Better than Popcorn
An assortment of Oscar-worthy recipes to go with the nominated films
When the Writers Guild was still on strike, we sat around in the evening with little to watch on television, our minds wandering to the Academy Awards. If we were in charge, which we’re not, we might structure the February 24 ceremony around eating. So we’ve pulled together some of the Oscar nominees and decided which dishes would (somewhat tenuously) match with each.
1. Juno. As Juno MacGuff says of guileless young Paulie Bleeker, he’s the cheese to her macaroni. This mac ’n’ cheese recipe will be the recipe to your macaroni and cheese.
2. Atonement. For a period drama, have a tea party, like the one we threw for Mother’s Day last year. Eat Pistachio Shortbread and Cream Scones—with your pinkie out, of course.
3. Michael Clayton. Michael Clayton fixes other people’s mistakes. And everyone around him seems to have made plenty of them, so poor Clayton is a little overwhelmed. He needs a cocktail, and after seeing the movie you’ll need one too. We recommend an Affinity.
4. No Country for Old Men. You’re down near the Texas-Mexico border. Your cattle gun is heavy to lug around; you need some protein. Our Chile con Carne does the trick. Serve it with a side of humility. A reader wrote in with his own ideas for a food-themed Oscar party; check out his No Country Fried Steak for Old Men.
5. There Will Be Blood. That same reader suggests There Will Be Blood Orange Tart with Cardamom Pastry Cream. We’d choose something good and oily, like any of the recipes from our fried-food Hanukkah menu. Or perhaps Heart Tartare, Puttanesca Style.
6. Eastern Promises. Borscht, of course.
7. Persepolis. The recipes featured in our Persian food primer are especially appropriate. We’d pick Stuffed Fish with Pomegranate Sauce and some Saffron Ice Cream and Walnut Cookies.
8. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. A French man trapped in his own body. Sounds like Salmon en Croûte to us.
9. Into the Wild. Christopher McCandless goes into the Alaskan wilderness with 10 pounds of rice and a book on edible plants. In solidarity, try this recipe for Pickled Ramps. And when all of that plain rice gets boring, it’s supereasy to make rice pudding.
10. Sweeney Todd. Benjamin Barker opens his barbershop above Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pie Shop. This shepherd’s pie recipe doesn’t have the pair’s magic ingredient, but revenge is a dish best served with identifiable meat.
CHOW’s The Ten column appears every Tuesday.