Our Movies & Munchies crew may have gotten off to a slow start as the film wasn’t chosen until about mid-month. I’m hosting for August so that explains a lot.
I had googled “Movies to Watch in July” and a lot of baseball movies popped up like A League of their Own and The Sandlot. I only had to time to preview (or maybe re-watch) A League of Their Own so that’s what we went with!
About the film:
If you were not around in 1992, here’s a synopsis of t
he film:
Daring female athletes win over a skeptical public and lead their team to victory in the WWII-era women’s baseball league.
Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna and Lori Petty star in this major-league comedy with a heart.
Hanks stars as Jimmy Dugan, a washed-up ballplayer whose big league days are over. Hired to coach in the All-American Girls Baseball League of 1943, while the male pros are at war, Dugan finds himself drawn back into the game by the heart and heroics of his all-girl team. Jon Lovitz adds a scene-stealing cameo as the sarcastic scout who recruits Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis), the baseball babe with a Babe Ruth swing who becomes the leader of the team.
The movie is based on the true story of the pioneering women who blazed the trail, on the fields and off, for generations of athletes.
What I thought….
As mentioned above, if I had seen this film, I had totally forgotten about viewing it. Of course, I was aware of it in 1992, but I really don’t think I had ever seen the entire movie. I had read that this might have been Hanks’ best role and while maybe that was true in 1992, I don’t think it applies with all the roles he has played since then.
I was probably most amazed at the older version of Geena Davis. As I was viewing I was amazed at the make-up job they did on her. It wasn’t until the end of the movie that I realized the old Dottie was actually played by Lynn Cartwright.
The resemblance is uncanny.
The 1992 film was a bit dated and I think that if the film were to be remade, it would tackle a few other issues. (But, not like the Prime series….I didn’t think this new version did the story justice at all. And not just with the issues, the characters just didn’t seem real to me. I applaud Amazon for trying to tackle some more modern issues, but it just didn’t work.)
While I found the ending odd (that Dottie and Kit still hadn’t spoken after forty years), it still brought a tear to my eye. (Seriously, I’m not being sarcastic.)
Why is it that the dialogue from 80s and 90s movies seems so dated and stilted today?
The Food:
While this is definitely not a foodie movie, there was food shown or mentioned in the film. Here’s what I spotted.
- Harvey Bars (chocolate bars from the sponsor of the league)
- Peanuts and beer
- Corn (in fields)
- fresh milk (from the cows)
- Peaches
- Beer
- Hot dogs
- Coca Cola
I started to make chocolate pretzels and had a recipe almost developed (on paper) and then I looked at this list. What is more quintessentially American (and available at all ballparks) but Coca Cola. 
Pivoting, I decided on a Coca Cola chocolate cookie. Besides, cookies are easier than pretzels. The chocolate is a nod to the Harvey bars from the film and Garry Marshall’s appearance as the league’s founder, Walter Harvey.
Double Chocolate Cola Cookies
Coca cola and chocolate combined for a great cookie.
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. Coca-Cola
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1 c. dark chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 egg
- 1 t. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1/2 c. roasted and lightly salted cashews
- 1/2 t. Kosher salt (for sprinkling on cookies)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan heat the coca-cola until boiling, then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half. Put the reduced soda in the fridge for about 15 minutes until cool. Watch carefully and don’t burn.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the butter and chocolate chips to a two quart glass measuring cup or a large glass bowl. Heat in 30 second increments until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir together until smooth.
- Stir the sugar and cocoa powder into the butter mixture until combined. Let cool slightly. Add the vanilla extract, egg and the cooled cola reduction and mix together. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
- Line cooking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Use a cookie scoop (ice cream scoop) to place tablespoon sized balls onto ungreased nonstick cookie sheets. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then cool completely. (You can make larger cookies but the time might need to be lengthened.)
Yield: 2 dozen (depending on size of cookies)
Prep Time: 30 mins.
Cook time: 10 mins.
Total time: 40 mins.
I would have added peanuts to the recipe if I had had them. Instead I used some roasted cashew pieces.
If you knew cola was used in the recipe, I think you could pick it out but it’s very subtle. The coke adds a little caramelly fudginess to the cookie. You can use Pepsi if you’re anti-Coke. Whatever. I actually did do a Pepsi brownie back in the day for an inspired-by recipe for The Goonies.
A League of Their Own is a great summer movie and will make you feel good and inspired.
Movies & Munchies is still finalizing the August movie but stay tuned for September and mark your calendars. The Secret Life of Bees will be a crossover event with both M&M and Cook the Books. More info to come.
sounds as if you need Coke Syrup, which was available years ago and now is only made by other manufacturers (unless you are running a diner and want it in industrial quantities). What an interesting recipe!
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
[…] A League of Their Own and an inspired-by recipe […]
Perfect cookies inspired by this fun movie. I thought it was Geena Davis in makeup too.