Oscar Party Cocktails
Award season is in full swing and with the Oscars coming up swiftly on Sunday, why not watch the awards in style? I’ll show you how to entertain your Oscar party guests with movie themed cocktails and popcorn. Inspired by the best picture nominees, I created drinks to fit the themes and tone of each movie and internationally-flavored popcorn based on the foreign-language film nominees.
For recipes for each drink, click the links below.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - The Bathtub
Zero Dark Thirty – Midnight Shooter
Django Unchained - Mandingo Sunset
Silver Linings Playbook - Excelsior!
For recipes for my internationally-flavored popcorn, click here.
If you missed my segment on Good Day New York, you can watch it below!
Oscar Party Cocktails: Beasts of the Southern Wild – The Bathtub
Based in the southern Louisiana bayou community called the “Bathtub,” Beasts of the Southern Wild, is a story about a five-year old girl named Hushpuppy and her unhealthy father. While other Bathtub residents flee due to the oncoming storm, the two decide to stick it out with a few others in their community.
I created a cocktail called The Bathtub, named after the community the movie is based in. This drink was inspired by Louisiana food and spirits. It uses Louisiana’s own Tabasco sauce, vodka dirtied up by Louisiana bayou seasonings, and is garnished with a hush puppy, after one of the main character’s names.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. dirty vodka (Ketel One infused with hot peppers, whole allspice, bay leaves, oregano and thyme)
- 2 oz. tomato juice
- 2 oz. of clamato juice
- 2 oz. beer
- Tabasco
- 1 raw oyster (optional)
- Cajun spiced rim (dry crab boil seasoning)
- Lemon wedge
- Lime Wedge
- Hush Puppy for garnish
Instructions:
Infuse vodka and let sit for at least one day and up to a week. Add vodka, tomato juice, clamato juice, Tabasco (to taste) and beer into a cocktail shaker with ice and stir until combined. Moisten a pint glass rim with a lime wedge and dredge the rim in crab boil seasoning. Pour mixture into rimmed glass and garnish with a skewer of lemon and lime wedges and one hushpuppy.
Oscar Party Cocktails: Amour – Perfect Love
Amour is a story about a couple’s struggle after the wife suffers a stroke. The couple, retired music teachers, are in their eighties and have a daughter who lives abroad with her family.
Because Amour is a French-language film, my cocktail for Amour is named after Parfait Amour, a floral infused liqueur, which is French for “perfect love.”
Ingredients:
- ½ oz. Parfait Amour
- ½ oz. Cointreau
- Top with Moet & Chandon Champagne
Instructions:
Add Parfait Amour and Cointreau into a Champagne flute and slowly top off with chilled Champagne.
Oscar Party Cocktails: Life of Pi – Richard Parker
Pi, a young man, is in the only one from his family who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean. Life of Pi unfolds as an adventure as Pi is stranded with a Bengal tiger.
The cocktail for Life of Pi is named after the Bengal tiger, Richard Parker. My inspiration for this drink came from locations and nationalities in the film. The Chai tea is for Pi’s Indian origin, while the Cointreau is for Pi’s name, Piscine Molitar, a swimming pool in France. The Yuzu juice is for the Japanese freighter ship Pi and his family are on and the Canadian whiskey is because Pi’s family was destined for Canada.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. Chai Tea (hot brewed)
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
- ½ oz. Yuzu Juice
Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice and stir well. Pour into a warmed brandy snifter and garnish with a lemon twist.
Oscar Party Cocktails: Les Misérables – Toulon
Taking place in 19th-century France, this movie is based on the musical Les Misérables, which is actually based on the French novel by Victor Hugo. The story follows Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, who becomes mayor of a town in France and struggles as he decides to care for a factory worker’s daughter, all while being hunted by a policeman.
Toulon is the name of this cocktail, inspired by and named after the city in which the prison Jean was in. It’s a classic French cocktail with spirits of the period and sugar and bitters because of the movie is bittersweet.
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. Hennessy
- 1 oz. Benedictine (herbal liqueur)
- 1 oz. dry vermouth
- ½ oz. lemon juice
- sugar cube
- bitters
Instructions:
Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and decorate with a lemon rind spiral.
Oscar Party Cocktails: Lincoln – Yankee Punch
Based on part of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s biography of Abraham Lincoln, the film follow’s the President’s struggles during the Civil War. Lincoln focuses on the President’s efforts to have the 13th amendment to emancipate the slaves passed by the House of Representatives.
The Yankee Punch, the cocktail for Lincoln, is a period drink based off of a classic brandy punch. I used Kentucky bourbon in this drink because Lincoln hails from Kentucky.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Curacoa
- 2 TBS White Sugar
- 3 oz. Bulleit Kentucky Bourbon
- ½ small lemon
- 2 oz. of soda water
Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with shaved ice, shake well, pour into a Colins glass top with soda water, dress the top with fruit of the season.
Oscar Party Cocktails: Argo – Canadian Caper
A thriller based on the Iran hostage crisis in which the six fugitive American diplomatic personnel were rescued. In order to get them out, a CIA operative set up fake Canadian identities for the diplomats and a fake movie scouting.
The cocktail’s name is based on the article “Canadian Caper” and is a “fake” cocktail (non-alcoholic) about a fake movie. I wanted to make it a fun fruity, frozen cocktail…but if you want to be a little stealthy or covert in your drink making, slip in a shot of Canadian whiskey.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg of Blue Raspberry Drink Mix
- 16 oz. Pineapple Juice
- 8 oz ice water
- 1 ½ oz. Canadian Whiskey (optional)
Instructions:
Blend blue raspberry drink mix and pineapple juice with ice in a blender until smooth and pour into a hurricane-style glass with a straw. Float the Crown Royal on the top filling the straw and garnish with a slice of orange and an umbrella and pretend you are whoever you are not…
Oscar Party Cocktails: Zero Dark Thirty – Midnight Shooter
“A story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s dangerous man,” this movie is a chronicle of the hunt for the al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. This film is a dramatization of the operation by Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 that found and killed bin Laden in 2006.
This cocktail is actually a shooter – down and dirty, quick and easy. As a hard, gritty film, the shooter I created for Zero Dark Thirty is called Midnight Shooter because the operation takes place in the middle of the night.
Ingredients:
- ½ shot black Sambuca
- ½ shot Bulleit Bourbon
Instructions:
Refrigerate ingredients then LAYER in chilled shot glass by carefully pouring over the back of a spoon in the following order; bourbon then Sambuca
Oscar Party Cocktails: Silver Linings Playbook
This romantic comedy-drama follows the story of a former teacher who moves back in with his parents after being in a mental institutation. He tries to reconcile with his ex-wife, but meets a girl with problems of her own and the two develop an odd friendship.
My cocktail, the Excelsior!, was inspired by a traditional drink from Philadelphia, the Philly Punch. Back in the Revolutionary War era, fisherman would gather to eat and drink, but at this time, individual cocktails were almost non-existent and punch was the customary way to drink with friends. The name for this drink comes from the main character’s mantra and the exclamation point is used to express the emotion “ever upward.”
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. Myer’s Dark Rum
- ½ oz. peach brandy
- ½ oz. lemon juice
- ½ oz. simple syrup
- top with ginger ale
- lemon wheel
Instructions:
Combine rum, peach brandy, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and pour into a 6 oz. wine glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with a lemon wheel.
Oscar Party: Internationally-Flavored Popcorn
I created internationally-flavored popcorn based on the foreign-language film nominees. Recipes for each are below.
Amour – Austria
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of plain microwave popcorn
- 2 tbs Herbs de Provence
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp Fleur de sel
Instructions:
Pop the popcorn, then put it in a large ziploc bag. Evenly spray with a light coating of olive oil flavored cooking spray. Combine the other ingredients and add to the bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the popcorn.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of plain microwave popcorn
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Instructions:
Pop the popcorn, then put it in a large ziploc bag. Evenly spray with a light coating of olive oil flavored cooking spray. Combine the other ingredients and add to the bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the popcorn.
No - Chile
Tacama’s spice mix is a mixture of herbs and indigenous ingredients from Patagonia in southern Chile.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of plain microwave popcorn
- 1 dried red hot pepper
- 1 tsp dill seeds
- 1 tsp Chilean smoked sea salt
Instructions:
Pop the popcorn, then put it in a large ziploc bag. Evenly spray with a light coating of olive oil flavored cooking spray. Combine the other ingredients and add to the bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the popcorn.
A Royal Affair - Denmark
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of plain microwave popcorn
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp anise seed
- 1/2 tsp caraway seed
- 1 tsp Danish smoked sea salt
Instructions:
Pop the popcorn, then put it in a large ziploc bag. Evenly spray with a light coating of olive oil flavored cooking spray. Combine the other ingredients and add to the bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the popcorn.
War Witch - Canada
Ingredients:
- 1 cup real maple syrup
- ½ – 1 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
- 9 cups plain popped popcorn
Instructions:
Heat maple syrup over medium heat until syrup reaches 236 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Lightly oil large mixing bowl. Mix popcorn, nuts and syrup with lightly-oiled spoon. When mizture cools, break off and eat.
New York and New England Flavored Popcorn
New York Giants Flavors
Deli Mustard
- 2 tbsp Dry Mustard Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Honey Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Everything Bagel
- 1/4 cup Black Sesame Seeds
- 2 tbsp Minced Onion
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Combine ingredients together in Cuisinart on high for approximately 30 seconds
NY Pizza
- 1/4 cup Mrs Dash Garlic Tomato and Basil Seasoning
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
New England Patriots Flavors
Boston Baked Bean
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup bacon bits
- Butt Rub to taste
- Combine ingredients together in Cuisinart on high for approximately 30 seconds
Seafood Boil
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Sprinkle until each piece of popcorn is covered
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie
- 1/2 bag Wilton Chocolate Candy Melt
- Melted in microwave for 2 minutes in a Wilton Plastic Piping Bag
- 6 Tates Chocolate Chip Cookies, broken into small crumbs
- * Sprinkle popcorn with cookie pieces while on a baking sheet, squeeze melted chocolate from piping bag onto popcorn
- * Place popcorn in a plastic freezer bag and toss until each piece is covered, refrigerate to harden chocolate for approximately 10 minutes
For more of Mark’s Access Hollywood LIVE or The Better Show Super Bowl Recipes and Tips, click the links!
For more of Mark’s Tips and Tricks, “Like Us” on Facebook or “Follow Us” on Twitter!
Super Treats: MYO Party Mix and MYO Cupcake Station
When planning your next children’s party, think of fun and creative activities that the kids can do to occupy their time while at the event. I have created two great activities that can be incorporated into any party for children and adults of all ages: an MYO Party Mix Station and an MYO Cupcake Station.
MYO Party Mix Station
Gather your favorite dried food items and place them into separate bowls with small scoopers in each. Using the same exclamation bursts that we used for the table centerpieces, you can make double sided labels to show your guests what is in each bowl. Using a marshmallow and a wooden skewer, attach the burst to the stick with glue or double sided tape and stick the skewer into the marshmallow. Place the marshmallow with the skewer attached into the bowl and fill with the appropriate food item.
The food items I used were:
- Cheerios
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Dried Fruit – strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cranberries, etc
- White Chocolate and Milk Chocolate covered pretzels
- Yogurt Raisins and Golden Raisins
- Nuts – peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans
- Plain and Peanut M&M’s
MYO Cupcake Station
Another great food activity is a MYO Cupcake Station. This allows each guest to customize their own delicious dessert. You can purchase cupcakes from your local bakery that have been iced (make sure that they are not already decorated with sprinkles, gel, etc) or you can make them using your favorite cake mix. Display the cupcakes on a separate table with the toppings in small separate bowls and use pastry bags with colored frosting or gels.
The toppings I used were:
- Chocolate and Colored Sprinkles
- Peanut Butter Cups
- Snickers
- Colored Icing Gels
- Cookie Pieces
- Chocolate Crunchies
Children and Adults of ALL ages will love this activity! Even more so, they will love to eat their art project!
Like us on Facebook for more tips and trends!
