Thanks to Media Lab Books for sending me a copy of The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook in exchange for an honest review.
Recipes, recipes, recipes! Are you looking for a culinary celebration of your favorite ghost with the most? Then summon The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook: 75+ Darkly Delicious Recipes Inspired by the Tim Burton Classic. Thea James wrote it with recipes by Isabel Minunni and photography by Carol Kicinski, Julia Gennocro and Emily Zambrano.
All of the Beetlejuice(s)
First, I want to discuss one of my favorite things about The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook. This cookbook doesn’t just spotlight the original 1988 movie. Don’t get me wrong: there are loads of recipes that pay homage to the horror comedy that started it all. These are each introduced with an informative paragraph. In fact, I learned a whole lot about Beetlejuice from these introductions, and I’ve watched that movie more than a fair few times. I even impressed my close friend by texting him some of these behind-the-scenes facts and Easter eggs.
However, The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook also sinks its teeth into the alternate versions of Beetlejuice, as well. Several recipes are inspired by the 1989 animated Beetlejuice cartoon series. This was my personal introduction to the world of our favorite bio-exorcist. And in fact, one of my favorite recipes I tried from the cookbook so far pays homage to the series. The “Post-Bio-Exorcism Smoothie” is a delicious drinkable that embodies the show’s penchant for overboard puns.
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In addition, there are also recipes that pay tribute to Beetlejuice: The Musical. If you are a BJ fan, I cannot recommend enough that you give the musical’s album a listen. It’s a great soundtrack for cooking the recipes in this book.
In addition to these inclusions, there’s also a recipe that honors Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, the long-gestating but ultimately unproduced sequel. In fact, the only title in the Beetlejuice franchise that isn’t included is the actual sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. But given the unofficial status of the cookbook, this omission makes sense. And a few additional recipes reference other Tim Burton movies, like Peewee’s Big Adventure and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
What’s Cooking
The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook is divided into six straightforward sections. These are: breakfast, appetizers, mains, snacks, drinks and desserts. Each of these includes at least half a dozen recipes and sometimes considerably more. The recipes are each given two pages. On one page is the recipe and the introductory text, while on the other is a large photograph of the completed dish.
These thoughtful photographs are very well done. Sometimes, they include accompanying flourishes that pay homage to Beetlejuice. For example, the “Lost Souls Pretzel Ghosts” appear in a black void beside a dollhouse-sized door. “The Flycatcher” dessert bar is placed in a mannequin hand exploding out of fake grass, evoking Adam Maitland’s model of Winter River. Other photos pay homage to the movie in more subtle ways. The “It’s Chowtime! Chow Mein,” inspired by the meal eaten by the Deetzes after moving into their new home, is shown in a classic white-and-red “Thank You” pagoda Chinese food box, alongside chopsticks.
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All recipes are connected to one of the incarnations of Beetlejuice (or, in a few cases, the other Burton projects) in ways that make sense. But, many of the recipes, and the spooky desserts and drinks in particular, would also be appropriate for a Halloween or general horror-themed party.
Interestingly, there weren’t many “gross out” recipes. Probably the most “graphic” is the “Scary Face Charcuterie,” inspired by Beetlejuice’s horrifying visage. In the movie, we only see this from behind, with the Maitlands’ reactions to stir our imaginations. The recipe lives up to the implications of those reactions, featuring a prosciutto-wrapped Styrofoam head. I didn’t get to make this one, but it would be a great centerpiece for that themed party.
The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook
The vast majority of the recipes in The Unofficial Beetlejuice Cookbook are straightforward. Thus, they will largely be manageable for beginning chefs. The biggest challenge is likely to be ensuring you have all the right cooking equipment. None of these required tools are too out of this world. But maybe you’re lacking a wok, grill or double boiler.
But while the recipes may have been on the simple side – no instructions spilled onto a second page – I found all of them I tried to be quite satisfying. My only real issue was that a couple seemed to need a bit more of certain ingredients than called for by the recipes. For example, the tasty “Till Death Do Us Part Spaghetti and Meatballs” probably could have used another dozen ounces of marinara sauce. However, my margin notes will ensure I remember this addition the next time I make this dish.
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Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try out any of the cocktails in the drinks section. But with 16 options, and several of them sporting unique presentations, I’m sure these live up to the standard of the food recipes I did sample. And there are a few without alcohol or with alcohol optional, so everyone can find something to sip on.
This is a fun and straightforward cookbook that makes good use of its Beetlejuice theme. This is true both in the themed recipes and in the extremely informative introductory text that accompanies each of them. Once again, it would be an ideal guide if you’re throwing a Beetlejuice (or just a Halloween)-themed party and want to wow your guests with a spooky homemade spread. But just be careful who you include on your guest list. Nobody wants to be bio-exorcised.
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