J. K. Simmons' music teacher from hell may earn him an Oscar, but he is also having an unanticipated nightmare effect on anyone who has had rigorous training, no matter what the field. We've seen movies about cordon bleu culinary school. Can cooking school really be as severe as the blood-letting in Whiplash? Last week Daniel Boulud explained his edible tribute to those rigors. After having seen Whiplash on the airplane from Japan, he had flashbacks to severe culinary masters. Creating his dinner for the East Coast Academy of Motion Picture Arts members for Oscar viewing tonight -- this is the third year he is hosting -- his dessert team created a confection called "Drums:" Saint Honore, Yuzu, and Raspberry. According to Oscar prognosticators, Whiplash may not have a chance at the top award, but, believe me, this is one winning dish.
All the Best Picture nominees have either hors d'oeuvres or desserts in their name: a crispy lamb cigar for American Sniper, spinach tartelette with soft boiled quail egg for Birdman, Wagyu beef with barbecue sauce, pickled onion, and cornbread crumble for Boyhood, and Carolina shrimp, grits, and jalapeno mayonnaise for Selma. You get the picture!
Whatever else happens on Sunday night, no disappointment is possible chez Daniel. All gets washed down with the special Oscar martini, a concoction of Sinani63, Yuzu juice, lime juice, Demerara sugar, sauternes, egg white, and Angostura bitters: enough to assuage any bad memory.
A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.