REVIEW: ‘The Horror Movie Night Cookbook’ by Richard S. Sargent
Image courtesy of Ulysses Press / Provided by Pacific & Court with permission.
For those who live and breathe horror movies, author Richard S. Sargent has a delicious treat. He recently penned The Horror Movie Night Cookbook, which offers genre fans frighteningly good recipes to enjoy while taking in the scares and shrieks of the horror canon. The book, now available from Ulysses Press, is divided into different culinary sections, from finger foods to dinner to dessert. Along the way, he also pairs a bevy of alcoholic drinks with each meal.
It’s a scream!
Each movie inspires Sargent to include one meal and one drink. Take, for example, the opening chapter, which is centered on 1996’s Scream, the Wes Craven slasher that has spawned one of the most successful horror franchises in history. Sargent’s delectable delight is called “What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie” Popcorn, which is inspired by the opening scene, which finds Drew Barrymore popping popcorn and getting terrorized by Ghostface. The accompanying drink is lovingly called the Bloody Knife, featuring strawberry vodka, raspberry liqueur and pomegranate juice. Is it too cliche to say it’s killer?
Some of the best recipes in the finger foods category include Creepy Cairns from The Blair Witch Project, which features polenta rounds stacked with goat cheese and caramelized onions; Identity’s Orange Grove, which features sweet pickled orange and goat cheese crostini; and Dawn of the Dead’s Zombie Baby Kale Salad with roasted chickpeas and shaved parmesan. Yummy!
Along the way, Sargent offers ingredient lists, measurements, easy-to-follow directions and a few horror tidbits. There’s also a “kill level” for difficulty, “body count” for number of servings and some tips on producing the best results.
The accompanying photography will get readers drooling. For example, the Stir of Echoes chapter offers a scrumptious-looking ghost pepper curry with jasmine rice. There’s even a coconut-infused paella with shrimp and chorizo (this one inspired by Broken Lizard’s Club Dread). Of the desserts, the Zombie Guts Cookie looks the most delicious, a perfect complement to a viewing of The Evil Dead. Another strong contender: the Jaws fried donut with red velvet ice cream.
Most of the recipes seem doable in a standard kitchen, and Sargent certainly wants these horror movie nights to actually happen. He is constantly giving tips and shortcuts. With a few creative choices at the grocery store, just about everything in the book is only a few minutes or hours away. Yes, it might be difficult to find rabbit and alligator — and perhaps some vegetarian options for these two meats could have been given — but, for the most part, The Horror Movie Night Cookbook is accessible and fun for all vampires, werewolves, zombies and homicidal maniacs.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Horror Movie Night Cookbook by Richard S. Sargent. Ulysses Press. $19.95. 144 pages. Click here for more information.
