TV is funny because it's creating little realities that many times seem to exist in a parallel universe, one that includes food and brands that don't exist in our world. Sure, we're used to really obvious and maybe less obvious product placement at this point, but it's more fun when things are made up, or in this case, a TV industry-wide inside joke. There have been a few different stories (and even a now-defunct blog) about the famous Let's potato chips that pervade TV—spanning networks, genres and decades, and it's fun to compare how the fictional brand is used in different fictional worlds.
Read more#tbt Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Infinity Gift Basket Chocolate Turtles [The Office]
I'm so obsessed with 30 Rock and Parks and Rec, it's surprising to find out I didn't watch The Office for the first time until a couple of years ago, and obviously I instantly loved it. I've only re-watched one more time sequentially, and I decided to revisit it again recently, which was an excellent decision. Unsurprisingly, food is used intentionally and thoughtfully in the show, featuring specifics for peak comedy moments. This episode, Dunder Mifflin Infinity, was no different. Michael Scott is trying to win back clients with elaborate gift baskets that include all the cliché fixings. I LOVE chocolate turtles and have since I was really young, so when Andy Bernard reached for them and was shut down by Michael, I felt his excitement and disappointment. The turtles recur as a plot point later when Michael throws a fit when he goes to get a basket back in true Michael Scott form and sees they ate the turtles already. I can't blame him, they're delicious. I needed something sweet to bring to a reunion of coworkers and when I chose this, I didn't make the connection that I was bringing something from The Office to former coworkers, and it made me love the choice even more. I wanted to up the flavor with some homemade caramel and I definitely think it elevated these from an above average day at work to Pretzel Day.
Read moreKevin and Sophie's Diner Lava Fries [This Is Us]
This Is Us ends its first heart-wrenching season tomorrow, and it will no doubt be an event that requires comfort food. I knew the second the episode where Kevin [SPOILER] starts to try to get Sophie back that I would need to explore this concept of lava fries, especially ones that have the power to make an ex-wife take a seat instead of walking out in the MORNING. My first thought was that Kevin for sure does not eat fries, but creative license. My first FOOD thought was that they are probably chili fries, but that is pretty played out and the concept of them kind of grosses me out. I thought that they needed a little spice and maybe even a bit of a makeover, so I baked the fries for hot oil-avoidance and explored the best complementing flavors possible. Also I meant to add parmesan cheese before the pics and forgot but just know it is MUCH SUGGESTED.
Read more#tbt Ron Swanson's All The Bacon and Eggs Pie [Parks and Recreation]
A few things went into the making of this post. First, I had an immediate reaction to seeing this post on Tasty and knew I had to make this recipe ASAP. Because of that, I didn't even really attempt to change anything to it, so I'm just laying that out there. Another thing is that one of these days, I will make pie crust from scratch, but this was one of those times where I needed to know it was going to operate as planned, so I went store-bought. And the last and most fun thing is that I've been going over and over what recipe I could make for the "all the bacon and eggs you have" moment in Parks and Rec. It's from one of my favorite strings of episodes in the show, and it's just so memorable in the delivery and specificity and Ron-ness of it all. When I saw this recipe and was so excited about it in general, my immediate thought was that it's the perfect thing to make for this wonderful Ron moment. I was also trying to think of clever ways to prep for Pi Day because I'm a huge nerd, and this was just the very timely answer I was looking for.
Read morePhil's Not-Quite-Pool-Sized Margarita [The Last Man on Earth]
I'm behind on The Last Man On Earth, but going all the way back to the very first episodes, the show always had a fun look at food. Imagine, having access to perceivably all the food in the world to yourself! Well, we get a glimpse of that when we see the mess Phil has made, and his margarita pool is half disgusting, half fantasy. It's pretty gross to see him reclining in the oversized cocktail while he drinks from a comically long straw, but I have to admit on more occasions than one, after a particularly trying day at work, I wish I could order that size of cocktail directly to my couch. Since the show returned last night, and I've never done a drink on here, I thought it was fitting to make the first a margarita Monday.
Read more#tbt Serena van der Woodsen's Not-On-The-Menu Truffle Grilled Cheese [Gossip Girl]
My love for the first two seasons of Gossip Girl runs super deep. I watched the pilot live when I was starting my senior year of high school, and I remember this "grilled cheese with truffle oil" moment because I was largely unaware of what truffles were at the time (ha!). Of course, I knew it was fancy because it was Chuck and Serena and they were in The Palace, but then Chuck tried to use off-the-menu fancy grilled cheese as currency for sex and things were turned up to 100 immediately. After the pilot, they changed a bunch of things (like Chuck taking a limo everywhere instead of THE BUS (?!?!?!)), namely that he stopped being a sexual predator because...problems. Soon after the episode aired, the restaurant The Palace started offering truffle grilled cheese as a menu item for something like 15 dollars (or 30 for a soup pairing). I've always wanted to make one of my own, but the pressure honestly made me nervous. Grilled cheese is pretty basic, but this had stakes and I wanted it to taste extra special. Plus I have a bad habit of completely burning bread when I make grilled cheese. I added some extra flavors like crispy onions, used four cheeses and did A LOT of research on how to not completely burn the bread when melting the cheese. This came out delicious, flavorful, crunchy and cheesy on the first try. I may have teared up. xoxo....
Read moreRebecca Bunch's Group Hang Nachos [Crazy Ex-Girlfriend]
In the first season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rebecca was not thrilled when her dinner hang with Josh became a group hang with a delicious looking pile of nachos (and a lot of other food). The show employs food very thoughtfully, and in the song "Group Hang," I had a lot to choose from. Not only do the nachos appear in the scene and get a call out, when I saw the scene, I got an instant craving for a delicious pile of nachos with the works. I engineered my perfect combination of homemade layers for my own Oscar watching group hang, and then fantasized about them until they were ready to go. Let's just say, they disappeared before the ceremony started.
Read more#tbt + Awards Show Eats: The Icehouse Shrimp Burger [Dawson's Creek]
For this #tbt show on a Friday, we're taking it back to 1998. Nearly 20 years ago, a Clinton was president but The Parents Television council found the show too sexual and many groups would protest it being on the air. It was this time when 2017 Oscar nominee Michelle Williams would come on the scene as the show's resident "rebellious girl" banished to Capeside all the way from the big city. Food doesn't play a huge part on the show, but since Joey's family and The Icehouse are synonymous until SPOILER it burns down at the end of season 2, it's what I went to when I thought to honor Williams's nominated performance in another role that takes place by a seaside town in Massachusetts.
Read moreChicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza [The Good Wife/The Good Fight]
Okay, so this is kind of cheating, BUT it's deep dish pizza so it's an automatic pass, right? Last year (in my old apartment with questionable lighting), I made this to watch the season finale of The Good Wife so we could celebrate with some Chicago fare to say goodbye to a Chicago-based show. Now that the blog is up and running and the spinoff, The Good Fight is up and running, I thought it was a great time to post this instant favorite. Although it's a huge oversight that (to my recollection) we never see them eat deep dish in the show, it can be inferred, right? I live in New York surrounded by amazing pizza, but there are times when deep dish pizza is the only answer. I was really nervous to try this out, considering when you go to the original Uno in Chicago, you order about an hour in advance, I thought the process invited more than one way to completely mess up. Turns out, it's time consuming, but I didn't have much to worry about and I was treated to leftover deep dish for days (it's just as good re-heated).
Read more#tbt Ann Perkins-approved NutriYum bars [Parks and Recreation]
Technically Galentine's Day has passed, but I'm celebrating Saturday so it still feels like this week is Parks and Rec domain. Instead of going full Leslie Knope and having dessert for every meal, or just straight sugar for the week, I decided to make something a little healthier, if not just as delicious. If I was going to follow the actual NutriYum recipe, it would really be just sugar because according to Ann, it is a block of sugar. I decided to not go that route, but that doesn't mean they aren't tasty and filling. With just six ingredients, these bars are super easy and make a great snack or breakfast on the go. Despite the fact that there is no added sugar (besides the peanut butter if you use sugary peanut butter), I still think Leslie would eat a case of them and be really hyper if she was doing an all night fundraiser.
Read moreAwards Show Eats: The Grammys / The Chanels' Better Than Cotton Balls Rice Krispies [Scream Queens]
So, this is a stretch, but hear me out. I "needed" a way to tie in TV with the Grammys so I took a few steps. Ariana Grande was nominated, and she was on Scream Queens season 1. There are a lot of actual gross food moments on that show, given it's a campy horror show that lives up to that description. But as a former sorority member myself, one of my favorite parts of the show is the usually inaccurate but fun to watch stereotypes of the sorority, like when the Chanels eat only cotton balls for lunch. Although this is a rumor that circulates more in the ballet world, the imagery of the girls at the table with cotton ball lunches was pretty funny (if it weren't pretty wrong and sad, too).
Read more#tbt Betty's Can't Stop at One Ice Cream Sundaes [Mad Men]
Betty's fat suit era was a fun one for the lifer viewers of Mad Men. Especially when she indulged her larger side and, oh I don't know, ate two sundaes in one sitting when Sally abandoned hers. The idea of this scene feels like an American fantasy—a mother and daughter sharing an American treat in their American home in the 60s. I wanted to recreate it for myself. Except my mom lives states away and it's 2017. So basically I will be sharing this with myself and will soon look like I have some padding just like January Jones did.
Read moreMeyerist Reprogramming Green Juice [The Path]
The Path (a Hulu original series) is a weird show by nature. A fictional culty religion and its followers is the kind of premise that implies that. Season two episodes just started to be released, but one of the weirdest things that stuck with me from the first season, though, was the use of a green juice. Part of the "rehab" or "detox" process for members who essentially are in solitary confinement to re-find their connection to the religion is to drink a psychotropic green juice. Something our society has come to revere as the definition of a healthy choice is used in this world as a "reprogramming" device.
Read more#tbt Rachel's "go long" soft pretzels (and cheesy dip) [Friends]
The Super Bowl is Sunday, which is the best night, not for football, but for food, obviously. Not everyone likes football or commercials that are now released ahead of time, but sports food is universal. The perfect example of this comes from The One With The Football episode of Friends. Rachel gets bored of the intense game of football the group plays to win the Geller Cup and "went really long" to get a soft pretzel instead.
Read moreAwards Show Eats: SAG Awards / Freddy's BBQ cauliflower [House of Cards]
I know House of Cards is an old name on the awards circuit, and it wasn't a favorite to win at the SAG awards, but how damn good do those ribs look every time Francis goes to his former favorite spot?! Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright were both nominated, so I thought a veggie version of the politician's favorite DC eats would be a good way to enjoy my favorite awards show. Food from a political show felt right on this particular night, anyway.
Read more#tbt Bluth Cornballer baked hushpuppies [Arrested Development]
The Bluths are a very enterprising family and one of their ill-fated ventures cam in the form of the Cornballer, a mysterious deep frier-type appliance that burned whoever tried to use it. Use at your own risk aside, I was always curious exactly what cornballs exactly were. We never got a great look, despite the infomercials and its availability in Mexico only. While the Bluths should stick with frozen bananas (and trust me, I'll get there), I took cornballing into my own hands, and I didn't get burned once. That's maybe because I do almost anything I can to avoid frying things so I don't get burned or burn down my apartment.
Read moreOlivia Pope's every meal popcorn [Scandal]
Olivia Pope has a lot things about her life "handled" (or, she did until things went CRAZY a couple seasons ago), but her diet was never one of those things. For someone so in command of insane situations, we pretty much only ever see her eating popcorn with red wine out of her signature Crate & Barrel wine glasses. Even though she's an established woman with more than enough means to at least get delivery, she makes the sad choice to eat several servings of popcorn on her own. But at least she has it together enough to always put it in a chic glass bowl. That way you know this questionable nutritional choice is deliberate.
Read more#tbt Gavin Volure's not-potpourri veggie chips [30 Rock]
If Tina Fey is the female and comedy icon we all aspire to be, then Liz Lemon is the food icon we all recognize in ourselves. 30 Rock's episodes are dense with both jokes and food references, and the fictional food is used perfectly in the show. Liz Lemon falls at about Lorelai Gilmore levels of healthy when it comes to her diet, but that doesn't mean healthy food can't be extracted from moments in the show.
When Liz accompanies Jack to rich, house-arrested businessman Gavin Volure's fancy house, she puts on a dress in place of her usual jeans and flannel, but that doesn't give her appetite a makeover. She reaches for a bowl of dried something at the table instead of engaging Jack in conversation, but it turns out to be potpourri or "these are not chips." Here, I offer the alternative outcome.
Read moreI've created a muenster (mini) burger [Bob's Burgers]
I've been watching "adult cartoons" ever since I was probably too young and my brother had control of the remote, and when Bob's Burgers came along, I assumed it was one and the same with The Simpsons and Family Guys of the world—dysfunctional American family with lovable functional qualities. And though that's the idea, Bob's has a special, even more lovable punniness to it, both in the illustration and writing and it is always fun and fresh. One of its trademark features is its daily punny specials written on the chalkboard behind the counter. Some genius already made a blog and a cookbook from it, so I used it as source material to tackle all the delicious sounding burgers in the show. The Belchers don't have a ton going for them, but their burgers always sound pretty amazing.
Read more#tbt Sookie's not-for-kids mac and cheese [Gilmore Girls]
I started to watch Gilmore Girls almost a year ago. I didn't really like it when it was on originally, so I wasn’t really expecting to like it when I decided to give it a try during a winter laundry day last January. But I fell hard, and proceeded to watch nothing but Gilmore for the next 6 weeks. Now, although I’ve already watched it about four times through since my initial watch, I still associate it with a cozy, cold weather vibe. Winter also comes with one of the show's main features, the Gilmore Fantasy diet that comes with each episode. Some say gross, I say jealous. I digress. As soon as I read that there was going to be an unofficial Gilmore Girls cookbook in the middle of last year, my obsession was fresh and I was already in the planning stages of this blog, so I knew I had to have it. I backed the kickstarter and anxiously awaited my book, which came in the fall.
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