We're kind of odd Americans in that we don't watch football around here and the Super Bowl passes us by with barely a blink of notice. No one ever invites us to Super Bowl parties because we just don't hang with that kind of crowd. (In fact last year I ignorantly planned a big birthday party for my girls on SB Sunday because, hey, I didn't know any better. Consequently, there were a couple people who didn't come to my party!)
That said, this time of year, days before the game, there are menus and recipes for all kinds of good ol' American party food like hot wings and guacamole everywhere I turn. Now that is something I can get into- party food with a theme that everyone looks forward to as part of the special day. It almost makes me want to throw a Super Bowl party and try to find someone who would come. Almost.
Today I found another excuse to eat on a theme. An Oscar party. With food inspired by the nominees for best picture! I'm sorry, but I just love the fun idea of cooking and eating with a theme like oats and apples in the form of Cranberry Apple Crisp and Oatmeal cookies to honor the movie War Horse, or Cheddar Hot Dogs and Caramel Corn Clusters for the baseball movie Moneyball, crab cakes for the Hawaiian setting of The Descendants and oysters and champagne for Midnight in Paris. Please! Someone throw this party and invite me! Or, I'll throw it and you come and help me cook and eat. Who cares who wins the best picture award, let's just eat good food for fun!
This is one reason why I love the gourmet dinners we have a few times a year with my gourmet cooking friends. We always pick a cuisine and work up a menu that is fun to make together as well as a delightful treat to eat together. At our last meal we made Thai/Vietnamese food and I learned the proper way to make Phad Thai. We'll see if I remember what I learned because Monday is daughter Alyssa's birthday as well as the day Katie and our precious grandson's arrive from Michigan and Alyssa has requested Phad Thai for our celebratory family meal.
So I do have great party food to look forward to, even if not a football game on the side.