The superstition issue means that I’m once again given the opportunity to force my weird favourite movie recommendations onto you! This film was a weekly viewing in my house, and I’m not quite sure what that says about me as a person… But, if you’re anything like me and you love a movie where you can hardly explain to someone what it was about, then this one’s for you!
Beetlejuice! A 1988 fantasy comedy film directed by Tim Burton (of course), which follows Barbara and Adam’s lives in their new home… after they die in a tragic car crash. Nonetheless, they settle into their home, and make an afterlife for themselves. Then, the Deetz family moves in. The couple decide to take their haunting skills out for a spin, and attempt to scare the newbies out of the house. Instead, the awful family are overjoyed with their new spooky ‘haunted house’, and turn it into a money making scheme. In the couple’s failure to get rid of the newbies, they acquire the help of Beetlejuice, a grotty bug-covered people-exorcist, played by Michael Keeton. In order to summon Beetlejuice, one must say his name three times in a row. Unfortunately, he is then in your care. Is the help of Beetlejuice really worth the tricks and trouble he brings along with him? Debatable. But it makes for a bit of fun for us! The good news is that to get rid of him you simply repeat his name thrice more, and he loses his head! Literally.
It’s a fun and quirky film, and you’ll never really know what’s going on, but that’s the beauty of it. Sometimes, you just have to sit down and let Tim Burton take you into another world that will often leave you feeling slightly uncomfortable, but inevitably more grateful for your own life. Maybe that’s Beetlejuice’s real gift to us.
While you indulge in this masterpiece of a film, why not help yourself to some insanely easy vegan food while you’re at it? This week’s recipe is my favourite vegan ‘ribs’.
Vegan “Ribs” with Texas BBQ and Smoked Hickory Sauce
Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu
6 tbsp Culley’s Texas rib sauce (or sauce of your choosing)
2 tbsp Culley’s smoked hickory sauce (or sauce of your choosing)
Instructions:
1. Freeze tofu for 1-2 hours—this step is tempting to skip but I promise it’s important! After frozen, let the tofu thaw naturally for approx. 15 min.
2. Slice the tofu and push onto skewers.
3. Combine sauces together in a small bowl.
4. On a baking tray, lather the tofu skewers with mixed sauce so each side is covered.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-30 min or until cooked through and crispy. Remove halfway to flip and braise with residual sauce.
6. To serve, garnish with chives, herbs of your liking, and a drizzle of additional rib sauce (optional)
Enjoy! (@ChefXzadz for more recipes)