression, they were put in a scene where eggs were being broken. Giving the visual of how fragile the human mind can be.

The Jane Austen Book Club, used the theme of food as a comfort element. From the first book club meeting which takes place in a busy coffee shop to the community table at the end, we are shown how each character grows more relaxed with each other. Over the course of the film, the more intense the topic or atmosphere the less nutritious the food in the scene. (when they are talking about Sense and Sensibility in which Grigg and Jocelyn fight they are eating donuts, or when Prudie has to tell her mother to leave, her mother is eating brownies and ice cream)

Under the Tuscan Sun, food is used as a measure of faith and accomplishment. The lead character starts off on top of the world, with her homemade brownies being used to show her pride and ego. As the story progresses, she's seen loosing that sense of self (dinner with the neighbours and the bitter olives) only to regain it near the end when she feels she's finally standing on her own two feet again (the 7 course meals she makes for her construction crew).


Just a little taste of what I have been noticing in some of my favourite films.