“And the Oscar goes to…”

This year’s inspiring field of contenders for Best Picture at the 83rd Academy Awards inspired me to do an Oscar-themed dinner Sunday night, to celebrate the event with our most movie-passionate friends. Each element of every course had a connection to one of the nominated films. It was a fun and laughter-filled evening, and I’m looking forward to what next year’s field of nominees might entice us to serve up.  I even won a $5 bet :)

Hors d’oeuvres:
“127 Hours” trekker gorp (with ginger – thought that would go well with the drink)
“Toy Story 3” Snack Mix (with goldfish and other toy-like snacks)
“Fighter” Cape Codder cocktail (while going to school in Cambridge, MA, I worked in a dive bar… where besides the pitchers of beer that got slung around, the most populah drink was the “Cape Coddah”. I have trouble drinking them still. But this version with Tito’s (my new fav vodka) handmade in Austin, TX, and Organic Cranberry juice went down quite smoothly!

Appetizer course:
“The King’s Speech[less] Salmon” (King salmon filet which I cured for 3  days in green jasmine tea, coarse sea salt and honey – recipe to be posted next week!)
“The Greens are All Right” (field greens with a meyer lemon-shallot dressing)
“The Social Network” Butter Pretzels

Main course:
“Winter’s Bones” (BBQ marinated baby back ribs)
“True Grits” (cheesy grits with corn)

Dessert course:
“Black Swan” (Molten [black swan] chocolate cakes with powdered [white swan] sugar, in a raspberry coulis [representing blood] with a rock sugar candy epee [representing the broken mirror] – Sad but beautiful and delicious!)
“Blue Valentine” (A cocktail of Blue Curacao and white Creme de Cocoa, with a red heart ice cube)

After-dinner drink:
“Inception” Dream Maker (An Absinthe drip, to top it all off!

“Black Swan” – complete with black & white swans, “blood” & broken mirror!