Big Movies & Big Food

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I've always been interested in food in movies. Even as a kid, when I watched westerns, in addition to the gun-play and fist fights, I payed close attention to what the cowboys ate over their campfires, or at the tavern. I'd become hungry for baked beans, steak, and drop dumplings every time I saw The Duke take on the bad guys. I even wanted to try the corn dodgers from Rooster Cogburn's saddle bag, when I saw True Grit.

Of course, The Godfather movies were rich with scenes featuring Italian food and cooking. From Clemenza's explanation of his spaghetti sauce recipe for twenty guys, in the first film, to the erotic gnocchi rolling scene in Godfather III, the series utilizes food to continually drive the, otherwise dark, story forward, by giving viewers something pleasant to identify with.

More recently, I've found myself sympathizing with the fiance (the story's supposed heavy), whom wanted to visit the vineyards and cheese makers of Verona, in Letters to Juliet. Likewise, Eat, Pray, Love whetted my appetite for samosas as well as pizza.

Last month, I was reading one of my favorite food blogs, Happy Opu, when I came across a review of, the 1996 film, Big Night. It sounded like something I'd enjoy, so I added it to Netflix queue. Big Night is a really charming little food movie, about a pair of Italian brothers trying to make it in the restaurant business in 1960s America. In a last-ditch effort to save their business, they make a mega meal for a celebrity, with the hope of receiving a public endorsement. Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub did a great job as the quirky eccentric brothers. Plus, it was fun to see Allison Janney play shy gawky love interest just a few years before assuming the role of the more sophisticated C. J. Craig.

Nevertheless, the star of the movie was the beautiful array of cuisine, served during the story's climax. Course after course of luscious looking Italian fair were paraded from the kitchen to satiate characters' appetites and tease the audience. The meal included a Caprese salad, chicken pastina soup, a tricolor risotto, roast chicken "Italiano," a fish course, tiramisu, cannoli and, of course, red and white Italian wines. Arguably, the highlight of the feast was the Timpano, layers of Genoa salami, pasta, sauce, meatballs, eggs, and mozzarella all baked in a pastry and sliced to serve. The dish's inclusion in the already brimming repast almost qualifies the film for the fantasy genre, since it takes a day to make a Timpano all by itself.

Movies have many functions. They can entertain, educate, and excite us. They can make us cheer, laugh, think, weep, and groan. They can also spark our epicurean imaginations by reminding us of our favorite dishes and exposing us to dishes we'd have never thought of.

Below are recipes associated with some of the movies I've mentioned, including a recipe for a Timpano like the one in Big Night. Each recipe should print as a separate page. In addition to these, you may want to look up Coq Au Vin from Julie & Julia, Pickled Quail's Eggs from Never Say Never Again, Red-Eye Gravy from just about any cattle drive movie you care to name, and/or a significant recipe from your favorite movie.

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Corn Dodgers
Found at cooks.com

James' Note: In True Grit these were hard salty corn biscuits, which were equally good for eating on horse back or shooting as skeet targets. This recipe's use of peanut oil and onion powder should result in tastier bites than were depicted in the movie.

Ingredients
2 cups cornmeal
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
peanut or corn oil for frying

Directions
Beat eggs well and stir in milk.

Combine all dry ingredients, sifting together. Stir dry ingredients into milk and egg mixture. Beat one minute.

Heat peanut oil or corn oil to 350°F.

Drop by small teaspoonfuls into deep fryer and turn once. Remove when golden brown.

Season lightly with onion powder. Drain on paper towels and serve.

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Clemenza’s Spaghetti Sauce
From The Godfather
Recipe broken down at jackbrummet.blogspot.com

Clemenza: Heh, come over here, kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh?... And a little bit o' wine. An' a little bit o' sugar, and that's my trick.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably Genco !)
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 cans whole Italian tomatoes
1 can tomato paste (and 2 cans of water)
2 teaspoons dried basil
a couple pinches of oregano
Three glugs of wine
Two teaspoons sugar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Sauteed sausages and meatballs

Directions
Sweat the garlic in the oil (do not brown it) in a large pot. After a minute, add the canned tomatoes and juice, the tomato paste, and a cup of water. Add three glugs of wine, the sugar, and the herbs. Bring to a slow simmer for ten minutes. Add a little salt and the pepper and the sausages and meatballs. Slowly simmer for 45 minutes or more...until the sauce is reduced and coats a spoon. Correct the seasoning. Cook spaghetti or linguini. Drain it. Now pink up your pasta. Put it in a bowl, add a couple of ladles of the sauce and toss with the pasta. Make sure it is nice and coated. Serve the rest of the sauce and the meats in a bowl for people to add to taste. Serve the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan, Romano or Pecorino, a simple green salad, crusty Italian bread and a bottle of Chianti Classico. . .

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Samosas
Found at foodnetwork.com

James' Note: I don't specifically recall these being in Eat, Pray, Love. As I watched the movie though, I was pleasantly reminded of my favorite Indian treat. These savory pockets of potatoes, vegetables, and occasionally meat, make a great lunch or afternoon snack.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ghee, clarified butter or vegetable oil, plus 1/4 cup, plus extra, for frying
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 hot green chile peppers, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 large baking potatoes, like russets, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice, and boiled until just tender
1/2 cup par-cooked and drained green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions
To make the dough, sift the flour and salt into medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter and rub the mixture between the palms of your hands to evenly distribute, letting the fat-coated flour fall back into the bowl. Continue until the flour is evenly coated. Add 6 tablespoons of the water, mix, and work until the dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 minutes into a firm dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, in a large saute pan or skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of clarified butter over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds and cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the onions and ginger, and cook, stirring, until starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile peppers, garam masala, salt, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring until the potatoes start to color and become dry, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then adjust the seasoning, to taste. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 1 minute. Divide into 2 equal portions and roll each into a 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut each into 8 equal parts and roll into smooth balls. Place each ball on the floured surface and roll into a thin circle, about 6-inches in diameter. Cut each circle in half (2 semi-circles). Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each semi-circle. Brush the edges with water and fold the dough over the filling. Press the edges together to seal. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Preheat the oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F. Add the pastries in batches and cook at 300 degrees F, turning, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

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Timpano
From Big Night
Recipe broken down at NYTimes.com

Ingredients

For the pasta: 2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon olive oil For the meatballs: 1 pound ground pork 1 pound ground beef 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 cup fine bread crumbs For the timpano: 1/2 pound penne or other short-shaped pasta, cooked al dente, drained and reserved 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters 1 pound mozzarella, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/2 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami

For the sauce: 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium carrot, minced 1 medium rib celery, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 tablespoons chicken broth or white wine 2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, passed through the medium disk of a food mill to remove seeds 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil 2 teaspoons salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. To make the pasta, mix the flour and the salt together, then stir the salted flour with the eggs and the oil. Continue to stir until the dough comes together in a ball. On a floured work surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until silky smooth. Wrap with plastic and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

2. Combine all the meatball ingredients. Roll into about 65 balls, using 1 tablespoon of meat for each. In a large nonstick frying pan, cook as many meatballs as will fit in 1 layer over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes. Repeat if necessary. Set aside in a bowl at room temperature.

3. In the same pan used to make the meatballs and utilizing the fat left in the pan, cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the tomato paste in the stock or wine and stir into the vegetables. Cook the mixture for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and basil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

4. To make the timpano, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the penne with 2 cups of the sauce. Roll out the pasta on a lightly floured surface to make a 26-inch round. Grease a 3-quart stainless- steel bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil and gently mold the pasta sheet to the contours of the bowl; there should be enough hanging over the edge to fold over and cover the filling.

5. Spoon 1 cup of penne into the bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of the sauce, 12 pieces of egg, half of the meatballs and 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat the process, this time using 3 cups of penne, 1 1/2 cups of sauce, the remaining eggs, meatballs and cheese. Top with the remaining penne and sauce. Create a final layer with the salami. Fold the pasta over the filling and brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

6. Bake the timpano for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 45 more minutes. To check if it's done make a small hole at the top using a knife blade. If steam comes out and the cheese is melted, it's done. Otherwise, bake for 10 to 15 more minutes. To serve, remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Carefully turn upside down onto a large platter.

Yields 6 to 8 servings
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Unscrambling The Facts About Eggs

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“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” ~ John C. Maxwell

I ended my preceding blog entry, about the egg industry, with the bit of contemporary wisdom, "...there's some truth to the idea that happy animals are tasty animals." I'd written the tidbit, as if I'd known what I'd been talking about. As it turns out, I may have been out in left field, at least when it comes to eggs.

The basic argument maintains that when food animals are kept in clean comfortable environments, with ample room to scratch, pack, waddle, roam, graze, mozy, or whatever else animals happily do, the animals will be healthier, thus food products (meat, milk, foie gras, eggs, etc..) gleaned from said animals will be of better quality and tastier than foods gleaned from abused animals. It makes so much sense, I'd filed it in my brain under common sense and never questioned the validity of the idea.

However less than 24 hours after writing my piece, I was listening to The Splendid Table's weekly Podcast with special guest, Tamar Haspel. Tamar Haspel is a food blogger and an advocate for humanely produced home grown food. Her blog, Starving Off The Land, chronicles her ongoing attempt to eat one thing every day which she's hunted for, fished for, grown, or gathered.

In an experiment, described in an entry on her blog, she fed a group of blindfolded subjects three kinds of boiled chicken eggs, supermarket eggs from factory farms, supermarket certified organically grown eggs, and fancier Country Hen certified organically grown eggs. She'd wanted to prove to naysayers that certified organically grown eggs taste better than eggs from factory-style farms. Her results actually ended up showing there's no correlation between the source of an egg and the tasters' preference for one over another.

I can think of at least two former college professors of mine who would throw hissies at the idea of any conclusion being drawn from this data. First of all, the group consisted of six people from a single geographic region, which is hardly a statistically significant sample. There's also the admission, "It was not a dignified event, and at least two shirtfronts will never be the same," which may have resulted in inadvertent biases against bites that stained particular articles of clothing.

Even though the makeshift study is far from being scientifically conclusive, the results are enough to give the layman something to think about. According to an article in Time Magazine, from July of 2010, "factory eggs are going for $1.69 per dozen, cage-free for $2.99 to $3.59, and organic for $3.99 to a whopping $5.38." Yet, the eggs average the same 6.3g of protein, 0.36g of carbohydrate, 41IU of Vitamin D, and 70 calories. Given that the only numerical difference, between differently produced eggs, is price, one is forced to ask why they should buy expensive organically raised and/or cage free eggs?

The short answer is, humanity. Chickens are typically crowded by the thousand into huge factory-like warehouses, and are given less than half a square foot of space per bird. Then, they have the end of their beaks cut off, without anesthesia, in order to keep the overly stressed birds from fighting one another. While the resulting product may be as good as its more expensive counterpart, there's something to be said for not rewarding farms which maintain concentration camp like conditions.

On the other hand, the conscientious consumer can find something morally objectionable regarding many of the foods we buy. Some people won't eat veal, because calves are taken from their mothers shortly after birth and are slaughtered. Many, who can afford to, limit themselves to only eating sustainably humanely raised meats and animal products. Vegetarians avoid eating any meat, believing all slaughtering of food animals to be immorally cruel. Vegans go a step further, and remove all animal products from their diet, objecting to any enslavement of animals. Even many of fruits and vegetables we eat are harvested by low paid migrant workers, many of whom are here illegally.

The question of which eggs to buy, as well as the larger question of a morality driven diet, is a tricky one. With the economy such as it is, many people simply can't afford to pay top dollar for cruelty free eggs. Feeding one's family has to come first, realistically. Sure, we could, technically, survive on animal free diets. If we choose that route though, shouldn't we pay top dollar for fair trade produce? Ah, but there's that fiscal issue again. There's also the idea that eating is about more than mere survival; for many, cooking and eating are sources of pleasure, even self expression. I, for one, don't want to live without eating the occasional omelet, fried egg, breakfast scramble, deviled egg, or quiche.

In the final analysis, I think it's up to each one of us to weigh the facts and decide where to draw the line. If rewarding responsible farms, for humane treatment of egg laying hens, is important enough to you justify paying top dollar for a product equal in quality to its cheaper counterpart, I can respect and admire that. However, if you buy the cheap eggs in order to stretch every dollar and feed your family, I can respect and admire that too.

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One of my favorite egg recipes is one I saw on the show Ask Aida last year. This Baked Eggs recipe provides the eater with individual ramekins of savory cheesy gooey goodness. The dish is perfect as part of a weekend brunch or as a stand alone breakfast. Clicking the recipe's title will whisk you to its page on Food Network's site.

Baked Eggs with Canadian Bacon, Spinach, and Aged Cheddar

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to butter ramekins
2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces baby spinach
4 slices Canadian bacon
4 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 ounce grated aged Cheddar, plus extra for serving
Sourdough bread

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange rack in middle. Butter 4 (6-ounce) ramekins and set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it foams, add onion, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until spinach is well wilted, about 2 minutes.

Place ham on bottom of ramekins and top with spinach. Crack eggs into ramekins, place 1 tablespoon cream over each egg, and divide half of cheese evenly among ramekins.

Put ramekins on a baking sheet and bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter on 4 slices sourdough bread. Top with grated cheese and toast until golden brown. Serve eggs with toast.

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Eggspanding The Rights Of Hens

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When advocates of vegetarian and vegan lifestyles try to sway meat eaters to their point view, one thing they point to is the inhumane living conditions of food animals, in this case, chickens. Currently, tens of millions of chickens are each allotted 48 square inches of cage space and are kept in less than clean conditions. However, this is on the verge of changing for egg producing hens.

Members of the United Egg Producers have recently concluded talks with representatives of the Humane Society of the United States. Said talks resulted in a joint statement being made to congress recommending a new piece of legislation, designed to improve the living conditions of egg producing hens.

According to the article, "Egg Growing And Layer Cage Conditions To Change In USA," the bill will:

• Require conventional cages (currently used by more than 90% of the egg industry) to be replaced, through an ample phase-in period, with new, enriched housing systems that provide each hen nearly double the amount of space they're currently allotted. Egg producers will invest an additional $4 billion over the next decade and a half to effect this industry-wide make-over;
• Require that all egg-laying hens be provided, through the new enriched housing system, with environments that will allow hens to express natural behaviors, such as perches, nesting boxes and scratching areas;
• Mandate labeling on all egg cartons nationwide to inform consumers of the method used to produce the eggs, such as "eggs from caged hens," "eggs from hens in enriched cages," "eggs from cage-free hens," and "eggs from free-range hens;"
• Prohibit feed- or water-withholding molting to extend the laying cycle, a practice already prohibited by the United Egg Producers Certified program adhered to by a majority of egg farmers;
• Require standards approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association for euthanasia for egg laying hens;
• Prohibit excessive ammonia levels in hen houses;
• Prohibit the sale of eggs and egg products nationwide that don't meet these requirements.

Unfortunately, changes don't have to be fully implemented for a period of 15 to 18 years after the bill is signed into law, and it does nothing for birds which are raised for the dinner table. So, while this is a positive step in the right direction, more work is clearly needed to improve the living conditions of food animals.

In the meantime, buying food produced from free range and/or certified organically grown animals, whenever economically feasible, is an excellent way to reward responsible farmers. On the other hand, if you're not the kind of person who can get worked up over the living conditions of food animals, there's still a great culinary reason to buy food produced from free range and/or certified organically grown animals, whenever economically feasible. Namely, there's some truth to the idea that happy animals are tasty animals.
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People Feeding People

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When people think of the food culture, they tend to think of top notch restaurants; artisan produced cheese, beer, and wine; gourmet meals, and rich desserts. Thus, food blogs are filled with passages such as,"The base of the dish was seasoned spaetzle (tiny German dumplings) cooked with dried cherries and pine nuts. Resting atop of the savory mélange of flavors was a deliciously fried pork cutlet topped by a fried egg. When the yoke broke and ran down through the other parts of the dish, it added a welcome richness to the already savory meal."

Don't get me wrong, I love those aspects of the food culture. Just the other night, I had some wonderful steamed crab legs, a peppercorn encrusted steak, and a chocolate dessert which was probably the caloric equivalent of three days worth of food. Yet, I can't help but think the food culture is about more than the fun stuff. From time to time, the media publishes/broadcasts stories of people feeding people and using food to make the world a better place. Recently, three such stories have caught my attention.

After fighting an intense blaze in Four Corners, Washington for more than six hours, the fire chief called the proprietor of Mama Passarelli's Dinner House, Ginger "Mama" Passarelli, and asked for some soup for his men, which were still on the line. That initial request sparked the formation of The Soup Ladies, an organization of 30 volunteers who can feed first responders on a variety of emergencies, within an hour of being called to the scene. If her routine generosity wasn't amazing enough, Mama recently took her mobile soup kitchen to Joplin to feed survivors of the devastating floods. During her week long stay, Mama estimates she served between 600 & 700 meals per day to flood victims. Upon her return, she saw I'd posted a link to a news story about her on my Facebook page, and replied, "...it is all about feeding people. Back from Joplin and it was amazing!

Another prime example of people trying to improve the world through food is the internet based program Random Acts of Pizza: Restoring Faith in Humanity, One Slice at a Time. In a nutshell, people read hard luck stories, which have been posted to RAOP's website, and pay to have a pizza sent to the subject of one of the stories. The idea is that the gift of a pizza will pick up the recipient's spirits, giving them a second wind of sorts. Random Acts of Pizza has sent pizzas to unemployed people, people with massive medical debt, widowed mothers, and many others who struggle with day to day hardships. Again, the goal isn't to solve anyone's problems, but to facilitate gestures of kindness and provide brief respites from the drudgery of hard times.

Even corporate America is getting into the compassion through food field. Kraft Foods has recently purchased new refrigerated trucks for food banks in Columbia, Mo.; Fredericksburg, Va.; Fort Pierce, Fla.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Lafayette, Ind.; Orlando, Fla.; Salt Lake City; San Diego; Spokane, Wash.; and Springfield, Ohio, which will be used as mobile food pantries. The ten new trucks increase the size of the program to 25 food distributing vehicles. The fleet makes donated food accessible to a portion of the population who are unable to visit urban food banks due to age, disability, lack of transportation, etc... In it's third year, Kraft's fleet of mobile pantries has provided more than 33 million pounds of food to hungry people, and over the next three years they plan to distribute 50 million pounds of food to the needy.

While these are inspiring examples of epicurean beneficence, one shouldn't walk away with the impression they're the only examples of such culinary generosity out there. Thousands of Meals on Wheels volunteers collectively feed tens of thousands of elderly shut-ins across the country each week. Since 1923, the Portland Police Bureau's Sunshine Division has been providing emergency food to Portland families and individuals in need. Plus, I can't begin to figure out how many people donate their time to man soup kitchen's & bread lines to feed the homeless members of our society.

These, and other, examples of people feeding people are, or should be, at the core of the food culture. Food which nourishes the soul, as well as the body, is definitely food worth celebrating.
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Below are links to food based charities you can donate to.

| The Soup Ladies | Random Acts Of Pizza | Meals On Wheels | Loaves & Fishes |
| Portland's Sunshine Division |