Pulp Fiction
In the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film, Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents.
Pulp Fiction features so many food references—including fast food, other meals, and drinks— that some say that the movie's obsession with fast food can help viewers understand it better. By that logic, eating those foods while watching it can only make it more relatable and enjoyable!
Vincent: "Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer, and I don't mean just like a old paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer. And in Paris you can buy a beer in McDonald's, and you know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese? They call it a Royale with cheese"
Jules: "Royale with cheese"
The Scene: One of the most famous food references happens in a conversation between hitmen Vince and Jules. On their way to commit some of that ultraviolence, they discuss Vince’s recent trip to Europe. After regaling Jules with stories of smoking hash in Amsterdam, Vince reveals the biggest cultural difference he noted across the Atlantic: in France, because they’ve got the metric system, they call a quarter-pounder a “Royale with Cheese”.
Fun Fact: Tarantino wrote the script in Amsterdam, in a hotel room and in the "coffee shop" (Dutch euphemism for a hash bar) Betty Boop where he stayed for several months. This stay explains the references to Dutch culture and customs at the beginning of the movie.
These aren’t for sharing, so make plenty for everyone! As Tarantino quips, “Jules coming in there... [he’s] completely dominating by taking a bite out of the guy’s hamburger. What’s the one thing you never do? You don’t offer a stranger your hamburger to take a big bite right out of the middle of it!”
Ingredients
2 Lbs Ground Chuck Beef 80% lean / 20% fat
4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
4 Slices Tomato
1 Onion
·4 Leaves Lettuce
4 Hamburger Buns
4 Slices Cheddar Cheese Tillamook
Directions
Slice up the tomato & onions and get the lettuce all set to go
Get your grill/pan/etc hot to high heat
Salt & pepper the ground beef and then divide into 8oz (1/2 lb) portions (or you can use smaller 6oz portions). Flatten into patties that are about 1/2 inch larger than the buns
Put a thumbprint in the middle of the patty so it doesn’t puff up when cooking.
Grill your burgers about 4min on the first side
Flip burgers and immediately add cheese. Put the buns face down on the grill. Cook until you reach the correct temp (140F for medium), usually about 2 to 4 minutes
Stack up the ingredients and enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
Burgers are a classic that can be grilled up quickly whether outside on a grill or inside on a pan (cast iron is preferable)
While this recipe serves 4-6, it can easily be doubled for a cookout or party
Pro Tips
Keep your burger meat cold in the fridge before cooking. Unlike other meats which might do better if brought to room temp, the fat in burgers melts nicely into the meat when it starts from a cold temp. We recommend using 20% fat / 80% lean ground chuck
Don’t overwork the beef while forming the patties. Put your salt and pepper on and then quickly shape it into a patty. Press a thumbprint in the middle to keep the shape and you’re ready to rock
Don’t press down on burgers while cooking. This might look good on TV to see it steam up, but it just squeezes out the flavorful juices and dries out the burger. The only exception to this rule is for a smashed burger in a pan where you press down only within the first 30 secs of cooking
Only flip your burgers once. Doing it more than that just makes it more likely that things will cook unevenly or that you’ll lose flavor
“Lance! The g—damn phone's ringing. I thought you told those f—ing assholes never to call this late!"
The Scene: Vince's dealer Lance eats a bowl of Fruit Brute cereal for dinner in a scene that some say is an overlooked theme in the film as a theme of fast and cheap food—the culinary equivalent of the exact type of trashy paperbacks after which Pulp Fiction is named.
Fun Fact: The cereal is a visual easter egg in the movie, as it also appears in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.
Today we will be making:
“Frute Brute” Cereal French Toast
While the cereal Frute Brute is now discontinued, you can still make this decadent French Toast breakfast treat using other fruity cereals and enjoy it for breakfast or brunch. Ingredients
12 slices Texas toast or other thick-cut bread
1 box fruity breakfast cereal such as Fruity Pebbles or Cap’n Crunch Berries
2 cups milk
5 tablespoons sugar
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter
Directions
Reserve one cup of cereal for decorative topping (if desired) and crush the rest into a fine meal. Pour into 9x11” baking dish and set aside
In mixing bowl, combine milk, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir into a runny custard
Dip each slice of toast into custard, coating both sides. Place in cereal dish, coating both sides with cereal
Fry on griddle over medium-low heat with butter for approximately 4 minutes on each side.
Why This Recipe Works
Crunchy French Toast is a cereal crusted French toast recipe that's a delicious twist on an old classic
The sweet crunchiness on the outside is enjoyed by adults and kids alike
Pro Tips:
Lay finished slices flat on parchment-papered baking sheet and place in warm oven until ready to serve
Consider serving the French toast with warm syrup to top off the dish!
Avoid using thin-sliced bread as they will fall apart or get soggy
Make sure to quickly dip the bread in the batter. If you leave it in too long it will absorb too much liquid, making it hard to cook all the way through
“That's a pretty f—ing good milkshake. I don't know if it's worth five dollars but it's pretty f—ing good.”
The Scene: Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace order a $5 milkshake at a restaurant in a scene where Mia lets Vincent taste it. Some say the milkshake costs $5 because it's just milk and ice cream, but others say the restaurant may have a special recipe that makes it worth the price.
Fun Fact: The waiter asks Mia if she wants her milkshake “Martin and Lewis or Amos and Andy”. He is referring to two comedy duos: Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (two white men), and The Amos ‘n Andy Show (two black men).
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Recipe Source
Today we will be making:
The Five Dollar Milkshake
A double dose of vanilla helps bring bourbon flavors to the forefront in this tasty vanilla bourbon milkshake.
Ingredients
2 scoops vanilla ice cream (about 2 cups)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon. malted milk powder
2-4 tablespoon bourbon, to taste
½ cup + 2 tablespoon milk
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
Divide between 2 chilled glasses and serve with a straw
Why This Recipe Works
Alcohol can add flavor and creaminess to milkshakes, making them a treat for adults with a sweet tooth. Bourbon and vanilla are a particularly good pairing. You can make this alcohol-free by simply skipping the bourbon
Pro Tips:
If you don’t like bourbon, try with a vodka or white rum
You can make this alcohol-free by simply skipping the alcohol
