Of Swords and Soup

Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Film:

• Why It's Worth It: Those who love the novel will appreciate the care taken by the filmmakers to remain true to the spirit of the book. The animated kingdom has an elegant pastel palate that enchanted us all. While those unfamiliar with the novel's characters may find the plot a bit confusing, we enjoyed a experience that is a far cry from the typical, joke-driven animated film. So, don't expect a laugh fest; instead, prepare to enjoy a leisurely and Big Idea-driven film that delivers on the morals of the book.
  
• Red Flags: Although it carries a G rating, we don't recommend this film for kids under six. Although the Queen's death is not scary, the king's subsequent sadness colors the film - literally graying the skies while he sadly strums a lute until Despereaux brings out the sun again. The film also contains one scary scene in which the princess is kidnapped away to the rat's underworld and strapped down so she can be attacked. Of course, she is saved in the nick of time but the sight of her body roped down with rats waiting to chew is alarming for young kids. The rats in this film aren't as clean and lovable as the Ratatouille rats, and their underworld is particularly nasty! It has a has a lovely but leisurely pace that might be too slow for kids older than ten, so the sweet spot for viewers is fairly narrow.

Our tips for talking with your kids about this film:

• Literary Savvy: Kate DiCamillo's novel is spectacular, and many a family's favorite choice for reading aloud since it appeals to listeners of all ages, including adults. She has written many other popular and award-winning children's books, notably The Tiger Rising and Because of Winn-Dixie, both great choices to read aloud, or to listen to over a long car ride.
  
• Cinema Savvy:  If your kids loved this movie, they will also enjoy Ratatouille. (Click here for our review and cooking adventure).  There are lots of films, appropriate for teens and adults, that revolve around cooking -- Click here for our list of favorites.

Caroline Styne co-owns our two favorite Los Angeles restaurants with celebrity chef Suzanne Goin. At Lucques and A.O.C., these women are committed to quality ingredients, sustainable farming and to making each meal an unforgettably delicious experience. Caroline, a mother of two, is a big proponent of expanding kids' culinary worlds by getting them involved in the kitchen -- kids who eat little more than buttered pasta may surprise parents if they can take little tastes of something more exotic during the cooking process.

• Caroline's Advice about Making Soup with Small Cooks: 1. Measuring is Math: Let the kids do all the measuring of olive oil and beans for soaking - they'll get some practice for thinking in fractions, and using a ruler to measure the vegetable pieces. 2. Develop their Seasoning Palate: Have the kids be your official salt and pepper adders -- dipping their spoons into the broth throughout the cooking to see how, for instance, pepper really boosts flavor. 3. There's Pasta in my Soup: Let your kids choose their favorite pasta shape for the soup. 4. Grater Advice: It's easy to scrape little fingers on a cheese grater, so consider purchasing one that grates the cheese by turning around a drum. 5. Start the Questioning: See if the kids can guess why ingredients get added in a particular order. What do the onions and garlic have in common? Why does pasta and red pepper get added last?
• CAROLINE'S MINESTRONE RECIPE:
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, cut into small chunks
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch inch pieces
• 2 cups haricots verts, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 cups small red potatoes cut in half
• 1 can whole plum tomatoes, drained, tomatoes cut into fourths
• 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight (use canned beans if necessary)
• 1 cup white beans, soaked overnight
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dried pasta (any shape you prefer)
• 2 cups zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch circles
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• parmesan cheese
  
• In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until they are translucent (approx 8 minutes). Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook until for 10 minutes. Add haricots verts and potatoes and sauté for 10 more minutes. Add tomatoes, beans and chicken broth, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Once the soup has simmered, add the pasta, red bell peppers and oregano and continue to cook for 10 to 15 more minutes. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper, adding as much as your palate desires. (Styne feels that soups are often under-seasoned, and gladly gives her kids a chance to pepper the soup up quite a lot!) Add chopped basil and parmesan cheese to the soup as a garnish when serving.

Our Tips for Extending this Adventure:

• Visit SOVA:  Want To Get Busy in a Real Soup Kitchen? Our favorite community kitchen for bringing the kids along to hand out food to those in need.  With locations throughout the city, it's easy to donate an hour over a weekend to make a difference.  Click here for details and locations. 
• Who was that Vegetable Man? The chef in the film conjures up a mystical vegetable spirit who helps him with his recipe creation. We think the animators must have been inspired by 16th Century painter Arcimboldo, whose portraits of nobility are clever collages of fruits, vegetables and fish. Click here to see some of his paintings.