Babette’s Feast

A Quiet Story With A Lot To Say. And, Baba au Rhum for Dessert.

Mar 04, 2023

It’s Awards Season and I was thinking about a movie last week that won Best Foreign Language Film in 1987 at both the Academy Awards and the BAFTAs.

Babette’s Feast (from Denmark) based on the short story of the same name by Karen Blixen aka Isak Dinesen, took home the honor. It’s a quiet film with a lot to say.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers if you haven’t seen it and might like to. The title tells you that yes, there will be plenty of beautiful food in this movie.

But Babette’s Feast is so much more.

Stéphane Audran as Babette. Credit: Getty Images

Published in 1958 as part of Dinesen’s short story collection Anecdotes of Destiny, Babette’s Feast is the story of two gentle and pious sisters who give Babette, a French refugee, shelter in a tiny Scandinavian village.

The years go by and Babette, who has come into some good luck, wishes to repay the generosity of the sisters. She plans a spectacular French dinner for them and for the small congregation to celebrate what would have been their father’s 100th birthday.

The film builds slowly and richly to the evening of feast. Watching the wonderful actress, the late Stéphane Audran as she works in the kitchen is a joy. In ‘real life’ Audran loved cooking and it shows. She comfortably and gracefully commands the kitchen in every frame.

There was one thing Ms. Audran insisted on while filming. In the scenes where she is enjoying sips of wine while preparing the dinner, it had to be real wine, not the usual fruit juice on film sets.

She is said to have remarked that she was not that good of an actress.

I especially liked this sentiment from the renowned film critic, Sheila Benson, in her review of Babette’s Feast in 1988 for the Los Angeles Times:

The delectable “Babette’s Feast” is a fable told with passion, intelligence and sumptuousness. Although it certainly has a feast at its center, it would be a mistake to think that its tribute is intended only for great cooks. No, it’s a deep reverence to all great artists — whether they make books, bowls or ballets, baskets, quilts, songs, poems, paintings…or films.

The Baba au Rhum

The dessert Babette makes for the feast is a gorgeous Baba au Rhum, served with glasses of Veuve Cliquot Champagne.

I used a recipe from Ina Garten and added some of the candied cherries and fruit decorating ideas from Babette. I’ve also attached an article by Florence Fabricant from 1987 with recipes for all of the courses in Babette’s Feast. (I didn’t have fresh yeast on hand which the recipe called for, but at some point I’ll try it.)

Here is a screen grab from the film which I watched again last week. The top was decorated with, I believe, marzipan leaves. Ina Garten decorated with whipped cream, so I did that and added the glazed cherries and some syrupy peaches. Figs are also part of the dessert in the film.

Screen grab of Baba au Rum from Babette’s Feast

One of the fun things about making this recipe is the part where you pour the rum and simple syrup over and into the baked cake—my kitchen smelled so good as the cake absorbed the liquid. Babette’s version of the pour, above. My version, après the pour, below. (Set the cake on a rack with pan underneath as you pour.)

After I decorated and photographed the cake, I cut a slice, poured myself a glass of wine and ate it standing up at the big cutting board in my kitchen.

There wasn’t any champagne on hand, but I think Babette would still have approved. ✨

Ina Garten recipe: Here (notes: I had raisins on hand, I used instead of currants. I have a 12-cup bundt pan, so I had to double the recipe - note to self - get a 6-cup savarin mold. I only had large eggs, the recipe calls for extra-large, I added one more.)

Florence Fabricant article and full Babette’s Feast menu recipes: Here

Another interesting article on Babette’s Feast, with photos, from Eat, Drink Films: Here

Before we go, Jenny Hammerton has just launched her Substack “Dinner and a Movie” which I’m really looking forward to, so here’s the link if you’d like to take a peek. Congratulations, Jenny!

Dinner and a Movie

by Jenny Hammerton

Next week, I’m writing about another movie that was part of the inspiration for a spoof cookbook that we can have some fun with. Any guesses? (Clue: 🍓 🍓 🍓)

Have a great weekend, Everyone.

Jolene