At GayTravel, we’re making lemonade out of lemons (or maybe in this case we’re making delicious popcorn – see recipe below). Each week, we’ll suggest movies paired with a popcorn recipe for you and yours to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. In case you missed last week's recommendations, the GayTravel audience gave all three movies an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars (5 being the best). Thank you so much for your fantastic feedback: we've incorporated your recommendations within this week's selection and will do so again next week.
Our theme of the “ridiculous to riveting” continues, so without further ado...
IT'S SHOWTIME!
The Birdcage
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 out of 5 stars as rated by Gay Travel's Audience
Released in 1996 by United Artists and Directed by Mike Nichols. Comedy. Starring Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, and Christine Baranski.
The Birdcage is a remake of the 1978 Franco-Italian film, La Cage aux Folles by Édouard Molinaro. Awarded by The Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Cast, the ensemble of actors are stellar together. And at the same time, each of the stars steal the show in their own right. You’ll truly laugh out loud as this film transports you to the hot little melting pot of the sea, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida. We are fa-mi-ly….!
Watch official trailer:
Call Me By Your Name
⭐⭐⭐⭐4+ out of 5 stars as rated by Gay Travel's Audience
Released in 2017 by Sony Pictures Classics and Directed by Luca Guadagnin. Romance/Drama. Starring Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet.
We present this film in honor of our friends and family in Italy. Set “Somewhere in Northern Italy” Call Me By Your Name is an Academy Award Winner for Best Adapted Screenplay (James Ivory). It's easy to travel in our hearts and minds as we watch this film accompanied by an elegant sound track that evokes feelings of a summer dream. Vogue Italia describes it this way: "Call Me by Your Name’s sun-dappled version of Northern Italy, with its verdant gardens, grand architecture, and misty swimming ponds, is sure to ignite a certain ache in viewers—and not just an ache for an all-consuming romance long gone or for a breathless future dalliance."
Watch official trailer:
CAROL
⭐⭐⭐⭐4+ out of 5 stars as rated by Gay Travel's Audience
Released in 2015 and Directed by Todd Haynes. Drama/Romance. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
CAROL, set in New York City in the 1950’s, is one our favorites and falls into the “riveting” category. A ten-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival along with too many other accolades and awards to mention tells us we’re not alone in our adoration. This review from the American Film Institute says it perfectly: “CAROL sets the screen aglow with the light of longing as Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara transform a period piece into a timeless cry from defiant hearts. Todd Haynes serves their romance as a restorative cocktail, adding splashes of color to a repressive Eisenhower era, when love was often seen in black-and-white. From luminous performances to sumptuous production, this is cinema's promise fulfilled—a haunting portrait in moving images, painted in the universal hues of heartache and passion.”
Watch official trailer:
Italian and Immunity-Boosting Popcorn Recipe
You didn’t think we would serve up movie recommendations without the popcorn, did you? The week's perfect popcorn pairing comes courtesy of a member of the GayTravel audience who shared this delizioso Italian popcorn recipe.
GOOD NEWS OR BUENO NOTIZIE as they say in Italian! Eating popcorn can help boost your immune system! Scusi?? Sì!! If done right, popcorn is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Popcorn is high in polyphenols which act similarly to antioxidants meaning they can neutralize harmful free radicals that would otherwise increase your risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Studies show that polyphenols can reduce some of the oxidative damage caused by strenuous exercise too! Popcorn experts and nutritionists tell us that a serving of popcorn contains 300 milligrams of polyphenols per serving which is more than what is found in most fruits and vegetables.
Italian Popcorn, served up hot and yummy from the GayTravel Kitchen. Mangia!
Cook time: 10 minutes. Yield: 2 quarts, serves 2
Ingredients
1/3 cup Multi-color (calico or rainbow), non-GMO popcorn
3 tablespoons coconut oil or other high-heat such as avocado oil
½ cup finely grated Italian Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of butter (or more to taste)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 tablespoon dry oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
Optional: salt to taste
Special equipment
3-quart, thick-bottomed pot with cover
GayTravel Kitchen Note: Ensure the inside of the pot is completely dry before heating the oil in it or else the oil will sputter.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1) Heat the oil: Heat the oil in a 3-quart thick-bottomed saucepan on medium high heat. If you are using coconut oil, allow all of the solid oil to melt.
2) Place 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil. Wait for the popcorn kernels to pop.
GayTravel Kitchen Note: This step is important as it will help the kernels to heat up evenly, preventing burnt and un-popped kernels.
3) When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer.
4) Cover the pot, remove from heat and count 30 seconds.
GayTravel Kitchen Tip: if you are multi-lingual or aspiring to be, please count in the language of your choice. Uno, due, tre, quattro!
5) Return pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan (and your booty) by moving it back and forth over the burner.
GayTravel Kitchen Note: For those who prefer a drier and crisper popcorn, keep the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to release.
6) Popping will start to slowdown to several seconds between pops. This indicates that it’s time to remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and immediately pour the popcorn into your favorite serving bowl.
7) Use the same hot and empty pan to melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook one more minute.
GayTravel Kitchen Note: More intense flavor will be infused into your popcorn if you allow the butter and garlic to get a tinge brown.
8) Strain the garlic butter through a fine-meshed strainer into a small bowl and set aside
9) Combine the cheese, oregano, and red pepper flakes, (salt optional), in a mini-food processor and process the mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
8) Drizzle the melted garlic butter over the popcorn, then add the cheese mixture.
9) Toss well and serve hot!
We are truly fortunate to live in a world where talented people make films that transport us somewhere else. Tune in next week for more noteworthy movie recommendations and complementary popcorn recipes!
What's your favorite popcorn recipe? Share your recipes below in the "Join The Conversation" section below.
P.S.
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