I would like to start out by saying “WELCOME BACK, HEATHER!!!!!”

Heather (All Roads Lead to the Kitchen) is the founder of Food ‘n Flix, one of my favorite blogger groups.   

We’ve missed Heather recently and glad that she’s back and hosting This Beautiful Fantastic.

I love this genre of movie—the quirky, border-line fantasy, character drama.

The characters I could relate to, even in their eccentricities and oddness.  I knew I would love this film.

The main character, Bella, is described as  “The oddest of oddballs.”    It’s “just her and her books” and a lonely existence.   I loved her librarian chic wardrobe.

Billy is Bella’s love interest.  He’s a bit quirky in his own right, working on his animatronics.   He’s a reader, too, always hanging out in the library.  (I kind of like his wardrobe, as well.)

Her curmudgeon of a neighbor, Alfie, becomes her lifeline.

Vernon is Alfie’s cook whom Bella steals.

That about rounds out the cast of quirky characters.

Because of Vernon, there’s some good food in the film.   Other food references are of the solo-dining variety as Bella eats for sustenance only, as Billy sneaks snacks in the library, and as Alfie tries to subsist without a cook.  Here’s a list of what I caught as I viewed the film:

• Bangers, mash and peas and carrots
• Waffles, cheese, peas, beans
• Tea from a thermos, hard boiled egg with salt
• tea and chocolate biscuits
• Vernon makes eggs benedict, and spinach on toast (??)
• Cabinet full of canned fruit cocktail, peas, rice pudding, et al.
• Baked fish, peas, asparagus, potatoes, lemon wedge
• Fresh apricots, baked beans on toast (something totally unappetizing looking as Alfie yells, “Give me back my cook!”)
• Salad and quiche
• Cheese sandwich
• Cookery section:  Dinner for One
• Chocolate cake with raspberries
• Party rings
• Toast and no black pudding
• Sandwich on an onion bun (Billy getting busted in the library.)
• Pink wafers
• pain au chocolat
• strawberries in the garden
• champagne and red wine and lemonade in the garden

Cocktail on the left. Mocktail on the right.

My original plan was to research a solid British recipe.  Instead, I was inspired by one of the last scenes of the film, the soiree in Bella’s now lovely garden.  I also wanted to give a nod to Billy’s creation and Bella’s book.

Luna Cocktails

By Debra

Perfect for an early summer evening in one’s garden.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. sparkling white wine, chilled
• 1/2 oz. raspberry liqueur
• 1 oz. good lemonade
• 3-4 frozen berries*

Instructions

1. Wash and dry berries and pop in the freezer until firm. Chill a champagne class (flute or saucer).
2. Remove glass from freezer, pour in champagne. Add lemonade and top off with the raspberry liqueur. Drop in a few frozen berries. Serve.

*I had just put up 18 quarts of blackberries so we used our own freshly picked and frozen berries.  Obviously, raspberries would be a good choice here, too.