Recipes inspired by Nina's Heavenly Delights #FoodnFlix

Welcome to the roundup post for the February 2020 edition of the Food 'n Flix club! My choice for February was the 2007 British foodie-rom-com, Nina's Heavenly Delights. So, little did I know when I chose this film a while back, it is pretty hard to get your hands on a copy. Or at least an inexpensive copy. At the time, it was available to stream on Amazon Prime, but has since become unavailable. I got my hands on a dvd copy for about $10 a couple of months ago, so I consider myself fortunate. Most of the Food 'n Flix participants were not so lucky.

Scottish Curry | Nina's Heavenly Delights #FoodnFlix

I'm hosting the February 2020 edition of the Food 'n Flix club with the British foodie rom-com, Nina's Heavenly Delights. Nina comes from a fairly traditional Indian family, who lives and owns a restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland. She grew up cooking with her father, learning to use her senses, and becoming a good chef in her own right.  As many young adults do, she leaves home to discover the world on her own terms (and to escape an arranged marriage).

When her father passes away from a heart attack, Nina returns home after 3 years of being estranged and living in London on her own. It's then that she discovers the restaurant is in financial trouble and will most likely be sold to another local Indian family of restauranteurs, which includes the son Sanjay, the man she was supposed to be married to. Remembering all of the memories in the restaurant, particularly learning to cook with her father, she is determined not to let that happen.

Join #FoodnFlix in the kitchen with Nina's Heavenly Delights

I'm excited to be hosting the February 2020 edition of Food 'n Flix this month with a new-to-me film, the 2006 British foodcentric rom-com called Nina's Heavenly Delights. This movie has been on my to-watch list almost since the inception of Food 'n Flix (about 9 1/2 years). It's usually included on those lists of "foodie movies" one can find floating around the internet.

It's about a young woman that returns home (after being estranged for 3 years) to attend her father's funeral. She also finds herself having to take over her the Indian restaurant that her father owned, which is apparently in some trouble. She and a childhood friend who now owns half of the restaurant try to save it by entering a national "Best in the West Curry Competition". I'm guessing it must have big prize money, not to mention the intrigue that comes with winning a title like that.

Kimchi Jjigae | Always Be My Maybe #FoodnFlix

I'm sliding in under the wire with my submission to the January 2020 (!) edition of Food 'n Flix, hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Okay, I didn't make it in under the wire. That was a lie. That wire was a few paces in the past. I'm coming in last. But that's just because the new decade started with a bang! I gave you a little sneak peek of this month's movie pick back in July when I made a dish inspired by it (this Glazed Spam and Rice)...but I'm excited to be able to share another recipe inspired by the Netflix film Always Be My Maybe with you today!

Childhood best friends turned sweethearts Marcus and Sasha are neighbors growing up. Marcus comes from a pretty close-knit Korean family who spend a lot of time doing things together. Sasha and her (Vietnamese) family live next door. Unlike Marcus's family, she spends most of her time alone since her parents are busy running their store.

Recipes inspired by This Beautiful Fantastic | #FoodnFlix

This month I hosted Food 'n Flix with a bit of an obscure (I think) movie choice. Fun, quirky, heartwarming, and filled with beautiful inspiration in both the garden and the kitchen...we created recipes inspired by the film This Beautiful Fantastic!

I think this is a film that invites you to explore your imagination and aspire to more, but in doing so, don't forget to open your eyes to what you already have. You might find that that is exactly the combination that you need in your life.

I believe that this was everybody else's first time seeing (and even hearing of) This Beautiful Fantastic, and I love that most of them enjoyed it very much. If you've never seen it, check out the trailer, then scroll down to see what everybody brought to the garden party this month!

A Beautiful Fantastic Eton Mess | #FoodnFlix

Bella likes things "just so"; she likes order, and is terrified by the "unpredictability of nature and flora in particular". She has a routine and it both makes her nervous and sparks something curious inside her when that routine goes off-track. Her obsessive issues stem from being abandoned as a child, and subsequently raised by ducks. Okay, not really. She was raised by nuns.

In this month's Food 'n Flix pick, This Beautiful Fantastic, Bella's tidy little solitary world changes when her somewhat grumpy older neighbor Alfie starts hounding her about the "eco-apocalypse" of a garden that she's created between their houses.

In the kitchen with This Beautiful Fantastic | #FoodnFlix!

I can hardly believe I'm about to say this, but...happy June! Somehow 6 months have passed since I've shared a new post (or even opened a computer for that matter). In that time frame (back in February), All Roads Lead to the Kitchen turned 10 years old! Life changes a lot in 10 years. Like anything does over time, this blog has gone through some peaks and some lulls. I'm extremely grateful for all of those times, and to everybody who has checked on me while the blog has been quiet. One of those people is an old blogging buddy, Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla who has been holding down the fort over at my other blog space, Food 'n Flix (which celebrates 9 years this coming September!).

Join us in the kitchen with The Princess and the Frog | #FoodnFlix

Hello! Remember me? I know I've been MIA for a long time, and for that I'm sorry. There's an explanation...really there is...and I may even get around to telling it one of these days. But, not today. Today I'm here to announce that I'm hosting this month's edition of the Food 'n Flix Club! And, since moderation isn't really my thing, I'll also be hosting Fandom Foodies this month (they connect, in case you had any doubt).

This month I invite you to watch the 2009 Disney flick, The Princess and the Frog. Set in the New Orleans bayou, this flick is teeming with inspiration for you to take into the kitchen this month!

Turkish Stuffed Tomatoes (Domates Dolmasi) | A Touch of Spice #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick this month is a feast for the senses from start to finish both literally and figuratively, from the breast to the grave. A Touch of Spice is the story of Fanis, a half Greek, half Turkish boy who spends the first part of his childhood learning about the importance that food and spice hold in everyday life and decisions from his grandfather. But when political turmoil in Constantinople forces his family to move to his father's native Athens in 1964, Fanis desperately misses both his grandfather and his first (young) love.

Oyster Stuffing (or Dressing) | Burnt #FoodnFlix

This month we've got a hardcore foodie movie as our Food 'n Flix inspiration. Burnt is the story of chef Adam Jones, who we learn fell from his perch into a world of alcohol and drugs. As the movie begins, he is finishing his self-imposed penance of shucking 1 million oysters at a little New Orleans bar, hidden away from the world he was once a part of.

He makes his way to London, where most of his former colleagues from his Paris glory days are now working and living. He barges his way into being the chef at the restaurant in a hotel owned by former friend (who has always had a crush on him, which Adam totally exploits) Tony's father, which Tony is now managing. He rips Helene away from her sous chef position at a restaurant owned by a friend, by convincing him to fire her, so she'd basically have to work for him. He taunts his rival Reece, at his restaurant, just to let him know that even though he is majorly successful, he (Adam) is setting up shop in town.

Spelt and Vegetable Soup inspired by I Am Love | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick this month is the 2009 Italian film I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton. I watched this movie when it was first released on dvd and remember not really liking it. That being said, I believe in second chances, so I went in with a clear head when I popped the dvd in again this week. Unfortunately, it still wasn't my cup of tea. But all was not lost, because while I found the movie to be painfully slow, it did feature some beautiful scenery and delicious food to keep me in front of the screen.

The movie starts in Milan in the home of the wealthy Recchi family. Food is being prepped, silver is getting shined, and the scene is being set for a family meal to celebrate the grandfather's birthday. He announces his retirement from running the family business, which he will be entrusting to his son and grandson (because it will take two to take the place of one of him).

5 Tampopo-inspired Dishes—a #FoodnFlix Roundup

At the beginning of the month, I announced that I would be hosting the April edition of Food 'n Flix with my choice, one of the most celebrated food movies in the past 30 years, the first (and only?) "Ramen Western"—Tampopo. I actually watched it for the first time myself this month, and while ashamed to admit that fact, am so happy that I finally did. There's not a moment in the film that doesn't center around food and its relationship to life.

That said, we had a small turnout this month, and the participants other than myself, were split evenly down the middle in terms of liking and not liking the film. It is a real Japanese comedy with subtitles, and that particular style is not for everybody. If you find yourself wanting to know more before you go in, or just wanting a bit of a break-down, I hope you'll take a few minutes to read my overview of Tampopo (because I often think it's helpful to go in with a bit of background).

Omurice (Japanese Rice Omelet) inspired by Tampopo | #FoodnFlix

There are movies that contain food, and there are movies that celebrate food—this month's Food 'n Flix pick is one of the latter. Touted as the first-ever "Japanese Noodle Western", the 1985 film Tampopo has topped the list of "best food movies" for the past 30 years. But the crazy thing is that I—the person who started this movie-inspired food club almost 6 years ago—had never seen it before this month. I'm ashamed, but I finally righted that wrong by choosing it as our featured film in April.

Okay, so here's the thing...this is a Japanese comedy that might seem strange and disconnected to some. And it is, but in the most brilliant way. Because when you really look at it and really think about it, that seeming disconnect is actually the thread that binds everything together. It's an exploration of the role that food plays in life and all of its aspects: love, sex, happiness, simplicity, the pecking order, generosity, culture, and death.

Matcha Marshmallow Corn Flakes Squares inspired by Saving Grace

Aaaaaah, April 20th...aka the day when pot smokers around the world (or maybe it's just the country?) raise their buds high as a nod to the fact that it's 420 ALL DAY LONG. If you're not familiar with the history, there are all sorts of 420 origins stories. The one that I heard back in the days was that 420 was the police code for "marijuana smoking in progress" in California, so as a way of sticking it to the man, the date has blossomed into a day to salute the herb.

Those were the days before Google, so I figured I'd google it to see if that was true. Well, to some people it is, but I did find some other supposed roots in the number. Maybe that's part of its appeal? Anyway, since the day is upon us, my f'ing fab friend Sophia from NY Foodgasm suggested we make some 4/20-inspired food. With so many fun ideas floating around in my head, I happily agreed.

Join the #FoodnFlix club in the kitchen with Tampopo!

The little club that I started over 5 1/2 years ago to explore and celebrate food in movies has come home this month. I'm hosting the April edition of Food 'n Flix with a movie that I'm almost ashamed to admit that I've never seen (but have meant to watch for years)—Tampopo!

Tampopo is a food-centric 1985 Japanese comedy whose publicity dubbed it the first "Ramen Western" as a play on the popular Spaghetti Western. Apparently there are now a bunch of ramen restaurants around the world that bear the name Tampopo (which means dandelion seed).

Chocolate Flan with Frosted Grapes inspired by A Walk in the Clouds | #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is the 1995 drama A Walk in the Clouds starring Keanu Reeves and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón. Although this movie is over 20 years old, it was my first time watching it. Growing up in the time of Bill & Ted and Point Break, I can't help but be a Keanu fan. And the female lead is actually the stars of one of my favorite shows, Velvet (a Spanish show that I discovered on Netflix...I am very impatiently waiting for them to add season 3).

A Walk in the Clouds is set in 1945 at the end of World War II in California. Paul, a young soldier returns home from war eager to start a family with the wife that he barely knows. At her encouragement, he returns to his previous job selling chocolates, even though it isn't what he wants. On the train, he meets Victoria, a young woman heading home to face her family with the news that she is pregnant and the father has abandoned her.

Creamy Tomato Shrimp Curry and Turmeric Rice inspired by The Lunchbox | #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is a feast for the food lovers senses. Set in India, The Lunchbox is about a mistake in Mumbai's famed efficient lunchbox delivery system.  Ila is a lonely housewife and "stay at home mom" who is trying to win back her husband's affections by preparing and packing delicious food in his lunchbox. The first scene in the movie begins this way, handing his lunch off to the Dabbawala (one who carries the lunchbox) to deliver to him at work.

Although the Dabbawala insist that their system is flawless, referencing a study done by Harvard, the lunchbox meant for Rajeev (Ila's husband) winds up on the desk of the lonely and somewhat grouchy widower Saajan Fernandes. From the moment he unzips the carrier, he smells that his lunch is different than it's been in the past. It's better. It's a pure delight watching him open each compartment of that tiffin, leaning into their aroma.

Champagne Jelly inspired by Failure to Launch | #FoodnFlix

Kit: Hey...Paula...good news. It's Champagne Thursday.

Paula: It's Friday.

Kit: Uh, yeah. Thursday came twice this week.

So I'm totally giving my inspiration away early this month...but really that's only part of it (the main part, but still). If you're familiar with Champagne Thursday, that means you're familiar with Failure to Launch, our Food 'n Flix pick to kick of 2016. I couldn't think of a better way to kick off a new year since Champagne (or a least sparkling wine) and new year's celebrations go hand in hand.

I'd seen Failure to Launch a few times already, once when it first came out on dvd and again in bits and parts when it's been on tv. But I don't remember ever noticing just how much food is actually in this flick, starting with the opening sequence when our lead male Tripp (Matthew McConaughey) staggers out of bed and onto the Santitas Tortilla Chip bag on his bedroom floor. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In case you haven't actually seen this one, in a nutshell, it is a rom-com about 30-something Tripp who still lives at home with his parents, who, in a push to regain a little "them" time again, hire Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), who makes a living of covertly enticing grown men to move out of their parents homes, to help them.

Sweet 'n Spicy Dr Pepper Glazed Pretzels inspired by Mermaids

If this isn't your first time here, you probably know that I've been making food inspired by movies once a month for more than five years now. So yeah, I've featured food or drink inspired by over 60 movies now! And even though that is a lot, I always find myself thinking I'd like to do more in a month. Unfortunately, the months just do not have enough days for me to do that. Or do they?

I decided that this month would defintely have enough days. One of the cool things about running a "movie and food" club online is meeting people with similar interests that I probably wouldn't have met otherwise. I met Kimberly from Coffee and Casseroles when she emailed me a little over a year ago now about joining in the Food 'n Flix fun, and we've become friends since then.

We often talk about books, tv, and movies and this month we decided to watch and cook from another one together. She mentioned the 1990 flick Mermaids and since I hadn't seen it in a couple of decades (yikes!) I asked her if she wanted to use that as our inspiration for our post. The rest is history.

Masala Omelette inspired by The Hundred-Foot Journey #FoodnFlix

This month's edition of Food 'n Flix features a movie that both starts and ends with food-laden scenes (not mention everything in the middle)—The Hundred-Foot Journey. Based on the novel of the same name by Richard C. Morais, the story begins in India with the Kaddam family restaurant. We see a young Hassan Kadam, already exploring food with his senses under the tutelage of his beloved mother. When tragedy strikes and the family is displaced from their home, they eventually make their way to a small French village by way of fate since sometimes "brakes break for a reason".

As fate would have it, there is an abandoned restaurant for sale in this quaint town...but it happens to be a mere hundred feet across the street from Madame Mallory's acclaimed Michelin 1-star classical French restaurant. And she's none to happy to welcome the competition or the "life" that comes with it.