Ratatouille - the best film this summer

While I never seem to have time to see movies, I ended up going to see Pixar’s Ratatouille last weekend. While I wasn’t necessarily so excited to see an animated film, the options of Die Hard or Transformers, just didn’t really appeal to me. I hadn’t really heard the buzz on the film, so I went in a bit blind. And to my pleasant suprise, the movie was fantastic - from story line, to artistic development, and most especially to it's dedication to amazing food.

Back to the Kitchen - Crepe Ideas
As my office-mate, Kimberly said to me, “the movie makes me want to get back into the kitchen” and I concur. I woke up Sunday morning and decided to whip up some crepes for Eric. He usually does the cooking in our house, but that little rat, Remy, inspired me to be creative. I peered in the cupboard and pulled out marinated artichoke hearts which I sautéed with potatoes and onions – delightful both on their own and inside the crepes. I also found a can of crème de maron (chestnut paste), which I smothered on the crepes, added some peach slides and some sour cream mixed with a bit of vanilla and brown sugar. Delish (if I do say so myself)!

The Beauty of Cooking for Kids
But back to the film, as with all Brad Bird films, I found that there was probably more to delight adults than for kids. The food scenes and food education were amazing (with Thomas Keller as a consultant, who happened to have endorsed FoodSmarts, how could they not be?). I actually learned a lot about the inner workings of a world-class kitchen. The characters were charming and there was the perfect balance of real world meets fantasy.

The most delightful part of the film I think is on the back-end of its marketing. I think this is a first for a “children’s film” not to have a tie-in with one of the major fast food companies. Instead, they licensed Super Suppers (a company that brings nutritious food to your home: you can cook in their kitchens or pick food up to go), President cheeses, and Hint Water. Perhaps the film will engage children and adults in exploring good food. Both Remy and Colette demonstrate the importance of cooking only with fresh, quality ingredients. Perhaps kids (and adults alike) will actually want to forgo McD’s for something they cook up at home.

Rats are Cute, Too
The second aspect of the film that particularly delighted me was the cuteness of the rat, Remy. While most people are reluctant to admit it, the rat was cute. I’ve known they are darling since I was a little girl. For some reason, when I was 5, I had a pet rat named Kathy. Most people are surprised when I talk about how sweet and clean she was - unlike my subsequent hamsters and guinea pigs, she never pooped on me and she liked to cuddle up with me. I liked her so much that when in college, I was able to convince my roommates that we should get a pet rat, instead of other critters, and they were hooked on this affectionate rodent too. So I’m thrilled that the poor rat will finally get some credibility, and perhaps now when I tell everyone the stories of my dear old pets, people will not be entirely grossed out.