Do you remember that scene in Casino Royale, Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond, when an overeager bartender asks him about his martini. "Shaken or stirred?"
Craig looks disgusted. "Do I look like I give a damn?" he responds.
The scene was supposed to tell us that this was a Bond for our times. It served as a self-referential jab at the (mostly phoney) snobbery that has characterised 007. Much is made of Bond's love for, and knowledge of, wine. In the climax of Diamonds Are Forever, the villains enter Bond's cabin on a luxury liner pretending to be waiters. They show him a bottle of Château Mouton Rothschild. Bond (Sean Connery), smelling a rat, says "I am surprised you haven't served a claret," using the traditional English term for a red wine from Bordeaux.
The waiters make excuses for not having a claret on the ship and Bond knows at once that they are imposters.
"Château Mouton Rothschild is a claret," he responds and proceeds to kill them.
Ah, movies and food and wine! When James Bond does eat, it is steak, lamb chops, and lots of eggs.
But at least he eats!
When I was a child, I used to read Superman and
Batman comics and think to myself, "Don't these guys ever eat?" Superman, a Kryptonian, perhaps did not need to eat at all. But Batman? He must have had to live on solid protein to build those muscles, right? Yet, every time Batman and Robin took on the Joker they seemed to do so on empty stomachs.
This story is from the July 27, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 27, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad
30 things to know before you turn 30 The LOVE EDIT
Simmer or sizzle? Forever or for the moment? Escape or endure? Break up or make up? 30 tips, thoughts, tidbits for those who can't help falling in love
The high score in your ear
Homegrown video games are adding a local musical touch to match the play. Sitar riffs, chants, choruses - it's a new level of immersion
Turned down, turned sour
Stalking, sarcasm, squabbles about money. Who'll teach the dating crowd about handling rejection better?
Stretch out, soften up
What do you get when you elongate the Thar and add two doors? An SUV that Roxx and gives city folks an off-road fav
Show them your best side
There's always a right time to visit a city to catch it in its best moments. Festivals, monsoons, and spring are a few shortcuts
A wok to remember
For us, no food is as comforting as Indian Chinese. But even the most familiar dishes travelled the world before they went local