The Food of The Gilmore Girls

[TPO]

I thought Paris's pizza looked awful.

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I agree. But then I chalked it up to looking so bad because it was "prop pizza".

Sadly, I think I've eaten some of that in my day.

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Whether it's Yale or the local community college, I think it's a requirement for students to eat bad pizza.

[KatieM]

Does anyone remember the episode where Lorelai's parents brought back Marzipan from Germany or somewhere? Everyone was spitting it out. This really bothered me. Marzipan gets such a bad rap. What is wrong with marzipan? It's almondy, sweet and yummy! What's not to like?

That bourbon and salt marinade DOES sound good. Someone try it and let the rest of us know.

Edited because I typed too fast.

Edited November 19, 2004 by KatieM (log)

[Papaya]

Last night I watched the beginning of season 1 on DVD, and in one of the first few episodes (not sure exactly which one; sorry), I could have sworn that I saw a book on top of the couch in Lorelai and Rory's living room that said Les Halles across the top, a picture of Anthony Bourdain and something written across the bottom that looked like it started with a "T" (it was obviously in the background and therefore pretty blurry). So I checked out amazon.com to see what book it was, but I don't see any Les Halles books that look like that. Hmm... keep in mind that this is from 1999, I believe. Anyone have an idea as to what book this could be? This really makes me think that the writers (well, I guess it would be the set designers in this case) are secret eGulleters!

[Toliver]

Last night's episode had Lane's mom hosting a Korean Lunar New Year party(?). Her mom told her she had to come or she would lose face so Lane invited her bandmates to the dinner to spite her mom. One of them attempted to get up during the dinner to go to the bathroom and he was yelled at by a little boy to sit down until dinner was over, otherwise it was bad luck.

So I was wondering if this was true, is it considered bad luck to leave the table during a Korean New Year dinner? Or was this just dramatic license?

The disappearing Toblerone from the rooms at the inn was another food-themed plot point. Toblerone beats the heck outta thin mints on the pillows!

[bpearis]

Gilmore Girls is one of the best-written shows on TV. It has to be, otherwise something like this would disolve into pure whimsy (it comes close sometimes). Season Two was probably the best but even at worst it's still better than most of the crap on TV. It's not just food references, either. What other show would reference Borges, Grey Gardens, The Shaggs, Vincent Gallo's The Brown Bunny, have Grant Lee Philips as the town troubador (absent this season so far), Norman Mailer as the show's idea of a celebrity cameo, etc?

ABC Family shows reruns every day at 5pm EST. Yesterday's episode was when they all "slept with the zuchini," to bring it around to food again. Also, the very first episode of season one has a one-take sequence of Sookie in the kitchen nearly causing accidents at every turn was worthy of Scorsese. Anyone that says this show is just for chicks is an idiot.

Edited February 2, 2005 by bpearis (log)

[Fat Guy]

Last night's episode surely represents the first time the words "bouquet garni" (spoken by Kirk) have ever been spoken on a top-rated prime-time show.

[Fay Jai]

Last night's episode surely represents the first time the words "bouquet garni" (spoken by Kirk) have ever been spoken on a top-rated prime-time show.

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Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the show, but are its ratings as high as your post seems to suggest?

[tsquare]

Last night's episode surely represents the first time the words "bouquet garni" (spoken by Kirk) have ever been spoken on a top-rated prime-time show.

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Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the show, but are its ratings as high as your post seems to suggest?

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5 seasons ain't chopped liver.

[Fay Jai]

Last night's episode surely represents the first time the words "bouquet garni" (spoken by Kirk) have ever been spoken on a top-rated prime-time show.

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Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the show, but are its ratings as high as your post seems to suggest?

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5 seasons ain't chopped liver.

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Gotcha.

[Fat Guy]

I think the show has a 1.8 or so, which is not as good as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition but is better than the eG Forums. It hovers around 80, at least whenever I check the ratings (which isn't often). I'm glad the show has kept laying the food references on heavily. Some of them are surprisingly clever, though many are not.

[bpearis]

I think the show has a 1.8 or so, which is not as good as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition but is better than the eG Forums. It hovers around 80, at least whenever I check the ratings (which isn't often).

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That's a hit... on the WB.

[lancastermike]

As I am reading my wife is watchng Gilmore Girls that she Tivo'd from last night. I am fighting the urge to ask her to turn it off as the incessant chatter, that is supposed to be cool, is driving me crazy. Hey girls, put a sock in at for a little while.

[laniloa]

I am so happy to see this thread. I love this show for the super quick banter and also the food obsession. The sheer joy so many of the characters take in even the simplest of food resonates with me. The menus at movie nights are staggering.

[Toliver]

Last night's 100th episode had tater tots with toothpicks stuck in them for spur-of-the-moment hors d'oeuvres for Emily's "bachelorette party". Shades of eGullet!

Lorelai mentioned "pizza stacks" when they getting ready for their "Cop Rock" marathon. If they were on the tray Rory was carrying, what was on top of them? It almost looked like a stack of pancakes with a blob of marshmallow cream on top. I am obsessing too much!

And I think I spotted a Maxine cookie jar on the counter when Lorelai went to open the kitchen door.

[bpearis]

If they were on the tray Rory was carrying, what was on top of them?  It almost looked like a stack of pancakes with a blob of marshmallow cream on top.  I am obsessing too much!

And I think I spotted a Maxine cookie jar on the counter when Lorelai went to open the kitchen door.

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i think that was pancakes. that platter was all sugary stuff. it was a great episode last night. nobody does fights (the verbal kind) like the gilmore girls.

[laniloa]

Yeah, but I wanted to know more about the wedding meal.

[Vervain]

OK, I hope this string (and my addition to it) isn't verging on some wacked fan site babble However, I've got an idea for how Luke can win over Emily (who was in the original A Chorus Line by the way). Remember how he cooked a fairly fancy meal for Lorelei but was interrupted by his sister and brother-in-law (my least favorite characters )? He's got it in him to wow the rich people. In a way, this show reminds me a little of Northern Exposure. By the way, how does Luke know about such good food? Does he have a secret stash of cookbooks or food mags? Food porn under the bed?

[Rachel Perlow]

He reads eGullet, doncha know!

[fauxtarga]

I wouldn't be averse to some kind of tastefully done cookbook tie in with anecdotes from the writers... and some glossy porkchop money shots.

[TPO]

I think the show has a 1.8 or so, which is not as good as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition but is better than the eG Forums. It hovers around 80, at least whenever I check the ratings (which isn't often).

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That's a hit... on the WB.

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The 100th episode had 6.3 million viewers, despite being up against American Idol (28.6 million).

Gilmore Girls is such an entertaining show. I heard the scripts are twice as long as a normal one-hour show because the dialogue is spoken so fast. That seems to fit.

[Rachel Perlow]

This past Tuesday's episode of the Gilmore Girls was titled "Jews and Chinese Food" which tickled me. Of course the two were not related, the "Jews" was the elementary school production of Fiddler on the Roof while the "Chinese Food" was Rory and her new buds going to an overpriced Chinese restaurant. The final bill was $75 per person! I've never had a Chinese meal cost that much, but then again, these guys seem to be heavy drinkers, so I'm guessing they had a large bar tab. Actually the best part was that one of the girls was totally envious of Rory's ability to eat. She sat there sipping her water or whatever, while being completely amazed that Rory was actually going to eat a fried shrimp!

[laniloa]

I particularly liked that Rory put together a tasting menu of different pretzels to enjoy while watching the movie.

[Rachel Perlow]

Ah yes, the wasabi pretzels. An old joke, but a classic.

For those who don't realize why I was so easily amused, click.

[ludja]

Amazing how much food is mentioned on the show if you look out for it. Some items from last night's show:

braised lamb risotto made by Sookie; as well as her homemade scones and coffee served to Lorelei and her dad.

Luke makes some comment about a message from a 'kumquat' from beyond the grave. Can't remember the context, but it made me think of Fat Guy pointing out the use of 'bouquet garnie' in an earlier epsiode; i.e. when the last time you heard 'kumquat' used in a prime time show...

Also a reference to Luke's "mud pie' which Lorelei's high brow mother has to ask for a description of... It's also mentioned as being embellished sometimes with 'gummy worms'.

Luke is so upset about his breakup wthi Lorelei that it is affecting his cooking... a wry comment by kirk is that he chooses not to put any condiments on the burnt burger in order to avoid obscuring the pure taste of the burnt burger.

Lane's boyfried tries to gently seduce her with a homemade dinner--pasta with ragu flavored with cayenne, garlic salt and wasabi.

Dinner at the grandparent's features the first strawberries of spring served in a shortcake.

Rory suggests a drink for her and Lorelei at a restaurant, did she say "rum pot". I didn't quite catch it.

Edited March 2, 2005 by ludja (log)

[Fat Guy]

There was also the scene where Rory ordered coffee drinks in decreasing order of price, and there was the cake scene in Winston's -- I think that's what you're talking about with the "rum pot," which I think was "rum ball" as in a candy as an ironic alternative to a drink. Kirk's running dialog about how much he loves all of Luke's culinary mishaps was great, as was the repartee about corned beef hash versus hash browns.