The spice must flow...for movie night

June 14, 2021 5:39 AM

Friends and I are watching Dune (1984) before Dune (2021) comes out. I have never seen the movie, only read the book, and without a reread I'm drawing a blank on themed snacks for movie night. Any suggestions of food and/or drink for reasonably adventurous adults with no food allergies?
posted by House of Leaves of Grass to Food & Drink (30 answers total)

I'd go with a "spice" theme, variously-spiced (cinnamon, cardamom) pastries, drinks with a spicy flavor profile, etc. And/or whatever you want to eat and shots of aquavit strategically deployed.
posted by restless_nomad at 5:56 AM on June 14, 2021

It's not really a good food movie. Baron Harkonnen is gross and pustuley and the good guys drink water they squeeze out of poop sacks in their legs.

That said. Pigs in a blanket in honor of Patrick Stewart's pug.
posted by phunniemee at 5:56 AM on June 14, 2021

Most of the food in the book is spice-based, which obviously doesn’t have an exact equivalent... but they frequently comment on spice smelling like cinnamon, so I’d go with cinnamon-flavored snacks!
posted by mekily at 5:57 AM on June 14, 2021

Some inspiration here on the food and beverage category of the Dune Wiki.

For example, Tabara, a dessert that sounds similar to baklava.
posted by knapah at 6:02 AM on June 14, 2021

Gummy (sand)worms?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:15 AM on June 14, 2021

Craft beer with spices, such as Ballast Point Commodore Cinnamon Stout and 3 Stars Peppercorn Saison. Or mead options abound.
posted by veery at 6:34 AM on June 14, 2021

Chips and Muad'Dips?
Duncan Idaho Potato Wedges?
Gom JabbarBQ?
The Duck Breast Rabban?
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 7:11 AM on June 14, 2021

Beef Wellington Yueh
Beanie Gesserit (do a 3 bean salad)
posted by jquinby at 7:16 AM on June 14, 2021

Quiche-ach Haderach?
posted by biffa at 7:19 AM on June 14, 2021

Clearly, you need to make a big tableau of worms in dirt... for color accuracy you can use graham crackers, butterscotch or vanilla pudding, and giant gummy worms

The movie also features a 'pain box' that would be easily modeled and turned into a great serving receptacle. Reference here.
posted by mr. remy at 7:21 AM on June 14, 2021

Dehydrated food like jerky and dried apricots.

Drinks (primarily water) that you sip from hydration packs that you all wear for the duration of the night.

No one will want to eat after Baron Harkonnen opens that kid's heart plug anyway. *barf emoji*
posted by wenestvedt at 7:22 AM on June 14, 2021

Queso Haderach
A Tray a’ Deez Nuts
posted by zamboni at 7:24 AM on June 14, 2021

No one will want to eat after Baron Harkonnen opens that kid's heart plug anyway.

I'm thinking lava cakes for this, actually.
posted by jquinby at 7:43 AM on June 14, 2021

pain box

Qu'y a-t-il dans la boîte?
posted by zamboni at 8:00 AM on June 14, 2021

Juice of Sapho (Red Bull)
Stillsuit water (Mountain Dew)
Pabst Blue Ribbon (for Dennis Hopper's character in Blue Velvet, another Lynch film)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:08 AM on June 14, 2021

Arrakis (and to a lesser extent the whole universe of Dune) has fairly significant Near-East influences, so the common Greek/Arabic/Turkish cuisine of the Mediterranean (kebabs, gyro, pilaf, baklava, stuffed grape-leaves, etc.) would be in the right vein. Ouzo/arak/raki are both spicy and from the right part of the world, so I reckon that would make a nice apertif (if you and your guests like anise).
posted by jackbishop at 8:22 AM on June 14, 2021

Finely crushed ginger biscuits would make fab piles of 'sprinkling spice' to jazz up sweets and desserts.

Not a food stuff but I'd do a bit of smudging with cinnamon sticks and sage for when the Navigator guild rock up.
posted by freya_lamb at 8:33 AM on June 14, 2021

Water is a Big deal, so maybe blue gatorade, or a special cocktail? If you have a small fountain, put one on the food table to signify your water wealth.
posted by theora55 at 9:10 AM on June 14, 2021

There seem to be a few Water of Life cocktails out there. This one in particular looks like it'd awaken the sleeper for sure.
posted by jquinby at 9:24 AM on June 14, 2021

Definitely serve water in precious and even tiny vessels.
posted by Temeraria at 9:34 AM on June 14, 2021

The original Gaelic and Irish for whisky also translates as Water of Life (varying on the latin “acqua vitae”).
posted by biffa at 9:37 AM on June 14, 2021

If you like to bake, there's this option.
posted by nat at 10:29 AM on June 14, 2021

Have people try the cinnamon challenge.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:31 AM on June 14, 2021

Cat milk. Just... cat milk.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 11:05 AM on June 14, 2021

If you like chick peas, Chani Dhal.
posted by k3ninho at 11:13 AM on June 14, 2021

Jesus, nat, that thing is ghastly!!
posted by wenestvedt at 11:37 AM on June 14, 2021

goog cinammon black tea. lots of options, i like bigelow, but I'm not hard to impress with cinammon, top five fave flavors.
posted by j_curiouser at 12:44 PM on June 14, 2021

Jamis (the fremen that Paul kills in the Tahaddi Challenge) has amongst his very few possessions a coffee set.
So, perhaps some heavily spiced fremen coffee?

Or Cinnamon White Russians?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:00 AM on June 15, 2021

OMG nat, not only is that horrifying and perfect, but there are a number of linked recipes. I'm so psyched now.
posted by House of Leaves of Grass at 9:16 AM on June 15, 2021

I’m pretty sure I found that bread on metafilter originally, but I can’t find the post now.

Anyhow some of the links at the bottom of that first bread recipe are broken, but searching the site does bring up some other related posts and more recipes, including for the pie on the same page. And for some adorable bread Totoros. If you want something less horrifying, that is :)
posted by nat at 7:40 PM on June 15, 2021