Weekend Cooking: Dinner & a Movie Cookbook

I really had no idea what to post today for Weekend Cooking, seeing as I have not been to the store all week and the cupboards are rather bare (I think Greek Yogurt is about the only staple in the refrigerator right now), but Candace's post about watching a documentary reminded me of a cookbook in my possession that I could discuss (review is too strong a word as I have not actually used the cookbook yet...)

How many of you remember the popular weekly television series, Dinner and Movie? It aired each Friday night on TBS and featured a trio preparing a theme-based meal that was somehow (albeit remotely) related to the movie.  Each commercial segment included a visit with the team in the kitchen, one discussing the recipe and the other two generally offering rather corny jokes as conversational banter.  It was a clever idea, however, and while I did not necessarily prepare any of the featured dishes, I did find myself watching the movie-of-the-week because of this added component.

A couple of years ago I had a coupon for my all-time favorite hangout, Halfprice Books, and I simply could not let a good coupon go to waste so.... I made the rounds to the various departments:  writing, travel, photography, fiction, clearance (of course), CDs, and food.  I have weeded through my own personal collection of cookbooks over the past couple of years and kept only those that I use on a regular basis, but I often look in this area for Christmas gift ideas for the girls.

In skimming through the baking books and those of celebrity chefs, I came across this little gem.  I opened it to the table of contents and enjoyed the organizational system.  The book is categorized by movie genres (Teen Angst, Road Trip, Cold War, etc) and within each genre there are approximately 3-5 different movies.  Each movie offers one recipe with detailed instructions, plus a of couple of tips that might be related to the dish, the movie, or it might be totally random and related to nothing at all.

Here are some examples of the movie/food match ups:  Pretty in Pink is one of the movies listed in the Teen Angst section and features a recipe for Pretty in Pink Salmon Filets with Virgin Tomato Sauce - or - Goldfinger is a movie listed in the Cold War section and features a recipe for Golden Ladyfingers - or  - the one that I think is perhaps the silliest is Fall Apart Pot Roast is the recipe chosen to represent the movie, The Money Pit.

To be honest, I am not sure I see myself using any of the recipes from this cookbook, but I think it will certainly inspire me to plan my own dinner and movie evenings.  I adore the film, Midnight in Paris, and could easily prepare a French dinner for two, perhaps adding a bit more atmosphere by using the cafe bistro set that I have tucked away in my room upstairs.  Or another favorite movie is Sleepless in Seattle, which might feature Pacific seafood, grilled vegetables and a chocolate dessert with a cup of Starbuck's Pike Place blend coffee.

For those who have a significant other who enjoys cooking as well, this could easily transition into a full day activity:  plan the menu in advance - shop for groceries in the morning (perhaps include a special bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers for the table) - prepare the meal in the afternoon - and enjoy the movie in the evening.

The possibilities are endless, and I would love to hear some of your suggestions for combining a favorite movie with a coordinating menu to create a truly fun, entertaining evening.