Eat the rich. Literally.
Dave: This movie plays on the “trapped together” trope that’s so common in horror films: trapped in a basement, in a cabin in the woods, in your in-laws’ house, etc. Sadly, it doesn’t do a lot more with it. Despite some great performances - especially from Judith. Freaking. Light! - the movie got a bit lost in itself. A mad chef, the price of fame, the joys of a good old-fashioned cheeseburger…the plot felt like a bunch of hackneyed sayings all pasted together with good actors and a few genuinely shocking kitchen-related events. (️️⭐️⭐️)
When I was casting about for popcorn flavors we hadn’t had before and sweet popcorns that wouldn’t be *too* sweet, I thought of Cherries Jubilee. I’ve had this dessert once, maybe twice, but I’ve always remembered it being gorgeously sweet and tart all at once. Building on my years of fruitcake baking, I made my own version by soaking dried cherries in a mixture of brandy, cherry brandy, and orange zest, then letting it dry out a tad. I mixed it with what is quickly becoming our standard caramel popcorn recipe, to which I added a bit of almond flavoring (always good for cherries), more cherry brandy, and a healthy dash of salt. I have to say, it was damn delicious - just the right mix of sweet, salty, and tart. This will be a company popcorn recipe in our house, and now it can be yours too - please inquire for recipe! (️️️️️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️)
Joe: When I saw a preview for The Menu, I knew it was the kind of horror movie that was right up my alley, if only because Ralph Fiennes plays the villain. But is he really a villain? Part criticism of conspicuous consumerism, part filleting (ha!) of the upper class' obsession with bespoke experiences (with no regard for the human beings behind said experiences), The Menu wastes no time in getting to the point. The plot rockets off in the first five minutes and relentlessly drives home its theme with very little nuance. Though some of the sequences are head-scratching, like (I promise this isn't a spoiler) the literal manhunt, it mostly succeeds with its balance of gallows humor and pure horror. Also, Judith Light! (⭐️⭐️⭐1/2)
When Dave announced he was going to attempt to make a cherries jubilee popcorn, I was more than a little suspicious. A.) Sweet popcorns and I have traditionally not gotten along* B.) Cherries Jubilee is literally set on fire tableside before being served. I know. I've made it. And I singed my eyebrows. Seriously. Reader, I should not doubt my husband's talents in the kitchen. I think I previously referred to his talent as "formidable", and this experiment solidifies that. The tanginess of the dried cherries is balanced beautifully by the caramel popcorn; the final product captures the essence of the alcohol-soaked dessert while also being entirely unique. It was a race to the bottom of the bowl. Formidable. Yes. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
* beginning to think this might be a case of "doth I protest too much" because ever since we made it through our initial 50 popcorns, the sweet recipes have come markedly better
Popcorn recipe from: Dave Lewis 💅
The Menu on IMDB.
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