Guilty and Not-So-Guilty Pleasures

There is a disconnect between food and film culture. We go to the movies to see the very best of our time- the best cinematography, the best writing, the best acting- and while we're there, we eat some of the worst food. The biggest food snobs among us hide in the darkness of the theater as they succumb to the seductive smell of buttered popcorn. And you know what? That's okay. Even David Chang incorporates Lucky Charms into his "cereal milk" ice cream.  On Sunday during the Oscars, I'm going to be eating "Best of the Movie Theater Bars" (recipe below) and drinking boxed wine.

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't seen Silver Linings Playbook, Amour, Zero Dark Thirty, Anna Karenina or Django Unchained. But I was completely entranced by three films that came out this year and oh boy, am I rooting for them. Who are y'all hoping will win?

For best original screenplay: Moonrise Kingdom
For best adapted screenplay (and seriously any other award it has been nominated for): Beasts of the Southern Wild

For best supporting actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables 


Best of the Movie Theater Bars
2 regular size bags popcorn*
2 "sharing size" bags peanut M&M's*
1 1/5 cups salted pretzel sticks
10oz (one bag) marshmallows
3T salted butter

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Melt butter and marshmallows over medium heat and pour mixture over all other ingredients. Stir until marshmallow is distributed evenly. With an oiled spatula, press everything down into the casserole dish. Cut when cooled completely.

* Use what you have or what you like. Buttered, salted, or kettle corn popcorn; peanut, pretzel or regular M&M's.