Of course, one of the best parts of looking back at the 1990s is discovering aspects of the decade that I was way too young to know about back when I was actually living in that decade. For example, I am a huge fan of Nirvana and Oasis, two groups that did not register on my boy-band heavy radar back in the 1990s. And in terms of film, I would have to nominate 1999's Fight Club as one of the best new-discoveries-as-an-adult. I remember that even into the mid-2000s, when I was in high school, Fight Club was the cool movie to watch. At first, I had no desire to see Fight Club. I remember telling a friend of mine that I thought it was little more than a pretenious excuse to show off Brad Pitt's abs! However, once I did actually watch it, I was struck by the film...its tone, its characters, its biting script, everything. Far from the violent spectacle I was expecting, Fight Club is a sharp, darkly comedic satire about 1990s consumerism. It is one of those rare movies that you can watch over and over again, because each time, I have discovered something new to admire or analyze in its twisty storyline. Of course, it helps that it features Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter, three of the best actors of our generation. So brace yourself, here are Dan's thoughts:
Fight Club:
Whoa, does Fight Club ever pack a punch! Here we have one of the weirdest, most talked-about, and most controversial movies of 1999, a year with now shortage of weird, talked-about, and controversial films.
Superficially, it can be described easily. A narrator (not named in the film, but played by Edward Norton in an outstanding performance) is fed up with life, his humdrum job, and the plasticity of the world he inhabits. In other words, he represents any one of us in the late 1990s. Enter Tyler, the free-spirited, anarchic leader of an underground fight club played by Brad Pitt. Tyler offers an alternative to life which is undoubtedly exciting and even makes sense at times, but it becomes increasingly dangerous and ultimately deadly.
What does all of this mean? I think of Fight Club as a warning. We better get off our butts, get our lives in order, and learn to live life both fully and productively, or the dangerous Tyler inside all of us will appear.
So sensational were the reactions to the film, however, that the message got lost. Tyler became something of an icon for lost young male souls and dangerous imitations began popping up. For better or worse (and it would be for better if the true meaning of the film was understood), Fight Club hit us and got a reaction out of us. People responded and, twelve years later, we are still talking about it. What bigger indicators of a great movie can you ask for?
Thanks, Dan! Now, recipe time.
So what makes sour cherry muffins appropriate for Fight Club? Well, first of all, I made these late at night in my scarcely-illuminated kitchen, and that reminded me of the scene where the Narrator and Tyler are making soap in the Narrator's kitchen (don't worry, the ingredients of these muffins are nowhere near as gross as the ingredients of Tyler's soap). Second of all, as my mom pointed out, muffins are common items in office place conference rooms, so there's a bit of the Narrator's pre-Tyler life thrown in. Finally, the taste of the sour cherry really packs a surprising punch, just as the movie does, literally and figuratively.
These muffins were adapted from the Williams-Sonoma book aptly entitled Muffins. Williams-Sonoma has never steered me wrong in the past, and I love how unique their recipes are. For example, these aren't ordinary sour cherry muffins, as they are topped with a coconut streusel! These were easy to make but, of course, everyone loved eating them even more! I only wish that sour cherries were easier to find. Next time I make these, I would like to use an even sourer kind of cherry than the one I could find for these.
Sour Cherry Muffins
From Williams Sonoma: Muffins
Ingredients:
For coconut streusel
- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
For muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten (I used EggBeaters)
- 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
- 16 oz jarred or canned pitted sour pie cherries, drained and dried
2) For the streusel, stir together the brown sugar and flour in a small bowl. Mash in the butter pieces with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the coconut. Set aside.
3) For the muffins, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
4) In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and half-and-half. Make a dent in the center of the dry ingredients add the egg mixture. Beat until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is thick and creamy. Be careful not to overmix (the batter will be lumpy).
5) Spoon a little of the batter into each muffin cup. Drop in a few cherries, and then cover those cherries with more batter. Drop in a few more cherries, and then cover with batter until cups are filled to the rim. Sprinkle each with a heaping tablespoon of the coconut streusel.
6) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Next week: Key lime pie and Some Like it Hot.
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