The Bridge To Terabithia

Jesse Aarons is an artistic but misunderstood boy. He is growing up in a crowded house with four sisters and a serious father. Leslie Burke just moved next door. She is independent and creative; the only daughter to a pair of writers. The two kids are unlikely friends, but find common ground in the fact that they are both outcasts. Together they create a secret world in the woods filled with fantastic creatures and a castle which they will rule as King and Queen. They overcome the bullies at school, the struggles at home and build a strong friendship but can the lesson carry them through tragedy?

The stress that home provided Jess was something that he needed to learn to deal with better. The Aarons’ house was obviously too small for their size family and their livelihood was mentioned a couple times throughout the film. The Father maintained a greenhouse which provided them food to eat as well as some extra income. He would sell the fresh produce to the local Farmer’s Market.

Riverside County there are a number of different Farmer’s Markets available throughout the year. The Riverside Certified Farmer’s Market meets every Friday, “rain or shine” according to their website (http://www.riversidecfm.com/). Doi’s Farmers Market is a small family owned store and historical Asian American site in Riverside. They also have a smaller fruit and vegetable stand just down the street. The address is 3300 La Sierra Avenue, here the Doi family sells produce they have grown themselves or from other local farmers. Every Saturday between 8 am and 1 pm you can stroll around the Downtown Farmers Market – Riverside. Stands are set up in the pedestrian mall between 5th and 6th St. (http://www.riversideca.gov/arts/farmers-market.asp).

You can find all sorts of things to buy at a farmer’s market. Plenty of stands have locally and seasonal grown fruit and vegetables for sale. Many of the items, if not all, are organically grown and free of pesticides. Expect to see items besides vegetables for sale as well. Many markets have snack booths, fresh cut flowers for sale, gift baskets, craft items and around Halloween expect to see a pumpkin patch.

Be sure to pick up some freshly picked organic tomatoes and leafy basil while at the market to make this Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients

1 Pound heirloom tomatoes, sliced
8 – 12 Leaves of fresh basil
2 Teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ Pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Slice and layer tomatoes and mozzarella, tear pieces of basil leaves and spread over each layer. Sprinkle top with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Finally use a small dash or two of salt and pepper.

Blindness

Those who came down with the sickness early are struck blind, quarantined and abandoned in an empty mental hospital. Food is the only service that is provided by the Government and as it becomes less frequent so does the humanity and dignity of the victims. The community breaks down, turning to chaos when the occupants of Ward 3 take control of the food. The demands begin, the valuables used to trade for food soon run out and the primal needs of the all male ward take over. A woman who still has her sight, wife of one of the affected, provides an edge as a small group of survivors look to her for care and leadership.

One of the most heart-wrenching scenes in this movie is one where the women have to decide on bartering with their bodies or their entire ward starving to death. There was a period of what seemed a couple days between the vile offers by Ward 3 and when the women made their choice. This seemed like a rash decision. The human body can last quite a long time without food as long as they still have water.

The human body is dependant on food but there are many factors that would affect the need for sustenance in such a short period of time. Level of activity, exposure to the elements, overall body weight and overall health would drastically change how urgently food would be required. The people in the ward were all indoors, so they weren’t exposed to harsh weather. They were blind and weren’t able to get around very easily so their level of activity wouldn’t be high. They did not have lots of food to eat and their conditions were very poor so their weight and health might factor in.

Most doctors believe that a healthy human can go up to eight weeks without food as long as they have water. Gandhi went 21 days without food and Irish republic protestor Bobby Sands went 66 days without food before dying. Their will, determination and the meaning behind their hunger strike played a big part in coping with the length of time without food.

You may be able to last eight weeks without food but why would you? Try the Grilled Salami and Cheese Sandwich, inspired by the movie.

Grilled Salami and Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon of butter
3 – 5 Slices of block mild cheddar cheese
4 – 6 Thinly sliced dry salami
2 Slices rye bread

Preparation

Fry the salami in a pan until the fat is rendered then set aside on paper towel to drain. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread, place cheese on unbuttered side of bread and salami on top of cheese. Place unbuttered slice of bread on top of salami. Place in pan and cook until golden brown and flip. Cook until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Jonathan Harker, a lawyer, is sent from London to Transylvania to finish some real estate business with the strange Count Dracula. He has left his fiancé, Mina Murray, in the care of her wealthy friend Lucy Westenra. While at the castle Mr. Harker sees many bizarre things, is seduced by three bloodthirsty women and forced by Dracula to write letters to his family and Mina saying he will be staying an extra month. Meanwhile, Lucy has come down with an abnormal case of anemia and sleepwalking. Dr. Van Helsing, a specialist, is called into help and immediately recognizes that she is “undead”. A hunting party is formed to destroy Dracula before he attacks again.

A consistent theme in any vampire movie is the creature’s thirst for blood. Lucy is fed on by Dracula, the insane Renfield craves blood while stuck in his cell and Mr. Harker had his blood sucked, multiple times, by the seductive female vampires in the castle. This recurring theme is also played into one of the few food scenes in the movie. When Mr. Harker and his new bride return to London, they meet Professor Van Helsing for dinner. During a very blunt discussion regarding death and blood Van Helsing urges the young couple to “Eat. Feast” on the slabs of rare roast beef in front of them.

Many people eat their steaks rare but people are often warned that this could be dangerous. The health risks stem from the presence of bacteria such as listeria and salmonella which is found in meat. These microorganisms are often found on the surface of steaks and can be killed by cooking the meat at a proper temperature. According to most the minimum temperature considered safe is 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

I don't particularly like roast beef so I chose a simple Pan Seared Steak recipe. Enjoy.

Pan Seared Steak

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Boneless rib eye steak (1 1/2 to 2 lbs, room temperature)
1 Teaspoon coarse salt
1 Teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil in ovenproof pan until it begins to smoke. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Season each side of the steak with salt and pepper. Cook steak in pan over medium-high heat until a crust has formed, about 6 minutes per side. Place pan in over and roast for about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let steak rest for about 5 minutes before carving.

Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo Del Toro's Spanish language film is set in the year 1944 in fascist Spain. The story centers around a young girl named Ofelia whose life is split between real world horrors and a dark fantasy world. Ofelia moves into the home of her cruel new stepfather, Captain Vidal, who leads his men in a vicious battle against the rebels who are still loyal to the old republic. A mysterious insects leads Ofelia into an ancient labyrinth where she encounters a gnarled Faun. The creature gives her hope for a better life as a princess if she can complete three fantastical tasks. Only after proving her lineage would she be able to rightfully claim her place in the Underground Kingdom.

Food plays many important roles within this tale. The stealing of food to give to the rebels, the rationing of food by the evil Captain Vidal, and most importantly it is used to tempt the heroine during one of her tasks. From Christianity to Buddhism and The Odyssey by Homer to the story of Snow White; food has been used to tempt the fate of humans. Eating and drinking is used in many stories as a symbolic act of the true test of one's will.

During Ofelia's second task she must enter the lair of "The Pale Man", a child-eating monster. Laid out before the ghoulish being is a mouth-watering feast to which she has been warned not to eat anything. After completing her task, she stops before the table and decides to eat two grapes despite the panic of the fairies. Ofelia ignoring the warnings she was given could be explained a few ways. Perhaps there was a glamour on the food, she did seem a bit mesmerized as she ate. Maybe it was a new found sense of independence. Perhaps her decision was base on the experience she had made in an earlier task: She had to choose the door which held the magical dagger. The fairies pointed to one door and she chose another. After choosing correctly perhaps she felt she knew better then those who were giving her these tests and wilfully chose to partake in the forbidden fruit. The explanation could be a fairly simple one; Ofelia was sent to bed without dinner for ruining her dress. She might have just been hungry and the luxury of the banquet was too much to bear.

If you're hungry try the recipes below which were inspired by Pan's Labyrinth. Spanish Rabbit Stew and Sugared Grapes. Enjoy!


Spanish Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

5 slices of bacon, diced
1 large rabbit cut in to 8 pieces
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups chopped onion
4 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Teaspoon coarse salt
1 Cup dry white wine
3 Cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/4 Cup dry sherry
Butter to thicken sauce

Preparation

Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook the bacon until it is brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels.
Season the rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining bacon fat and sear the rabbit pieces until golden on all sides, turning often, about 55 minutes. Lift out the rabbit pieces and reserve. Add the onion to the pan and saute until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 50 minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, red pepper flakes and salt, and cook until the aromas are released, about 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce by half.
Add the stock, browned rabbit pieces, browned bacon and bay leaves. Cook, covered, until rabbit is fork tender, about 1 hour.
Carefully lift out the rabbit pieces and transfer to a serving platter. Add the sherry to the sauce along with enough butter to thicken the sauce, whisking until the butter is incorporated. Pour the sauce over the warm rabbit pieces.

Sugared Grapes

Ingredients

1/4 cup pasteurized liquid egg whites
2lbs seedless grapes (cut into 2 to 4 inch clusters)
1 cup superfine granulated sugar

Preparation

Hold grape clusters by the stem and brush lightly with the egg whites. Move onto wax paper, sprinkle with sugar. Coat all sides with sugar. Shake off excess sugar. Dry grapes uncovered at room temperature for about 2 hours.