Pay Tribute to The Hunger Games with This Movie Marathon-Ready Menu
If there's any movie series that deserves a food-pairing party, it's The Hunger Games. Aside from the name and the culinary innovations that the tributes had to come up with in the arena, there are a handful of important food moments throughout the trilogy.
With the final installment of the series, Mockingjay — Part 2, hitting theaters on Nov. 20, we came up with the perfect all-day, binge-watching movie marathon menu, ranging from (non-poisonous) blueberry muffins for the morning to baguettes that baker boy Peeta would love to a bowl of hearty Capitol-worthy lamb stew.
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Don't worry — these berries aren't poisonous like Katniss and Peeta's deadly nightlock berries. With so many movies to watch, you'll have to fuel up in the morning with hearty muffins.
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In the first movie, Katniss cooks Groosling Soup for herself and Rue. Since Groosling isn't a real animal — and it probably wouldn't taste great, anyway — try warm, comforting chicken noodle soup instead. Luckily, you don't have to cook yours with hot river rocks.
You don't knead to make homemade bread for your party, but it's what Peeta would do. It's perfect to dip into hot soup or slather in "cheese that melts on your tongue" like Katniss had in the Capitol.
Katniss is the girl on fire, which means you have to serve up a fiery red dip. Her sister, Prim, loves goat cheese, so it's a natural pairing for the smoky, creamy appetizer and homemade baguette slices.
Now it's time to pull up those TV tables for the main event. Since you probably can't cook a whole suckling pig with an apple in its mouth like the one Katniss shot her arrow through in the first movie, go for a slow-cooked roast topped with spicy apple chutney instead. Fair warning: The garlicky, herbaceous aroma drifting through the house may cause a Hunger Games-style battle to get the first bite.
When trapped in the Capitol, Katniss found comfort in her favorite dish: lamb stew with dried plums. This version doesn't have fruit inside, but gets natural sweetness from a tomato base.
When you've reached hour six of your Hunger Games marathon, wake yourself up with espresso marshmallows. Katniss had her first cup of rich hot chocolate on her train ride to the Capitol, but thankfully your fate won't hang in the balance while you're enjoying the decadent drink.
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Peeta's father gave Katniss cookies before she headed to the games, but we never found out what kind they were. If we were worried about dying in an arena, buttery brown sugar shortbread would be the cookie we'd reach for.