Dinner and a movie—is there a better couple when it comes to date night or even a quiet evening at home—alone or otherwise?
As we celebrate our food issue, it seems only fitting to share with you an important way food has woven its way through my family. You might know by now that, thanks to my dad, I enjoy movies, mostly from the late 1930s through the 1960s, but there is a handful of films that came out later than that time frame that hit my must-see list.
At least one of my children is also an “old movie” fan and TCM channel devotee. (Summer Under the Stars and 31 Days of Oscar are my favorite programming slots!) But my oldest son and his wife have taken movie watching to a new level—culinaryily speaking. As they work their way through the American Film Institute’s Top 100 list, my daughter-in-law cooks a dinner that corresponds with that night’s film choice, while my son comes up with a similarly themed cocktail. I certainly relish in their Instagram-worthy creations.
The dinner and a movie combo certainly isn’t new, and at least one person who you might be very familiar with also enjoys cooking up some film inspiration. Visit my interview with local Andrew Zimmern, known around the foodie world as an award-winning chef, TV personality and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme.
In the article, you’ll discover how Zimmern enjoys stirring the dinner pot while viewing all types of films at home and in the company of guests. I take a special look at his appreciation for a film duo that brings together Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino and “Fredo” as they take viewers into the Corleone la famiglia. (Do you “hear” the swell of the theme song?)
Buon appetito,
Renée Stewart-Hester
