A Find Me Falling-Inspired Menu #MoviesandMunchies

For August I invited the Movies & Munchies group to watch Find Me Falling on Netflix and head to the kitchen.

The Inspired Menu

Melitzanosalata by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Wendy's post made me laugh aloud. "I decided to make Melitzanosalata instead.  The only problem I have with this dish is its name.  I am not sure exactly how it is pronounced but every time I pronounce it, I either hear the start of Hatuna Matata or the refrain of the Pina Colada song in my head. The earworm sticks with me all day long. But I digress...." Wendy found it a touching, tender movie and shared Melitzanosalata, a Greek eggplant dip similar to baba ghanoush but flavored with kalamata olives and lemon instead of tahini. I learned something new - again - and can't wait to try this dip. Soon!

Lemon Squash for Lemonade by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Amy reports, "The story is surprisingly sweet and here’s plenty of foodie inspiration. ...Luckily, I found a blog authored by a blogger from Cyprus, so there was plenty of inspiration, including a recipe for her grandmother’s lemonade. The grandmother in the movie cracked me up, so I thought this was the perfect recipe to make for the movie." And I learned the distinction between a syrup and a squash. Thanks for sharing, Amy.

Find Me Falling and Pastitsio by Eliot's Eats

Debra enjoyed the film and really enjoyed the pasta dish though she does question whether Harry Connick, Jr. can act! I have to agree; he picks some truly oddball roles. Though I am unable to save and share a photo from her post (I can't figure that one out!), she wrote: "Connick plays a washed up rock star, trying to find some solace (and perhaps his more idyllic past) on Cyprus. Of course there’s some new friends, an old love and a lot in his future. The title, Find Me Falling, is a play on words. That tiny beautiful house mentioned above is a place where people fall to their deaths. Connick’s character helps put a stop to that, too. There’s a lot of good Cyprus food and drink in the film like Zivania, Tzatziki, pita,  dolmas, Cyprus raviloli, stuffed peppers,  and Pastitsio. I had to try that Cyprus lasagna." Now I can't wait to try it either.

Makaronia tou Fournou by Our Good Life

Terri enjoyed the film as well. She wrote: "The film does a beautiful job of combining local culture, food and music, which make it uplifting, even though the opening scene shows someone jumping off a cliff to their death." And she was inspired "to create Makaronia tou Fournou, a dish that is essentially baked macaroni. As simple as it sounds, this is a more complex dish than what first meets the eye." It looks delicious, Terri. Thanks for joining me.

And I have one more recipe to share inspired by Find Me Falling...

Summery Grilled Halloumi

I already shared Grilled Halloumi Over Hummus at the beginning of the month, but there's nothing more summery than a salad of sun-kissed watermelon and vine-ripened tomatoes. When you add haloumi to the top, it's dinner!

Ingredients

• heirloom tomatoes

• seedless watermelon

• haloumi cheese

• olive oil

• freshly ground pepper

• fresh thyme

• Also needed: grill or grill pan

Procedure

Slice tomatoes and watermelon and place on serving platter. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and fresh thyme leaves.

Heat the grill pan over medium heat and grease with oil. Lay slices of haloumi on the grill and cook until nice char marks appear, approximately a minute or so. Flip over and grill on the other side.

To serve, place a slice of grilled haloumi on top of the salad. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

That's a wrap for our August #MoviesandMunchies. We'll be back next month with a #CooktheBooks tie-in with a focus on The Secret Life of Bees. I know I have read the book, but I will re-read it and watch the movie. Stay tuned!