Movies in the Park Menu: An Affair to Remember Chicago
The Outdoor Film Festival returns this week with 1957’s “An Affair to Remember,” starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. For this week’s menu, we’re sailing through the French Riviera along with the characters.
Food is mentioned in the early minutes of the movie as a news announcer discusses the engagement of playboy Nickie Ferrante (Grant) to a wealthy (and apparently attractive) heiress. “Not only all that lettuce,” he says dryly, “but a beautiful tomato, too. Wow.” Cheeky!
Ferrante meets Terry McKay (Kerr) as they sail from Europe to New York to meet their respective partners. The ship’s dining room is the setting for much of their flirty banter, although they’re never there long enough to actually pick up a fork. They do, however, find time to have a few drinks:
Nickie: Don’t you think life should be gay and bright a bubbly like champagne?
Terry: I like pink champagne.
Nickie: Yes, that’s the kind I mean – pink champagne. Now is there any reason why from now on, this trip shouldn’t be pink champagne?
Terry: Mmm, hmm. (Points to a picture of her boyfriend)
Nickie: Oh, dear.
But pink champagne it is, and after a stop in a lovely French Riviera town to meet his grandmother, they can’t deny they’ve fallen in love. There are pesky fiancées and boyfriends to deal with, though, so they decide to meet in six months at the top of the Empire State Building. When the time comes, however, a tragic accident threatens to keep them apart forever.
For our menu, we’re making our own stop in France and along the Mediterranean:
- To start, a nice French cheese. Tomme de Savoie, perhaps?
- And what’s a good cheese without a crusty baguette?
- Next, a classic Salade Niçoise with fresh tuna, olives and seasonal green beans, bell peppers and tomatoes. Try it with chicken or salmon, if you prefer.
- For dessert,
French macaroons
- And to drink, what else? Pink champagne! Cheers!
The Outdoor Film Festival is winding down and will conclude next week with “Grease.” Be sure to enjoy these last few summer events because, as Terry tells Nickie, “Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories.”
(Images: 20th Century Fox and Gaetan Lee, licensed under Creative Commons)