By Morgann Williams
Which movie quote lives in your head rent-free? There are iconic quotes and scenes, but what about iconic food? For many books and movies, a perfectly accurate recreation seems impossible, perhaps because the mind can create unobtainable foods. But that’s not going to keep us from trying to make the foods to match our crazy expectations! So, here is round one of trying to find recipes that can make the impossible possible for my top five “I need it now!” foods from books and movies.
Harry Potter: Butterbeer
Served warm, chilled, or frozen, butterbeer might be the most iconic beverage in modern media. Featured many times throughout the Wizarding World, this sweet butterscotch-flavored drink is highly sought after in the muggle world as well. There are thousands of butterbeer recipes online, each one trying to capture the magic of Harry Potter, but the best version of it comes from Universal Studios, who must have the inside scoop on how to make the most authentic butterbeer. While we mere muggles may not have the resources or recipe to copy this versatile treat, we can sure try our best.
Visit this site for the recipe!
The Polar Express: Hot Chocolate
Nothing warms the soul more than a mug of delicious hot chocolate—something about it just brings so much joy and holiday cheer! The only thing better would be hot chocolate delivered to me straight from The Polar Express. Maybe what makes this sound so amazing is the exciting song that accompanies it. Regardless, I want some. Unfortunately, no hot chocolate I’ve ever had has come close to the perfection I imagine every year when watching the movie—none of them are sweet or creamy enough. But I have hopes that one day I’ll find the best recipe. Maybe this year, I’ll give this one a try:
The Hunger Games: Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
I consider myself a bit of a soup fanatic. I love it when the weather gets cold enough to justify curling up with a warm bowl of soup to watch a cozy movie, or crisp enough to eat a hearty stew to help you prepare to fight for your life in an arena. Oh wait, maybe that last one was only Katniss. Regardless, I have always dreamed of trying the lamb stew with dried plums from The Hunger Games. My stomach always growls when Katniss describes this delectable stew, making me wish so badly that the book could cook the stew for me. Unfortunately, this is one thing I may never eat for fear of it not living up to its fictionalized expectations. But if I’m ever brave enough to face the arena—I mean, the stew—here’s a recipe that just might be the victor.
Ratatouille: Ratatouille
Tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and onions . . . oh my! If you are not a veggie lover, perhaps this isn’t one you would want to try. But for me, any time I watched Ratatouille, all I could wish for was just one serving of the spiraling dish. And don’t even get me started on the sauce they drizzled over the top—nothing looked more delicious! Hopefully, a little rat chef is not required to create this stunning dish, or my dinner plans for next week might have just been ruined.
The Princess and the Frog: Beignets
When Tiana sprinkled her homemade beignets with powdered sugar and honey, I wished upon a star to get the chance to eat just one. While I will unfortunately never have the opportunity to have one of Tiana’s “man-catching beignets,” these might be the easiest and most satisfying dish to recreate, and they have managed to meet my fictionalized expectations. These sweet, warm rolls are nearly foolproof. Just don’t breathe out when biting into these sugary pillows, or powdered sugar will fly in every direction!
Make the sweet treat with this recipe!
Bonus Snack: The Spiderwick Chronicles: Saltines and Honey
I was obsessed with this movie as a little kid. The idea of a secret magical world just at our fingertips, if only we knew how to find it, was so exciting to me. If you can’t tell by now, I was quite the dreamer and believer in magic. In the movie, when the characters find a little brownie (that’s a hobgoblin, not a baked good, but yum!) named Thimbletack who has been living in their house, they feed him saltines and honey to keep his temper down. When I first saw this, I thought it would be disgusting—salty crackers with sweet honey? No, thank you! But then I was convinced to try it and discovered that it was a delicious, fun, and easy snack with a truly unique flavor. You will just have to go try it yourself!
