Before Ina, there was Meryl. It’s no secret that this project was inspired by Julie & Julia – I mean, this was the first post to @storeboughtisfine:
Prior to attempting every Barefoot Contessa recipe, I spent all of 2012 tackling Meryl Streep’s entire filmography.
About 9 years ago, my friend Tony and I started our annual Merylthon – a way to celebrate our shared love of Meryl. While we originally had some Meryl-themed snacks in the past (She-Deviled Eggs was a personal favorite) we now do full food and drink pairings for each movie!
If you want to have your own Merylthon, below are food/drink pairings for a selection of my favorite Meryl films. Enjoy!!
| The Deer Hunter (1978) | Hanoi-Style Vermicelli Noodles with Grilled Pork (Bun Cha Hanoi): A large chunk of this movie takes place in Vietnam during the war. Braised Venison Shoulder with Mushroom Pierogi: In a nod to the title Summer Borscht or Blini with Smoked Salmon: When not in Vietnam, the movie is set in a Russian Orthodox community in Pennsylvania. Serve up these Russian faves. |
| Manhattan (1979) | Manhattan Cocktail: have a whiskey libation that shares the same title Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Milkshakes: At the beginning of the movie the 17-year-old who Woody Allen’s character is dating sips on a vanilla milkshake at the bar. |
| Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) | French Toast Bread Pudding. Who could forget the iconic scene where Ted (Dustin Hoffman) attempts (and fails spectacularly) to make French toast the morning after his wife (Meryl) left him? He gets his redemption toward the end of the movie – effortlessly making French toast for himself and his son. |
| Sophie’s Choice (1982) | Spam Kimchi Fried Rice or Spam and Perilla Kimbap: I know this seems like an odd choice for a movie about the Holocaust, but when Stingo (Peter MacNicol) moves into the boarding house he arrives with three flats of Spam. This seems like the best possible use. |
| Silkwood (1983) | Have everyone pack their own basic lunch (PB&Js, bologna sandwiches, apples, chips or bananas, a bottle of coke) like the workers in the early part of the movie. Cacio e Pepe: served in a tinfoil bowl just like Dolly’s (Cher) moldy noodles in the film. |
| Out of Africa (1985) | Karen (Meryl) moves to a coffee plantation in Kenya – try these recipes to enjoy with your coffee: Sour Cream Coffee Cake or containing coffee: Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake or Coffee Granita. Bowl of oranges: Denys (Robert Redford) eats several throughout the movie Nyama Choma with ugali and kachumbari: A Kenya feast from the country where most of the movie takes place. |
| Heartburn (1986) | Spaghetti Carbonara: Rachel (Meryl) makes Mark (Jack Nicholson) a bowl of this delicious pasta after their first night together. Key Lime Pie: The actual recipe for the pie that ends up in Mark’s face. Cup of coffee, Jalapenos Margs, Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti: All dishes that will likely give you heartburn! |
| A Cry in the Dark (1988) | Prosciutto Roasted Bass with Autumn Vegetables: Lindy (Meryl) mentions barramundi (aka Asian sea bass) early in the movie. As the movie takes place in Australia, you can go with some classic Australian foods like Aussie Meat Pies, Vegemite on Toast, or Tim Tams. |
| She-Devil (1989) | She-Deviled Eggs: One of the original Merylthon dishes! Donuts: Since Ina doesn’t have a cream-filled donut, stop by Dunkin’ Donuts – remember store-bought is fine. Recreate the disastrous dinner with Bob’s parents by serving: Easy Cheese Board (don’t drop it) Heart-Shaped biscuits, (don’t burn them) and East Hampton Clam Chowder (sans dead gerbil) Or just serve Yoo-Hoo, Easy Cheese and crackers as was served to the People Magazine reporter at Mary Fisher’s house. |
| Postcards from the Edge (1990) | Chocolate Chunk Cookies: Doris (Shirley MacLaine) brings cookies to Suzanne (Meryl) when she is in rebab. Bags of chips: Once out of rehab, Suzanne starts gaining weight as she seems to have replaced drugs with bagged snacks. Banana Raspberry Smoothie: Doris makes a fruit smoothie – then adds about a half bottle of vodka. |
| Death Becomes Her (1992) | Death Becomes Her Elixir – make a classic gin martini (or other clear drink of your choice) and add a healthy amount of edible glitter to recreate the elixir. I’d recommend skipping any narcanol Frosting from Ina’s Old Fashioned Banana Cake: You’ll remember that after Helen (Goldie Hawn) lets herself go, she’s surrounded by cats and empty cupboards save a frosting container that she dips her hand in and eats straight. Bloody Mary – Ernest (Bruce Willis) needs a little hair of the dog each morning and he likes his Bloody Mary strong. Luckily Ina has a heavy hand when it comes to liquor. I think Ernest will be satisfied. |
| The River Wild (1994) | Smoked Salmon Platter. While there aren’t any memorable food scenes in this one, there’s plenty of salmon in the Kootenai and Flathead Rivers (where the movie was filmed). For this course, Tony served gin and tonics in to-go aluminum drinking pouches – perfect for the raft! |
| The Bridges of Madison County (1995) | For a movie where 80 percent takes place in the kitchen, it’s shockingly hard to see what Francesca (Meryl) is cooking! Confetti Corn: In a nod to Francesca living on an Iowa corn farm Herbal Iced Tea: When Robert (Clint Eastwood) comes back to the house for the first time, Francesca serves iced tea. Brown Betty: The neighbor brings this over for an afternoon of snacking and gossiping. Or just have a picnic like the famous scene from the movie |
| The Hours (2002) | Beatty’s Chocolate Cake: Depressed Laura (Julianne Moore) makes a cake a chocolate cake (twice) with her son. Crab Casserole: Clarissa (Meryl) makes a “crab thing” that’s apparently Richard’s favorite. And this recipe sounds pretty delicious. |
| The Devil Wears Prada (2006) | There were plenty of options for Devil Wears Prada! A cube of cheese right before you’re about to pass out. Lobster Corn Chowder: in an ode to the cafeteria scene where Nigel chastises Andy for getting the fatty corn chowder. Grilled cheese with a pound of Jarlsberg — Andie turns down this sandwich to her boyfriend’s disappointment. Grilled New York Strip Steak – Andie grabs steak from Smith & Wollensky for Miranda that ends up getting tossed in the sink. You won’t want to toss this one – it’s my favorite Ina steak recipe. |
| Mamma Mia! (2008) | I love ABBA but can’t say this was one of my favorite Meryl movies BUT I do love Greek food. Try Ina’s Panzanella or Pastitsio or any of your favorite Greek treats! |
| Doubt (2008) | Mulled Wine and a side of guilt: One of the more recognizable food scenes shows the priests feasting on roast and wine and having an uproarious time, then cuts to the silent nuns eating a spartan meal with milk. I say just go with some wine for this movie |
| Julie & Julia (2009) | Where to begin! This is food porn at its best. Maybe just cook your way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking or you could try these Julia recipes that are key parts of the movie: Sole Meuniere, Boeuf Bourguignon, Tomato Bruschetta, Raspberry Bavarian Cream |
| It’s Complicated (2009) | Director Nancy Meyers loves a food scene and has said she takes inspiration from Ina – this movie offers plenty of cooking and baking options as Meryl plays a bakery owner. Beatty’s Chocolate Cake – Jane (Meryl) makes a chocolate cake for the dinner Jake (Alec Baldwin never shows up for. She also makes Roast Chicken. Pain Au Chocolat – Jane and Adam (Steve Martin) chocolate croissants in the restaurant after getting high. Double Chocolate Weed Brownies – Speaking of getting high – until we can adapt Ina’s Outrageous Brownies to incorporate weed, this will do! Croque Monsieur with a side salad. The first dish Jane learned how to make in Paris and what she serves Adam for dinner. Lavender Honey Ice Cream – while Jane bathes, Jake chows down on this outside the tub. Very Dry Tanqueray Martini Straight Up With A Twist – Meryl’s order at the hotel bar and also my go-to order! Three pies: Deep Dish Apple Pie, Maple Pecan Pie, Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata – Jane makes three pies for her friends when she reveals she’s having an affair. Sour Cream Coffee Cake – Meryl bribes her therapist for a last-minute chat with a little coffee cake |
| The Iron Lady (2011) | Go for a full English Tea Party while watching this movie Spanakopitas or Truffled Chicken Liver Mousse: How did Margaret Thatcher earn the title Iron Lady? Pretty sure it was her iron-rich diet involving lots of spinach and chicken livers |
| August: Osage County (2013) | Mustard Roasted Fish or Herb Roasted Fish: “Eat the f*cking fish” is probably the most memorable line from this film |
| Into the Woods (2014) | Honey White Bread: “I don’t want your bread,” Meryl’s witch says when she barges in on the Baker and his wife. What she does want are the beans that were taken from her, which given how upset she is was likely Ina’s Maple Baked Beans. |
| Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) | Bananas Foster Jenkins– in an ode to the film title and lead character “The Verdi Luncheon always begins with a soup” Florence proclaims. I’d suggest Ina’s Roasted Potato Leek Soup! During the luncheon scene, Florence frets that they are going through potato salad quickly. Luckily, St. Clair (Hugh Grant) planned for this and proceeds to the bathroom where there is a bathtub full of potato salad ready to be served. Try Ina’s Old-Fashioned Potato Salad – just make sure you multiply the recipe by 20 to fill your bathtub. |
| Little Women (2019) | Enjoy a Beer Brat and wash it down with a big beer as they do in the beer hall scene. Recreate the Christmas breakfast the girls donate to the family down the street and make Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts, Perfect Poached Pears, and Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake. Or the dessert table they return to including: Salted Pistachio Merigues, Easy Strawberry Ice Cream, Strawberry Country Cake, Baba au Rhum, bowl of Sweetened Whipped Cream, Christmas Fruitcake, Profiteroles, and Tea Cakes |
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