The Goonies
In this 1985 Spielberg classic, a community of a coastal town faces imminent foreclosure to make way for a new golf course. However, when a band of local childhood misfits—calling themselves The Goonies—stumble upon an old map, secret clues leading to the fabled treasure of notorious pirate One-Eyed Willy set in motion a wild mission to save their homes. With the criminal Fratelli family hot on their trail, a frantic race against time begins. Faced with Willy's complex booby traps, will the Goonies bravery prove out to save the town?
There are so. many food references in this movie—mainly revolving around Chunk—that even Bon Appetit made a page dedicated to a time-stamped version of every time he eat or makes a food reference (Over 20 times!). Most of the food scenes are for comedic effect and create Chunk as a caricature of himself, keeping in line with the comic-book nature of the movie.
Chunk: You guys, if we don't get out of here soon, there's gonna be Some kind of (the other three "shhh" him to make him lower his voice)...(scared) hostage crisis. Out in the garage, O..ORV, four wheel drive, bullet holes the size of... (panicking) Matzah Balls!
The Scene: The boys are poking around a seemingly abandoned summer restaurant when they witness the Fratelli family dragging the body of an FBI agent in. Chunk goes to investigate the garage and returns to find the boys inside—where they are confronted for the first time by Mama Fratelli.
Similar to my post on Jurassic Park, I am starting to realize which soft drink manufacturer bought product-placement rights to this film ;)
Fun Fact: Chunk is notably a Jewish character, inserting quips throughout the movie that point to his heritage. When the Fratellis catch Chunk, he says "Baruch atah Adonai" in Hebrew, which means "Blessed are you, God". Chunk also tells the Fratellis that “he glued his Uncle Max's toupee to his face when he played Moses in a Hebrew school play”. These meanderings seem to go unnoticed by the Fratelli family, presumably an Italian-Christian family, though they bring laughs to the audience who catches them.
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Today we will be making:
Homemade Matzo Ball Soup
Just like Bubbe used to make, this easy Matzo Ball Soup features tender matzo balls floating in a bowl of warm soup made from chicken stock and carrots.
Ingredients
For the soup:
1 small whole chicken bones and skin left on
1 whole medium onion
1 lb carrots
5-6 stalks celery with leaves left on
3-4 large sprigs fresh dill
2 -3 tablespoons chicken base
Salt and pepper to taste
For the matzo balls:
4large eggs
¼ cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) or vegetable oil
¼ cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup ground matzo meal
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, dill or cilantro (reader’s choice)
1 teaspoon salt, more for cooking
Black pepper
Directions
For the Soup:
Rough cut the carrots into 1-2 inch pieces
Place the whole chicken and the whole onion in a large stock pot
Fill with cold water, it should just cover the chicken
Bring to simmer
Skim fat from the top before adding in remaining ingredients
Add in carrots, celery, dill salt and pepper
Simmer partially covered for at least an hour to an hour and a half
You will know when it is getting close when the chicken begins to fall apart
Cook for another 1/2 hour after that
Remove the chicken, onion, celery and dill from the pot and discard the vegetable
Remove the chicken from the bone (careful, it will be hot!), shred it, and add it back to the pot along with the homemade broth
For the Matzo Balls:
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, schmaltz (or vegetable oil), stock, ground matzo meal, nutmeg, ginger and parsley. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Gently mix with a whisk or spoon
Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight
To shape and cook the matzo balls, fill a wide, deep pan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil
With wet hands, take some of the mix and mold it into the size and shape of a Ping-Pong ball
Gently drop it into the boiling water, repeating until all the mix is used
Cover the pan, reduce heat to a lively simmer over medium hat and cook matzo balls about 30 to 40 minutes for al dente, longer for lighter fluffiness
Transfer to finished chicken soup and served immediately
Why this Recipe Works
Traditionally, Jews avoid eating leavened foods made from grains during Passover, known in Hebrew as “chametz.” Matzo is served at the Passover seder, and essentially replaces other leavened foods throughout the eight-day holiday
The heat of the soup, the carbohydrates in the matzo balls, the extra liquid for hydration, and the chemical properties of the broth all combine to help the body power through a cold. And, in addition to the medicinal benefits, matzo ball soup provides a comforting taste of home.
Pro Tips
This takes time to make and extra refrigeration time, so read the whole recipe and plan ahad
You can't overcook a matzo ball. It's not possible. But you can absolutely under cook one. So if you need to leave it in longer, that's OK.
If the matzo balls still seem dense or tight, they haven't cooked long enough. The should look soft and airy. Test for doneness by slicing a test matzo ball in half. It should look the same all the way through the center – tender, with no dark spot in the middle
After making the matzo balls, and before putting in the soup, they may be placed on a baking sheet and frozen, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen until a few hours before serving by reheat in the chicken soup
“First you gotta do the truffle shuffle.”
The Scene: In the beginning of the movie, we meet each friend through their caricature entrances. Chunk is trying to join the friends but Mouth insists he “do the truffle shuffle” first.
Fun Fact: According to the full movie transcript, the scene is written as follows:
[Chunk groans and then climbs up onto a tree stump near the gate. He rolls up the lower half of his shirt, makes a strange facial expression, and then shakes himself. The layers of fat on his chest and abdomen jiggle as he makes all sorts of silly sounds to accompany. Mouth giggles hysterically.] Source
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Today we will be making:
Chocolate “Shuffle” Truffles
Chocolate truffles are bite-sized, rich, and decadent French chocolate confections with a soft, creamy ganache center and a hard, crunchy chocolate coating.
Ingredients
10 oz dark chocolate melts (use baking chocolate only—chocolate chips, or chocolate block coarsely chopped)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream (full fat, not low fat, not whipped)
Optional for coating:
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
1/3 cup sprinkles or similar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Place chocolate, cream and butter in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high for 30 second bursts 4 times, stirring in between
Cover bowl with a plate and stand for 5 minutes, then stir until chocolate is melted and smooth (you’ve just made a ganache)
Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 6 hours
Put a dinner plate or tray that you will use to place the rolled truffles on in the fridge as well
Place cocoa / coatings of choice in a small bowl or plate (optional)
Remove ganache from fridge. The chocolate mixture should be firm - softer than cold butter but harder than peanut butter.
Scoop up a tablespoon, then use a teaspoon to scoop the mixture out into your hands. Roll into balls then place on chilled plate. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture
Once all balls are rolled, roll in cocoa or coatings of choice (optional)
Serve at room temp so the chocolate is beautifully creamy inside!
Why This Recipe Works
The world’s easiest 3-ingredient sweet treat – chocolate, butter and cream!
Pro Tips
This recipe takes 6 hours of refrigeration time while you learn all the Fun Facts about Goonies to impress your guests, so plan ahead before making
When it comes to the chocolate—the better the quality, the better the truffle. But still so luxurious made with mainstream brand chocolate you get in grocery stores. Just be sure to use the chocolate you buy in the baking aisle, not eating chocolate. Baking chocolate is made for melting smoothly, eating chocolate does not melt properly and also has a different consistency once it resets
For the cream—full fat all the way—it’s actually required. Don’t use a cream with less than 30% fat because then the chocolate won’t firm up enough to scoop ‘n roll
Butter adds another layer of richness to the chocolate truffles as well as assisting with consistency (because butter firms up in the fridge to make the mixture roll-able but then softens once the truffles are at room temp).
Make sure that the truffle mixture is properly chilled before rolling them so I recommend chilling for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Don’t be tempted to freeze it to speed it up because then the chocolate will set unevenly which will result in some parts that are too hard to scoop out
Before you start rolling, run your hands under cold water and keep an ice pack, frozen peas or something cold nearby to keep your hands cold throughout the rolling process so your body heat doesn’t melt the chocolate
Chunk : [finds a Pepsi-Cola cooler outside of the restaurant] “Soda pop! Oh! Boy. I am thirsty.”
[Chunk discovers the cooler is empty]
Chunk : Damn it!
[Chunk slams the lid]
The Scene: As the kids are exploring the seemingly abandoned Lighthouse Lounge, Chunk discovers a Pepsi cooler and is crushed to find out it is empty.
Fun Fact: Pepsi-Cola was invented in 1893 by Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina, who sold it at his drugstore soda fountain. Bradham originally called the drink "Brad's Drink" and made it with sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, kola nuts, nutmeg, and other additives. Bradham believed the drink was more than a refreshment and that it could help with digestion, so he advertised it as "exhilarating," "invigorating," and an "aid to digestion". In 1898, Bradham renamed the drink "Pepsi-Cola," buying the name "Pep Kola" from a local competitor. The name "Pepsi" may have been a reference to the drink's supposed digestive properties, similar to the digestive enzyme pepsin, though pepsin was never used as an ingredient. "Cola" refers to the drink's cola flavor, and Bradham may have also been trying to replicate the success of Coca-Cola. Bradham trademarked the name in 1903 and incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902 due to the drink's popularity.
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Today we will be making:
Pepsi Wild Cherry Fizz
Inspired by a classic Cherry Fizz cocktail, the Pepsi Wild Cherry Fizz uses just the right combo of Pepsi Wild Cherry and lemonade to strike a perfect balance between sweet and tart. Cheers!
Ingredients
1.5 oz vodka
2 oz Lemonade
5 oz PEPSI® Wild Cherry
Directions
Fill a tall cocktail glass with ice
Pour in vodka, lemonade, and top off with Pepsi Wild Cherry.
Why This Recipe Works
A fun, bright twist on your classic lemonade cocktail!
Pro Tips
If you’re the type that needs to be extra, garnish with maraschino cherry and dried lemon
You can use other flavored vodkas to try fun twists on this recipe like Smirnoff Vanilla for a deliciously sweet but light tasting drink
