Every year, we watch the Oscars while enjoying a meal inspired by the Best Picture nominees. For example, we had sushi for Lost in Translation and cowboy campfire beans for Brokeback Mountain – you get the idea.
Last year, Frost/Nixon and Milk were stumping me until I realized that they were set in the 1970s. So we had celery sticks stuffed with pimento spread, pigs in a blanket and Tequila Sunrises.
This year, the growth to TEN nominees has challenged us. But here is tonight’s Oscar Dinner:
Airplane bottles of liquor for Up in the Air. Obvious.
Prawn Cocktail Exotique for District 9 and for An Education. “Prawn” is the South African slur for the aliens in District 9. And a shrimp cocktail would fit into the fancy 1960s dinner out in An Education.
KFC chicken for Precious and The Blind Side. OK, the fast food chicken in Precious is from a diner, not from KFC, but it comes in a bucket.
Scrambled Eggs for Avatar. This references the scene where Jake Scully powers through his breakfast before getting back into his avatar control module. Plus we didn’t want to dye any food blue.
Fatayer bi Sabanekh for The Hurt Locker. It’s the Arab version of spanokopita, the spinach and feta turnover. Had to go Middle Eastern.
Grandma Ethel’s Brisket for A Serious Man. A Seriously Jewish Brisket.
Haricot Vert for Inglorious Basterds. It takes place in France, and we needed a vegetable.
Ice cream for Up. Ours isn’t from Fenton’s Creamery. but, hey, we don’t live in Oakland.
I have to say that this year’s dinner was wonderful. With 10 films to consider, the Gourmet had his work cut out for him. I think best in show has to go to Prawn Cocktail Exotique — very yummy. Thank you, Movie Gourmet, for making our 11th Oscars together a memorable evening.
Recipe?