Friday Meals on Reels: Super-Spectacular Coen Brothers Edition!

Hey, did you know that the Oscars are being given out this weekend?

If you’ve been paying attention, you know how lame I’ve been in any Oscar-related reporting and/or speculation this year, even more so than previous years. But although Burbanked has never been an awards prognostication site, you should not misunderstand that to mean that I don’t care. In fact, Oscar night at the Burbanked house is a sacred, majestic occasion – probably the only one of its kind throughout the year – in which I command Michael Mann-like control over the traditional levels of noise, chaos and mayhem that usually accompanies my three little rough-and-tumble monkey-boys. On Oscar night I am allowed – nay, even encouraged! – to retreat to my basement media entertainment center to watch the Oscar pre- and award shows undisturbed and unmolested. It’s an evening of magic and splendor!

So the best I can give you on this pre-Oscar blogging day is a special edition of Friday Meals on Reels in which we’ll take a look back at the entire foodgrab history of presumptive 2008 Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen. Admittedly, there’s a chance that No Country For Old Men won’t sweep all of the Oscar categories for which it’s been nominated, but I think it’s got a pretty exceptional chance of succeeding in Adapted Screenplay, Best Directing and Best Picture, so I’ll go ahead and admit that I’ve gotten on the phone with Pittsburgh’s most reputable bookie and placed a bet that approximates the value of twice my mortgage, plus 78% of my internal organs. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, take a delectable trip down memory lane as we consider how the Coen brothers feature food in their filmography (click the pictures to see larger versions):

Blood Simple, 1984 Technically, this might not be classified as a “meal”, simply because no one is seen eating it, or about to eat it. But, at the 37-minute mark, it’s the closest I could come to food for Blood Simple, and the fish do make repeated appearances throughout the movie.

Miller’s Crossing, 1990 Well, we’re just getting off to a rousing start here, because I couldn’t find a DVD of Miller’s Crossing in time for this posting. You’ll just have to be content imagining that Gabriel Byrne spies a piece of lettuce stuck in Marcia Gay Harden’s teeth.

Barton Fink, 1991 And once again, a Barton Fink DVD proved hard to come by, but I did find this grab with orange juice in the background. Wow, this post sure is going nowhere fast.

The Hudsucker Proxy, 1994 At about 33½ minutes in, Tim Robbins’ and Jennifer Jason Leigh’s characters get to meet for the first time, along with our first bit of mystery meat heading into Robbins’ gaping maw.

Fargo, 1996 Fargo is only 6½ minutes old when we get to see poor, oblivious Jean preparing dinner for the husband who has just come home from sealing her fate.

The Big Lebowski, 1998 Wow! This grab – at only 2½ minutes – is in the very first shot of the movie. The Food abides.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?, 2000 At the four minute mark, the Foggy Bottom Boys enjoy a bit of fresh chicken, country-style, just before being put back into a tight spot.

The Man Who Wasn’t There, 2001 There is very little humorous material to be found in James Gandolfini stuffing his face. And don’t think I didn’t try, either.

Intolerable Cruelty, 2003 Once again we find food present at the first moment – at about 24 minutes in – that the Coens introduce us to our two lead characters who will inevitably fall in love. Coincidence?

The Ladykillers, 2004 There’s probably not a lick of aesthetic meaning or symbolism to the food here, although it’s interesting to note that the eater has recently consumed Burger King french fries, some cereal, Sprite and a bag of Fritos. Sounds like breakfast at the Burbanked house.

And I saved my very favorite for last, primarily because it comes directly after one of the best lines in this script, which is about the most quotable script ever written:

Raising Arizona, 1987
I found myself driving past convenience stores…that weren’t on the way home.

Join me after the jump to see what the heart-smashingly stunning Mrs. Burbanked has prepared for all of you Coenofiles.

Today’s Friday Meals on Reels: Writer-Director Twice-Baked Two-Headed Broccoli Potatoes

• 4 medium baking potatoes
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons cut fresh dill
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Scrub and poke the potatoes with a fork for venting. Bake at 400° F for one hour or until tender. Cut a thin slice off the top of each potato. Throw this away or feed it to your doggie. Carefully scoop out the potato, leaving a thin layer of peel.

In a small pan, saute the broccoli and onion in butter for five minutes or until tender. In a large bowl – about the size of M. Emmet Walsh – mash the potato with milk, sour cream, dill, salt and pepper until smooth. Fold in broccoli mixture.

Stuff into potato peels and sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Serve to family, except for those whom you’ve double-crossed, arranged to have kidnapped, or have otherwise endangered because of your weakness, greed or stupidity, friend-o.