Food in Film: Donuts

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

Food addict and connoisseur of tasteful films reviews Food in Film, starring...

…Donuts

I used to have a t-shirt emblazoned with, "Start every morning with a smile and a donut... the smile is optional."

My mom made dreamy donuts, and I welcomed the task of shaking the deep-fried treasures inside a sugar-ladened brown paper bag. Iced donuts were my favorite, though, especially with maple-flavored icing.

As a sugarholic in recovery it's been 16 years since I've had any such pastry, yet it's oddly satisfying to see Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) perched inside a giant donut, binging on donuts. He is, after all, only human.

NICK FURY (Samuel L. Jackson)

Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to exit the donut.

Scene: Tony Stark's donut binge (Iron Man 2, 2010)

If I ever reach a point where I can truly love (instead of abuse) such foods, maybe I can get a shirt emblazoned with, "Start every morning with a donut and a smile... the donut is optional."

Food in Film: Chocolate

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

A food addict and connoisseur of tasteful films reviews Food in Film, starring...

…Chocolate

The food of love.

In the film Chocolat (2000), Vianne (Juliette Binoche) arrives in a rural French village and opens a Chocolaterie. Her shop location and timing seem like poor choices--across from a church at the beginning of Lent--but she doesn't worry. Her charm and chocolates eventually woo the villagers... except for Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina). He is determined to abstain from any pleasure, including chocolate.

I want to say I love chocolate, but sadly, this is a food I can easily abuse. Feed me an ounce and I'll take a pound. I find it much easier to completely avoid eating it. Don't worry, you can eat chocolate in my presence and it won't bother me. As long as I don't have it in my system, I'm fine.

Otherwise... this could be me... as Reynaud succumbs to the sweet temptation, followed by guilt, shame, and a sugar coma.

Scene: The Mayor attempts to kill chocolate.

Food in Film: Butter

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

A food addict and connoisseur of tasteful films reviews Food in Film, starring...

...Butter

Maybe it's my English roots, I don't know, but I grew up with butter on my sandwiches. My dad claimed butter (which he jokingly called "salve") helped the bread slide down the gullet.

I believe real butter is healthier than artificial substitutes, but it's certainly not the healthiest route when I have both butter and mayonnaise on turkey sandwiches. Even my peanut butter sandwiches are buttered.

However, as much as I love the creamy yellow goodness, I gag when Doug Madsen (Tim Allen) consumes a stick of butter in Wild Hogs (2007).

Scene: Doug eats butter.

Could you eat a cube of butter?

What's on your sandwich?

Food in Film: Apples

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

A food addict and connoisseur of tasteful films reviews Food in Film, starring...

… Apples

In Pocketful of Miracles (1961), an apple a day seems to keep the bullets away from gangster Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford), but only if they are from Apple Annie (Bette Davis)... he believes hers bring good luck. When unexpected news triggers Annie into a drunken stupor and unable to peddle her apples, he helps her with a miracle.

Trailer: Pocketful of Miracles 

While growing up, it seemed the only apples we ate were Red Delicious and Yellow Delicious. Their names don't fit their flavor, so I was never keen on the "apple a day" theory. 

Years into my adulthood I finally discovered truly delicious apples... Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp (my favorite). They might not bring me luck, but considering the bland variety I was raised on, flavorful apples seem miraculous! 

Note: Catch this gem on Turner Classic Movies May 14 at 10:30 PM (ET).