Food 'n' Flix Roundup - Funny Girl

It's been a crazy month of redecorating the new house but I've finally got time to put together the Food 'n' Flix roundup. I chose the Barbra Streisand musical Funny Girl as the movie to take inspiration from; I'd never seen the film before but it's a classic. I hoped that the locations, the era and perhaps also the plot would give people ideas for things to make.

My own entry was inspired by Fanny and Nick's trip to Baltimore where they eat seafood in a fancy restaurant; I went to Baltimore last year (I live in London) and picked up some Old Bay seasoning, so I made this Chesapeke Bay Stuffed Cod. It was very good!

Evelyne from Cheap Ethnic Eatz made these Lemon Cream Cheese Truffled Grapes. She had mixed feelings about the movie which seems to be saying that appearances count for a lot, and if you're not pretty (as Fanny isn't meant to be), you need to be funny. At the same time, this is based on a true story as Fanny and Nick were real people! Evelyne cleverly noticed that we see a bunch of plastic grapes attached to Fanny’s costume in two back-to-back musical numbers and so made these stuffed grapes. They look very easy to make and would make an unusual but healthy snack.

 At one point in the movie Fanny is explaining how she always feels like a misft, and says "I'm a bagel on a plate full of onion rolls". Joanne from What's On The List spotted this and so made just that! I love how excited she was about watching this film and admits that she had a crush on Omar Sharif, who plays Nick. I'm glad you enjoyed this challenge so much, Joanne!

 Amy from Amy's Cooking Adventures almost made a bagel on a plateful of onion rolls as well, but then decided to bake something sweet. She was inspired by one of the musical numbers where Fanny and other performers are dressed as brides - I love this scene as Fanny makes what should be a romantic song into a comedy by stuffing a pillow up her dress and pretending to be pregnant. Amy was inspired by the autumn bride in the song and made this beautiful autumnal wedding cake. It's a pumpkin spiced cake, with browned buttercream cheese frosting and is decorated with trees and birds made from marshmallow fondant.

Finally Heather at Girlichef, who is the creator of the Food 'n' Flix challenge, treated us to a Funny Girl cocktail. She had all kinds of ideas for things to make but ran out of time, but I think this cocktail is the perfect tribute to Fanny Brice. It has sherry - there's a line when Nick offers Fanny a dry sherry and, self-deprecating (and honest!) as usual, Fanny quips: "I wouldn't know dry from wet". It has a splash of rosewater - because even though by the end of the film Fanny is wealthy and successful, she says she will never forget living as a "second hand rose" and finally it is topped off with pink bubbly, which is Fanny all over. I bet it tastes delicious!

Thanks to everyone who took part this month, I'm glad the movie inspired so many different ideas!

Check out the main Food 'n' Flix page to find out who is hosting in October and what movie they have chosen.

So, which direction did I take and what exactly makes up a Funny Girl cocktail? I'm so happy you asked...

• dry sherry—a nod to Fanny and Nick reuniting, when he offers her a very dry sherry, and she replies that she "wouldn't know dry from wet".
• a splash of rosewater—because even though she has plenty of money now, she hasn't forgotten living as a "Second Hand Rose".
• topped off with pink bubbly—to celebrate the fabulousness that is Fanny Brice.

- See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2014/09/funny-girl-cocktail.html#more

So, which direction did I take and what exactly makes up a Funny Girl cocktail? I'm so happy you asked...

• dry sherry—a nod to Fanny and Nick reuniting, when he offers her a very dry sherry, and she replies that she "wouldn't know dry from wet".
• a splash of rosewater—because even though she has plenty of money now, she hasn't forgotten living as a "Second Hand Rose".
• topped off with pink bubbly—to celebrate the fabulousness that is Fanny Brice.

- See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/2014/09/funny-girl-cocktail.html#more

Filet Mignon with Sauce Bordelaise, in honor of the famous exchange between Nick and Fanny:

Speaking in French, Nick orders "filet de boeuf, sauce bordelaise".

Franny remarks,  "I would have ordered roast beef and potatoes."

To which, Nick replies with a smile, "I did".

- See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/#sthash.BognvrRT.dpuf

Filet Mignon with Sauce Bordelaise, in honor of the famous exchange between Nick and Fanny:

Speaking in French, Nick orders "filet de boeuf, sauce bordelaise".

Franny remarks,  "I would have ordered roast beef and potatoes."

To which, Nick replies with a smile, "I did".

- See more at: http://www.girlichef.com/#sthash.BognvrRT.dpuf