The holidays and even Valentine's Day have come and gone, leaving a long, dull stretch with few festive occasions. Thank goodness for Sunday's Academy Awards, a bright spot in the dead of winter that gives us a perfect excuse to sip champagne and slip away to warm, sparkling Hollywood – and party like the stars, if just for one night.
The menu options for an Oscar party are as varied as the nine movies nominated for Best Picture this year. You could present an array of black and white foods to echo "The Artist," fried chicken and lemon meringue pie to represent "The Help," or channel "Moneyball" with mini hotdogs, popcorn and other baseball-park treats. A hearty spread of English pub-style food would honor "War Horse" and a luau theme – with mai tais, of course – could conjure up the Hawaii of "The Descendants." These films and the other nominees tell stories that happen across a broad spectrum of time, yet they share a common theme: a strong sense of place.
* SMOKED SALMON STARS ("The Artist")
Why: This classic canapé could have been on the menu in 1920s Hollywood, the setting for this film.
Smoked salmon canapés are classic hors d'oeuvres that never lose their appeal. These are inspired by the smoked salmon pizza made famous at Wolfgang Puck's Beverly Hills restaurant, Spago. Puck is the longtime caterer for the Governors Ball, the star-studded Oscar after-party.
6 slices of pumpernickel bread or "Texas Toast"
5.2-ounce package Boursin garlic and herb cheese, at room temperature
4-ounce package thinly sliced smoked salmon
Zest of 1 lemon (cut into strips)
Black caviar, optional
Toast the bread, then let it cool to room temperature by placing on a rack or leaving in the toaster. If you put the hot toast on a plate, it will steam underneath and become soggy.
Spread about 2 to 3 teaspoons of Boursin cheese over each piece of toast. Top with salmon, trimming to fit, if necessary.
Use a star cookie cutter to cut each slice into as many stars as possible. Garnish with lemon peel strips. Place caviar in the center of the star.
Arrange on platter and serve.
Makes: 12 stars
Source: Elizabeth Karmel for The Associated Press
* SLOW-COOKER KALUA PORK ON HAWAIIAN ROLLS ("The Descendants")
Why: This movie takes place in Hawaii, where kalua pig is offered at roadside stands and in restaurants.
They may sound the same, but while Kahlua is a Mexican coffee liqueur, kalua pig is the centerpiece of a Hawaiian luau. The word means "to cook in an underground oven." For the traditional method, the pork is rubbed with spices, wrapped in banana leaves and slow smoked in a banana leaf-lined hole in the ground. This recipe uses the slow-cooker.
1 (6 pound) pork butt roast
1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
Hawaiian rolls
Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.
Cover, and cook on low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.
Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten. Serve on Hawaiian rolls.
Serves: 12
Source: Allrecipes.com
* ROASTED POTATO AND OKRA SALAD ("The Help")
Why: Buffet suppers prepared by "The Help" in the 1950s South may have included salads like this one.
Okra shows up in all sorts of traditional Southern dishes, but isn't as popular north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Roasted with potatoes and tossed in a salad with edamame and an herb dressing is a more contemporary way to feature this unusual vegetable.
2 pounds small potatoes such as fingerling, red, or yellow-fleshed
1 large bunch scallions, white parts halved lengthwise and remainder reserved for another use
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs, plus 1/2 teaspoon chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 lb small (2- to 3-inch) okra
2 cups shelled fresh or frozen edamame
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450 F.
Halve potatoes lengthwise and toss with scallion pieces, rosemary sprigs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread potato mixture in a large roasting pan and roast, stirring once, 20 minutes.
Stir potatoes and add okra to pan, tossing to coat. Continue to roast until okra and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more.
While the potatoes and okra roast:
In a 3-4 quart pot, cook edamame in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then immediately transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking.
Return water to a boil and cook corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain corn in a sieve and immediately transfer to bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain corn again.
Make dressing and assemble salad:
Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, chopped rosemary, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined. Discard rosemary sprigs, then add hot potatoes and okra to dressing along with beans, corn, and salt to taste, tossing to combine. Cool salad to warm before serving.
Serves: 6
Source: Epicurious.com
* MAKE-YOUR-OWN CREPES ("Midnight in Paris")
Why: What dessert could be more French than crepes?
Finish your Oscar party off in true French style by offering guests a dessert reminiscent of the crepe carts on the streets of Paris.
Packaged crepes (available in the produce section of most supermarkets)
Sliced fruit and berries: strawberries, orange sections, bananas, blueberries
Jar of chocolate sauce (or your own favorite recipe)
Whipped cream
Grand Marnier
Place the crepes (allow at least two per person) in a basket or on a plate lined with a napkin, and the fruit, chocolate sauce and whipped cream in bowls. Guests can assemble their own crepes, drizzling them with Grand Marnier if they wish.
Creative ideas for your party
You can pick up paper and plastic Academy Award-themed decorations from most party stores, but if you want to be a bit more creative, here are a few ideas for making your Oscar-night party memorable:
* To add an authentic feel to your home's entrance, consider renting a "red carpet" runner from a local rental center. Have your guests pose for red carpet photos as they arrive.
* Follow the "stars" theme: Wind gold star wire garland around clear votive candle holders, sprinkle gold star confetti on the dining table and make star-shaped cut-out cookies, decorated with white icing and gold edible glitter.
* Offer a special Oscars cocktail: The Moet & Chandon Red Carpet Glamour Cocktail – a heady combination of champagne, Hum Botanical Spirit and fresh-squeezed citrus with a rose petal garnish – will be served at the Governors Ball after the Academy Awards. Mix your own version with two parts champagne or sparkling wine, one part Pama pomegranate liqueur and a drop each of lemon and lime juice.
* Make a pool including all the major categories and nominees. Celebrations.com suggests that during the red carpet interviews or any time before the awards start, guests can check off who they think will win in each category. Each guest puts a small amount of money in the pool – say $5 – and the one with the most correct predictions at the end of the night takes home the windfall.
* Of course there's a free Oscars app, which makes you a "virtual member" of the Academy and even has camera vantage points you can control. There's also a "My Picks" game, making it easy to create a ballot and predict who will win. It's available only for iPhone and iPad.
