The first time I noticed food on the movie screen was probably the spaghetti-stand kiss in The Lady and the Tramp. Once I started paying attention to cinema, it seemed like food played a critical role in virtually every film I liked, from the noodles in Eat Drink Man Woman to the namesake dish in Fried Green Tomatoes.
Across global cultures and film eras, family meals fill screens from breakfast (Moonstruck) to lunch (Crazy Rich Asians), and dinner (Babette’s Feast) to dessert (Wonka). Revelations are blurted out during pasta moments in The Godfather, Big Night and Goodfellas.
We get a lot more than sandwich suggestions in the iconic diner scenes in When Harry Met Sally and Pulp Fiction. Dinner is a form of desperation in The Grapes of Wrath, La Grande Bouffe and Soylent Green.
In movies, feelings get infused into pies (Waitress), nonexistent Neverfood (Hook) and mole sauce (Like Water for Chocolate). In fact, pie populates dozens of American films, including Men in Black III and Blazing Saddles. (The less said about the pies in American Pie and The Help, the better.)
Having worked in restaurants and as a newspaper dining critic, my favorite onscreen foodie is Anton Ego, the restaurant reviewer in the animated gem, Ratatouille. I was never that snooty or mean, but I do love food as much as he does.
The film feed never stops. I’m looking forward to seeing The Taste of Things, a new big screen historical food love story gathering critical kudos. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel — actors who were former lovers — portray two foodies and how they cook, eat and lust. I’m looking forward to the popcorn and candy, too.
What’s your favorite film food moment? Share it with us: [email protected]
Food fills film festival screens
The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) celebrates its 20th anniversary Feb. 29 to March 3 with food films, a big tasting and free cake.
Food-related films showing during the festival focus on agriculture and related issues in The Biggest Little Farm and Food, Inc. 2. Boulder’s eatery heritage is explored in The Sink: The Rest[aurant] is History. Sugar and Stars is a fictional dive into the highly competitive world of pastry chefs.
At BIFF’s CineCHEF tasting Feb. 29, local eateries dish tastes of cinematically inspired bites by Michael Bertozzi (The Kitchen,) Rich Byers (Jill’s Restaurant), Gage Hascall-Dove (Blackbelly), Bradford Heap (Salt), Kevin Kidd (24 Carrot Bistro), Sheila Lucero (Jax Fish House), Jeremy McGinty (River & Woods), and Bob Sargent (Savory Cuisines Catering).
Best of all, BIFF will share slices of free birthday cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes on the Pearl Street Mall on March 2. Details: biff1.com
Documentaries face food issues, solutions
A full menu of food- and agriculture-related documentaries are screening at the Colorado Environmental Film Festival Feb. 22-25 in Golden. A groundbreaking Longmont farm is the focus of Jack's Solar Garden: An Agrivoltaics Model in the Shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
Other films delving into issues of sustainability and cultural food identity range from Fight Food Waste and Covenant of The Salmon People to From the Heartland and Kittengate: Outrage After Climate Scientist Feeds Kittens to Diners. Tickets: ceff.net
Taste of the Week: El Valle’s Tamales
Advice from friends who know tamales happily led me to El Valle Market, 2887 30th St. The small Boulder neighborhood mercado is jammed with Central American groceries, sweets, fresh produce and piñatas as well as fresh salsas, tortillas and Mexican baked goods. This carniceria also offers a full meat counter including pre-marinated cuts.
El Valle’s homemade pork red chile tamales are just right – hefty, moist masa, just enough pork green chile in the middle and that satisfying, slightly fiery taste. They are available ready to heat inside the market and ready to eat at the Las Americas food truck parked outside. The menu also features tacos, burritos and tortas.
How Boulder got so stout
“Stout” can refer to people like me who have a heavy build. We also call these folks “ample,” “solidly built” and “robust.” Perhaps that’s why I love the strong, dark beers that have become ubiquitous in Boulder, especially in the depths of winter. Back in February 1993, stouts, porters and heavy beers were not so popular at local tasting rooms.
When Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery launched Stout Month, our palate education began. Stout Month has spread and is now celebrated at brewpubs across the region. My pick from the menu: Ned’s Two-Alarm Cherry Chile Stout, brewed with ancho and guajillo chilies.
You have never tasted the stouts, IPAs and lagers available for tasting at the Colorado Brewers Guild Collaboration Fest on March 30 in Westminster. That’s because they’ve never been brewed before. More than 65 craft breweries have collaborated in brewing unique, one-off beers for the event. Lafayette's Liquid Mechanics Brewing and Beachwood Brewing are teaming up on a West Coast IPA. Tickets: collaborationbeerfest.com
Culinary Calendar: Dining week and day
Sweeney Todd, the tasty tale of a demon barber who turns people into pies, is being presented March 1-3 and 8-10 at The Arts HUB in Lafayette. Beef pot pie will not be served. artshub.org
Denver Restaurant Week is celebrating its 20th anniversary March 1-10 with 10 days of dining deals. More than 200 restaurants are serving multi-course meals (ranging from $25 to $55). Locals participating include Por, Bittersweet, Melting Pot and Via Toscana in Louisville, Lafayette’s Reelfish, and Cafe Aion and Dagabi in Boulder. One option: the trio of roasted cauliflower soup, followed by tempura halibut, finishing with warm chocolate cake with ganache, vanilla bean and coconut at Jill's Restaurant. bit.ly/48SJB7D
Downtown Boulder's Taste of Pearl is back after a three-year COVID break with tastings at shops and galleries on April 14. Tickets: tasteofpearl.com
Plan ahead: Boulder Creek Festival, May 24-27; Boulder Taco Fest, Aug. 10; Vail Wine Classic, Aug. 8-10; Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival, Sept. 20-22; and Colorado Mountain Winefest, Sept. 21.
Words to Chew on: Cooking with Herzog
“I am quite convinced that cooking is the only alternative to filmmaking.” — Warner Herzog, film director and actor
John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Comments: [email protected]