Welcome to the February edition of Food ‘n Flix with an appropriate pick for February:  Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

Evelyne from Cultureatz is hosting this month.   You can read her announcement post here.

I love those films that seem like a stage play.  It seems like the older ones are more likely to fit this playbill.

Is there anything grander than watching the aging Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn in these roles?  Maybe watching the young dignified Sidney Poitier and the perky actress that played Joey.   (Did you know that Katherine Houghton, the actress that played the daughter, was actually Hepburn’s niece?)

Evelyne specifically picked this film to coincide with Black History Month.  The film is celebrating its 50 anniversary.

I pause to ask a rhetorical question—how much have things changed?

Although this movie tackles a serious subject, I loved the lighthearted scenes:   the delivery boy dancing with Dorothy, the ice cream scene at Mel’s, Tillie’s harrumphing, every scene with Joey’s bubbly optimism.

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is not typically a foodie film; however, there were a few food references.  There was more talk about food than actual food scenes.  Here’s what I caught:

• Sandwiches and coffee on the terrace (looks like egg salad)
• Celery Soup…Turtle Soup…Tournedos…”One of your best pies.”
• Larry’s Fine Foods:  finest steaks
• Lettuce and peppers in Tillie’s kitchen
• Mel’s Drive In for Ice Cream —“Daiquiri Ice. Honeycomb Candy. Cocoa Coconut. Jamoca Almond Fudge.  Mocha Jamoca.  Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Cinnamon Banana Mint….Fresh Oregon Boysenberry Sherbet.”
• Drinks at the night club—whiskey sours and champagne cocktails, perhaps?
• Scotch and shaving cream
• “A drop of scotch” with equal amount soda for the Monsignor.
•  Sherry and bourbon for the Prentice parents.   More scotch for the Monsignor and Matt.

If it had been summer, I would so have tried to make one of those ice cream concoctions.   Instead I decided to make soup and sandwiches.

Celery Soup and Egg Salad also had a 60s vibe to it.

The reviews of this recipe at Epicurious were more than glowing.  Following the many reviewers’ tips, I decreased the amount of butter and didn’t strain the soup.   Other tips included adding garlic so I did that, too.  Finally, I used half and half instead of heavy cream.

I served this soup with egg salad sandwiches.   Tillie’s sandwiches looked like she had cut the crust off and cut them into quarters.   I served mine, open faced on sourdough toast.

The technique of using a large whisk to smash the eggs worked better than I expected.  It left the egg whites chunky and the yolks creamy.

The egg salad was delicious.  If there had not been so much dill in the soup, I would have swapped out the parsley in the salad recipe and used dill.  I will certainly do that next time.

 

I am skirting around answering my previous question.

Have things really changed?

While I have no doubt that this film caused quite the buzz and conversation in 1968, I can’t help but think the film served up a rosy view and quick denouement to the situation.

Where are we now? I mean seriously…have you seen Get Out?

So, I don’t have an answer.

On a lighter note (how’s that for skirting the issue?), I am still fixating on those ice cream flavors that the carhop rattles off.  I can assure you this summer I will be making this Boysenberry Sorbet and Lemon Ice Cream Bombe that I found during my search for appropriate recipes.

Do you have an answer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am linking these soup and sammie recipes up with Deb’s Souper Sunday.