Let me just start by saying, if you haven't seen the live-action version of "Beauty and the Beast" yet, you are living an unfulfilled life. Seeing the characters I remember from my childhood literally come to life before my eyes has me shook to this day. Not to mention, Emma Watson and Dan Stevens' chemistry is so precious.
While the whole movie was an experience, one of the scenes I will never forget in either version is the famous "Be Our Guest" feast. What a welcoming party, right?
Unfortunately, Belle was the only guest actually invited, but thanks to the lyrics of the song, we still have an idea of what was on the menu for the night. In case you were curious on how to throw down 18th-century France-style, here's what was being served at the most epic dinner to ever grace the silver screen.
Soup Du Jour
This is really just fancy French for saying, "soup of the day." You could just pick your favorite and fill in your own blanks. However, French onion seems to make the most sense, based on the setting of "Beauty and the Beast."
Hot Hors d'Oeuvres
Once again, this romance language makes things sound extravagant. Don't be fooled; these are simply appetizers. I would imagine a dish like this French tomato tarte was served. It's simple, but still somehow is bougie enough to probably be on the menu at a fancy dinner.
The Grey Stuff
If someone told me to try any grey-colored food, I don't think I'd be too inclined to listen to them. Sorry, Lumière. But these Earl Grey Tarts are a decent loophole.
Side note: Walt Disney World's "Be Our Guest" restaurant, added The Gray Stuff to their menu. So if you want to try this supposedly "delicious" dessert, you know where to find it.
Beef Ragoût
The French really have a way with words, ragoût is only a meat stew or sauce. This beef stew recipe can easily serve several people and if you have leftovers, you can freeze them and save it for later.
Cheese Soufflé
NourishingCook on Flickr
For all those chefs out there, bake at your own risk; the soufflé is a complex creature. But it's also absolutely worth the little extra effort if you ever want to give it a try.
Pie and Pudding
Lumière specifically said that this part of the meal was "en flambe." If you're still not fluent in French by now, this translates to "flamed," and involves dousing the dish in liquor and lighting it on fire.
The first thing that comes to my mind is bananas Foster, which is slightly after "Beauty and the Beast"'s time, but it was invented in New Orleans so it's kind of French. We'll let it slide.
#Spoon Tip: If you're really feeling creative, try this bananas Foster bread recipe.
Now that we've finished going through the menu I need to get a few things off my chest. Don't get me wrong, the presentation was a 10/10, hats off to Lumière and company for throwing such a lovely dinner party for Belle.
However, beef stew as the main dish? That isn't going to cut it. And have they ever heard of a vegetable? The whole dinner is practically cheese and sugar. I'm no Gordon Ramsey, but for such a famous feast, these dishes are barely MasterChef worthy.
Maybe this is why Lumière had it arranged so that the dishes never actually stayed in front of Belle long enough for her to try them. But seriously, who really cares about the food when the dishes are dancing?