My 2024 Oscars tasting menu kicks off on Friday, where I will unveil this year’s installations daily all the way through the Oscars broadcast on March 10. For the uninitiated, I used to make all 8 or 10 of these dishes in one day and posted them throughout the Oscars televised broadcast. That was insane! In 2022, I started preparing dishes beforehand, but still posting the day of. Last year, I started making daily posts leading-up to the Oscars and that is a much more enjoyable experience. Here’s what I made last year, and if you like, you can check out my menu items from 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 as well. Happy viewing and cooking!
Maverick - Little did I know before this movie that there is a cocktail with the same name of the movie (main character) These cocktails are smooth and dangerous…eligible to be your wingman anyday, especially in the summer. Take the highway to the danger zone here.
Elvis - I made the eponymous sandwich and just like watching the movie, it’s something you should only do once…or just don’t. I got a little guff on this one because the sandwich was made on “French bread”, but last time I checked, brioche is French and it didn't say it was made on a baguette! Find the caloric details here!
All Quiet on the Western Front - This movie was quite solemn and depressing, as it should be. Many films about war play into base insticts: war is bold, brave, and glorious. But, you try living through combat in a trench, then holing up far away from home and your loved ones while they live their lives seemingly as normal as if you weren't gone. You'd be homesick and craving some of mom's cooking as well. Get the recipe for this delicious meal here.
Women Talking - A movie as depressing as the last and also, incredibly, based upon a true story. Get the details on the plot and these delicious rolls here.
Avatar - Absurd, but enjoyable...for kids. The plot was completely crazy, so I made Fish in Crazy Water! Get this delicious recipe here.
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once - To be fair, this movie was also absurd, but in a very good way. Definitely one of the memorable films of the bunch and it had everything...you know, like Stephon would recount on SNL? I had a blast trying to summarize the chaos of this entire film in a 15 second video post...but, I also made everything bagels, duh!
The Fabelmans - Watching this movie was a bit of a chore. It was interesting to see the events that transpired which led to Spielberg developing and becoming a storyteller. But, you feel angry and sad most of the time and I was kinda happy when his mother died. My first attempt at challah kind of came out looking like a turd, just like the movie!
The Banshees of Inisherin - I loved this movie. Many people didn't get it...and perhaps you just need to have a little Irish in ya to understand the depraved depths stubborness will lead you to. See how I pulled off the illusion of real, severed fingers here.
Triangle of Sadness - This movie had a bit of everything, but do you know how hard it is to intently watch a movie scene over and over to capture the fine details of a dish while nearly everyone in the scene is tossing their cookies? This was more food art than an edible dish. I did my best to recreate what was on the plate, but I doubt I nailed it 100% as it doesn't make sense when you look at all of the components. I still haven't mastered octopus, unfortunately.
Tár - A very dramatic intellectual thriller...as was the dessert. I had to figure out the notes, especially the change, how to temper chocolate and then how to keep my calm when the chocolate wouldn't fully cooperate. This took an extremely steady hand and I am not artistically gifted. While not perfect, I was fairly proud of the end result.
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