In so many ways, Tom Sawyer reminds me of Peter Pan. He’s not just a child; he’s childhood. He’s all the good and bad of that stage of life, given shape. He’s Instinct, Whim, Innocence…and more than a little Mischief. Never is this more evident than when he convinces his friends Joe and Huck to run away with him to an island in the middle of the river to become pirates. Smitten with the adventure of such a life, they spend their days eating catfish and searching for buried treasure, thinking little of home.
I read Tom Sawyer for the first time this past year. I’m a huge Mark Twain fan, so I wasn’t really surprised when I loved it. I relished Tom’s innocent yet roguish nature and the endless trouble he and Huck always seem to make for themselves. As the quintessential chronicle of golden boyhood summer, I selected Tom Sawyer as our Book of the Month for June.
We jumped outside of our comfort zone last month and made a classic MOVIE menu: Star Wars! It was crazy fun to make AND eat, especially the May 4th foray into molecular gastronomy: Raspberry-Mango Planets and Lemon Clouds. I definitely plan on doing more movie menus in the future, but for now we’re back to classic books. Can you guess what our June Book of the Month will be? Here’s your photo hint:
I was really torn as to what to make for our Star Wars bonus recipe. Should I make another molecular gastronomy recipe? A skillet cookie Death Star? Admiral Ackbar’s “It’s a Trap” Wraps? In the end, I decided on this fun, easy Galaxy Bark from Life with the Crust Cut Off. Gotta love those funky colors…and the extra texture element added by the sprinkles! Plus, it’s chocolate, which of course directly translates to SUPER DELICIOUS. Enjoy!
Who knew classic literature could be the key to an awesome Memorial Day party? Turns out there are TONS of recipes from classic lit that are perfectly suited to any outdoor grilling menu. Here are some of our favorites:
Corny as it may be, I’m fiercely proud of the pun in the title. These colorful lightsaber popsicles are just right for our Star Wars menu: flavorful, easy to make, and perfect for the hot weather we’ve been having lately!
I’ve always believed that Cloud City is hands-down the most beautiful location in all of the Star Wars movies. And maybe it’s supposed to be. Maybe the stark contrast between the heavenly views and the city’s dark underbelly act as a reminder that things aren’t always as they appear.
Luckily, these cloud-shaped cheese puffs (inspired by a recipe from BHG) have all the light, fluffy delicacy of Cloud City’s ethereal panoramas without any of the dark downsides…as long as you don’t burn them! 😉
Nothing says “desert planet” like dry rub bbq, and since banthas are common fare on Tatooine, I figured dry rub bbq bantha steaks would be a fitting entree for our Star Wars menu. This juicy, tender grilled rib eye features a Chicago dry rub blend, guaranteed to take the monotony out of any day of moisture farming.
Happy May the Fourth, aka Star Wars Day! Since Star Wars is our Movie of the Month, today is the perfect day to start our new menu. Up until now, I’ve always done menus based off of classic books, but there are plenty of awesome classic movies out there too. And I think we can all agree that Star Wars is classic enough to make the cut (plus, there are loads of Star Wars books, so…loopholes!). 😉
I make no apologies for the punny title. PUNNY TITLES FOREVER!
April was definitely a fun month for food. The Pineapple Ticking Crocodile was a particularly rewarding leap outside my culinary comfort zone. But now it’s time to say goodbye to Neverland and set our sights on somewhere even farther away…
Any guesses as to what our very first Movie of the Month will be, based on the picture?
If you need a final dose of Peter Pan before we head into the realm of sci-fi, swing by the book blog 101 Books to learn some Fascinating Facts about Peter! 🙂
P.S. We wrapped up our April menu yesterday by premiering our new Alison’s Wonderland Teas page (so feel free to order some if your teacup looks lonely).
