Discussion keeps the world turning. This is Roundtable. You're listening to
Roundtable with my self-a-young. I'm joined by Yuxian and Steve Hatherly in
the studio. Coming up from the screen to your plate, why are pop culture cookbooks
selling like hotcakes? Discover why fans are so eager to recreate dishes from
their favorite shows and movies? Is it about more than just eating? Is it a way
to dive deeper into the worlds we love? And our special segment Motivational
Monday coming your way will give you that adrenaline shot for the start of
the week. Our podcast listeners can find us at Roundtable China on Apple Podcast.
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appreciate it if you could include your name and region of residence in that
voice memo or email. Now on Roundtable let's shift gears and dive into
something new. Are you into themed watch parties with friends? That's a place
where you all gather to binge a show or movie together. How about taking it up a
notch by whipping up dishes inspired by the stories you love? There's a new wave
of cookbooks bringing the food from your favorite movies, animations, and TV shows
such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, or Chuka Ichiban, and
even Hannibal. Yes there's a book called Feeding Hannibal straight from the
screen to your plate and it is time to let your taste buds journey. Okay so go
through Westeros, The Shire, and Beyond. Westeros, Westeros, Game of Thrones.
I don't watch that show. And The Shire's, where's that? I don't watch, I don't read
Lord of the Rings either. In real life, The Shire's located in New Zealand.
Oh that's where it was made, the movies right? Yeah but yeah in the movie I'm
not gonna say more. Okay okay I confess guys this is beyond me. Why do people
love recipes out of so many things from movies and TV shows? I think first we
should talk about the fact that this is a thing because I didn't even know this
is a thing where people will take a popular TV show, authors, cookbook authors
will take a popular TV show, Game of Thrones we mentioned, Lord of the Rings
we mentioned, or movies, and then they'll make a cookbook based on, I don't know
Yuzhan's gonna tell us, the foods that appeared in the films or themed based
meals, what is this all about? I mean this is not entirely a new idea because
already back in the 1970s themed cookbooks already began to enter the
public eye as a way of connecting people's daily lives with their favorite
pop cultures and the first among that generation of cookbook include the I
love Lucy cookbook which originating from the 1950s classic American sitcom
I love Lucy and that was deemed as one of the pioneers of pop culture cookbooks.
Never heard of that show, sorry, Europe and China. Yeah it's a big it was a big
western sitcom that was popular you know 70 years ago, 60-70 years ago but I guess
the point here is that there was a cookbook based on that show. So Huyang you
and I this has been going on for 70 years and we didn't know about it so
we've been living under a cookbook rock so to speak. Sorry for you guys but yeah
upon that it's like over the years there are more pop culture cookbooks that came
out that hit the market and receive major success such as one that's titled
Sopranos family cookbook which probably originates from a TV series called
Soprano. One of the best TV shows of all time by the way. Back in the early 2000s
that one sold for more than a hundred and forty two thousand copies and then
when it comes to the 2010 the unofficial Harry Potter cookbook has had been sold
for more than a million copies so let's just say it's a thing it's a thing it's
a big market out there. It's a real thing so I looked up the Harry Potter
cookbook and from what I can tell there's more than one and just to find
one of the recipes from there I found a blogger who was saying that they bought
the Harry Potter cookbook and they she was going through some of the recipes
with her daughters her two or three daughters saying that it wasn't really
kid-friendly in the sense that these aren't recipes for children to make
these are actual real recipes the children have fun with mom or dad or
their caretaker making them but they do need assistance. Anyway do you know what
a Hungarian horn tail mini tea time cake is? Okay it's Hungarian then.
That's in the Harry Potter cookbook that is a cupcake so they have these names I
guess for these recipes that come from the theme of the film but the food
itself is actual food that you're cooking. Alright well I did some digging
and I was so hopeful to find something similar like this in China didn't find
there's a licensing issue I would think that you would need JK Rowland or at
least her estate's permission to to publish a Harry Potter themed cookbook.
Unless you love lawsuits. I don't think we do. So there's definitely well that's
one of the things at the back of my mind but after some digging and also into my
own experience I think there is a certain inspiration that is common for
people to find in cooking the same dish where you get the idea from a show or an
animation. For example for those of us who grew up in China in the 19 or born
in the 1980s and 90s we used to watch this Japanese animation called Chum wa
Shaodang jia or Chuka Ichiban. Yeah and remember there's like the
dude's literally cooking up a tsunami. There's always big waves of water behind him when he's making the dishes. And we all get so excited and it's almost like oh if you become a chef maybe one day that's the biggest stream that can become true for you. That is you know the tsunami behind you when you're cooking up the the dishes of Maputo food. That was huge in that show. And also one tip I got from that show is that you're cooking up the dishes of Maputo food.
The first thing I learned from that show as a kid was well I learned that you should mix ground walnuts or hu tao into the dough while kneading it and that's when you make I suppose make noodles out of the dough. And the flavor is meant to burst on your taste buds. And a friend of mine has actually tried this. And guess what? It's pretty good. No. It added no flavor whatsoever. It just added more calories to our noodles.
And dough. And yeah so that's one example but also with a little bit more research I found that Detective Chinatown is a franchise of movies and it inspired a whole bunch of traditional dishes featured in the movies for people to enjoy such as spicy hot pot and dumplings.
And also the King's Avatar or Ginger Go Show. Sorry I do sound excited because I am a nerd sometimes. The recipe recipes have been inspired from this web novel and its animation adaptations and people get excited and creating these recipes that you get from the shows.
And that's pretty cool I suppose. What do you think is driving people into finding inspiration from these shows for cooking?
I mean just think about the pop culture cookbook. That's a perfect blend of the production or the entertainment itself plus culinary arts right? Because when someone's truly falling in love with a show and the world it depicts where say a character or like a major chef that's portrayed in the show.
Such a cookbook is a perfect way to revisit the whole franchise in a brand new way that you know just sitting there and watching the show could not satisfy you which is taste. Not just taste. Listen to this description.
Now you have to think of yourself as a huge fan of Game of Thrones as I share this description of the cookbook with you.
Now who does not want to cook from the cookbook of Game of Thrones after reading that slot? I think it's a lot of fun. You know let's take that example again of the mom who was cooking with her daughters the Harry Potter stuff.
The daughters obviously big fans of Harry Potter. So if that gets them involved it suddenly becomes a family activity right? The daughters maybe not interested in cooking in the kitchen with mom but if it's a Harry Potter horn tail frog cupcake.
Well suddenly the kids want to get involved. I get it and I think it's kind of cool.
Another reason that's given by a cookbook author herself is for the reality escaping purposes because a lot of times when people are diving into such fictional world they're maybe trying to delve into just an entire different realm that's you know that's preferred by them a bit more.
So this is quoting from cookbook author Chelsea Monroe Cassel who I think is the author of the cookbook from the Game of Thrones franchise.
So she told the New York Times that these sensations provide fans with a big way or a new and tangible way of connecting with the world that they love making them a visible say a path to temporarily abandon reality and delve into a preferred one.
That works the same for videos for movie TV shows. Yeah, but I mean the feeding Hannibal cookbook. How deep do we want to dive into that fantasy world? It's funny because the cooking book the cookbook for that one.
I think it's designed by the say the culinary designer of the show herself as well. So she was just sharing her you know on-site experience plus the dish and how she came to make that dish in the first place in the cookbook.
Yeah. And apparently I've never seen the TV. I think they made a TV series out of the whole Hannibal thing as well. And I was looking on Reddit which is a website where people upload their thoughts and articles that they find interesting.
And I saw a post someone said is anyone else cooking the foods that appear on Hannibal. Apparently I haven't seen but Hannibal always describes what he's eating or what he's cooking to the people in the scene.
So it's a thing where people want to try to cook the same thing at home. They try to replicate it kind of fun. Okay. I happen to be someone who's watched this TV series more than once.
And in the last few years even since the Hannibal TV series has ended I think there's at obscure corners on the Internet there are quiet brewing of a solid cult following to the show.
And in that show what's really special is they really spend time camera time to zero in on how the food is being made with really grandiose orchestral music playing in the back.
So it's a visual feast as well as maybe it is a culinary feast as well.
Makes you want to cook it too. Yeah. I suppose you know when the cameras lingering on on this aspect of things and for like hardcore fans of the show then they want to learn how to cook.
And if this show was about maybe sports and the camera really spends time on sort of making how the sport look really attractive and cool and and maybe sexy and then you'll get people who want to play the sport.
And remember for years there's been this cosplay culture pretty popular in Japan as well as in China and even in Western countries as well where a lot of the animation or these movies are popular then people dress up as characters in real life usually to attend comic conventions.
Because you want a piece of that world even when you're living in this world. Exactly. And that's why this makes sense. Right. And these cookbooks they're not we're we're making jokes here on our show today.
But these are not jokes. These are real cookbooks with real recipes with real fans who want to cook these dishes. It's also approved by many of them leading publishers as well.
And that is like worldwide. I'm quoting from a 62 year old publisher of Rizzoli New York. And she says back in my generation to know what people are interested in.
You went through their record collection or their library. But nowadays you ask them what TV show they're watching. So this is a turning or say a transforming of interest that's crossing different generations as well.
And for young people nowadays sharing pop culture favorites from the story to the world to the recipes is a way for young people to communicate as well.
So and and the publishers they saw this as an opportunity. That's why a lot of the leading publishers like the Penguin Random House they have dedicated teams for pop culture books just for that franchise or for Janja alone.
So yeah we definitely see the potential of this cookbook culture. And yeah there's definitely going to be more coming. Oh interesting.
I'll be the unpopular one and saying that cookbooks isn't that a relic of the 20th century. Yeah. What's that. Do people still make those. Yeah.
Maybe do the digital version. And I suppose yeah people these days do look up recipes because even if you don't want the book you still need to cook.
Sure. More or less. I suppose and feel free to explore whatever interests you. I may not always understand but I respect your choices. Coming up next motivational Monday.
So this week Steve Hatherly. What do you have for us to get us excited for the beginning of the week. Novelist and screenwriter Nicholas Sparks. Have you seen the notebook. Nope.
Did you cry your eyes out. Everybody did. Yeah I did too. The saddest movie ever made. That's who Nicholas Sparks is. Yeah. And Nicholas Sparks was quoted as saying this. There are moments when I wish I could turn back the clock and take all the sadness away.
I have the feeling that if I did though the joy would be gone as well. And what that means is when we're having a hard time or when we think back to you know days when we were really really sad and we say I wish I wish that was gone I wish I could erase that from my memory.
No. Jim Carrey Eternal Sun. What was that movie title. Spotless Sunshine Eternal Sunshine. Anyway in that movie he erases his memories. But when he says sometimes I wish I could do that but if I did I would lose the joy as well. So if you think oh gosh I wish I never went through a hard time. Also remember if you go back to that time you're going to lose all your happy moments too. So take the good with the bad and keep moving forward.
And see I'm not surprised that this is the author who wrote the notebook. Yeah. Sounds very notebooky doesn't it. Because it's about you know this shouldn't be a spoil alert that. Can we ruin the movie now. The movie's been out for 20 years. I know. I know it's a love story that. Oh it's so much more than that. Should have a good ending eventually. Ryan Gosling. Bring nine boxes of tissues to the film with you.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That's the name of that chair. Anyway that's mine for today. Lovely. Thank you so much. And Yushan what is your motivational Monday share for us today. I'll start with why I want this to be my motivational Monday kick. It's because I've been traveling so long for almost like two to three weeks to gradually finish all the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings franchise.
So yeah maybe one hour per day and some of these extended versions could last from three hours to four because there are all the you know the scenes that's connecting different parts of the story together that's been deleted upon release.
But now they're adding all that up together that's feels a really long time. So step by step I gradually finished all the extended versions of that movie franchise. And there's one quote that I find that I really appreciate that is even the smallest person can change the course of the future.
And this line comes from the character Lady Gladrill which is one of my favorite characters of all characters in the Fellowship of the Ring movie. So it's a profound reminder of the impact that even the least likely individuals can have on some events and outcomes of things.
So it inspires people to really recognize our own potentials no matter how insignificant you may feel yourself to be our actions and choices can still make a profound impact on the world around us or on people around us.
So today I kind of wanted to share that with everyone just so that you have this empowerment or say an encouragement to shape your path and think about how it's going to influence those around you.
And this actually comes from my participation of Roundtable the show because I haven't been here long enough. Sometimes I feel like you know I have much more to learn to improve. But in the meantime I feel like I'm working organically as part of the group as well.
So yeah there's such good outcome coming out from this this path that I'm taking. So yeah good messages out there for all of you.
And it's so great to have you on the team you should have new blood on Roundtable and new personality. That's always a fantastic thing. And girl even till today like I've been doing this show for 10 years.
That's just shocking to say the number. But I still feel wow there's still so much to learn and it's great to feel like you can still get better be better blossom maybe evolve into something else.
And that's all a really great feeling. Well it's good to know on a Monday. Yeah. And for today's motivational Monday I would like to talk about a band that has touched millions of hearts and shown us that even in the darkest times there is always a way forward.
Lincoln Park one of the world's biggest alternative rock bands coming out of the 2000s after losing their beloved frontman Chester Bennington in 2017 fans and the band probably thought that their musical journey has ended.
But today I'm excited to share that Lincoln Park is back reminding us that a new beginning is possible even after Deep Sorrow on September the 5th they held a livestream event introducing Emily Armstrong. Yes a lady formerly of Dead Sorrow as their new singer and Colin Britten as their new drummer.
They performed a new song The Emptiness Machine along with a few Lincoln Park classics and Mike Shinoda announced that they're having this upcoming album called From Zero and a world tour coming up.
And this makes me think while the past holds incredible memories there's always place for new chapters. It's not about replacing what's been lost but about moving forward with the strength of something or what's come before.
And Lincoln Park's return is a testament to resilience honoring Chester's legacy while finding fresh purpose in their music and their journey reminds us all that no matter the challenges we can find a new way to begin again.
I interviewed Joe Hahn from Lincoln Park a couple of times actually maybe even three times really nice guy the third second or third time he brought his daughter with him little she was three or four years old at the time to the interview.
And you know speaking with Joe there was a time in Lincoln Park's history when they weren't sure you know after losing Chester that was really emotional and traumatic for them and they didn't know what was going to happen with the group in the future.
The last time I spoke with Joe was oh goodness maybe six seven eight years ago and it's taken this long for Lincoln Park to come back again but that's really cool that that they've done it and I can't I can't wait to hear what they're going to do next.
Yeah and Chester can never be replaced and he'll forever be one of the amazing singer. Yes and the melodic scream that he does can never be replicated by anybody else but this is a new start for Lincoln Park and I'm all for it.
So as this band opens a new chapter I invite you to reflect on your own life what chapters are you ready to close what new doors can you open life constantly gives us opportunities to reinvent ourselves.
It's not about forgetting the past is about letting it shape and strengthen us for what's next. And let me leave you with a few quotes to inspire you today. Chester once said when life leaves us blind love keeps us kind and another to keep you maybe in your mind.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end and finally one from Lincoln Park zone journey in the end we don't simply overcome challenges we evolve through them. So take heart listeners today's your chance for a fresh start as Lincoln Park and birds on a new path.
Here's a reminder of what made them who they are. Lincoln Park's monster hit from the band's debut album hybrid theory best seller of an album in 20 well actually in 2001 in the end and that brings us to the end of today's show.
Thank you so much. You Shan and Steve Hatherley for joining the discussion. I'm high young. We'll see you next time.
