A Frickin’ Good Napoleon Dynamite Cocktail
Oh, sure, I’ll be watching the Oscars on Sunday like the rest of America. Who am I to miss out on a pop culture moment like Angelina Jolie’s right leg?
But don’t make me participate in an Oscar pool or ask me how many of the nominated movies I’ve seen, because I’ll disappoint you every time. I’m there for the fashion and the spectacle, not really for the films themselves.
Most of the movies I truly love, the ones I’ve seen so often I can quote them from start to finish, weren’t nominated for any Academy Award.
I’d rather be making a cameo at the Val party with Cher and Tai than crying it out over Million Dollar Baby anyway.
That’s why I’m utterly charmed by Lights Camera Booze by Kourtney Jason and Lauren Metz.
If, like me, you’re of the generation that knows “when someone asks if you’re a god, you say yes!” and why “on Wednesdays, we wear pink,” you’ll understand the gist of the book completely.
It’s a tongue-in-cheek–and cocktail-in-hand–guide to drinking games for classic flicks like Clueless, Ghostbusters, Mean Girls, The Big Lebowski, Wayne’s World, and Office Space, all adorably illustrated by Amanda Lanzone.
Each movie gets a signature drink, a list of catchphrases and moments from the film that signal when you should sip, and a final challenge for all the slightly inebriated participants to try once the credits roll.
My drinking game days are pretty far behind me, but there’s no reason I can’t mix up a Babe Ruth–that’s whiskey, ginger ale, and a squeeze of lime–while watching The Sandlot with Dan or pouring a few watermelon bellinis for a girls’ night sleepover with Dirty Dancing (it’s fifth grade all over again!…sorta!).
Or we could all sip on mai tais–er, Tina Tais–while re-watching one of my all-time favorite films, Napoleon Dynamite, which should be in the food movie pantheon for its opening credit sequence alone.
I mean, we all know the lines by heart anyway (I maaaaaay have quoted the movie in my wedding vows), and even if we can’t replicate the dance, a little rum might loosen us up enough to try.
If not, we can just sit back and feel like we’re in a big ol’ mansion somewhere, soaking it up in a hot tub with our soul mates.
Clearly it would be appropriate to serve your Tina Tais with dang quesadillas and tots, or maybe someone caught you a delicious bass that you’d like to cook. Don’t stay home and eat all the freaking chips!
If you’re not imbibing, pour yourself a big glass of milk, because you could be drinking whole if you wanted to.
Don’t forget to save a little food and take it out to Tina, the eponymous llama, when you’re done with the meal, and afterward, it would be really nice if you could pull me into town.
And if none of that made any sense to you, why are you not heading off to watch Napoleon Dynamite this very second? Gosh!
Napoleon Dynamite Cocktail - The Tina Tai
Heck yeah! If you'd vote for Pedro and can draw a liger, you'll love this mai tai Napoleon Dynamite cocktail inspired by the movie.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup spiced rum
- 1/4 cup coconut rum
- 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) grenadine
- 3 cups passion fruit juice
- lime and orange rounds, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill 4 highball glasses or large Old-Fashioned glasses with ice.
- Add the spiced and coconut rums, grenadine, and passion fruit juice to a small pitcher and stir to combine.
- Divide between the prepared glasses.
- Garnish with lime and orange rounds and serve immediately.
Notes
adapted from Lights Camera Booze by Kourtney Jason and Lauren Metz
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 32gProtein: 2g
The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.
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Casey Barber
Casey Barber is the owner and founder of Good Food Stories LLC and a visual storyteller whose work often focuses on the intersection of food and culture. She is also the author of the cookbooks Pierogi Love: New Takes on an Old-World Comfort Food and Classic Snacks Made from Scratch: 70 Homemade Versions of Your Favorite Brand-Name Treats, and she couldn’t get anything done without the help of her executive assistant cats, Bixby and Lenny. Her favorite color is obviously orange.
My question is: How will this cocktail pair with a delicious bass? Other than that, I love EVERYTHING about today’s post and I must get this book immediately.
Irene, when you drink this cocktail with a delicious bass, you’ll feel like you’re weightless, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by tiny little seahorses.
I need that book. Like yesterday. I find it adorable that you quoted Napoleon Dynamite in your wedding vows. The cocktail looks amazing.. exactly my sort of thing. The Babe Ruth is definitely something James would love.
The sad thing is that no one gave us a wild honeymoon stallion at our wedding…
There is so much I love about this post – that I’m not really sure where to start. Also I’m alone at the office and we have everything on hand to make this – so there goes my Monday. (yup even passion fruit juice – we’re working on tiki drinks too).
Yesssssss… (pulls fist into chest).
Excellent!
I’m thinking you need a drink that has a dash of Iocane powder in it…
Sarah, YES! The Princess Bride has its own cocktail + drinking game in the book too.