Top five food movies

I love films where food plays a starring role - my two passions combined! And though there are many fine flicks for the gourmand in all of us, here are five I particularly enjoy:

Ratatouille (2007) - Pixar's gorgeously-rendered creation about a rat named Remy who goes to Paris with dreams of being a chef. He teams up with a restaurant's garbage boy to secretly put his culinary skills into practice. Paris and its classical cuisine looks simply divine in this heartwarming family film.



Big Night (1996) - Anyone who knows the hard work and sometimes heartbreak of owning a restaurant must sympathize with this poignant film about two brothers, Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci) trying to save their intimate Italian restaurant from going under. Their plan: one special night, with an incredible traditional menu, to make or break their establishment. The food in this film was so impressive that it's apparently sparked 'Big Night' parties, where the entire menu is recreated, notably the showstopper timpano.

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) - Ang Lee wrote and directed this story about a senior chef who lives with his three grown yet unmarried daughters. Though the plot mainly centers around their struggles in life, particularly the middle daughter, the patriarch's elaborate Sunday dinners are one of the linking devices for the film and one of its highlights.

Waitress (2007) - An indie gem about a diner waitress (Keri Russell) who channels her frustrations in life, among them a terrible husband, into the most incredible looking pies you've ever seen. Sadly, the film's writer-director Adrienne Shelly never got to see its release - she was killed by a man trying to rob her apartment in 2006.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971) - Admit it, you were jealous of those five kids who got to take a tour of the magical Willy Wonka factory. Well I was at least. The whole place was made of candy! But I would've happily given up the gum that never loses its flavour, the lickable wallpaper, and the stays-fizzy soda pop for an endless supply of Wonka Bars. I'm all about the chocolate.

Put on one of these films tonight, and make sure you have some snacks on hand because they'll make your mouth water.

Salut!

Suzanne

Comments? Email suzannekathrynellis@gmail.com

Gut busters

Be warned - the images you see next might just turn your stomach. A website called This is why you're fat prides itself on showing you pictures of ridiculous, and jaw-droppingly fattening, food creations.

Image courtesy This is why you're fat

Though I sort of liked the aesthetics of the Oreo Mega Double Stuf, I'd never eat it. Mostly though, the items, with names like The Garbage Plate, The Bacon Explosion Wellington, and The Carny Casserole, looked just bad. There's decadence, and then there's this.

Take a look - but be warned.

I think I need a salad.

Salut!

Suzanne

Comments, suggestions, email suzannekathrynellis@gmail.com.

Light delight?

After a weekend of complete and utterly shameless culinary indulgence - we're talking macaroni and cheese, pastries, chocolate cake, mashed potatoes, red wine, the list goes on - I'm in serious danger of not fitting into a single pair of my jeans.

But, I must tell you, I have a really hard time doing salads in the winter. Coming in from a cold night the last thing I crave is a plate of lettuce. I want rich. I want savoury. I want something that's going to keep me full for hours. Which made me wonder - is there such a thing as good, 'light' comfort food?

I'm not talking low-fat microwave meals, in fact my single New Year's resolution - one I figured I'd have no problem keeping - was NOT to diet this year. No, I'm thinking more along the lines of recipes that cut a few corners here and there to eliminate some of the extra fat and calories but are still filling and satisfying. They wouldn't have to be low fat, just reduced fat.

With that in mind, I picked up a magazine on Sunday that I haven't bought in a long time: Cooking Light. What attracted me was the cover: a bowl of thick, meaty chili beneath the words 'Come home to dinner.' I couldn't resist.

So here's my experiment: each Sunday for the next four weeks I'm going to try a recipe from this latest issue of Cooking Light (Jan/Feb 2009 for whoever's interested) to see if 'light' comfort food is worth its salt, and satiates my admittedly ravenous appetite. I've already chosen from their '63 recipes for winter warmth' and my selections are as follows:

Week one: White Winter Vegetable Stew

Week two: Cassoulet

Week three: Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Chickpeas and Onion-Pine Nut Topping

Week four: Smothered Steak Burgers and Shoestring Fries with Garlic Dijon Mayo

I promise to be honest about my impressions of these four dishes - and I won't cheat on serving size. I'll share the nutritional info on each meal and let you know a) if I liked the taste; and b) if it satisfied me and kept me full.

Comfort food, lightened up. I'm skeptical, but if these dishes taste as good as the food stylists made them look, and if they help me squeeze back into my dark denim in a month's time, maybe the mag will make a believer out of me.

Salut!

Suzanne

Comments, tips, suggestions, advice? Email suzannekathrynellis@gmail.com.

Welcome!

Welcome to Plum Tart, a blog about all things food. To say that I enjoy food is an understatement - whether I'm in front of the stove, dining out in a restaurant, watching a cooking program or reading a book by a famous chef, I adore all things gastronomic. And I'm not a snob about it - I love a good peanut butter sandwich as much as I do a perfectly-cooked steak, a creamy risotto, or a rack of lamb. For me it's all about enjoying whatever it is I'm eating.

So why start this blog now? A couple reasons. One being I've started an introductory cooking course at an esteemed chef school in my hometown, Toronto, and I'm hoping to relate some of my experiences here. Another being I believe cooking and the enjoyment of food is best shared with others, and I'd like to exchange recipes, seek and offer advice, and engage in discussions about good eating with my fellow foodies.

I hope you enjoy, and if you would like to share a story, recipe, or tip, please comment below or email me at suzannekathrynellis@gmail.com.

Salut!

Suzanne