Movie Night: Julie & Julia

November · The First Year Date Passport

Two cooks, two marriages, and two spouses who cheer them on through every kitchen disaster. Make this a slow Sunday: start cooking early and let the house smell amazing.

Tonight's Menu

• Meal: Boeuf bourguignon over mashed potatoes or egg noodles

• Snack: Tomato bruschetta

• Drink: A French red wine, or a sparkling cranberry

• Dessert: Chocolate almond cake

Your Game Plan

1. 4 1/2 hours before: Start the stew. Most of the time is hands-off in the oven.

2. 1 1/2 hours before: Bake the cake while the stew finishes.

3. 30 minutes before: Sauté the mushrooms and onions, make the bruschetta, and cook your potatoes or noodles.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Serves 4 · 45 minutes prep, 3 hours in the oven

• 4 oz thick-cut bacon, cut into strips

• 2 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes and patted dry

• Salt and pepper

• 1 onion and 2 carrots, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp flour

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 3 cups dry red wine, like pinot noir

• 1 to 2 cups beef broth

• 4 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf

• 8 oz mushrooms, quartered

• 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

• 2 tbsp butter

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp. Set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

2. Season the beef and brown it in batches in the fat. Set aside.

3. Cook the onion and carrots 5 minutes. Add the garlic, flour, and tomato paste and stir 1 minute.

4. Add the wine, scraping up the browned bits. Return the beef and bacon, then add enough broth to just cover. Add the thyme and bay leaf.

5. Cover and cook in the oven 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the beef is very tender.

6. Near the end, sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions in butter until browned. Stir them into the stew before serving.

Tomato Bruschetta

Dice 4 Roma tomatoes and toss with 1 minced garlic clove, a handful of torn basil, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt. Toast baguette slices, rub them with a cut garlic clove, and spoon the tomatoes on top.

Drinks

Pour a French red, like a Burgundy or a Côtes du Rhône.

Mocktail: Mix equal parts cranberry juice and sparkling water over ice with a squeeze of lime.

Chocolate Almond Cake

Serves 8 · 20 minutes prep, 25 minutes bake

• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2/3 cup sugar, divided

• 3 eggs, separated

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp almond extract

• Pinch of salt

• Powdered sugar and sliced almonds, for topping

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round pan with parchment.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together. Let cool slightly.

3. Beat the yolks with all but 1 tbsp of the sugar until pale. Stir in the chocolate, almond flour, flour, almond extract, and salt.

4. Beat the whites with the salt to soft peaks, add the last 1 tbsp sugar, and beat to firm peaks. Fold into the batter in three additions.

5. Bake 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still a little soft.

6. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar and scatter almonds on top.

Part of The First Year Date Passport from Flower City Ceremonies.