Fondue and Captain Nemo
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Memory is a funny thing. It could be a song, a smell or any random thing. This time it was a movie, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
The week before Christmas my son mentioned wanting to see 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Immediately I remembered watching it as a child for the first time. It was the Disney version – with special effects galore. My family and I were gathered around the coffee table to fondue as we watched the blockbuster event. We regularly fondued. It was the 70’s man. It was the thing to do.
What I keenly remembered that night is being so engrossed with the action packed drama – harpoons flying here and there – that I harpooned myself in the palm as I was trying to put a piece of steak on a fondue fork. Fond memories…
So when my son mentioned interest in renting it, I jumped at the chance to start a new holiday tradition. Fondue and a movie. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is such a Christmastime classic, right? I’m sure somewhere it is.
Captain Nemo and the cool tripped out Nautilus…
Kirk Douglas crooning and shaking his money maker away on screen… “Got a whale of a tale to tell ya. A whale of a tale or two…”
I was eager to share this cinematographic marvel with my children.
It wasn’t as I remembered.
Let’s just say special effects have come a long way indeed. They giggled and snickered their way through it. Spoiled younguns. We all enjoyed it just the same.
I pulled out our retro fondue pot. (A garage sale treasure.) It’s the same color as the one we used during that fateful fondue fork knife incident many years ago. Avocado green. Cool. Those new plug in dealy bobs don’t have anything on my avocado green fondue pot, decked out with flowers and all.
We have a new set of fondue forks each with it’s own plastic handle in the form of different animals but I like these original ones. Wood, with a simple colored dot. So mod man.
Cooking meat in a pot of oil? What could be wrong with that?
Shrimp. Big sea monster on screen, little sea creature in the oil. The irony.
No Kirk Douglas, we don’t have any shrimp for you. Mind your own business. You’ve got a movie to finish.
Look the sea creature. Captain Nemo is gonna go pet it. Calamari anyone?
We had fun that night starting a new Christmas tradition.
The next time you’re at a loss of how to spend your weekend night why not grab a fondue pot, some oil and a good movie? It’s great fun and a change of pace.
Do you have any favorite old movies to share? Or any fun food ideas for movie night? Do tell – my fondue pot is ready to go!
Wishing you a Happy New Year full of fun memories!
Meet me in St.Louis is an old movie we love to watch at Christmas time. Wish I would have had the fondue idea. Speaking of fondue… when we got married in 1973 fondue pots were the rage. In fact they were such the rage that we got one in every 1970 popular color… avacado green, harvest gold, burnt orange and bronze brown. We had so many fondue pots we didn’t know what to do with them. Ended up taking most of them back. Now I would give anything to have kept one of them through the years. You’ve just given me a good idea… looking for one in a garage sale. I’ll have to put the word out to my garage sale/flea market friends! I’m going to have to get right on that so I’m all set for Christmas next year. My g-kids will love watching a movie with fondue!
Your blog is SO lovely! That picture with the shrimp and the movie in the background if PRICELESS!!! Fantastic!!
Blessings-
Amanda
What a great new tradition and your fondue pot is so cool.
Do your kids tease you for having your camera by you all the time? I love that you took pictures doing the movie 🙂
Hey Kristen!
Tease? They harass. They don’t think it’s normal for people to take pictures of every single thing under the sun.
I love them dearly. ;-]
~ Amy J.
HA! My brother-in-law from Minnesota calls our family the paparazzi. Everyone has a camera, & flashes pop left & right as each Christmas present is opened — it is a little distracting! : )
Never fondued. Is that a word? I feel like I need to now. When I saw the first picture I wondered if that was an older pot. I remember seeing them like that when I was young. And I’ve never watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. What is wrong with me?
Glad someone else gets fussed at about picture taking. Mine roll their eyes at me all the time. I get so many flattering pictures that way!
Happy New Year!
We always watched The Sound of Music each year when it came on TV. To this day my whole family can sing all of the songs.
I’ve never fondued either, but I’d like to. I thought it was only about dipping stuff in melted chocolate or cheese, I never knew you cooked meat in boiling oil! Could be dangerous around here. We’re a klutzy bunch.
I like the idea of fondue dipping stuff in melted chocolate or cheese. I don’t have a fondue pot, electric or retro so I may pass on this one but love the beginning of Christmas tradition. Of such are wonderful memories made.
Happy New Year Amy! I just found your site through The Pioneer Woman. You’re wonderful! My family fondued regularly in the 70’s. The TV was in the family room and was turned off during dinner. We did have a rule, however, that if your piece of meat/bread being fondued fell off into the pot you had to kiss everyone at the table. ICK! having to kiss or be kissed by my brother….. You’re now on my daily blog read list.
Congratulations!!! I have to comment again since I just clicked here from PDub’s BLOG!!! Aren’t you something? See, I know a thing or two about good blogs. I did mention that you were comparable to Ree, didn’t I? You’re going to get some traffic now. You go, girl.
Happy New Year! My girls and I have a Chocolate night once a year. We watch the movie Chocolat and everyone brings some chocolatey goodness to share. Although, after the night of the seven brownies (everyone brought brownies, yummy, but lacking in variety) we did stipulate that someone must bring something savory but still involving chocolate. It is a big hit every time we do it:)
Hey Becca!
What a fantastic idea. Everyone needs a chocolate night (maybe more than once a year!).
Thanks for stopping by and sharing. We’ll be planning a chocolate night real soon – Valentines is right around the corner.
~ Amy J.
A few years back, our family started the tradition of watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve following our church candlelight service and a drive around town looking at Christmas lights. We usually eat something simple and tasty for dinner and this year we had shrimp and grits. What a hit!! I think it’s our new tradition! Chocolate fondue had become a New Year’s Eve tradition…love the pineapple! I’m up for a chocolate night anytime!!!
good grief! what a precious blog you have! have enjoyed exploring a bit and will come back for more. thanks for stopping by and reading about my day meeting pw! i’m sure i saw you in the crowd!
Hi. I saw your name at Coal Creek Farm. Had to look you up cuz I can’t resist hats. I have a blog, http://peoplewhowearhats.blogspot.com (People Who Wear Hats). Stop by there some time. It an easy read with photos. And for the really intellectual stuff, visit my other blog, http://writingfromthehip.blogspot.com.
You’ve really got an aggressive blog here. You cover a lot of nice territory. I especially like the Chocolate part. I like the whole thing actually. I’ll stop by once in awhile. (Oh, our Texas daughter is Amy, too.)
Happy New Year,
Paul Nichols
Kansas
We’ve also got an avocado green fondue pot that our family uses every Christmas Eve. And we all fight over the colors of the forks! Happy New Year!
I broke down this year and bought an electric fondue pot ($59.99 at Bed, Bath,and Beyond). We have spent the last two New Year’s with our neighbors and we fondue! I made a Cheddar and Hard Cider fondue that was delicious with Little Smokies, broccoli, cauliflower, and apples. Our friends do the oil in theirs for all the other meats. Have you tried dipping the meat in tempura batter, then in the oil? It is mighty tasty!
Chocolate fondue is so easy – bag of chocolate chips, bag of butterscotch chips, and a cup of peanut butter. We dip pound cake, pretzels, and fruit. Man, it makes me want to fondue again soon!
Keep up the great stuff!