I am by no means a movie critic, but I just wanted to say that I love the new Pixar film, "Ratatouille."
I guess I am predisposed to love it, because it is about food, cooking, food critics and, oh yeah, rats. Well, maybe I don’t love the whole rats part, although I must admit that Remy is pretty lovable. Perhaps more so since he is the namesake of a cognac.
But it is so great to see a film come out where the moral of the story is threefold and positive and aimed towards children and adults alike:
1. Don’t eat garbage. Pay attention to the smells, the tastes, the feel of the foods you eat -- don’t just eat something because it is there. There is so much more to eating that just stuffing yourself into fullness.
2. Anyone can cook. Cooking comes with experimentation and taking the time and the effort to create something wonderful that you can enjoy and share with others.
3. No matter where you come from or what your background is, there is a place of acceptance for you out there if you focus on your goals, dreams, and aspirations.
And again, I am sure I loved "Ratatouille" more because of the food aspect, but I loved, too, that there was little violence, little questionable dialogue and a whole lot of appreciation for good food. Once the tomatoes come up in our garden, I am eager to try to recreate the ratatouille Remy made with a mandolin; and since Alex has been asking about it now, I am quite certain he will happily sample ratatouille for the first time, perhaps even making it one of his favorite childhood dishes, as it was for feared food critic Anton Ego.
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
