Dr. Lecter ate liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti. Frank Thorn ate Soylent Green. Jaws ate the boat. Horror movies are positively epicurean!
We can all be sensitive about what we put in our bodies; that’s why they make steak well-done to blue rare. It’s also why oftentimes the scariest movie moments concern what characters choose (or don’t choose) to eat. When food turns paranormal, you might think twice about ordering dessert.
Consider Beetlejuice, a cult favorite movie that has recently expanded its fanbase due to the wildly successful musical adaptation. Perhaps the most famous scene is the haunted dinner party, where Catherine O’Hara sings Harry Belafonte while the shrimp cocktail appetizer attacks her guests. The food is central to the scare: the characters were left wondering “Were we really going to eat THAT?”
So, for your Halloween party this year, fix up some terrifyingly delicious snacks! Up the creep factor while still building up energy to show off your costume around Hoboken. I always like to start with the elementary school party favorites. Try dipping strawberries in white chocolate and adding icing faces to make candy “ghosts.” Super easy and super cute! If you’re up for a challenge, you can never go wrong with pumpkin. Try pumpkin bisque to start, fill up on pumpkin ravioli, or finish the night with pumpkin pie. Top it off with sage for savory dishes and cinnamon for sweet.
For the twenty-one-plus horror fanatics out there, if you’re looking for some Halloween-themed drinks, try Chilling Cocktails by Jason Ward. My boyfriend got it for his birthday this year and it’s filled with thrilling cocktails based on scary movies. It has everything classic-inspired drinks like Dracula’s Kiss all the way to a recipe based on the 2019 film Midsommar. For fun pairings, check out the back of the book for easy themed snacks. I’m excited to try these recipes out for a horror movie night soon.
If you’re looking to reign in the spooky season, try out a Dwight family favorite that was also pictured in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands: ambrosia salad! I love watching this movie around Halloween, but the town barbecue scene makes me nostalgic for summer. This recipe comes courtesy of Taste of Home magazine, a great resource for dishes from real home cooks around the country. It’s definitely an old-fashioned classic, but don’t knock it before you try it.
Ambrosia — serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 can mandarin oranges (15 ounces), drained
- 1 can pineapple tidbits (8 ounces), drained
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup sour cream
- Optional: pecans, maraschino cherries (to taste)
Directions
- Combine oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, coconut, and optional ingredients
- Add sour cream and mix
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving
The College Gourmet is an Opinion culture column written and created by Julia Dwight ‘22 to discuss cooking tips for students, explore local restaurants available to students, and more.
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