For this month's edition of
Food 'n Flix, we are watching a beloved oldie,
Lady and the Tramp. Since it was made in 1955, pretty much everybody I know, from my mom's generation to my kid's generation, grew up watching Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp. I don't own it on dvd, but I do have it on tape (that would be a VCR tape for you young-uns)...you know the one that all the Disney movies used to come in—big, white, heaven forbid you stepped on a corner or you'd never be able to close it again? This month was the first time I'd actually watched it in quite a few years, though; while I do still have one of those dvd/vcr combo players, I don't dare actually put a tape in it, because it's old and hungry.
So, everybody knows the story of the unlikely romance between the posh cocker spaniel and the rough-around-the-edges mutt from the other side of the tracks. And I'm guessing that when you think of food in the movie, you think of spaghetti and meatballs. I mean, that is the classic scene—it even graces the most modern movie cover and poster. It's the inspiration for lovebirds sharing a plate of spaghetti worldwide. Although, my favorite part of that particular scene is when Tramp pushes a meatball towards Lady with his nose.
That said, I decided against making a "spaghetti special, heavy on the meatballs". Instead, I decided to watch the movie again with new eyes...eyes on the look-out for a different avenue of inspiration. Turns out, there are quite a few hidden gems. Do you remember when Jim Dear pours coffee into a saucer, then gives it to Lady along with a doughnut? How about the Siamese cats scene? That happens to be one of my favorites. I toyed with the idea of making cat treats that included milk powder (until I found out for the first time in 39 years that milk is not good for cats; no wonder they love it) or fish (remember the goldfish?).
