Chicken Fried Steak with Cabernet Sauce – Dallas Buyer’s Club

The Film:

The Dish:

The Reason:

Only in Texas would you find a character like Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) – and a dish like chicken fried steak. A man’s man, who likes red wine, a rib eye, bull riding and the love of the ladies, Ron is lost when he discovers he has HIV – and only thirty days to live. This is the sort of dish that would help pack some meat back on his emaciated frame. I trust that any deception from the title of the dish won’t come as too much of a disappointment to someone who spends their remaining time smuggling substances – life saving as they are- into …

Meatloaf with Beer Braised Onion Gravy – Nebraska

The Film:

The Dish:

The Reason:

Not everything is going Woody Grant (Bruce Dern’s) way. He  just wants to get from Montana to Lincoln Nebraska, to claim the million dollars he’s convinced he’s won in a sweepstakes. If he could have the respect of his family and old friends, procure a new truck, a compressor and eat meatloaf for dinner (despite the fact that it’s only part of the lunch specials), things might be a little brighter. No wonder he’s taking respite in a cold ale (or three) along the way. This meatloaf is happy-making stuff. Thanks to the downy-plush of the milk soaked breadcrumbs it’s soft enough to eat- even if you’ve …

Brandy Soused Brack – Philomena

The Film:

 The Dish:

The Reason:

Every time Philomena Lee (Judi Dench) has returned to the convent in Tipperary, searching for information about the son she bore, which was later stolen from her, she comes away empty handed- bar a serving of brack cake and a cup of tea. Little wonder that later on in her search for him in America that she turns to the wee bottles of brandy in the mini bar for solace. What follows is an Irish a loaf as the Celtic harp. You’ll find a splash of brandy for courage, while the sweetness of dark brown muscavado sugar stands in for Philomena’s forgiving nature. It’s best …