A New Culinary Adventure: 101 Fantasy Feasts, With a Step-by-Step Plan to Host Gatherings Inspired By Your Favorite Books, Shows & Movies
plus five recipes per feast!
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Have you ever thought about what it would be like to step into your favorite book world or film, sitting at a table surrounded by your favorite characters, and enjoying a meal that brings the pages or scenes to life? I've been secretly working on a project that will help you do exactly that.
I'm excited to announce 101 Fantasy Feasts – a new newsletter launching today that explores iconic meals from your favorite books, films and TV shows, transforming them into complete dinner party blueprints that you can recreate at home.
What Inspired This Project?
Like many of you, the pandemic transformed my relationship with gathering and storytelling. During those long months of isolation, I found myself drawn to the comfort of the books, shows and films that made me feel nostalgic, helped me escape, and reminded me how important community is – and I began to notice how often the most memorable scenes revolved around food.
What started as a small pandemic project (there was sourdough, too!) – recreating fictional meals to feel more connected to these stories and add fun, whimsy and imagination to each day – unexpectedly blossomed into something much bigger. Before I knew it, over the past few years I developed complete blueprints for not just a few, but 101 fantasy feasts!
These weren't just recipes, but whole experiences: a way to step into another world with step-by-step plans to do it, if only for a day or evening. I realized I had created something that could help bring people together again, combining the intimacy of sharing food with the magic of storytelling.
These feasts became a way to reconnect, to offer something elevated yet accessible – inviting friends and family into a fantasy world, inspiring creativity, imagination, community and above all, happiness. What began as a personal escape during isolation evolved into a celebration of togetherness that I'm now ready to share with you.
What Is 101 Fantasy Feasts?
Each Friday, I'll share a complete feast inspired by a fictional world – with five themed recipes, decoration ideas, playlist suggestions, dress code recommendations, and everything else you need to host an unforgettable themed gathering.
Imagine hosting:
A cozy dinner at The Burrow with recipes straight from Molly Weasley's kitchen
Vianne's chocolate-infused feast from the film "Chocolat"
An elegant Regency spread worthy of the Bridgerton family
A rustic hobbit meal in the Shire
The lavish Capitol banquet from The Hunger Games
The enchanted tea party from "Alice in Wonderland"
A Viking-inspired feast from "The Bear and the Nightingale"
Tony Soprano's birthday celebration with authentic Italian-American classics
The whimsical Willy Wonka Factory experience with surprising flavor combinations
A traditional Japanese meal inspired by Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away"
The Green Wedding Feast from Game of Thrones
Why This Project Matters to Me
This project represents everything I love about food – its power to transport us, to create moments of connection, to ignite the imagination, and to bring stories to life.
I've spent months (who are we kidding, years!) developing and testing these recipes, ensuring they're both as true to their fictional origins as possible and unforgettable in real life. Each feast has been thoughtfully designed to be accessible for home cooks while capturing the magic of these beloved stories.
The First Feast Is Available Today!
The inaugural feast features The Dinner Party from the movie Chocolat (I love the book too but I love Juliette Binoche, Dame Judi Dench and Lena Olin even more so I wanted to feel inspired by them while creating this feast) – a sensuous celebration of food, community, solidarity, and chocolate's transformative power.
Fun Fact: There’s a scene in Chocolat that tears me up every time. It’s when Juliette Binoche’s character, Vianne, opens her shop door and warmly greets Lena Olin’s character, Josephine, saying, “It’s wonderful to see you again.”
You’ll notice that both actresses tear up, too and that Binoche’s voice catches on the last few words. That’s because, even though it’s technically not the first scene between them in the movie itself, it was the first scene that they created for it, marking the first time Binoche and Olin had acted together since their roles in The Unbearable Lightness of Being in 1988, another favorite movie of mine (Daniel Day-Lewis at this most seductive + Prague + that bowler’s hat!!). The reunion between Binoche and Olin after all that time adds such an unspoken depth to the scene and to the entire movie.
And as another behind-the-scenes connection: Chocolat was directed by Lasse Hallström, Lena Olin’s husband.
OK, back to the feast plan! You'll learn how to create Vianne's enchanted dinner party, complete with recipes I developed (don’t worry, that ALL contain chocolate!) that were inspired by the dinner party. Photos from will accompany most of the recipes that will include:
Vianne's Enchanted Brie Crostini
Roux's Cinnamon-Infused Sweet Potato Gratin
Coq au Vin with Dark Chocolate Velouté
Pontoufle's Spiced Chocolate Mousse
Armande’s Spiced Chocolate Martini
But this isn't just recipes – it's a comprehensive hosting guide that covers every detail:
Invitations: Templates and wording to set the perfect tone for your guests
Dress Code: Suggestions for French countryside chic with touches of Vianne's bohemian style
Decorations: How to transform your space with chocolate-themed accents, soft lighting, and French village charm
Table Settings: Detailed guidance for creating a rustic-yet-elegant tablescape worthy of Vianne's chocolaterie
Music Playlist: Curated selection of French café music and enchanting instrumental pieces
Entertainment Ideas: Chocolate tasting stations and conversation prompts inspired by the film's themes
Party Favors: Simple but meaningful parting gifts to extend the magic beyond the evening
Each element has been designed to work together, creating an immersive experience that will transport you and your guests to that magical French village – whether you're hosting an intimate dinner for two or a gathering for everyone you love.
How to Join This Culinary Adventure
To make sure you don't miss the first feast (and all 100 that will follow), subscribe now to the dedicated 101 Fantasy Feasts newsletter here.
As a thank you to early subscribers, the first 75 people to sign up will receive a bonus PDF with printable menu templates and invitation designs for our first five feasts!
Don't worry – your regular newsletter (the one right here!) will continue as usual with recipes, travel guides and food culture content. This is simply an additional offering for those who want to add a little fantasy, nostalgia and fun to your gatherings.
Stay Connected
While the newsletter will be the heart of this project, you'll soon be able to find "101 Fantasy Feasts" on Instagram and Pinterest for visual inspiration, and later on Patreon for those who want exclusive content. I'll share those links as they launch, but the newsletter is where the complete feasts will first appear each week.
The Future of Fantasy Feasts
While the newsletter will begin with free weekly feasts, I'm planning to develop this project further based on your feedback and interest. Future possibilities include:
Premium subscribers getting access to additional feast elements
Themed feast collections available as downloadable cookbooks
The complete cookbook
Exclusive cooking demonstrations, recipes and hosting tips
Community sharing of your own fantasy feast experiences
Ready to transform your dinner table into settings from your favorite stories? Subscribe to "101 Fantasy Feasts" now and join me on this culinary adventure!
See you at the feast! Jody
Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.
— Lewis Carroll
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Second and Third photo credits: Miramax
This is such a great idea, Jody!