Book Review: Movie Night Menus

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by DAK

This is a newly acquired book in our public library.

Good Day!  Last night on Instagram I posted a video highlighting this book and the menu I chose to make while watching The Graduate.


According to the authors, The Graduate is “stylishly filmed” with a soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkel. Dave’s favorite band is S&F and he has never even seen this movie.  You can imagine how excited he was when the opening credits began- I didn’t tell him about the soundtrack.  Anyway, a young Dustin Hoffman is putting off deciding which grad program to enroll in and instead decides to have an affair with a much older women,  Mrs. Robinson- who just happens to be his fathers’ business partner’s wife. When we meet Dustin he is lounging around a pool, in fact, most of the movie is near water of some sort.  Therefore the authors felt it best to include fish into the menu while watching this movie.  The Teriyaki Salmon Bowls (page 180) are easy to assemble and offer up a bit of California cuisine, since Los Angeles is the setting of the film.  The authors also offer a cocktail for each menu.  The cocktail for The Graduate was Pimm’s Popsicle, a British cocktail made up of fresh fruit, ginger beer, herbaceous Pimm’s #1, and mint.  The ingredients make a delicious looking Popsicle to be enjoyed during the movie.  We did not make the drink, although we did share a beer with our dinner.  We had a Coffee Stout by the Rochester Mills Brewing Company.  

Our dinner turned out perfectly!  We loved the marinated salmon and I added fresh pineapple and a dab of avocado as well. The recipe made enough for left overs, which is perfect since I don’t cook everyday.  Oh , and we loved the movie!

Overall, I love the idea of watching old classic movies and pairing them with a new cocktail and dinner menu.  “This book highlights some of the greatest dining and drinking scenes to appear on screen from the 1930’s to the mid-1980’s.” (p. 7).  The authors watched hundreds of films to curate the list of films in this book. They discovered that there were actual cocktails named after famous actors and films. They began hosting dinner parties and watching films with friends and thus this book was conceived.  For at title to make it into this book the film had to have a “rousing food and drink scene.”  The authors created the menus after they watched each film.  The book gives the reader suggestions on how to throw a great movie party while explaining each recipe in great detail.  

I used to watch old movies with my mom on sick days, but Dave has never really watched any of the films listed in the book…so, guess what we will be doing monthly?!! 

For next month, our dinner and movie will include a “Murder Mystery Dinner”!  We will watch The Thin Man and enjoy a Dry Martini, Whitefish toast, Rosemary Roasted Almonds, Oysters on the half shell, and a box of dark chocolates.   The authors suggest that The Thin Man is a glamours excuse for a cocktail pajama party…I might have to include some of my teacher buddies!  


Here is a list of some of the movies and menus in the book:

  • The Sting– Menu: Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
  • Some Like It Hot– Menu: Manhattan-Marinated Flank Steak and Velvet Potatoes
  • Casablanca– Menu: Roasted Eggplant Tagine
  • The Divorcee– Menu: Beet Red Devil Cake with Chocolate Frosting
  • Grand Hotel– Menu: German pancake with Ham and Gruyere or Berries and Cream
  • Dodsworth– Menu: Neapolitan Seafood Stew
  • The Philadelphia Story– Menu: Upscale Cheesesteak with Truffle Brie
  • Funny Girl– Menu: Chicken Liver Pate with the Works

I’ll keep you posted on the Classic Film parties we partake in and always post some pics as well.

Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Published by

DAK

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