December Food n Flix

This month's selection for Food n Flix is the Jane Austen Book Club, and it's being hosted by ...me! (read my announcement post here) My first FnF hosting gig, and dude, I'm a bit on the nervous side. I think I chose fittingly, as we started off 2015 doing Bridget Jones's Diary, which is an adaptation of an adaption of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice,(yes you read that right an adaption of an adaption) and now we've come full circle and closing out the group's year with another view point on Jane Austen.

plot: After seeing the people in her life seeming to all have a week of random bad luck, (a death in the family, a divorce, desertion)  Bernadette decides what everyone needs is a distraction. Realizing that everyone she knows has already read the six novels of Jane Austen, she starts a book club. For six months, each of the groups members host one of the books at their homes, discussing the ups and downs of the novels plots/characters, while trying to maneuver through their own daily lives.

This is the 2007 drama comedy starring Emily Blunt and Mario Bello.  Based on the novel of the same name.

I first talked about this film year one of the blog (day 32)

What I loved about this is that each character is a representation of the book they choose to host. With Grigg, being the embodiment of all the Austen heroes. Prudie, even though is the host for Persuasion, is living a good portion of Mansfield Park, while Sylvia hosts MP, she's actually living more of the story from Persuasion.  I also love the use of  written letters/love notes in this, which is a heavy theme in all of Jane Austen's works.

The food: "hot crossed buns" (opening traffic scene made me think of that) "traffic jam", pizza, pop, coffee, chocolate, pretzels, chips, iced tea, vending machine snacks, brandy, fruit, deli plates, cold sandwiches, wine, beer, "marmalade" (name of the restaurant) cheesecake, whip cream sundaes, pie, hot water with lemon, eggs, flan, martini, limes, peanuts, whiskey, pastries, "egg drop soup"(the sky diving made me think of it) club sandwiches, yogurt, radishes, waxed beans, tossed salad, tomatoes, lemons, grapefruit, herbs, scones, lemon-aid, melon, fruit salad, tea, tortilla shells, deviled eggs, dip, pepper strips, wraps, rolled sandwiches, salsa, guacamole, brownies, ice cream, bacon, chicken wings, lasagna, pudding, celery and carrot sticks, "by the book soup" (the scene in the library made me think of it) "birthday cake" (the car seduction scene) artichokes, hot dogs, steak, strawberries, donuts, asparagus, manicotti, pasta salad, potato salad, "crab" and "clams" (they are on the beach in the picnic scene)

Since there are a few different kinds of sandwiches seen in this film from cold meat ones like ham and salami, to clubs, to wraps, tacos, hot dogs. I couldn't think of a more suitable idea. And with it being Jane Austen, the whole concept of tea and sandwiches was too perfect. (I have to admit, every time I watch any movie adaption of a Jane Austen novel, there is a certain food I connect with it. But that's another post for another day) So my original plan was to make a bunch of different sandwiches. Now, being a vegetarian, I wasn't sure how far I could stretch cheese to make it of any real interest?  So my plan was to get to the grocery and pick up the vegan meatless ham/turkey/bologna/hot dog alternatives; only we got a massive freezing rain here. I was then stuck inside for longer then I had hoped.  New plan... I had to use what I had in the kitchen.  I had some dried apricots and over ripe bananas. I decided to make jam, banana bread and tea biscuits.

Lucky for me one of my favourite scenes happen to be the coffee shop scene where the group meet for the first time, and the character of Bernadette is seen holding a large plate of unidentified muffins/cakes/scones.  So this is my inspiration scene.  Along with the "traffic jam" and "marmalade".

The Jam

1 pound of dried apricots
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
splash lemon juice

Soak the apricots till they have puffed up, then simmer on low heat 
add lemon juice and sugar, stirring/mashing once and awhile,
add extra water if needed to keep them from burning.
let cool before transferring to container


Tea Biscuits

1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 and a half cup flour
1/2 cup water

mix the dough till it's no longer sticky,
form into shape of your choice and bake at
350degrees for 20 minutes depending on your oven. 


Banana Bread

1 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 cup mashed banana
Mix all together

bake at 350degress for 50-55minutes depending on your oven.

So I'm not going to lie, I was disappointed that I didn't get a chance to make my original idea, but one of the themes in the film is dealing with the unexpected that life throws at you. And a freezing rain that turned the city into a giant skating rink qualifies as unexpected.

There is still some time left to join this month. (deadline is the 28th of Dec at 6pm EST)  I'll have the round up hopefully the day after.