Original Menu Options for Your Oscar Viewing Party
February 27, 2018
If there was ever a year to throw an Oscar Viewing Party, it’s this year! The 2018 Academy Award nominees are the most diverse in history—nominees of all color and gender—and films many people have actually seen! Plus, could you ever before have imagined a world in which Star Wars, Blade Runner, Planet of the Apes, Christopher Nolan, Edgar Wright, Jordan Peele, King Kong, a romantic comedy, a horror movie AND Kobe Bryant are all Oscar nominees … at the same time? Clearly, it’s time to celebrate #OscarsSoRight. To do so, you need a clever menu that ties into the nominated films. Here are my suggestions for what to serve March 4—including vegan and kid-friendly items.
Cocktails
DARKEST HOUR: Churchill’s Breakfast. If there’s one thing Gary Oldman brought to his performance as Winston Churchill, it was authenticity. England’s prime minister would famously begin the day with whiskey and a cigar. This is the drink that delivers the old man’s bold, brash bite that helped defeat Hitler and gives you a reason to use your culinary blow torch. Darkest Hour is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Actor.
THE BIG SICK: Liquid Coma. Liquor is known to instigate romance, comedy and illness—just what this movie is all about. The Big Sick is nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Hot COCO! Mexican Hot Chocolate. Abuelita will demand the traditional cayenne version. However, kids don’t typically like “spicy,” so try this version with vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar—it sings! Coco is nominated for Best Animated Feature and Original Song.
Buffet-Style Dishes:
THE SHAPE OF WATERcress & Egg Finger Sandwiches. This “finger food” is perfect for kiddos to gobble on before heading to the playroom. (Considering the fishiness of the film, tuna plays well, too.) The Shape of Water is nominated for 13 Oscars including Best Picture, Director, and Lead Actress.
THE POST Vietnamese Paper Rolls Covered Up with Secret Sauce. Truth is best served cold, as is this appetizer—and the truth is, you can save yourself time by allowing your guests to “put the pieces together” by rolling their own! The Post is nominated for Best Picture and Lead Actress.
DUNKIRK French Roast. This entrée can be left stranded in the oven or crockpot for hours. Better yet, any leftovers that survive the party will live to fight another day! Dunkirk is nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture and Director.
LADY BIRD Wing Spread. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson wants nothing more than to fly out of small-town Sacramento. Represent her eccentricity and individuality with a variety of chicken wings—and don’t forget beer-battered. Lady Bird is nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture, Director and Actress.
Side Dishes:
THREE-BEAN SALAD OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI. Unlike the characters in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, this Midwestern side dish is uncomplicated. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is nominated for seven Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Lead Actress and Actor.
PHANTOM THREAD Mushroom Dressing. A man’s heart is through his stomach, literally in this Daniel Day-Lewis romance. Our recipe features shiitake and cremini mushrooms, not the kind that will make him “lovesick.” Phantom Thread is nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor and Costume Design.
Desserts:
MUDBOUND Mudslide. A little bit Irish, like the McAllens … but too much and it’ll get your tongue. Mudbound is nominated for four Oscars including Best Supporting Actress and Adapted Screenplay.
GET OUT Sunken Chocolate Cupcakes. Inject vanilla topping into the middle and guests will discover a surprise rich white center. Get Out is nominated for Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor and Original Screenplay.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Peaches & Cream. So many appropriate—and yet so inappropriate—twists on this fruity dessert, including Italian with pannacotta. Or served warm. Just don’t explain it to your guests who haven’t seen the movie. Call Me By Your Name is nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture, Lead Actor and Adapted Screenplay.
